Serotonin 101: A Beginner’s Guide to the Essential Neurotransmitter

Feeling down?

Unfortunately, this isn’t uncommon for this time of year. While this may be advertised as the happiest time of the year, that’s far from the truth for many of us. Everything from the stress of the holidays, to family stress, end-of-the-year work stress, SAD (seasonal affective disorder), to loneliness can play a part.

The one factor I want to discuss that could be causing these feelings is low levels of serotonin. 

Serotonin is a chemical messenger found in the brain and throughout the body that plays a vital role in regulating mood, sleep, appetite, and a variety of other important functions.

But what exactly is the role of serotonin in mood and how you can boost your levels naturally.

Functions of serotonin

Serotonin, also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a monoamine neurotransmitter. It also acts as a hormone.

As a neurotransmitter, serotonin carries messages between nerve cells in your brain (your central nervous system) and throughout your body (your peripheral nervous system). It is these chemical messages that tell your body how to work. (1) So when your levels of serotonin are off, so are the messages.

Serotonin plays a key role in such body functions as mood and emotion, influencing social behavior sleep, appetite and digestion, nausea, wound healing, modulating pain perception, bone health, blood clotting and sexual desire.

I’ve mentioned previously that there is a large connection between the brain and the gut and when we are looking at serotonin we can see that connection very clearly. About 90% of serotonin is found in the cells lining your gastrointestinal tract. It’s released into your blood circulation and absorbed by platelets. Only about 10% is produced in your brain. (1)

What is a serotonin deficiency or imbalance?

There isn’t an easy answer to the serotonin deficiency question because scientists haven’t found a conclusive answer as to what the exact right balance is. It’s generally discussed in terms of the symptoms that result, rather than the exact levels that might bring it on. (2)

The one thing that is generally agreed upon is that serotonin deficiency has symptoms that are far reaching. Here are some of the most common:

Psychological symptoms

Serotonin deficiency is associated with many psychological symptoms. These may include:

• anxiety
• depressed mood
• aggression
• impulsive behavior
• insomnia
• dementia and cognitive decline

Low serotonin levels are also associated with:

• obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• panic disorder
• suicidal behavior
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• social anxiety disorder

Physical symptoms

Research has begun to show serotonin’s activity in increasing numbers of bodily processes, including: (3) 

• metabolism
• sleep
• blood clotting
• energy balance
• digestion
• body sugar balance
• cardiac function
• liver function
• immune system response
• pain production

It’s important to note that serotonin deficiency won’t showcase the exact same in everyone. As with most health-related issues, everyone has bioindividuality so there are many factors at play that can affect how you will respond to something like serotonin deficiency.

There is also the possibility of having too high a level of serotonin. This is called serotonin syndrome and is a serious drug reaction.

Serotonin syndrome can occur when you increase the dose of certain medications or start taking a new drug. Most often this is caused by combining medications that contain serotonin, such as a migraine medication and an antidepressant.

Signs and symptoms include:

• Agitation or restlessness
• Insomnia
• Confusion
• Rapid heart rate and high blood pressure
• Dilated pupils
• Loss of muscle coordination or twitching muscles
• High blood pressure
• Muscle rigidity
• Heavy sweating
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Shivering
• Goose bumps

If you suspect you might have serotonin syndrome after starting a new drug or increasing the dose of a drug you’re already taking, call your health care provider right away or go to the emergency room. (4) 

How can I increase serotonin levels?

Ways to increase serotonin levels include:

• Eating more tryptophan-containing foods – this includes foods such as Salmon, Eggs, Cheese, Turkey, Pineapples, Nuts, Oats and Seeds
• Getting more sunlight – not getting enough sunlight can lead to SAD so try to get at least 10 – 15 minutes of morning sunlight each day. You can also supplement with Vitamin D3.
• Taking certain supplements – Tryptophan, probiotics and SAMe are great to start with. Make sure to check out my list of top supplements for depression. Many of these can help with serotonin levels.
• Getting more exercise and lowering your stress level.

Conclusion

Serotonin has a hugely important role in helping to regulate many different processes within our body. When the levels of serotonin in our body drop, we start seeing it through symptoms in our mental health and our physical health. If you’ve noticed any of the symptoms listed above, try some of the tips for increasing your serotonin levels to see if it makes a difference for you. If you are struggling with more severe feelings of depression, please reach out to someone for help. Either a close friend or family or call 988 to speak to someone. 

Sending love and virtual hugs!

Sources:

1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22572-serotonin#:~:text=Serotonin%20plays%20several%20roles%20in,mania%20and%20other%20health%20conditions.
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/serotonin-deficiency#what-is-serotonin-deficiency
3. https://academic.oup.com/edrv/article/40/4/1092/5406261
4. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/serotonin-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20354758