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Originally Posted by Erin524
I'm not on an interferon. But I have insomnia that's really horrible. I'm trying to not blame this on the MS, because I dont like having everything blamed on the MS, sometimes there are other reasons.
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You may not want to blame the MS for the insomnia but my main point was that MS IS probably the main culprit. Pro-inflammatory cytokines like Gamma Interferon and TNFa which are elavated in MS cause lots of damage to lots of things.
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It turns out that pro-inflammatory cytokines cause tryptophan to degrade in the blood. This occurs because these pro-inflammatory cytokines activate specific enzymes that deplete tryptophan in the bloodstream.
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I only mentioned the Interferon Beta contribution because the referenced link included that comment and IFN-Beta users may suffer more from insomnia and depression.
The relation to MS depression should also be noted. Insomnia, depression and fatigue are an awsome burden for us MS folks. It appears that treating the insomnia will also help treat the depression problem.
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The result of diminished blood levels of tryptophan is serotonin deficiency in the brain (and the onset of depression).
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I have purchased some L-Tryptophan and intend research the proper dosage and give it a try.
jackD