In addition, 5-HTP should not be taken with antidepressant drugs or other depression medication. Many drugs taken for depression or anxiety also raise serotonin levels, and increasing serotonin levels too much can cause serious side effects, including heart problems.
Serotonin syndrome , also called serotonin toxicity, is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that can happen when serotonin levels are too high. Serotonin-raising medicines include: If you take any of these medicines, be sure to read the packaging labels for warnings about the potential risks of serotonin syndrome. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns. Call your healthcare provider immediately if you think you may be experiencing symptoms of serotonin syndrome.
Symptoms may vary from mild to severe. Patients with severe serotonin syndrome may require hospitalization in an intensive care unit. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
References Serotonin. Encyclopaedia Britannica. The Pineal Gland and Melatonin. Colorado State University. August 22, Mental Health Medications. National Institute of Mental Health. October Mayo Clinic. May 17, Cipriani A, et al. The Lancet. Depression: How Effective Are Antidepressants? National Library of Medicine. January 12, Nature Communications. November 30, Serotonin cannot cross the blood-brain barrier.
This means that the brain must produce any serotonin that it needs to use. Treatments for depression and other mental health issues do not supply serotonin directly but trigger reactions that can boost serotonin levels in the brain.
However, research suggests that sources of serotonin in other areas, such as the digestive system, may work independently of serotonin in the brain. This could have implications for the treatment and prevention of various physiological conditions, such as bone degeneration.
As a neurotransmitter, serotonin relays signals between nerve cells and regulates their intensity. Scientists believe it plays a role in mood and the CNS and affects functions throughout the body.
It may have an impact on:. Scientists do not know precisely what causes depression, but one theory is that it stems from an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the body. Doctors commonly prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs as antidepressants.
Fluoxetine Prozac is one example. Normally, the body reabsorbs a neurotransmitter after it has transmitted its neural impulse. SSRIs stop the body from reabsorbing serotonin, leaving higher levels of serotonin to circulate. Many people find SSRIs help relieve their symptoms, although the link between depression and serotonin remains unclear.
One problem for researchers is that, while they can measure serotonin levels in the bloodstream, they cannot measure its levels in the brain. As a result, they do not know whether serotonin levels in the bloodstream reflect those in the brain. It is also impossible to know whether SSRIs can really affect the brain.
Mouse studies have produced conflicting evidence. Some suggest that increasing serotonin levels can help reduce stress and depression, but others indicate that serotonin levels make no difference. Nevertheless, if scientists have not yet proven the serotonin theory of depression, SSRIs do appear to help many people. Apart from depression, doctors may prescribe drugs that regulate serotonin levels to treat a number of other disorders , including:.
As with depression, some scientists have questioned whether serotonin is the only factor impacting these conditions. Learn more about how to stop a panic attack here. SSRIs increase serotonin levels by preventing the body from reabsorbing serotonin neurotransmitters. Learn more about SSRIs and other antidepressants here.
SSRIs have some side effects , but these usually improve with time. Rarely, taking too much of a drug that boosts serotonin levels or combining two such drugs can lead to serotonin syndrome. This is a potentially life threatening condition that may require emergency treatment. Learn more about serotonin syndrome here. A person who uses SSRIs for depression will not experience the benefits at once. At first, symptoms may worsen before improving.
Anyone experiencing thoughts of suicide should seek help at once. The FDA require all antidepressants to carry a black box warning about the danger of suicide during the initial stages of treatment, especially in people aged under 25 years. These are symptoms of depression, although scientists have not confirmed a link between low serotonin levels and depression. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights.
Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Serotonin also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT is a naturally occurring substance that functions as a neurotransmitter to carry signals between nerve cells called neurons throughout your body.
Most commonly, people are aware of serotonin's role in the central nervous system CNS. In the brain, serotonin helps with mood regulation and memory , but the neurotransmitter also has important jobs in other parts of the body. In fact, most of the serotonin in your body is found in your gut, not your brain.
Not only do the intestines produce almost all of the body's serotonin supply, but serotonin is required there to promote healthy digestion.
Elsewhere in the body, serotonin also helps with sleep, sexual function, bone health, and blood clotting. Here's a closer look at serotonin's many functions, what happens if you have too little or too much , and a few ways to balance your levels for optimum health. Serotonin is known to be involved in many bodily functions, ranging from regulating mood to digesting food. As it helps regulate your mood, serotonin is often called the body's natural "feel-good" chemical.
Serotonin's influence on mood makes it one of several brain chemicals that are integral to your overall sense of well-being. The neurotransmitter's effect on mood is also why it's often a target of medications that are used to treat depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. For example, increasing serotonin levels is the purpose of the class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs.
Serotonin contributes to normal bowel function and reduces your appetite as you eat to help you know when you're full. The neurotransmitter also plays a protective role in the gut. For example, if you eat something irritating or toxic, your gut responds by producing more serotonin. The extra "dose" of the chemical moves the unwanted food along, expelling it from your body more quickly.
The response is also why increased levels of serotonin can make you nauseated, and why drugs that target specific serotonin receptors can be used to alleviate nausea and vomiting. The exact nature of serotonin's role in sleep has been debated by researchers, but it's believed to influence when, how much, and how well you sleep. Serotonin does not regulate these tasks alone; other neurotransmitters like dopamine also play a key role. A hormone called melatonin is also critical to the proper functioning of your sleep cycle.
Your body needs serotonin to make melatonin, so not having enough of the neurotransmitter or having too much of it can affect the pattern and quality of your sleep. Your brain has specific areas that control when you fall asleep, regulate your sleep patterns, and wake you up.
The parts of your brain that are responsible for regulating sleep also have serotonin receptors. The serotonin-melatonin relationship might also contribute to sleep disruptions like insomnia that are common in people with depression. When you have any kind of tissue damage, such as a cut, the platelet cells in your blood release serotonin to help heal the wound. Increased serotonin levels cause the tiny arteries known as arterioles of the circulatory system to narrow.
As they get smaller, blood flow slows. This narrowing known as vasoconstriction and slowed blood flow are two important elements of blood clotting—a crucial step in the process of wound healing. Studies have shown that serotonin levels may influence bone density the strength of your bones. Research suggests that high circulating levels of serotonin in the gut might be associated with lower bone density and conditions like osteoporosis.
Research suggests that SSRI medications are associated with decreased bone mineral density. Low bone density puts you at a greater risk for fractures. If you are concerned about how taking an antidepressant could affect your bone density, do not stop taking your medication.
Start by talking to your doctor about other risk factors, such as having a family history of osteoporosis or smoking. In addition to altering your mood, serotonin can also influence the frequency and intensity of the sexual feelings you have. Certain antidepressants that increase serotonin levels can have an effect on libido , as elevated serotonin levels have been associated with a decrease in sexual desire.
Serotonin's influence on libido is also somewhat related to the neurotransmitter's relationship to another chemical in the brain: dopamine. For example, a study of women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder HSDD indicated that symptoms of the condition were associated with increased serotonin activity and reduced dopamine activity.
Depression and other mood disorders that are linked to serotonin are multifactorial, meaning there is more than one reason they occur. Having low serotonin levels is not, on its own, enough to cause depression. Low levels can, however, contribute to mood, sleep, digestive, and other issues. There's no single cause of low serotonin levels, but it typically occurs for one of two reasons: not having enough serotonin or inefficient use of the serotonin you have.
In the first scenario, you have low levels of serotonin because your body is not producing enough to maintain normal levels. Your body might not be able to produce enough serotonin because of other factors, such as nutritional and vitamin deficiencies.
For example, low levels of vitamin B6 and vitamin D have both been linked to decreased levels of serotonin. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid involved in serotonin production, can only be obtained through diet.
The other reason you might have low serotonin is that while your body is making serotonin, it is not using it effectively. This can happen if you don't have enough serotonin receptors in your brain, or if the ones you have don't work well for example, they absorb and break down serotonin too quickly. Depression is known to be associated with chemical imbalances in the brain. While serotonin's role in depression is more complex than an imbalance, it is believed to play a key role.
Increasing how much serotonin is in the brain appears to improve communication between brain cells, which in turn lifts mood and reduces symptoms of depression. This is why prescription antidepressant medications are used to treat clinical depression and other mood disorders. There are also natural ways to increase serotonin levels. Everything from the food you eat to how much sunlight you get can affect how much serotonin your body has, as well as how effectively it can use it.
SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants worldwide. These drugs are used to reduce the symptoms of moderate to severe depression by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain. When brain cells send signals to one another, they release neurotransmitters, including serotonin.
Before they can send the next signal, the cells must reabsorb and recycle the neurotransmitters they released. This process is called reuptake.
Examples of SSRIs that are commonly prescribed to treat depression and other mood disorders include:. Drugs in this class are not solely classified as SSRIs, but rather, as serotonergic antidepressants. Trintellix vortioxetine is a similar drug. Another group of serotonin-based medications for treating depression is known as serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors SNRIs.
These drugs work similarly to SSRIs in that they block the reuptake of serotonin, but they also work on norepinephrine , another neurotransmitter that affects mood. Two older classes of antidepressants also affect serotonin levels: tricyclic antidepressants TCAs and monoamine oxidase inhibitors MAOIs. TCAs appear to block the reabsorption of serotonin and norepinephrine, which effectively increases the amounts available in the brain.
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