Serotonin has many important functions in the body. It mediates the transmission of signals between nerve cells and affects the aggregation of platelets and the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. What else does serotonin do? What causes excess or deficiency of serotonin? What are drugs that affect serotonin levels in the body for?

Serotonin(aka 5-hydroxytryptamine, abbreviated as 5-HT) is a biogenic amine and is considered both a neurotransmitter and a tissue hormone. The history of the discovery of this compound is quite interesting - in 1935 an extract of intestinal cells was obtained, in which the presence of various substances was found. Initially, it was thought that the biogenic amine contained in it was adrenaline, but later it was observed that it is a previously unknown substance and was called enteramine.

Serotonin: production

Serotonin is produced by the transformation of one of the amino acids - tryptophan. Serotonin is synthesized by hydroxylation of tryptophan to 5-hydroxytryptophan, which then undergoes decarboxylation to form 5-hydroxytryptamine.

Serotonin is mainly associated with the nervous system. However, although it does circulate relatively large amounts of it, it is actually not the nerve tissue that is the most abundant in serotonin. The largest amounts of it can be found elsewhere, in the digestive tract.

In the digestive system, serotonin is produced by the chromatophilic cells of the intestines, while in the nervous system, the place where this substance is synthesized is the raphe nucleus located within the brainstem. Other structures that also produce serotonin are the pineal gland and platelets.

Serotonin: Features

At the very beginning it was mentioned that serotonin is one of the neurotransmitters and it is indeed one of the basic functions of this substance - it participates in the transmission of impulses between individual nerve cells.

However, this is not the only process in which this biogenic amine takes part - among other tasks that are fully full of serotonin in the human body, the following are mentioned:

  • influence on the activity of the digestive tract

Serotonin secreted in the intestines may accelerate the motor activity of the tractdigestive, which is important, for example, when a person consumes a substance that is unfavorable for him - thanks to serotonin and the diarrhea it provokes, it is possible to excrete such a substance faster; in addition, serotonin is also responsible for the fact that we feel nausea - vomiting that may result from it, can also help to eliminate harmful substances from the body,

  • influence on our mood

Serotonin is sometimes called the happiness hormone - such a definition of this relationship comes from the fact that various studies have already shown that it is related to our feeling of happiness or joy, in addition, it has already been reported many times that serotonin can reduce restlessness and anxiety; various drugs - incl. MDMA and ecstasy - lead to an increased release of serotonin and this phenomenon may be responsible for the feeling of pleasure and other sensations that appear after taking them,

  • participation in blood clotting processes

After a break in the continuity of tissues and a wound within the body, platelets release various mediators, including serotonin - amine causes blood vessels to contract, which reduces blood loss and promotes the formation of a plug plate.

Serotonin: possible deficiency symptoms

As with many different substances, also with serotonin, both its excess and deficiency can be harmful.

Serotonin deficiency is the most common, and it can result in a wide variety of abnormalities. The most famous of them is depression - among the many theories about the causes of this mood disorder, one of the most popular is the one according to which a decrease in the level of serotonin in the body would be associated with depressed mood and other symptoms of depression.

Serotonin deficiency may not only lead to a deterioration of mood - other possible symptoms of this problem include:

  • increased appetite (especially for sweets - after eating sweet snacks, the secretion of serotonin in the body increases)
  • difficulty falling asleep
  • deterioration of memory and concentration
  • irritability
  • lowering self-esteem
  • anxiety

What, however, can be the cause of serotonin deficits? This is not really known - even in the case of depressive disorders, it is not entirely clear whether the deficiency of serotonin is their result or whether it is the cause of their occurrence.

Serotonin: possible symptoms of excess

Just as various ailments may arise due to a deficiencyserotonin, and various problems may occur in patients who develop an excess of this neurotransmitter. Symptoms of an excess of serotonin include such ailments as, first of all:

  • chills
  • diarrhea
  • headache
  • nausea
  • pupil dilation
  • increase in body temperature
  • increase in blood pressure
  • tachycardia
  • convulsions

Much better known than the causes of the deficiency are the possible causes of the excess of serotonin. This problem may be related to serotonin syndrome - a disorder that may result, among others, from taking various drugs at the same time that affect the levels of serotonin in the body.

Another possible cause of serotonin excess is carcinoid tumors - tumors that can produce this substance, and among the most common locations of carcinoids are the small intestine, appendix, bronchi and colon.

Serotonin: use in medicine

Considering how many different actions serotonin exerts in the human body, it probably comes as no surprise that the influence on its levels in the body has been used in medicine for many years.

The best known preparations that increase the amount of serotonin in the human body are drugs from the group of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). They are used in the treatment of depressive disorders, but also in people struggling with various anxiety disorders.

Just as antidepressants are certainly the most famous drugs affecting the serotoninergic system, they are not the only drugs that focus on it.

Antiemetics - such as ondansetron - work by blocking serotonin receptors.

In turn, preparations from the triptan group, used by patients suffering from migraines, alleviate this extremely intense type of headache by influencing the levels of serotonin and thus constricting blood vessels in the central nervous system.

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Serotonin: How to naturally increase its level in the body?

You can influence the level of serotonin in the body with the use of various pharmaceuticals, but not only - there are also natural methods that increase the amount of this neurotransmitter in the human body.

You can try to increase the proportion of foods that are sources of this substance in the diet, zwhich produce serotonin. I am talking about tryptophan, which can be found, among others in eggs, salmon, nuts or cheese, tofu and pineapple.

Exposure to sunlight can be helpful - phototherapy is sometimes used in the treatment of seasonal depression.

Regular physical activity and meditation can also raise serotonin levels in the body.

In turn, it is definitely not recommended to use various psychoactive substances that result in a sudden burst of serotonin in the body.

After taking various drugs, euphoria and various other pleasant sensations may actually appear, but later - due to the serotonin deficiency that follows - the unpleasant ailments that have already been described may appear.

Taking drugs is associated with the risk of addiction, so it is better to avoid them and if you want to increase the levels of serotonin in your body, it is best to use natural methods for this purpose.

About the authorBow. Tomasz NęckiA graduate of medicine at the Medical University of Poznań. An admirer of the Polish sea (most willingly strolling along its shores with headphones in his ears), cats and books. In working with patients, he focuses on always listening to them and spending as much time as they need.

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