For many people the word "diet" bring up thoughts of eliminating all the foods that they enjoy. While any diet requires some degree of willpower, Dr. Nina Frusztajer and Judith Wurtman, Ph.D. suggest that focusing on serotonin levels may allow you to find the right balance between eating the foods you enjoy and controlling your appetite. Knowing the effects of serotonin on appetite could lead you to a healthy alternative to restrictive, low-calorie diets.
Serotonin
Your brain uses substances called neurotransmitters to carry out all of its functions. Brain activity corresponds to the release of certain neurotransmitters in different parts of your brain. One such neurotransmitter is serotonin. According to BioPsychiatry.com, your brain uses serotonin to control your mood and appetite, among many other things. People with low amounts of serotonin often experience depression. Clinicians often treat depression with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which increase levels of serotonin.
Effects
The amount of serotonin that your brain produces affects your appetite. According to Lora Heisler and colleagues in a July 2006 article for the journal "Neuron," people have smaller appetites when they have higher levels of serotonin. Healthy levels of serotonin allow your brain to maintain a proper balance between appetite and food intake. When serotonin levels decrease past a point, people experience stronger and more frequent feelings of hunger than normal.
Dietary Changes
Eating foods high in carbohydrates may help you maintain healthy levels of serotonin. In a May 1999 article in the journal "Public Health Nutrition," researchers David Benton and Rachael Donohoe say that eating carbohydrates can increase your levels of serotonin. Foods high in carbohydrates raise your insulin levels, which triggers a biochemical reaction that allows high levels of tryptophan into your brain. Your brain converts tryptophan into serotonin, therefore increasing the levels of tryptophan in your brain makes it easier to maintain healthy serotonin levels.
Benefits
According to Dr. Nina Frusztajer and Judith Wurtman, Ph.D. in "The Serotonin Power Diet," controlling your appetite by maintaining healthy levels of serotonin avoids the pitfalls of other diets. Diets that focus on reducing or eliminating carbohydrate intake can result in depressive moods due to low serotonin levels. Frusztajer and Wurtman recommend snacking on carbohydrate-heavy foods such as whole grains in the late afternoon and early evening. This allows you to maintain proper levels of serotonin at times when they tend to decrease.
Concerns
A diet based on serotonin levels still requires some willpower. In a November 1995 article in the journal "Obesity Research," R.J. Wurtman and J.J. Wurtman say carbohydrate-heavy foods can boost your mood by increasing serotonin levels. Wurtman and Wurtman warn that some people learn to rely on carbohydrates for their mood-boosting effect. This can lead to weight gain due to overeating carbohydrates. You should take care to find your own balance between the mood-boosting effects of carbohydrates and their potential for weight gain.
References
- BioPsychiatry.com: The Serotonin Transporter: A Primary Target for Antidepressant Drugs
- Neuron: Serotonin Reciprocally Regulates Melanocortin Neurons to Modulate Food Intake; Lora K. Heisler & colleagues; July 2006
- Public Health Nutrition: The Effects of Nutrients on Mood; David Benton & Rachael T. Donohoe; May 1999
- "The Serotonin Power Diet;" Nina Frusztajer, M.D. & Judith Wurtman, Ph.D.; December 2006
- PubMed: Obesity Research: Brain Serotonin, Carbohydrate-Craving, Obesity and Depression; R.J. Wurtman & J.J. Wurtman; November 1995
