4 Serotonin Supplements That Can Help Treat Depression, And Some Natural Ways To Boost Serotonin

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a kind of "chemical messenger". It's got a whole reputation for being involved in mood —and it is. Serotonin also plays a part in many other important things, however, from regulating bowel movements to sleep, and from bone health to blood clotting and appetite. 

Many people believe that low levels of this important neurotransmitter directly cause depression. Reality is more complex, with research still uncovering new information about serotonin and how it acts on the body all the time. Multiple factors contribute to depression, and it's not even clear whether low serotonin levels cause depression, or depression leads to low serotonin levels. Studies have shown that messing with the function of serotonin artificially does contribute to depression, but low serotonin levels on their own don't necessarily guarantee that someone will become depressed. 

Nonetheless, there's been an awful lot of interest in the link between serotonin and depression, and SSRIs — selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors — are a really popular class of antidepressants that is also often very effective. They essentially work by making more serotonin available to your brain. 

How can you boost your serotonin levels naturally without medication or supplements?

There are a couple of fascinating possibilities: 

• You may have heard of bright light therapy as a common treatment for a kind of depression called seasonal affective disorder, which usually strikes during cold and dark winter months. Research suggest that this light therapy can also be helpful to people with other kinds of depression, and this may be because the therapy increases serotonin levels. 
• You will also, definitely, have caught on to the fact that many people say that exercising helps combat depressive symptoms. One reason is, again, serotonin levels. 
• Finally, if talk therapy can help you improve your mood even slightly, serotonin levels may go up, in turn improving your mood even more — if this works, you're essentially creating a "vicious cycle", but a good one. 

Boosting serotonin levels through diet and supplements — can it help alleviate depression?

1. L-tryptophan

An amino acid that allows your body to synthesize serotonin, L-tryptophan may be as effective as antidepressants in people suffering from mild depression, and may increase the efficacy of antidepressants in people with moderate to severe depression. Before you think that this is a safer and more natural alternative to antidepressants, however, realize that:

• L-tryptophan has been linked to at least 37 deaths and can cause serious side effects. 
• There's a long list of medications you shouldn't be taking together with L-tryptophan, including many antidepressants. The list is really too long to share here, but it means that you should absolutely, without question, talk to your doctor and get their OK before you even think about taking L-tryptophan. 
• L-tryptophan is probably not safe during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. 
• If you have any other medical condition, again, L-tryptophan may be dangerous for you. 

2. 5-HTP

L-tryptophan is initially metabolized into 5-HTP, or 5-Hydroxytryptophan, and this can also be taken as a supplement. Like with L-tryptophan, there are people who shouldn't be taking it and drugs it shouldn't be taken with, so if you're interested, always talk it over with your doctor very carefully. There is some indication that 5-HTP can help alleviate depression. 

3. SAM-e

S-adenosyl methionine, or SAM-e, is naturally produced in the human body from methionine, an amino acid present in foods. It has been used in efforts to find relief from depression for decades, and while some studies into its efficacy have been incredibly promising, there is still not any conclusive evidence that it really works — the studies in question only lasted a short while. The same story still holds true here, as well. SAM-e can have side effects, interact with medications, and is not safe for everyone. Get the green light from your doctor before taking it. 

4. St John’s wort

St John’s wort, a well-known herbal antidepressant that can sometimes be just as effective as pharmacological antidepressants, also works by boosting serotonin levels. Many studies have shown that it can often be effective, but — just like other antidepressants — it does not always work. St John's wort also shouldn't be combined with many medications, and is not safe for everyone. 

A word about serotonin syndrome

The word "supplement" has a harmless ring to it, doesn't it? Many folks actively prefer "alternative" remedies or treatments to conventional pharmacological treatments that their doctor is likely to be quick to prescribe. But keep in mind that while low serotonin levels can negatively influence your mood and seriously contribute to the onset of depression, that does not mean that you want to just go around taking any of these four things willy-nilly when you're depressed. 

Why? It could, potentially, lead to serotonin syndrome, also more descriptively called serotonin toxicity. This life-threatening condition can occur when you take two different kinds of medications that both increase serotonin levels, as well as when these meds are combined with street drugs like cocaine or ecstasy. 

Also don't use serotonin boosters on your own in lieu of professional treatment for depression, of course — they may not be effective, you could remain depressed, and you may be subject to some scary side effects in addition.