We all want to feel good about ourselves. That much is obvious.
We want to wake up each morning, ready to get up and go. We want to look in the mirror and be happy with what we see. We want to take on everything the world has to throw at us and emerge smiling on the other side.
So far, so good – but the big question is: how do we get there? For many people, that positive feeling is all about getting the mind and body in sync, using nutritious food, exercise and supplements to bolster our moods and our physical health at the same time.
So what’s the best way to do that? Scientists have turned to a unique compound created by the human body which increases the ‘happy chemical’ serotonin. The experts call the compound 5-HTP and it’s being hailed as the next step in weight-loss supplements, celebrated for its ability to increase serotonin and reduce ‘emotional’ appetite.
In this blog, we’re going to take a look at what 5-HTP is, what it’s made of, what it can do and why BELDT Labs Bedrock Series 5-HTP PLUS supplement is one of the best 5-HTP options on the market.
What is 5-HTP?
Let’s start at the beginning: what is 5-HTP?
5-HTP is a completely natural compound that is a key ingredient in our body’s production of serotonin. The compound itself is actually a secondary product, created by the protein block L-tryptophan, and it’s responsible for helping disperse serotonin across the body. Serotonin is what our body uses to trigger good feelings, and reduce the effects we feel when we’re anxious, depressed, or stressed.
Typically, we get our 5-HTP through foods that contain the previously mentioned amino acid tryptophan which is often present in protein-heavy foods. Particularly good sources include oats, milk, eggs, sesame, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, buckwheat and peanuts.
What are the benefits of 5-HTP?
5-HTP helps your body disperse serotonin, reducing feelings like sadness, anger, worry or fear. Since these emotions are often the driving factor behind bad-eating habits and overconsumption, when 5-HTP reduces those feelings, it also reduces what we regard as our mental appetite.
Recently a study was conducted using 20 people who were overweight, 10 who took a 5-HTP supplement for 4 weeks and 10 who took a placebo for the same amount of time. At the end of the study, those who took 5-HTP reported greater feelings of satiety, or fullness, when eating, which led to decreased food intake. Those who took 5-HTP also had reduced body mass index (BMI).
Whether we realize it or not, we eat worse in response to stress. Whenever we get faced with a period of emotional stress, our focus on eating well can take a nosedive and we’ll go for carb-heavy comfort foods which almost always leads to weight gain. This phenomenon has its own name too – people who eat poorly in times of emotional turmoil often call themselves stress eaters.
5-HTP tackles those feelings and emotions, using serotonin to reduce anxiety, anger and sadness and thereby removing the need to turn to the carb-ridden comfort foods that cause unhealthy weight gain.
It doesn’t just stop there. Carbs also happen to be one of the ways that the body creates 5-HTP naturally – they help insulin push tryptophan to the brain which is where the tryptophan produces 5-HTP. 5-HTP is then turned into serotonin which is dispersed throughout the body, mostly in your brain and stomach.
Low-levels of 5-HTP in the body can lead us to crave carbs, because our bodies know that that’s where we can get access to 5-HTP.
5-HTP is also thought to help with mental health issues like depression and anxiety as well as sleeping disorders. The compound’s ability to boost serotonin levels is what gives its ability to improve your quality of life across the board.
So to recap, 5-HTP biggest benefits are:
- Reduced appetite
- Less stress-eating
- Fewer carb cravings
- Increased serotonin for better mood
- Natural treatment for depression and anxiety
- Natural treatment for sleeping disorders
5-HTP Plus – from our all-new BEDROCK SERIES.
At BELDT, we believe that the secret to a healthier and happier lifestyle lies in our ability to get the right levels of the right natural ingredients in our diets.
We agree with the scientists who believe that 5-HTP is essential for improving our lives and to that end, we’ve created 5-HTP Plus, the efficient 5-HTP supplement that:
- Squashes stress-eating
- Tackles your carb cravings
- Boosts your mental health
- Helps you get a full night’s sleep
It’s all there, in one handy pill that’s easy to include in your daily diet and fitness regime. Combine 5-HTP-Plus with a protein rich eating plan, and you’ll be giving your body the tools it needs to fight off low moods, emotionally spiked appetites and difficult sleeping patterns.
5-HTP Plus is the feel-good supplement that works – find out more and buy your own here.
