Serotonin deficiency

Serotonin is a hormone that also functions as a neurotransmitter. It is also known as the happiness hormone because it causes a Serotonin deficiency depression and anxiety. The increase in serotonin in the body of the person affected by medication or through diet usually leads to an improvement in mood.

What is Serotonin Deficiency?

Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine has an effect and occurs mainly in the nervous system, in the cardiovascular system and in the intestines. In the brain it is involved in the regulation of pain perception, sleep and appetite. It also plays a role in regulating body temperature, the formation of other hormones and migraines.

The best-known role of serotonin is to control mood. The release of serotonin has a calming effect and promotes serenity. Therefore, a serotonin deficiency has the opposite effect as depressive moods, anxiety and occasionally even aggression.

Serotonin antagonists such as LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) have a euphoric effect. In addition, serotonin is involved in the contraction, contraction, and relaxation, relaxation, of the smooth muscles of the blood vessels and thus has a function in the regulation of blood pressure.

causes

Serotonin is produced from the amino acid L-tryptophan in several steps. Serotonin can be ingested directly from food or produced from L-tryptophan. However, serotonin cannot get into the brain. It has to be made by the brain itself.

Serotonin is mainly found in walnuts, bananas, plums, tomatoes, kiwi and cocoa beans. Serotonin is mainly stored in the gastrointestinal tract. About 90 percent of the serotonin in the human body is stored in the enterochromaffin cells, specific cells in the epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract.

The other ten percent are stored by surrounding nerve cells in the intestine. The brain can produce serotonin because serotonin cannot be absorbed from the surrounding tissue through the blood-brain barrier. As soon as the epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract release the serotonin, it enters the blood and is absorbed by the blood platelets, the thrombocytes, and transported further in the body.

The causes of serotonin deficiency often lie in the diet. A deficiency in tryptophan is usually not the reason for a serotonin deficiency. However, factors that are involved in the synthesis of serotonin can be impaired in their function. This can happen if the person concerned suffers from constant stress, insulin resistance, cancer, chronic infections or a vitamin B6 deficiency.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

A serotonin deficiency mainly leads to a depressive mood. This manifests itself in an anxious demeanor on the part of the person concerned. It can be associated with dissatisfaction, stress and irritability, as well as depression. Less expressive symptoms are the influence of appetite, constant fatigue, an increased sensation of pain and a changed perception of temperature.

Serotonin plays a role in the gastrointestinal tract. Doctors suspect that the so-called irritable bowel syndrome is due to a disorder of serotonin. Irritable bowel syndrome is a disease without organic causes that can lead to constipation, severe flatulence, cramp-like pain in the abdomen and / or diarrhea.

Complications

In some cases, a serotonin deficiency can promote the development of irritable bowel syndrome. In addition, a lack of the messenger substance leads to tiredness, exhaustion and listlessness and can consequently reduce well-being. In the long run, a serotonin deficiency can also promote the development of mental illness. A deficiency first leads to depressive moods, which can eventually develop into pronounced depression.

Other complications include increased anxiety and increased pain perception. A lack of the messenger substance can also have an impact on various body processes and, in the worst case, unbalance the hormonal balance. Complications can also arise when treating serotonin deficiency. For example, the prescribed serotonin reuptake inhibitors can cause sexual dysfunction, but also gastrointestinal complaints, headaches, dry mouth and sleep disorders.

Sometimes, after taking the preparations, there are also visual problems, increased sweating and dizziness. Rare side effects: hand tremors and weight changes. Especially in patients with eating disorders, the use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors can lead to further problems with their daily diet. It is therefore advisable to discuss the medication with a doctor in advance.

When should you go to the doctor?

Serotonin deficiency should always be treated by a doctor. If left untreated, serious complications can arise that can make everyday life much more difficult for the person concerned. In order to prevent further symptoms, a doctor should be consulted at the first signs of a serotonin deficiency. The doctor should be consulted if the patient suffers from a severe psychological mood. This upset occurs for no particular reason and significantly reduces the quality of life. Furthermore, the patients suffer from severe depression or stress, these complaints occur for no particular reason.

In many cases, persistent flatulence, diarrhea or severe pain in the abdomen also indicate the lack of serotonin and should be examined by a doctor. Those affected appear slightly aggressive and are mostly dissatisfied with their lives.

If you suspect a serotonin deficiency, you can primarily see your doctor. Further treatment is then carried out by the respective specialist, whereby the disease can usually be treated well.

Treatment & Therapy

The serotonin deficiency can be determined by a blood test at the doctor. This test only determines the serotonin level in the body, but not in the brain. Because of this, this test is not considered very accurate. A stool test can also be performed. The concentration of serotonin in a healthy person is around 50 to 100 ng / g. A value below these numbers is known as serotonin deficiency and is treated by a doctor.

Diagnosis & course of disease

The serotonin deficiency can be treated by changing your diet. Simply taking serotonin cannot counteract a serotonin deficiency because serotonin does not get into the brain. When it comes to nutrition, attention should be paid to a diet rich in protein and high in tryptophan.

Foods high in tryptophan include peanuts, fish, cheese, and eggs. The doctor can also prescribe tryptophan supplements. For the treatment of depression, serotonin is not administered directly, but selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are given to the person concerned. These are inhibitors of the serotonin transporter.

There is an increased concentration of serotonin at the synaptic gap, the connection between the nerve cells, where the serotonin can work longer. To treat sleep disorders associated with a serotonin deficiency, tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan, both of which are the starting materials for serotonin production, are usually treated.

Or the patient subjects you to hormone therapy. The serotonin level can also be increased through physical activity. Despite a popular belief that eating chocolate makes you happy because of its serotonin content, this is not the case. In order to achieve happiness by consuming chocolate, a very large amount of chocolate would have to be consumed.

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prevention

To prevent serotonin deficiency, it is advisable to pay attention to your diet and to ensure sufficient rest and exercise. The diet should be healthy and include foods containing tryptophan. A balanced lifestyle is advisable, with sufficient rest periods, but also exercising regularly.

It is also important to have an intact social environment. These essential factors can counteract a serotonin deficiency and also ensure that it does not arise in the first place.

Aftercare

Appropriate medication can be prescribed by the attending physician in order to subsequently keep the serotonin level at a healthy level. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as citalopram, paroxetine or fluoxetine, for example, actively intervene in the metabolism of neurotransmitters by curbing the uptake of serotonins into the storage veins. This increases the amount of released serotonin and its effect as a messenger substance unfolds longer.

Medicines such as venlafaxine and duloxetine also inhibit the uptake of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. However, common side effects of these drugs are restlessness, headache, and nausea. In the case of severe mental illness, medical supervision by a specialist doctor is necessary in many cases. In order to compensate for the serotonin deficiency in a natural way, additional non-drug measures can be taken.

It is advisable to do sports and maintain a balanced diet. In the latter case, serotonin intake by consuming serotonin-containing foods is not sufficient, as the hormone is not carried directly from the blood to the brain. Instead, the body needs the essential amino acid L-tryptophan, which is present in all protein-containing foods, even if only slightly, as well as vitamins B3 and B6, magnesium and zinc. The body can synthesize its own serotonin from these substances.

You can do that yourself

The way in which the patient can take action against a serotonin deficiency varies depending on the cause. By consciously consuming the serotonin-forming amino acid tryptophan, symptoms can be alleviated. Wheat, peanuts, meat, fish, legumes and dairy products have a high proportion of tryptophan. The diet should also be as basic as possible and rich in B vitamins, especially B6.

An improvement in blood-brain absorption can be achieved by consuming tryptophan together with carbohydrates. This is because the subsequent surge of insulin transports the other amino acids waiting to be absorbed into the brain to the muscle tissue, so that the tryptophan can pass the barrier without competition.

Obese sufferers can make progress by losing weight. Large blood sugar fluctuations also have negative effects. Foods with a high simple sugar content (lemonade, fruit juices, sweets) should only be consumed in moderation. You should refrain from consuming alcohol and other drugs that affect the serotonin balance.

A reduction in everyday stress is also helpful, as this increases serotonin consumption. An often underestimated effect on the serotonin level also has the environment in which the person concerned moves. Creating a "comfortable environment" at home and at work can bring about improvement. A brightly colored, bright decoration can stimulate the body's serotonin production.