What amount of 5-HTP is equivalent to 500 mg of tryptophan?
R/ The tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) is the enzyme that catalyzes the limiting step in the production of serotonin and involves the conversion of tryptophan 5-HTP. The activity of this enzyme varies among individuals and may be influenced by a number of factors. Tryptophan is also metabolized by other different ways, so not all the tryptophan becomes 5-HTP. It is therefore difficult to numerically specify the proportion of conversion, since it can vary significantly between different individuals, and can even vary in the same person due to a series of factors such as diet, the time of day, stress, medication, etc. However, a rate of equivalence between tryptophan and 5-HTP 5 to 1 or 10 to 1, seems a reasonable estimate, since, in the majority of people, take 50-100 mg of 5-HTP tends to have an effect similar to 500 mg of tryptophan.
