Long term effects of taking L-Tryptophane?

[Tatoumorse]

I went through a stressful period a few months ago and was finding it difficult to sleep with night-time anxiety, very much connected I think to perimenopause (surely soon menopause - perimenopause is going on for aaaaages but I'm still having the occasional period!).
The pharmacist advised a three-month "cure" of daily magnesium (morn and eve) plus L-Tryptophane early evening. This helped a lot with sleep and seems also to have reduced irritability that I sometimes have (though irritability goes hand-in-hand with insomnia).
I stopped taking the L-Tryptophane about a week ago, after 3 months. To be honest, had a bad headache for a few days but had also had the flu jab and there's a virus going round, so no idea what was connected to what.
Now I notice my sleep pattern already being a little disrupted - it's the early waking that is my problem, anything before 5 AM is problematic for work etc. as simply not enough sleep.
So naturally I am thinking of going back onto the L-Tryptophane.
Pharmacists have given conflicting advice (Ok to continue /best not) and pending an appt with the doctor, if I can get one, would anyone have any ideas about the long term effects of taking L-Tryptophane - am I ok to continue? I guess the same question goes for magnesium but here pharmacists have been unequivocal that it's OK to continue taking it (they said some people take it for life).

Which magnesium are you on? I take magnesium glycinate as I go to bed.

I don't know op and I doubt there's any proper studies of it either.

Personally I take it every second or third night if I feel I need a better sleep or wild dreams!

https://www.drugs.com/sfx/tryptophan-side-effects.html
I quite like this website -there are some reviews and,except for pop ups, it’s not selling anything.

Thanks
@DustyLee123 just plain magnesium supplement including B6

@NormalAuntFanny it has helped enormously with sleep for me. It's definitely a perimenopausal thing, my body has changed completely since the onset of menopause symptoms - cannot tolerate caffeine at all; body very quick to respond to histamine. This combination of magnesium and l-tryptophane has settled it all down

@Pat888 thanks, luckily I didn't have any of these symptoms of taking it.. it's more the withdrawal symptoms/ long-term use effects that are concerning me, doesn't seem to be much info out there.

There is some info about interaction with the liver - saying both GOOD and BAD things to be honest, hard to decipher as a non-medical person

I'm veering towards taking again as sleep is so essential! The other thing I found good (as per many mumsnet posts) was sour cherry but very expensive and also not AS effective

Is there any reason why you aren't considering HRT? Insomnia is a key symptom of lack of estrogen (something to do with the receptors in the brain.) Lots of women use HRT mainly for that reason.

@AnotherMner I was told you can't get it until after your last period so haven't even considered yet as still having (very infrequent) periods

Told by a doctor?

Such a shame you're suffering after being told something wrong.

There are two categories of HRT- the type for peri menopause (including if you've regular periods but lots of peri symptoms, or irregular periods and symptoms) and post-meno (no period for 12 months.)

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

@AnotherMner not a doctor, no, just a group of women that I was with, who were all past menopause who said that was the case. Unfortunately I didn't "fact check", just assumed they were right, but I will now, and maybe that's what I need. It's definitely a depletion of something!