Every Thanksgiving, myths of the quasi-magical powers of tryptophan rise again. There’s the turkey/drowsiness myth: Eating lots of juicy turkey meat supposedly makes people feel tired because it ...

Yup, pretty much everyone has made the Thanksgiving joke about tryptophan leading to couch naps, but I’m here to stop the allegations. Tryptophan doesn’t make you sleepy on Thanksgiving, and it ...

Sometimes the stories we tell ourselves have a way of becoming true. Take the turkey-makes-you-sleepy tale. A quick survey of holiday travelers commuting through Washington's Union Station confirms ...

Tryptophan is often dismissed as the reason for post-Thanksgiving fatigue, but its role in human health extends far beyond the holiday table. As an essential amino acid, tryptophan is crucial for ...

Foods rich in tryptophan may boost the production of serotonin in the brain. These foods include eggs, some hard cheeses, soy-based products, turkey, and more. Serotonin is a natural neurotransmitter ...

Q. I sometimes take 5-HTP to help me sleep and am surprised at how it seems to help me with irregularity. Why would it help the GI tract? A. 5-Hydroxytryptophan is an amino acid, but not one of the 20 ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Those smiles probably aren’t thanks to tryptophan. Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com Every Thanksgiving, myths of the ...

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Yup, pretty much everyone has made the Thanksgiving joke about tryptophan leading to couch naps, but I’m ...