Isn’t tryptophan banned, can it be taken safely?
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid (which are the building blocks of protein), meaning that the body cannot produce it and must ingest it through a food source (e.g. milk, meats, seeds). Our bodies require tryptophan as the precursor to serotonin, a hormone that regulates sleep, mood and appetite. 15 years ago, pharmaceutical-grade tryptophan was banned due to strong side effects from synthetically produced tryptophan from a genetically modified bacterium. This process was discontinued and synthetic tryptophan has remained available by prescription. Zenbev, however, is made of a natural source of tryptophan derived from pumpkin seeds, and formulated with dextrose to be easily assimilated by the body. As all amino acids in Zenbev are present in a protein configuration, it is not considered to be a drug, but rather a food “nutraceutical”, a functional food.
