What is the Happiness Hormone?
Serotonin, a neurotransmitter that gives people a feeling of happiness, vitality and youth, is known as the happy hormone. Serotonin is a chemical substance responsible for transmitting information between nerve cells in the central nervous system and nerve cells in the peripheral nervous system. The happiness hormone has many functions in the body. Regulating the mood, maintaining the sleep and wake cycle, functioning of the digestive system, nausea, blood coagulation, bone metabolism, wound healing and tissue repair and sexual desire are the main issues in which serotonin plays a key role. Very low serotonin levels can cause mental and physical problems, while high levels of happiness hormones can lead to physical and psychological problems.
Contents
What is Serotonin?
What are the Effects of Happiness Hormone on the Body?
What are the Conditions Associated with Low Happiness Hormone Level?
Why Does the Level of Happiness Hormone Decrease?
What Can Be Done to Increase the Happiness Hormone?
What Problems Do High Serotonin Levels Cause?
What is the Difference Between Dopamine and Serotonin?
What is Serotonin?
Serotonin is also called 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and is a monoamine-derived neurotransmitter. Serotonin also functions as a hormone. As a neurotransmitter, serotonin chemically provides the transmission of messages through nerve cells and regulates the body’s working mechanism. Ninety percent of serotonin is located in cells in the gastrointestinal tract and is found in the intestines. The happiness hormone functions by being released into the bloodstream when necessary. About ten percent of the happiness hormone is produced by brain cells. Serotonin is produced from the essential amino acid tryptophan. Essential amino acid refers to an amino acid that must be obtained from the diet and is not produced by the body.
What are the Effects of Happiness Hormone on the Body?
Serotonin has many effects in the body. The main can be summarized as follows.
Mood: Serotonin in the brain is responsible for positive mood. Thanks to the normal level of happiness hormone, one feels emotionally balanced, calm, concentrated and happy.
Digestive system: Serotonin has an appetite-reducing effect. Intestines can increase the amount of happiness hormone release in order to protect the body from harmful substances and speed up digestion.
Nausea: When serotonin is secreted faster than the amount that can be digested in the stomach, nausea is triggered. The chemical message perceived as nausea reaches the brain and the feeling of vomiting occurs. Serotonin receptors are the main target of many drugs to prevent nausea and vomiting.
Sleep pattern: Serotonin and dopamine are involved in the sleep and wake cycle. Serotonin is required for the production of melatonin, which is one of the main regulating hormones in the sleep and wake cycle.
Wound repair: Serotonin is one of the molecules that play a fundamental role in wound healing and is also synthesized by platelets, which are blood elements. Serotonin causes narrowing of small blood vessels and slows blood flow, causing blood to clot. Blood coagulation is a necessary and important process for wound healing.
Bone health: Presence of very high levels of serotonin in the intestines can lead to weakening and deterioration of the structure of bones. The risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis is associated with serotonin levels.
Sexuality: Serotonin, together with dopamine, another neurotransmitter associated with happiness, has an effect on sexuality and is responsible for increased sexual desire.
What are the Conditions Associated with Low Happiness Hormone Level?
Low serotonin levels can have many causes. Common causes are as follows:
Depression, mood disorders, and other mental problems
Anxiety and anxiety disorder
sleep problems
digestive system diseases
suicidal tendency
obsessive compulsive behavior disorder
post traumatic stress disorder
Panic attack
Schizophrenia
phobias
Why Does the Level of Happiness Hormone Decrease?
The reason for the decrease in the level of serotonin in the body is that there is not enough happiness hormone (serotonin) production in the body, that the produced serotonin is not functional or cannot be used by the body. In some congenital or acquired cases, the amount of serotonin receptors may not be sufficient or the receptors may not be working properly.
What Can Be Done to Increase the Happiness Hormone?
There are many natural and unnatural methods of increasing serotonin levels. These methods are mainly as follows:
Consuming foods rich in tryptophan: Since serotonin is produced from the amino acid tryptophan, foods rich in tryptophan also help increase the level of serotonin. Examples of tryptophan-rich foods are salmon, eggs, cheese, turkey, pineapple, nuts, and oats. Consumption of foods rich in tryptophan does not always increase the level of serotonin or it may not be enough.
Increasing exposure to sunlight as much as possible: Insufficient use of sunlight can adversely affect the mental health of some people and lead to mood disorders. It is important to get a minimum of 10-15 minutes of sunlight daily for an increase in vitamin D levels along with serotonin levels.
Consuming some supplements: Some diet programs and herbal supplements can help increase serotonin levels. Examples include ginseng, St. John’s Wort and nutmeg.
Exercising, increasing daily activities: It is known that regular exercise increases the level of serotonin. Aerobic exercises improve mood as well as improve heart health and facilitate the management of chronic diseases.
Trying to stay away from stress and looking for ways to cope with stress, learning stress management.
What Problems Do High Serotonin Levels Cause?
High serotonin levels cause a condition called serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome is often associated with taking high doses of a drug that causes an increase in serotonin levels or taking more than one drug that increases serotonin levels. Mild symptoms of serotonin syndrome can be listed as intense sweating, restlessness, confusion, muscle twitches, high blood pressure and diarrhea. In severe symptoms, it may be necessary to take precautions and apply to a health institution. High fever, seizures, fainting and loss of consciousness, high heart rate and rhythm disturbances are among these symptoms. Serotonin syndrome can be fatal if not recognized early and treated promptly.
What is the Difference Between Dopamine and Serotonin?
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter like serotonin. Therefore, it is a very important molecule involved in the transfer of information between the brain and other parts of the body. Since dopamine and serotonin are both associated with positive mood and positive emotions, both can be considered happiness hormones. Serotonin is more associated with happiness, attention, focus, and calmness, while dopamine is responsible for reward-punishment perception and motivation. Another common point between dopamine and serotonin is that they both play a common role in the mechanism of some mental problems such as depression and mood disorders.
There are also differences between dopamine and serotonin. While dopamine is responsible for the movements and coordination of the body, serotonin is effective on digestive functions, especially intestinal functions and appetite. While dopamine causes the feeling of hunger, serotonin suppresses the feeling of hunger by having the opposite effect. While dopamine store occupies a large area in the brain, serotonin is mostly located in the intestines.
Since serotonin is involved in almost every area of the body, it is important to get an expert’s opinion on health problems that affect or are affected by serotonin levels. It is not recommended to take serotonin supplements or change the dosage of the drugs used outside the control of a specialist doctor in order to ensure and maintain the serotonin balance in the body and to prevent the interaction of serotonin with other drugs used.
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