A mom asks for advice for her teenage daughter who has anxiety, low self-esteem issues, insomnia, experiences negativity and has phobias. She wants to know if serotonin support may help and where to start. I share my feedback confirming that these are low serotonin symptoms and that I would do a trial of tryptophan. I go deeper in this blog and also go into detail about how I would do a one-off trial (or evaluation) of tryptophan if I was working with this family. I also share why I’d look into low GABA, seasonal allergies and the birth control pill. And I discuss the importance of being proactive given the increasing suicide and self-harm in this age-group, with the pandemic compounding the increase.
Here is the question that Maria asked about her daughter:
My 13-year-old teen has always suffered from insomnia, sometimes light, sometimes a bit heavier, depending on the period. She has suffered from asthma from a young age, even if this issue has improved enormously, it is sometimes present, specially during spring time as she is allergic to different plants. She would suffer from sugar cravings in the past as we were trying to change her diet. Things are going better in this respect as well; however, negativity, phobias, low self esteem and anxiety are always present for her.
Are these signs of low serotonin? How could we help her feel better? Should serotonin pills be applied directly? Would this make the system dependent on it? If amino acids should be supplemented, how should we do this, considering her age?
I responded that yes, negativity, phobias, low self esteem and anxiety (the worry type) are signs of low serotonin. Insomnia can also be caused by low serotonin especially if her daughter is lying awake, overthinking and worrying about things.
I shared that the body does not get dependent on the amino acids and I’d consider a trial of tryptophan to address her symptoms.
Doing a one-off trial/evaluation of tryptophan based on her symptoms
If I was working with this family, I would help this mom figure out for sure if her daughter has low serotonin by reviewing the low serotonin symptom list with her, and helping her rate them on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst.
This can often be challenging for a 13-year old: giving the symptoms a severity rating and being able to identify exactly how she feels. Her ratings may also be reflective of where she is in her cycle at the time and may fluctuate more in the month if her cycle is not yet regular. Working together with mom we can hopefully figure this out. If not, we do the best we can with the information we have.
The next step is picking one or two symptoms that are easy to measure the day we do the initial trial or evaluation. For this young girl I’d pick anxiety/worry and negativity and ask her some questions that would help us assess before and after results of the one-off trial /evaluation of tryptophan:
- For anxiety and worry she may say it’s also a 9 and give me this example: “I’m really worried about performing in the concert – I keep thinking about it all day long and at night.”
- For negativity she may say it’s a 9 and give me this example: “I really don’t think I’m good enough to be in the dance class.”
Both tryptophan and 5-HTP can raise serotonin but I like to start with tryptophan. I typically start with 100mg Lidtke chewable tryptophan in children/teens so I’d have her chew one tablet and then check back in the next 2 to 5 minutes (or maybe a little longer for some folks).
This is the kind of feedback I’m looking for:
- With regards to anxiety and worry she may say: “Gosh, I completely stopped thinking about the concert. I’m not worrying about it at all. Now that you ask I’m thinking about it again but I think my worry/anxiety is about a 5 now.”
- With regards to negativity she may say: “I think I feel better about being in the dance class. I think I can do it. My negativity feels like it’s a 5 or 6”
Since this teen responded so well, I’d have her start taking tryptophan midafternoon and evening (away from protein) and we’d increase if needed, each week, and based on her symptoms.
I have everyone keep a food mood and supplements log and mom could help her do this too.
GABA, seasonal allergies and the birth control pill
I also always assess low GABA when someone is anxious (especially if she also has physical anxiety, tension, stiff muscles) and has insomnia. We’d do the same one-off trial with a product like GABA Calm (or similar) once we’ve established a good dose of tryptophan for easing her symptoms.
This mom also mentioned Spring time allergies so I also shared this blog with her: 5-HTP and/or tryptophan to help with increased anxiety, panic attacks and depression caused by spring allergies. Depending on the season, her daughter may score higher on some of the low serotonin symptoms.
I’d also want to know if her daughter is on a birth control pill (often prescribed at this age for acne) because it can contribute to anxiety and depression.
Being proactive is wise given the rise in suicide and self-harm in this age group
Being proactive about addressing low serotonin symptoms quickly is wise given the rise in suicide and self-harm in this age group. This 2021 Italian study discusses the role of emotional dysregulation when it comes to and self-injurious thoughts and behaviours in high-school students:
Overall, 11.1% of adolescents reported self-harming behaviours without suicide ideation or attempts, 6.4% declared having thought to suicide without acting a suicide attempt or self-harm, 1.4% declared having attempted suicide and really thought to take away their life.
Unfortunately, the pandemic has also made things worse for many adolescents. This study reports that Canadian adolescents appear to be experiencing “higher rates of self-harm thoughts and behaviours relative to before the pandemic.”
It’s important to keep in mind that pre-teens and teens may not be willing to admit that they are engaging in self-harm like cutting or burning, or thinking about taking their lives.
Resources if you are new to using the amino acids as supplements
If you are new to using the amino acids tryptophan/5-HTP or GABA as supplements and want to know more in case you need them in a future situation, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see all the low serotonin and low GABA symptoms here) and a brief overview here, Anxiety and targeted individual amino acid supplements: a summary.
If you suspect low serotonin or low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids so you are knowledgeable.
It also covers all the basics of a healthy diet. It’s a comprehensive approach – amino acids AND diet. I’d also want to know what her diet is like right now – gluten-free, sugar-free, caffeine-free, eating protein at breakfast for blood sugar control, real whole foods, grass-fed red meat, wild fish, fermented foods etc?
The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acid products that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs.
Thanks to this mom for asking the question and allowing me to use it as a teaching tool for my community. Let’s get her daughter and all teens feeling their best again.
Can you relate to the question this mom asked? Does it sound similar to what your daughter is experiencing right now or a client/patient?
Do you do a one-off trial /evaluation like this to find out if serotonin support is needed? Or have you done this in the past with your daughter, family member or yourself?
What are the before and after questions (and symptom ratings) and did tryptophan help?
Feel free to post any questions here too.
Trudy,
Can this protocol help with tics ? My 13 year old granddaughter suffers tics that seem to come and go and vary in severity.
I ask this as low serotonin is prevalent in our family and she has a 9 year old sister with anxiety, phobias and a tendency to over react to perceived failures no matter how much she is reassured.
I’m wondering if the tics stem from the same mechanism as anxiety and other related symptoms.
Elizabeth
This protocol may help someone with tics if they do happen to have low serotonin too. And especially since anxiety and obsessiveness/compulsiveness is common in those with Tourette’s. I would look at her symptoms per the questionnaire use the trial/evaluation in the way I describe it in this blog post.
If there is anxiety I also always assess for low GABA and high cortisol too.
If you are new to the amino acids (and other anxiety nutrition solutions like gluten/sugar/caffeine removal, blood sugar control, gut health, pyroluria etc) my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is a great place to start. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
Much of this may help with tics/Tourette’s too. For example, one possibly factor could be gluten issues and associated deficiencies – Efficacy of a Gluten-Free Diet in the Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome: A Pilot Study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29735930/
When symptoms come and go and vary with severity I always look at stress levels and if symptoms are worse under high stress situations I also look into pyroluria.
I would work with a functional medicine practitioner in order to address all possible root causes including infections like Lyme disease, mycotoxin exposure, heavy metals, excessive EMFs/wifi exposure etc
How can you do a trial like this with GABA. I’ve had terrible anxiety, fatigue and insomnia for a month now. I’m trying so many supplements. Is inositol recommended for high anxiety. If I do sleep I wake up every night with a fast beating heart. I don’t know what else to try. Thank you.
Cherie
I use the same approach I outlined for the low serotonin/tryptophan trial/evaluation. Both low serotonin and low GABA can be factors with anxiety and insomnia and I always start with these, using a methodical approach. We may consider inositol later if someone has OCD/obsessive symptoms that are not resolved with serotonin support.
If you are new to the amino acids (and other anxiety nutrition solutions like gluten/sugar/caffeine removal, blood sugar control, gut health, pyroluria etc) my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is a great place to start. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
Much of this helps with insomnia too.
We also look at low melatonin, high cortisol, SIBO, gluten/sugar/caffeine consumption, meds side-effects and EMFs when someone has severe insomnia/waking in the night
Trudy, you have mentioned elsewhere that vitamin C counteracts the effects of tryptophan and gaba. Does the same apply to other antioxidants (eg maritime pine bark) or liver herbs (eg dandelion, milk thistle) ? Can you take amino acids at the same time as antioxidants or liver herbs?
Lynn
I’m not aware of Vitamin C being an issue with any other supplements but I don’t know for sure.
hello Dr. Scott,
first and foremost i thank you very much for all the amazing informations you give to humans kind.
I have being sick my whole life (40s). I have visited more than 70 doctors and not one of them could
find out the roots cause of my ills. All they did was make me more tired, angry and sad for waiting in the waiting room. I self discovered since two years and 9 months that Parasites are the reason cost of my failing health. from /leaky gut/mold Candidas, Trauma, herpes and five others bacterias, toxicity etc. was what making me sick no matter how hard i try eat to health , did sport , detoxication nothing was working for me.
I am taking l-tryptophan 600mg once or twice a day and i feel bit better, but is being over 20 years that i have not slept more than few hours a night. my brain is non stop thinking over over and over. I have had every problems a person could have. My question is me and my only child who is 6 years now are extremely suffering these intestines parasites worms which we cannot kill or remove it. I failed every protocols and i am soo tired and ill .
what can we do to get final success out of the issues ?
Thank you and kind wishes ,
Muhuba
Muhuba
I’m sorry you have been struggling for so long. I am glad to hear tryptophan helps you feel a bit better. Keep in mind we increase the dose in order to find the ideal amount for each person’s needs. Low GABA can also be an issue with parasites.
I’ve seen results with various combinations like oil of oregano, allicin and a herbal combination but it can be challenging and sometimes parasitic medications are needed. Also, if you have yet to look into the parasite work of Dr. Jay Davidson and Dr. Todd Watts, I’d suggest exploring that.
I apologize for posting here as this does not quite fit here. I do have severe allergies, and depression. I have been searching all through your website about help Diet Coke addiction. I have been using it for 35 years and I am too appaled to tell you how much I drink. I have tried to quit many times and ended up in utter failure. A friend mentioned that the Phenylalanine may be a booster for my dopamine. When I stop my fatigue, brain fog, anxiety/depression increase bigtime. I know this drink is litteraly killing my health and I am desperate for some answers, suggestions….or a miracle. What supplements do you recommend for helping me quit this devil of a habit? Thank you for ALL you do!
Patti
No problem to post here. Best for you to search for sugar addiction or cravings. Pretty much everything would also apply to Diet Coke addiction. This is a good blog to get started and figure out what emotions are driving the addiction https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-individual-amino-acids-glutamine-gaba-tryptophan-or-5-htp-dpa-and-tyrosine-are-powerful-for-eliminating-sugar-cravings-often-within-5-minutes/
Keep in mind, with Diet Coke there is the caffeine addiction and the artificial sweeteners that make it challenging to quit.
Please do share how much you drink and which of the neurotransmitter imbalances resonate with you? There is no judgement here and we acknowledge it’s an addiction. Good for you for recognizing it’s an issue – that is a big first step!
Since you are new to the amino acids (and other anxiety nutrition solutions like gluten/sugar/caffeine removal, blood sugar control, gut health, pyroluria etc) my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is a great place to start. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
There is a big section on caffeine and how to quit using the amino acids and vitamin C.
Patti
I did an entire new blog on the topic because I felt it would resonate with more folks and it is so thank you for asking the question. Here is the blog: I need help with my Diet Coke addiction – when I stop, my fatigue, brain fog, anxiety/depression increase big time! https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/i-need-help-with-my-diet-coke-addiction-when-i-stop-my-fatigue-brain-fog-anxiety-depression-increase-big-time/
I was also able to include additional information which will hopefully be more helpful for you.
Please do let us know how you do with the amino acids and how much you are/were consuming when you feel comfortable doing so.
Hi Trudy
Where in Oz can I get the therapeutic doses of tryptophan? Seems they can’t be ordered in as my shipment was sent back to the US at customs. I know I could use
Meg
Gosh that’s the first time I’ve heard of this happening. Can you please share which company you ordered from? And have you contacted them to ask how they labeled the shipment?
Healthwise powdered tryptophan can be purchased at sports nutrition shops in Australia
Hello Dr. Scott!
Thank you for all the information you ut out. I just recently came across the effect of amino acids on our well being and am in the process of getting your book after having read a lot on your blog during the past days.
I have a 14- year old daughter who has PTSD due to severe mobbing early on in school and she is also diagnosed with dyslexia. She has anxiety, low self-esteem and reacts highly sensitive on any kind of pressure. She also tends to wake up early or has difficulties going to sleep.
Would it make sense to try 5-htp for her and in what dosage and how (time of the day, etc.)?
Is Inositol something to consider or is it all too much?
My goal would be to help her establish a “baseline” in her wellbeing so that she can grow into herself.
We are eating a plant based, wholefood diet but she can grave processed foods a lot, which I take as a symptom of her imbalance too?
Thank you for your time.
Stefanie
I’m sorry to hear about your daughter. With low serotonin symptoms like anxiety, low self-esteem, reacting/highly sensitive to any kind of pressure (showing up as overwhelm), waking early/difficulties going to sleep and craving processed foods, I will trial either tryptophan 500mg or 5-HTP 50mg. I use half that for teens when starting out. They are best used afternoon/evening as you’ll read in the amino acids chapter in my book.
I start with one of these amino acids and once we have found the ideal dose we may add in inositol too. And assess for and address other neurotransmitter imbalances too. Low GABA can be a factor with anxiety and overwhelm and low endorphins can be a factor with being highly sensitive.
Since you are new to the amino acids you’ll find my book very helpful. It’s also important to address other anxiety nutrition solutions like gluten/sugar/caffeine removal, blood sugar control, gut health, pyroluria etc, all covered in “The Antianxiety Food Solution”. You will also see that I advocate quality animal protein when it comes to mental health. It’s a comprehensive approach – amino acids AND diet.
I’m not sure what a severe mobbing at school is – would you mind sharing? She may also need trauma therapy and/or EMDR to help process what happened.
Please keep us posted how things go
By the way, I’m a nutritionist so no need to address me as Dr.
Hello and thank you so much for your answer. Ah, I thought you held a PhD, but it’s not important in the end. 🙂
In first grade my daughter attended a very unorganized school. She is a bright kid, objectively speaking quite beautiful (yes, I know how that sounds when it comes from a parent), outspoken, curious and has a lovely sining voice. Many girls tend to react with jealousy and rejection meeting her and since her teachers didn’t have any control over the social dynamics in her class, she was frozen out, bullied, even to the extent of physical violence and in the end we had to lift her out. It took a long time to understand what was going on since she didn’t talk about it at home. I had to interrogate her over several We have been in contact with psychologists over the years (she is now 14) and she was diagnosed with PTSD. Due to circumstances in the health system (we lived in Sweden at the time), her therapy is not finalized. We moved country in the meantime and are now looking for a private therapist.
I am aware of the importance of a healthy diet but have just recently stumbled upon Amino Acids as a benevolent factor in helping with anxiety, etc. So yes, my aim is to take a comprehensive approach with food, therapy and eventually amino acids to support her in her healing and day to day life.
Stefanie
And no not important 🙂
Gosh how awful for your daughter. It’s wonderful she is in therapy too and that your aim is to take a comprehensive approach.
You can see the low GABA symptoms here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-mood-questionnaire-from-the-antianxiety-food-solution/
If you feel you may need guidance the online GABA Quickstart Program has just started and will be on sale next week https://www.anxietynutritioninstitute.com/gabaquickstart/
Oh, I forgot a question: what exactly is an indication of for low GABA and what effect does it have (if it’s not asked too much).
Hello Dr Scott.I Have 14 year old daughter has been struggling with depression,anxiety,fears like someone would break into the house and hurt her,sugar craving,alcohol using,sometimes she falls into darkness,wears dark like goth,very impulsive,refuses to go to school.She had h pylori in past always have stomache cramps after eating.She was colicky baby for a few weeks until we found out she was lactose intolarent.
I started with lidtke l tryptophan and saw some good results.We live in Germany her holistic doc did some urine and blood test checking for neurotransmitters as well as vitamin deficiency,thyroid panel.
Inused some German brand GABA has l Theanin and b6 but don’t seem like made wonders.
Looks like she Is doing better with l tryptophan.I took amino acid test seems like she fits in every single one of them.Feels like we are missing something and not sure what else to look for? I would like to know your opinion.Thank you very much.
Sibel
I capitalize on what is working so when tryptophan helps we increase until we find the ideal dose. Using it opened onto the tongue is often better.
If you are new to the amino acids (and other anxiety nutrition solutions like gluten/sugar/caffeine removal, blood sugar control, gut health, pyroluria etc) my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is a great place to start. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/ (There is also a version in German).
It’s a comprehensive approach – amino acids AND diet. What is her diet like right now – gluten-free, sugar-free, caffeine-free, eating protein at breakfast for blood sugar control, real whole foods, grass-fed red meat, wild fish, fermented foods etc?
Thank you for a quick response.She refuses any diet,l pretty much have to struggle but gave her More veggies,no sugar,no caffeine but still eats gluten.Recently she ended up in the hospital for stomache issues.Doctors says hold for a while.They also said her stomache cramps not related to any other health issues ,could be in her head.Seems like she shows some signs of psychosomatic.We now stopped supplementation due to her issues.Not sure what diet l should start with?
Sibel
It’s often easier to make diet changes a family affair i.e. everyone go gluten-free and not have any in the house. With low appetite at breakfast we look into low zinc and pyroluria.
By the way my book is available in German too if that’s easier for you and her. Give her a copy to read. It would help to get her buy in and then the amino acids make it easier to make changes/break the addiction to gluten.
Sorry.She doesn’t eat breakfast,only time she wants when she feels like eating processed meat which l am against.I gave her grass fed red meat,organic sea food but she loves her pasta and refuses to avoid.She eats veggies and fruits.