Serotonin is a chemical created by the human body that works as a neurotransmitter.

It is regarded by some researchers

as a chemical that is responsible for maintaining mood balance.

Serotonin, also called 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a neurotransmitter, a chemical required for the
healthy functioning of your brain cells, nerves and gastrointestinal tract. Serotonin is synthesized in the
brain and regulates sleep, body temperature, muscle contraction, memory, learning, mood, appetite
and blood clotting. In people with low serotonin levels, increasing the amount of serotonin can reduce
the symptoms of several disorders. Raising serotonin levels too much, however, can lead to serotonin
syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition.
Low Levels of Serotonin
Low serotonin levels are associated with a wide variety of emotional and behavioral disorders including
depression, anxiety, suicidal behavior and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
CAUSE OF LOW LEVELS SEROTONIN
Inadequate Intake of L-tryptophan from Dietary Sources
L-tryptophan is the amino acid used in the production of serotonin. It is capable of crossing the bloodbrain barrier.When foods rich in L-tryptophan are withdrawn from the diet, serotonin production drops
and when they are reintroduced, serotonin is increasingly synthesized.Foods rich in L-tryptophan include
meat, poultry, nuts and dairy products.
Vitamin B6 Deficiency
Vitamin B6 or pyridoxal 5-phosphate is an essential coenzyme in the synthesis of serotonin from Ltryptophan. Therefore, it is also required for optimal production of serotonin.
People who experience vitamin B6 deficiency often have low serotonin levels too.
Competing Amino Acids
It sounds like the right thing to advice that proteins should be taken to increase serotonin production.
However, diets high in proteins usually lead to low levels of serotonin chiefly because of the number of
amino acids competing for absorption.

Serotonin Syndrome
Serotonin syndrome results when very high levels of serotonin build up in your body. Initial symptoms
include shivering, diarrhea, headache, agitation, confusion, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, dilated
pupils, loss of coordination, muscle twitching, goose bumps and perspiring heavily. If you have any of
these symptoms, call your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room. Left untreated, the
symptoms can worsen to high fever, seizures, irregular heartbeat, unconsciousness and ultimately,
death.
Causes of Serotonin Syndrome
Taking one or more medications that cause serotonin levels to increase excessively typically causes
serotonin syndrome; most problems occur when you take two or more such medications in
combination. These medications include certain antidepressants, migraine headache medications, some
stop-smoking drugs, certain pain medications, lithium, some anti-nausea drugs, the antibiotic linezolid,
the antiretroviral drug ritonavir, herbal supplements such as St. Johns wort and ginseng, and illicit drugs
including amphetamines, LSD, cocaine and ecstasy