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wedrifid comments on Open Thread: July 2010 - Less Wrong
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(Voted up but...)
I'd like to clarify that claim, because I took the totally wrong message from it the first read through. We're talking about regulation for quality control purposes and not control of the substance itself (I'm assuming). 5-Hydroxytryptophan itself is just an amino acid precursor that is available over the counter in the USA and Canada.
It is an intermediate product produced when Tryptophan is being converted into Seratonin. It was Tryptophan which was banned by the FDA due to association with EMS. They cleared that up eventually once they established that the problem was with the filtering process of a major manufacturer, not the substance itself. I don't think they ever got around to banning 5-HTP, even though the two only differ by one enzymatic reaction.
In general it is relatively hard to mess yourself up with amino acid precursors, even though Seratonin is the most dangerous neurotransmitter to play with. In the case of L-Tryptophan and 5-HTP care should be taken when combining it with SSRIs and MAO-A inhibitors. ie. Take way way less for the same effect or just "DO NOT MESS WITH SERATONIN!" (in slightly shaky handwriting).
Let me know if you meant something different from the above. Also, what is the story with Kava? All I know is that it is a mild plant based supplement that mildly sedates/counters anxiety/reduces pain, etc. Has it had quality issues too?
Thanks for the clarification, yes, by 5-HTP I meant tryptophan.
Serotonin has serious drug interactions with SSRIs and MAOIs, but otherwise is decidedly milder than pharmaceutical anti-depressants. It's effects are more comparable to melatonin than prozac
Kava is a plant that counters anxiety, and it is rather effective at doing so but very short lasting. It causes no physical addiction, which is one of the reasons it is on the FDA's Generally Recognized as Safe list. All kava on the market today is sourced from kava root. Kava has a great deal of native/indigenous use, and those people always make their drinks from kava root, throwing away the rest of the plant.
The rest of the plant contains active substances, so in their infinite wisdom, a Western company bought up the cheap kava leaf remnants and made extracts. It turns out that kava leafs have ingredients that cause large amounts of liver damage, but the roots are relatively harmless.
Kava root still isn't good for the liver, but it is less damaging than alcohol or acetaminophen. It is a bad idea to regularly mix it with alcohol or acetaminophen or other things that are bad for the liver, though.
Courtesy of google: acetaminophen is 'paracetamol'. It seems several countries (including the US) use a different name for the chemical.