Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter in the brain that regulates mood, happiness, and feelings of well-being. When serotonin levels drop, it can lead to depression, anxiety, irritability, and other issues. The good news is that there are many ways to naturally boost your serotonin levels back to a healthy range.
What is serotonin and what does it do?
Serotonin is a chemical messenger in the brain that plays a key role in regulating our mood. It is thought to promote feelings of happiness, self-confidence, emotional stability, and even appetite and sleep. Serotonin helps balance our emotions and enables brain cells and other nervous system cells to communicate with each other.
Some of serotonin’s key functions include:
- Regulating mood – Serotonin influences our emotions, state of mind, happiness, and sense of well-being.
- Controlling appetite – Serotonin activates appetite control centers in the brain which influences hunger and satiety.
- Improving sleep quality – Serotonin released in the brain helps regulate normal sleep-wake cycles and health sleep.
- Cognitive function – Serotonin impacts learning, memory, and overall cognitive function.
- Digestion – Serotonin produced in the digestive tract helps regulate intestinal movements.
Having optimal levels of serotonin contributes to emotional and physical health. When serotonin activity in the brain is low, it can have a wide range of negative effects on mood, behavior, and health.
What causes low serotonin?
There are several potential causes of low serotonin levels:
- Genetics – Research shows that genetics play a role in determining how much serotonin your body naturally produces. Gene variants that impact serotonin transporters and receptors can contribute to low levels.
- Poor diet – Eating a diet low in tryptophan (an amino acid needed to produce serotonin) may result in insufficient serotonin. Diets high in unhealthy fats and sugars can also negatively impact serotonin.
- Insufficient sunlight – Exposure to sunlight helps the brain synthesize serotonin from tryptophan. Lack of sunlight can disrupt this process, reducing serotonin.
- Medications – Certain medications like antidepressants (SSRIs) and pain medication can influence serotonin levels and transmission.
- Drug/alcohol abuse – Chronic abuse of alcohol and recreational drugs can significantly decrease serotonin production and activity.
- Medical conditions – Conditions like depression, anxiety, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease are associated with lower serotonin.
- High stress levels – Chronic stress negatively impacts serotonin activity in the brain, lowering levels.
- Poor gut health – Since about 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut, imbalances in gut bacteria can affect serotonin levels.
If low serotonin persists for long periods, it may result in mood disorders like depression as well as impact appetite, sleep, cognition, and digestion. The good news is there are many natural ways to boost your serotonin back to healthy levels.
Signs and symptoms of low serotonin
Some common signs and symptoms that can indicate low serotonin include:
- Depression, sadness, frequent crying
- Anxiety, irritability, agitation
- Low self-esteem, lack of motivation
- Insomnia or frequent waking during sleep
- Fatigue, low energy levels
- Loss of pleasure and interest in activities
- Craving carbohydrates and sweets
- Poor appetite control, impulsive eating
- Digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea
- Poor focus and difficulty concentrating
Keep in mind that many factors influence serotonin levels and mood. But if you regularly experience some of these symptoms, there’s a good chance increasing serotonin may help improve your mental health and wellbeing.
Can you increase serotonin levels naturally?
Yes, there are many effective ways to naturally boost serotonin levels back to an optimal range, including:
Increase tryptophan intake
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid required by the body to produce serotonin. Consuming tryptophan-rich foods can help provide your brain with the raw materials it needs for serotonin synthesis. Foods high in tryptophan include:
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Meat (turkey, chicken, pork)
- Seafood (oysters, shrimp, salmon)
- Nuts and seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower)
- Tofu
- Beans and legumes
- Fruits like bananas, pineapple, plums
Aim for a couple servings of these tryptophan-rich foods per day. You can also consider supplementing with L-tryptophan but recommended staying below 3 grams per day.
Get enough vitamin D
Emerging research indicates vitamin D plays an important role in serotonin synthesis and dysregulation of the vitamin D system may contribute to low serotonin. Make sure to get sufficient vitamin D from sunlight, fortified foods, and quality supplements containing between 2000-5000 IU per day.
Reduce inflammation
Chronic inflammation in the body can reduce serotonin production and transmission. Following an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle can help stabilize serotonin function. Strategies include eating more omega-3s, antioxidants, fiber, and probiotics while limiting sugar, refined carbs, and unhealthy fats.
Improve gut health
Since over 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut, optimizing your gut microbiome plays a key role in serotonin levels. Take a quality probiotic supplement, eat probiotic foods like yogurt, kimchi, and kombucha, and avoid gut irritants like processed foods in order to maximize healthy gut flora.
Increase magnesium intake
The mineral magnesium is needed as a cofactor in the biochemical conversion of tryptophan to serotonin. Insufficient magnesium intake is linked with lower serotonin. Boost your magnesium levels by eating magnesium-rich foods like green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, avocados, yogurt and supplements if needed.
Reduce stress
Chronic stress is known to decrease serotonin neurotransmission and disrupt hormones that support serotonin function. Practicing stress-relieving activities like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and getting regular exercise can minimize excessive stress hormone levels.
Get enough sunlight
Daily sunlight exposure stimulates serotonin synthesis in the brain. Aim for 10-20 minutes per day of direct sunlight (without sunscreen) to help maintain healthy serotonin levels year-round.
Exercise regularly
Exercise gives an immediate serotonin boost and helps chronically raise levels. Aim for 30-60 minutes per day of heart-pumping exercise that makes you sweat. This could include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, aerobics classes, swimming, etc.
Get sufficient sleep
Not getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night can negatively impact serotonin production. Prioritize good sleep hygiene by limiting blue light exposure at night, avoiding caffeine in the afternoons/evenings, and optimizing your sleep environment.
Serotonin supplements
In some cases, serotonin supplements may be recommended by your doctor to help boost low levels. Some options include:
- 5-HTP – 5-HTP is converted directly to serotonin in the brain. Studies show it can increase serotonin and help treat depression, anxiety, headaches, and sleep issues.
- SAM-e – This compound supports serotonin synthesis and has antioxidant effects. It’s been shown effective for depression, joint pain, and liver disease.
- St. John’s wort – This herbal supplement has been used for centuries to treat depression. It inhibits reuptake of serotonin and other neurotransmitters.
- Tryptophan – The direct precursor to serotonin, L-tryptophan supplements help raise serotonin levels. Requires caution with dosing.
It’s best to speak with your doctor before taking any serotonin supplements, especially if you are already taking antidepressants or other medications.
When to see a doctor
Making lifestyle changes to naturally boost serotonin is a good first step. But if low serotonin levels and related symptoms like depression persist, it’s important to see your doctor.
They can check for underlying health conditions that may be causing low serotonin, such as gut disorders, chronic inflammation, hormonal imbalances, or autoimmune diseases. Blood tests can also measure tryptophan and serotonin levels.
Your doctor may recommend trying a serotonin supplement or prescription antidepressant medication if natural remedies are insufficient to normalize serotonin function.
The bottom line
Serotonin is a crucial chemical messenger that regulates your mood, emotions, appetite, sleep, and much more. There are many natural ways to increase serotonin levels through strategic diet and lifestyle changes.
Eating tryptophan-rich foods, reducing inflammation and stress, improving your microbiome, and getting enough sunlight, magnesium, and exercise can all help boost serotonin production. If lifestyle interventions aren’t sufficient, consider trying supplements or speaking with your doctor.
With a little time and commitment, you can safely and effectively raise your serotonin levels back to an optimal range, improve your mental health, and enhance your overall wellbeing.