5-HTP

What 5-HTP actually is

5-HTP is short for 5-hydroxytryptophan. Your body makes it from tryptophan, an amino acid you get from protein in food. Supplements do not rebuild that route in a lab. Nearly all of them use an extract from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia, a shrub from West Africa. That is why a label often names both griffonia seed extract and 5-HTP. Seed-only extracts are the norm here, because the seeds carry the compound.

The two numbers on the label

Most labels show two figures and they mean different things. One is the amount of griffonia extract, say 334 mg. The other is the amount of 5-HTP inside that extract, say 100 mg. The extract is standardised to a percentage, usually 20%, 30%, 50% or 98%. A 98% extract needs far less plant material for the same 100 mg.

Compare the 5-HTP figure, not the extract figure. Some products lead with a big griffonia number and a modest 5-HTP number, which reads stronger than it is. Per capsule, 50 mg and 100 mg are the strengths you will meet most often in the UK.

The forms and combinations you will find here

This collection covers four practical choices:

• Plain 5-HTP in capsules or tablets, sensible if you already take other supplements and want to control what you add.
• With vitamin B6, the vitamin the body uses in this pathway. Vitamin B6 contributes to normal psychological function.
• Evening blends with magnesium or valerian root, built around a wind-down routine.
• Timed-release tablets, which spread the release over several hours instead of all at once.

Tablets are often smaller, because the material is concentrated. Capsules can be opened or split more easily.

How we choose the 5-HTP we stock

We look at three things: the form, the dose per serving and whether a combination earns its place. We prefer clearly standardised seed extracts that state the 5-HTP content in milligrams, not just the extract weight, so you can compare products without doing sums. We keep both 50 mg and 100 mg options, because starting low and reviewing is the sensible route. Combinations only make our range when the added ingredient has a reason to be there, such as vitamin B6. We buy directly from the brands, our compliance team checks every product before it goes live, and independent labs spot-check batches. You can read how we select brands and products.

Who it suits, and what to expect

People usually reach for 5-HTP in the evening, as part of a routine rather than as a one-off. European claim rules do not let us promise an effect from 5-HTP itself, and we would rather be straight with you than dress that up. What we can be concrete about is practice: take it with a small snack if your stomach is sensitive, allow a few weeks of consistent use before you judge it, and review after about three months. Some people feel drowsy, so try it on an evening when you are not driving. It is not suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you take antidepressants or other medication that acts on serotonin, speak to your GP or pharmacist first. It sits alongside the rest of our amino acid range if you want to compare options.