Top 5 5-HTP Supplements – Full Analysis, Reviews & Buying Guide (2024)

L-5-hydroxytryptophan, also known as 5-HTP, is a naturally occurring compound in the human body [**].  5-HTP is a precursor to serotonin, a hormone that helps regulate mood, behavior, memory, learning, cognition, sleep, and other functions [**]. 

Due to its role in serotonin production, 5-HTP has potential positive impacts to psychiatric, neurologic, and metabolic disorders [*]. 

5-HTP is primarily studied for its potential benefits on depression [**], anxiety [*], panic attacks [*], and sleep disorders [*]. It may also help with weight loss, obesity [**], diabetes [*], neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s [*] and Parkinson’s disease [*].  

Although 5-HTP shows potential health benefits, further research is needed to determine the safety, efficacy, and mechanisms of 5-HTP [**]. 

There are a variety of plants and organisms that naturally contain 5-HTP.  Most commercial products containing 5-HTP are derived from the seeds of a plant known as Griffonia simplicifolia [*]. 

Other natural sources of 5-HTP includes couch grass, Elytrigia (Agropyron) repens, quack grass (Agropyron repens L. Beauv.), St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum cv. Anthos), intertidal sponge (Hymeniacidon heliophila), mushrooms (Boletus edulis, Suillus luteus, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Cantharellus cibarius), and the fungal genus Panaeolus [*]. 

Dietary supplements containing 5-HTP claim to promote calmness, healthy mood, good sleep, healthy brain, and healthy body weight. 

The popularity of 5-HTP has led to hundreds of brands flooding the marketplace; however not all supplements are created equal! Unfortunately, more than 90% of 5-HTP supplements in the market simply DON’T WORK!

We understand the challenges in finding the right supplement for your health needs. That’s why we gathered years of research and made this guide to help you find the top-rated formulas that work for you.

Things To Be Cautious About

Has your brand been third-party tested? You should never buy supplements that don’t have Certificate of Analysis. The studies should be conducted in labs that are not affiliated with the manufacturer. These labs verify the product for safety and potency.

Does your 5-HTP contain cheap synthetic fillers? Some brands add artificial fillers to cut cost to offer cheap products. Some of these cheap fillers we found were titanium dioxide and artificial coloring. You should never purchase cheap products when it comes to supplements.

No return policy or customer service – A reputable supplement company will offer 100% money-back guarantee policy and provide customer support through phone number and email. We noticed many formulas out there are just copies of the top-rated brands. They don’t offer an easy refund policy or don’t even have a phone number to prove they are real.

Top Rated 5-HTP Supplements

The result: we reviewed over 100+ brands of 5-HTP Supplements in the market and complied a list of top 5 formulas based on effectiveness, safety, pricing, return policy, and overall customer satisfaction.

1. PureNature 5-HTP

*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.

2. Nature’s Bounty 5-HTP

*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.

3. Integrative 5-HTP

*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.

4. Swanson 5-HTP

*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.

5. Jarrow 5-HTP

*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.

Ranking Factors

Shipping & Return Policy: we check the shipping and return policy of each recommended product to make sure these brands stand behind their products.

Customer Service: we contact the top rated brands through email, chat or phone to make sure they are responsive and can answer potential questions customers might have.

Essential Ingredients: we verify the ingredients in every top rated brands, their safety and dosage amount in comparison with the latest scientific studies.

Overall Effectiveness: we check with real customers through their reviews and testimonials to make sure the top brands are as effective as they claim to be. We recommend the top 5 formulas based on their average score.

We highly recommend our reader to do their own research, read real reviews and contact any brands directly to make sure they can provide the products and services based on their needs.

*This is a subjective assessment based on the strength of the available information and our independent research and customer feedback. Results may vary based on individual.

Disclosure of Material Connection: we only recommend products and services which we believe will add value to the users. However, you should assume the owner of this website and/or blog has an affiliate relationship and/or another material connection, to any suppliers of goods and services that may be discussed here and may be compensated for showing ads or recommending products or services or linking to the supplier’s website.

Sources and Citations

1. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP): Natural Occurrence, Analysis… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7796270/
2. Physiology, Serotonin https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545168/
3. The effects of oral 5-hydroxytryptophan administration on… https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2468734/
4. Eating behavior and adherence to dietary… https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1384305/
5. Efficacy and safety of 5-Hydroxytryptophan on… https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32464351/
6. Tryptophan malabsorption in… https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6172007/
7. Effects of Serotonergic Activation by 5-Hydroxytryptophan on Sleep… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2225553/
8. 5-HTP efficacy and… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3415362/