L-Tryptophan and 5 HTP in Ireland

[Lunar Loops]

Apologies to Third Edge for any extra work created in the original thread which started off discussing BZP. SWIS was going to point out that any thread discussing such should be in the RC forum, but got caught up in the 5 HTP discussion (see http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36678).

SWIS realises that 5 HTP and L-Tryptophan are not the same thing, but as he understands it 5 HTP is a metabolite of tryptophan. The reason it was entered into the discussion was that it was given to SWIS as a reason for 5 HTP not being for sale in Ireland.

SWIS would still be interested in clarifying the legal position in Ireland on this one as he has had conflicting evidence. He will be entering a shop again later today to ask questions and will report back later.

Reputation Comments on this post:

for asking a question about a problem that has confused many Irish SWIMers

[Evil GIR]

Dose Irland have an analog act, covering tryptamines, maybe that covers 5-htp

[Lunar Loops]

OK, been into a pharmacy today and asked the pharmacist about this (he'd actually never heard of 5 HTP, a not uncommon reaction). He became very interested himself and actual phoned the Irish medicines board for me. Now again they seemed a bit thrown by the question and went away to get an 'expert'. So what of the answer? Well, apparently 5 HTP is classified as a herbal supplement and as such is unlicensed. So it can be legally sold, but many places do not stock it as a result of it being unlicensed (and also in some cases the misconception that it had anything to do with the previous L-tryptophan ban, which I believe has long since been lifted, despite what I have been told by some shop staff).

Apparently this is all about to change as the IMB are in the very near future to change the law such that all such products will be subject to licensing and approval.

So, there you have it (christ it's difficult even trying to find anyone who knows what you are talking about).

Reputation Comments on this post:

Cheers!

[Joe Duffy]

Interesting, I imagined as much, that they wouldn’t have a clue, thanks for the info.

[InsaneNcrazY]

Aww they sell 5-HTP in Canada not many places have it anymore. Only able to find it at superstore. Maybe getting rid of their old stock.

[_caesar_]

SWIMs recently bought some 5-htp in a LARGE health store in Dublin. Sorry cant give any more details.

Reputation Comments on this post:

topical, helps clear up the question

[Mint boi]

hrmmm NO more info! was it a health store or a pharmacy?

Edit: Grr well now i know its available swim is gona have to go searching!

[Paracelsus]

If it's a large chain store (like Walgreens or Rite Aid in the US), you can name it.

[Durd1e]

Actually the supply of Tryptophan in Ireland and the UK became contaminated at one time and as such was never really sold again. The 5-HTP is classified as a herbal supplement and was actually effectively banned (not literally) by the same laws that restricted the sale of St. John's Wort etc.
It is my understanding that it can be sold but the legal hoops that have to be jumped through mean it is not usually worthwhile. However these regulations are not really enforced currently (they were immediately after the came into effect)

Side note - if you take it (its freely available over the internet) be careful not to overdo it...it can give you potentially fatal serotonin syndrome.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thanks!

[Mint boi]

I Apologise for bringing an old thread back, but for the sake of keeping the forum up to date I just want to add that I've been seeing L-Tryptophan in a lot of health stores around dublin lately. Places that didn't stock it before now do

[Zaprenz]

..SWIM also noticed one well known pro-health supplement supplier in america now also sells it.


Which is interesting, wonder if the ban has changed or law relaxed[?]. Possibly just more companies testing the water - see how far they can go.

[Zaprenz]

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-tryp1.html
[Explains ban has been lifted and responsibility lies on manufacturer, also not allowing imports it seems]


http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pd...anfinalria.pdf
[This is for england but a similar lifting of a complete ban is probably happended in Ireland too]

[ianzombie]

Swim has bought 5 HTP pills in a headshop in Dublin.
People who are taking SSRI's should avoid it though.
A lot of people use 5 HTP the morning after a heavy night.

[tinytom]

i was in holland and barrets yesterday and it was stocked. i am in n.ireland BTW

[tummy_bug]

sorry to be a noob but is L-Tryptophan and 5 HTP just used to combat depression or is it also a precursor for a synth of more interesting chemicals? just seen this thread and residing in ireland myself got curious.

[Paracelsus]

Do a search of the chemistry forum.

[tummy_bug]

Originally Posted by Paracelsus

Do a search of the chemistry forum.

thats good advice paracelsus will do.

[Mint boi]

Originally Posted by ianzombie

Swim has bought 5 HTP pills in a headshop in Dublin

really? My ferret asked in two headshops in dublin and they both said they didn't stock it, except with a bzp product that had a recovery pill in the pack the was mostly BZP. Knowing Dublin headshops I'd imagine that it was overpriced!

Tryptophan does the trick for my ferret anyway!

[kakakaka]

Swim lives in the UK and the online headshop he regularly uses to buy stuff stock 5 HTP in 2g vials. If its not controlled in Ireland then swims sure they will export it.

[ransacklw]

5-HTP is classified as a herbal supplement in the USA and is available everywhere. Even Wal-Mart. Which is the cheapest place to buy it buy far. Swim sea's it everywhere on the internet as well. Swiy should just order it from the USA over the internet.

[Durd1e]

So...update.

Any of the head shops in Dublin will sell you 5 HTP 'recovery' pills but they are ludicrously expensive. Pharmacies never sell it as they all have little or no herbal remedies. Herbal shops can and do sell them so long as they make no statement as to therapeutic value.

[Zaprenz]

^Yeah precisely.

L-Tryptophan was near impossible to get in some countries after the 1989 bad batch and subsequent banning. From then on in some countries, the pure L-Tryptophan was made a prescription only product. Most vitamin shops will probably not have it in stock however it is slowly re-appearing so it's possible. (It continued to be sold as a constituent of many amino acid blends or protein supplements, it was only the pure form that was banned)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tryptophan


5-HTP (usually from a herbal extract of Griffonia simplicifolia) is abudant and sold in many vitamin shops (Even in the world of vitamin supplements manufacturers still find an alternative when something is banned! spot a trend?) and it's more a question of price. Some places can get away will extorshinate prices. Some of the "recovery" pills containing mostly 5-HTP are a complete rip off.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-htp

Pharmacies are very unlikely to stock L-Tryptophan as to them it has been prescription only for a long time. They may sell 5-HTP but unlikely as it can interact with a number of medicines and naturally is associated with L-Tryptophan.

As for the exact legality in Ireland
L-Tryptophan - probably a grey area still (as is the case in many places) or slowly re-appearing.
5-HTP would most likely be sold (As an extract of G.simplicifolia) in a many places.

Doses of L-Tryptophan & 5-HTP should not be confused though. 5-HTP is the more potent one (doses usually sold in 50 or 100mg capsules/pills)

SWIM finds 5-HTP causes considerable nausea and never liked it but others have found it useful.

[Lettish]

My friend has used 5-HTP in many ways and highly recommends it. Regardless of using it in conjunction with illicit drug use (i.e before/after taking ecstasy), 5-HTP can be incorporated into your diet to act as a simple mood booster. During one week when my friend was taking it, he commented that he felt generally happier and was sleeping much better, though this could be placebo. He has never felt nausea though. One can get 5-HTP at Holland & Barrett.

[Durd1e]

You have to take care though that you don't give yourself the potentially fatal serotonin syndrome from taking too much - unlikely on its own but more likely when combined with seratonergenic drugs like MDMA and/or certain kinds of anti-depressants.

Latest word on availability in Ireland - it is starting to become very common in head shops as recovery pills, usually in 500mg doses combined with vitamins but can be quite expensive - one place charges 5 euro per pill. Still relatively uncommon in health food stores and the like.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Off topic (this thread is about availability of said compounds in Ireland). Besides, it is extremely unlikely to get ser...
	irrelevant

[lulz]

I've tried a number of health food stores and headshops in Dublin, and nowhere sold 5-htp on its own. The only success I had was a headshop which sells the BZP/TFMPP combination pills called 'Majik', the pack also contains two tablets of 'Elevate' (intended for the comedown) which have 50 mg 5-htp per tablet. I talked to the guy behind the counter and he said they were trying to order in 5-htp products, but there are some kind of difficulties in doing so.

Other than that, I found a headshop in Galway that has an online website, which sells the Elevate pills on their own in packs of 10. It's pretty overpriced though, if you're going to order 5-htp online it would make more sense to order from overseas.