<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> I got a laugh out of most of the responses because so many has similar experiences. They had noticed that they had been more sleepy than usual since Thanksgiving, but hadn't connected it with eating turkey leftovers until I posted. Quite a few people said that the amino acid tryptophan, which is in abundance in turkey, is responsible for this phenomenon. For most people, the extra sleepiness is just an annoyance, but for a couple people it's actually a very unpleasant experience. One person who's response I wanted to include, but lost (bummer!) said that her son had been complaiining about being sleepy at school since Turkey Day. Eureka! It was the turkey sandwiches she have been putting in his lunches! I'll quote just of the most representative responses below. Valerie in Tacoma --------- Guess what! I had turkey soup . . . and had to take a nap. Too funny. Mary in Ohio ------------ . . . rest assured (no pun intended) that I get the same reaction. whether it's afternoon or at night, turkey knocks me out. mentally and physically sluggish. it's supposed to be an antidepressant but with me, it actuallys MAKES me depressed. i think i may have some food sensitivites to it as well. if i feel a migraine coming on, the turkey will trip it off. STeve -------------- ROFLMAO, I couldn't work out why I was so tired this afternoon. I actually took a nap, something I never do. A friend brought some turkey over and I couldn't refuse it so I ate some for lunch (can't stand the stuff). Now I have a reason not to eat it other than not liking the taste Shez ------------ YES! I am so sleepy! Even two days after eating my last bowl [of turkey soup], I am barely able to negotiate, here! I never even thought of the extra tryptophan in my diet. I have actually been sleeping 10 and 12 hours a night. And when I wake, I am so sleepy and spaced out I have been having a hard time just getting thru the days since Thanksgiving. I had turkey every day till this past Tuesday. I wonder if that could be the cause!?! I would have never linked the two--thanks, for bringing this up. I have a problem with chronic fatigue and any time I have problems with more fatigue or sleepiness, I start to get depressed and upset that I am having a relapse. I feel so much better just thinking that this might be a side-effect of that **** bird! lol I figured out why the tryptophan was throwing me for such a loop--I have a problem with hyperactive serotonin! I knew that, I just forgot that turkey had so much tryptophan and trypt=serotonin. DUH! Anything that adds to the serotonin is a definite no-no for me. I actually take really expensive pills (Enada NADH) to help with too high serotonin in my urine (which is implicated in my fatigue). . . . No more turkey and soup for me! lol Don't know WHAT I was thinking when I bought the bird. Anyway, thanks for reminding me why I was so tired. Mia ------------- . . . years ago I attended a very good training on mental health and food, and they mentioned it was a myth that turkey meat can make you sleepy. Turkey does contain tryptophan (sp?) which is a mild sedative, but protein interferes with the body's processing of tryptophan....as the meat is protein, the tryptophan it contains cannot be processed, ergo cannot make you sleepy...... However, this makes me wonder if by making the broth for the soup, you got the tryptopahn without the protein, and therefore it works and makes you sleepy? Lynn *Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*