Herbs To Increase Serotonin

Serotonin is a hormone that transmits messages about mood, appetite and sleep between nerve cells. Prescription antidepressants like SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibiters) increase serotonin by keeping it from being reabsorbed into nerve cells or broken down by enzymes after transmitting a message. These actions keep more serotonin available between nerve cells to continue transmitting. Herbs that increase serotonin work in similar ways, but without many of the side effects of antidepressants.

Griffonia

Griffonia (Griffonia simplicifolia) is an African shrub. The seeds contain the amino acid 5-Hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP, which is the precursor of serotonin. When 5-HTP is taken orally as a dietary supplement, it can cross the blood-brain barrier and increase serotonin in central nervous system cells. 5-HTP supplements are used worldwide to treat serotonin deficiency, and griffonia seeds are the major source. A report in the 2002 issue of "Phytochemical Analysis" found that the highest levels of 5-HTP are found in griffonia seeds from Ghana. Use 5-HTP with caution and do not combine it with other antidepressant medications, since excess serotonin can lead to eosinophilia myalgia syndrome and serotonin syndrome. Supplementing with 5-HTP can lead to hypertension.

Rhodiola

Rhodiola root (Rhodiola rosea), also known as golden root, is a small plant with spiky yellow flowers that grows in mountainous regions of Asia and Europe. It was used traditionally as a tincture or dried extract to treat a wide range of disorders, including fatigue, depression and stress. Reports in "HerbalGram" and "Journal of Ethnopharmacology" found that rhodiola can increase serotonin levels in several ways: by stimulating the transport of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain; by increasing the permeability of the blood-brain barrier to allow more of the serotonin precursor, 5-HTP, into the brain, where it will convert to serotonin; and by blocking the monoamine oxidase A enzyme that breaks down serotonin.

Kanna

Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) is a low-lying succulent found in South Africa, where the root was chewed as an intoxicant. Kanna is marketed throughout the world in capsules, tinctures and teas as a remedy for depression. Kanna contains an alkaloid called mesembrine which, according to research reported in the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology," acts as a natural serotonin-reuptake inhibitor. By preventing serotonin from being reabsorbed by nerve cells, more of it remains in the synapses between cells to continue transmitting messages.

Century plant

Century plant (Boophone disticha), also called poison bulb or sore-eye flower, is a bulbous plant with white, red or pink spiky flowers that is native to South Africa. As one of its names suggests, the bulb of the plant is highly poisonous. A report in the 2009 issue of the "South African Journal of Botany" found that the alkaloids buphanidrine and buphanamine in the century plant act on the serotonin transporter known as SERT. The role of SERT is to terminate serotonin's activity after it transmits a message. Herbs like the century plant that inhibit SERT increase the amount of serotonin between cells and allow more serotonin to remain available for messaging.