Serotonin: An Introduction to the “Happy Hormone”

You know that feeling of contentment and sense that all is right with the world? You can thank serotonin for that. Serotonin—sometimes called the “happy hormone”—plays a big role in your body, but most notably, it’s responsible for combating depression and boosting your mood.

What Is Serotonin?

Like dopamine, serotonin is a neurotransmitter that carries messages between the brain and throughout the body. The exact function of serotonin isn’t well-understood, but we know that it influences a lot of the body’s functions, including:

• Regulating mood: Having enough serotonin in your brain regulates your mood, helping you feel focused, emotionally stable, happy and calm.
• Sleep: Studies have yielded conflicting results when it comes to serotonin’s impact on sleep. Some say it promotes sleep, while others say it keeps you awake. However, we do know that serotonin is a crucial ingredient in producing melatonin (the hormone that regulates sleep).
• Digestion: Most of your body’s serotonin is actually found in the gastrointestinal tract (i.e., your gut). Serotonin in the gut helps regulate appetite, stomach emptying and bowel movements. However, when released into your gut faster than it can be digested, serotonin can make you feel nauseated.
• Learning and memory: Studies have shown that high serotonin levels can boost memory and how fast you learn.

Serotonin and Your Mood

There’s a reigning theory among researchers that depression is caused by an imbalance of serotonin in the brain. Since it’s impossible to actually measure the levels of serotonin in a living person’s brain, research has relied on measuring levels of serotonin in the blood and making observations and inferences. Over decades of study, scientists observed that higher blood serotonin levels are associated with feelings of happiness, calm and stable moods. And when levels are low, you tend to see mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

However, treating low serotonin levels isn’t as simple as “take more serotonin.” Treatment will depend on the severity of symptoms and what’s causing them. Options can include medication, lifestyle changes or a combination of both.

If a doctor decides medication is the best treatment option, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is typically the first line of defense. SSRIs are a class of antidepressants that encourage the brain to use serotonin more efficiently. The idea is that by blocking the brain from reabsorbing unused serotonin, more serotonin becomes available for use, which theoretically leads to better mood. While medication can be incredibly helpful and life-changing for a lot of people, it can come with some unpleasant side effects. Always consult with your doctor to determine the best option for you. Luckily, there are also ways you can naturally promote higher serotonin levels.

How to Naturally Boost Your Serotonin Levels

• Eat a tryptophan-rich diet: Tryptophan—an amino acid—is the primary building block of serotonin and scientists believe that eating foods rich in it can help support serotonin production. You can get this from foods like turkey, eggs, salmon, dairy products, nuts and seeds (basically, anything with a lot of protein).
• Get moving: It’s no secret that exercise can do wonders for your mood, and studies have even shown that regular exercise can be just as effective as medication for treating depression. Both cardiovascular and resistance exercise boost levels of “feel-good chemicals” like serotonin, dopamine and endorphins.
• Supplement: A number of supplements can potentially help our bodies create more serotonin, including vitamin B6, 5-HTP, pure tryptophan, probiotics and St. John’s wort.

Unfortunately, there can be too much of a good thing. Some people can experience serotonin syndrome, a rare side effect of over-elevated serotonin levels. This typically occurs when taking two or more drugs that affect serotonin levels at a time and can cause symptoms like restlessness, hallucinations, muscle spasms, rapid heartbeat and loss of coordination. Other drugs and supplements that can affect serotonin include St. John’s wort, certain migraine medications, LSD and psilocybin.

If you’re experiencing signs of low serotonin or depression, know that you have options. LIUNA’s health and welfare funds provide comprehensive benefits at your disposal. There are also free, confidential resources available for U.S. residents seeking treatment for mental and substance use disorders.

[Hannah Sabitoni]