Wide-awake turkey approves of this blog entry.

Dear AllStarHealth,

You probably get this question around every Thanksgiving; what is it in turkey that makes people tired, is it really the tryptophan as everyone seems to suggest? I’ve tried taking tryptophan for insomnia and it didn’t seem to make me tired at all.

Thanks,

Frank Bucholz, Hanover, PA

A:  The idea that it’s the tryptophan in turkey, and not other factors, that induces the post-meal drowsiness has been around for a long time now. It arose in the early 80’s when a then-bestselling book familiarized and popularized  the amino-acid tryptophan as a dietary supplement for insomnia and mood support. (more…)