Sub-chronic Effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on Mood and Emotional Processing in Healthy Volunteers
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About
5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a nutritional supplement sold in many health food stores, and is taken in order to raise levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is involved in the regulation of mood.
Previous research has assessed the effects of raising serotonin levels using tryptophan (the precursor of 5-HTP) and serotonergic antidepressants on emotional processing in healthy volunteers. However, to date there has been no human trial investigating the effects of 5-HTP on emotional processing in healthy volunteers.
Thus, the current study aims to assess the effects of 5-HTP, on emotional processing and mood in healthy volunteers.
Full description
The serotonin precursor 5-HTP is sold as a nutritional supplement and has been used to offset low mood for over 30 years due to its ability to raise levels of neural serotonin. However, evidence for the efficiency of 5-HTP is limited and the mechanism of action of 5-HTP in offsetting low mood has not been well-characterised.
The current study assessed the ability of 5-HTP to induce biases for positive emotional material in healthy volunteers, similar to those induced by serotonergic antidepressants and the nutritional supplement tryptophan. The effects of 5-HTP on subjective mood and depressive symptoms were also assessed.
Participants were randomised to receive either 150mg of 5-HTP or placebo daily for 14 days. Depressive symptoms and subjective mood were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Emotional processing was assessed on the 15th day using a battery of emotionally valenced cognitive tasks.
Enrollment
Sex
Ages
Volunteers
Inclusion criteria
- Male/Female
- Healthy
- Aged 18-65
- Not taking any herbal or prescription medications (excluding contraceptive pill)
- Free from depressive illness or mood disorder for the last 6 months
- Free of physical illness
Exclusion criteria
- Physically ill
- History of medical illness
- Current or previous (6 month) history of psychiatric disorder
- Pregnant/breastfeeding
- Allergy or hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients contained in the investigational product
- Taking any medication (excluding contraceptive pill)
Trial design
Primary purpose
Allocation
Interventional model
Masking
33 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group
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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov
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