Serotonin deficiency: 10 signs that indicate low levels of the happiness hormone

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in numerous biological processes and its deficiency can manifest itself through various symptoms

The serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in many functions of our body, starting with mood regulation.

The lack of serotonin can have various causes and cause symptoms of various kinds, from depression to difficulty concentrating, insomnia and eating disorders through.

Index

  • What is serotonin and what causes its deficiency
  • The most frequent symptoms of serotonin deficiency
    • Mood disturbances
    • Anxiety
    • Schizophrenia
    • Alterations of the biological clock
    • Sleep disorders
    • Food disorders
    • Chronic pain
    • Learning difficulties and poor memory
    • Hyperactivity
    • Dementia
  • What to do in case of serotonin deficiency

What is serotonin and what causes its deficiency

The serotonin , or 5-HT, is a neurotransmitter that has different functions in our body.
Serotonin is synthesized by our body from an amino acid, tryptophan, and like all neurotransmitters it is responsible for the transmission of a signal at the neuronal level, which in turn generates a response.

In particular, serotonin involved in mood regulation processes and influences learning, memory and circadian rhythms.

Serotonin deficiency can depend on genetic factors that regulate the production and metabolism of this neurotransmitter.

Sometimes serotonin levels can also drop due to a lifestyle or a low-protein diet, or from prolonged intake of certain medications.

Serotonin can also decrease in some moments of life characterized by important hormonal changes , such as adolescence, pregnancy or menopause or, again, in particularly stressful periods.

Because serotonin is part of a complex system, those with a serotonin deficiency may also be affected by a deficiency of other neurotransmitters.

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The most frequent symptoms of serotonin deficiency

Deficiency of serotonin may not give any symptoms or manifest itself in different ways, especially in terms of mood, but not only.

Mood disturbances

Mood tone and serotonin seem to influence each other. Although the link between serotonin deficiency and depression is not entirely clear , a complex relationship is known to exist between this neurotransmitter and mood.
Many antidepressants are specifically designed to increase serotonin synthesis or to inhibit its reuptake at the presynaptic level. Although St. John’s wort plant useful in mild depression , affects the metabolism of serotonin to enhance mood.

Anxiety

Anxiety states occur as an organism’s response to stressful moments or periods. Anxiety sufferers generally experience an increased heart rate and sweating, accompanied by dry mouth and often gastrointestinal spasms.
Since serotonin is involved in the regulation of humor, in addition to causing depression, a deficiency could also cause anxiety , acute or chronic, including obsessive and compulsive forms.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a disease that causes unusual behavior, auditory and visual hallucinations, sudden changes in mood or personality.
Often people suffering from schizophrenia have low levels of serotonin, therefore a deficit of this neurotransmitter could be involved in the onset of this pathology.

Alterations of the biological clock

Serotonin helps regulate circadian rhythms , which represent our biological clock.
As a result, low serotonin levels can cause difficulty getting up in the morning, feeling hungry on a regular basis, and often feeling tired and fatigued throughout the day.

Sleep disorders

As we have seen, serotonin helps regulate biorhythm , so its deficiency can also cause insomnia.
Sleep disturbances include difficulty falling asleep and sleeping continuously for an adequate amount of time, waking up repeatedly during the night or too early in the morning.
L ‘ Chronic insomnia can be caused by a deficiency of serotonin and over time can lead to a diminished quality of life.

Food disorders

Deficiencies in serotonin can also lead to eating disorders: those with low levels of serotonin may overeat or not eat enough or alternate these two behaviors.

Chronic pain

Serotonin affects the functioning of the muscular system and a deficit of this neurotransmitter can be linked to chronic pain.
Serotonin deficiency appears to be related to fibromyalgia , a condition that causes widespread pain.

Learning difficulties and poor memory

Serotonin affects memory and learning , so its deficiency can cause difficulty concentrating, remembering concepts while studying or forgetting appointments, commitments or recurrences in daily life.

Hyperactivity

Low levels of serotonin can cause attention deficit hyperactivity . A person with serotonin deficiency, in addition to having difficulty concentrating, may feel constantly agitated, unable to sit still and have the feeling of being perpetually bored.

Dementia

Serotonin deficiency could be an early warning sign for the onset of senile dementia.
As we have seen, serotonin can affect memory, concentration and learning and it is possible that its deficiency increases the risk of impaired cognitive functions in the long term.

What to do in case of serotonin deficiency

Being able to diagnose a serotonin deficiency based on symptoms alone is particularly difficult.
Manifestations such as insomnia, lowered mood or eating disorders can also appear with adequate levels of serotonin: a wide range of neurotransmitters and numerous other factors can in fact affect mental and physical health .

If you suffer from any of the symptoms related to serotonin deficiency it is important to consult your doctor to get an accurate diagnosis and adequate treatment and thus improve your quality of life.

 

by Abdullah Sam
I’m a teacher, researcher and writer. I write about study subjects to improve the learning of college and university students. I write top Quality study notes Mostly, Tech, Games, Education, And Solutions/Tips and Tricks. I am a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence or virtue.

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