Serotonin is a neurotransmitter found in the brain that helps relax the nervous system and regulates your mood. According to MayoClinic.com, researchers have linked depression and anxiety to insufficient serotonin levels in the brain; therefore, physicians often prescribe antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, which allow more serotonin to remain in the brain, leading to improved mood. However, you can naturally boost your serotonin levels by eating certain foods.
Function
In addition to regulating mood and behavior, serotonin plays an important role in sleep patterns, memory and appetite and regulates the endocrine system, which produces hormones that regulate bodily processes, says HealthVitaminsGuide.com. Your body does not independently make serotonin; rather, you must ingest tryptophan to trigger the process of serotonin production. You can increase your serotonin levels through consuming adequate levels of tryptophan.
Tryptophan
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which means your body does not make tryptophan; therefore, you need to ingest it through food. Your body first turns tryptophan into 5-hydroxy L-tryptophan, which it then converts into serotonin. Additionally, your body also utilizes tryptophan to form niacin or vitamin B3, a vitamin necessary to produce energy and make DNA, according to HealthVitaminsGuide.com.
Sources
The main job of tryptophan is as a protein building block, so the best sources of tryptophan are proteins, such as turkey, chicken, beef and eggs. Protein shakes also offer a source of serotonin, says the website Nutritional Supplements. The website notes that "athletes and bodybuilders often seem to be in a good mood." This could be because they often have a diet high in protein, featuring tryptophan sources such as protein shakes, protein powders and egg products.
Considerations
Your body needs vitamin B6 to metabolize tryptophan and to synthesize serotonin. Insufficient vitamin B6 intake can lead to low serotonin levels and decreased synthesis of niacin from tryptophan. Other factors in your diet like sugar intake and alcohol, as well as smoking, also affect your serotonin production, says HealthVitaminsGuide.com.
Warning
Increasing your tryptophan intake through foods does not appear to have any negative side effects, notes HealthVitaminsGuide.com. However, certain tryptophan supplements have caused eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. Symptoms of EMS include muscle and joint pain, high fever, weakness, swelling of the arms and legs and shortness of breath. Consult your physician before taking any sort of tryptophan supplement.
