Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that contributes to mood, appetite and sleep. Simple carbohydrates -- bread, candy, desserts -- can increase serotonin levels temporarily. Vitamin E may affect serotonin levels for the short term, but research suggests that even long-term vitamin E deficiency has no effect on serotonin levels. Consult your physician before taking any vitamins or supplements.
Serotonin Function
The amino acid L-tryptophan makes serotonin in the body. Three main areas of the body contain serotonin: intestinal walls, blood vessels and the central nervous system. Serotonin has several functions in the human body, but its role in the central nervous system is the one that is best understood. Serotonin affects appetite, memory, learning, temperature regulation, mood, behavior, cardiovascular functions and other metabolic functions. Researchers have implicated serotonin levels in various disorders such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, pain, obesity and hypertension.
Sources of Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is found in certain foods. Vitamin E has antioxidant properties that help protect cells from being damaged by free radicals. Fruits, vegetables and some whole grains contain vitamin E. Sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts and peanut butter are all good sources of the vitamin. Other sources include spinach, broccoli, mango and kiwi. Vitamin E is also available in supplements if you do not get enough of the vitamin in your diet.
Short-Term Effects
Researchers from the Institute of Neurology in London in 1996 examined the effect of vitamin E deficiency on rats. The study published in the “Journal of Neurochemistry” found that rats fed a vitamin E-deficient diet had a higher concentration of serotonin. However, after 12 weeks, the higher concentrations of serotonin returned to normal and researchers found no difference between the control group and the rats fed the deficient diet. This led the researchers to conclude that prolonged and substantial depletion of vitamin E does not affect serotonin levels.
Vitamin C and E Increase Serotonin
In 2001, a study in the “Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology” examined vitamin C and E levels in rats with dementia. Researchers induced dementia in rats by injecting them with scopolamine, a drug that mimics dementia. Vitamin C significantly increased serotonin serum levels in rats treated with scopolamine. Vitamin E also increased serotonin levels and other neurotransmitter levels, leading researchers to conclude that vitamin E and C may affect serotonin enough to help treat dementia.
References
- Go Ask Alice; Serotonin and Foods; November 2009
- Serendip; Serotonin and Its Uses; Andrea Byrd
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin E
- “Journal of Neurochemistry”; Serotonin Metabolism and Release in Frontal Cortex of Rats on a Vitamin E-Deficient Diet; K.E. Heslop, et al.; February 1996
- “Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology”; Effect of Supplementation of Vitamin E and Vitamin C on Brain Acetylcholinesterase Activity and Neurotransmitter Levels in Rats Treated with Scopolamine, an Inducer of Dementia; L.Lee, et al.; October 2001
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