All About Tryptophan

BeautynHealth.com sells a complete line of Tryptophan products. Use our widget on the sidebar to search for Tryptophan and other amino acids. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that the body cannot get along without. It is required for production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which apparently plays some role in relaxation, and may explain some of the recent observations of tryptophan on sleep and pain relief.



Science has figured out why Grandma was right when she recommended more milk before bedtime to help you fall asleep- milk is high in tryptophan. A study at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center found that a group of women who had a history of trouble falling asleep, feel asleep easier after taking tryptophan. And, tryptophan has been reported to significantly reduce sleep latency in insomniacs without altering sleep stages, along with significantly increasing the total time slept. (C.C Brown et. Al. Waking and Sleeping, April 1979)



Not only does tryptophan appear to be important in the body’s mechanism for sleep, but recent evidence suggests its importance in mechanisms controlling pain sensitivity. Samuel Seltzer and colleagues at Temple University Health Science Center in Philadelphia studied tryptophan in chronic pain. The study lasted four weeks, was double blind (neither doctor nor patient knew who was receiving tryptophan and who was receiving a placebo a substance of no known effect on the topic being studied and involved 30 patients with chronic jaw pain, radiating nerve pain or other forms of chronic pain. All patients were placed on a low protein diet and half a placebo. The researchers reported a reduction in reported pain the group given tryptophan and also found a greater tolerance to experimentally induced tooth pain in the group given tryptophan. (Science News 123, February 18, 1983 and Science News 123, February 26, 1983)



Calcium & Blood Pressure Reduction

Most people are aware of the link between salt and high blood pressure, even though some scientists have been arguing that sodium in salt is not the whole answer. There is now scientific evidence that calcium may be important in the body’s mechanism that regulates blood pressure.



Doctors Jose Villar and Jose M. Belizan of John Hopkin’s School of Hygiene and the World Health Organization Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama, respectively, compared the effect of calcium and a placebo on blood pressure in pregnant and nonpregnant young women and young men. In the study done with pregnant women a group received one gram of calcium per day from 15 weeks gestation throughout pregnancy. The women who received calcium had lower blood pressures five weeks after starting on the supplemental program. Doubling the amount of calcium to two grams pre day led to a seven to ten percent reduction in blood pressure the last three months of pregnancy. Studies continued to determine how calcium is involved in blood pressure reduction. (Medical Update, Volume 11 No. 1, 1983)



Vitamins, Memory & Mental Performance In Elderly

It is known that severe vitamins deficiency can effect mental performance. But, a recent study suggests that mild inadequacy may also impair performance and may be a more common reason for impairment than once thought. Dr. James Goodwin reported in the June 3, 1983 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association that his results “show an association between poor performance on cognitive tests and low intake in serum levels of riboflavin, folate, Vitamin B (other B vitamins) and ascorbate (Vitamin C).” The study required three years and involved 260 non institutionalized men and women over age 60.



Arginine- Hormones & Wound Healing

It appears, that certain amino acids have specific activity in important body mechanisms along with their usually accepted role in building body protein.

The fact that the amino acid arginine is known to stimulate secretion of growth hormone and the hormones prolactin, inslin and glucagon led Dr. Adrian Barbul and co-workers to propose the importance of this amino acid in recovery from surgery. The researchers examined their theory in rates, feeding supplemental arginine at 1% of the diet. They found that supplemental arginine minimized postoperative weight loss, increased the strength of healing wounds, increasing the amount of collagen (connective tissue protein) produced and increased thymic gland weight. The authors suggested, “that supplemental arginine may provide a safe nutritional means to improve wound healing and thymic function in injured and stressed humans.” (American Journal of Clincal Nutrition, May 1983)



DL-Phenylalanine and Pain Relief

Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid. Scientists have known for years that the body used L-phenylalanine for protein synthesis but now they are more interested in the action of D-phenylalanine and DL-phenylalanine in the body’s natural pain relief system.



The designation “D” or “L” refers to the orientation of the phenylalanine molecule. D and L molecules are mirror images of each other and both types are made in approximately equal amount when phenylalanine is made in a laboratory. But, they are difficult to separate so DL mixtures are more commonly available than the D form alone. The body produces natural pain relievers called endorphins. These compounds are very potent, but enzyme systems break them down rendering them ineffective. It is thought that DL-phenylalanine works by reducing the rate of breakdown, therefore enhancing and prolonging the analgesic, or pain relieving activity of the endorphins. This action of DL-phenylalanine was first observed in animals but human experiments have produced the same result.



In 1978, a clinical trail was done that involved 10 patients who had chronic pain that was unresponsive to conventional pain treatment programs. D-phenylalanine was given at a level of 1000 mg per day in divided dosages. Results were dramatic in that all patients reported reduction of pain, in some cases relief was complete. Of particular interest was the variety of conditions that caused the chronic pain (arthritis, whiplash, low back pain, and muscle fibrositis) because it suggests an action that is independent of pain source. Additional human studies have been done that confirm these observations.



These studies are especially encouraging because phenylalanine is reported to be non-addictive, non-toxic and no adverse side effects have been noted. Ehrempreis, S. et al. In Advances in Pain Research and Therapy, Vol. 3.,