Boost moods naturally - Jenny Blondel Naturopath

Mood depends greatly on the levels and interactions of a number of different chemicals within the brain, including serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. An alteration in mood can often be due to an imbalance or shortage of these chemicals. In addition, a hormone imbalance can influence mood by affecting such chemicals, as can a blood sugar imbalance, inflammation, nutrient deficiency (such as iron, vitamin D, folate and vitamin B12) and a pyrrole disorder. The good news is you can boost moods naturally.

Feeling pushed to the limit?

Many people suffer from feeling pushed to the limit from time to time and indeed these feelings can be beneficial in terms of stimulating our brains and bodies to improve performance. For others though, these feelings can be problematic, especially when they affect normal everyday function. As serotonin is the brain chemical involved in relaxation and mood, it is important that our levels of this important neurotransmitter are maintained at an optimal level. How?

Boost moods naturally with 5HTP

By supplementing with 5-HTP, levels of serotonin can be directly influenced. As a powerful precursor to serotonin in the brain, 5HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) has become known as a superb mood balancing supplement. 5-HTP is a substance formed in our bodies from the amino acid tryptophan and is essential as a direct precursor to the important mood controlling neurotransmitter ‘serotonin’.

Because of it’s benefit on serotonin levels, 5-HTP is useful for:

mood balance
healthy sleep cycle
weight management via appetite control
hormone mood fluctuations (e.g. PMS and its more severe form PMDD)

Why not supplement with serotonin directly?

If serotonin is such an important neurotransmitter, then why not just take this directly, rather than its precursor 5-HTP? There is a simple answer to this; serotonin cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, so if you took it as a supplement it would have little or no effect. Instead, it is believed that 5-HTP can easily cross this barrier.