Serotonin

Other name : 5-hydroxytryptamine
See also : 5-HTP
Precious serotonin is synthesized in your body from tryptophan, an amino acid (protein building block) found in foods like turkey, beef and cheese. Tryptophan first converts to a substance called 5-HTP, which then converts directly into serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter. Secreted by the pineal gland, located in the exact center of the brain, research shows serotonin regulates the transmission of nerve impulses. In addition to being a mood regulator, serotonin is used to treat Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), general stress, and fibromyalgia. The daily requirement for this hormone is less than 1.5 mg per pound of body weight.

Special Precautions of Serotonin

• Neurological : Side effects from too much serotonin include nervousness, headache, drowsiness, insomnia, agitation and fatigue, states MayoClinic.com. Although all serotonin medications have the same mechanism of action, they all have different pharmacological characteristics. In addition, not every patient will experience every neurological side effect with every medication, as an individual might have a side effect with one type of serotonin medication but not with another.
• Gastrointestinal : Increased levels of serotonin can include weight loss, changes in appetite and nausea, explains University Of Michigan Health System. This is because serotonin affects the hypothalamus, which is the gland that controls appetite.
• Sexual Dysfunction : SSRI medications that are used to treat depression may cause reduced sexual desire or difficulty reaching orgasm, says MayoClinic.com. Elevated levels of serotonin can quell sexual functioning and lead to a decrease in arousal, orgasm and desire.
• Serotonin Syndrome : Too much serotonin in the brain can cause symptoms of serotonin syndrome. This sometimes life-threatening condition can occur when the patient taking serotonin medications is also taking medication to treat other medical or neurological conditions, explains the American Headache Society. Patients who take certain migraine headache medications together with SSRIs can develop this syndrome which can cause elevated blood pressure, agitation, hallucinations, tremors, diarrhea, vomiting and elevation in body temperature, states Drugs.com.

The benefits of Serotonin are

The neurotransmitter regulates functions throughout the body, including the cardiovascular, immune, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems. Serotonin alters brain chemistry to adjust mood, sleep and sexual function. Medication can affect levels and actions of serotonin to treat certain mental and physical disorders.

• Anxiety : Doctors have found that certain antidepressants work on serotonin to improve moods for people with anxiety disorders. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, block the absorption of serotonin by the brain. Absorption normally takes place after serotonin performs a function. By blocking the process, more serotonin becomes available for patients to relieve anxiety, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. The serotonin-altering medications work effectively for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder. People with obsessive-compulsive disorder benefit when using higher doses of the medication. Other antidepressants called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, known as SNRIs, increase levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, an adrenal hormone.
• Depression : Antidepressants, of course, also benefit people with depression. Drugs involved with increasing serotonin levels help to improve moods and emotional responses in patients. SSRIs are the most popular types of antidepressants for depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Drugs include sertraline, fluoxetine, citalopram, escitalopram and paroxetine. Doctors also prescribe SNRIs, such as duloxetine and venlafaxine. These drugs are also prescribed for anxiety disorders. SSRIs and SNRIs are among the newer class of drugs that have fewer side effects overall than older drugs. However, altering serotonin levels may affect sexual function and some patients report sexual side effects that include loss of interest or dysfunction from SSRIs and SNRIs. Doctors may add a second antidepressant, such as bupropion, which affects the neurotransmitter dopamine, involved with adrenaline, to ease sexual side effects.
• Sleep Disorders : Low levels of serotonin may result in disturbed sleep patterns, according to CBC News. Serotonin levels, measured through blood tests, were found to be lower among 437 day workers when compared to 246 workers on rotating shifts by researchers at the University of Buenos Aires. The shift workers experienced a poor quality of sleep, sleeping one to four hours less than average, the researchers concluded. Poor sleep quality may affect work performance, risking accidents or injury. Medications that affect serotonin levels help to improve sleep for people with sleeping disorders. They can be especially helpful for patients with depression and disturbed sleep. Doctors may prescribe trazodone, which affects serotonin levels, for sleep disorders.
• Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD),
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• General stress
• fibromyalgia.