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--5-Hydroxytrytophan Studied in Depression~

-A clinical trial published in February 2013 reports that 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)reduced symptoms of depression comparable to a common pharmaceutical. It is estimated that 6.7 percent of U.S. adults, approximately 14.8 million Americans, suffer from major depressive disorder in a given year.

The researchers randomly assigned 70 subjects undergoing their first depressive episode to receive 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) or floxetine--a commonly prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSR) pharmaceutical--for eight weeks. The subjects completed the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression at the beginning of the study and again after two, four and eight weeks.

The investigators found that both groups had significant and nearly equal reduction in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores from week two through week eight evaluations. More specifically, 73.33 percent of the subjects in the 5-HTP group and 80 percent in the fluoxetine group showed a positive response at the end of the study.

The researchers concluded, "5-HTP has definitely got antidepressant effect in patients of depression. Antidepressant effect was seen within two weeks of treatment and was apparent in all degrees of depression. The therapeutic efficacy of 5-HTP was considered as equal to that of fluoxetine." ~~~