Serotonin's effects on multiple body systems

One Dangerous Deficiency Links IBS, Migraines, and More Health News By VRP Staff When you think of serotonin deficiency, the first consequence that might spring to mind is depression. And if so, you’d be right. But there’s more to this neurotransmitter than meets the eye—a lot more. Migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, obesity, even asthma… believe it or not, all of these serious conditions can be traced back to depleted serotonin levels. And the effects on your body can be as damaging as they are diverse. Serotonin is one of your brain’s most crucial messengers. It’s released by your neurons to send signals to other neurons, after which it’s returned to its original parent neuron to be reused. But if your levels are low, serotonin’s time on your synapse is cut short. It’s recaptured before it can finish its job—at a very high cost to your health, mentally and physically. In addition to depression, low levels of serotonin–and its precursor tryptophan–have been linked to binge eating, carbohydrate cravings, and weight gain.1 Studies show that obese and overweight diabetic patients have levels that are well below normal–and in clinical trials, increased brain serotonin led to both reduced caloric intake and resulting weight loss.2–4 But it’s not just your waistline that benefits from this critical neurotransmitter. Studies have shown that increasing serotonin levels can fight insomnia by improving sleep continuity.5 Research also shows that increased serotonin relieves migraines as effectively as standard drug therapy and aids in relief of chronic tension headaches.6–7 This same ability has made it a unique target in the treatment of fibromyalgia, with serotonin deficiency implicated for lower pain thresholds and higher clinical measures of perceived pain in patients.8–10 In an even more surprising connection, serotonin has also been identified as a major player in gut motility.11–12 Special serotonin–releasing cells can be found throughout your digestive system, responsible for stimulating peristaltic motion and pushing waste through your digestive tract.13 Even the development and severity of asthma has been linked to depression, anxiety, and low–serotonin related disorders—revealing yet another function under this neurotransmitter’s powerful influence.14 Proper levels of serotonin are essential for your health—and one way to ensure higher levels of this neurotransmitter is by boosting your intake of tryptophan, an essential amino acid found in high–protein foods that is responsible for serotonin synthesis in your brain. Research has shown that supplementing with tryptophan (and its metabolite 5–hydroxytryptophan, or 5–HTP) can replenish serotonin naturally and effectively—easing depression, anxiety, migraines, insomnia, and fibromyalgia symptoms in several clinical studies.15–17 References: 1. Gendall KA, Joyce PR. Meal–induced changes in tryptophan:LNAA ratio: effects on craving and binge eating. Eat Behav. 2000 Sep;1(1):53–62. 2. Breum L, Rasmussen MH, Hilsted J, Fernstrom JD. Twenty–four–hour plasma tryptophan concentrations and ratios are below normal in obese subjects and are not normalized by substantial weight reduction. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 May;77(5):1112–1118. 3. Ceci F, Cangiano C, Cairella M, et al. The effects of oral 5–hydroxytryptophan administration on feeding behavior in obese adult female subjects. J Neural Transm 1989;76(2):109–117. 4. Cangiano C, Ceci F, Cascino A, et al. Eating behavior and adherence to dietary prescriptions in obese adult subjects treated with 5–hydroxytryptophan. Am J Clin Nutr 1992 Nov;56(5):863–867. 5. Riemann D, Vorderholzer U. Treatment of depression and sleep disorders. Significance of serotonin and L–tryptophan in pathophysiology and therapy. Fortschr Med. 1998 Nov;116(32):40–42. 6. Titus F, Dávalos A, Alom J, Codina A. 5–Hydroxytryptophan versus methysergide in the prophylaxis of migraine. Randomized clinical trial. Eur Neurol. 1986;25(5):327–329. 7. Ribeiro CA. L–5–Hydroxytryptophan in the prophylaxis of chronic tension–type headache: a double–blind, randomized, placebo–controlled study. For the Portuguese Head Society. Headache. 2000 Jun;40(6):451–456. 8. Birdsall TC. 5–Hydroxytryptophan: a clinically–effective serotonin precursor. Altern Med Rev. 1998 Aug;3(4):271–280. 9. Hrycaj P, Stratz T, Muller W. Platelet 3Himipramine uptake receptor density and serum serotonin levels in patients with fibromyalgia/fibrositis syndrome. J Rheumatol. 1993;20:1986–1988. [letter] 10. Russell IJ, Michalek JE, Vipraio GA, et al. Platelet 3H–imipramine uptake receptor density and serum serotonin levels in patients with fibromyalgia/fibrositis syndrome. J Rheumatol 1992;19:104–109. 11. Fayyaz M, Lackner JM. Serotonin receptor modulators in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2008 Feb;4(1):41–48. 12. Gershon MD. The enteric nervous system: a second brain. Hosp Pract (Minneap). 1999 Jul 15;34(7):31–32,35–38,41–42. 13. Grider JR. Desensitization of the peristaltic reflex induced by mucosal stimulation with the selective 5–HT4 agonist tegaserod. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2006 Feb;290(2):G319–G327. 14. Goodwin RD, Sourander A, Duarte CS, et al. Do mental health problems in childhood predict chronic physical conditions among males in early adulthood? Evidence from a community–based prospective study. Psychol Med. 2008 May 28:1–11. 15. Poldinger W, Calanchini B, Schwarz W. A functional approach to depression: serotonin deficiency as a target syndrome in a comparison of 5–hydroxytryptophan and fluvoxamine. Psychopathology. 1991;24:53–81. 16. Kahn RS, Westenberg HG. L–5–hydroxytryptophan in the treatment of anxiety disorders. J Affect Disord. 1985 Mar–Apr;8(2):197–200. 17. Puttini PS, Caruso I. Primary fibromyalgia and 5–hydroxy–L–tryptophan: a 90 day open study. J Int Med Res. 1992;20:182–189.