Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Biochemistry- Tryptophan


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Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that acts like a natural mood regulator and in most proteins. Since it has the ability to help the body produce and balance certain hormones naturally. Supplementing with tryptophan-rich foods or taking supplements helps bring on natural calming effects, induces sleep, fights anxiety and can also help burn more body fat. Tryptophan has also been found to stimulate the release of growth hormones and even reduce food cravings for carbohydrates and help kick a sugar addiction in some cases.An important byproduct of tryptophan works in the brain and central nervous system to boost feelings of well-being, connection and safety. It does this by increasing production of one of the body’s main feel-good hormones, serotonin. Serotonin is the same calming chemical released when humans eat certain comfort foods like carbohydrates, which is why supplementing with tryptophan has been shown to help control appetite and contribute to easier weight loss or maintenance.
Image result for define tryptophanTryptophan's molecular structure. 
Serotonin works by transmitting signals between nerve cells and altering brain functions that affect mood states and sleep. Amino acid therapy is somewhat of an emerging field, which is based on the fact that certain amino acids have been found to be very helpful with treating conditions like sleep disorders, depression, fatigue, anxiety and sexual dysfunctions. Amino acids in general are a nutritional requirement for everyone like children, adults, vegetarians, omnivores and everyone in between. The best part about using targeted amino acids to help resolve health conditions and ease symptoms is that they’re completely natural, require no prescription and the vast majority of the time cause no side effects whatsoever. Because of its ability to boost serotonin levels consuming more tryptophan itself, has been used to help treat numerous disorders, including sleep disorders, mood disorders like depression and anxiety, migraines and tension headaches, binge eating disorder, learning disabilities like ADHD, PMS and menopausal symptoms, and fibromyalgia. 
Tryptophan metabolism diagramA diagram of tryptophan's metabolism






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