Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Tryptophan, Sleep, Neuropathy & Severe Depression

lkonya

By lkonya
in Related Issues & Disorders

Recommended Posts

lkonya Newbie
lkonya
Posted

Hello everyone,

I am post diagnosis one year and have had major trouble sleeping and resting and also fighting extreme depression. Many nights lie awake and cannot sleep. At the same time of not sleeping, I have been experiencing major neuropathy in my feet, legs, and hands. I did some research on line only to discover Tryptophan. The Tryptophan I take before I go to bed at night (1,000 mg), and then I take 500mg in the morning ALL on an empty stomach. What the Tryptophan does is help to allow you to sleep BUT it also increases the serotonin level in your brain which relieves insomnia and depression. YOU CANNOT TAKE THIS SUPPLEMENT if you are taking any SSRI's or Anti-depressants or anti-anxiety meds. Also check with your Dr or Pharmacist before taking anything like this, but I must say this supplement has been a God send for me as now I sleep and sleep all night, and I am no longer extremely depressed or depressed at all for that matter. Which I am now a much nicer person to be around again. This was a powerful experience for me taking this supplement as I feel it changed my life around. I no longer am experience the neuropathy either, so it has helped with my sleeping, my depression, and my neuropathy. I feel so much better as I am much more focused now and staying on task. This has been truly an amazing thing. Think it is great!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


OliveBranch Apprentice
OliveBranch
Posted

Ikonya-

That's wonderful to hear, and thanks for the tip! It can be SO hard to find a remedy for insomnia -- it's great to hear you found one that works for you. Do you experience any side effects from the Tryptophan? Do you think that the quality of sleep you get from it is good?

best,

Emily

Hello everyone,

I am post diagnosis one year and have had major trouble sleeping and resting and also fighting extreme depression. Many nights lie awake and cannot sleep. At the same time of not sleeping, I have been experiencing major neuropathy in my feet, legs, and hands. I did some research on line only to discover Tryptophan. The Tryptophan I take before I go to bed at night (1,000 mg), and then I take 500mg in the morning ALL on an empty stomach. What the Tryptophan does is help to allow you to sleep BUT it also increases the serotonin level in your brain which relieves insomnia and depression. YOU CANNOT TAKE THIS SUPPLEMENT if you are taking any SSRI's or Anti-depressants or anti-anxiety meds. Also check with your Dr or Pharmacist before taking anything like this, but I must say this supplement has been a God send for me as now I sleep and sleep all night, and I am no longer extremely depressed or depressed at all for that matter. Which I am now a much nicer person to be around again. This was a powerful experience for me taking this supplement as I feel it changed my life around. I no longer am experience the neuropathy either, so it has helped with my sleeping, my depression, and my neuropathy. I feel so much better as I am much more focused now and staying on task. This has been truly an amazing thing. Think it is great!

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

Thank you Ikonya!

I've been researching Tryptophan for the past couple of days on your lead.

My sleep has gotten worse and worse since going gluten-free 5 months ago, which leads to much more severe fatigue, fogginess, joint issues, etc. during the daytime.

Would very much appreciate a bit more information from you or anyone else supplementing with Tryptophan....

How long have you been supplementing with Tryptophan?

How long did the Tryptophan take to improve your sleep?

Has your dosage been consistent - 1000mg at night and 500mg in the morning?

Did you have any side effects when you began taking Tryptophan?

Thanks in advance for any info.

  • 3 months later...
jackay Enthusiast
jackay
Posted

I'd love to give trytophan a try but I read the side effects and they sound pretty bad. I react to so many supplements that even my doctor is leery of me trying new ones. A lot of side effects I get aren't even listed as possible side effects for some of them. My doctor is hoping once I get my gut straightened out that these sensitivites will go away.

  • 1 month later...
laurie9141 Rookie
laurie9141
Posted

Ikonya-

That's wonderful to hear, and thanks for the tip! It can be SO hard to find a remedy for insomnia -- it's great to hear you found one that works for you. Do you experience any side effects from the Tryptophan? Do you think that the quality of sleep you get from it is good?

best,

Emily

HEY!! been taking Omega 3's for anxiety years and years of trying SSRI's BEFORE they figured out that they dont go w triptans for headaches..( told me I was just anxious) so the circle goes... Omega 3's!!!! cant take trypto phan and ssri's bad bad thing.. read up on depression + omega 3's tried melatonin.. is Ok.. but still working on it.. love the Omegas, no depression no anxiety.. if that's the placebo effect then I can live w that..

jackay Enthusiast
jackay
Posted

I'm going to talk to my doctor about tryptophan as I am back to getting very little sleep and barely functioning. I'd love to try Omega 3s but have fish and flax intolerances. Bummer! I've heard they work for lots of people.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,335
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    johnfreirefr
    Newest Member
    johnfreirefr
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.