5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor in the biosynthesis of serotonin, a neurotransmitter implicated in mood regulation. The rationale for using 5-HTP to support or treat anxiety disorders is based on its ability to increase central nervous system serotonin levels, which are sometimes dysregulated in anxiety disorders. Early animal studies and small clinical trials have suggested that 5-HTP supplementation may have anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects, likely due to enhanced serotonin synthesis.

However, the scientific evidence supporting 5-HTP’s efficacy for anxiety is limited and not robust. Most clinical research has focused on 5-HTP’s potential benefits in depression, with anxiety often measured as a secondary outcome or not at all. The few studies that do exist for anxiety are generally small, dated, or methodologically limited. For example, a few trials from the 1980s and 1990s reported reductions in anxiety symptoms with 5-HTP, but sample sizes were small and replication is lacking. More recent reviews consistently note a lack of high-quality, large-scale, placebo-controlled trials specifically targeting anxiety disorders.

In summary, while there is a plausible neurochemical mechanism and some preliminary evidence for 5-HTP’s use in anxiety, the current scientific support is weak. 5-HTP is not a first-line or well-validated treatment for anxiety disorders according to current clinical guidelines, and more rigorous research is needed.