Let's learn everything about serotonin, which affects your mood.

Some days we feel incredibly happy, but other days we feel very sad and angry even for the smallest things. Have you ever wondered why this happens? One of the main characters behind the coming and going of these feelings is the chemical messenger in our brain called 'Serotonin'. So, today we'll talk about what this serotonin is, how important it is to our lives, and what happens when it becomes too low.

What exactly is Serotonin?

Simply put, serotonin is a chemical that carries messages between nerve cells in our brain. We call this a neurotransmitter. Imagine that our brain is a big city. This serotonin works like a 'postman' who carries messages from one place to another in this city.

But the amazing thing is, although serotonin is mostly produced in the brain, about 90% of the total serotonin in our body is found in our digestive system (intestines) and blood platelets.

What are the benefits of serotonin for our body?

Serotonin is involved in an incredible number of functions in our bodies. Serotonin directly or indirectly affects most of the 40 million cells in our brain.

Mainly, serotonin affects our:

• Mood: Serotonin helps keep us happy and calm. That's why some call it the 'happy hormone.'
• Sleep: Serotonin helps maintain the body clock that controls our sleep and wakefulness.
• Appetite: This is related to things like feeling hungry and feeling full after eating.
• Sexual desire and function: Serotonin also has an effect on sexual feelings.
• Memory and learning: This is important for remembering things and learning new things.

In addition, serotonin also affects the function of our heart, muscles, and other hormonal systems in the body. Researchers have found that a malfunction in the serotonin network may affect milk production in breastfeeding mothers and a condition called sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

The relationship between serotonin and depression

Many people have heard that depression occurs when serotonin levels drop. There is some truth to this, but the story is a little more complicated than that.

Researchers believe that an imbalance in serotonin levels in the brain can lead to depression, anxiety, panic attacks, intense anger, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. There are several things that can cause this imbalance:

• Brain cells do not produce enough serotonin .
• Decreased receptor sites that can capture the serotonin produced.
• Serotonin cannot properly reach these receptors .
• Deficiency of tryptophan, the basic ingredient needed to make serotonin.

Some antidepressants, such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. While these medications have been shown to reduce symptoms, it is not entirely clear how they work. Therefore, never use these medications without your doctor's advice.

Can diet and exercise change serotonin levels?

The effect of food and drink

Just as eating calcium-rich foods directly increases blood calcium levels, there is no food that directly increases serotonin. However, there are foods that can increase the amino acid tryptophan, which is an ingredient needed to make serotonin.

Protein-rich foods like meat, fish, chicken, milk, cheese, and nuts are high in tryptophan. But surprisingly, after you eat a protein-rich meal, your blood levels of tryptophan and serotonin drop. Why is that? The reason is that when you eat protein, many other amino acids compete with tryptophan to enter the brain. It's like heavy traffic on the road. So there's less room for tryptophan to get into the brain.

However, if you eat a carbohydrate-rich meal like rice, bread, or potatoes, your body produces insulin. This insulin pulls all those other competing amino acids into your body, but it clears the way for tryptophan to enter your brain. This increases serotonin levels in your brain.

Also, eating foods rich in vitamin B6 helps speed up the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin.

The effect of exercise

Exercise is one of the best things you can do to boost your mood. Some studies have shown that regular exercise is as effective a treatment as medication or psychotherapy for depression. New research has found that even 40 minutes of exercise can have an immediate impact on mood. However, it's not yet clear how exercise does this. Some believe it affects serotonin levels.

Does serotonin affect women and men the same way?

Studies have shown that men have slightly more serotonin in their bodies than women. But the biggest difference is in how they respond when serotonin levels drop.

When serotonin levels are reduced, men become impulsive , but they don't feel as depressed. But women's moods suddenly drop, and they become more cautious and cautious . This is a feeling associated with depression. This may be why anxiety and mood problems are more common among women, and alcohol addiction, ADHD, and impulse control problems are more common among men.

Also, due to the influence of female hormones, serotonin activity can change before menstruation, after childbirth, and during menopause. This is why mood swings are seen during these times.

Dangerous condition: What is serotonin syndrome?

Antidepressants like SSRIs are generally safe. However, a rare but very dangerous side effect is serotonin syndrome. This occurs when serotonin levels in the brain become too high.

This often happens when two or more medications that affect serotonin are taken at the same time. For example, if you take an SSRI for depression and a triptan for migraines, you can experience serotonin overload. There is also a risk of this happening with herbal products like St. John's Wort and SSRIs. It can also happen with drugs like Ecstasy and LSD.

Symptoms can appear within minutes to hours of starting a medication or increasing the dose. They include:

• Restlessness, agitation
• Seeing things that are not visible (Hallucinations)
• Heart palpitations
• Increased body temperature and excessive sweating
• Loss of body balance
• Muscle twitching, stiffness
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Sudden rise and fall in blood pressure

Serotonin, Depression, Brain Chemical, Neurotransmitter, Mental Health, Mood, Serotonin Syndrome