I'd like to clear this up with some of the experienced MDMA users on this board with supplement with 5htp...can it cause heart valve damage? I use 5htp during the week to help me sleep so I can get up early in the morning for work/uni and also after MDMA usage of course, but this is not my primary usage for it. I dose 50mg four - five nights a week.
5 HTP, on the other hand, can possible cause heart damage although there is no report of such association yet.
Since 5 HTP is a short jump to serotonin, it can increase serotonin blood level significantly and possible cause valve disease or heart fibrosis. However, it will require large doses and long supplementation with 5 HTP for this to happen.
By co-administering carbidopa with 5 HTP, it is possible to prevent the conversion of the amino acid to serotonin outside of the brain. Therefore, the use of carbidopa with 5 HTP will not cause serotonin blood levels to rise while still ensuring that serotonin levels in the brain rises. This action eliminates any risk of heart damage from 5 HTP supplementation.
The combination of carbidopa and 5 HTP is used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The side effects of this combination are nausea, vomiting and a skin reaction resembling scleroderma.
Source: http://www.progressivehealth.com/5-htp-heart-disease.htm
"Contraindications
One additional concern regarding 5-
HTP is the possibility of an eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) similar to the illness
linked to contaminated LT. The contamination
identified in certain batches of LT has been
related to production methods using bacterial
fermentation and subsequent inadequate filtration. This is unlikely to occur with 5-HTP,
since it is produced by extraction from plant
sources. Two cases of EMS-like symptoms
have been described in patients taking 5-HTP.
One case reported in 1980 involved the use of
very high doses (1400 mg daily).
57
Because
contamination of LT was not identified as a
factor in EMS until 1990, the product consumed by this patient was not tested for contamination. The second case involved a mother
and two children who were confirmed to have
taken contaminated 5-HTP.
58
Because of the possibility of serotonin syndrome (see above), 5-HTP should be
used with caution in patients currently being
treated or who have recently been treated with
either an SSRI or an MAOI antidepressant.
There are no adequate, well-controlled
studies on the use of 5-HTP in pregnancy,
therefore, it should not be used while pregnant.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9727088
Serotonin and heart damage: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3179857/
When doing my personal research I came across this on a forum from a user and I would like to see if anybody knows if there is some truth to this:
To inhibit AAAD, you should always take EGCG (green tea extract) with your 5-HTP. EGCG has been shown to be a good inhibitor of L-amino acid decarboxylase.
That's why I recommended simply using l-arginine to out-compete l-lysine to prevent antagonistic effects on serotonin in your brain. They both use the same channel to transport to the brain. The l-lysines effects on your heart muscle would be beneficial in the same way that Carbidopa would
I just think 5-HTP can be dangerous if overused to return from the accelerated heart rate that is a roll
5 HTP, on the other hand, can possible cause heart damage although there is no report of such association yet.
Since 5 HTP is a short jump to serotonin, it can increase serotonin blood level significantly and possible cause valve disease or heart fibrosis. However, it will require large doses and long supplementation with 5 HTP for this to happen.
By co-administering carbidopa with 5 HTP, it is possible to prevent the conversion of the amino acid to serotonin outside of the brain. Therefore, the use of carbidopa with 5 HTP will not cause serotonin blood levels to rise while still ensuring that serotonin levels in the brain rises. This action eliminates any risk of heart damage from 5 HTP supplementation.
The combination of carbidopa and 5 HTP is used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The side effects of this combination are nausea, vomiting and a skin reaction resembling scleroderma.
Source: http://www.progressivehealth.com/5-htp-heart-disease.htm
"Contraindications
One additional concern regarding 5-
HTP is the possibility of an eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) similar to the illness
linked to contaminated LT. The contamination
identified in certain batches of LT has been
related to production methods using bacterial
fermentation and subsequent inadequate filtration. This is unlikely to occur with 5-HTP,
since it is produced by extraction from plant
sources. Two cases of EMS-like symptoms
have been described in patients taking 5-HTP.
One case reported in 1980 involved the use of
very high doses (1400 mg daily).
57
Because
contamination of LT was not identified as a
factor in EMS until 1990, the product consumed by this patient was not tested for contamination. The second case involved a mother
and two children who were confirmed to have
taken contaminated 5-HTP.
58
Because of the possibility of serotonin syndrome (see above), 5-HTP should be
used with caution in patients currently being
treated or who have recently been treated with
either an SSRI or an MAOI antidepressant.
There are no adequate, well-controlled
studies on the use of 5-HTP in pregnancy,
therefore, it should not be used while pregnant.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9727088
Serotonin and heart damage: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3179857/
When doing my personal research I came across this on a forum from a user and I would like to see if anybody knows if there is some truth to this:
To inhibit AAAD, you should always take EGCG (green tea extract) with your 5-HTP. EGCG has been shown to be a good inhibitor of L-amino acid decarboxylase.
That's why I recommended simply using l-arginine to out-compete l-lysine to prevent antagonistic effects on serotonin in your brain. They both use the same channel to transport to the brain. The l-lysines effects on your heart muscle would be beneficial in the same way that Carbidopa would
I just think 5-HTP can be dangerous if overused to return from the accelerated heart rate that is a roll