Serotonin

<p align="left">L Tryptophan is an essential amino acid found in foods that contain protein such as turkey.&nbsp;</p>

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It is able to convert into 5-HTP (5-hydroxy-tryptophan), and then to serotonin.&nbsp;</p>

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Serotonin is involved in mood, appetite, sleep and impulse control.</p>

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Serotonin taken orally as a pill is not able to easily cross the blood brain barrier, hence either tryptophan or 5-hydroxy-trytophan are good natural options since they convert into serotonin after going into the brain.&nbsp;<b>

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Metabolism

</b>The figure below shows l-tryptophan converting into 5-HTP, which then readily converts into serotonin.&nbsp;</p>

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Once serotonin is made, the pineal gland is able to convert it at night into melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone.</p>

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L-Tryptophan --> 5-Hydroxytryptophan <a href="http://www.raysahelian.com/5-htp.html">5-HTP</a> --> <a href="http://www.raysahelian.com/serotonin.html">Serotonin</a> --> N-Acetyl-serotonin --> Melatonin</p>

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Vitamin B6 is involved in the metabolism of tryptophan&nbsp;

to serotonin. Note: L-Tryptophan is also metabolized to a different pathway, not all of it is converted into 5-HTP.&nbsp;

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