How to Raise Your Serotonin Levels Through Diet and Amino Acid Supplementation

Serotonin, an important neurotransmitter, helps control such vital areas of life as appetite, sleep/wake patterns, mood and general emotional state. Most antidepressant medications aim to increase serotonin activity levels. Before trying prescription meds to handle a serotonin deficiency, try achieving a similar result through manipulation of your dietary intake and amino acid supplementation.

Instructions

1

Supplement your normal diet with the amino acid L-Tryptophan---the raw material from which serotonin derives. Under low L-Tryptophan levels, the body cannot produce serotonin at all; thus, naturally increasing serotonin levels starts by providing the body with additional access to the basic building blocks of the compound. The medical information site EMedTV recommends following the dosage instructions on whichever L-Tryptophan supplement you purchase.

2

Increase your consumption of serotonin-boosting foods. According to WomansForum, a health site for women, foods that can help to increase serotonin production include turkey, eggs, seeds, peas, chicken, cottage cheese, oats, bananas and mangos. While you need not rearrange your entire diet to revolve specifically around these foods, consume one or two servings of foods from this category daily.

3

Consume foods rich in folic acid. Like L-Tryptophan, folic acid is a raw component of serotonin. SUpplement your diet with melons, strawberries, broccoli, leafy green vegetables, asparagus, chickpeas and beans (black and kidney). As with the serotonin-boosting foods listed above, simply try to eat at least one or two servings of these foods per day to help raise your serotonin level and improve your mood.