Sleep Supplements Used by Chronic Fatigue Patients: Results from Survey

Good sleep goes a long way to getting better and sometimes supplements and herbs can help. Check out what FM and ME/CFS patients said about supplements, herbs and over the counter drugs that helped them sleep. (Add your suggestions in the comment section).

wow, L-tryptophan is not mentioned!

a_crossfitter said:

wow, L-tryptophan is not mentioned!

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Possibly because many believe:

- Less Effective than 5-HTP for Increasing Serotonin

- Rate-Limited by Tryptophan Hydroxylase Enzyme
- Requires 1-3 g Dosage Compared to 100 - 500 mg Dose for 5-HTP


5-HTP became popular after the FDA pulled L-Tryptophan in 1989. Eventually the problem was traced to a bio-engineered form produced only by Showa Denko from it's new genetically engineered bacteria.

source: Revisiting the Tryptophan scare of 1989 - Political Discussion - Shroomery Message Board

The authors claim that in 1998 researchers at the Mayo clinic reported finding similar impurities in select samples of 5-HTP which was confirmed by the FDA.

There has been widespread concern regarding the purity of supplements in general since 2015 when popular brands were found to contain none of the claimed active ingredients listed on the label such as "ginseng" that contained only garlic powder and rice and "ginkgo" that contained only powdered radish, houseplants and wheat.

Three out of six herbal products tested sold by Target were found to contain none of the herbs listed containing instead powdered rice,beans and carrots.
New York Attorney General Targets Supplements at Major Retailers

I have been sourcing sleep promoting herbs and other supplements from Costco including their TruNature brand of Ginkgo w/ Vinpocetine, CoQ10 100 (ubidecarenone), Lutein/Xeazanthin 25/5

Also from Costco: Natrol 5-HTP 100mg; Kirkland D3 2000mg; Qunol ubiquinone and ubiquinol; Kirkland CoQ 300 mg (ubidecarenone); and,
Shiff Melatonin Ultra (B6 5mg, dicalcium phosphate,melatonin 3mg, l-theanine 25mg, GABA 25mg, herbal blend 8.5mg of chamomile,valerian)

The carriers and fillers used imply something about quality and purity. A few cheap and undesirable ingredients are soybean oil, d-Alpha tocopheryl Acetate, cellulose, modified corn starch, polyethylene glycol.

Thriftiness may not be the wisest move when selecting "retail" supplement brands such as Trunature, Natrol, Nature's Way, Shiff and others. What you get is anyone's bet. Be suspicious when you see cheap ingredients because profit is almost certainly driving the manufacturer's source, usually Chinese, of the active ingredient as well.

Everyone reacts differently to "natural" sleep supplements. What works once may or may not work after a few days or weeks. Here are my unscientific personal results:

Shiff Melatonin Ultra: did nothing by itself

M-U + N-Way Valerian stnadardized: a bit grogy. fell asleep on a few ocassions but didn't get a good night's sleep

Jarrow Sleep Optimizer: did not reliably resut in drowsiess or undistubed sleep

Jarrow + Natrol 5-HTP + N-Way Valerian ( one cap ) + Shiff + Green Valley lactose-free organic kefir + org frz tart cherries (costco): great nights's sleep, woke restored. relaxed but alert feeling lasting the next day. haven't taken ths enough to recommend.

Don't overlook organic herbal teas as a possble lower cost, purer alternative to pills.

Melatonin works like a pharma grade product for me. I never would have thought it would work so well. 3mg works but 10 mg is better. I feel the effects within 15 minutes or so. I don't notice any fogginess in the morning.....

GA8314 said:

Melatonin works like a pharma grade product for me. I never would have thought it would work so well. 3mg works but 10 mg is better. I feel the effects within 15 minutes or so. I don't notice any fogginess in the morning.....

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Supraphysiologic serum levels of melatonin should be avoided according to several studies.
Toxicology of melatonin - PubMed

As a hormone the same advise given for HRT applies: Do not take excessive amounts. Beware of imparting imbalance to the endocrine system, 0.3g to 1.0 gm an hour or two prior to bedtime is the recommended dosing. If you do wake at night do not re-dose.

Melatonin is not a 'sleep hormone". If taken at all it should be in combination with other herbs.

Melatonin works OK for me, 3-5mg. My problem is I wake around 0300 and will toss and turn for atleast an hour before nodding off til 5, my wake up time. I've been getting up, peeing, drinking from a PowerAde Zero, doesn't help.