5-HTP vs Melatonin: Which Is Better for Sleep and Can You Take Both?

5-HTP and melatonin sit on the same pathway: your body turns tryptophan into 5-HTP, 5-HTP into serotonin, and serotonin into melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it is night. For sleep, the main difference in 5-HTP vs melatonin is where each one acts. Melatonin works directly on your sleep timing signal, while 5-HTP works further up the chain as a serotonin building block and carries more medicine cautions. Here is what research shows for each, whether you can take them together, and how to choose.

Key Takeaways

• Your body makes 5-HTP from the amino acid tryptophan, turns 5-HTP into serotonin, and then turns serotonin into melatonin (Maffei, 2020).
• Melatonin is a hormone your brain makes in response to darkness, and light at night can block its production (NCCIH, 2024).
• In a sleep lab study, 0.3 mg or 1.0 mg of oral melatonin taken in the evening shortened the time volunteers took to fall asleep, did not suppress REM sleep and caused no next-morning hangover effects (Zhdanova et al., 1995).
• In 30 older adults, 100 mg of 5-HTP a day for 12 weeks raised blood serotonin and improved sleep quality scores, mostly in people who slept poorly at the start (Sutanto et al., 2024).
• Because 5-HTP adds to serotonin activity, talk to your doctor before taking it if you take an antidepressant or any medicine that affects serotonin.
• Our Melatonin Nasal Spray pairs melatonin with L-theanine, and our Melatonin-Free Sleep Powder, coming soon, has no added melatonin and no 5-HTP.

What 5-HTP and Melatonin Are

5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is a compound your body makes from tryptophan, an amino acid found in protein foods. An enzyme called tryptophan hydroxylase handles that step, and it sets the pace for how much serotonin and melatonin can be made further along. As a supplement, 5-HTP is usually taken from the seeds of the African plant Griffonia simplicifolia (Maffei, 2020).

Melatonin is the hormone at the end of that chain. Your brain releases it as darkness falls, which is part of how your internal clock signals that it is time to rest, and bright light in the evening can hold it back (NCCIH, 2024). Melatonin is a timing signal rather than a sedative, which is why it is often described as helping your body recognize night rather than switching sleep on. Our melatonin ingredient page covers it in more depth.

So the two are not rivals so much as neighbors on one road. 5-HTP is an early step that feeds serotonin, and serotonin does many jobs during the day besides becoming melatonin. Melatonin is the final step, the signal itself. For more on serotonin's daytime roles, see how to boost serotonin naturally.

5-HTP vs Melatonin: Side by Side

	5-HTP	Melatonin
What it is	A serotonin building block made from tryptophan	The hormone your brain releases at night
Place on the pathway	Early step, two steps before melatonin	Final step, the night signal itself
Main role in sleep	Supplies raw material for serotonin, which the body can later turn into melatonin	Supports sleep timing and your internal clock
Example human research	100 mg a day for 12 weeks in 30 older adults: better sleep quality scores, mostly in poor sleepers	0.3 or 1.0 mg in the evening: shorter time to fall asleep in a sleep lab, no next-morning hangover
Common side effects	Nausea and other stomach upset, more often at higher doses	Headache, dizziness, nausea, sleepiness
Key medicine caution	Antidepressants and other serotonin medicines	Blood thinners or epilepsy: use only with medical supervision

5-HTP vs Melatonin for Sleep: What Research Shows

Melatonin

Melatonin's role in sleep timing is well mapped. In a sleep lab study, volunteers took 0.3 mg or 1.0 mg of oral melatonin or a placebo at 6, 8 or 9 PM. Researchers recorded brain activity through the night and tested mood and performance the next morning. Both doses at all three times shortened the time it took to fall asleep and to reach stage 2 sleep, melatonin did not suppress or delay REM sleep, and neither dose caused next-morning hangover effects (Zhdanova et al., 1995). Melatonin has also been studied for jet lag after travel across time zones (NCCIH, 2024).

Those were small amounts, well under a milligram in one group, which shows that melatonin works as a signal rather than through sheer quantity. For how long a dose stays active, see how long does melatonin last.

5-HTP

5-HTP research on sleep is a newer and smaller field. In a 12-week trial in Singapore, 30 adults with an average age of 66 took 100 mg of 5-HTP a day or no supplement. Researchers tracked sleep with a standard sleep quality questionnaire and a wrist activity monitor. The 5-HTP group had higher blood serotonin and better scores on certain parts of sleep quality, and people who slept poorly at the start saw the clearest change in their overall sleep score (Sutanto et al., 2024). Earlier work in healthy people found 5-HTP raised the amount of REM (dreaming) sleep compared with placebo (Maffei, 2020).

The key point is that 5-HTP acts indirectly. It raises serotonin first, and only part of the body's serotonin ever becomes melatonin. Melatonin skips those steps and acts on the timing signal directly.

Can You Take 5-HTP and Melatonin Together?

Some people pair them because they sit on the same pathway: 5-HTP to support serotonin, and melatonin for the night signal. The trials above tested each one on its own, so the pair has not been studied as a combination. If you are thinking about taking both, talk to your doctor first, especially if you take any medicine that affects serotonin. Starting one at a time also makes it easier to tell how each one suits you.

Many people already pair melatonin with L-theanine, an amino acid from tea leaves that is studied for calm and relaxation. Our guide to melatonin and L-theanine explains why that pairing is common. If you are deciding between 5-HTP and L-theanine on their own, our guide to 5-HTP vs L-theanine compares the two side by side.

Safety: Who Should Be Careful

5-HTP

• Serotonin medicines. Serotonin syndrome is a serious reaction caused by too much serotonin activity, most often linked to antidepressant medicines, and extra 5-HTP adds to that activity (Maffei, 2020). Talk to your doctor before taking 5-HTP if you take an antidepressant or any other medicine that affects serotonin.
• Carbidopa. Combining 5-HTP with a decarboxylase inhibitor such as carbidopa has been linked to side effects, so check with your doctor if you take one.
• Stomach upset. 5-HTP can cause dose-related stomach problems, and nausea and vomiting have been reported at doses above 100 mg.
• Purity. A contaminant called peak X has been found in some 5-HTP samples tested by researchers, so product quality matters.

Melatonin

• Generally well tolerated. Short-term use appears to be safe for most people, and the side effects reported are usually mild: headache, dizziness, nausea and sleepiness (NCCIH, 2024).
• Medicines. People with epilepsy and people taking blood thinners should use melatonin only under medical supervision.
• Older adults. Melatonin may stay active longer in older people and cause daytime drowsiness, so start with a low amount.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor before using melatonin or 5-HTP.

For the full picture, see melatonin side effects.

5-HTP or Melatonin for Sleep: How to Choose

• Your main issue is sleep timing. If your body clock runs late, or you travel or keep late nights, melatonin acts directly on the night signal.
• You take medicine that affects serotonin. Avoid adding 5-HTP unless your doctor says it is fine.
• You prefer to skip melatonin altogether. Other ingredients such as glycine, magnesium and tart cherry are studied for sleep; see sleep supplements without melatonin.
• Build the habits too. Dim lights in the evening, a cool bedroom and a steady bedtime all support your own melatonin. Our sleep health guide covers the basics.

Where Our Sleep Products Fit

We do not sell 5-HTP. Our Melatonin Nasal Spray gives 200 mcg of melatonin and 17 mg of L-theanine in every 2-spray serving, with alkaline water as the only other ingredient. It is absorbed through the lining of the nose instead of being swallowed like a capsule, so some of each dose skips digestion. Use 2 sprays before your intended bedtime, as the label directs, and see our melatonin spray dosage guide for more detail. It is made with third-party tested ingredients.

Our Melatonin-Free Sleep Powder is coming soon. Each scoop is planned to hold 3,000 mg of glycine, 2,500 mg of tart cherry, 200 mg of magnesium from magnesium bisglycinate and magnesium glycerophosphate, 2,000 mg of myo-inositol and 50 mg of apigenin from chamomile flower, with no added melatonin, no 5-HTP and no added sugar or sweeteners. Join the waitlist on the product page to hear when it launches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 5-HTP or melatonin better for sleep?

They work at different points. Melatonin acts directly on your body's night signal and has been studied in sleep labs at doses under a milligram. 5-HTP works further back as a serotonin building block; in one 12-week trial in older adults it improved sleep quality scores, mostly in poor sleepers. If sleep timing is your main concern, melatonin is the more direct choice. If you take medicine that affects serotonin, skip 5-HTP unless your doctor approves.

What is the difference between 5-HTP and melatonin?

5-HTP is a compound your body makes from tryptophan and then turns into serotonin. Melatonin is a hormone your body makes from serotonin and releases as darkness falls. So 5-HTP is an early step on the pathway and melatonin is the last one. Melatonin's job is sleep timing, while serotonin made from 5-HTP also has many daytime roles.

Does 5-HTP turn into melatonin?

Indirectly. Your body turns 5-HTP into serotonin, and some serotonin is later turned into melatonin, mainly at night. Only part of the serotonin your body makes ends up as melatonin, because serotonin has other jobs too. That is why taking 5-HTP is not the same as taking melatonin, even though they share one pathway.

Can you take 5-HTP and melatonin together?

Some people do, because the two sit on the same pathway, but studies have tested each one separately rather than as a pair. Talk to your doctor before combining them, and especially before taking 5-HTP if you take an antidepressant or another medicine that affects serotonin. Trying one at a time makes it easier to tell how each suits you.

Can you take 5-HTP with antidepressants?

Not without your doctor's advice. Antidepressants raise serotonin activity, and 5-HTP adds to it. Too much serotonin activity can lead to serotonin syndrome, a serious reaction. If you take an antidepressant or any other medicine that affects serotonin, ask your doctor or pharmacist before trying 5-HTP.

Does melatonin make you groggy the next morning?

In a sleep lab study, low evening doses of melatonin caused no next-morning hangover effects on mood or performance tests. Some people do feel sleepy the next day, and melatonin may stay active longer in older adults. Starting with a low amount and taking it at a steady time before bed helps. Our guide to how long melatonin lasts covers timing in detail.

Is there a sleep supplement without melatonin or 5-HTP?

Yes. Ingredients such as glycine, magnesium, tart cherry and apigenin are studied for sleep and relaxation without added melatonin or 5-HTP. Our Melatonin-Free Sleep Powder, coming soon, combines all four with myo-inositol, with no added melatonin and no 5-HTP. You can join the waitlist on its product page.

Sources

• Maffei ME. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP): Natural Occurrence, Analysis, Biosynthesis, Biotechnology, Physiology and Toxicology. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33375373/
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Melatonin: What You Need To Know. 2024. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/melatonin-what-you-need-to-know
• Zhdanova IV, Wurtman RJ, Lynch HJ, et al. Sleep-inducing effects of low doses of melatonin ingested in the evening. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 1995. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7768078/
• Sutanto CN, et al. The impact of 5-hydroxytryptophan supplementation on sleep quality and gut microbiota composition in older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Clinical Nutrition, 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38309227/

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.