Relaxocell – L-tryptophan, griffonia, B6 and magnesium, 120 capsules

In this product, health claims are authorised only for vitamin B6 and magnesium. A daily dose provides 1,071 % of the reference intake for vitamin B6 and 29 % for magnesium.

• Vitamin B6 contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
• Vitamin B6 contributes to normal psychological function.
• Vitamin B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
• Magnesium contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
• Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function.
• Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

There are no authorised claims for L-tryptophan and griffonia extract, including none about relaxation, mood or sleep.

L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid taken in with protein-rich foods. Most of it is broken down in the body via the kynurenine pathway; a small part is converted via the intermediate 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) into serotonin and further into melatonin.

The seeds of the African black bean (Griffonia simplicifolia) contain 5-HTP. How much 5-HTP the 50 mg of griffonia extract in this product provides is not stated on the label. In the form of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, vitamin B6 is a cofactor of the enzyme that converts 5-HTP into serotonin.

No, not without speaking to a doctor. The label says: not suitable when taking antidepressants. L-tryptophan and 5-HTP are precursors of serotonin. Together with medicines that raise serotonin levels, such as SSRIs, SNRIs, MAO inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, triptans for migraine, tramadol or St John's wort, an excessive serotonin effect can occur.

If you take any of these, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before use.

In 2023, EFSA lowered the tolerable upper intake level for vitamin B6 in adults to 12 mg per day from all sources. Since 2024, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has proposed a maximum of 0.9 mg per day for food supplements. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends 1.4 mg (women) to 1.6 mg (men) per day for adults.

A daily dose of this product contains 15 mg vitamin B6 and is therefore above the EFSA upper level and well above the BfR proposal. Too much vitamin B6 over a longer period can cause nerve damage with tingling or numbness in the hands and feet; such cases have also been reported at lower doses (PubMed 39888171). Do not combine it with other products containing B6, and discuss taking it with the ORY expert team or with your doctor or naturopath.

According to the label, the product is not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children and adolescents, or when taking antidepressants. In addition, your ability to drive may be impaired after taking it.

A safety review of 5-HTP found no confirmed cases of toxicity over decades of use (PubMed 15068828), but large long-term studies are lacking. Magnesium can reduce the absorption of some medicines, for example certain antibiotics or thyroid hormones. If you take medicines or have a known medical condition, talk with the ORY expert team or with your doctor or naturopath first.

The label does not specify a time of day, only the amount: 2 capsules daily with plenty of fluid. Because your ability to drive may be impaired after taking it, you should not take the capsules before driving or operating machinery until you know how you react.

A pack of 120 capsules lasts 60 days at 2 capsules a day.

No sleep claim is authorised for foods. A meta-analysis found indications that tryptophan can shorten wake time after falling asleep; other sleep measures did not change. The effect was clearer at amounts of 1 g per day or more (PubMed 33942088). This product contains 50 mg L-tryptophan per daily dose, only a fraction of that.

Persistent trouble falling or staying asleep has many possible causes. If it bothers you for weeks, your GP practice is a good first place to go.

Yes, via metabolites in urine or blood. ORY's tryptophan metabolism test measures, among other things, breakdown products of the kynurenine pathway, serotonin and markers for vitamin B6 in urine. Prevent 360 also includes tryptophan and tryptophan-kynurenine metabolism. The values show metabolism in the body, not in the brain.

A lab report on its own is not a recommendation. Whether you supplement, and how much, is something you decide with the ORY expert team or with your doctor or naturopath.

A daily dose of 2 capsules contains 15 mg vitamin B6 as pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (1,071 % of the reference intake), 110 mg magnesium from magnesium citrate (29 %), 50 mg griffonia extract (Griffonia simplicifolia) and 50 mg L-tryptophan. The capsule shell is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.

The pack contains 120 capsules (net weight 58 g). The unit price is €68.10 per 100 g.