Posted by Bennie Sue (165.121.228.206) on March 31, 2001 at 12:06:51:
From Teri Robert - About.com guide
SERITONIN:
Why Check Before You Swallow?
There are a couple of factors at work with "headachers" and supplements, including 5-HTP:
Sometimes, we're so tired of the pain that we'll "try anything." Haven't we all said or thought that? When we're in pain and overwrought with it, we sometimes take risks that we might not if we were thinking more clearly.
Then there's the "It's Natural" factor — "If it's 'natural,' it won't hurt anything." Don't you believe it. Everything interacts with everything else, and it can be good or bad. Stop and think. Stop and get information.
5-HTP should not be taken with Carbidopa (used for Parkinson's Disease); SSRI antidepressants; Tramadol; any of the triptans — Imitrex, Zomig, Maxalt, or Amerge; and some other prescription medications. If you are taking any medications, please check with your doctor or pharmacist before using 5-HTP.
An early study in the New England Journal of Medicine reported the possibility that 5-HTP may cause seizures in children with Down's Syndrome. Safety during pregnancy or nursing has not been established, nor has safety for those with kidney or liver disease.