5-HTP and Cognitive Aging: What a 2025 Clinical Trial Reveals — and How Healthmasters’ 5-HTP CR Fits the Evidence

As people age, subtle changes in memory, focus, and emotional resilience often appear long before any formal diagnosis of cognitive decline. These changes can be frustrating because they sit in a gray area: not severe enough to be considered disease, yet noticeable enough to affect daily life. For this reason, researchers have increasingly focused on nutritional strategies that support the brain’s chemistry during normal aging, especially approaches that are gentle, accessible, and easy to sustain.

One nutrient that has drawn renewed interest is 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a naturally occurring compound derived from the amino acid tryptophan. Unlike tryptophan, which must go through multiple metabolic steps, 5-HTP sits directly upstream of serotonin production. This positioning makes it uniquely relevant to brain function, mood regulation, and cognitive performance.

A 2025 randomized controlled trial published in Nutrients offers one of the clearest human examinations to date of how daily 5-HTP supplementation affects cognition and mood in older adults [1].

Inside the Study: Who Was Studied and What Was Measured

The trial followed 30 cognitively healthy Singaporean adults, with an average age of about 66 years, over a 12-week period [1]. Participants were randomly assigned either to take 100 mg of 5-HTP daily or to serve as a control group without supplementation. Importantly, the dose used in the study matches the amount provided per serving in Healthmasters’ 5-HTP CR, making the findings directly relevant to real-world use.

Researchers assessed cognitive performance using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a widely accepted screening tool that evaluates memory, language, attention, abstraction, and executive function. Mood was evaluated using established geriatric depression and anxiety scales. Blood markers related to brain chemistry, including serum serotonin, were also measured.

This design allowed researchers not only to observe changes in thinking and mood, but also to connect those changes to measurable shifts in serotonin biology.

What Changed After 12 Weeks of 5-HTP

Over the course of the study, participants who took 5-HTP experienced a statistically significant improvement in overall cognitive performance, as reflected by an increase in MoCA scores [1]. While the average improvement was modest—about one point—it occurred consistently in the 5-HTP group and not merely as a practice effect. In aging research, even small changes of this magnitude are considered meaningful, especially in otherwise healthy adults.

Several specific cognitive domains, including language, naming, and abstract reasoning, showed time-related improvements. These domains are closely linked to frontal brain regions, which are known to be influenced by serotonin signaling.

At the biochemical level, the study found a significant rise in serum serotonin levels in the 5-HTP group over the 12-week period. This finding supports the proposed mechanism of action: by providing a direct precursor to serotonin, 5-HTP appears to raise serotonergic tone in a way that translates into functional cognitive benefits.

Mood also shifted in a favorable direction. Participants taking 5-HTP showed a reduction in depressive symptoms, particularly noticeable by week eight of supplementation. Anxiety scores did not change significantly, which aligns with existing neuroscience showing that serotonin plays a more prominent role in depressive symptoms than in anxiety.

Why Serotonin Matters for Cognitive Aging

Serotonin is often discussed in the context of mood, but its role in cognition is equally important. It influences learning, memory consolidation, executive function, and mental flexibility. With age, serotonin signaling naturally declines, which may contribute to both emotional vulnerability and cognitive slowing.

What makes 5-HTP especially relevant is its ability to bypass the rate-limiting step in serotonin synthesis. Unlike dietary tryptophan, 5-HTP crosses the blood-brain barrier more readily and is converted into serotonin in the central nervous system. The study’s observed rise in serum serotonin, alongside cognitive improvements, supports this biological pathway.

How Healthmasters’ 5-HTP CR Aligns with the Study

Healthmasters’ 5-HTP CR provides 100 mg of 5-HTP per tablet, derived from Griffonia simplicifolia seed—the same daily dose used in the clinical trial. This is a critical point. Many supplements reference studies that use doses far above or below what is actually sold. In this case, the product and the research are aligned.

The controlled-release (CR) format is also relevant from a practical standpoint. By delivering 5-HTP more gradually, a CR formulation is designed to support steadier serotonin availability rather than sharp spikes. While the study itself did not test controlled-release specifically, the biological rationale fits well with the goal of supporting cognitive and emotional balance throughout the day or evening.

Putting the Findings in Perspective

The authors of the study were appropriately cautious in their conclusions. The sample size was relatively small, and the intervention lasted only 12 weeks. These factors mean the results should be viewed as promising but preliminary, not definitive. However, the strength of the study lies in its clean design, use of validated cognitive tools, and direct measurement of serotonin changes.

For individuals experiencing normal, age-related changes in memory, focus, or mood—rather than diagnosed cognitive disease—this research suggests that 5-HTP may offer gentle, supportive benefits as part of a broader lifestyle approach.

Conclusion

The 2025 Nutrients randomized controlled trial provides meaningful human evidence that daily 100 mg 5-HTP supplementation can support cognitive performance and mood in older adults, likely through enhanced serotonergic activity. Healthmasters’ 5-HTP CR mirrors the study’s dosage.

For those seeking a science-grounded, non-pharmaceutical way to support brain health and emotional resilience during aging, this study offers a clear rationale for considering 5-HTP as part of a thoughtful supplement strategy for support for well-being.

Reference:

[1] Li, S., Sutanto, C. N., Xia, X., & Kim, J. E. (2025). The impact of 5-hydroxytryptophan supplementation on cognitive function and mood in Singapore older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 17(17), Article 2773.

*The matters discussed in this article are for informational purposes only and not medical advice. Please consult your healthcare practitioner on the matters discussed herein.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Healthmasters' products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.