Is there such thing as a tryptophan overdose?

If there is... I think I have!

Thanksgiving was awesome. I traveled 6.5 hours to Rapid City (Ellsworth AFB), South Dakota on Tuesday night to spend five days with some of my military friends (Side note: We got out of the military two years ago, but our relationships with our friends live strong).

The family we went to visit actually helped us move into our first house in Denver area... Yes, they drove 6.5 hours to help us move boxes. THOSE are friends. Aren't you jealous?

Then again, when we moved into the current residence, they offered to come down and visit for a few days and help us move.

Yes, be jealous. Be very, VERY jealous.

We also have another friend who met us there... 14 in all came to the tryptophan party.

Two turkeys and one ham later... we were stuffed like the Thanksgiving Bird! Ha! Oh my goodness, I think I ate more food in that twenty four hours then I had eaten in the past three weeks combined. No kidding.

Even before the meal, we were sampling the freshly barbequed bird... once... then twice... we lost count after the tenth.

Seriously, what is it about the amino acid named tryptophan that makes us so tired... *yawn*

Do you know? Ahhh, but I do... now. Research, gotta love research. And unfortunately, I have to dispell the old wives tale now...

*snicker*

While there are high levels of tryptophan in turkey, it has been proven these amounts are not the cause of our post bird coma's. In fact, it's everything else... or rather the combination of everything else like carbs, alcohol, eggs, sugar, etc...

Basically it's a carb induced coma... with tryptophan as a side dish. If you ate a "normal" portion of all the foods, your body probably would not go into this vegitative state... but since Thanksgiving is for stuffing yourself...

But, can you overdose on tryptophan?

You can on overdose on synthetic tryptophan... they use it in some sleep aids. Seek medical attention is you overdose on that. Not something to mess with.

However, *giggle* after another google read... I have found out that you CAN indeed overdose on the tryptophan that is contained in turkey. So be careful with your turkey consumption people... remember stop at 5 WHOLE Turkeys for dinner... because the 6th one may do you in.

*Shaking her head* How does one figure that out??? 6 whole turkeys?!?! Really???

C8H10N4O2... can I have an IV... please

If you don't know what C8H10N4O2 is... Boy, are you missing out!

Don't want to google it? Okay, okay...

It's just a science geeks way of saying caffeine... Really!

That is the chemicle make up of caffeine. As any good writer knows, caffeine is one of the basic food groups. It's up there with protein, I am sure of it.

Can't live without it, for too long. Certainly can't write with out it.

Have you ever looked up C8H10N4O2 on Wikipedia? Whoa, it's quite frightening. I read it and felt like a bad girl. I don't trust Wiki sites for most things, but caffeine seems harmless enough to believe what is written on the page.

Which brings me to a question for the writer's of the world (well, at least the ones who read Ellipses)...

Where do you go to research?

Do you ask your peers? Head straight to google? Ask your kids (if you are writing a YA/Children's book)? Ask your significant other? Ask the aliens? Or maybe the voices in your head (some people claim it's their muse, but we know better... don't we)?

I do a variety of things when I research. I don't take anyone's answer as "honest truth" until it's confirmed by 3-5 others. Makes life complicated sometimes, because I just want to be accurate. There is nothing I hate more then reading a novel and getting to an area the author did NO research on.

I try to do my research and get it right so I don't annoy my readers. Though, I will be the first to admit I still probably have it wrong. Especially if my 3-5 people are misinformed.

It's important to do research though, even on things you may think are black and white. Sometimes, our circumstances in life change those hues and it's just not what we think anymore.

So my encouragement for today... Drink your caffeine... and do your research. Your audience will thank you for it... and your editor will kiss you.

Oh? No kisses? Maybe that's just my editor.