bayless@pansy.cis.ohio-state.edu (richard f bayless) (01/17/90)
In article <15529@well.UUCP> theobaby@well.UUCP (Paul Theodoropoulos) writes: >In article <1410@engage.enet.dec.com> morgan@csc32.dec.com (Mike Morgan/Colorado Springs) writes: > >((referring to L-Tryptophan induced Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome))... > > ... > >What, you performed an Eosin count on this individual's blood? I have yet to >read any evidence that there are EMS cases due to L-T that are prior to the >beginning of the epidemic a few months ago. Simply because someone suffered >serious muscle pain while taking L-T years ago does NOT imply that they had >EMS. A blood test is the ONLY confirmation of EMS. > > ... Sorry to do this, but I must have missed a few postings. In the past I read that L-tryptophan had varying (pleasing) results with different people (better dream recall, more vivid dreams, deeper sleep, etc.). However, the only warning that I read before was that when taking L-tryptophan, one should also take niacin to counterbalance the deficiency created by the L-tryptophan. I did not, however, read anything about EMS. I have two questions: 1) What the Hell is Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome? (I realize this is asking for a reposting of earlier information and I apologize) 2) Is it true that one should take Niacin with L-tryptophan? If so, is a typical "one-a-day vitamin" good enough? Thanks for your help - I'd hate to end up with EMS (especially since I can't even pronounce what it stands for! :-)
dyer@spdcc.COM (Steve Dyer) (01/17/90)
Some dietary tryptophan is converted to vitamin B3 (niacin, niacinamide)
in the presence of a B3 deficiency. That is why pellagra is so rare;
it requires a diet not only deficient in B3, but also poor in protein
quality.
Needless to say, for the average middle-class recreational drug abuser
reading the net, B3 deficiency is not a serious problem. There's no need
to take excessive doses of niacin on the hope that it will improve one's
l-tryptophan "experience".
--
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
dyer@arktouros.mit.edu, dyer@hstbme.mit.edu