It Makes You Feel It

Ever wonder why we have those actions that manifests your feelings? Why do feel anger, sadness, happiness and anxiety? Ever find yourself too paranoid you are being called as an “OC person”? Why is chocolate considered as happy food? How can we tolerate pain and sleeplessness?

There’s Serotonin in you…

What the hell is Serotonin??

As per scientific definition, Serotonin, or 5-hydroxytryptamine (abbreviated 5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter synthesized in the serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system and enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract of animals, including humans.

Malalim ba? Here’s a simpler definition…

Serotonin is a substance which acts as a transmitter of impulses to the brain through the nerves. Serotonin is being manufactured through the stomach (around 95%) and is being carried through the blood stream. It is believed to be the controlling serum of our emotions, sense perceptions, body temperatures, sleep and even sexuality! Serotonin is being produced from the metabolism of the amino acid tryptophan.

Some facts on Serotonin:

Level of Content – normal serotonin levels regulates sleep, and mood. It reduces pain and appetite, and generally calms you down. Lowered serotonin levels increases craving for sweets and carbohydrate-rich foods, depression, high sensitivity to pain, obsessive-complusive disorder and abnormal sleep patterns. High Serotonin levels subsides craving for sweets and carbohydrates, improves pain tolerance, increases irritability and contributes to a deep sleep.

Diet – the more carbohydrates or sweets your diet has, an upsurge of insulin level is to be expected. Insulin lowers the contents if the amino acids in the stomach except for tryptophan, which later turns to serotonin. It relaxes and controls the mood of the subject. Protein-rich diet however, increases amino acids in the stomach but not tryptophan. It does not rise the serotonin-producing amino acids and therefore develops the urge of carbohydrates and sweets.

Estrogen – lowers the serotonin levels. This is the explanation for postpartum depression and premenstrual stresses.

Modulation – psychiatric or medical modulation regulates irregular serotonin levels. Use of antidepressants/depressants , amphetamines and antiemetics are being used.

Extremely High Serotonin – risk of fatalities in this condition are of great possibilities due to brain malfunction.

Sources:
Wikipedia
Prodigy.net