5-HTP and Sweating: What Users Say

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 13, 2019

For Anxiety "I took one 5-HTP 100 mg capsule on 10/12/2019 at 9:45 PM, hoping to relax and get some sleep. Twenty minutes later, I was having difficulty thinking, and then I became severely dizzy, had severe numbness in my hands, arms, and face. I couldn't breathe or focus and had severe chest pain, which made it increasingly hard to focus. I barely made it to the staircase to our bedroom to call for help. I started sweating profusely and blacked out for a minute on the stairs and woke up vomiting the capsule and contents of my stomach, and started to feel better almost instantly. 911 was called, and I was taken to the ER, where I was told that I was having a severe allergic reaction to the supplement. I will never purchase another supplement again or ever try 5-HTP because I could have died. I'm a 53-year-old woman who is going through menopause, and I don't take anything other than a multivitamin daily."

• Nut...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 9, 2020

For Anxiety "5-HTP, in my experience of taking it (10 years+), has absolutely been down to dosage. I have had terrible side effects with the lowest recommended dosages: sweats, shakes, anxiety through the roof, nightmares, and insomnia. Until I started at the lowest dose I could buy, 50 mg slow/timed release type in the morning, I had no unwanted side effects. I have increased my dosage to 100 mg daily if having a bad episode, and usually after say 6 weeks to 3 months, I have gradually reduced back down to 50 mg over 2-3 weeks. For example, I take 100 mg on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, and 50 mg on the other days. Then I take 50 mg for 2 days and 100 mg on the 3rd day, and so on. Obviously, I am not a medical professional, I am just sharing my experience here. I suffer from PTSD, depression, and anxiety, and 2 out of my 3 pregnancies ended in serious episodes of PND (suicidal psychosis). I self-medicated for many years and have been prescribed many anti-depressants and anti-psychotics, all of which have given me the worst side effects listed."

• Rob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 3, 2021

For Insomnia "Solgar 5-HTP 100 mg. 1x daily. First three days it helps with my insomnia, nice 7-8 hours of sleep, but no change with anxiety or mood. Then I started waking up at 3 a.m., sweaty with elevated heart rate and having very vivid bad dreams, and it continued during the day with tension headache and severe anxiety and depression. I didn't know 5-HTP was causing it, so I continued taking it. Things got worse to the level that I was stuck in a dark mood and suicidal feelings. I stopped taking them. Three days later, my system cleared and was back to normal. Some of us are sensitive to these 'brain chemical adjusters.'"

• 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."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 30, 2020

For Anxiety "I decided to give this supplement a chance in combating anxiety and depression for perimenopausal hormone issues. I took 200 mg to start and was violently ill! Cramping, sweating, and vomiting. I probably took too much at once, but I will NEVER take it again."

• Sty...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 30, 2020

"I went to a nutritional store for 5-HTP after doing some research on it for mild chronic depression. The nutritionist suggested 200 mg. Took it at night for a couple of nights, and my stomach woke me up. Had pains and diarrhea. Took it after breakfast two days later and ended up with severe nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, sweating, pale, and weakness. Was terrible. I am going to try the smallest dose I can get and take it on a full stomach. See what happens. Otherwise, it's not going to work for me."

• Bil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 13, 2021

"5-HTP for SIBO as a prokinetic. I have been using 5-HTP for 4 months in the form of Motilpro to stimulate the Migrating Myoelectric Complex (MMC) for SIBO, 100 mg at night (2 capsules). I had mild adverse side effects at first but continued to use it. I have now had to stop, my side effects are waking up in the night with a racing heart, nausea, sleeplessness, vivid unpleasant dreams, also sweating, dizziness, and fatigue that lasts during the day. I cannot function while taking this drug anymore. It was worth trying out, I believe it is effective. My FP advises some people's serotonin levels rise very fast, I believe I am in that category. I hope this helps someone else decide whether or not it is for them. I do not suffer from depression and didn't notice any enhancement of my mood."