I've used 5 htp for years on and off. This year I've really had a tough winter and started using it again. I take Vitamin World's 5 htp 100mg with Valerian and GABA Complex 200mg together every morning. So far this has helped my mood greatly. Still dreaming of moving, but at least I can function.

My only adverse reaction from 5 htp was taking too much at one time years ago. I believe it was 200 mg. It made me anxious for a few hours. My rule of thumb is to stick to one capsule or 100mg a day.

i have stopped using 5htp and basically using just fish oil and i do take some klonopin. .25 morning and evening. i have never tried valerian or gaba but the 5htp seemed to disrupt my sleep. I am going to florida in jan and will be there for 2 months. The winter is tough for me also i feel like a wilted flower. Good luck to you

It must effect everyone different. 5 htp, when I take it alone before bedtime, allows me to have really deep sleep. I use to take klonopin, but it would make me sleep for too many hours, I could never sleep for just 7 hours on it. I would end up sleeping 10 sometimes 11 hours. Not allowing me to very productive.

Thanks for the good luck and enjoy Florida. I would love to get out of here.

thanks for the comment. I really didnt give 5 htp a lot of time to work. I took it for 5 days 50 mg at night. I seem to suffer from anxiety and the blues during the winter months. I am retired so without golf and the sun I tend toward being a little bored i guess. I have started to take fish oil also. I only take .25 of klonopin in morning and evening but wonder if that is positive or negative on my health. Well who knows.

I've been taking fish oil for years for many reasons and it has helped with sad also. B complex helps too. Nothing seems to have made as big a difference for me as Vitamin D though. Can't say I'm as good as mid summer, but hey, thats why the tropics are so popular right?

soootired how much of the vitamin d do you take? I take res Q 1250 fish oil and take 4 tablets each day. I also have invested in light therapy and have been taking 3 mile walks each day. my moods change it seems from day to day. what are your symptoms thanks for the reply steve

i read the same thing also fish oil...

I've been taking 5htp for almost a week. I am not sure if I should continue. I take 100mg before I go to bed but it causes me to sleep more and getting up in the morning is more harder. It's hard to get with SAD in the morning but it seems harder with the 5htp.

Hi stevebo
I have not heard of htp, but I guess anything is worth a try.
I see others have recommended fish oil, Vitamin B complex, and most important Vitamin D.
Also a therapy light is a good option.
Exercise is really good, but how can we manage to do this when we have so little energy, but if it is possible, it really helps give us some much needed motivation!

I use all of the above all year round, and my light in the winter and overall I think it has helped me.

Hope this helps you.

AngelEyezz

HA! funny.

See my other post, it may have been the 5 htp that was (and still is, teehee) making me loopy. I didn't notice before I took the 5htp last night, so maybe it was it instead of St Johns wort.

yahknow?

I use 5 HTP on a daily basis along with Super B, Vitamin D, Womans Daily, L-Glutamine and Glucosamine.
So far this winter has by far been a better one, but the toughest months are here, Jan, Feb and early March.
It has helped enormously that the weather has been beautifully and abnormally mild so far, but this is the Midwest and that can change any moment, just grateful for this reprieve!
45 minute to 1 hour workouts have also helped. Since this weather has been wonderful, trying to do most walking outside. I got a 1 year membership at the Gym for Christmas so starting on that present today. Its time to change up the routine.

One thing that works for me when I dont have the energy to workout, is to just do it. Seriously. If i engage in the mental arguement with myself over, "do I, dont I" I am usually toast. 1st thing in the morning works the best for me. I have my clothes laid out, Ipod charged up with a good playlist and then most importantly, dont debate....get to it.

Am noticing a bt more sleep but thats ok. Im also moving more.

Have a great day everyone

Hi, for all of you experimenting with 5-HTP I would really recommend talking to your Dr. about a recommended dosage. Like all things - natural or no it is possible to take too much, or not enough to be doing any good. If you are feeling loopy maybe you've taking too much? Also if one is taking 5-HTP my Dr. says one also needs to take another supplement with it, and darn it - I can't recall the name of it now! 5-HTP alone doesn't work properly. I took 5-HTP as prescribed by my Dr. for several months, not just during winter, but as a natural sleep aid. Benefits include that it also helps with mood. My Dr. has me on Tryptophan now as she felt I needed more help this time of year. This also helps with sleep. I am taking 1000 mg a day. While taking 5-HTP I took 100-150mg a day.

Springsun, I agree that we should speak with our doctor so they know that we don't take stuff that interferes with other meds. I'm not on meds so this isn't a huge concern for me.

I will be seeing my doctor in a few weeks and she knows about my SAD. I actually decided to try 5htp at dinner time last night and I think the timing of taking it might have been what made me had a hard time getting out of bed and sleeping until noon (normally get up by 8am)

I've also decided to take 50 mg of 5htp instead of the 100 mg that I have as I'm just cutting up the pill in half. We'll see how I do the rest of the week taking it at dinner time.

I don't know or think 5htp makes me feel 100% but today my brain feels better and I want to be able to not be yawning all the time and feel tired.

I am continuing with the 5 htp and I think it has helped me a lot. I think it takes a bit of an adjustment but I seem to be fine now. I will be speaking to my doctor next week so I'd like her opinion. I've been really happy with the 5 htp because my brain feels much betrter and I can remember things and don't feel so tired.