I haven't used it, but I visited a health food store and they suggested that I try something called happy campers. I can't remember what all it has in it. You should visit a store in your town and they usually are really knowledgable.

This is an old post but if you are still there and haven't tried it yet here it is.
5-htp is 5-hydroxytryptophan (tryptophan found in turkey and milk) and is a precursor to serotonin. It can raise the levels of serotonin and promote sleep.. If you are going to use it, take it before bed because it'll make you sleepy. Do not take it with any meds and talk to your doctor about it. There have been some very isolated cases where it caused some anxiety in people but not common.

If you are looking for a mood enhancer first look into your lifestyle and see what is causing the issue. Exercise is always a mood enhancer even just walking would help. The weight control with 5-htp I am not that familiar with although because of increase in serotonin your adrenal glands work better which will probably release less cotisone, therefore less fatty deposits. Also if you are in a better mood then as a result you may indulge in less unhealthy habits like eating too much and sitting around too much. Anyhow, hope this helps.

5-htp was a godsend to me. Besides relieving depression it makes me sleep like a log & keeps me from overeating! Works as good as ssri's without the side effects (maybe a few zits). I take 100mg twice a day. Had nausea for a few days but that quickly passed. Try it!

I've been using 5-htp for a couple of weeks now - with great results!

I noticed that a previous post says that it makes you sleepy. That is *not* true. I was worried about the same thing. As far as I understand it 5-htp helps the body produce serotonin. If it makes extra, it just stores it. Then when you are ready to go to sleep, it utilizes it. I have been taking 2 tablets three times a day - for hypoglycemia! This wasn't recommended to me. My fiance got a book which recommends 5-htp for depression and obesity. The questionaire to determine if 5-htp will help you for weight loss sounded a lot like a questionaire for hypoglycemia. It is really helping me. It's incredible. My fiance is taking it for depression and we both had immediate good results. My fiance's 11-year-old son also suffers from depression symptoms, and the 5-htp is helping him, too. I would say that I am pretty happy person, and it just makes me even happier. A lot of the time I feel like I am on the edge of a smile :).

One concern is that it can cause nausea. I find that it is very important to take it with, or just prior to, a meal. I have had some pretty severe nausea, but the results are so good that I will not stop taking it. I just had to figure out how to use it right. I think that you should start by taking 1 tablet three times a day with a meal. If it seems like you need more you can gradually increase to 2 or even 3 tablets three times a day. The gradual increase is so your body can get used to it, in hopes that you will not experience the nausea. The best option is to find some encentric coated 5-htp. Encentric coated 5-htp will not dissolve until is reaches your small intestine, so there should be no nausea.

One more thing. The place where I used to work gave 5-htp to our clients who had trouble sleeping. One tablet at 5pm and one at 9pm. They also gave them a b-6 tablet with the 5pm dose. I guess the b-6 helps the 5-htp to work. So, I have been taking a b-complex with my morning dose. B's are great for mood :).

as previously said, 5HTP seems to play a role with seroronin levels. I'm using a supplement called MoodBoost Drink and in addition to 5HTP it also has L-Tyrosine and L-Glutamine and some herbs. Don't remember all of them but I know for sure that it also has ST. John's Wort and Vitamin B12. Don't know if I feel better because of 5HTP or because of the combination of all the other ingredients but MoodBoost Drink really seems to help me, especially during those cloudy days.