Tryptophan essay

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The dog sat hopefully underneath the table, waiting for the weight of the food to bring the whole mess crashing down to her.

I sat on the back porch and watched my family sprawled across the living room like the aftermath of an inquest.

Research Papers words (2 pages) Serotonin as an Antidepressant Essay - Serotonin as an Antidepressant Until , the action at a synapse was thought to be electrical. However, almost a full year prior to Dr. Kessler's remarks of April , published papers had clearly linked EMS with the consumption of L-tryptophan produced using biotechnology at . Oct 29,  · intercommunication essay format so high levels of tryptophan prevent tryptophan synthesis through a negative feedback loop and, when the cell’s tryptophan levels are reduced, transcription from the trp operon . underline book titles in essays or italicize movie.

I saw it on the news. After all, I eat turkey sandwiches a few times a week and I haven't felt the need to settle down for a nap in the dining hall.

Still, I thought, surveying my comatose family, there must be something to this turkey thing. And I'd eaten the ham, so I was still awake enough to dig up the truth. As my family slept and my dog stared down the leftovers, I learned the truth about tryptophan.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, one of the building blocks of protein. It is termed essential because the body cannot manufacture it on its own.

This, in turn, converts into seratonin, a neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters are extremely important at the neurochemical and physiological level, as they carry impulses between nerve cells.

Seratonin can be converted into melatonin, which regulates the sleep wake cycle. Elevated levels of seratonin are credited with relief of depression, reduced pain sensitivity, lessened anxiety and stress and a feeling of calm and sleepiness.

Seratonin deficiencies are blamed for depression and insomnia. I recognized that name from the new sleep supplements out there.

Hence, I thought to myself, the whole drowsy thing. Proponents of tryptophan claim it can be used to treat depression, anxiety, insomnia, and bulimia.

Studies on its use praise it as the cure for migrane headaches, appetite disorders, over-aggression, and obsessive compulsive disorders.

It's been used to treat nightmares and premenstrual syndrome. The most common use of tryptophan, though, has been as a sleep supplement. Labels on tryptophan supplements recommended a dosage of to mg once or twice a day. Experts recommended taking the supplement between meals to avoid the competition between the tryptophan and proteins to get into the blood.

Many people also took tryptophan immediately before bedtime. Natural sources of tryptophan are common and varied. Cheddar cheese, soybeans, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are good sources.

Eggs, peas, whole milk and pineapple, not to mention bananas and yogurt, contain relatively high levels of the amino acid. And, of course, there's the turkey. Despite the many natural sources, tryptophan was most popular as a bottled supplement when it's sleep-inducing qualities were first published and marketed.

Throughout the 's, tryptophan enjoyed a long, safe history as a popular natural supplement. However, in the fall of an outbreak of flu-like symptoms associated with eosinophilic-myalgia syndrome occurred in the United States.

ESM is characterized by muscle pain, weakness, and joint pain. It is serious and sometimes fatal. The illness was associated with the use of dietary supplements containing tryptophan.

Reported numbers vary, but it is commonly thought that at least cases of ESM were reported to the Center for Disease Control and 38 people died.Tryptophan is perhaps most well-known for its role in producing serotonin, which is what gets all the press at Thanksgiving time for putting you to sleep after the big holiday feast.

Amino acids make up 75% of the human body. Tryptophan (L-Tryptophan) is used for treating Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, Aggression, Pain and many other neurological disorders. It is helpful for neurological disorders because tryptophan is a precursor of serotonin.

About this journal. International Journal of Tryptophan Research is an international, peer reviewed, open access journal that focuses on all subjects related to tryptophan research, including isolation, functionality, interactions, analysis, synthesis and industrial production, as well as supplementation and role in diet, physiology, neurological disorders and immune response.

In food, tryptophan is the least abundant amino acid. However, the richest dietary sources of tryptophan include bananas, dried dates, milk, cottage cheese, meat, fish, turkey, and peanuts. One particularly popular source of tryptophan is turkey.

Acute tryptophan depletion caused a greater decline in ratings of mania. As pointed out, the possible implications for a long-term decline in protein synthesis due to low tryptophan levels are not known. However, almost a full year prior to Dr. Kessler's remarks of April , published papers had clearly linked EMS with the consumption of L-tryptophan produced using biotechnology at .