Serotonin is generally considered a “good” neurochemical. Some have come to call it, somewhat mistakenly, the Hormone of Happiness.
Let’s take a look at some drawbacks of serotonin. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, it just illustrates some ways that serotonin can be a drawback or even a detriment.
1. Lethargy
It’s more or less a linear function: when insulin is released, tryptophan is transported to the brain and serotonin is produced. The more insulin someone secretes, the more tryptophan reaches the brain and the more serotonin is synthesized.
Some people are carbohydrate sensitive and secrete a lot of insulin when they eat certain carbohydrates. This is often related to genetics. That high insulin can lead to increased tryptophan transport and result in increased serotonin production.
Although serotonin induces relaxation, high levels of it can make us lethargic and lazy.
2. Hypertension
Serotonin is a vasoconstrictor, so it can contribute to high blood pressure. Once again, it is part of the same linear function. To the extent that someone secretes high levels of insulin, that high insulin is likely to result in high serotonin.
People who are young, not overweight, and not eating a high-sodium diet can still have high blood pressure. And it can be diagnosed as “idiopathic” if the doctor doesn’t look at factors such as genetic sensitivity to carbohydrates and the specific carbohydrate content of the diet.
3. Resistance locked
We’re pretty used to hearing about the benefits of serotonin, for example, that exercise triggers serotonin. However, for any athletic activity that involves endurance or high-intensity exertion, elevated serotonin is not a good thing.
It causes fatigue and makes us want to quit training sooner. This effect has been shown in animals as well as in athletes.
How to Optimize Your Serotonin
• Eat protein with every meal. This will provide you with tryptophan for when you need and want serotonin. But it will also block serotonin and prevent too high levels of serotonin.
• Avoid “big insulin” triggers. Stay away from sugar and other junk carbohydrates, like white flour. Don’t combine “high insulin” carbs with saturated fats (such as butter on potatoes or white bread). The combination leads to an even higher insulin release.
• Avoid starches alone. Control the insulin/serotonin impact of your meals by eating protein, healthy fats, and vegetables, too.
• When you eat starches, focus on the healthy ones to avoid sugar cravings. Some examples are lentils, quinoa, squash, sweet potatoes, brown rice, and turnips.
Bottom line
Serotonin may be key to controlling mood, exercise, appetite, food preferences, blood pressure, sleep, and cravings. Remember that controlling serotonin may involve keeping levels low at times. Both increasing serotonin and blocking it are under your control.