Can’t get a good night’s sleep? You’re not alone. So many people are suffering from mental and physical exhaustion during the day because they toss and turn all night. Their brains simply won’t calm down. Getting consistent, restful sleep is vital for good health. There are several nutrients that may support better sleep, and one of those nutrients is tryptophan—an essential amino acid found in many foods and supplements. Research has shown that tryptophan can improve the quality of your sleep and put you in a better mood. Tryptophan does this by helping to produce serotonin and melatonin, neurotransmitters in your brain.
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The Mighty Tryptophan: Supercharge Your Health with Nature’s Amino Acid Secret is an original (LimitlessMindNews) article.
Tryptophan and serotonin
Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that functions as a chemical messenger in our brain and central nervous system. Serotonin plays a crucial role in regulating our sleep, mood, appetite, cognitive functions, and more. Serotonin not only has an impact on our brain and mood, but it can also affect our body. We need adequate levels of serotonin to maintain a feeling of mental stability, happiness, and overall well-being. Once serotonin has been produced by tryptophan, it can then be converted into another vital hormone, melatonin.
Tryptophan and melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone responsible for regulating our circadian rhythm, otherwise known as our sleep-wake cycle. The circadian rhythm is a crucial signal to our body of when to sleep and when to wake up. The production of melatonin in the brain increases when it’s dark and decreases when it’s light. When our circadian rhythm is off, we wake up at all hours of the night and feel drowsy during the day. Melatonin is also fittingly called the “sleep hormone”. Unfortunately, the production of melatonin declines as we get older.
Many other health benefits of tryptophan
Tryptophan is one of the building blocks of proteins and plays a vital role in various physiological processes. Let’s take a more detailed look at some of the health benefits that tryptophan helps to deliver.
Mood regulation: Low levels of tryptophan have been observed in people suffering from depression. Tryptophan, through the production of serotonin and melatonin, can help alleviate the symptoms of sadness and anxiety. The production of serotonin and melatonin can also induce a feeling of emotional stability, relaxation, and calmness.
Better sleep: By helping to alleviate anxiety, tryptophan may promote a more restful sleep. It may also relieve the effects of insomnia. Many of us would get a better night’s sleep if the nervous tension associated with anxiety could be reduced. Studies have shown that melatonin can have beneficial effects on sleep disorders, including insomnia.
Cognitive function: Low levels of tryptophan can lead to both short and long-term problems with memory and other cognitive functions. Research has shown that tryptophan can improve memory in both healthy adults and those suffering from memory loss.
Weight management: Some studies indicate that tryptophan may help in weight management by helping you to feel fuller and reducing your appetite.
Cardiovascular health: Studies show that tryptophan does have some beneficial effects on heart health by lowering blood pressure.
Some surprising benefits of tryptophan
Bone health: A diet with an adequate amount of tryptophan may help improve bone density and lower the risk of osteoporosis.
Skin health: Some research shows that tryptophan may contribute to more vibrant-looking skin by supporting collagen synthesis and improving the skin’s elasticity.
Gut health: Tryptophan may help improve intestinal health by promoting the development of beneficial gut flora, which is vital for a balanced gut microbiome.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): SAD is a debilitating form of depression brought on by a lack of sunlight, usually during the winter months. Serotonin may reduce the symptoms of SAD, as well as other forms of depression.
Best food sources for tryptophan
Contrary to popular belief, the tryptophan in turkey will not make you drowsy. Turkey is a source of tryptophan, but it doesn’t have much more of the essential amino acid than chicken or ground beef. To have any noticeable effect on the brain, tryptophan must be consumed by itself and on an empty stomach. The drowsiness that you may experience when you’re stuffed with turkey at Thanksgiving dinner comes from overeating, not from tryptophan.
Because tryptophan is an essential amino acid that cannot be produced by the body, it must be consumed through your diet. There are many protein-rich foods in addition to turkey that contain tryptophan. Foods with some of the highest levels of tryptophan include chicken, eggs, whole milk, canned tuna, and prepared oatmeal. If you believe you may be deficient in tryptophan, you may also consider taking a supplement containing tryptophan.
One of the best tryptophan supplements
There are many tryptophan supplements on the market, but one of the best is Frog Fuel Power Protein by a company called Frog Fuel. It’s a liquid collagen product that contains 22 amino acids, including tryptophan. Frog Fuel Power Protein is nano-hydrolyzed down to a unit about half the size of a pore in the stomach for 100% rapid absorption. Unlike most other collagen peptides and hydrolyzed collagen, Frog Fuel Power Protein is fortified to be a complete protein.
While collagen has wonderful benefits, especially for skin, hair, and nails, it’s not a complete protein. To be a complete protein, it needs to contain nine essential amino acids. Collagen lacks tryptophan. So, with Frog Fuel Power Protein, you’re getting all the benefits of collagen with the added advantages of tryptophan.
Frog Fuel founders Alexander Kunz and Jeff Byers worked with some of the world’s top chemists and dietitians to develop a medical-grade collagen formula that is used in thousands of medical facilities to promote the rapid healing of wounds following surgery. They launched the company with a clinical product in which every claim they made is backed by a proven study.
Boosting health benefits with tryptophan
There is no question that tryptophan is vital to good health. Being deficient in tryptophan may make you feel lousy. This essential amino acid is necessary for a wide range of metabolic functions. Low tryptophan levels can be linked to irritability, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other health problems that can affect your mood, cognition, and behavior. A wide range of tryptophan-rich foods is available if you feel that additional supplementation can help alleviate mood and sleep-related disorders. Overall, it is worth considering supplementing with tryptophan to help improve your sense of overall well-being.
For further research:
Forbes: Big day at work tomorrow, here’s what to eat to help
Good Housekeeping: 7 Foods to make you happy
CNN: Think turkey tryptophan makes you sleepy? Think again
New York Times: The evolution of sleep. 700 million years of melatonin
NBC News: Serotonin can affect brain’s response to anger
Important Note: The information contained in this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be construed as health or medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease or health condition. Before embarking on any diet, fitness regimen, or program of nutritional supplementation, it is advisable to consult your healthcare professional in order to determine its safety and probable efficacy in terms of your individual state of health.
Regarding Nutritional Supplements Or Other Non-Prescription Health Products: If any nutritional supplements or other non-prescription health products are mentioned in the foregoing article, any claims or statements made about them have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and such nutritional supplements or other health products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
