What is Tryptophan and why is it banned in the U.S.?
Typtophan is an essential amino acid. That means it is essential you take it in every day in your diet (or supplements) because your body cannot manufacture it from other chemicals. Without tryptophan you don’t produce Serotonin, the neurotransmitter which permits proper sensory input, keeps emotions stable and helps you stay asleep. People who avoid dairy products, milk and cheese, for any reason tend to be low on Serotonin because dairy is the major source of tryptophan. Turkey, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are also good sources of tryptophan. In 1989 one of the worlds major suppliers of tryptophan inadvertently packaged contaminated enzymes, used to extract the amino acid from protein, with the tryptophan. These enzymes seriously contaminated the supplement and caused serious problems. The FDA ruled that all tryptophan be recalled and has not allowed it to be resold on the retail market since that time. We do not use tryptophan in our products. Instead we use the
