Turkey bad to have in your diet because of the tryptophan in it?

[Aggression]

Is turkey bad to have in your diet because of the tryptophan in it? Especially before working out. I heard tryptophan makes you sleepy and lethargic.

[bad_man]

Is turkey bad to have in your diet because of the tryptophan in it? Especially before working out. I heard tryptophan makes you sleepy and lethargic.

Urban legend. People get tired after eating turkey because they eat 3 pounds of it along with mashed potatoes, corn, bread, gravy, and pumpkin pie.

[Aggression]

What other foods have tryptopan in it?

[bad_man]

dairy products, beef, poultry, barley, brown rice, fish, soybeans, and peanuts.

But why do you want tryptophan?

[Aggression]

I don't.

[bad_man]

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid. Your body converts it into niacin.

[Soldier of Misfortune]

Ken must have gotten that one on jeopardy. That dude is one smart cookie.

[stabmaster]

Ken must have gotten that one on jeopardy. That dude is one smart cookie.

or another route it can take is an enzymatic addition with 5-hydroxytryptophan hydroxylase of a hydroxyl group to yield 5-hydroxytryptophan at which point it could be converted to the monoamine seratonin.

Well that's one route it could take, Alex. There is of course tryptophan--->tryptamine and well the thing can go in a number of directions but who needs it huh.

Well l-tryptophan supplementation is common in some countries but the FDA, having no say on FFAA's, still decided to put a health bulletin out on it due to a couple of bad lots of l-trp from a japanese biochemical plant. They "couldn't rule out" l-trp as cause of death of a few people and thus everyone freaks out nobody buys it and there's no U.S. market anymore. I think that's how the story goes.

Anyways it does make you tired if you take enough of it, but I agree that the tryptophan in turkey making u tired is more from overeating. But, that does not rule out the consideration that there is enough tryptophan in turkey or "a nice glass of warm milk" to help you sleep or improve quality of sleep.

[JohnDoe1234]

Tryptophan is found in NLarge which is a meal replacement/ protein supp. so if it is found in a supplement that is intended to help stimulate muscle growth, it is highly unlikely that it would cause you to fall asleep.

[Elliot]

or another route it can take is an enzymatic addition with 5-hydroxytryptophan hydroxylase of a hydroxyl group to yield 5-hydroxytryptophan at which point it could be converted to the monoamine seratonin.

Well that's one route it could take, Alex. There is of course tryptophan--->tryptamine and well the thing can go in a number of directions but who needs it huh.

Well l-tryptophan supplementation is common in some countries but the FDA, having no say on FFAA's, still decided to put a health bulletin out on it due to a couple of bad lots of l-trp from a japanese biochemical plant. They "couldn't rule out" l-trp as cause of death of a few people and thus everyone freaks out nobody buys it and there's no U.S. market anymore. I think that's how the story goes.

Anyways it does make you tired if you take enough of it, but I agree that the tryptophan in turkey making u tired is more from overeating. But, that does not rule out the consideration that there is enough tryptophan in turkey or "a nice glass of warm milk" to help you sleep or improve quality of sleep.

where did you get that from..?

[*Narkissos*]

Tryptophan is found in NLarge which is a meal replacement/ protein supp. so if it is found in a supplement that is intended to help stimulate muscle growth, it is highly unlikely that it would cause you to fall asleep.

Tell me you don't honestly believe what you posted...*sigh*

Back to the question

What is tryptophan?
Tryptophan is an essential Amino Acid. It is a precursor for serotonin (which aids sleep and anxiety),and helps in niacin (B vitamins) production. Foods that are considered sources of tryptophan are dairy products, beef, poultry, barley, brown rice, fish, soybeans, and peanuts.

It is a natural sedative. It is normally found in turkey meat, and many people believe it to be the cause of a sleepiness common after a Thanksgiving feast.

Tryptophan is a component of many plant and animal proteins, and a normal part of the diet that humans must get from outside sources. It also happens to be the precursor (starting material) from which our brains make serotonin, which calms you down and makes you sleepy.


Is tryptophan safe as a dietary supplement?
L-tryptophan was a very popular sleeping aid in the United States until recently, and was also used for premenstrual syndrome and depression. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) removed it off the market in 1990 because of a sudden outbreak of eosinophilic-myalgia syndrome among people who had taken the supplement. About 5,000 people got sick and 27 died.


The Answer
Now, back to our original question. Does the tryptophan in turkey make you sleepy?

Sorry to say, that if you're looking for the sedative effect, it's unlikely you'll get it from eating meats like turkey. L-tryptophan doesn't act on the brain unless you take it on an empty stomach with no protein present.

It's more likely due to the combination of drinking alcohol and overeating - not just turkey, but also mashed potatoes, ham, creamed onions, cranberries, sweet potatoes, peas, stuffing (or dressing, if you prefer), carrots, bread, pies, and whipped cream - all of which have the effect of puling the blood away from your brain to help your digestive tract do it's work, and the sugar/insulin effect.

[stabmaster]

where did you get that from..?

the recombinant chinese hamster ovary in my brain spews this crud out randomly. i have no control over it.