Drug in turkey that makes you sleepy

So many of us just want to nap on Thanksgiving, and some say turkey may be to blame. So does turkey make you sleepyor is it something else?

Once a year the Thanksgiving holiday is time spent with family and eating a large meal. After stuffing yourself much like a turkey at the center of this holiday, you notice yourself feeling extra sleepy. Most people have heard at some point in their lives this fatigue is due to the turkey containing tryptophan, a chemical that can make you tired. So is your mealtime bird to blame for your sleepiness? After a little research we found some answers to this popular holiday question. So, what exactly is tryptophan?

Drug in turkey that makes you sleepy

By Coco Ballantyne. Let us give thanks on Thanksgiving for its cornucopia of foods: mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, creamed corn, cranberry sauce and, of course, turkey, among other delights. Every fourth Thursday of November, friends and family in the U. Those early revelers were probably knocked out by their marathon feast, and most people today are familiar with the post-Thanksgiving food coma. But often the blame falls on the bird. Turkey allegedly causes drowsiness because it is packed with a nutrient called tryptophan. Tryptophan is one of 20 naturally occurring amino acids—the building blocks of proteins. Because the body is unable to manufacture tryptophan on its own, it must be obtained from food protein. Turkey is a great source of this essential acid, but it is not unique: many meats and other protein products pack comparable amounts. If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Tryptophan is used by the human body to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter. It has a somnolent effect on fruit flies, whose sleep is most likely equivalent to our slow-wave non-REM sleep, says neuroscientist Amita Sehgal of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. Other studies show that one function of serotonin is the promotion of slow-wave sleep in nonhuman mammals, she adds, and it may do the same for humans. Thus, it is no wonder that turkey, which provides the raw material for the synthesis of sleep-related serotonin, is purported to have soporific power.

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But is there anything to the turkey-tryptophan-tired idea, or is it a Thanksgiving-themed myth to justify avoiding the post-meal cleanup? The science of sleepiness after a Thanksgiving meal is a little more complicated. In addition to the effect that consuming a lot of carbs and calories in a short time has on your body, the time of year plays a role in your holiday sleep cycle, too. First things first: Yes, turkey does contain tryptophan , which does promote good sleep and a good mood, according to research published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. Tryptophan is one of several essential amino acids, which are considered the building blocks of proteins in animals and plants.

Does eating Thanksgiving turkey make you sleepy due to its tryptophan content? Though the turkey myth has been debunked, as turkey contains no more tryptophan than any other common food or meat, there are other aspects of this myth that are worth exploring. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, meaning the body cannot produce it. One of its metabolic pathways includes the production of serotonin and melatonin. A simplified metabolic pathway is illustrated below:. It remains unclear whether a potential contaminant such as Peak X caused the cases of eosinophilic myalgia. However, the presence of Peak X and its potential toxicity caused the FDA to ban L-tryptophan and 5-HTP dietary supplements until the mids, today more Health Care Providers are concerned of possible drug interactions between L-tryptophan supplements and select antidepressants that may cause serotonin syndrome, a life-threatening condition. This is just one example of how dietary supplements may ultimately cause harm as well as wellness; therefore, patients, and healthcare providers need to have open conversations regarding their medication and supplement usage. Maffei ME.

Drug in turkey that makes you sleepy

There might be more than a few myths surrounding Thanksgiving. For instance, was the first Thanksgiving really a harmonious gathering between pilgrims and native Americans that took place under the shadow of November foliage? The answer is foggy. But the mythos doesn't die with our bungled conception of history, because there's one Thanksgiving controversy that's managed to roil and fester to this day, and it starts at your dinner table: tryptophan. As legend has it, turkey contains an excess amount of tryptophan, an amino acid that makes you sleepy. So, when you see a slow tide of lethargy washing over everyone at your Thanksgiving party, the nasty T-word might come to the fore. But it turns out your uncle's food-borne coma isn't brought on by some nefarious chemical harbored by America's turkey population. It's true that tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin, which has a strong effect on many bodily functions, chief among which is healthy sleep. But turkey doesn't contain any more tryptophan than other widely consumed meats , including other poultry. In fact, as Live Science explained in a article, cheddar cheese is more tryptophan-riddled than turkey.

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Elizabeth Barnes, MS, RDN, LDN, is a dietitian with a focus on treating clients with eating disorders and disordered eating to help them to mend their relationship with food and their bodies. The same is true for all those carbs and refined sugars typically eaten at the Thanksgiving meal, which Dr. It happens to plenty of people: You eat your Thanksgiving meal, replete with a big pile of juicy turkey , and shortly thereafter you're lying on the couch ready for a nap. Tryptophan is used by the human body to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter. As you know now, it's not uncommon to feel tired after eating Thanksgiving turkey. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Tryptophan is then used by the body to make the B-vitamin niacin which is vital for digestion, healthy nerves and skin, and production of the brain chemical serotonin. Get the facts on how and why your…. After all, the average Thanksgiving meal contains 3, calories and grams of fat [source: Snider ]. Here's how it can boost your sleep quality and mood. List of Partners vendors. Tryptophan is an amino acid that performs important functions in your body. First things first: Yes, turkey does contain tryptophan , which does promote good sleep and a good mood, according to research published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews.

Does turkey's tryptophan dose cause drowsiness?

Here's how it can boost your sleep quality and mood. After stuffing yourself much like a turkey at the center of this holiday, you notice yourself feeling extra sleepy. So, only part of the tryptophan makes it to the brain to help produce serotonin. Turkey isn't the only food high in tryptophan. After a turkey meal, blood levels of tryptophan rise, which may amplify the pineal's production of such serotonin, but not melatonin, whose synthesis rate depends on the amount of enzymes available for the subsequent biochemical reactions to occur, Wurtman says. Use limited data to select advertising. The main goal of a GLP-1 diet is to focus on whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains, and to limit unprocessed foods…. Read this next. First things first: Yes, turkey does contain tryptophan , which does promote good sleep and a good mood, according to research published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. Get the facts on how and why your…. The body also uses tryptophan to make melatonin, which helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, according to the National Library of Medicine. Tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid found in many foods.