So many people simply need to nap on Thanksgiving, and some say turkey may be to blame. So does turkey make you sleepy, or is it something else? Turkey has the makings of a natural sedative, an amino acid called tryptophan. How Much Tryptophan Is in Turkey? Tryptophan is a vital amino acid the physique uses produce to produce melatonin, serotonin and the B vitamin niacin. Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate your sleep cycle, and serotonin is a neurotransmitter that also plays a crucial position in sleep. So that you may suppose that in the event you eat loads of turkey meat, your body would produce more melatonin and serotonin, and you would feel tired and desire a nap. ­That was the conclusion that led many individuals to begin taking a dietary complement of tryptophan in the 1980s as a way to treat insomnia, however the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned tryptophan supplements in 1990 because of an outbreak of eosinophilia-myalgia, a syndrome that causes muscle pain and even loss of life.

However, it’s now believed that the sickness was brought on by contaminants within the manufacturing unit in Japan that made the supplements they usually are now once once more accessible within the U.S. How Much Tryptophan Is in Turkey? One pound (0.45 kilograms) of light meat turkey accommodates 410 milligrams L-tryptophan