5-HTP should not be taken with:
- Carbidopa, which is used to treat Parkinsons disease;
- triptans - Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, Amerge, Relpax, Axert, Frova;
- some classes of antidepressants -- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs), Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants
- barbiturates (including the butalbital in Fiorinal and Fioricet)
- chemootherapy drugs
- antibiotics
- tramadol
- and some other medications.
If you are taking any medications, please check with your doctor or pharmacist before using 5-HTP. An early study in the New England Journal of Medicine reported the possibility that 5-HTP may cause seizures in children with Down's Syndrome. Safety during pregnancy or nursing has not been established, nor has safety for those with kidney or liver disease.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines a drug as "a substance used in the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of a disease or as a component of a medication." When considering 5-HTP or any "natural" supplement, it is important that we consider that they have the potential to affect our bodies as much as any other drug, particularly if we are taking other prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Since dietary and herbal supplements don't come under the same scrutiny and testing as drugs, there have not been the same studies conducted to prove their effectiveness or their safety. In addition, there have been cases of contaminants in some supplements. For this reason, it is important that any supplement always be purchased from a well known, reputable source.
Before you take 5-HTP or any other supplement, consult your physician about the potential for them to interact with any medications you may be taking as well as whether they may be potentially harmful because of any illness you may have.
© Teri Robert, 2006 - Present
Last updated May 30, 2008
