Functions of Tryptophan

The functions of tryptophan are many. Most understand that tryptophan helps you go to sleep, as a lot of people experience after they gorge on turkey during Thanksgiving dinner. While some believe that there's not enough of this important amino acid in turkey to actually knock you out, there's no arguing the fact that tryptophan is important for sleep, as well as many other bodily functions.

Tryptophan has a lot of important functions as one of the eight essential amino acids. This means that your body cannot make its own tryptophan, and needs to get it from outside sources, which generally means that you get it from your diet.

Tryptophan is a precursor to several important compounds in the body. This means that it's an ingredient in the recipe that your system needs to produce other compounds. Some of these compounds are:

• The neurotransmitter serotonin, which helps regulate your mood, concentration, and sleep cycle.
• Niacin, an important nutrient for digestive health, healthy cholesterol levels, and good circulation, among other things.

Tryptophan helps to regulate sleep cycles, and many folks take it as a supplement for helping to treat problems concentrating in conditions such as adult ADD. It is also believed that this amino acid helps to regulate your appetite, and may be a useful supplement for weight loss programs.

Other conditions that tryptophan may be able to prevent and/or treat are:

• Impatience
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Overeating
• Insomnia
• Irritability

Since it helps your body to create more serotonin, low levels of which control to the conditions above, tryptophan may help to treat these problems without the use of drugs. As always, if you are interested in taking tryptophan or any new supplement, you should consult your doctor or other health care provider about your concerns. He or she may be able to provide valuable input regarding drug interactions and other potential problems tryptophan might cause.

Cheddar cheese has tryptophan in it.

When taking this supplement or eating tryptophan-rich foods, you have to keep in mind that there's a pecking order when it comes to how your body absorbs amino acids. If you consume multiple amino acids at once, your body will always assimilate them starting with the most common. Tryptophan is one of the least abundant aminos, and meaning that you must take your tryptophan with foods that are low in other amino acids to make sure your absorb it properly.

While tryptophan can help you to sleep and concentrate, only some of the effects are noticeable soon after taking it. Many of this amino acid's major power comes from long-term therapy, meaning that you need to take the supplement for several weeks before you start experiencing its maximum benefit. This allows time for your brain to adjust to the influx of neurotransmitters, making better use of them.

Lots of folks notice that the effects of tryptophan last longer the longer they took the supplement. So, if you have a problem sleeping, you may be able to take tryptophan for a few months and then enjoy the beneficial functions of tryptophan several months after you've stopped the course of therapy. As always, consult a physician if you have any questions about dosage and length of treatment.

If you don't want to take a supplement, there are a lot of foods you can eat that will increase your tryptophan levels naturally. Remember that this is an essential amino acid, and you need to get it from your diet in order to stay healthy! Here are some foods you might consider eating more of to help increase your intake:

• Roasted chicken breast
• Tuna
• Soybeans
• Beef
• Elk
• Lamb
• Halibut
• Snapper
• Peanuts
• Cheddar cheese
• Sesame seeds
• Eggs
• Spirulina
• Sea vegetable

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