Tryptophan and sexual disinhibition : Literature review

Abstract EN

Objective : to review the literature for reported cases of Tryptophan increase-ing or decreasing sexual disinhibition, as well as for possible explanation of this phenomenon.

Method : We undertook a literature review through the PubMed index, us-ing the key words ‘Tryptophan’ and ‘sexual’.

We reviewed 6 articles fea-turing 15 cases.

Where available, we noted and tabulated certain parameters for cases of sexuality increased or decreased by Tryptophan.

Results : We found 13 cases where sexuality had been increased by Trypto-phan.

The dose was 5 gm / day or above in 9 cases, and 3 gm / day in 4 cases.

We found 2 cases where sexuality had been decreased by Tryptophan.

In both cases the dose was 3 gm / day.

Conclusion : Tryptophan can alter sexuality in both directions through changing serotonin availability in the brain.

The direction of the effect ap-pears to be dependent on the dose but also is affected by serotonin state prior to treatment.

Tryptophan increases serotonin availability in the brain, an effect which might be re-versed in higher doses.

The proper dose for treatment of sexual disinhibition seems to be 2000 mg /day.

This phenomenon can theoretically apply on any presumed serotonin deficiency state including depression and anxiety, as well as sexual disinihibition.