Opioids Study: L-Tryptophan loading Can Reverse Opiate Tolerance?

[Numb19]

I tried searching the forum but was unable to find anything on this.

Now I know there are ways to prevent or slow-down the tolerance with things like DXM/NMDA antagonists, obviously, reversing or eliminating tolerance is the age old mystery with no "magic bullet" and actually no real recourse except abstinence (or tapering).

Apparently, according to a study, L-Tryptophan loading can reverse opiate tolerance:

Tryptophan loading may reverse tolerance to opiate analgesics in humans: a preliminary report.
Hosobuchi Y, Lamb S, Baskin D.
Abstract
Five patients on chronic opiate medication to treat low-back and leg pain were determined to have developed opiate tolerance on the basis of their failure to obtain significant relief (rated on a subjective pain scale and by the degree of straight leg-raising they were able to endure) after receiving 30 mg of morphine administered i.v. in divided doses over 35 min. After these patients' diets had been supplemented with 4 g/day of L-tryptophan for 2-9 weeks, they achieved significant relief from pain when the opiate tolerance test was re-administered, and were able to lead more active lives while reducing their daily opiate intake. chronic opiate administration probably reduces the serotonin turnover rate in the central nervous system; it may be that this is reversed by loading with the serotonin precursor, L-tryptophan.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7454382

Comments? Feedback? Experiences?

 

[iHustleSJ]

Dont know much about it, but how awesome would this be if true? Because the ony time I've ever felt my tolerance reverse, was when I got out of jail after a 2 month stay .

I hear from some people, that even time without opiates won't reverse tolerance for them.

 

[Numb19]

Crape lol! I did a little more reaearch and found this:

Alteration of human pain thresholds by nutritional manipulation and L-tryptophan supplementation.
Seltzer S, Stoch R, Marcus R, Jackson E.
Abstract
Pain perception and tolerance thresholds of 30 normal subjects were determined by electrical stimulation of dental pulps before and after dietary manipulation which included either tryptophan supplementation or placebo. Perception threshold levels were similar in tryptophan and placebo subjects; however, pain tolerance levels were significantly higher in the group receiving tryptophan. Side effects such as nausea, skin itching, weight loss and mood elevation were more common in the tryptophan group than in the placebo group.

So I wonder if the tolerance was specifically to the analgesia and this "reversing" of the tolerance was actually not a reversal but instead due to an increase in pain threshold caused by L-Tryptophan supplementation!?

 

[sekio]

Maybe it's got to do with enhanced synthesis of endorphins.

 

[Numb19]

That's an interesting point...the second study of L-Tryptophan triggered nausea, itching and mood elevation, which also accompany opiates.

The first study on the other hand suggested it was serotonin-related.

 

[fizzymk]

Dont know much about it, but how awesome would this be if true? Because the ony time I've ever felt my tolerance reverse, was when I got out of jail after a 2 month stay .

I hear from some people, that even time without opiates won't reverse tolerance for them.

DAMN, what was it like going thru w/ds in jail?

 

[ksralyv2mch]

DAMN, what was it like going thru w/ds in jail?

Man, I've done this multiple times myself, it actually is a lot easier than on the streets, imo, because you have NO choice, so it takes a lot of the anxiety/craving off. You can't do ANYTHING about it, you HAVE to sit it out, it sucks A LOT, there is NO comfort, like literally... NO comfort, in my county they just give you Visteril (an antihistamine) for when you are coming off opiates, which make my RLS way worse, but I will say the 2 times I spent 4+months in jail (once 4 months, once 2 years) both times after I got out I had the most successful/lengthiest amounts of clean time.

 

[fizzymk]

Man, I've done this multiple times myself, it actually is a lot easier than on the streets, imo, because you have NO choice, so it takes a lot of the anxiety/craving off. You can't do ANYTHING about it, you HAVE to sit it out, it sucks A LOT, there is NO comfort, like literally... NO comfort, in my county they just give you Visteril (an antihistamine) for when you are coming off opiates, which make my RLS way worse, but I will say the 2 times I spent 4+months in jail (once 4 months, once 2 years) both times after I got out I had the most successful/lengthiest amounts of clean time.

Yeah, I never really thought about it like that, it kinda would be the best way to quit, cuz if Im anywhere else and have access to my phone, Im GOING TO cop, no 2 ways about it, I may tell myself Im not gonna do it, not gonna call or text my guy, BUT in the end, when w/ds start kicking in...my fingers get twitchy and I start thinking about texting them...knowing full well the dope is only a text away!! Its way too fucking easy to get nowadays, thats a big problem for someone trying to quit!

 

[DeathIndustrial88]

Any one come to any more conclusions about this?

Does L-Tryptophan work or at least help anybody with feeling their opioid more/better?

I'm looking to reverse tolerance to buprenorphine without having to go days without it.

 

[Bomb319]

Wait - does that mean that loading up on L-Tryptophan can eliminate or lessen withdrawal symtoms? The way tolerance is reversed is through growing new my receptors, so you would think that no tolerance = correct receptor balance. Of course gene products like DeltaFosB (gets upregukated in ALL addictions drug and physical) and DeltaJUN (the opposite) probably make this a pipe dream.