Effects of TryptophanSide effects of tryptophan do exist if not taken in moderation and it may also interact with certain prescription drugs. Foods high in tryptophan include chicken, turkey, beef, rice, beans, chick peas, lentils, peanuts, eggs, seafood, tofu, soy milk, cheese, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese and milk. 
Benefits of L-Tryptophan• Tryptohpan or L-tryptophan is one of the twenty essential amino acids that your body can not produce on its own and is commonly found as a herbal supplement in health stores. Your body needs tryptophan, just like other essential amino acids, to survive.• If taken thirty minutes before bed, tryptophan may help those suffering from insomnia and improved sleep quality was reported even after years of treatment with tryptophan. • Tryptophan is involved in the production of serotonin, which is a natural tranquilizer. It is useful in treatment of depression and anxiety attacks and it helps reduce the manic phase of depression with much fewer side effects than anti-depressants. Combined with vitamin B-6, tryptophan may be also helpful in reducing panic attacks. • Increased levels of serotonin is claimed to increase pain tolerance and is used in severe forms of premenstrual syndrome. • It may help decrease cravings for alcohol and fatty foods. When the serotonin levels increase, food craving decrease, which means tryptophan may aid with weight loss, perhaps also partly due to its positive impact on depression and anxiety according to a recent study. • Some early studies suggest that, with serotonin interaction, it may be able to reverse Korsakof's psychosis- memory loss due to alcohol, which happens to be one of the most common forms of dementia today. • Tryptophan is used in smoking cessation, grinding teeth during sleep, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder- ADHD and in improving athletic performance. • Your body also uses tryptophan to create niacin- vitamin B3, which reduces bad cholesterol- LDL and triglycerides in the blood. 
Side Effects of Tryptophan:• Tryptophan was widely considered safe for decades, until something terrible happened in 1988: 37 people died out of 1500 reported cases because of a specific tryptophan supplement used. The cause of the incident was not the tryptophan, but was a contamination in the product. But this didn't change the fact that tryptophan was banned by FDA and it still is.• Drowsiness is the most well known of the side effects of tryptophan, so it is best to take it in the evening and definitely not while driving. Drowsiness from tryptophan will rarely lead to disorientation and confusion. • Other less common side effects of tryptophan include gas and burping, nausea, dry mouth, heartburn, headache, drowsiness, loss of appetite, blurred vision, nausea, diarrhea or vomiting. • Allergic reactions to tryptophan are quite rare but if you experience any signs of an allergic reaction- breathing difficulty, dizziness, itching, rashes, swelling of the tongue, face or lips, dizziness, rash, hives or itching, get to a hospital emergency immediately. • There have been no reported cases of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome- EMS since 1988 but if you experience numbness, tremors, muscles twitching, bizarre thoughts, swelling, burning pain, extreme anxiety and sadness, very severe muscle pain, hair loss, nerve pain, rashes or any other skin changes, please seek medical help immediately. • Then you have your serotonin syndrome if you take tryptophan with prescription drugs like tramadol, lithium, anti depressants and migraine medications. Signs of serotonin syndrome include confusion, fever, difficulty walking, diarrhea, sweating, rashes, hives, difficulty breathing, fast heartbeat and muscle spasms. Tryptophan and Sleepiness:Eating foods that contain tryptophan does not usually cause drowsiness as commonly believed. A good example is the turkey you eat in Thanksgiving.The cause of sleepiness after that meal is the amount and heaviness of foods and drinks you consume rather than turkey itself. Turkey does not include more tryptophan than beef or chicken and you probably eat them almost every day. Yes taking a tryptophan supplement will directly affect the way you feel by crossing the blood brain barriers easily but when you eat a tryptophan rich food, tryptophan is not the only type of amino acid there is in that food. You also have tyrosine that counteracts the tryptophan by making you alert and active. Remember that you usually eat carbohydrates and fats with your protein and complex carbohydrates along with low to medium protein do help relax your brain- this is your ideal meal for dinner. Stick to higher protein meals with low to medium carbs for breakfast and lunch if you don't want to feel drowsy during the day.
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