Amino acid tryptophan: what is useful and what products contain

Amino acid tryptophan – its importance for our body is repeated not only by doctors, but also by numerous advertisements on television. It is called a natural antidepressant responsible for our mood. Is this really so and what role does tryptophan play in the body?

The editors of estet-portal.com will tell everything about tryptophan – what this amino acid can do when you need to take care of its replenishment. And let's also talk about foods that naturally contain tryptophan, helping us get it naturally.

• The amino acid tryptophan and its role in our body
• Signs of lack of serotonin in our body
• Amino acid tryptophan: in which food to find it

The amino acid tryptophan and its role in our body

Tryptophan together with vitamin B6 takes part in the production of serotonin. The latter is also called the "hormone of happiness." Its lack threatens at least apathy, and at most – depression, which will need to be seriously treated.

Subscribe to our page on Facebook!

mood. Also serotonin – our natural defense against stress. With serious emotional and physical stress, it helps to maintain self-control, find the right way out or solution, reduces irritability and aggressiveness.
Tryptophan is also involved in the synthesis of melatonin – hormone, without which normal sleep is impossible. And if you are on a diet, then it is tryptophan that reduces cravings for junk and high-calorie foods, and contributes to timely satiety during meals. That is, you do not overeat, maintain a normal weight or – lose pounds if necessary.

Read also: How to satisfy the night hunger without harm to the figure

Signs of lack of serotonin in our body

Without tryptophan, the production of serotonin is impossible. How to understand that you do not have enough of this hormone? How to distinguish a temporary low mood from a real problem that needs to be addressed? Craving for carbohydrate foods and the desire to seize trouble, bad mood, stress. Under "carbohydrate products" we mean fast food, snacks, sweets and chocolate. If, at the mention of food, you are literally drawn to a pastry shop, to fast food restaurants, then the body is deficient in serotonin.

2. Insomnia. The lack of serotonin directly affects the quality of sleep. You have trouble falling asleep, sleep itself becomes intermittent.
3. Anxiety. This is not about natural feelings, for example, about an important meeting or family problems. Increased anxiety – it is an uncontrollable anxiety about every aspect of life, a desire to control everything personally.
4. Violations of memory, attention, thinking. Especially memory suffers from a lack of serotonin – forgetfulness occurs.

5. Constant feeling of tiredness. Even on a day off when you don't have to go to work, you feel overwhelmed. At the same time, you have not even had time to do anything around the house, but literally woke up tired.

If you observe several signs in yourself, then you can say with almost 100% certainty that the body is deficient in serotonin. And that means that the amino acid tryptophan does not enter it in the required quantities.


Read also:


Every night overcomes

insomnia: what to do?

• oily sea fish;

• beef or chicken liver;
• vegetables and fruits;
• hard cheese;

• mushrooms;

• nuts and legumes;

• bananas.

Besides the amino acid itself, in these same products are the substances necessary for its absorption.


See also:
Dried fruit mix: a great alternative to fresh fruits



It is not always possible to get the required amount of tryptophan from food. In this case, pharmacology comes to the rescue. This amino acid can be taken in doses of one to three grams as directed by a physician. If you are on a diet, this dosage can be doubled. After two weeks of taking the drug, the amino acid tryptophan will show its main property – and your health will improve significantly.