Serotonin helps your body to perform many vital functions. Researchers have found that foods that contain high amounts of carbohydrates raise your levels of serotonin, whereas other foods you might expect to raise serotonin, such as bananas and turkey, have no effect. Knowing which foods can help to increase your serotonin levels can improve your psychological well-being.
Serotonin
The cells in your brain use the chemical serotonin to communicate among themselves. According to the McGill University website, "The Brain from Top to Bottom," your brain uses serotonin to regulate many vital functions, such as your mood, sleeping habits and appetite. Low levels of serotonin are linked with depression, and many antidepressant drugs act to increase serotonin levels.
Carbohydrates
Eating foods with high concentrations of carbohydrates can raise the levels of serotonin in your brain. In a may 1999 article in the journal "Public Health and Nutrition," David Benton and Rachael T. Donohoe wrote that carbohydrates raise the concentration of tryptophan in your blood. Your body uses tryptophan to produce serotonin, therefore having higher concentrations of tryptophan in your blood increases your levels of serotonin.
Benefits
Having healthy levels of serotonin helps you body to maintain important processes, such as your mood, sleep schedule and appetite. In a July 2006 article in the "Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience," Marije aan het Rot and colleagues showed that consuming higher amounts of tryptophan decreased people's tendency to argue and increased their pro-social behaviors. Aan het Rot and colleagues attributed the people's improved moods to the serotonin-increasing effect of tryptophan.
Considerations
In a November 1995 article in the journal "Obesity Research," R.J. Wurtman and J.J. Wurtman warn that while the serotonin-increasing effect of foods high in carbohydrates can improve your mood, people often overeat carbohydrate-heavy foods for their psychological effects. Wurtman and Wurtman warn that the mood-boosting effect of carbohydrates can be habit-forming and can lead you to relying on "comfort foods." Overconsumption of carbohydrates can result in unwanted weight gain, which is hazardous to your health.
Misconceptions
Your body metabolizes serotonin from the amino acid tryptophan. However, in a November 2007 article in the "Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience," Dr. Simon Young warns that simply consuming foods high in tryptophan does not increase serotonin in your brain. Dr. Young states that tryptophan crosses the blood-brain barrier via a limited capacity transporter. Eating foods with high tryptophan content does not increase your serotonin, because other proteins in the food compete with tryptophan for access to this transporter. Similarly, Dr. Simon dispels a myth that eating bananas increases serotonin. Bananas do contain serotonin; however, it is not able travel from your digestive system to your brain.
References
- McGill University: The Brain from Top to Bottom
- "Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience;" How to Increase Serotonin in the Human Brain without Drugs; Simon Young, Ph.D.; November 2007
- "Obesity Research;" Brain Serotonin, Carbohydrate-Craving, Obesity and Depression; R.J Wurtman & J.J. Wurtman; November 1995
- "Public Health Nutrition;" The Effects of Nutrients on Mood; David Benton, Rachael T Donohoe; May 1999
- "Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience;" Social Behaviour and Mood in Everyday Life: the Effects of Tryptophan in Quarrelsome Individuals"; M. aan het Rot, Et Al.; July 2006
