Griffonia Simplicifolia

5-hydroxytryptophan is a chemical hydrogen compound of the amino acid tryptophan. It is one of the essential human amino acids from which the human metabolism produces numerous hormones, including the important learning and happiness hormone serotonin.

Tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan and serotonin are components of serotonin synthesis. Serotonin can only be absorbed by the body from food to a very limited extent and must therefore be produced for the most part in the human body from the amino acid tryptophan. In this process, 5-hydroxytryptophan is an intermediate product before the molecule is completely converted into serotonin.

Serotonin is needed both in the gut and in the brain. The amount of serotonin required locally must be produced locally, as serotonin cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. 5-hydroxytryptophan, on the other hand, has the ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, which is why serotonin levels in the brain can rise when 5-hydroxytryptophan accumulates here. It is also needed in the body to produce the sleep hormone melatonin. A high concentration has a mood-regulating and anxiety-relieving effect. A high serotonin level also has a positive effect on sleep patterns, appetite, memory and blood circulation in the blood vessels.

A serotonin deficiency may be due to a lack of precursors and/or a lack of the enzymes needed to carry out the biochemical processes involved in the formation of serotonin. A serotonin deficit can also be caused by an imbalance in the gut flora, as these microbes also utilise tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan to synthesise cellular serotonin, serotonin which is then only available to the body to a very limited extent. The end results of a deficiency, however caused, vary, but can almost always have negative consequences for well-being and quality of life.

In order to naturally increase serotonin levels and/or compensate for a deficit, targeted supplementation with foods that have a high concentration of 5-hydroxytryptophan can be useful. The seeds of the African black bean Griffonia simplicifolia are one such food source.

If the intake of 5-hydroxytryptophan from the diet is not sufficient or there is an increased requirement, this ingredient can be supplemented with special dietary supplements.