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Tryptophan - Benefits, Deficiency Symptoms And Food Sources

What is Tryptophan ?

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid and is needed to maintain optimum health. Tryptophan is a precursor in the central nervous system of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin modulates mood and sleep patterns.

Uses and Benefits of Tryptophan

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is necessary for the production of vitamin B3 (niacin). It is used by the brain produce serotonin, a necessary neurotransmitter that transfers nerve impulses from one cell to another and is responsible for normal sleep. Consequently, tryptophan helps to depression and insomnia and to stabilize moods. It helps to control hyperactivity in children, alleviates stress, is good for the heart, aids in weight control by reducing appetite, and enhances the release of growth hormone. It is good for migraine headaches and may reduce , some of the effects of nicotine.

Sufficient amounts of vitamins B6 (pyridoxine) and C, folate, and magnesium are necessary for the formation of tryptophan, which, in turn, is required for the formation of serotonin. A study reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that women with a history of bulimia nervosa, an eating disorder, experienced relapses after they took an amino acid mixture lacking tryptophan. Researchers believe that insufficient tryptophan altered brain serotonin levels and, consequently, the transmission of nerve impulses. A lack of tryptophan and magnesium may contribute to coronary artery spasms.

Deficiency Symptoms of Tryptophan

Deficiency Symptoms of Tryptophan are dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia and digestion problems

Recommended Dosage of Tryptophan

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of Tryptophan are :-

• Adults - 3 mg.
• Children - 4 mg.

Rich Food Sources of Tryptophan

Rich Food Sources of Tryptophan includes brown rice, cottage cheese, meat, peanuts, and soy protein.

More inforamtion on Tryptophan

Tryptophan amino acid is not available in supplement form in the United States. In November of 1989, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (COC) reported evidence linking L-tryptophan supplements to a blood disorder called eosinophiliamyalgia syndrome (EMS). Several hundred cases of this illness-which is characterized by an elevated white blood cell count and can also cause such symptoms as fatigue, muscular pain, respiratory ailments, edema, and rash­were reported. After the CDC established an association between the blood disorder and products containing L-tryptophan in New Mexico, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first warned consumers to stop taking L-tryptophan supplements, then recalled all products in which L-tryptophan was the sole or a major component. Subsequent research showed that it was contaminants in the supplements, not the tryptophan, that was probably responsible for the problem, but tryptophan supplements are still banned from the market in the United States. According to the FDA, at least thirty-eight deaths were attributable to the tryptophan supplements.

Caution

Supplementation with high dosage of this amino acid could lead to gastrointestinal upsets, headaches, sleepiness and anxiety.