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Direct metabolic precursor to serotonin, derived from Griffonia simplicifolia seeds, bypassing the rate-limiting step in serotonin synthesis; must not be combined with SSRIs, MAOIs, or other serotonergic drugs due to serotonin syndrome risk.
Major depressive disorder, persistent low mood, and related mood conditions.
Also known as: 5-Hydroxytryptophan, Griffonia simplicifolia
Every published result for this pair, extracted and audited.
These charts group published studies by what they reported and how they were run — green marks studies that reported a benefit for this pairing. Tiers run from pooled analyses of many trials (strongest) to one-off observational reports.
Direction of reported outcomes for 5-HTP in depression.
Study designs behind these findings.
Every measured outcome, one row per finding - numbers exactly as reported.
| Study | Design | n | Duration | Outcome measured | Reported result | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMID 11869656 2002 | Systematic review | 64 | - | Depression symptom improvement (unipolar depression/dysthymia) | 4.10 Peto Odds Ratio (95% confidence interval 1.28-13.15) | Benefit |
| PMID 11687048 2001 | Systematic review | 64 | - | Depression symptom improvement (unipolar depression/dysthymia) | 4.10 Peto Odds Ratio (95% confidence interval 1.28-13.15) | Benefit |
| PMID 31504850 2020 | Meta-analysis | 13 | - | depression remission rate | 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-0.78) | Benefit |
| PMID 31504850 2020 | Meta-analysis | 7 | - | Hedges' g for depression symptoms | 1.11 (95%CI, 0.53-1.69) | Benefit |
| PMID 12169147 2002 | Meta-analysis | 64 | - | Depression symptom improvement (unipolar depression) | 4.1 Peto OR (95% CI = 1.3-13.2) | Benefit |
| PMID 32067288 2020 | Randomised trial | 25 | 4 weeks | Apathy symptoms (AS) | reported qualitatively | No benefit |
| PMID 32067288 2020 | Randomised trial | 25 | 4 weeks | Depressive symptoms (HDRS) | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
Hand-selected PubMed studies, linked to the originals.
Ordered by strength of evidence, then result direction.
01Effect of Saffron Versus Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) in Treatment of Depression and Anxiety: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsShafiee A, et al. · Nutrition reviews · 2025PMID 38913392 ↗02Efficacy of Pharmacological Interventions in Milder Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisUrata M, et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology reports · 2025PMID 40014460 ↗03Comparative efficacy and tolerability of nutraceuticals for depressive disorder: A systematic review and network meta-analysisCheng YC, et al. · Psychological medicine · 2025PMID 40314175 ↗04New horizons for the study of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and its active ingredients in the management of neurological and psychiatric disorders: A systematic review of clinical evidence and mechanismsHan S, et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2024Be the first to share what you noticed with 5-HTP for depression. How we calculate this.