How to increase the level of serotonin?

Serotonin greatly affects the state of our appetite, sexual activity and mood. Simply put, the more this hormone - the happier and more comfortable we will feel. How to increase the level of serotonin? Let's figure it out.

Serotonin is a "pleasure hormone" that is produced by the body in moments of pleasure and ceases to be produced in depressed and depressed states. The epiphysis is responsible for the synthesis of the hormone, an appendage of the brain localized between the two hemispheres.

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Symptoms of low serotonin levels in the blood

A number of symptoms of low serotonin levels in the body:

• a prolonged depressive state with no apparent cause;
• excessive impulsivity;
• violation of concentration of attention;
• non-assortment, absent-mindedness, stiffness;
• psychoemotional failures, irritability;
• thoughts of suicide;
• increased pain threshold;
• constant craving for sweets, confectionery.

Serotonin is produced from the amino acid substance tryptophan, which we get from food. From serotonin with the help of the same epiphysis melatonin is formed, which helps us to fall asleep at night and wake up with the first rays of light.

It follows that the serotonin deficiency contributes to the appearance of insomnia, a heavy awakening from sleep. In depressed people, the frequency of production of melatonin is irregular: this is associated with increased fatigue, disruption of work and rest, regular lack of sleep.

Serotonin is able to control other processes in the body, including reactions to adrenaline. If serotonin is small, development of an anxious and panic state starts, even in the absence of any excuse. There is irritability and short temper because of very insignificant reasons, the threshold of susceptibility decreases, social behavior can become not quite adequate.

The reasons for the insufficient allocation of serotonin can be both poor nutrition and long-term stress, external toxic effects, lack of sunlight, vitamin deficiency, and cerebral circulation disorders.

Drugs that increase serotonin levels

Medicines that are designed to increase the amount of serotonin in the blood are called selective (selective) serotonin reuptake blockers. Such drugs are able to maintain a sufficient concentration of serotonin in neural connections, and have fewer side effects than other antidepressants.

The most common side effects of such drugs: indigestion, excessive activity, sleep disorder and headaches. Usually, such symptoms go by themselves even without the withdrawal of drugs. Some patients with the use of such drugs observe a trembling in the hands, a decrease in the brightness of orgasm, convulsions. Such symptoms occur rarely and are associated mainly with the specific psychiatric pathologies of the patient.

Among the specific drugs that increase the level of serotonin, the following should be highlighted:

• Fluoxetine - tablets take one every morning, the duration of treatment depends on the severity of the patient's depressive condition and may last for about a month;
• Paroxetine - a daily dosage of the drug 20 mg at a time, taken with food, preferably in the morning, for 14-20 days;
• Sertraline - take from 50 to 200 mg per day, depending on the condition and characteristics of the patient;
• Citalopram (Oprah) - the initial dosage of the drug is 0.1-0.2 g per day, can be increased by indications up to 0.6 g;
• Fluvoxamine (Fevarin) - is taken from 50 to 150 mg per reception per day, the duration of therapy can be 6 months.

For the treatment of severe and chronic depressive conditions, combined drugs that have a complex effect on serotonin and norepinephrine are used. This is a new generation of medicines:

• Venlafaxine (Efectin) is the initial dosage of 0.75 g once a day. Increase in the dose of the drug, as well as its cancellation, is carried out gradually, changing the dose for at least two weeks. Tablets are taken with food at about the same time;
• Mirtazapine - 15-45 mg once a day before going to bed, the effect of treatment comes in 3 weeks after the beginning of admission.

All drugs-blockers of serotonin reuptake are taken orally, do not chew, they are washed down with enough water. Drugs can not be abolished abruptly: it is done, gradually from day to day lowering the dose.

The normal serotonin level in the blood is 40-80 mcg / liter.

Taking drugs is an extreme measure, which is used only in extremely difficult cases. If your case does not apply to psychiatry, it is better to try to increase the amount of serotonin in the blood in more natural ways.

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How to increase the serotonin level by alternative means?

The most simple and effective way to increase the amount of serotonin in the blood is to visit the sun as often as possible. Swedish scientists monitored 11 patients suffering from seasonal depression. Initially, having measured their serotonin level, the patients were placed under active light exposure. As a result, in all subjects who were in a state of deep depression, serotonin levels returned to normal.

A strong night's sleep is another important factor in increasing serotonin levels. Note, it is necessary to sleep at night, when it is dark: only in this way our body can properly produce the necessary hormones. Working at night shifts, sitting at the computer at night, visiting night entertainment and, as a consequence, the main sleep during the day is an important factor for lowering the level of serotonin. With such a daily regime, the rhythm of hormonal production is confused and becomes chaotic. Try to still adhere to the natural regimen for the body: at night - sleep, during the day - active actions.

Well affect the amount of serotonin doing yoga, meditation (especially in nature), active physical exercises. Saturated social life, connection of a favorite hobby, listening to good music, swimming, cycling - all this positively influences our mood, and therefore, on the level of the hormone. The pleasure becomes even greater if there are close by our relatives and friends with whom we like to communicate.

In food, serotonin is not contained. However, there are substances in the food that can stimulate the production of serotonin in the body. These substances include amino acids, in particular, tryptophan. What foods contain tryptophan?

Products that increase serotonin levels:

• dairy products (whole milk, cottage cheese, yoghurt, curdled milk, cheese);
• banana (ripe, not green);
• beans (especially beans and lentils);
• dried fruits (dried dates, figs, dried bananas);
• sweet fruit (plum, pear, peach);
• vegetables (tomato, Bulgarian pepper);
• bitter black chocolate;
• eggs (chicken or quail);
• cereals (buckwheat and millet porridge).

One of the simplest ways to increase the amount of serotonin can be called eating desserts. Simple carbohydrates, which are contained in cakes, sweets, gingerbread and other confectionery, quickly increase the level of the hormone: this is due to the habit of many people "jam" problems and stressful situations. However, this effect also passes quickly, and the body begins to require a new dose of serotonin. Sweets in this situation are a kind of drug, which is harder to give up. That's why experts do not recommend using simple carbohydrates: it is much more useful to replace them with complex sugars.

Try to eat oatmeal and buckwheat porridge, salads, melon, citrus, pumpkin, dried fruits. Eat enough foods containing magnesium: it's wild rice, seafood, prunes, bran. You can just have a cup of good ground coffee or fragrant tea.

A deficiency in the body of folic acid (vitamin B9) can also trigger a drop in serotonin levels. In this regard, you can recommend the use of foods rich in this vitamin: corn, all kinds of cabbage, root crops, citrus fruits.

The presence of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet is able to stabilize the level of serotonin. Such acids are found in seafood (shrimps, crabs, fish, seaweed), as well as in flaxseed and sesame seeds, nuts, soy, pumpkin.

Avoid products that reduce serotonin. These include meat, chips, foods with preservatives, alcohol.

For people who positively relate to various kinds of dietary supplements, one can recommend an effective drug that recently appeared on the domestic pharmaceutical market - 5-HTP (hydroxytryptophan). It is a natural antidepressant restoring the optimal concentration of serotonin in the body. The drug regulates the quality of sleep, improves mood, allows you to monitor an excited and depressed state. Hydroxytryptophan take one capsule from 1 to 2 times a day, preferably in the afternoon before meals.

An analogue of this drug is the sedative Vita-Tryptophan, containing an extract from the seeds of an African Griffonium plant. The drug regulates sleep, relieves stress and a sense of fear, helps with alcoholism, bulimia, is effective in the symptoms of chronic fatigue.

How to increase the level of serotonin? Choose you, but do not rush to start with tablet formulations. Natural ways to increase the amount of the hormone - sun rays, active rest, healthy food - will not only cope with your task and will lift your mood, but also add to your body health, strength and energy.