5-HTP MAX (Griffonia simplicifolia) 200 mg | 120 Capsules | German Elite Nutrition

GEN 5-HTP MAX with Griffonia Extract

GEN 5-HTP MAX delivers 200 mg of 5-HTP per capsule, obtained from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia. This is a woody shrub from West Africa whose seeds are naturally rich in this substance. One bottle contains 120 plant-based capsules, enough for four months at one capsule per day. Below, you can read more about what 5-HTP exactly is, where it comes from, and what to look out for when comparing different bottles.

What 5-HTP actually is

5-HTP is the abbreviation for 5-hydroxytryptophan, a substance your body produces itself from the amino acid L-tryptophan. This amino acid is found in everyday foods such as bananas, milk, nuts, and cheese. In this product, the substance does not come from a laboratory, but from a plant source: an extract of the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia, which naturally contain a high level of 5-HTP. This way, you get the same molecular structure that your body also uses itself, only from a concentrated plant extract instead of from a meal. The shrub grows mainly in the coastal regions of countries such as Ghana and Ivory Coast, where the pods are harvested by hand and the seeds are removed.

Why 30% extract matters

The label states 666 mg of Griffonia extract, standardized to 30% 5-HTP. That percentage tells you how much pure 5-HTP is in the extract: 30% of 666 mg amounts to 200 mg. And that just happens to be the number that really matters. Two bottles with the same number of milligrams of extract can differ significantly in 5-HTP content, because one extract is standardized to a higher percentage than the other. Therefore, when comparing 5-HTP capsules, you should look at the number of milligrams of 5-HTP and not just at the amount of extract. In this product, the content is measured per batch, so that every capsule contains the same 200 mg. This makes comparison fairer, because you know exactly what you have on hand. In short: a high extract number means little if the standardization percentage is low.

The difference with L-tryptophan

On this topic, you will come across two names that are close to each other: 5-HTP and L-tryptophan. L-tryptophan is an amino acid from food; 5-HTP is the substance the body produces from it. This product contains 5-HTP from Griffonia seeds and no L-tryptophan.

Pure and vegan produced

The formulation has been deliberately kept bare. In the capsule, there is only the Griffonia extract and the capsule shell itself, nothing else. No fillers, no colorings, and no magnesium stearate as a lubricant. The capsule shell is made of plant-based cellulose (HPMC), so this product is vegan and contains no gelatin. The extract is produced in the EU and checked per batch for the 5-HTP content, so that the content remains the same from capsule to capsule. This way, you know that the 200 mg on the label really is the 200 mg in your capsule, every single time. For those who prefer to know exactly how much 5-HTP they take in per day, this fixed dosage provides certainty. You take one capsule per day, so with 120 capsules per bottle, one purchase lasts four months. The fact that the capsule is otherwise empty means that you know exactly what you are taking in: the extract and the plant-based shell, and nothing else.

In short, with these 5-HTP capsules you bring a standardized form of Griffonia simplicifolia into your home, with 200 mg of 5-hydroxytryptophan per capsule and a bottle that lasts four months. For those who want to consciously choose how much 5-HTP they take in per day, this is a clear and straightforward starting point.