Serotonin and Its Affect on Depression

What is serotonin? It is a chemical that is found in the brain that enhances your mood. But exactly how does it do this? Without getting too technical, this article will try to explain how serotonin works in your brain and why it affects depression.

The brain is made up of cells called neurons. These neurons are actively communicating amongst themselves to regulate all of our body processes. These neurons are joined by axons and dendrites. The axons take messages away from the brain and the dendrites send messages to the brain. The axons and dendrites meet at a place called a synapses. This is a cleft where the messages are sent across to the other side. That is the job of the neurotransmitter. It is the chemical that carries the message.

Serotonin is the chemical that has been known to have the strongest effect on mood. But serotonin is not just found in the brain, it is also found in the gut and in the walls of blood vessels. The interesting thing is that the total amount of serotonin found in the body is only about ten milligrams or roughly the weight of one eyelash.

When there is a lack of serotonin in the brain depression can be the result. But what can cause a lack of serotonin? Periods of extreme stress can cause a serotonin deficiency. A diet lacking in all of the necessary vitamins and minerals can be another cause. Exposure to toxic substances like pesticides and heavy metals can deplete serotonin. Changes in your hormone levels can cause a change in serotonin levels. These and a few other factors can cause low levels of serotonin. The low levels will have an effect on your mood and depression can set in.

You may need to have your blood tested to see if you have a serotonin deficiency. If this is the cause of your depression, talk with your doctor about treatment. He make recommend starting you on an SSRI. This stands for selective serotonin re uptake inhibitor. It acts by inhibiting the re uptake of these neurotransmitters, allowing more to be used throughout the brain.

If you want to try a herbal or natural remedy to treat depression, studies have shown that 5-HTP in very effective in treating the symptoms of depression. This is an amino acid that is an intermediate step between tryptophan and serotonin and it can raise the serotonin levels in your brain. Another natural remedy is St. John's Wort. This herbal supplement has been used for decades to help with depression. Amoryn is a natural remedy which contains St John's Wort, Hyperforin and 5-HTP.

It is also important that you take good care of yourself by eating three healthy meals a day, drink plenty of water and exercise daily. Depression can be a serious disease but it is very treatable.

For more information about Depression visit Defeating Depression

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