There was a problem with a bad batch of L-tryptophan that killed half a dozen people - not available in the US any more (except by prescription I think). I tried 5-HTP, another serotonin precursor, but that made me feel worse.
Mrs VS
You might find this interesting;
http://www.smart-drugs.com/ias-tryptophan.htm
"There was a problem with a bad batch of L-tryptophan that killed half a dozen people - not available in the US any more (except by prescription I think)."
I bought L-tryptophan yesterday at Sprouts Market (Phoenix).
I believe it was a contaminated batch from Japanese manufacturer Denko Showa, which had employed a new maufacturing technique that didn't quite cut it. The problem had nothing to do with Tryptophan itself - rather the method of manufacture.
The FDA used this incident to pull L-Tryptophan from store shelves, despite many people benefitting from it in use for depression and insomnia. Coincidentally (not?), immediately after L-Tryptophan was pulled, a major magazine featured the new, and now famous, anti-depressant drug Prozac on its front cover.
5-HTP, a pre-cursor that was one-step closer to the conversion target that is Serotonin, was released by supplement manufacturers and had some success.
L-Typtophan has crept back onto supplement store shelves. Do an online search and you will find many selling it.
One should note that a deficiency of Serotonin (L-Tryptophan is converted to Serotonin), is not the sole cause of depression. Thus, those reading this thread should not assume it is going to be a wonder drug, just as Prozac itself and every other new anti-depressant medication is not a wonder-drug.