5-htp & MDMA: Science behind 3 benefits of the comedown cure

Disclaimer: brain feed does not recommend drug use. This article is for advice purposes only.

Good music, a sense of freedom, and social bonding are some of the reasons why people enjoy festivals. They are associated with a sense of excitement and belonging. Festival Goers often turn to party drugs to enhance those feelings. A 2019 study found that almost 50% of festival goers reported taking MDMA[1 Trusted Source 2019 - The International Journal on Drug Policy Human study Adverse drug-related effects among electronic dance music party attendees ] . MDMA, also called ecstasy or Molly, is popular due to the feelings of euphoria you experience if you use it. When taken in tablet form, the effects of MDMA can be felt after 45 minutes and last for about 3 hours[2 Trusted Source 2021 - verywellmind Research evaluation What Is MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly)? ] . However, side effects of MDMA are still present many days later. So, how to cure a comedown? 

 

5htp after MDMA: the comedown cure

Fundamentally, you feel happy because of your brain's so-called “happiness chemicals”. The most notable of these chemicals is your feel-good chemical, serotonin. Serotonin’s role is to regulate mood[3 Trusted Source 2020 - The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology Research evaluation The ever-changing roles of serotonin ] . The more serotonin that gets released in your brain, the better your mood[4 Trusted Source 2007 - Gastroenterology Research evaluation The Serotonin Signaling System: From Basic Understanding To Drug Development for Functional GI Disorders ] , [5 Trusted Source 2017 - Psychology Today 3rd-party source Boosting Your Serotonin Activity ] . Serotonin gets released naturally when you exercise, spend time outside, get a massage or remember happy events[6 Trusted Source 2022 - Cleveland Clinic 3rd-party source TITLE ] . This can only happen when your body has enough serotonin produced. 5-htp, a naturally occurring compound, is here to help. Taking 5-htp 3 to 4 hours after your MDMA intake is an excellent way to increase serotonin levels in harmony with the brain’s balance of serotonin needs. brain feed offers a 100mg natural 5-htp supplement. brain feed offers a high-strength 5-htp tablet containing 100mg of 5-htp in a single tablet. Use code ‘NEW15’ to save 15% on your 1st order.

 

Here are 3 reasons why replenishing your serotonin levels can help you bounce back post-party: 

Serotonin: the natural mood booster

MDMA floods your brain with the feel-good chemical serotonin and forcefully prolongs its effect[7 Trusted Source 1997 - Journal of Neural Transmission Human study Causes and consequences of the loss of serotonergic presynapses elicited by the consumption of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") and its congeners ] . What happens to your brain on an MDMA comedown? Since serotonin is the chemical messenger that regulates your mood, MDMA skyrockets its levels causing the experience of being “high”. This high is followed by a “low” due to serotonin depletion; when MDMA uses all of the serotonin storage which is then empty, your body is unable to release it. The low or as some people call it “the comedown” impacts your mood and sleep. The results of a study on 886 participants have shown that MDMA has negative effects in subsequent days after taking it[8 Trusted Source 2021 - PsyArXiv Human study User perceptions of long-term costs and benefits of MDMA use: Findings from a large online sample ] . The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre in Australia researched the mental health of participants dabbling in recreational drugs among other things[9 Trusted Source National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Human study How does regular ecstasy use affect sleep? ] . Of 219 participants 93 of them were using MDMA regularly, at least every two weeks. The results showed that 31% of people using MDMA experienced mental health conditions that could be a part of an “MDMA low”.  Serotonin’s building block 5-htp is found in supplemental form, and it is an efficient option for those with a low intake of tryptophan when looking to safely increase serotonin levels. 

Sleep tight with serotonin

A study of 53 volunteers who had used MDMA on more than 25 separate occasions showed that MDMA leads to a decrease in restful sleep[10 Trusted Source 2014 - Temperature Systematic and meta-analysis Effects of MDMA on body temperature in humans ] . Almost 40% of MDMA users report needing sleeping aids to regulate their sleep[9 Trusted Source National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Human study How does regular ecstasy use affect sleep? ] . Your feel-good chemical, serotonin is at its highest during the day to regulate your mood while the body converts it into the sleep hormone, called melatonin, at night[5 Trusted Source 2017 - Psychology Today 3rd-party source Boosting Your Serotonin Activity ] . As melatonin levels rise in the evening it puts you into a state of quiet wakefulness that helps promote sleep[11 Trusted Source 1993 - Sleep Human study Persistent Effects of (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”) on Human Sleep ] . As 5-htp boosts the production of serotonin, it consequently also boosts the release of melatonin at night. 

5-htp helps you get your head in the game

Are you going straight back to work after a weekend of partying? 5-htp also supports some aspects of cognition like attention, information processing and memory[12 Trusted Source 2018 - Neuropsychopharmacology Human study The effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on attention and central serotonin neurochemistry in the rhesus macaque ] , [13 Trusted Source 2021 - Scientific Reports Human study Tryptophan-enriched diet or 5-hydroxytryptophan supplementation given in a randomized controlled trial impacts social cognition on a neural and behavioral level ] , [14 Trusted Source 2021 - International Journal of Molecular Sciences Research evaluation 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP): Natural Occurrence, Analysis, Biosynthesis, Biotechnology, Physiology and Toxicology ] . A study on monkeys found that 5-htp supplementation increased attention to informative regions of faces, suggesting it may enhance social cognition[12 Trusted Source 2018 - Neuropsychopharmacology Human study The effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on attention and central serotonin neurochemistry in the rhesus macaque ] . Similar results followed a study on 77 healthy adults[13 Trusted Source 2021 - Scientific Reports Human study Tryptophan-enriched diet or 5-hydroxytryptophan supplementation given in a randomized controlled trial impacts social cognition on a neural and behavioral level ] . 5-htp supplementation improved recognition of positive facial emotions and moral judgment. A review of 195 papers suggests that 5-htp could have a positive influence on mood, reward, learning, and memory[14 Trusted Source 2021 - International Journal of Molecular Sciences Research evaluation 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP): Natural Occurrence, Analysis, Biosynthesis, Biotechnology, Physiology and Toxicology ] . Multiple studies show that using MDMA is linked to having trouble with:

- attention and concentration,

- learning new information,

- remembering things both in the short and long term, and

- confusion[15 Trusted Source 2017 - National Institute for Drug Abuse 3rd-party source MDMA (Ecstasy) Abuse Research Report. What are MDMA’s effects on the brain? ] . 

Since MDMA can have negative effects on thinking and memory, both during use and in the days after when you’re experiencing the comedown, supplementation with 5-htp might be crucial for getting back to normal.

 

Watch this video & discover the potential come down cure, 5-htp:

 

Battle the comedown: liquids, sleep & exercise

Supplying your body with 5-htp will help you produce your feel-good chemical serotonin which you can then release while for example spending time outside. However, taking care of yourself after a comedown goes further than that. 

Rehydrate correctly

MDMA increases body temperature[11 Trusted Source 1993 - Sleep Human study Persistent Effects of (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”) on Human Sleep ] . A review of 15 years of clinical research on MDMA has shown that your body temperature can go up as far as 43 degrees Celsius when you’re on MDMA[16 Trusted Source 2001 - Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental Research evaluation Human psychopharmacology of Ecstasy (MDMA): a review of 15 years of empirical research ] . The researchers also cited one clubber saying it `feels like your blood is 115 degrees Fahrenheit' which is about 46 degrees Celsius. The results from the same review also showed that 80-90% of MDMA-using clubbers and dancers reported excessive sweating and dehydration which shows how important hydration after taking MDMA is[16 Trusted Source 2001 - Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental Research evaluation Human psychopharmacology of Ecstasy (MDMA): a review of 15 years of empirical research ] , [17 Trusted Source 2001 - Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy Research evaluation A Comprehensive Review of MDMA and GHB: Two Common Club Drugs ] . There is also an increase in sodium losses, with a 2010 study on 63 people using MDMA reporting that over 25% of MDMA users at a rave party had low sodium levels[18 Trusted Source 2013 - Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation: official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association Human study High incidence of mild hyponatraemia in females using ecstasy at a rave party ] . The correct way to rehydrate is to consume adequate amounts of electrolyte-rich drink, which is rich in nutrients to replenish water and sodium levels.

Fix your sleep

Serotonin is an important modulator of sleep and your biological sleep-wake cycles also called circadian rhythms[19 Trusted Source 2007 - The Scientific World Journal Research evaluation Effects of (±) 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on Sleep and Circadian Rhythms ] . As mentioned above, serotonin is converted to melatonin at night. Melatonin is the brain chemical responsible for restful sleep and it can only be produced from serotonin. Ensuring adequate serotonin levels can improve sleep quality. Plan your day more efficiently and read more about when does the brain works best to get the best possible sleep routine for yourself. 

Get moving

Exercise can be a useful tool in your MDMA recovery plan. An animal study found that exercise can protect parts of your brain responsible for producing energy, which is damaged by MDMA when taking the party drug[20 Trusted Source 2016 - Free Radical Biology & Medicine Animal study Protective effects of physical exercise on MDMA-induced cognitive and mitochondrial impairment ] . Increasing serotonin levels by supplementing with 5-htp can aid in increasing the willpower to exercise. Higher serotonin levels increase the perceived value of the end reward, further motivating you to work out[21 Trusted Source 2013 - Journal of Neuroscience Animal study Serotonin Is Required for Exercise-Induced Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis ] .

So, if you wish to remain highly functional in the days ahead, supply your body with enough 5-htp. Comedown can be tamed with 3 science-based steps to help you recover faster.

 

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