Serotonin The hormone of happiness and an effective antidepressant

In today's article, we are going to talk about serotonin, a neurotransmitter known for being an aphrodisiac. In fact, serotonin is known as the pleasure hormone.

Content

• What is serotonin chemically speaking?
• Serotonin: 4 main functions
  • 1. Regulates appetite
  • 2. Relieves anguish and anxiety
  • 3. Combat sadness and depression
  • 4. Reduces the risk of osteoporosis
• Serotonergic syndrome
• Methaphetamine and serotonin liberation
  • References

What is serotonin chemically speaking?

The serotonin, Also known as 5-hydroxytriptamine (5-HT), it is a neurotransmitter that occurs from the chemical conversion of the tryptophan with a protein component and hydroxylase tryptophan, which is a chemical chemical.

The neuromodulator that allows this chemical process is related to many psychiatric disorders, but neurotransmitter himself is not, which has a much more direct relationship with pleasure and good humor.

It should be noted that, although it is a neurotransmitter, serotonin is much easier to find in the gastrointestinal tract and in blood platelets, in addition to the central nervous system. Serotonin has also been found in plants.

Although its effects remain somewhat unknown, the truth is that it is invariably associated with everything that has to do with good humor, pleasure and happiness. However, there are some additional functions, We will talk about in the following section.

Serotonin: 4 main functions

The serotonin functions They are somewhat difficult to explain and isolate, because, as you know, the evolution is wise and, when it finds something that works, it reuses it in several different ways to get the most possible.

That is why serotonin, where is known today, has a lot of functions, among which the following stand out:

1. Regulates appetite

First of all, It is a appet regulator, being the molecule that allows the body to have the feeling of satiety that makes it stop eating. In addition, it allows balance sexual desire, temperature, and several cognitive functions.

2. Relieves anguish and anxiety

Second, when it acts next to dopamine and norepinenialine, it serves to regulate everything that has to do with anguish, fear, aggressiveness and anxiety, in addition to some food problems.

3. Combat sadness and depression

There are many emotional health states that are directly related to the lack of serotonin, such as depression or irritability.

The most concrete evidence of the connection between serotonin and depression is that low serotonin metabolites concentrations in brain fluid tissues such as cerebrospinal fluid, is typical of depressed people.

Pharmaceuticals are very clear at this point that depression arises as a result of a serotonin deficiency, which is why specific drugs have been created such as The prozac (fluoxetine), which are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRS). Its function is to increase the amount of serotonin in neuronal synapses by blocking the reuptake of the presynaptic cell serotonin. Antidepressants are one of the most prescribed medications despite the serious side effects that can cause.

If depression is mild, sometimes it can be solved without specific medications. The most effective way to naturally raise serotonin levels is with exercise. Studies have shown that serotonin levels increase with the increase in activity, in addition serotonin production remains high even several days after the activity. This is the safest way to increase serotonin levels, apart from the many other benefits that it gives us to exercise regularly.

Serotonin levels can also be controlled through diet. A poor diet in omega-3 fatty acids can decrease serotonin brain levels and cause depression. Complex carbohydrates raise the level of tryptophan in the brain exerting a soothing effect. Vitamin C is also important for tryptophan conversion into serotonin.

4. Reduces the risk of osteoporosis

And last, It serves to intervene in everything that has to do with bone density, which may seem little related to the above. And, it is true, it keeps little relationship. However, it has been shown that patients who take medication to block serotonin, suffer more often diseases such as osteoporosis.

Serotonergic syndrome

Serotonergic syndrome refers to the set of symptoms suffered when it has high serotonin. This syndrome, in general, It is usually produced by taking some medications or drugs.

In this last sense, drugs such as LSD, ecstasy, amphetamine or methamphetamine are well known, although also the extracts of some plants such as the ginseng or the grass of San Juan.

Serotonergic syndrome, although it can become serious, generally does not imply great problems. The most common is that it causes feeling of uneasiness, some agitation, confusion, disorientation or anxiety.

For the physical part, you can have some Fever, sweating, muscle stiffness or dilation of pupils. In some cases you can have complications, which can lead to the rigidity, hypertemia or even coma.

These last complications are usually frequent in the case of overdose of some drugs, such as cocaine or mdma.

Methaphetamine and serotonin liberation

It is important to highlight methamphetamine, because its use implies a huge consumption of serotonin. To put it in some way that it can be clearly understood, imagine that you have "serotonin deposits".

Your body, according to what situations (having sex or when you laugh, for example), it is freeing a bit of that serotonin, making those deposits slowly empty. Then those deposits are filled, Having always a balance.

On the other hand, by consuming methamphetamine, these deposits are emptied suddenly, making serotonin extend by your body, making you enjoy, but at the same time, leaving them 100% empty, So they take much more to fill.

That is why, in the first place, you can have a sense of discouragement after the effect of methamphetamine has passed and, in addition, its consumption is needed, because the drug It does not give the same pleasure until these deposits have been filled again.

As you can see, the serotonin It has many reasons to be considered the hormone of pleasure and humor, and it is not a coincidence, therefore, that many researchers are deepening it to try to induce states of pleasure and happiness to the patients.

Dopamine: functions, imbalances and how to improve the levels of this neurotransmitter

References

• Artigas., F. (1997). Serotonin conveyor as therapeutic targets. Department of Neurochemistry. Biomedical Research Institute of Barcelona. p. 42-44.
• Bradford, h.F. (1988). Fundamentals of neurochemistry. Barcelona: Labor.
• Bustamante, e. (2007). The nervous system: from neurons to the human brain. Antioquia University; p. 53.
• Department of Biopsychology. (2004). Neurotransmitters. University of Argentina John F Kennedy. Neuropsychology Research and Teaching Institute; pp. 6-7.
• The Biology Guide. "Serotonin synthesis". Consulted on March 22, 2016.
• Mendoza, n. (2008). Medical Pharmacology. Ed. Pan -American Medical. p. 271.
• Rapin, j. (2004). The guide of the new stimulants. Paidotribo editorial; p. 32.
• Laughing, a. (2006). Neuropsychology, brain, psyche and cognition. (in Spanish.). Erre Eme.
• Velasco, a. (1988). Compendium of Psychoneuropharmacology. Díaz de Santos Editions; p. 22.