an be used to treat depression, anxiety, insomnia, and bulimia. Studies on its use praise it as the cure for migrane headaches, appetite disorders, over-aggression, and obsessive compulsive disorders. It's been used to treat nightmares and premenstrual syndrome. The most common use of tryptophan, though, has been as a sleep supplement.Labels on tryptophan supplements recommended a dosage of 500 to 1500 mg once or twice a day. Experts recommended taking the supplement between meals to avoid the competition between the tryptophan and proteins to get into the blood. Many people also took tryptophan immediately before bedtime. Natural sources of tryptophan are common and varied. Cheddar cheese, soybeans, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are good sources. Eggs, peas, whole milk and pineapple, not to mention bananas and yogurt, contain relatively high levels of the amino acid. And, of course, there's the turkey.Despite the many natural sources, tryptophan was most popular as a bottled supplement when it's sleep-inducing qualities were first published and marketed. Throughout the 1980's, tryptophan enjoyed a long, safe history as a popular natural supplement.However, in the fall of 1989 an outbreak of flu-like symptoms associated with eosinophilic-myalgia syndrome occurred in the United States. ESM is characterized by muscle pain, weakness, and joint pain. It is serious and sometimes fatal. The illness was associated with the use of dietary supplements containing tryptophan. Reported numbers vary, but it is commonly thought that at least 1500 cases of ESM were reported to the Center for Disease Control and 38 people died. The Food and Drug Administration pulled the product off the market in 1990 as the outbreak continued. Well, I thought. This was a little scary. Does this make all foods with tryptophan in them dangerous? Would I have to watch my sleepy family carefully for signs of muscle pain and weakness? I read further to find that no, w...
