Home » Articles » Increasing serotonin - the “hormone of happiness”
The question “how to increase the level of serotonin in the body” arises because serotonin is constantly used to maintain positive emotions and curb negative ones. With the modern rhythm of life, many are faced with problems arising from the depletion of reserves of this “happiness hormone”.
In the article we will understand what serotonin is, how you can increase its concentration in natural ways, the effectiveness of using natural and not so natural antidepressants.
Why does serotonin deficiency occur?
A lack of positive and an excess of negative emotions in everyday life gradually depletes the reserves of the “happiness hormone,” increasing the chances of developing depression, which is popular in our time.
The reality is that sleep disturbances, increased levels of fatigue, general weakness and apathy are becoming more common. Especially in the autumn-winter time there comes a golden period, when we get up - it’s dark, when we come home from work - it’s dark. It seems like there is a day, but it is very short and fleeting. It is not enough to somehow dispel the gloomy mood. Add to this the constant stress of modern life and low levels of physical activity.
Naturally increasing serotonin levels without anti-depression pills will help us:
- Proper organization of work and rest schedules;
- Adequate and regular physical activity;
- Good indoor lighting, especially in the morning;
- Regular sunbathing without fanaticism;
- Meditation, doing what you love (stomping on cookies in front of the TV is not on this list);
- Complete nutrition. We pay attention to products containing B vitamins, omega-3, lecithin, tryptophan;
- Eliminating alcohol from the diet
The list goes on and on.
Give yourself a reason to be in a good mood.
Medicines
Serotonin deficiency over a long period of time leads to depression and other psycho-emotional disorders. Such conditions should not be ignored. If various health practices and natural methods do not produce positive results, you should seek medical help.
Modern pharmacology has a significant arsenal of tools to combat depressive conditions. Prescribing medications helps normalize the physiological process associated with the work of the three most important neurotransmitters. One of them is serotonin.
When the powerful release of endorphin is not enough for the body to cope with depression, antidepressants are prescribed. They are prescribed only by a doctor and taken in strict accordance with the recommended regimen. These substances help normalize the release of neurotransmitters into the blood, which are blocked in the brain during depression.
The advantage of these medications is that they are not addictive and have virtually no side effects. Since the 50s of the last century, when antidepressants were synthesized by pharmacologists, they almost replaced tranquilizers, which were also used in the treatment of depression and other neurotic disorders.
Folk remedies
Self-expression of a person in various forms of art has a good effect on the synthesis of this substance. A powerful, ideal natural stimulator of the production of the happiness hormone is high-quality dark chocolate.
It is believed that coffee, caffeinated drinks, and tea can be considered natural antidepressants. But the fact that caffeine reduces serotonin levels and impairs appetite is confirmed by science. To reduce the negative impact of the drink on the body, it is better to drink coffee and caffeine-containing drinks after meals. Regarding tea and its effect on the synthesis of the hormone of happiness, science has not yet made a final conclusion.
Alcohol not only greatly suppresses the synthesis of an important neurotransmitter, but also blocks the physiological functions of a hormone already present in the body. Withdrawal syndrome gradually develops, which can only be resisted with the help of another portion of alcohol. Over time, this leads to alcohol dependence and even more severe symptoms of depression.
Before increasing serotonin, let's figure out what it is
If we suffer from literalism, we need serotonin not as a “hormone”, but as a neurotransmitter. That is, a substance that is located in the nervous tissue and ensures the transmission of nerve impulses. This neurotransmitter will help us overcome states of apathy and despondency.
Serotonin, which we find in the blood and other tissues, performs its own functions. Therefore, an analysis of its content in the blood is done to diagnose cancer of internal organs, blood diseases and other pathologies. This test does not provide any information about the levels of serotonin in the brain and nerve tissue, so it is not used to diagnose depression.
Serotonin is not so valuable for the production of positive emotions as for lowering the threshold of susceptibility to negative ones. What would normally cause irritation and rage, with a sufficient level of serotonin in the nervous tissue will be perceived much calmer. This will increase our chances of stopping in time and not bringing our opinion, table, chair and torn out closet down on our interlocutor’s head.
Among the properties we highlight the main ones:
- reduces aggression, fear, depression
- stimulates sleep,
- reduces overall pain,
- increases the accuracy of signal transmission in the brain,
- enhances concentration,
- promotes learning.
If there is a lack of the “happiness hormone,” depression, severe forms of migraine, and obsessive disorders may develop. When taking several antidepressants together that increase serotonin levels, serotonin syndrome may develop.
That is, our task is to ensure the safe maintenance of the required level in the nervous tissue in order to ensure an adequate inhibitory pathway for our emotions.
Meditation and yoga
Meditation is a special psychological practice that is aimed at focusing consciousness on the internal state and letting go of negative thoughts. Its goal is to improve the health of the body through psychological adjustment to a positive perception of oneself and the world around. This practice requires learning, but it is worth it to maintain the health of the body.
A person needs to learn to cope with stressful situations, as they significantly reduce serotonin levels. Therefore, if life problems arise, it is recommended to do meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, and attend several massage sessions. These are natural ways to overcome stress.
These 2 supposedly free things that anyone can do at home are simply littered with various randomized studies. There is a huge amount of positive data for repairing a variety of brain systems, even not only for repair, but also for improvements from the norm (13). As you already understand, serotonin is tied to mood, and these 2 practices improve it, even if you are depressed (14, 15). There will be a separate issue on meditation, strictly based on science, with numbers, with specifics, without shamanism and otherworldly practices!
The density and number of 5ht-1a and 2a can be increased with some amount of stress. There are studies that say that after treatment with glucocorticoids (16) and after exercise (17), these receptors increase. So, if you, objectively, eat vegetables every day, everything is calm and sad, then try to give your body a little shake-up. In reasonable quantities, but regularly. This will not harm serotonin itself, but its efficiency will increase.
Ways to Increase Serotonin Levels
How can you influence the concentration of serotonin in nervous tissue:
1. prevent the destruction of existing serotonin; 2. prevent reverse suction; 3. give the body materials for the synthesis of serotonin if necessary.
For the first two points, there is a huge selection of drugs (Paxil, Paroxiten, Isocarboxazid, Iproniazid, Tranylcypromine, Nialamid, Phenelzine, Befol, Moclobemide, Metralindole, Pyrazidol, Selegiline, Prozac, etc.). The only thing more diverse than this choice is the list of side effects from them. Particularly famous is the representative of serotonin reuptake inhibitors - fluoxetine (Prozac). Such antidepressants should only be prescribed by a doctor.
We will stop our choice of a drug to improve mood at the last point. When we give the body building materials for the production of serotonin.
The precursors are tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). The “happiness hormone” is formed from 5-hydroxytryptophan, which in turn is formed from tryptophan.
Increased serotonin in a child
A lack of the happiness hormone leads to the development of prolonged depression. But an excess can trigger symptoms of autism. Children are more likely to suffer from this disease. And its diagnosis occurs at the age of 3-5 years.
With autism, a child adapts less well to society. His development is very different from his peers. And the main distinguishing feature is the presence of poor communication skills.
Children with high levels of serotonin experience frequent epileptic seizures and gastrointestinal problems.
Treatment consists of undergoing long-term therapy and regular monitoring of general condition.
Does L-tryptophan increase serotonin production?
L-tryptophan is an amino acid that is part of the proteins of living organisms. The effects of L-tryptophan are determined by the fact that it is a precursor of serotonin and niacin (vitamin B3).
Tryptophan content in food:
From the sign it is easy to conclude that there is nothing better to lift your spirits than to eat red caviar and have a bite of black...
There are quite a few foods that contain tryptophan in sufficient quantities. How much tryptophan is needed to increase the level of serotonin in nervous tissue? A lot of.
The body has at least 3 pathways for converting tryptophan. 95% of incoming tryptophan is spent on the formation of nicotinic acid or vitamin PP, which, in principle, is also very good.
Normally, about 1% of incoming tryptophan is converted into serotonin. That is, tryptophan enters the body, part of it is converted into 5-hydroxytryptophan, and some amount of 5-hydroxytryptophan must manage to get into the nervous tissue.
5-HTP can be intercepted by other tissues along the way, it can go to other needs of the body, it can turn into serotonin in the liver - such serotonin can no longer enter the nervous tissue, since it does not pass the barrier that protects the central nervous system.
Therefore, if someone suddenly comes up with the bright idea of injecting serotonin directly into the body (why bother with intermediaries), hoping to greet the next cloudy morning with the radiant smile of a complete optimist, then he will be disappointed. Such a hormone of happiness will “make” anything, but not the brain.
To close the deficiency of the neurotransmitter serotonin with tryptophan and somehow improve your mood and relieve symptoms of depression, the intake of tryptophan should be measured in grams.
The reputation of drugs with tryptophan was successfully tarnished by one Japanese company back in 1980, when a large number of cases of eosinophilia-myalgia appeared. About 60 foreign impurities were found in the drug, which could have caused the disease. It was not possible to reliably prove or disprove this, so a suspicious attitude towards L-tryptophan continues to this day.
However, in pharmacies and stores you can easily buy tryptophan in dosages of 200, 500 or 1000 mg at a very affordable price. Often, preparations optimistically contain vitamin B6, since it is necessary for the conversion of 5-hydroxytryptophan into serotonin.
Low or high hormone concentration
A lack of serotonin in the body causes the following symptoms:
- Depression;
- Depression, which can become chronic;
- Emotional instability;
- Absent-mindedness;
- Impaired memory and attention;
- Increased sensitivity;
- Craving for sweets;
- Sleep disturbance;
- Increased fatigue.
With a deficiency of serotonin, a person may experience panic attacks, causeless anxiety, the person becomes irritable and sometimes inadequate.
The reasons for its decrease may be:
- Poor nutrition;
- Circulatory disorder;
- Sleep disturbance;
- Lack of certain minerals and vitamins in the body;
- Lack of sunlight;
- Stress over a long period of time;
- Poisoning of the body.
It happens that an excess of this hormone can be observed in the human body, which leads to a disorder in its activity. The reasons for this phenomenon may be:
- Cancer metastases;
- Intestinal obstruction in acute form;
- Myocardial infarction;
- Thyroid cancer;
- Cystic fibrosis.
An increase in hormone levels can provoke negative consequences in the form of serotonin syndrome, which accompanies hallucinations and even the development of schizophrenia.
1. Eat foods rich in tryptophan
Tryptophan is an amino acid that is used by the brain to produce serotonin. If you increase your intake of foods rich in tryptophan, you will be on your way to a happier life.
Include lean meat, eggs, and dairy products in your diet. If you follow a vegetarian lifestyle, be sure to eat nuts and seeds, they are also rich in this amino acid.
2. Get a massage
You may already know how a massage improves your mood. This is not just a relief of muscle tension. Studies have shown how body chemistry changes after a massage session. Serotonin levels peak due to a 30% reduction in cortisol, a stress hormone that blocks serotonin production.
If a person has impaired psycho-emotional reactions for a long time, this may be due to a decrease in the amount of serotonin in the body. Outwardly this manifests itself as follows:
- constant bad mood, depression, gloominess and, as a result, the onset of depression;
- irresistible subconscious craving for sweets;
- insomnia;
- diffidence;
- false fears, inexplicable anxiety, panic attacks.
These negative manifestations from the nervous system entail physiological disorders:
- spontaneous muscle pain;
- cramps and pain in the lower jaw;
- frequent migraines (localized severe pain in only one part of the head);
- causeless intestinal disorders;
- obesity.
If any of the signs of a physiological nature appear against the background of symptoms of depression, you should consult a doctor. These pathologies can develop into serious chronic diseases.
A person synthesizes the hormone on his own, so with the help of some simple methods, you can increase the production of serotonin in the body.
5-Hydroxytryptophan as a serotonin synthesis stimulator
The second source option for the formation of the necessary “good mood hormone” is supplements with 5-hydroxytryptophan. One step closer to the desired neurotransmitter, an order of magnitude less loss of raw materials in chemical reactions. Accordingly, the required daily dosage will be several times less.
One of the obvious advantages is that 5-hydroxytryptophan can painlessly penetrate into the nervous tissue, unlike L-tryptophan.
At high dosages of the drug, diarrhea and vomiting may occur, which may be due to the rapid formation of serotonin in the upper intestines. Which is also a regulator of the gastrointestinal tract.
You should not combine 5-hydroxytryptophan with drugs that interfere with the destruction or reuptake of serotonin, due to the risk of serotonin syndrome. In this case, we simultaneously stimulate the formation of a new substance and at the same time prevent the natural disposal of the spent neurotransmitter. Before taking multiple medications at once, be sure to consult your doctor!
From different companies you can find offers containing 5-hydroxytryptophan from 50 to 200 mg. It makes sense to choose products with vitamin B6 included.
Causes
One of the main reasons is considered to be excessive dosage of antidepressants. People who take such drugs for a long time experience a deterioration in the production of the hormone. Therefore, this process often becomes uncontrollable.
An increase in serotonin levels can also be observed when changing one drug to another without consulting a doctor.
An excess of the happiness hormone often occurs in drug addicts. In order to achieve a feeling of euphoria, they resort to taking psychotropic substances.
High levels of serotonin are observed in those taking medications for weight loss. This group of medications has a bad effect on the functioning of the nervous system.
What other options to increase serotonin levels?
Get a good mood and clarity of thinking without risking your health. That is, stabilize the nervous system, and do not overeat 5-hydroxytryptophan.
The task can be completely overcome by adding synergists. That is, add substances that will enhance and complement the effect of 5-hydroxytryptophan on the nervous system.
There is a wide range of herbal preparations and microelements that have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. Among the plants, the most famous and popular representatives are valerian root, hops, and ginger. Magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins will also help curb the nervous system.
5-HTP Power NSP is a complex product that contains 35 mg of 5-hydroxytryptophan. At the same time, vitamin B6, zinc, suma plant, and eleutherococcus are added to the capsule.
The combined action of the elements provides an antidepressant effect, relieves nervous tension, eliminates anxiety and ensures deep sleep. And all this without the unnecessary risks of getting an overdose of 5-hydroxytryptophan.
We recommend reading: 5 signs of magnesium deficiency in the body Choosing a magnesium supplement for yourself How to increase the tone of the body? Natural energy products
Symptoms of serotonin deficiency
Serotonin is produced in the body and this has a beneficial effect on the secretion of pituitary hormones. A lack of serotonin in the human body contributes to the development of the following symptoms:
- depression;
- vulnerability to stress;
- a state of constant dejection;
- general deterioration of health;
- decreased immunity;
- chronic insomnia and disturbance of night rest;
- enuresis and diathesis appear;
- schizophrenia and other mental abnormalities;
- headache;
- toxicosis worsens in pregnant women;
- appetite increases or is lost altogether;
- addiction to alcoholic beverages appears;
- memory deteriorates sharply.
Also, serotonin deficiency in the body provokes:
- bad mood for a fairly long period of time;
- apathy, for no apparent reason;
- prostration;
- loss of all interest in activities that previously brought pleasure;
- thoughts about death;
- addiction to smoking and drug use;
- absent-mindedness;
- too rapid loss of performance;
- spontaneous occurrence of muscle pain;
- prolonged migraine attacks;
- dysfunction in the intestines;
- the appearance of the first symptoms of obesity;
- self-flagellation, panic, fear, impulsiveness, strong aggression.
Serotonin syndrome
For reference. This condition is also called serotonin toxicity. It occurs rarely, due to an overdose of serotonin preparations or drugs that can stimulate serotonergic transmission. Overdose symptoms develop within 6-20 hours after taking the medication.
Patients with serotonin syndrome develop:
- severe anxiety,
- manic states,
- profuse sweating,
- vomit,
- diarrhea,
- hyperreflexia,
- tremor,
- convulsions,
- hallucinations,
- fainting states,
- coma.
Treatment of the patient is symptomatic and is aimed at combating hypotension, convulsive syndrome, electrolyte imbalance, dehydration, disorders of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, etc.
Attention. Patients with serotonin intoxication are subject to immediate hospitalization in the intensive care unit. In the absence of timely assistance, death is possible.
