BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuTryptophanTryptophan is an amino acid needed for normal growth in infants and for the production and maintenance of the body's proteins, muscles, enzymes, and neurotransmitters. It is an essential amino acid. This means your body cannot produce it, so you must get it from your diet.Amino acid.Amino acids are molecules that combine to form proteins. Amino acids and proteins are the building blocks of life. When proteins are digested or bro...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Function The body uses tryptophan to help make melatonin and serotonin. Melatonin helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, and serotonin is thought to help regulate appetite, sleep, mood, and pain.The liver can also use tryptophan to produce niacin (vitamin B3), which is needed for energy metabolism and DNA production. In order for tryptophan in the diet to be changed into niacin, the body needs to have enough:Iron Riboflavin Vitamin B6 Food Sources Tryptophan can be found in:Cheese Chicken Egg whites Fish Milk Sunflower seeds Peanuts Pumpkin seeds Sesame seeds Soy beans Turkey Open ReferencesReferencesNagai R, Taniguchi N. Amino acids and proteins. In: Baynes JW, Dominiczak MH, eds. Medical Biochemistry. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 2.United States Department of Health and Human Services; United States Department of Agriculture. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th ed. health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/. Updated December 2015. Accessed May 27, 2022.AllVideoImagesTogAmino acids - illustration Amino acids are either essential, which must be supplied by food, or nonessential, which are made in the body.Amino acidsillustrationmyPlate - illustration The U.S. Department of Agriculture's food guide, called MyPlate, encourages consumers to make healthier food choices. The guide encourages you to make healthy choices and avoid oversized portions. Half your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables. At least half of your grains should be whole grains. You also should switch to fat-free or low-fat milk.myPlateillustrationAmino acids - illustration Amino acids are either essential, which must be supplied by food, or nonessential, which are made in the body.Amino acidsillustrationmyPlate - illustration The U.S. Department of Agriculture's food guide, called MyPlate, encourages consumers to make healthier food choices. The guide encourages you to make healthy choices and avoid oversized portions. Half your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables. At least half of your grains should be whole grains. You also should switch to fat-free or low-fat milk.myPlateillustrationRelated Information Niacin(Nutrition) Review Date: 2/4/2022 Reviewed By: Meagan Bridges, RD, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
TryptophanTryptophan is an amino acid needed for normal growth in infants and for the production and maintenance of the body's proteins, muscles, enzymes, and neurotransmitters. It is an essential amino acid. This means your body cannot produce it, so you must get it from your diet.Amino acid.Amino acids are molecules that combine to form proteins. Amino acids and proteins are the building blocks of life. When proteins are digested or bro...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Function The body uses tryptophan to help make melatonin and serotonin. Melatonin helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, and serotonin is thought to help regulate appetite, sleep, mood, and pain.The liver can also use tryptophan to produce niacin (vitamin B3), which is needed for energy metabolism and DNA production. In order for tryptophan in the diet to be changed into niacin, the body needs to have enough:Iron Riboflavin Vitamin B6 Food Sources Tryptophan can be found in:Cheese Chicken Egg whites Fish Milk Sunflower seeds Peanuts Pumpkin seeds Sesame seeds Soy beans Turkey Open ReferencesReferencesNagai R, Taniguchi N. Amino acids and proteins. In: Baynes JW, Dominiczak MH, eds. Medical Biochemistry. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 2.United States Department of Health and Human Services; United States Department of Agriculture. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th ed. health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/. Updated December 2015. Accessed May 27, 2022.