Serotonin Levels
Posted by christine hassell on Wed, Aug 11, 2010 @ 06:54 PM
Low serotonin levels can have serious effects on your mental and physical health. Serotonin deficiency symptoms can be fairly obvious. Depression, anxiety, insomnia, overeating, PMS, migraine, OCD, aggressive or violent tendencies, fibromyalgia, alcoholism, and bulimia are all associated with relatively low serotonin levels.
Is Your Serotonin System In Balance?
If the answer to the following questions is “yes”, circle the number underneath.
When you eat processed carbohydrates or foods with high sugar content, do you feel more relaxed or experience relief from anxiety, or both?
4
Have you ever taken pharmaceuticals, such as Paxil, Prozac or Zoloft?
7
Do you often have symptoms of abdominal discomfort such as gas, bloating, loose stools or constipation?
5
If you have ever used cognitive behavioral therapy with a licensed psychotherapist, did you feel better as a result?
7
If you‘ve ever used marijuana, did you find that it caused you to relax?
4
Does depression run in your family?
4
Do you find that when you feel down or when you have the blues, that you are also irritable and anxious at the same time?
4
Do you have a regular pattern of explosive anger or easily triggered rage?
5
Do you have a history of sleep problems, especially difficulty sleeping soundly throughout the night?
4
Do you often have the sense that you are “out of step” or not focused?
4
Do you prefer alcohol over other drugs?
5
Add up the points you have circled.
________________
18 to 24 points means you are probably serotonin-deficient. 25 or more points means you are very probably serotonin-deficient.
You can click here to learn about cognitive behavioral therapy for serotonin deficiency.
Now let’s look at the other end of the spectrum. Is it possible to have too much serotonin?
Serotonin syndrome is the name for a condition when the body has too much serotonin. Serotonin syndrome typically occurs when you’ve taken one or more medications cause too much serotonin to be released or inhibit the re-uptake (make less available). If you have excessive serotonin in your system, you may be having a “serotonin storm” which could occur only minutes to a few hours after taking these could be indicated by symptoms including:
- Overactive reflexes
- Restlessness
- Hallucinations
- Loss of coordination
- Excessively fast heart beat
- Rapid changes in blood pressure
- Increased body temperature
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
The symptoms can occur within a few minutes to a few hours after taking the medication or combination of medications. You are more at risk when you begin or increase the dose of a new medication, specifically triptans together with antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs)
You may also be at risk for serotonin syndrome if you take SSRIs with St. John’s wort, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), meperidine (a painkiller) or dextromethorphan (cough medicine).
If you are having a serotonin storm and you stop taking these combinations of medications your symptoms may subside. If you let them go untreated, they could be fatal. Always talk to your doctor before discontinuing any medication. If you think you may have Serotonin Syndrome, call your doctors office right away.
So far, I’ve only addressed serotonin levels that go from one extreme to the other. Of course, it is possible to achieve balanced serotonin levels through medication, diet, proper sleep hygiene, exercise, natural serotonin supplements and psychotherapy specifically, cognitive behavioral therapy.