Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is derived from the amino acid tryptophan. Most people know that serotonin is associated with mood. It has long been marketed that high serotonin results in happiness, and low serotonin results in major depression. Despite the incessant marketing of serotonin to the mainstream by pharmaceutical companies, serotonin does more than …
Dopamine is a popular neurotransmitter that is believed to play a primary role in motivation, pleasure, and mood. When a person experiences pleasure from activities like having sex, watching porn, using drugs, or even intense physical exercise – dopamine is at work. Additionally, dopamine plays a vital role in motor control and cognitive function. Increasing …
Most people are aware that imbalanced levels of neurotransmitters can contribute to mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Although the neurotransmitter serotonin gets a lot of mainstream attention and most of the hype, in recent years dopamine has been getting more attention. Dopamine is believed to play a role in cognitive function, reward, motivation, …
Making the right dietary changes can have a huge impact on our cognitive function, neurotransmitter levels, and overall health. Since the neurotransmitter serotonin has been associated with a variety of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, many people have resorted to eating diets high in foods that contain tryptophan and carbohydrates. The theory behind …
Everyone’s heard that low serotonin levels are associated with depression. While the serotonin theory of depression may be valid for some people, clearly not everyone with depression has low serotonin. However, we do know that for the majority of people, SSRIs (selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors) help treat depression. This has lead many people to wrongfully conclude …
Serotonin (5-HT) is a neurotransmitter that most people associate with mood. It is a derivative of tryptophan and is present throughout the body in the CNS, GI tract, and blood. Most people have heard that if you have low serotonin, you’re more likely to be depressed, but not many have heard of high serotonin. While …
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is involved in many necessary brain functions. It is released when we get rewarded and is linked to feelings of pleasure. The pleasure associated with the release of dopamine is what makes certain behaviors addictive. Any behavior that induces a sense of pleasure such as: gambling and winning, doing certain …