Seratonin, a hormone found in your brain, digestive tract and pineal gland, helps your nerves send messages to each other and causes your blood vessels to narrow. It also helps improve mood and signals your body to feel full after eating. According to the National Cancer Institute, depression may be the result of a lack of serotonin in the body and may promote sleep and relaxation. Serotonin supplements can help increase levels, but there are also a variety of foods that can help you get more serotonin.
Turkey
Adding turkey to your diet can improve serotonin levels. The Franklin Institute website reveals that serotonin is produced from tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body use protein, and meats are one of the best sources of tryptophan. Turkey contains high levels of this amino acid, according to Muscle-Health-Fitness.com. Eating turkey in combination with a small serving of carbohydrates allows tryptophan to form serotonin. The Muscle-Health-Fitness website recommends eating a turkey and cranberry sauce sandwich to increase serotonin levels. Research published in the November 2008 issue of "Cell" indicates that high levels of serotonin in the body may result in decreased bone mass. The study points to turkey as the food highest in tryptophan, which converts to serotonin, although researchers believe serotonin-inhibiting drugs have more of an effect on building bone mass than diet.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed and flaxseed oil can help add serotonin to your body. Flaxseed contains both tryptophan and omega-3 fatty acids, according to Muscle-Health-Fitness.com. Omega-3 fatty acids help raise serotonin levels by suppressing the production of cytokines, a compound in the body that decreases tryptophan levels in the body, preventing the creating of serotonin, reveals the La Leche League International website. Muscle-Health-Fitness.com reports taking 1 to 4 tbsp. of flaxseed or 1 to 2 tbsp. of flaxseed oil each day may improve your mood by raising serotonin levels in your body. You may also wish to mix flaxseed oil into cottage cheese, another high tryptophan food, to increase serotonin. Research published in the March 2009 "Journal of Psychiatric Research" indicates a link between omega-3 fatty acid deficiency and reduced serotonin levels.
Wild Fish and Seafood
Including more wild-caught fish and seafood into your diet may improve serotonin levels. Muscle-Health-Fitness names fatty fish like wild salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring as good sources of omega-3 fatty acids and tryptophan, both of which help increase serotonin in your body. The University of Maryland Medical Center warns that ingesting more than 3g of omega-3 fatty acids per day may result in the increased risk of bleeding. The National Resources Defense Council warns consumers that eating fish high in mercury, like king mackerel, tuna, orange roughy, marlin and shark, may pose health dangers. Research published in the July 2004 edition of the journal "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids" indicates that violent suicide relating to seasonal changes relates to a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids that influence serotonin levels in the body.
References
- Franklin Institute: Proteins
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids: In humans, the seasonal variation in poly-unsaturated fatty acids
- Journal of Psychiatric Research: Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency during perinatal development
- La Leche League International: New Studies in Postpartum Depression
- Muscle-Health-Fitness.com: Ten Delicious Bodybuilding Foods That Increase Serotonin Levels
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