People mainly take Tryptophan for sleep, mood, anxiety. Based on 62 first-hand reports and 274 meta-analyses & systematic reviews in the medical literature. Ranked #108 of 1,974 overall.
Of reports that state an outcome, 62% are positive.
Of the people who reported each effect, the share who said it got better.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed, with their published conclusions.
3+ meta-analyses or systematic reviews and 10+ randomized controlled trials in humans. The grade measures how much human research exists — read the conclusions below for what it found.
Conclusion: Trp supplementation, especially at ≥1 g can help improve sleep quality.
PubMed 33942088 ↗Conclusion: The main areas of serotonin research provide no consistent evidence of there being an association between serotonin and depression, and no support for the hypothesis that depression is caused by lowered serotonin activity or concentrations. Some evidence was consistent with the possibility that long-term antidepressant use reduces serotonin concentration.
PubMed 35854107 ↗Conclusion: These findings suggest that tryptophan, vitamin D, omega-3, zinc, and antioxidants may enhance sleep quality by decreasing SL, and WASO increases SE and extends TST, respectively.
PubMed 41470897 ↗Conclusion: Reviewing these 11 RCTs, we concluded that taking 0.14-3 g of TRP per day in addition to the usual meal can be expected to improve the mood of healthy individuals. In order to estimate the optimum amount of TRP intake more accurately, further studies need to be conducted with more appropriate settings of intake period, intake frequency, and intake method.
PubMed 32272859 ↗As stated by users — not a recommendation. Follow the label or your doctor.
How often each side effect came up across all reports.
Verbatim quotes, shortened only — each links to the original discussion.
“2000mg allowed me to sleep for 9 hours straight for the first time in year ... The problem, deep sleep has plummeted since starting tryptophan.”
“Sleep: phenibut 250mg, valarian root, tart cherry extract, tryptophan, itazilopam, cabergoline(for primary limb movement)”
“Mix l-tryptophan with collagen powder and consume before bed.”
“Melatonin, 5-HTP, tryptophan, and a choline supplement will produce vivid dreams and excellent restful sleep.”
“I've tried boosting Serotonin with 5-htp, Tryptofan and St John's wort. No luck.”
User data from public discussions; research from PubMed. Information only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. Data updated October 2, 2026. How we rate