There has been ongoing discussions concerning 5-HTP or 5-hydroxytryptophan on this site for quite a few years but no real information on it (at least anything easy to find) so I decided I would find out what I could and post it so that each member can make their own decision on whether it is something they want to try.
There are several medical/medication information websites that have it listed if you can figure out what name they have it listed under (trust me it goes by many names 
and I now know more than I wanted to)
5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a chemical that the body makes from tryptophan (an essential amino acid, which you get from food). After tryptophan is converted into 5-HTP, the chemical is then changed into another chemical called serotonin (a neurotransmitter, which relays signals between brain cells). 5-HTP dietary supplements help raise serotonin levels in the brain. Since serotonin helps regulate mood and behavior, 5-HTP may have a positive effect on sleep, mood, anxiety, appetite, and pain sensation.
5-HTP is not found in the foods we eat, although tryptophan is. Eating foods with tryptophan does not increase 5-HTP levels very much, however. As a supplement, 5-HTP is made from the seeds of an African plant called Griffonia simplicifolia.
Source: http://www.umm.edu/a...m#ixzz2Q0VyOr4w
5-hydroxytryptophan has been used in alternative medicine as an aid to relieve the symptoms of anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, insomnia, chronic headaches, premenstrual syndrome, binge-eating related to obesity, attention deficit disorder, and chronic headaches. 5-hydroxytryptophan has also been used in treating certain seizures and symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Source: http://www.drugs.com/
"Don’t use 5-HTP until more is known. 5-HTP might be UNSAFE."
Source: http://www.webmd.com/ So is Crapalta but they don't warn us about it 
A total of 74 drugs (242 brand and generic names) are known to interact with 5-hydroxytryptophan.
55 major drug interactions
19 moderate drug interactions
For the complete list and to see what the interaction is go to:
http://www.drugs.com...=3&generic_only=
To summarize, after all my searching, I have learned the following:
1. 5-HTP is changed into serotonin
2. Our body uses tryptophan to make 5-HTP
3. Vitamin B6, vitamin C, folic acid and magnesium are necessary for the metabolization of tryptophan. In addition, tyrosine and phenylalanine compete with tryptophan for absorption.
4. Several dietary, lifestyle, and health factors reduce the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin, including cigarette smoking, high sugar intake, alcohol abuse, excessive consumption of protein, hypoglycemia and diabetes.
5. Depression, anxiety, irritability, impatience, impulsiveness, inability to concentrate, weight gain or unexplained weight loss, slow growth in children, overeating and/or carbohydrate cravings, poor dream recall, and insomnia can all be signs that a person may need more tryptophan.
6. The following foods contain tryptophan: red meat, dairy products, nuts, seeds, legumes, soybeans and soy products, tuna, shellfish, and turkey.
But the most important thing for me to learn was:
If I concentrate on one topic long enough I am able to A - completely ignore any side effects I am feeling; and B - actually complete a task. lol
So there it is peeps.
If anyone has tried it and will let me know what happened that would be great.
Take care of you
Nancy - lady2882 with too much time on her hands 
