10a. What is 5-HTP?
The acronym 5-HTP indicates 5-hydroxytryptophan, a naturally occurring chemical that is used by your brain to make 5-HT, otherwise known as 5-hydroxytryptamine, or serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that your brain uses to make you feel happy. When you ingest MDMA, your brain uses up its reserves of serotonin during the experience, which can leave you feeling depressed, or unable to feel happy for several (4-8 days) afterward. By taking 5-HTP supplements, you allow your brain to recover faster from the depletion of serotonin, which should allow you to get back to normal mood fluctuations and sleeping patterns faster.
5-HTP can be found in many foods such as bananas and turkey meat, for example.
More information about using 5-HTP to recover from the use of MDMA can be found in the
Australia/Asia/NZ/Middle East Drug Discussion Forum FAQ.
10b. Where can I get 5-HTP?
Unfortunately, 5-HTP is not available in Australia. However, it can be legally imported for personal use. Officially as of the January 2002, the Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia says that it is permitted to personally import up to 3 months' supply at any one time, and up to 15 months' supply in any 12-month period.
5-HTP is sold from a number of online health stores; these are easy to find simply by searching the internet. For convenience and delivery speed, a vendor closer to Australia is probably quicker, but shopping around will get you a better price. Typical costs for 5-HTP are of the order of AUD$60 for a bottle of 100 capsules, each containing extract of griffonia simplicifolia equivalent to 100mg of 5-HTP. There is no specific Recommended Daily Intake for 5-HTP, so what constitutes 3-months' supply is a little debatable. Many online vendors require credit card payment.
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