11 serotonin foods to boost your mood, from chocolate to cherries

You know how some foods just make you feel better? A bowl of spaghetti, a handful of cherries, a bar of  dark chocolate. You’re not imagining it: studies show that certain foods really are mood-boosters. These serotonin foods support the body’s production of the “feel-good” hormone, lifting both spirits and well-being.

The role of serotonin

Serotonin is a hormone and neurotransmitter—a chemical messenger that carries signals between nerve cells in the body. It has a positive influence on the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract, and plays a key role in regulating mood, sleep and appetite.

Low serotonin levels are linked to depression, anxiety and sleep disorders. Pain perception and sexual behaviour are also affected. In short, the right balance of serotonin is essential for both mind and body.

The gut-mood connection

Here’s a surprising fact: more than 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut. The health of the gut directly shapes how we feel. “The brain-gut axis is a bi-directional system of communication between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract, linking emotional and cognitive centres of the brain with peripheral control and function of the gut,” notes a scientific view that looked at the role of serotonin on mood and cognition in relation to the gut. “Serotonin is a key element of this axis, acting as a neurotransmitter in the CNS [central nervous system] and in the enteric nervous system that is present in the wall of the gut.”

While many foods contain serotonin (think tomatoes or plums), serotonin itself cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. That means eating serotonin-rich foods alone won’t directly improve mood. Instead, the body must be supplied with tryptophan, an amino acid that acts as a precursor to serotonin.

Food for mood

There’s a reason pasta feels like comfort food. The combination of tryptophan and carbohydrates creates the perfect conditions for serotonin to be produced in the brain. Carbohydrates trigger an insulin release that clears competing amino acids from the bloodstream, allowing more tryptophan to enter the brain. Minerals such as magnesium and potassium in grains also help the body de-stress.

According to studies, carbohydrates can also lower cortisol levels. As you may be aware, excess stress leads to excess cortisol in the blood, which then leads to high blood pressure, making us susceptible to infections and trouble sleeping or concentrating. At the same time, the stress hormone cortisol inhibits the production of serotonin.

One caveat? Eating carbs with protein can limit the effect.

The best serotonin foods

Aside from carbohydrate-rich whole grains, food sources of serotonin-boosting tryptophan include nuts, pulses and certain animal products such as cheese, eggs and fish. Here are more serotonin foods worth adding to your plate:

Apricots

This sweet source of tryptophan contains high amounts of vitamin B3, which also has a positive effect on the state of mind. Dates and figs are also high in tryptophan.

Soybeans

Soybeans, which belong to the legume family, contain an impressive 415 mg of tryptophan per 100 g when cooked. They also provide the body with plenty of B vitamins, fibre and phytochemicals.

Cheese

Cheese-lovers, rejoice: Parmesan and cheddar have especially high tryptophan levels.

Fatty fish

Salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna are good sources of tryptophan, vitamin B6, and the essential omega-3 fatty acids.

Pineapple

Pineapple promotes serotonin production and has sleep-inducing and anti-inflammatory properties as well.

Cherries

Cherries activate serotonin production while simultaneously promoting the production of endorphins, dopamine, and noradrenaline

Nuts and seeds

Nuts like cashews, as well as seeds like sunflower seeds, contain a high level of tryptophan.

Dark chocolate

Chocolate contains both phenylethylamine and tryptophan, which help increase serotonin. To get the maximum benefits, a cocoa content of at least 70% is ideal.

Pumpkin

Not only is it high in tryptophan and gut-happy fibre, but pumpkin also contains vitamin A, C, E, beta-carotene, potassium and magnesium.

Eggs

High in protein, calcium, and vitamin D, one large egg contains approximately 77 milligrams (mg) of tryptophan.

Avocado

One-third of a medium avocado contains approximately 13 mg of tryptophan, but the fruit is also packed with healthy fats as well as magnesium and B vitamins.

The conditions of happiness

With all this in mind, it’s important to note that eating lots of tryptophan doesn’t automatically ensure a rush of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin’s formation also depends on other substances, namely magnesium and vitamins B3, B6 and D. And, as mentioned in the case of carbs above, eating too much protein can have a counterproductive effect, as protein can actually slow the absorption of tryptophan.

That said, there’s no need to get confused. As with all things wellness-related, it’s all about balance. So next time you feel blue, go ahead and make a reservation at your favourite pizza place, and don’t feel guilty about a slice of dark chocolate cake. An occasional indulgence can, quite literally, make you happier.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for food, medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Not just muscle growth, here's how exercise also boosts brain function

In Short

• A new study aimed to understand the role of nerves stimulating muscles to boost brain function
• As we age, or due to disease or injury, we lose these neurons in muscles
• During exercise, the brain stimulates the muscles via nerves, and muscles release molecules that benefit the brain

For years, researchers have known that exercise prompts muscles to release molecules that enhance brain function, but the process has always remained unclear. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers have recently found that nerves stimulating muscles increase the release of brain-boosting factors.

"The molecules released from the muscle go into the bloodstream and then to the brain, producing so-called crosstalk between the muscle and the brain. We wondered, what is the effect of the neurons on this activity of the muscle, and further down to the communication between muscle and brain?" said study leader Hyunjoon Kong.

"As we age, or due to disease or injury, we lose these neurons in muscles. Understanding their role is crucial for older adults and patients with neuromuscular issues,” he added.

Research shows that exercising muscles secrete hormones and tiny extracellular vesicles carrying RNA fragments that improve brain cell connectivity and communication.

However, the role of nerves stimulating muscles is less understood, explained graduate student Kai-Yu Huang, the study's first author.

To investigate, researchers used a novel tissue model that compared muscle tissues with and without neurons. They found that muscles with neurons produced more molecules that help the brain and better regulated muscle growth.

When they stimulated the nerves with glutamate, a neurotransmitter, the muscles with neurons showed higher levels of a gene that controls secretion and released more of the irisin hormone and extracellular vesicles.

"As we age, losing nerve supply to muscles leads to their breakdown, affecting overall organ function. Understanding how to maintain muscle’s secretion is vital," said Huang.

Our organs communicate: the brain stimulates muscles via nerves, and muscles release molecules that benefit the brain.

"Exercise strengthens the neuron-muscle interface, enhancing brain function. This highlights the importance of fostering this connection through exercise, beyond just building muscle strength," Kong added.

 

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Alzheimer’s Disease - Testing ADHD Medicine

Alzheimer’s patients may soon be administered ADHD medication to improve their symptoms. At first glance, this may seem odd and illogical, but the science checks out. A recent analysis explains why and how ADHD medication works for Alzheimer’s.

One of the primary reasons why Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is so devastating is that it affects multiply brain areas. As more and more neurofibrillary TAU tangles (twisted protein fibers) accumulate in brain cells, they block nutrients from reaching the cells and ultimately cause whole clusters of neurons to die off. 

 

This damage to the brain cells, in turn, produces the infamous symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, such as memory loss and cognitive decline. But there is one more group of Alzheimer’s symptoms that gets less press - the behavioral kind. These symptoms include depression, apathy, agitation, and even aggression. And they can be just as severe and disruptive to the life of the person with Alzheimer’s and their loved ones as memory loss and cognitive decline. 

 

A clear-cut review study published in July 2022 in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry shows that both cognitive and behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer’s can be improved by treating patients with medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  

 

Why can an ADHD treatment help patients with Alzheimer’s?

Let’s begin by clarifying that the types of ADHD medication considered in the analysis are noradrenergic drugs - medications that target a compound called noradrenaline. 

 

And if the word “noradrenaline” rings a bell, you’re not mistaken. Adrenaline is a hormone released by the adrenal glands located on top of both kidneys in response to stress or low blood pressure. That is where we get the term “adrenaline rush.” But when adrenaline travels to the brain, it gets the name nor-adrenaline and turns into a neurotransmitter - a brain chemical used to communicate between nerve cells. 

 

Noradrenaline (also called norepinephrine) is made by specialized noradrenergic nerve cells in the brain as well as the adrenal gland. As a neurotransmitter, norepinephrine plays a huge role in cognition. It aids us to stay focused, improves our ability to learn and memorize new information, and helps us control inappropriate behaviors.

In Alzheimer’s disease, low noradrenaline levels and the loss of neurons that produce norepinephrine are well documented across many brain areas. These disruptions contribute to symptoms often observed in Alzheimer’s disease - from loss of appetite, depression, and sleep disturbances to restlessness, aggression, irritability, and anxiety. 

 

Given that we already have a selection of noradrenergic medications available, researchers have long posited that administering such drugs to people with Alzheimer’s may help reduce AD symptoms.

What did the research find? 

The study authors examined 19 clinical trials from 1980 to 2021 that used noradrenergic drugs (e.g.atomoxetine, guanfacine, and methylphenidate) in people with Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment. These studies involved a total of 1811 participants. The results were examined across two main kinds of symptoms: 

 

Cognition involved memory, language, attention, and visuospatial orientation. 

 

Behavior and neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as depression, apathy, and agitation.

The analysis showed that noradrenergic drugs had a small positive effect on general cognition and a large improvement in apathy. And the researchers conclude, “Repurposing of established noradrenergic drugs is most likely to offer effective treatment in Alzheimer’s disease for general cognition and apathy.” 

 

Obviously, using existing medications to treat AD has many advantages. For one, these drugs don’t have to be tested separately for safety and needn’t be approved by the FDA. All the required testing and certification have already been done in the past, which is a massive time saver. 

 

But it's not all rainbows and unicorns. A few more specific questions regarding the use of noradrenergic medications for Alzheimer’s disease are yet to be answered. For instance, we still don’t know which particular patients would benefit from this treatment the most, as well as the specific doses at which noradrenergic drugs should be administered in AD.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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