Re: I need some info on Prozac...

http://www.healthiertalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=11
Lots more here on this site
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THE PROZAC ALTERNATIVE

More than 14 million Americans, or more than 6 percent of adults,
experience Depression in any given year. Many of these individuals will end
up taking serotonin-selective re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs such as
Prozac.

However, many people are now seeking a safer, more natural alternative
to Prozac� enter 5-HTP!

In a society that has made Prozac the gold standard of managing the
serotonin-deficiency syndrome, (even though the Poeldinger study showed
5-HTP to be superior to it), it is worth noting that a study reported by
Risch and Nemeroff demonstrates, that even those successfully treated
with SSRIs (ignoring their frequent and sometimes serious side effects),
are still dependent upon their brains' producing adequate serotonin
from either Tryptophan or 5-HTP.

SSRIs work by conserving existing brain serotonin supplies by keeping
more serotonin in the synaptic gap between neurons. They achieve this
through preventing enzymatic degradation of synaptic serotonin. SSRIs do
not enhance serotonin production. Risch and Nemeroff state;
�...depressed patients were treated with low-Tryptophan diets that were
supplemented with high doses of neutral amino acids [which compete with
Tryptophan for transport through the blood-brain barrier]... Remitted depressed
subjects receiving serotonergic antidepressants (e.g. fluoxetine
[Prozac], fluvoxamine) who were challenged with low-Tryptophan diet
supplemented with neutral amino acids promptly relapsed into severe clinical
depression. When the Tryptophan supplementation was provided, the patients
promptly recovered...�

The many successful published studies using 5-HTP show that 5-HTP, by
naturally elevating brain serotonin, can alleviate the
serotonin-deficiency syndrome without any help from SSRI drugs. Yet the study related by
Risch and Nemeroff eloquently shows that the success of SSRI drugs is
crucially dependent upon the brain producing adequate serotonin (from
either Tryptophan or 5-HTP), and that brain serotonin production is the
controlling or rate-limiting variable underlying the apparent success of
SSRIs. It appears that the more logical and economically sound choice
to alleviate conditions that result from the serotonin deficiency
syndrome is 5-HTP, the immediate precursor of the deficient substance.

STUDIES CONCLUSION

Van Praag's and Young's work suggests that 5-HTP is more likely to be
effective for those suffering an anxious, agitated, aggressive,
irritable Depression and is rarely effective for those suffering from a severe,
vegetative, total 'blahs' type depression.

5-HTP may also be helpful in some cases of compulsive carbohydrate
overeating, alcohol addiction and compulsive gambling (specific forms of
OCD), as well as for insomnia.

Side effects of 5-HTP are occasional gastrointestinal upset, hypomania
and euphoria. Even though 5-HTP is a natural substance normally made by
the brain, without medical supervision prudence suggests limiting daily
dosage to 100 mg. to 200 mg., a dose shown to be effective in human
clinical studies.

Research also shows that both tryptophan, and even more so 5-HTP,
increase the activity of MAO inhibitor drugs, tricyclic antidepressants and
selective serotonin inhibitor (SSRI) drugs, such as Prozac, Paxil and
Zoloft. Therefore L-Tryptophan and especially 5-HTP, should only be used
by anyone taking any of these drugs ONLY with their prescribing
physician's consent and supervision.
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