Using 5-HTP For Premature Ejaculation?

By Patrick Banks

Posted 10 years agoHEALTH

Despite the fact that Premature Ejaculation plagues up to 36 million men, few medical reasons have been given as its cause.  The most promising explanation comes from biochemistry and concerns the balance of substances within your body.  Among natural substances that improve performance, 5-HTP is a solution worth trying. Find out how 5-HTP could help with premature ejaculation.

The concept of Serotonin and why it helps

Serotonin is known as a mood elevator and helps you maintain healthy emotional balance.  5-hydroxytryptamine (another name for Serotonin) is a monoamine neurotransmitter, naturally produced by the amino acid L-Tryptophan, present in your central nervous system.  Serotonin regulates functioning related to mood, appetite, sleep, memory and sexual performance.  It’s also one of the hormones involved in ejaculation.  Low serotonin levels may cause premature ejaculation.

Serotonin also acts on the cardiovascular system, influencing arterial contraction and regulating blood pressure.  Serotonin is also important for sending and receiving sensory messages, making us experience intense pain and pleasure.

A common problem among younger men is lack of familiarity with personal sexual limits.  Knowing the boundary between feeling sexual pleasure and climax is crucial to controlling ejaculation.  Low Serotonin levels may slow or retard these reactions and cause ejaculation control problems.

Can antidepressants help increase your endurance?

Antidepressants work by elevating serotonin levels in your brain.  They do this by blocking certain receptors from reuptaking Serotonin, increasing the overall level of Serotonin in your brain.  There are many different classes of antidepressants, but the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed for the treatment of PE.  Some side effects of SSRIs are delayed ejaculation and inability to ejaculate.

Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Anafranil (another class of antidepressant) have been the most intensely studied antidepressants.  Paxil seems to be the most effective in treating PE.  Depending on the dose, time to ejaculation may increase from 1 minute to up to 10 minutes.  Other antidepressants are also effective, but Anafranil produces additional side effects.

(…) Average estimated time to ejaculation after vaginal penetration increased from 6.1 minutes on 25 mg. of clomipramine to 8.4 minutes on 50 mg. of clomipramine.

On average these drugs delayed orgasm for up to 8 minutes.  But using these drugs may cause severe side effects.  Loss of sex drive, fatigue and impotence are commonly reported.  One-third of people who stop SSRI or SNRI medication experience withdrawal symptoms such as:  anxiety, dizziness, vivid dreams, electric shocks, upset stomach, flu-like symptoms, depression, headaches and suicidal thoughts.

How 5-HTP helps premature ejaculation

Are you opposed to taking antidepressants?  5-HTP is a dietary supplement that elevates Serotonin, naturally.  Antidepressants aggressively block Serotonin reuptake, but 5-HTP works differently– it provides your brain with the essential amino acid necessary to produce more Serotonin on its own.  5-HTP is produced in nature, it’s a metabolite, and extracted from the seeds of an African plant named Griffonia Simplicifolia.

The advantage of 5-HTP treatments is its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.  This natural Serotonin booster isn’t found in the foods we eat, though Tryptophan is (turkey is loaded with it).

However, turkey isn’t sufficiently included in the typical Western diet to make a difference.  Meat, especially red meat, has too many different amino acids for our body to absorb all at once.  As a result, Tryptophan is usually wasted.  Drinking too many high-caffeine products, smoking, or using alcohol or drugs won’t help your body’s chemical balance.  Supplement with vitamins, minerals, and 5-HTP to enhance your diet.

To increase your Serotonin levels permanently, make sure you take supplements orally over a long period of time.  Studies show that after oral administration of 5-HTP the levels of other centrally acting substances such as, melatonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and beta endorphin also increase.

Role of dopamine in sexual performance

Recent studies show that porn consumption impacts dopamine production—the hormone responsible for controlling your ejaculation reflex.  Masturbation and sexual encounters impact your sex hormones.  Internet porn makes it easy to get caught up into a variety of sexual acts, fetishes and porn stars, which can lead to sexual exhaustion and cause symptoms, including Premature Ejaculation!

Modifying your habits and using natural supplements are excellent ways to keep your serotonin levels elevated.  Moderate your sexual activity, and take care of your diet, include safe natural supplements to support Premature Ejaculation treatment.

About the author Patrick Banks

Patrick is a Berlin-based dating advisor, motivational speaker, a huge fitness and vegan diet enthusiast and the main editor at Wingman Magazine, specialised in men's health. His ultimate goal is to share with men around the world his passion for self-development and to help them to become the greatest version of themselves. He believes a healthy body and successful social interactions are two main keys to happiness.