Posted by Larry Hoover on May 23, 2003, at 8:44:33
In reply to L-Tryptophan HEALTH WARNINGS, posted by ncfelines on May 20, 2003, at 13:21:44
While I'm on my opinionated bandwagon here, I thought I'd mention my thoughts about similar criticisms of 5-HTP.
I have seen a number of reports (possibly using the same primary reference) that indicate that something similar to the toxic peak-X contaminant has also been found in 5-HTP products. This is nothing short of propaganda, at the least, and distortion to the point of falsehood, at the worst.
What is reported is that a chromatographic separation has been done, and a compound with the same retention time as the toxic peak-X (that supposedly causes EMS) has also been found in commercial 5-HTP products. So what?
Chromatography separates the components of a mixture based on differential solubility in two different media, one stationary, and the other flowing. The measured characteristic is the time it takes for a chemical to leave in the flowing phase. All kinds of vastly different substances can have the same retention time. That is not an identification process (without highly selective preparatory and standardizing steps for known chemicals, but that's another matter).
For at least the last 15 years, it has been commonplace to therefore combine a chemical identification step with the chromatography equipment. One such combination is GC-MS, for gas chromatograph (with) mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer permits the absolute determination of the structure (with a little brain work), but even that part is now generally computerized (reducing the chance of error). In other words, the true chemical identity of a particular substance is easily determined. The supposedly offensive substance is never identified in those reports.
5-HTP is extracted with solvents from an African plant, Griffonia simplicifolia. It would be virtually inconceivable to me that other compounds were not also simultaneously extracted. Those other extractives would then show up in any chromatography performed on the extract. Just to put it in perspective, St. John's wort extract contains close to 200 different substances that have been characterized. When you make stuffing for poultry, and add your classic parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, you are adding *thousands* of chemicals to the bread crumbs.
There are some people who are fear-mongers. Whatever their motives may be, they are not behaving with total honesty. I need more information before I reach any conclusions, be they good or bad.
Lar
P.S. I am not suggesting that 5-HTP is perfectly safe. There have been case reports of EMS linked to 5-HTP, but it has not been made clear whether the 5-HTP was synthesized (possibly from contaminated l-tryptophan, or by a process which forms other by-products), or extracted from Griffonia. EMS does occur spontaneously, i.e. in people not exposed to l-tryptophan or 5-HTP, so there are obviously some unanswered questions about what is going on.
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:227895
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030520/msgs/228547.html