Although l - tryptophan can be obtained by eating foods that contain it, such as red meat and turkey, its ability to be converted into 5 - HTP - and ultimately into serotonin - is limited by the availability of an enzyme
called tryptophan hydroxylase.
The effects of child maltreatment on early signs of antisocial behavior: Genetic moderation
by tryptophan hydroxylase, serotonin transporter, and monoamine oxidase A genes.
Tryptophan hydroxylase can be inhibited by many different factors, such as stress, insulin resistance, vitamin B6 deficiency and magnesium deficiency.
Genetic analysis revealed that eight people who got relief from the placebo had a particular version of a gene that regulates serotonin production called
the tryptophan hydroxylase - 2 promoter (TPH2), the researchers report tomorrow in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Eat broccoli, for instance, and the vitamin B6 it contains will spur
the tryptophan hydroxylase gene to produce L - tryptophan, an amino acid used in the synthesis of serotonin, a neurochemical mood stabilizer.
Savelieva, K.V.; Zhao, S.; Pogorelov, V.M.; Rajan, I.; Yang, Q.; Cullinan, E.; Lanthorn, T.H. Genetic disruption of
both tryptophan hydroxylase genes strongly reduces serotonin in the brain and affects behavior in models sensitive to antidepressants.
Niacin is synthesized from tryptophan, an essential amino acid, via
the tryptophan hydroxylase pathway.
Tryptophan hydroxylase may be the oldest enzyme to attach oxygen to other molecules.