5-HTP and Weed
Edited by Hugh Soames
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5-HTP and Weed
Most people who consume marijuana do so for its mood-altering and relaxing abilities. Weed gives people a high and allows them to relax. However, heavy consumption of weed can cause unwanted results. It can increase the anxiety and depression a person experiences, and it can interact with certain other drugs including 5-HTP. It is important to remember that interactions do occur with all types of drugs, to a great or lesser extent and this article details the interactions of mixing 5-HTP and Weed.
Mixing 5-HTP and Weed
5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), also known as oxitriptan, is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin.
5-HTP is sold over the counter in the United States, France, Canada, Singapore, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom as a dietary supplement for use as an antidepressant, appetite suppressant, and sleep aid. It is also marketed in many European countries for the indication of major depression under the trade names Cincofarm, Levothym, Levotonine, Oxyfan, Telesol, Tript-OH, and Triptum.
A 2002 review concluded that although the data evaluated suggests that 5-HTP is more effective than placebo in the treatment of depression, the evidence was insufficient to be conclusive due to a lack of clinical data meeting the rigorous standards of the day. More and larger studies using current methodologies are needed to determine if 5-HTP is truly effective in treating depression. In small, controlled trials 5-HTP has also been reported to augment the antidepressant efficacy of the antidepressant clomipramine. A 2020 meta-analysis found oral 5-HTP supplementation had a large effect size on depression symptom severity. However, the included studies were considered relatively weak and the methods and treatment duration varied between the seven studies examined.
5-HTP use after MDMA
MDMA is an empathogenic-entactogenic and serotonergic psychotropic drug used primarily for recreational, though sometimes also therapeutic, purposes. Among users of MDMA, the serotonergic effects of the drug are often of particular interest and concern: After consuming MDMA, serotonin concentrations are greatly reduced in the brain. 5-HTP is necessary for serotonin production and its concentrations in the brain also decrease after taking MDMA. Additionally, tryptophan hydroxylase (a precursor to 5-HTP) concentrations are significantly reduced by MDMA use. Tryptophan hydroxylase is a necessary precursor to 5-HTP.
Other usage
At high doses, or in combination with carbidopa, 5-HTP has been used to treat obesity (by promoting weight loss).
In clinical trials of various design, 5-HTP has also been reported to treat fibromyalgia, myoclonus, migraine, and cerebellar ataxia. However, these clinical findings, as for all therapeutic findings with 5-HTP, are preliminary and need confirmation in larger trials.
5-HTP’s short half-life (<2h) may inherently limit its therapeutic potential, as systemic 5-HTP exposure levels will fluctuate substantially even with relatively frequent dosing. Such exposure fluctuations are usually associated with increased adverse event burdens resulting from Cmax (time to maximal systemic concentration) drug spikes, and decreased clinical efficacy resulting from sub-therapeutic exposure for large parts of the day, when taken as a single dose unit or at intervals significantly larger than Cmax. It has been proposed that 5-HTP dosage forms achieving prolonged delivery would be more effective, as has been demonstrated many times with other pharmaceuticals with short durations of action. For example, controlled release oxycodone (OxyContin) or morphine (MS-Contin) are intended to, via novel delivery mechanisms, permit pain relief for up to twelve hours with an active ingredient which only provides relief for 3–6 hours. However, the inherent variability amongst different people with respect to drug metabolism makes this task challenging.
Potential side effects of 5-HTP include heartburn, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, sexual problems, vivid dreams or nightmares, and muscle problems. Because 5-HTP has not been thoroughly studied in a clinical setting, possible side effects and interactions with other drugs are not well known. According to the US National Library of Medicine, 5-HTP has not been associated with serotonin syndrome or any serious adverse events in humans. Across multiple studies, 5-HTP has also been reported to not cause any noticeable hematological or cardiovascular changes. 5-HTP had also been associated with eosinophilia, but later studies have not found any causal connection.
When combined with antidepressants of the MAOI or SSRI class, very high parenteral doses of 5-HTP can cause acute serotonin syndrome in rats. It is unclear if such findings have clinical relevance, as most drugs will cause serious adverse events or death in rodents at very high doses. In humans 5-HTP has never been clinically associated with serotonin syndrome, although a case report suggests 5-HTP can precipitate mania when added to an MAOI.
When combined with carbidopa (as a treatment for symptoms of Parkinson’s disease), 5-HTP causes nausea and vomiting; however this can be alleviated via administration of granisetron. As mentioned below under pharmacology, cases of scleroderma-like illness have been reported in patients using carbidopa and 5-HTP.
Oral 5-HTP results in an increase in urinary 5-HIAA, a serotonin metabolite, indicating that 5-HTP is peripherally metabolized to serotonin, which is then metabolized. This might cause false positive results in tests looking for carcinoid syndrome. Due to the conversion of 5-HTP into serotonin by the liver, there could be a risk of heart valve disease from serotonin’s effect on the heart, as based on preclinical findings. However, 5-HTP has not been associated with cardiac toxicity in humans.
It has been suggested that 5-HTP may cause eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS), a serious condition which results in extreme muscle tenderness, myalgia, and blood abnormalities. However, there is evidence to show that EMS was likely caused by a contaminant in certain 5-HTP supplements.
5-HTP is produced from the amino acid tryptophan through the action of the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase. Tryptophan hydroxylase is one of the biopterin-dependent aromatic amino acid hydroxylases. Production of 5-HTP is the rate-limiting step in 5-HT (serotonin) synthesis. 5-HTP is normally rapidly converted to 5-HT by amino acid decarboxylase.
After oral administration, 5-HTP is absorbed by the upper intestine. The mode of absorption is not known, but presumably involves active transport via amino acid transporters. 5-HTP is adequately absorbed via oral cavity. With a decarboxylase inhibitor, the bioavailability of 5-HTP can be higher than 50%.
5-HTP is rapidly absorbed with a tmax of ≈1.5 h, and rapidly eliminated with a half-life of ≈1.5 – 2 h. Co-administration of a decarboxylase inhibitor (e.g. carbidopa, benserazide) doubles the half-life of 5-HTP to ≈ 3 – 4 h, and enhances exposure several-fold, depending on the dosing regimen.
5-HTP is decarboxylated to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT) by the enzyme aromatic-L-amino-acid decarboxylase with the help of vitamin B6. This reaction occurs both in nervous tissue and in the liver. 5-HTP crosses the blood–brain barrier, while 5-HT does not. Excess 5-HTP, especially when administered with vitamin B6, is thought to be metabolized and excreted.
The psychoactive action of 5-HTP is derived from its increase in production of serotonin in central nervous system tissue.
Research shows that co-administration with carbidopa greatly increases plasma 5-HTP levels.
Other studies have indicated the risk of a scleroderma-like condition resulting from the combination of 5-HTP and carbidopa.
There are currently no approved drug products containing 5-HTP approved by the FDA. All available 5-HTP products are nutraceuticals and are as such not regulated or verified for purity, integrity, or clinical efficacy or safety, mandating caution regarding human consumption.
As of 25 August 2020, Hungary added 5-HTP to the controlled psychoactive substances list, prohibiting production, sale, import, storage and use, becoming the first country to do so.
5-HTP’s short half-life is impractical for chronic drug therapy. Research conducted at Duke University in mice have demonstrated that 5-HTP when administered as slow-release appears to gain drug properties. Slow-release delivery attenuates or abolishes the peaks and valleys in 5-HTP exposure during treatment. Slow-release delivery of 5-HTP markedly improved the safety profile of 5-HTP and conferred stable plasma exposure of 5-HTP and strong and sustained enhancement of brain serotonin function. This discovery indicates that 5-HTP slow-release medications represent a new avenue for treatment of brain disorders responsive to serotonergic enhancement.
Though 5-HTP is found in food only in insignificant quantities, it is a chemical involved intermediately in the metabolism of tryptophan, an amino acid found in all unfractionated foods, with lower total amino acid content correlating with increased tryptophan absorption.
The seeds of the Griffonia simplicifolia, a climbing shrub native to West Africa and Central Africa, are used as an herbal supplement for their 5-HTP content. In one 2010 trial, Griffonia simplicifolia extract appeared to increase satiety in overweight women.
Research has found that anxiety is one of the leading symptoms created by marijuana in users, and that there is a correlation between 5-HTP and Weed and an increase in anxiety.
Anyone mixing 5-HTP and weed is likely to experience side effects. This happens with all medications whether weed or 5-HTP is mixed with them. Side effects can be harmful when mixing 5-HTP and weed. Doctors are likely to refuse a patient a 5-HTP prescription if the individual is a weed smoker or user. Of course, this could be due to the lack of studies and research completed on the mixing of 5-HTP and Weed.
Heavy, long-term weed use is harmful for people. It alters the brain’s functions and structure, and all pharmaceuticals and drugs including 5-HTP are designed to have an impact on the brain. There is a misplaced belief that pharmaceuticals and medication work by treating only the parts of the body affected yet this is obviously not the case in terms of 5-HTP. For example, simple painkiller medication does not heal the injury, it simply interrupts the brains functions to receive the pain cause by the injury. To say then that two drugs, 5-HTP and Weed, dol not interact is wrong. There will always be an interaction between 5-HTP and Weed in the brain11.J. D. Brown and A. G. Winterstein, Potential Adverse Drug Events and Drug–Drug Interactions with Medical and Consumer Cannabidiol (CBD) Use – PMC, PubMed Central (PMC).; Retrieved September 27, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6678684/.
One of the milder side effects of mixing 5-HTP and Weed is Scromiting. This condition, reportedly caused by mixing 5-HTP and Weed, describes a marijuana-induced condition where the user experiences episodes of violent vomiting, which are often so severe and painful that they cause the person to scream. The medical term for Scromiting by mixing 5-HTP and Weed is cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS. For these reasons, some people choose to quit smoking weed.
It was first included in scientific reports in 2004. Since then, researchers have determined that Scromiting is the result of ongoing, long-term use of marijuana—particularly when the drug contains high levels of THC, marijuana’s main psychoactive ingredient. Some experts believe that the receptors in the gut become overstimulated by THC, thus causing the repeated cycles of vomiting.
In the long run, a person can become even more depressed. There is a belief that marijuana is all-natural and not harmful to a person’s health. This is not true and 5-HTP and weed can cause health issues the more a person consumes it.
How does Weed effect the potency of 5-HTP?
The way in which the body absorbs and process 5-HTP may be affected by weed. Therefore, the potency of the 5-HTP may be less effective. Marijuana inhibits the metabolization of 5-HTP. Not having the right potency of 5-HTP means a person may either have a delay in the relief of their underlying symptoms.
A person seeking 5-HTP medication that uses weed should speak to their doctor. It is important the doctor knows about a patient’s weed use, so they can prescribe the right 5-HTP medication and strength. Or depending on level of interactions they may opt to prescribe a totally different medication. It is important for the doctor to know about their patient’s marijuana use. Weed is being legalized around the US, so doctors should be open to speaking about a patient’s use of it.
Sideffects of 5-HTP and Weed
Many individuals may not realize that there are side effects and consequences to mixing 5-HTP and Weed such as:
- Dizziness
- Sluggishness
- Drowsiness
- Shortness of breath
- Itching
- Hives
- Palpitations
- Respiratory Depression
- Cardiac Arrest
- Coma
- Seizures
- Death
Interestingly, it is impossible to tell what effect mixing this substance with Weed will have on an individual due to their own unique genetic make up and tolerance. It is never advisable to mix 5-HTP and Weed due to the chances of mild, moderate and severe side effects. If you are having an adverse reaction from mixing 5-HTP and Weed it’s imperative that you head to your local emergency room. Even mixing a small amount of 5-HTP and Weed is not recommended.
Taking 5-HTP and Weed together
People who take 5-HTP and Weed together will experience the effects of both substances. Technically, the specific effects and reactions that occur due to frequent use of 5-HTP and weed depend on whether you consume more weed in relation to 5-HTP or more 5-HTP in relation to weed.
The use of significantly more weed and 5-HTP will lead to sedation and lethargy, as well as the synergistic effects resulting from a mixture of the two medications.
People who take both weed and 5-HTP may experience effects such as:
- reduced motor reflexes from 5-HTP and Weed
- dizziness from Weed and 5-HTP
- nausea and vomiting due to 5-HTP and Weed
Some people may also experience more euphoria, depression, irritability or all three. A combination of weed and 5-HTP leads to significantly more lethargy which can easily tip over into coma, respiratory depression seizures and death.
Mixing weed and 5-HTP
The primary effect of weed is influenced by an increase in the concentration of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which is found in the spinal cord and brain stem, and by a reduction in its effect on neuronal transmitters. When weed is combined with 5-HTP this primary effect is exaggerated, increasing the strain on the body with unpredictable results.
Weed and 5-HTP affects dopamine levels in the brain, causing the body both mental and physical distress. Larger amounts of 5-HTP and weed have a greater adverse effect yet leading medical recommendation is that smaller does of 5-HTP can be just as harmful and there is no way of knowing exactly how 5-HTP and weed is going to affect an individual before they take it.
Taking 5-HTP and weed together
People who take 5-HTP and weed together will experience the effects of both substances. The use of significantly more 5-HTP with weed will lead to sedation and lethargy, as well as the synergistic effects resulting from a mixture of the two medications.
People who take both weed and 5-HTP may experience effects such as:
- reduced motor reflexes from 5-HTP and weed
- dizziness from weed and 5-HTP
- nausea and vomiting of the 5-HTP
Some people may also experience more euphoria, depression, irritability or all three. A combination of weed and 5-HTP leads to significantly more lethargy which can easily tip over into coma, respiratory depression seizures and death.
Weed Vs 5-HTP
Taking 5-HTP in sufficient quantities increases the risk of a heart failure. Additionally, people under the influence of 5-HTP and weed may have difficulty forming new memories. With weed vs 5-HTP in an individual’s system they become confused and do not understand their environment. Due to the synergistic properties of 5-HTP when mixed with weed it can lead to confusion, anxiety, depression and other mental disorders. Chronic use of 5-HTP and weed can lead to permanent changes in the brain22.G. Lafaye, L. Karila, L. Blecha and A. Benyamina, Cannabis, cannabinoids, and health – PMC, PubMed Central (PMC).; Retrieved September 27, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5741114/.
5-HTP Vs Weed
Studies investigating the effects of drugs such as 5-HTP and weed have shown that the potential for parasomnia (performing tasks in sleep) is dramatically increased when 5-HTP and weed are combined. Severe and dangerous side effects can occur when medications are mixed in the system, and sleep disorders are a common side effect of taking weed and 5-HTP together.
When a small to medium amount of weed is combined with 5-HTP, sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can occur. According to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) most ER visits and hospitalizations caused by too much weed were associated with other substances such as 5-HTP.
How long after taking 5-HTP can I smoke weed or take edibles?
To avoid any residual toxicity it is advisable to wait until the 5-HTP has totally cleared your system before taking weed, even in small quantities.
Overdose on 5-HTP and weed
In the case of Overdose on 5-HTP or if you are worried after mixing 5-HTP and weed, call a first responder or proceed to the nearest Emergency Room immediately.
If you are worried about someone who has taken too much 5-HTP or mixed weed with 5-HTP then call a first responder or take them to get immediate medical help. The best place for you or someone you care about in the case of a medical emergency is under medical supervision. Be sure to tell the medical team that there is a mix of 5-HTP and weed in their system.
Excessive Weed intake and result in scromiting, chs, and anxiety disorder. It is advisable to quit vaping weed if you are feeling these symptoms.
Mixing 5-HTP and weed and antidepressants
Weed users feeling depressed and anxious may be prescribed antidepressant medication. There are some antidepressant users who also use 5-HTP and weed. These individuals may not realize that there are side effects and consequences to consuming both 5-HTP, marijuana and a range of antidepressants.
Studies on weed, 5-HTP and antidepressants is almost nil. The reason for so little information on the side effects of the two is mostly down to marijuana being illegal in most places – although a number of states in the United States have legalized the drug.
Self-medicating with Weed and 5-HTP
A lot of people suffer from depression caused by weed and 5-HTP. How many? According to Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), in any given year, it is estimated that nearly 16 million adults experience depression. Unfortunately, that number is likely to be wrong due to under reporting. Many people do not report suffering from depression because they do not want to be looked at as suffering from a mental illness. The stigmas around mental health continue and people do not want to be labeled as depressed.
Potential side effects from mixing 5-HTP and weed
Quitting weed to take 5-HTP
Medical professionals say an individual prescribed or taking 5-HTP should not stop using weed cold turkey. Withdrawal symptoms can be significant. Heavy pot users should especially avoid going cold turkey. The side effects of withdrawal from weed include anxiety, irritability, loss of sleep, change of appetite, and depression by quitting weed cold turkey and starting to take 5-HTP.
A person beginning to use 5-HTP should cut back on weed slowly. While reducing the amount of weed use, combine it with mindfulness techniques and/or yoga. Experts stress that non-medication can greatly improve a person’s mood.
Weed and 5-HTP can affect a person in various ways. Different types of marijuana produce different side effects. Side effects of weed and 5-HTP may include:
- loss of motor skills
- poor or lack of coordination
- lowered blood pressure
- short-term memory loss
- increased heart rate
- increased blood pressure
- anxiety
- paranoia
- increased energy
- increased motivation
Mixing 5-HTP and weed can also produce hallucinations in users. This makes marijuana a hallucinogenic for some users. Weed creates different side effects in different people, making it a very potent drug. Now, mixing 5-HTP or other mental health drugs with weed can cause even more unwanted side effects.
Mixing drugs and weed conclusion
Long-term weed use can make depression and anxiety worse. In addition, using marijuana can prevent 5-HTP from working to their full potential33.J. D. Brown and A. G. Winterstein, Potential Adverse Drug Events and Drug–Drug Interactions with Medical and Consumer Cannabidiol (CBD) Use – PMC, PubMed Central (PMC).; Retrieved September 27, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6678684/. Weed consumption should be reduced gradually to get the most out of prescription medication. Marijuana is a drug and it is harmful to individual’s long-term health. Weed has many side effects and the consequences are different to each person who uses it, especially when mixed with 5-HTP.
If you take 5-HTP, and also drink Alcohol or MDMA, you can research the effects of 5-HTP and Alcohol , 5-HTP and Cocaine as well as 5-HTP and MDMA here.
To find the effects of other drugs and weed refer to our Weed and Other Drugs Index A to L or our Weed and Other Drugs Index M-Z.
Or you could find what you are looking for in our Alcohol and Interactions with Other Drugs index A to L or Alcohol and Interactions with Other Drugs index M to Z , Cocaine and Interactions with Other Drugs index A to L or Cocaine and Interactions with Other Drugs index M to Z or our MDMA and Interactions with Other Drugs Index A to L or MDMA and Interactions with Other Drugs Index M to Z.
5-HTP and Weed
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