Nested Naturals 5-HTP 100 mg (5-hydroxytryptophan) - Sleep and Mood Support - 5HTP Supplement for Naturally Sourced Serotonin - 120 Non-GMO, Vegan Capsules

This seems to brighten my mood although I never really had a problem with that.I have always been a happy and optimistic person but decided to try 5-HTP and my mood has gotten even better than my normal happy self.I started taking 100mg in the morning and 100mg at night.After about a month I decided to try taking just 100 mg in the morning and everything seems to be fine so far.

My experience with this so far is not 5-star, but I am giving this 5 stars because it is potent and I can actually tell that it is doing things, unlike many other supplements where I can't really tell or it might take me a while to notice a difference. I'm still in the process of figuring out the best timing and dosage for me.A functional doctor had put me on a pretty extensive regimen of supplements but I did not feel any immediate effects until I introduced this 5-HTP on his recommendation, after weaning off of Zoloft. My very first change - and this happened the night I started 5-HTP - was that my peri-menopausal night sweats just abruptly STOPPED! I had been waking up in the middle of the night virtually every single night for the previous 3 months, drenched in sweat. Sometimes I would have to change my pajamas twice...And then, just like that, nothing. My temperature felt cool, and I woke up completely dry.The flip side, though, was that I slept less deeply and that night I had kind of the sleep that you have when you have a fever - just sort of shallow and fitful. At least when I was having night sweats, I would sleep super deeply (until the sweating came). I felt more agitated after taking this before bed.So I experimented - instead of taking it at night I tried taking it in the morning, or afternoon, or late afternoon. I would also decrease the dosage by opening up the capsule and taking 50 or 60% of it. Each adjustment yielded something different - for example, when I skipped it one day my sweating came back, but I slept better. I was blown away by how dramatic the effect was.The next thing I noticed was that my mood would lift once I took it, but this was more subtle and it took me a little while to notice because for me it doesn't come as a jolt. But I'll notice a change - usually within minutes! - because I'll suddenly feel less blah, and I'll find myself tying my shoes to go out for a walk or finally folding my 2-week old laundry when just a little while ago I did not feel like doing anything and was feeling kind of down.Where this is not helping me is sleep - I cannot say that I have slept better because of this. At best it doesn't change anything, and at worst it makes me feel slightly agitated and anxious - not a great feeling. So I have to keep experimenting with dosage and timing, so that I can find the sweet spot between sleeping well, feeling up and calm, and not having night sweats. I just know for me that I cannot take the full dosage. If you are new to 5 HTP, I recommend starting with a smaller dose and then working your way up if you need it.

I've received numerous emails asking me to rate both the product and the company, so I'll try to work all of these in to my review. This is my first time using supplements to help serotonin production.As of today, 5 September 2017, here's what I have:The company and it's product seem very solid. I'd give them 5 stars.The product is still new, so I'm unable to go a full 5 stars until some time has passed and progress is noted. I am also taking another product, not produced by Nested Naturals, so there are several suppliments working in my system at the same time and it's tough to credit just one. Here are my results, so far:Pros:I definitely sleep better, more deeplyI feel more balancedI have noticed increased mental clarityCons:I had to take more than the recommended dosage of one capsule per day to achieve the expected resultI found a single product from this company that contained this suppliment and the other suppliment I wanted, but in lower doses than I had hoped to find

I take this supplement in combination with Sam-E and a Multi-Vitamin that has higher concentrations of B complexes. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, and there's many medications I've tried (both prescribed and OTC), and I definately favor this one. Okay, here's my experience with this supplement:Pros: Works as an anti-anxiety for me. Helps me to manage racing thoughts and excessive worry/rumination. Bad things that happen to me don't seem to be as much as a "big deal". I have noticed a marked improvement in my sleep, even though I take this capsule in the morning. Also, frustration at both myself and others around me have been impacted as I do not worry as much. This pill is much easier to swallow when you tilt your chin down so that it floats to the back of the throat. I noticed the benefits quickly: less than a week after I began adding it to my regimen.Cons: The only real con that I experienced was something I was not expecting AT ALL: the first month I took this supplement, I began having extremely vivid dreams. Now, I wouldn't say that they were nightmares per se, but it was as if all the stress and worry that I had been saved from during the day were all compacted into my brain at once as I slept. I had stressful dreams of things going wrong at work and at home, and because they were so vivid, I would wake up the next morning feeling really hyped up and anxious. It got so bad that I stopped taking this supplement for a couple of days....but the anti-anxiety effects and overall boost in mood that I had been experiencing during the day began to wear away and by now I'd gotten used to you know...feeling better. So I muscled through it and tried it again: in 5 weeks the stressful dreams were completely gone. I only have one occasionally (once every 3 weeks or so) and it is very likely nothing to do with the supplement.Overall, I would recommend this supplement to anyone seeking relief. Just be patient when adding new supplements or medications that alter your mood!NOTE: Please keep in mind that finding a balance of mental health supplements and prescribed medication takes time, dedication, and an open mind. No form of supplement should be taken without the expectation that a little bit of physical and mental effort on your part will be needed to perform to it's fullest level. Even with 5-HTP, a successful mental health day for me includes other supplements, exercise, talking to a trusted person (therapist or otherwise), and daily mindfulness. Keep your chin up and keep going!