Scientists Solve Puzzle on How Serotonin Blunts Appetite

Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, is well known as a mood enhancer, but did you know that serotonin also helps decrease appetite? Scientists have long been aware of this, but they haven’t been able to establish exactly how serotonin curbs hunger — until now. Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, along with other research centers, solved the puzzle when they discovered that serotonin has a two-pronged effect, activating specific neurons that slow appetite… while also blocking others that increase it.

STRATEGIES TO BOOST SEROTONIN

Published reports suggest that this finding will open the door to new anti-obesity drugs, but I wondered how we might increase serotonin levels naturally, in the hope of decreasing appetite without medication. To find out I contacted naturopathic physician Chris D. Meletis, ND, author of numerous books on health and the executive director of the Institute for Healthy Aging in Carson City, Nevada. He had some suggestions for protecting or increasing serotonin levels:

  • Stay away from MSG and yellow dye #5 (tartrazine). Dr. Meletis says it is important to avoid all foods with MSG, present in many Chinese food dishes and processed foods, and yellow dye #5, used in cereals, custards, beverages, ice creams and preserves. All foods containing yellow dye #5 must be labeled as such. Both may affect serotonin levels.
  • Take B vitamins. Vitamin B-6 is one of the compounds the body uses to convert naturally occurring 5-HTP into serotonin. Dr. Meletis advises taking a B complex supplement — he notes that 5-HTP is also available as an individual supplement, but stresses the importance of using it only under the supervision of a physician. In his view, the B-complex vitamins are far safer.
  • Go outside for sunshine. Sunshine may indirectly help with serotonin synthesis.
  • Practice stress-defeaters throughout your day. Since it is believed that stress can reduce serotonin levels, you might take a few minutes for slow, deep breathing, close your eyes for a mini-meditation or get out to the gym for yoga, Pilates or a workout… even in addition to that mid-day walk.
  • Exercise. Research shows that exercise boosts serotonin in the brain.

Many of these strategies are, of course, already familiar to readers of Daily Health News. Once again we find that everything connects to everything else — and nutrition, exercise and stress reduction are the best tools you can use to improve your health, whether your goal is to feel better, look better or be healthier overall. Serotonin is one factor that relates to all of that… taking good care of yourself boosts serotonin, which helps regulate both mood and appetite. Feeling good and looking good often turn out to be one and the same thing.

Source: Chris D. Meletis, ND, executive director of the Institute for Healthy Aging, Carson City, Nevada.