Someone on this newsgroup seems to be very outspoken against 5-HTP in general, using it with SSRI's, and even states (as if it were a fact) that serotonin deficiency CANNOT cause depression.  I have read books WRITTEN BY DOCTORS which state that serotonin deficiency CAN cause depression, and that it is usually very safe when taken with an SSRI, as long as the use of 5-HTP and an SSRI together is monitored by a doctor. I doubt if this person on the newsgroup is a doctor, and they really have no business passing their own opinions off as facts, and have no business passing themself off as an authoritative source of information on the subject of 5-HTP.  Even if this person is a doctor, he/she is only presenting one side of the issue _base_d on their own personal opinion.   For anyone who is possibly interested in taking 5-HTP, I suggest you find authoritative sources (books and research written by doctors), read up on both sides of the 5-HTP issue, and make the decision for yourself, and not _base_ your decision on the opinion of someone expressing their personal opinions on a newsgroup.  I personally am in favor of trying 5-HTP, and I am in fact trying 5-HTP, but this is only MY opinion, and I would not want anyone else to try 5-HTP _base_d solely on my opinions.  I also would not anyone to NOT try 5-HTP _base_d solely on the opinions of someone else posting to a newgroup.       The doctors who wrote the books that I read did caution people to never take 5-HTP with an MAO Inhibitor, because of a risk of serotonin syndrome which is caused by too much serotonin (also called serotonin poisoning).   As for the article written about a Mayo clinic doctor who believes that 5-HTP may be contaminated and may pose a health risk, if you read the last paragraph or two, there is a dissenting opinion which states that the Mayo clinic report was _base_d more on speculation than on science.   Who is to say which is correct?  Certainly not any of us reading this newsgroup.  We are all en_title_d to draw our own conclusions from all of the information written thus far about 5-HTP.         To the person on the newsgroup who opposes using 5-HTP, I suggest that you not tell people that 5-HTP is bad, or that low serotonin cannot cause depression, or that 5-HTP with an SSRI is dangerous, since you are not an authoritative source of information on 5-HTP, and even if you are, you are only presenting one side of the issue (your side).       Let people read all of the info available on both sides of the 5-HTP issue (provided by actual doctors and scientists), and let them decide for themselves.  You are doing people a great disservice to make statements in such a way that some people may interpret your statements as being facts and/or authoritative information.  Some people may actually decide NOT to try 5-HTP _base_d solely on your statements.  As far as you or I know, 5-HTP may very well be the one thing which will help them, or it might not be.  Who are we to make that determination?   It is ok to express your opinion a on newsgroup, but please do not do so in a way which would lead someone to believe that your opinions are   facts.  The 5-HTP issue cannot even be agreed upon by doctors and scientists, so who are we to decide for others which of the doctors and scientists are correct?   We can each personally read up on 5-HTP and choose which doctor's opinions to believe, but we cannot make this choice for anyone other than ourselves.  To do so would be highly presumptous and irresponsible.

issue (provided by actual doctors and scientists), and let them
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The doctors who wrote the books that I read did caution people to never take 5-HTP with an MAO Inhibitor, because of a risk of serotonin syndrome which is caused by too much serotonin (also called serotonin poisoning).   I've done a bit of research, and the 'Doctor' you, apparently,have as your current guru, Dr. Michael T. Murray, has NO recognised degrees, medical or otherwise! He appears to be an N.D. (whatever that is) not a M.D. And to quote from his web page: Body Wise International explicitly makes no claims for nutrient efficacy, or the treatment, mitigation, prevention or cure of disease. If you are ill we recommend you see a qualified physician. And so say I. Ian     This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

On Mon, 21 Dec 1998 06:46:53 -0600 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (Joe Larson)  wrote: snipped       The doctors who wrote the books that I read did caution people to never take 5-HTP with an MAO Inhibitor, because of a risk of serotonin syndrome which is caused by too much serotonin (also called serotonin poisoning).   I've done a bit of research, and the 'Doctor' you, apparently,have as your current guru, Dr. Michael T. Murray, has NO recognised degrees, medical or otherwise! He appears to be an N.D. (whatever that is) not a M.D. Doctor of Naturopathy

<big fat snip Does anyone actually talk face to face with their physician anymore? The internet (including the WWW and Usenet) has been, for me, the LEAST reliable source of medical info of any sort.  Give me a flesh-and-blood MD any day who gets his facts from the textbooks and peer-reviewed journals