What is Serotonin?
Serotonin is responsible for many different functions in the human body, from emotional well-being to motor skills. It contributes to happiness and elevated mood.
Did you know that 90% of serotonin is not made in the brain, it’s actually made in the intestinal lining? This means that any digestive issues can contribute to an imbalance. An imbalance or deficiency can wreak havoc throughout the body and may even be connected to different neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s, MS, ALS, ADHD, autism, and most notably, anxiety and depression.
Unfortunately, there are no specific blood tests to determine levels stored in the body. The current test available only measures the amount of serotonin in the blood, which doesn’t do much good. So, let’s take a look at what causes a serotonin deficiency, the symptoms, and how we can boost the levels in our body.
To The Point - What Causes A Serotonin Deficiency?
- Digestive Issues
- Fluctuating Hormones
- Lack of Sunlight
- Poor Diet
- Chronic Stress and Anxiety
- Illicit drugs and some medications
Causes of Serotonin Deficiency
- Digestive issues can affect serotonin production being that 90% is produced in the gut.
- Fluctuating hormones caused by hormone replacement therapy, PMS, pregnancy, and old age can interfere with serotonin production, release, and distribution.
- Lack of Sunlight – Sunlight triggers the release of serotonin throughout the day, which helps boost our mood while keeping us calm and focused. Serotonin also triggers the release of melatonin at night, which helps us sleep. A lack of sunlight would interfere with this process.
- A poor diet can contribute to inflammation and digestive issues, which can interfere with the production and distribution of the happy chemicals. Someone who eats a lot of processed foods and sugars are at most risk. There’s a whole ecosystem in our gut that consists of good bacteria and bad bacteria. They can live in harmony together as long as the good bacteria dominates the relationship. Bad bacteria feeds on sugar, which enables them to multiply, leaving the good bacteria vulnerable for takeover. Inflammation causes blockages by interfering with the pathways that serotonin uses to get to the brain. Incorporating anti-inflammatory foods can help reverse the damage caused by inflammation. These foods would consist of fatty fish containing omega 3’s, dark leafy greens, ginger, turmeric, nuts, and seeds. Poultry, such as turkey, contains a serotonin boosting chemical called tryptophan.
- Chronic stress and anxiety shut off serotonin and dopamine production so that the body can maintain stress hormones to keep you prepared for “flight or fight.” The body doesn’t want to keep you calm and happy if there’s threat nearby. It wants to keep you alert and ready.
- Illicit drugs and some medications could drain your happy chemicals by continuously overusing them. Our body stores serotonin, so these reserves would have to be replenished in order to maintain a healthy supply.
To The Point - What Causes A Serotonin Deficiency
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Getting Lost in Nighttime Anxiety
- Loss of Motivation
- Memory Loss or Learning Issues
- Chronic Pain
- Constipation or IBS
- Overeating or Lack of Appetite
Serotonin Deficiency Symptoms
- Anxiety can contribute to low serotonin, while low serotonin can contribute to anxiety. Either way, the relationship is usually codependent, meaning that it’s a vicious cycle between the two.
- Depression can also get stuck in a perpetual codependent relationship with serotonin because low levels could lead to anxiety, as well as more depression.
- Fatigue – Someone can feel fatigued during the day but won’t be able to sleep at night if they have a serotonin deficiency. This can be extremely frustrating to someone who feels tired all day but can’t sleep at night. The reason for this is that serotonin is responsible for both wakefulness and sleep. It helps you stay alert and focused throughout the day but also triggers melatonin at night to help you sleep.
- Getting lost in nighttime anxiety – Have you ever found that your anxious or negative thinking is heightened during the night? The emotionally amygdala that’s responsible for the “flight or fight” response is highly active during REM sleep. Our serotonin levels also begin to plummet throughout the night, which can negatively affect those prone to anxiety or depression. This could be the reason for the elevated anxiety and excessive worry that occurs in the middle of the night. Try to remember this if you get lost in nighttime anxiety.
- Loss of motivation or interest in activities you previously enjoyed.
- Memory loss or learning issues can be a result of the lack of focus that comes along with a deficiency. Studies are finding a correlation between low serotonin levels and Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other neurodegenerative disorders. Those suffering from these diseases can possibly alleviate their symptoms by increasing their serotonin levels.
- Chronic pain can be an indication of low serotonin due to the effect it has on pain perception and muscle control. For this reason, those who suffer from fibromyalgia or migraines could benefit from increasing their levels.
- Constipation or IBS – Serotonin is responsible for intestinal contraction and mucus secretions, so abnormal gut function could indicate a deficiency.
- Overeating or lack of appetite are messages sent from the gut to the brain, which are both associated with abnormal gut function. Serotonin receptors in the intestines are responsible for sending information to the brain regarding satisfaction and fullness. A deficiency can cause mixed communications to the brain resulting in food cravings, especially for carbohydrates and sugars. This disconnect can also contribute to a lack of appetite that could possibly lead to eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia.
To The Point - How To Boost Serotonin
- Nutrition
- Exercise
- Positive Mood
- Bright Light
- Supplements – 5HTP, Tryptophan, Magnesium, B6
- Probiotics
- Yoga, Meditation, Massage, and Relaxing Music
How to Increase Serotonin
- Nutrition – Eating less sugars and processed foods, while eating more anti-inflammatory foods, such as salmon, leafy greens, nuts, and seeds.
- Exercise increases tryptophan in the brain, which is an amino acid responsible for serotonin production. Shoot for aerobic exercises that get your heart rate up.
- Positive Mood – Try to stay positive, laugh, watch comedies and try to avoid anything negative, such as the news or dark shows and movies.
- Bright light – Sunlight notifies your body that its daytime and triggers the production of serotonin to improve energy and focus.
- Supplements such as 5HTP, tryptophan, or combining magnesium and B6. Magnesium helps regulate serotonin, while B6 helps the body utilize it. Make sure that 5HTP doesn’t conflict with any medications you may be taking. (Do not take 5HTP if you are currently taking any medication for depression or anxiety. High levels can cause serotonin syndrome, which can be very dangerous. 5HTP also reduces the amount of dopamine in your body, so you may want to consider increasing your dopamine levels with l-tyrosine while on 5HTP. I do not recommend taking 5HTP on a regular basis. It should only be taken as needed. If you find that your anxiety is worsening with 5HTP, then you may have too much in your body.)
- Probiotics can help increase tryptophan which is a chemical that is converted to serotonin in the brain. They also help improve the digestive tract, which is where most of it is produced.
- Yoga, meditation, massage and relaxation music helps reduce the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, while increasing the production of the happy chemicals.
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