Can 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) Be Used As a Weight-Loss Aid?

5-HTP is wonderful to use for as a weight loss aid. 5-HTP stands for five hydroxytryptophan and it's an amino acid that's used in the brain to make serotonin. It's been shown that when serotonin is in normal and higher amounts that it tends to reduce our carbohydrate cravings, conversely when serotonin is very low, carbohydrate cravings seem to increase dramatically so it's been shown is that when people use 5-HTP and take a few hundred milligrams a couple of times a day which is a relatively higher dose for 5-HTP people can have substantially lower carbohydrate cravings.

It's also very good for mood because it increases serotonin which is nice because that typically helps people's mood feel better as well. So I do find if you use 5HTP only by itself, then you don't have a good weight loss program that includes things like exercise, and reducing caloric intake, and really increasing healthy foods that the benefits might not sustain so I think if people do all those things and use the 5-HTP you get the best benefits of all.