5-HTP in patients not taking Sinemet can... - Cure Parkinson's

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5-HTP in patients not taking Sinemet can worsen symptoms of PD

Farooqji profile image
26 Replies

According to The Clinician's Handbook of Natural Medicine 5-Hydroxy-l-tryptophan (5-HTP) is beneficial only if used in combination with the drug Sinemet (a combination of l-dopa and decarboxylase inhibitor carbidopa). Brain serotonin is decreased in PD, but reduction in dopamine receptors is more severe. In PD, 5-HTP helps counteract negative effects that l-dopa in Sinemet has on sleep and mood. 5-HTP also improves physical symptoms of PD.

● Nine of 10 people with PD have depression as a reflection of serotonin levels. The lower the level of serotonin, the more severe the depression. Starting 5-HTP at 75  mg and increasing by 25  mg every 3 days until depression was relieved, or up to a maximum of 500  mg/day for 4 months gave impressive results in PD patients on Sinemet. Dosage range for response was only 75 to 125  mg.

● CAUTION: increasing serotonin with 5-HTP in patients not taking Sinemet can worsen symptoms of rigidity.

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Farooqji profile image
Farooqji
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26 Replies

I am taking 5htp with Mucuna and my symptoms impoved.

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to

Me too

glenandgerry profile image
glenandgerry in reply tobassofspades

What dosage are you taking?

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply toglenandgerry

37.5 mg twice per day. Never missed a dose.

park_bear profile image
park_bear in reply tobassofspades

It is OK to take 5-HTP with mucuna but NOT with carbidopa/levodopa!See here:

healthunlocked.com/cure-par...

glenandgerry profile image
glenandgerry in reply to

What dosage? Thanks

in reply toglenandgerry

37.5 mg 2 x per day.

Rosabellazita profile image
Rosabellazita in reply to

What is htp

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply toRosabellazita

it's a supplement

Kia17 profile image
Kia17

I totally agree with that. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Zoloft also do the same as 5-HTP if are taken without Sinemet.They make PD symptoms much worse. I read a research few months ago that SSRIs won’t help PD patients and other groups of antidepressants should be considered.

Xenos profile image
Xenos in reply toKia17

SSRI did not help me, on the contrary. I tried three of them for months, under medical supervision.

Three-cyclic anti-depressant helps (Amitriptylin).

Jennyjenny2 profile image
Jennyjenny2 in reply toKia17

My husband has deteriorated rapidly over the last 4 or 5 weeks with depression exacerbating his symptoms. He was started on Lexapro (same category as Zoloft) 2 1/2 weeks ago and has continued to decline. Please can you remember where you read the research as he goes back to the doctor in 2 days.

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply toJennyjenny2

Clinician's Handbook of Natural Medicine

SECOND EDITION

Joseph E. Pizzorno Jr, ND

Michael T. Murray, ND

Herb Joiner-Bey, ND

Kia17 profile image
Kia17 in reply toJennyjenny2

I will search and let you know once I found it.

Jennyjenny2 profile image
Jennyjenny2 in reply toKia17

Thank you so much. I've tried googling to no avail.

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply toJennyjenny2

Complete article extracted from the book is in the following link

drive.google.com/file/d/1CQ...

parkie13 profile image
parkie13

Good to know. Thanks

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji

According to Med scape,

A few reports have suggested that SSRIs may aggravate parkinsonian symptoms. However, trials assessing the effect of SSRIs on motor performance in PD patients failed to find a significant worsening of motor symptoms

medscape.com/viewarticle/47...

Jennyjenny2 profile image
Jennyjenny2 in reply toFarooqji

Thanks so much for all your input. It's really appreciated as I'm overwhelmed with everything at the moment.

silvestrov profile image
silvestrov

Here is an older thread featuring SSRIs, bupropion/wellbutrin and tricyclic antidepressants. It notes which ones are best for PD and there are comparative studies:

healthunlocked.com/parkinso...

Jennyjenny2 profile image
Jennyjenny2 in reply tosilvestrov

Oh thank you so much for all that info. It's greatly appreciated. I must admit I'm still a bit overwhelmed with it all, but I've printed it off and I'll take it to the doctor (hope it gets well received by him).

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades

An ssri is not the same as 5htp. Ssri's block serotonin reuptake. 5htp is a precursor to (your body making) serotonin. St John's wort is a natural ssri as well.

Jennyjenny2 profile image
Jennyjenny2 in reply tobassofspades

Unfortunately my husband tried St Johns wort and sadly it didn't help him.

Erniediaz1018 profile image
Erniediaz1018 in reply toJennyjenny2

Maybe he didn't take enough or allow time for it to enter the bloodstream

Jennyjenny2 profile image
Jennyjenny2 in reply toErniediaz1018

Yes looking back I have wondered that myself...

St. Johns wort works very well for me.

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