5-HTP and Panic Attacks: What Users Say

• Diz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 26, 2016

For Anxiety "Don't take this with benzos, it made me extra drowsy and anxious. One pill-I only took half of one pill (50 mg!). I got some kind of adverse reaction. My insomnia got worse, I got panic attacks, shivering, tremor, felt disoriented, and seriously more depressed. Now I have woken up in the middle of the night for many nights to the same feeling: anxious, can't fall asleep again. I regret taking this. And I said once again: DON'T MIX THIS WITH BENZOS and be careful if your nervous system is sensitive, you are sensitive to supplements, or you suffer from bad insomnia, because it can cause a paradoxical reaction. Start with tiny doses to find out whether this is the right supplement for you. For me, it definitely is NOT. This supplement also has many side effects."

• Lyl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 18, 2020

For Anxiety "I’m a 51 yo female with a long history of anxiety and depression. With menopause just around the corner, there are days my anxiety is off the charts. About 6 months ago, I started taking 100 mg daily. I was also having moderate to severe panic, heart palpitations, sweating, and severe vomiting. I didn’t make the connection to 5-HTP until I recently started taking it again. This time only 25 mg. Same symptoms but milder. I cannot be 100% sure, but I’m making the connection to this supplement. If you’re thinking of taking this supplement, I highly recommend talking to a holistic health practitioner first. Not to be dramatic, but my episodes landed me in the ED three times last year. It was quite scary."

• Sad...
• April 12, 2019

For Anxiety "Took 5-HTP 100 mg at night with magnesium, to calm my mild anxiety and sadness, help with sleep. I was post-concussion and being treated for autoimmune disease. At around 6 months, I increasingly noticed I was waking at night, I started getting more anxious, suicidal thoughts. During this time, I also did a small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) treatment of antibiotics, which probably helped my gut work better, and then started low-dose naltrexone for my autoimmune disease. I started to have heart palpitations, sweating at night, depressed thoughts, panic attacks which I never had before, where you get arrhythmia, continuous bad thoughts, tingling in your fingers, and feel dizzy. When withdrawing from 5-HTP, I had a horrible time. I had to withdraw slowly, as I had a lot of the symptoms of SSRI withdrawal. My brain and thoughts were so disturbing. I would be very cautious using this drug long-term and continuously. Study needs to be done on low-dose naltrexone and 5-HTP. Or post-concussion and 5-HTP."

• Ari...
• September 2, 2019

For Insomnia "Started taking 5-HTP with magnesium. Had to get online as it's not an approved drug in Australia. After 2 bottles, I had to come off it as it was upsetting my bowel. I started having panic attacks, depression, insomnia. This withdrawal lasted 4 weeks. There should be a warning about coming off this med, be careful. Maybe this is why it's not approved here."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2020

For Anxiety "I've been struggling with anxiety and panic disorder for 3 years now and finally built the courage to try a supplement. This is my 3rd day on Natrol's Daily Stress Relief. It has 5-HTP, magnesium, B6, and 12, and some other vitamins. 100 mg after breakfast. Every day it's been different. My first day was amazing. I felt the physical symptoms I was anxious, but I didn't fear the sensation. I hope that even makes sense. I was in tears because I haven't felt not being scared in 3 years. My 2nd day was horrible... terrible anxiety symptoms, constant palpitations, panic attack, and a meltdown. Today is my 3rd day, I felt so off today... anxious, irritable, like nothing satisfied me (I'm usually a happy, upbeat person despite the anxiety). I was thinking about not taking it anymore because it feels like I'm getting more negatives than positives, but I read a few comments about taking a lower dose. So tomorrow I'm going to try splitting the pill in half and take 50 mg. I hope it makes me feel better."

• reg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2022

For Anxiety "BE CAREFUL! I took 5-HTP without any advice from the doctor, and it kickstarted my panic attacks journey. Of course, I had some trauma deeply rooted in my subconscious, that was the primary reason for my panic attacks, but 5-HTP unleashed all of it! I ended up having to go to a psychiatrist and went on SSRIs to fix myself. The doctor told me the dosage advised on the 5-HTP box (100-200 mg/day) was way too high for me and that messed up my brain. Just don’t take this without a doctor’s advice, please, it might do more harm!"