It’s believed that low serotonin is the underlying cause of depression.
All of the B vitamins are needed for a healthy, functioning nervous system and several are needed to synthesize serotonin (16).
Here are a few that are integrally connected to serotonin production.
But since protein blocks serotonin synthesis, eating a meal containing protein will actually cause both tryptophan and serotonin levels drop.
However, tryptophan supplements can increase brain serotonin even though eating foods containing tryptophan does not (5).
Within a few months, this inevitably causes a cascade of negative side effects (10). Datis Kharrazian, author of , lists these co-factors as needed for the synthesis of either tryptophan or 5-HTP to serotonin — vitamins B3, B6, and B12, folic acid, and magnesium.
Look either for serotonin boosting supplements that contain these along with the main active ingredients or add them separately with a high-quality multivitamin mineral supplement.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): Vitamin B6 must be present to facilitate conversion of either 5-HTP or tryptophan into serotonin (17, 18).
Often 5-HTP or tryptophan supplements also contain B6 for this reason.
A review of 108 studies on 5-HTP revealed there is still no definitive evidence that it helps depression (9). An Ongoing Debate: There’s an ongoing discussion in the natural health community whether it’s better to take tryptophan or 5-HTP to increase serotonin levels.
Tryptophan more readily enters the brain, but 5-HTP requires one less step to convert into serotonin.
5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan): 5-HTP could be considered as either an amino acid or herbal supplement.