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Treating Depression by Increasing the Levels of Serotonin in the Brain—Part II

Oct 05, 2017

Increasing Serotonin Levels with Food

Is it really possible to increase the levels of serotonin and decrease depression with food? In order to understand this process, you also need to know that serotonin is made by combining tryptophan and tryptophan hydroxylase. You may not directly be able to increase the amount of serotonin in the brain but you can increase the amount of tryptophan by eating foods in certain optimal combinations. And this will result in a greater production of serotonin.

  • Avoid Eating Only Protein-Rich Foods. Although protein-rich foods contain a lot of tryptophan, eating them can result in a lowering of your levels of serotonin instead of an increase. This is because they increase your blood levels of tryptophan as well as competing amino acids. So although there are greater levels of tryptophan in the blood, it isn’t absorbed by the brain, which ends up taking in the amino acids as well. And when tryptophan levels are lower, less serotonin is produced.
  • Combine Carb-Rich Foods with Protein-Rich Foods. If you eat a carb-rich meal at the same time as you consume tryptophan-rich foods, you release a lot of insulin. As a result, most amino acids are absorbed into the body, leaving only high levels of tryptophan going to the brain. And this leads to a greater production of serotonin. So if you want to increase the levels of serotonin in your brain, eat protein-rich foods combined with carb-rich foods.
  • Which Foods Are High in Tryptophan? Eggs (especially egg yolks), cheese, pineapples, tofu, salmon, nuts and seeds and turkey are all rich in tryptophan. So if you combine them with some healthy, high-fiber carbohydrates like whole wheat bread or brown rice, you can increase the levels of serotonin in your brain.

Increasing Serotonin Levels with Vitamins

Vitamin B6 in particular supports the production and function of serotonin, melatonin and dopamine in the brain. Vitamin B12 is also helpful in keeping your mood levels up.

So it’s not a bad idea to take a B-complex everyday. In fact, it’s an overall good idea to take a general multivitamin in case you might be suffering from vitamin deficiencies that you don’t know about. Plus, try to get as many vitamins and minerals as you can from your diet. This is done by eating a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Increasing Serotonin Levels with Exercise

Exercise has been shown to increase both serotonin production and release. Every time you perform some cardiovascular exercise, you feel just a little more upbeat. The same goes for yoga which also helps to clear and calm the mind.

It doesn’t really matter what type of exercise you take up, as long as it’s something that you enjoy. If getting on the treadmill and listening to your favorite music for an hour does it for you, then go for that. If you prefer a game of tennis with a friend, make time for it in your schedule.

Contact us for more information on the role of serotonin in improving mood.


Tags: Depression Counseling, Depression, Depression Counselor, Serotonin
Category: Depression Counseling

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