title: Safety of 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan.
abstract: 5-Hydroxy-L-tryptophan (5-HTP) is the immediate precursor in the biosynthesis of 5-hydroxy-tryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) from the essential amino acid L-tryptophan (L-Trp). The use of L-Trp as a dietary supplement was discontinued in 1989 due to an outbreak of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) that was traced to a contaminated synthetic L-Trp from a single manufacturer. 5-HTP has since become a popular dietary supplement in lieu of the removal of L-Trp from the market. Because of its chemical and biochemical relationship to L-Trp, 5-HTP has been under vigilance by consumers, industry, academia and government for its safety. However, no definitive cases of toxicity have emerged despite the worldwide usage of 5-HTP for last 20 years, with the possible exception of one unresolved case of a Canadian woman. Extensive analyses of several sources of 5-HTP have shown no toxic contaminants similar to those associated with L-Trp, nor the presence of any other significant impurities. A minor chromatographic peak (peak X) reported in some 5-HTP samples lacks credibility due to chromatographic artifacts and infinitesimal concentrations, and has raised undue speculations concerning its chemistry and toxicity.
authors.affiliation: ISSI Laboratories Inc., 515 Blue Ridge Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
authors.forename: Yesu T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Manashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bagchi
authors.forename: Debasis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bagchi
authors.forename: Harry G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Preuss
mesh_terms: D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D004340:Drug Contamination; D016603:Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007880:Legislation, Drug; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000633:toxicity; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000633:toxicity; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D014364:Tryptophan; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan