How To Increase Serotonin Status Without Drugs

Dobbler

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Jun 19, 2016
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According to some evidence, tryptophan, which increases brain serotonin in humans as in experimental animals,69 is an effective antidepressant in mild-to-moderate depression.67,70 Further, in healthy people with high trait irritability, it increases agreeableness, decreases quarrelsomeness and improves mood.

This goes so hard against all the high amount of evidence posted on this forum.
 
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Literally

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If you mean the tryptophan thing specifically, I can't comment... but in general I think all this can be interpreted in light of serotonin being a stress hormone, i.e. signs of *relief* shouldn't be unexpected.

One of the most important things I have learned from Ray Peat and community is how the same evidence can be looked at in completely different ways, so I hope people don't think I post this kind of stuff to stir the pot. To me this forum provides a wonderful opportunity to learn from people's responses, and especially to see how some of the traps that sometimes plague mainstream thinking can be navigated.
 

AnonE

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I feel like this forum and the rest of the world are talking about different things when they use the word "serotonin". To the outside, serotonin makes people feel the opposite of depressed and is involved in social dominance. Here, it's involved in hibernation, estrogen/stress, etc.

I tend to agree with the Peat view. But I'm also seeing lately that too much of the "opposite" of serotonin - dopamine, thyroid, testosterone - leaves me unable to fall asleep, while melatonin helps here and there. So maybe thru pro Peat foods and supps I'm crashing my ability to make melatonin and get restful sleep. Lately only sex is leading to good sleep. Increasing prolactin? Which maybe my high dopamine goals has been hindering.
 

Cirion

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I tend to agree with the Peat view. But I'm also seeing lately that too much of the "opposite" of serotonin - dopamine, thyroid, testosterone - leaves me unable to fall asleep, while melatonin helps here and there. So maybe thru pro Peat foods and supps I'm crashing my ability to make melatonin and get restful sleep. Lately only sex is leading to good sleep. Increasing prolactin? Which maybe my high dopamine goals has been hindering.

To be honest, people are so used to falling asleep via stress hormones (Excess prolactin, melatonin, estrogen) that they don't even know what "healthy" sleep looks like. That said I can see how a metabolism that's finally starting to work again can sometimes be excitatory, and RP says that sometimes someone will go hyperthyroid at first when recovering which can indeed cause one to get insomnia.

But also keep in mind someone who is healthy will need less sleep than someone who is unhealthy. Maybe you would be fine going to bed at midnight and waking up at 6-7 for example.
 

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