• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Tryptophan

• Overview

Definition:

Tryptophan is an amino acid necessary for normal growth in infants and for nitrogen balance in adults. It is an essential amino acid, which means your body cannot produce it -- you must get it from your diet.

Information:

The body uses tryptophan to help make niacin and serotonin. Serotonin is thought to produce healthy sleep and a stable mood.

In order for tryptophan in the diet to be changed into niacin, there needs to be enough vitamin B-6, riboflavin, and iron in the body.

Tryptophan can be found in:

• Turkey
• Chicken
• Milk
• Cheese
• Fish
• Eggs
• Tofu
• Soy
• Sesame seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Nuts
• Peanuts
• Peanut butter

• Review Date: 5/1/2006
• Reviewed By: Caroline M. Apovian, M.D., FACN, Associate Professor of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine and Director, Nutrition & Weight Management Center, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMedHealthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.