5-HTP vs Ashwagandha for mood
Short answer: For mood, more users report improvement with 5-HTP — 84% of 214 reports, versus 53% of 446 for Ashwagandha.
5-HTP has 15 meta-analyses and 73 randomized trials on PubMed; Ashwagandha has 48 and 59.
Based on 767 reports about 5-HTP and 2,447 about Ashwagandha. Not medical advice.
| 5-HTP Supplement | Ashwagandha Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 40%helped345 reports · high confidence | 44%helped1,321 reports · high confidence |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mixed |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 15 / 73 | 48 / 59 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 72% (71) | 88% (881) |
| Mood % reporting improvement | 84% (214) | 53% (446) |
| Sleep % reporting improvement | 85% (102) | 77% (233) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 76% (17) | 53% (125) |
| Libido % reporting improvement | 33% (12) | 62% (127) |
| Common side effects | vivid dreams, heart valve, serotonin syndrome, drowsiness | anhedonia, drowsiness, fatigue, depression |
| Typical dose reported | 100 mg / with coffee | 800-1600 mg / after dinner |
There are few, large, high-quality trials comparing combination pharmacotherapy with monotherapy for fibromyalgia, consequently limiting evidence to support or refute the use of combination pharmacotherapy for fibromyalgia.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2018 ↗“I just one day randomly decided to take 5-HTP an hour after finishing my workout, and I felt WIRED 15 minutes after taking it, and that lasted for 5–6 hours.”
The current systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs revealed a beneficial effect in both stress and anxiety following Ashwagandha supplementation. However, further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the plant.
Phytother Res, 2022 ↗“I paired it with maca and ashwaganda and it legit felt like a steroid cycle.”
Related comparisons
Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate