5-HTP: The Serotonin Connection: The Exciting New Approach to Overcoming Depression, Reducing Anxiety, and Controlling Your Appetite [Paperback]

Othniel Seiden (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0761516611 | ISBN-13: 978-0761516613 | Publication Date: July 8, 1998 | Edition: 1

Discover the New Way to Overcome Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, and Obesity—Naturally!
What is 5-HTP and why has it become one of the most talked-about supplements on the market? 5-HTP is a substance that occurs naturally in the human body and helps in the manufacture of serotonin, a brain chemical that is associated with the feeling of well-being and fulfillment. Now, science has discovered that by taking additional amounts of 5-HTP—as an over-the-counter supplement—you may be able to increase your levels of serotonin naturally without the serious side-effects of prescription drugs.
In this balanced and informative guide, Othniel J. Seiden, M.D., provides everything you need to know about this revolutionary supplement, including:
·How 5-HTP has been used in Europe for decades to treat depression
·How 5-HTP may help reduce your appetite, improve sleep quality, and ease migraines
·What are the potential side-effects
·And much more!

Editorial Reviews

Review

Discover the New Way to Overcome Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, and Obesity—Naturally!

From the Back Cover

Discover the New Way to Overcome Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, and Obesity—Naturally!

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Prima Lifestyles; 1 edition (July 8, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761516611
• ISBN-13: 978-0761516613
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,458,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I do not have a literary background, though I did a year of graduate study at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, my real background is medical. I graduated from the University of Missouri School of Medicine in 1964 and practiced for 44 years, first as a General Practitioner, and the last 30 as an E.R. doc. I began writing as an avocation to help me unwind after a long day in the E.R. My writing went in two directions, one Historical Fiction, and the other Medical Self-Help, my forte translating medical information into easily understood lay language. In recent years that Self-Help has been more in the direction of Baby Boomer and senior health and emotional problems.
My Historical Novels deal mainly with Judaical, Holocaust, and Biblical History. Most of my books are both in print and on Amazon Kindle. Please enjoy! With over 40 books published by 10 different publishers I've been named Colorado's most prolific author. Google Othniel Seiden

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A limited look at serotonin., March 6, 2000

By 

Robert Lynch (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 5-HTP: The Serotonin Connection: The Exciting New Approach to Overcoming Depression, Reducing Anxiety, and Controlling Your Appetite (Paperback)

While "The Serotonin Connection" does a service to its readers of partially explaining the role of the neurotransmitter in brain's chemical activities and their relation to psychological and physical well-being, it falls short in its explanation of the relationship of serontin to the other neurotransmitters.

While it is undoubtedly true that serotonin plays a major role in psychological well-being, its interaction with dopamine, norepinephrine, and other neurotransmitters in overall brain activity is still poorly understood. This is the reason that most SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibiters) have a statement in their inserts concerning the limited knowledge of their activities in the brain.

This book is, I fear, another of those "take this you'll feel better" brands of literature. No chemical has that capability, to which the people who take cocaine and heroin can attest. Because serotonin is a natural brain chemical does not alter that fact.

This book does not mention the serotonin syndrome, a serious, sometimes fatal effect of the long-term use of certain SSRIs. That serotonin plays a necessary role in the brain's activities is well documented; that it is a panacea is not.

Those seeking real, positive change in their lives will not find them in this, or for that matter any, book. "Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your god" A 2500 year old guide to happiness which still works.

As a person with a severe, chronic, bipolar disorder ,and a former training specialist in scientific operations for a large pharmaceutical company, I can attest to the limited role of chemicals, natural and synthetic, in making you happy. That they are sometimes necessary is indisputable, this book seems to assert that they can actually lead to a "happy" life. As my psychiatrist once stated " we are all hopelessly human". Nothing we can ingest can change that fact.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5-HTP has changed my life, February 14, 2009

By 

Free Falling (Paradise) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 5-HTP: The Serotonin Connection: The Exciting New Approach to Overcoming Depression, Reducing Anxiety, and Controlling Your Appetite (Paperback)

I find it funny that people who do not suffer from depression always seem to tell people who do suffer from depression to just "change your mind set." Unfortunately it is not that simple. It is a chemical imbalance. 5-HTP has changed my life for the better. It helps to combat depression and elevate your mood. I highly recommend it.