Serotonin is the thing to be careful with if you are messing around with your neurotransmitters. Serotonin Syndrome is bad. That said, it isn’t multiple serotonin precursors that are a problem. You can mix 5HTP and and Tryptophan and you still haven’t done anything more than add to the pool of precursors—not much different from simply taking more of one or the other. It is a whole different ball game when you mix an SSRI with tryptophan, each unit of tryptophan is multiplied in potency.
The real problem comes when you introduce monoamine oxidase inhibitors, MOAI-A, in particular is the one that messes with the breakdown of serotonin. If you mix a MOAI-A with an SSRI you are in for a world of hurt. Even mixing MOAI-A with precursors isn’t a good idea. Especially since a lot of our serotonin (and so monoamine oxidase) is actually located in the gut, not the brain. Here you are putting a bunch of serotonin precursor right into the digestive system, the same system you have made nearly incapable of disposing of serotonin efficiently. People on old style MOAIs have specific dietary instructions that they need to follow to avoid this kind of problem.
Good point—I didn’t express myself very well (was quite tired when I commented). However, my point about caffeine stands though—and in fact is true for all amphetamine-like stimulants. They all increase production of serotonin, which when combined with an increased level of serotonin precursors can be far from pretty.
Serotonin is the thing to be careful with if you are messing around with your neurotransmitters. Serotonin Syndrome is bad. That said, it isn’t multiple serotonin precursors that are a problem. You can mix 5HTP and and Tryptophan and you still haven’t done anything more than add to the pool of precursors—not much different from simply taking more of one or the other. It is a whole different ball game when you mix an SSRI with tryptophan, each unit of tryptophan is multiplied in potency.
The real problem comes when you introduce monoamine oxidase inhibitors, MOAI-A, in particular is the one that messes with the breakdown of serotonin. If you mix a MOAI-A with an SSRI you are in for a world of hurt. Even mixing MOAI-A with precursors isn’t a good idea. Especially since a lot of our serotonin (and so monoamine oxidase) is actually located in the gut, not the brain. Here you are putting a bunch of serotonin precursor right into the digestive system, the same system you have made nearly incapable of disposing of serotonin efficiently. People on old style MOAIs have specific dietary instructions that they need to follow to avoid this kind of problem.
Good point—I didn’t express myself very well (was quite tired when I commented). However, my point about caffeine stands though—and in fact is true for all amphetamine-like stimulants. They all increase production of serotonin, which when combined with an increased level of serotonin precursors can be far from pretty.