Tryptophan is the precursor to the “happiness hormone” serotonin, so why not take tryptophan supplements to improve mood and relieve symptoms of depression?
The Wrong Way to Boost Serotonin
Doctor's Note
This is the second of a four-part series (mentioned in Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death) on natural ways to boost serotonin in the brain. Yesterday’s video-of-the-day Human Neurotransmitters in Plants noted that plants themselves can contain serotonin. Tomorrow’s video-of-the-day A Better Way to Boost Serotonin will talk about getting dietary tryptophan into the brain, which we’ll then optimize in The Best Way to Boost Serotonin. Avoidance of soda (see Diet & Hyperactivity) and artificial colors (see Are Artificial Colors Bad for You?) may also improve behavior in children and adolescents. Also, check out my other videos on supplements–the good (see Safest Source of B12); the bad (see Update on Vitamin E); the ugly (see Update on Herbalife®); and the just plain snake oil (see Dietary Supplement Snake Oil). Unfortunately, too many people rely on the questionable advice from health food store employees (see my four-part video series that begins with Health Food Store Supplement Advice).
For more context, check out my associated blog posts: How To Boost Serotonin Naturally; Top 10 Most Popular Videos of the Year; Saffron vs. Prozac for Depression; and Treating Parkinson’s Disease with Diet.
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