Kuidas aru saada, et teil on serotoniini üleküllus? Endokrinoloog ja psühholoog nimetasid ohtlikke sümptomeid

Serotonin is a chemical regulator of human mood and behavior. If this hormone is normal, we feel happy, joyful and calm, and we get a good night’s sleep. But there’s something important we don’t know about.

What is serotonin?

Counseling psychologist, career counselor, cultural therapist, nlp practitioner

Hormones play an important role for our physical and mental well-being.
Undeniably, they influence our behavior and life. Serotonin is considered a natural antidepressant. It is also known to us as the “happiness and mood hormone” as it is a regulator of emotional state and mental health.

Originally, it is not a hormone, but a neurotransmitter (neurotransmitter) of the brain. Strictly speaking, a chemical substance that transmits brain impulses between nerve cells. Serotonin acts as a conductor of signals from one area to another, and once in the blood, turns into a hormone.

Huvitav fakt: serotonin is the main component of wasp venom and causes severe pain.

It is synthesized in the brain, but 90% of its supply is found in the gastrointestinal tract and in the blood. When there is sufficient serotonin in the body, a person experiences psychological well-being. This is a state of not having a constant or frequent negative emotional background.

The neurotransmitter is released in large quantities when a person overcomes difficulties and achieves challenging goals, when he or she feels significant and important. Thus, the more successfully solved life tasks, the greater the self-confidence, and thus the higher the level of serotonin.

It is important that the “happiness hormone” is normal in a person. Scientists have found that if it is lowered, there can be depressive states, bad mood and insomnia. But don’t be in a hurry to exceed it, excess serotonin can cost you your life. We’ll deal with it further, but first let’s start with the deficiency.

What is the danger of low levels of serotonin?

An insufficient amount of the “happiness hormone” affects the quality of sleep and lack of pleasure. This can cause depressive states. Therefore, it is important to recognize the body’s signals of deficiency in time.

Symptoms of low serotonin:

• hypersensitivity, even minor irritation is responded to by severe pain in the body;
• cravings for sweets, resulting in weight gain;
• increased anxiety;
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• reduced stress tolerance, a person emotionally “flares up” for any insignificant reason;

• false fears and panic attacks;
• addiction;
• vähenenud sugutung;
• bipolar disorder;
• sleep disorders: difficulty falling asleep, shallow sleep, frequent awakenings at night.

How to replenish serotonin levels naturally?

1. Follow a healthy diet

It is necessary to include in your diet the consumption of foods containing tryptophan and glucose, they increase the production of serotonin. These are eggs, cheese, tofu, salmon, turkey, seeds and nuts.

For best effect, combine them with healthy carbohydrates (rice, oatmeal or whole grain bread). Why? There will be a release of insulin, in turn, it will increase the activity of tryptophan.

2. Listen to classical music

Listening to classical music plays an important role in changing the psycho-emotional state of a person. It helps to increase neurotransmitters, including serotonin.

This is the conclusion that clinical psychologist Curtis Levan came to in his research paper. In the study, he equated the emotions from music to the feelings after sex.

3. Make a list of your achievements

It is necessary to visualize your successes: diplomas, certificates, medals, photos, magnets from travels and other attributes. Place them in a prominent place in your space.

How it works. Every time you write, visualize, or see examples of your success, “happy hormones” become more abundant.

4. Don’t allow others to devalue your desires, dreams, life skills learned, goals and accomplishments

What is this behavior associated with? Most often with perfectionism. Its roots go back to childhood, when we were told in school that “you can do even better”, “you’re not good enough”.

It’s time to say no to toxic people. This goes for your inner critic as well. Praise yourself more often! And don’t be shy about noticing your successes.

5. Develop and practice focus

Do a concentration exercise as often as possible. It is very simple: look at one point and do not think about anything. The longer the time you do it, the higher your serotonin levels will be.

6. Find hobbies and pastimes

Interest increases serotonin. Why. During a hobby, a person is busy with a specific action, what is going on around him, he simply does not notice. There are many options for activities today, choose something that gives pleasure. This is an important condition!

7. Increase physical activity

Remember that not all workouts will give a rush of serotonin. Which ones should you choose? Exactly those that will bring pleasure. And most importantly – where you need to make over-exertion or overcome strong fears.

For example, it can be exercises with their own weight or static. Fatigue after exercise also increases tryptophan, which also affects the production of the hormone.

8. Practice meditation and massage

Meditation reduces cortisol levels, as a consequence it increases serotonin. After practicing, your mood improves significantly, because it activates many parts of the brain. Massage, in turn, will not only reduce the stress hormone, but through touching will further increase the level of neurotransmitter.

9. Get out in the sun more often

Light therapy is useful for the production of serotonin, because sunlight increases its amount. This helps and vitamin D, which contributes to the release of “happy hormones”. Therefore, you need to spend at least 20-30 minutes outdoors every day. Remember, this also works in cloudy weather.

10. Build a positive link of moving from a negative state of thoughts to a positive one

Working on positive thinking makes you feel good. Therefore, it is important to learn how to do it. In addition to tracking thoughts, the following will help: socializing with loving and kind people, hobbies, writing out gratitude.

When we increase serotonin levels to normal, we thereby reduce anxiety, stop focusing on negative thoughts and experiences. Internal problems, difficulties and bad moods are replaced with happiness and joy. There is a sense of resource state, a surge of strength and energy for accomplishments, activity, attraction to the opposite sex.

Everyone is able to help themselves to produce the necessary amount of “joy hormones”. After all, serotonin plays an important role in human life. This is a very difficult substance, a neurotransmitter, can both activate and block processes in the body. Therefore, it is necessary to make sure that its level is in balance (not lower or higher).

What is the danger of excess serotonin?

Clinical psychologist, counselor (University of Manchester)

Elevated levels of the “happy hormone” are quite dangerous for humans. What can provoke this process? Most often it occurs due to improper use of medications. For example, taking a high dose of antidepressants or combining these drugs with narcotic drugs. Thus, it can lead to a sharp increase in serotonin in the blood. And the result is serotonin poisoning. What are the side effects that will indicate it?

Mental symptoms:

• excessive emotional arousal;
• violent reactions to ordinary events;
• a continuous flow of words;
• spontaneous panic;
• fear and anxiety.

Autonomic symptoms:

• Nausea; vomiting;
• kõhulahtisus;
• difficulty breathing;
• profuse sweating;
• dry mucous membranes;
• peavalu;
• tremors.

Neuromuscular symptoms:

• limb twitching;
• involuntary eye movement;
• speech impairment;
• arestimised;
• epileptic seizures.

At these signs, it is important to immediately contact specialists. A critical condition can lead to serotonin syndrome.

Serotonin syndrome

There is a concept called serotonin syndrome (an overdose of the hormone) that can lead to deadly conditions.

As a result of increased body temperature and motor activity, there is a risk of problems with the body. We are talking about kidney malfunction, necrosis of skeletal muscles, metabolic acidosis (acid-base equilibrium disorder).

head of the educational and methodological center of the Verba Mayr Academy, endocrinologist.

Serotonin syndrome can have mild and complex forms of symptoms.

Side effects of the mild form are:

• Heavy sweating;
• increased blood pressure;
• tremors;
• headache.

Remember that these same manifestations can be in other diseases. Therefore, in a mild form, it is not always diagnosed.

Side effects of the complex form:

• variations of altered consciousness;
• confusion of speech;
• incoordination of movements;
• high fever;
• vomiting;
• diarrhea.

This condition is very dangerous and can lead to coma or even death. Therefore, quality diagnosis and immediate treatment are necessary.

What level of serotonin should be?

Normal are serotonin levels in the blood – from 50 to 220 ng / ml (nanograms per milliliter). Remember that these parameters can vary. They depend on how the analysis is performed.

How to take the test?

Three days before the test date, avoid foods that stimulate tryptophan production. Avoid medications 48 hours in advance, and anticholinergic drugs, coffee, alcohol and fatty foods 24 hours in advance.

Serotonin levels are analyzed by taking blood. However, a comprehensive study with the determination of the excretion of serotonin metabolite (5-NIAA) with urine is recommended. It is taken on an empty stomach, it is allowed to drink only water.