5-HTP is a compound believed to help increase serotonin levels in the body. This may be beneficial for several conditions, including migraine, depression, insomnia, and more.

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that your body naturally produces. Your body uses it to produce serotonin, a chemical messenger that sends signals between your nerve cells.

Low serotonin levels are associated withTrusted Source health conditions like depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders, among others.

Therefore, increasing your body’s production of serotonin may have various benefits.

For this reason, serotonin-producing 5-HTP supplements have become increasingly popular.

Here are 5 potential health benefits of 5-HTP, based on science.

1. May aid weight loss by increasing feelings of fullness

5-HTP may increase feelings of fullness, which could reduce your appetite and help you manage your weight.

Weight loss could increase the production of hormones that make you feel hungry. These feelings of constant hunger can make losing weight unsustainable in the long term.

According to a 2006 studyTrusted Source, 5-HTP may counteract these hunger-inducing hormones, working to suppress appetite and help you lose weight.

In another older studyTrusted Source, 20 people with diabetes were randomly assigned to receive either 5-HTP or a placebo for 2 weeks. The results showed that those who received 5-HTP consumed approximately 421 fewer calories per day, compared to the placebo group.

A 2023 study also found that taking 100 milligrams (mg) of 5-HTP daily for 8 weeks helped reduce fat mass, even if total daily calories hadn’t changed.

2. May help with depression by increasing serotonin levels

The exact cause of depression is largely unknown, but some researchersTrusted Source believe that a serotonin imbalance may influence your mood in a way that leads to depression.

However, keep in mind that other studies have turned up conflicting findings on the relationship between low serotonin levels and depression.

Still, 5-HTP supplements are thought to help manage depression by increasing serotonin levels.

For instance, a 2017 study in 15 females found that combining 5-HTP with creatine improved symptoms of depression after 8 weeks.

Another small 2020 studyTrusted Source in people with Parkinson’s disease concluded that 5-HTP could help improve symptoms of depression compared to a placebo.

However, the possible antidepressive effects of 5-HTP are likely to be stronger when combined with other substances or antidepressant medications, compared to when they are used alone.

Furthermore, a 2020 reviewTrusted Source found limited evidence to support the use of 5-HTP for the treatment of depression. More high quality, placebo-controlled studies are needed.

3. Could improve symptoms of fibromyalgia

Supplementing with 5-HTP may improve symptoms of fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by muscle and joint pain, as well as extreme tiredness and brain fog, also known as “fibro fog.”

There’s currently no known cause of fibromyalgia, but low serotonin levels have been associated withTrusted Source the condition.

This has led researchers to believe that increasing serotonin levels may benefit people with fibromyalgia.

Indeed, early evidenceTrusted Source suggests that 5-HTP may improve symptoms of fibromyalgia, including muscle pain, sleep problems, anxiety, and fatigue.

However, not enough research has been conducted to draw any clear conclusions about the effectiveness of 5-HTP at improving fibromyalgia symptoms.

4. Could help reduce migraine frequency

5-HTP may help manage migraine headaches, which are throbbing headaches often accompanied by nausea or disturbed vision.

While their exact cause is debated, some expertsTrusted Source suggest that low serotonin levels may play a role.

One older studyTrusted Source in 124 people compared the ability of 5-HTP and methysergide, a common migraine medication, to prevent migraine.

The researchers found that supplementing with 5-HTP daily for 6 months prevented or significantly decreased the number of migraine attacks in 71% of participants.

However, there’s limited recent research available on the effects of 5-HTP on migraine.

5. May promote sleep by increasing melatonin production

5-HTP produces serotonin, which can be converted into the hormone melatonin.

Melatonin plays an important roleTrusted Source in regulating sleep. Its levels begin to rise in the evening to promote sleep and fall in the morning to help wake you up.

Therefore, supplementing with 5-HTP may promote sleep by increasing melatonin production in your body.

Some studies suggest that 5-HTP supplements may be beneficial for sleep. For instance:

  • A 2024 studyTrusted Source found that 5-HTP supplementation for 12 weeks helped improve sleep and gut microbiota in older adults with sleeping problems.
  • A 2020 review found that 5-HTP may help increase rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, although more research is needed.
  • A 2021 study found that 5-HTP supplementation may help improve sleep latency, or how long it takes to fall asleep.

While these results are promising, the lack of human-based studies makes it difficult to recommend 5-HTP for improving sleep quality, especially when it’s used in isolation.

Possible side effects of 5-HTP

It’s possible to experience some side effects when taking 5-HTP supplements, including:

These side effects are dose-dependent, meaning they get worse when you increase your dose.

Who should not take 5-HTP?

You shouldn’t take 5-HTP supplements if you take other medications that may increase serotonin production, such as certain antidepressants, cough medicines, or prescription pain relievers.

Combining these medications with 5-HTP may cause dangerous serotonin levelsTrusted Source in your body. This is called serotonin syndrome, a potentially life threatening condition.

Since 5-HTP may also promote sleep, taking it with prescription sedative medications, such as clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), or zolpidem tartrate (Ambien), may cause too much sleepiness.

Due to the potential for negative interactions with other medications, speak with a healthcare professional or pharmacist before taking 5-HTP supplements.

Dosage and supplement instructions

As a supplement, 5-HTP comes from the seeds of an African shrub known as Griffonia simplicifolia.

There are no official recommendations on how much 5-HTP you should take. While more high quality, recent research is needed, these are the doses used in various studies.

The bottom line

Your body converts 5-HTP into serotonin, a substance that regulates appetite, pain sensations, and sleep.

Supplementing with it may help boost your serotonin levels.

Higher serotonin levels may provide many benefits, such as promoting weight loss, improving the symptoms of depression and fibromyalgia, decreasing the frequency of migraine attacks, and helping you sleep better.

Minor side effects have been linked to 5-HTP, but they can be minimized by starting with smaller doses and increasing the dosage gradually.

Given that 5-HTP may negatively interact with several medications, talk with a doctor to ensure it’s safe for you to use.