L-Tryptophan

L-Tryptophan is a powdered amino acid similar to methionine and lysine.

Tryptophan, like methionine and lysine, is a limiting amino acid, so its amount determines the absorption of other amino acids, thereby affecting protein synthesis throughout the body.

On the one hand, it has a significant role in the feeding of fish, but it has a more important property, so the amount of tryptophan in the diet of intensively reared fish is paid special attention. This is because tryptophan synthesizes serotonin. Serotonin is a happiness hormone responsible for regulating appetite and mood. In the case of tryptophan-poor feeding, the animals’ aggressiveness increases, the growth slows down, and cannibalism may develop.

Interestingly, serotonin synthesis is the same in humans, so tryptophan is also used in medicine to relieve certain anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Its natural form occurs in the largest amount in eggs, chickpeas, some dairy products, hazelnuts, of which the highest amount in the separated egg white, but still only approx. 1%.