What is tryptophan? Which foods contain tryptophan?
What is tryptophan? Which foods contain tryptophan?
A person spends about one-third of their life sleeping. Sleep allows our physiological and psychological states to rest. According to statistics published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine by the World Sleep Society (WSS), approximately 3.91 million people in Taiwan have sleep problems, and these issues are no longer limited to the elderly. In this fast-paced era, where 3C products are heavily utilized, sleep problems are becoming more prevalent among younger people, particularly those aged 20 to 40.
Tryptophan has become a popular health supplement in recent years, but what exactly is tryptophan? How can it help with sleep? Do we consume foods containing tryptophan in our daily lives?
What is tryptophan?
Tryptophan is one of the essential amino acids that the human body cannot synthesize on its own and must be obtained from food. There are two structures of tryptophan: L-tryptophan and R-tryptophan, with only L-tryptophan having the desired effects.
Like other amino acids, tryptophan can synthesize proteins. Additionally, tryptophan can also be converted into serotonin and melatonin, which are closely related to neurotransmission and sleep. Therefore, most commercially available tryptophan supplements are designed to aid sleep.
Ranking of foods containing tryptophan
As tryptophan is an amino acid, any protein-containing food will have tryptophan. According to the latest nutritional analysis of food in Taiwan, the top ten foods high in tryptophan per 100 grams are:
- Cheese powder: 602 mg
- Dried small fish: 540 mg
- Dried shrimp: 524 mg
- Turkey meat: 491 mg
- Ribbonfish: 403 mg
- Cashews: 382 mg
- Black sesame powder: 376 mg
- Sweetfish: 360 mg
- Pacific saury: 332 mg
- Soybeans: 532 mg
Additionally, banana peels also contain a higher amount of tryptophan, but most people do not consume banana peels directly. Therefore, Chengjiao Biotechnology uses extraction technology to derive the entire banana component and add it to health supplements.
Effects of tryptophan
In addition to helping synthesize proteins, tryptophan has three other major effects:
- Balancing emotions and maintaining a good mood
If the concentration of tryptophan in the body is low and serotonin synthesis is insufficient, serotonin, an important neurotransmitter, helps relax and balance emotions. Adequate serotonin can also bring us joy and a sense of happiness.
- Regulating circadian physiological functions and aiding sleep
Tryptophan can be converted into serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter related to various mental illnesses and neural cell health and can further synthesize melatonin.
Melatonin is primarily secreted by the pineal gland in the brain and is regulated by the day-night cycle, with higher secretion at night. This helps with falling asleep and adjusting to time differences. If there are sleep disorders, supplementing with tryptophan before bed can help improve insomnia.
Side effects of tryptophan
Tryptophan is generally a very safe nutrient, with a maximum supplementation of 5 to 12 grams per day. However, excessive supplementation may lead to some discomfort, such as dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, nausea, and palpitations.
Additionally, since tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, consumers taking antidepressant medications containing serotonin should be cautious. Over-supplementation of tryptophan can lead to "serotonin syndrome," resulting in extreme anxiety, rapid heartbeat, muscle twitching, and increased body temperature.
How to choose tryptophan health supplements?
- Scientific dosage of tryptophan: 1000 milligrams. However, many of these ingredients are mostly synthetic. Since they are chemically synthesized, they may contain impurities, and the concentration of these impurities is proportional to the amount of additives used by manufacturers. While adding sufficient amounts may significantly enhance efficacy, the safety risks also increase correspondingly. For example, tryptophan can help with sleep; our product includes it, but not in the excessive amounts claimed by others. To enhance the effect, we also add sour cherry, which contains natural sleep-promoting elements, making the ingredients more natural without compromising effectiveness!
- Plant-based ingredients (banana extract, sour cherry extract): Helping with sleep requires considering many aspects, with stress being a common barrier to good sleep. According to Northumbria University in the UK, drinking sour cherry juice for a week can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep by 26%, extend sleep duration by 9%, and improve overall sleep efficiency by 5.5%.
Vitamin B complex (B6, B12): Vitamins B6 and B12 assist in the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin and melatonin. Therefore, daily supplementation of B vitamins can also help improve the utilization rate of tryptophan.
Sleep is a significant concern for modern people. Many individuals are affected by accumulated stress, which further impacts their sleep. In daily life, exercise is also a great way to help with sleep and regulate stress. However, if you are long-term troubled by stress and sleep issues, our developed product is worth a try!
Source of information
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/l-tryptophan-uses-and-risks
- Taiwan Food Nutrition Ingredients Database 2022 Edition
- Richard, Dawn M et al. “L-Tryptophan: Basic Metabolic Functions, Behavioral Research and Therapeutic Indications.” International journal of tryptophan research : IJTR vol. 2 (2009): 45-60.
