Dopamine and norepinephrine are chemical neurotransmitters that convey messages from one nerve cell to another. How your brain creates and uses these chemicals is influenced by your diet, with specific foods aiding in or limiting the manufacture of norepinephrine and dopamine. Neurotransmitters either inhibit or excite nerve cells. Norepinephrine is excitatory and responsible for brain stimulation. Low levels of norepinephrine cause decreased energy, limited ability to focus and sleep problems. Dopamine is both inhibitory and excitatory. Depleted dopamine causes cravings, addictions, compulsions and loss of motor control. Elevated dopamine levels may result in anxiety or hyperactivity.
Fish and Meat
Complete animal proteins, including chicken, pork, beef liver and fish, increase levels of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine. The body breaks down proteins from meat and transforms them into tyrosine, an amino acid from which dopamine and subsequently norepinephrine is formed. Omega-3 fatty acids in seafood -- especially salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, bass, trout and halibut -- also play a role in producing neurotransmitters.
Fruits and Vegetables
Tyrosine is an amino acid in food that our nerve cells turn into norepinephrine and dopamine. Avocados and bananas are two fruits that are natural food sources of tyrosine. Other fruits that help the body release dopamine -- the precursor to norepinephrine -- are watermelon, which has large amounts of vitamin B-6 that the body uses to create vital neurotransmitters, and apples. Fruits that encourage the release of norepinephrine include pineapples, apples and pumpkins. When it comes to vegetables, seaweed and dark green vegetables are rich in nutrients that produce dopamine. Beets contain betaine, an amino acid in certain vegetables that has antidepressant qualities. The phenylalanine in beets directly contributes to the production of dopamine and norepinephrine, which when released into the brain give you a feeling of well-being and pleasure.
Legumes, Grains and Seeds
Beans and legumes, including soybeans and lima beans, contain protein to help boost both dopamine and norepinephrine. Sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and almonds contain nutrients that help release these neurotransmitters, as do whole grains. Wheat germ is a healthy source of phenylalanine, an essential amino acid that converts in the body into tyrosine, which is used to develop dopamine.
Dairy Products
When a diet is deficient in the building blocks necessary for the brain to produce neurotransmitters, mental and neurological and disorders may result. Dairy foods such as milk, cheese, yogurt and eggs are good sources of amino acids necessary for the release of dopamine and norepinephrine into the brain. Eggs are another protein rich dairy product that increases dopamine. Cottage cheese is a low-fat substitute for other soft cheeses and for high-fat hard cheeses. It provides an abundant amount of protein that can help lift your mood and increase energy levels.
