Murtaza Ali , MD, and clinical psychologist Dr. Rachael Bishop , Psy. What many people may not know is that serotonin occurs throughout the body and plays multiple roles. Bishop said. This is significant in light of recent science that has revealed a strong link between the gut and mental health.
Serotonin even occurs in platelets and facilitates healthy blood clotting, according to Dr. He said serotonin is also active in both the central and peripheral nervous systems and went on to explain how:. MDMA is like other drugs of abuse that, as Dr. The resulting depletion in serotonin lasted long after use of MDMA at least seven years.
In addition to these potentially serious impairments in quality of life, there can be other mental health issues associated with serotonin depletion. The same NIDA report cited above went on to list poor memory, confusion, anxiety, paranoia, and trouble with attention as symptoms of a serotonin deficiency. Like many former drug users, those who once used MDMA often worry whether their serotonin levels can ever return to a normal level, given the depression and other negative symptoms they may be experiencing.
Bishop was able to offer some hope in response to this concern:. The brain has an amazing ability to heal and change itself. Parallel to the neuronal damage we observed significant reductions in rapid eye movement REM sleep latency, increased fragmentation of sleep and increases in delta power spectra in non-REM sleep.
Our results also suggest that the acute MDMA administration abolished aggressive behaviour but MDMA pretreatment and the consequent depletion of serotonergic terminals did not affect aggression. Our findings concerning the changes detected in 5-HTT mRNA expression and fibre density indicate lasting impairment of the serotonergic system and suggest that a single use of MDMA may be associated with long-lasting cognitive, learning, memory and mood deficits and sleep disturbances particularly when a constellation of genetic vulnerability and certain environmental factors are present.
The goal is to get your heart rate up. Research suggests that serotonin tends to be lower after winter and higher in summer and fall. Spending time in the sunshine appears to help increase serotonin levels, and research exploring this idea suggests your skin may be able to synthesize serotonin. If you live in a rainy climate, have a hard time getting outside, or have a high risk for skin cancer, you can still increase serotonin with bright light exposure from a light therapy box.
You can shop for these on online. If you have bipolar disorder, talk to your therapist before trying a light box. Using one incorrectly or for too long has triggered mania in some people. Some dietary supplements may help to jumpstart the production and release of serotonin by increasing tryptophan. Before trying a new supplement, check in with your healthcare provider.
Make sure to tell them if you also take:. Choose supplements made by a manufacturer that is known and can be researched for reports on their quality and purity of products. Research suggests these supplements could help increase serotonin and reduce symptoms of depression:.
Tryptophan supplements contain much more tryptophan than food sources, making it possibly more likely to reach your brain. A small study suggests tryptophan supplements can have an antidepressant effect in women, though more research is needed. Buy tryptophan supplements. Buy SAMe supplements. This supplement can easily enter your brain and produce serotonin. A small study suggests it worked as effectively as antidepressants for those with early symptoms of depression.
But other research on 5-HTP for increasing serotonin and reducing symptoms of depression has yielded mixed results. Buy 5-HTP supplements. It also may not be ideal for long-term use. Note that St. People on blood clotting medicine, should not take St. Buy St. Research suggests getting more probiotics in your diet may increase tryptophan in your blood, helping more of it to reach your brain. You can take probiotic supplements, available online , or eat probiotic-rich foods, such as yogurt, and fermented foods, such as kimchi or sauerkraut.
Use caution when trying these supplements if you already take medication that increases serotonin. This includes several types of antidepressants. Too much serotonin could cause serotonin syndrome , a serious condition that can be life-threatening without treatment.
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