For INSOMNIA, 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) can help with falling asleep faster, bring deeper sleep, and reduce prolonged waking in the night, resulting in waking more refreshed with better energy during the day. 5-HTP works to increase serotonin production, thus easing insomnia by supporting your body’s natural sleep-regulating biochemistry.

Poor sleep quality has been associated with a number of health conditions such as cognitive impairment, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders so getting quality rest is important for good health.

5-HTP offers multiple benefits for those struggling with insomnia by naturally improving neurotransmitter balance. 5-HTP boosts serotonin which is a precursor to melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate the circadian rhythm, our wake-sleep cycle. Melatonin levels rise in the darkness of evening to promote sleep. 5-HTP helps to create more serotonin which leads to more melatonin for a deeper sleep.¹ Additionally, some studies suggest 5-HTP may increase REM sleep and reduce waking at frequent intervals during the night, allowing for continual, restful sleep.

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) can be produced in the body from the essential amino acid L-tryptophan. An amino acid is “essential” when it cannot be made in the body and must come from food or supplementation. Taking 5-HTP as a supplement is one step closer to giving tryptophan converted into a ready-to-use form. 5-HTP provides the brain and central nervous system with a crucial building block from which to produce more serotonin and thence melatonin.

Once in the brain, tryptophan is converted to the neurotransmitter serotonin which plays a large role in creating a feeling of well-being and relaxation. Tryptophan is a large amino acid and competes with all of the body’s other amino acids to enter the brain through a strict gatekeeper known as the blood-brain barrier.

Carbohydrates — which some people crave with insomnia — trigger the release of insulin, which removes most amino acids from the blood, but not tryptophan. This clears the pathway for tryptophan to enter the brain and form serotonin and, ultimately, melatonin. Research has found that patients with insomnia have lower night-time melatonin levels. Studies also show that insomnia sufferers tend to have tryptophan depletion.

5-HTP is obtained commercially from the seeds of Grifonia simplicifolia, which is a tropical shrub native to West Africa. Tryptophan is also used by the body to make niacin, a B-vitamin that is needed for digestion, skin, and nerves; if those functions are deficient or disordered, insomnia tends to be worse. A deficiency in tryptophan may reduce sleep, increase appetite too much, and negatively affect temperature, sexual behavior, pain sensation, depression, anxiety, and aggression. The results suggest a link between tryptophan depletion and sleep continuity and show that taking 5-HTP benefits measurements of REM sleep.

Both 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) and L-tryptophan are used to regulate sleep, however they differ in their effects and potential benefits due to their position in the pathway of converting into serotonin and melatonin. L-tryptophan is the initial amino acid, the first step in producing serotonin, from which melatonin is derived, while 5-HTP is the intermediate metabolite further along the biochemical pathway between L-tryptophan and serotonin.

5-HTP crosses the blood-brain barrier much more easily and efficiently than L-tryptophan and does not compete with other amino acids. Also, 5-HTP is almost exclusively used towards serotonin synthesis, leading to a more direct increase in serotonin and melatonin levels, producing quicker, noticeable effects — so the use of 5-HTP would be considered over L-tryptophan for those who need a quicker, more potent effect.

Low serotonin levels are also linked to anxiety and depression, both of which can cause sleep disturbances.² 5-HTP boosts serotonin levels which helps to improve mood and encourage relaxation, calming the mind and nervous system thus making it easier to get restful sleep. By calming the nervous system, sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) can be improved. A study in 2024 found that 5-HTP showed a favorable effect on older adults with poor sleep quality.³

In our clinic, we have seen excellent results using 5-HTP for delayed sleep onset or early waking. Many of our patients report that 5-HTP works effectively to naturally promote restorative sleep without feeling hungover in the morning. We particularly prefer a formula that also provides the extra benefit of glycine, a gently calming amino acid that further supports your circadian rhythm, calms the nervous system, and promotes relaxation for sound and restful sleep.

Recommendation: 5-HTP 200 to 600 mg usually taken at bedtime, if possible in a formula with 300 to 900 mg of glycine, with or without a snack or just water or herbal tea; or as directed by your healthcare provider.

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