The REAL Reason Why Your Serotonin Is Low and You Have Depression and Anxiety
Serotonin (also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT) is among the most widely distributed chemicals in the human body. It has a diverse array of functions, some of which you may find surprising; serotonin is involved in everything from regulating mood and promoting learning to aiding with digestion and blood clotting. It is found everywhere from the brain to the bowels to your bloodstream.
Simply put, serotonin is an extremely important chemical for the proper functioning of the human body.
As you might imagine for such a vital neurotransmitter, a serotonin deficiency can be extraordinarily problematic. Low serotonin levels can have a devastating effect on a wide range of physiological functions. Specifically, serotonin deficiency is associated with:
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Low mood
- Depression
- Carbohydrate cravings
- Compulsive behaviors
- GI distress/discomfort
- Sleep disruption
- Insomnia
- Sexual dysfunction
That is a staggering range of effects for a single deficiency to have, but it’s true; low serotonin levels can negatively impact all of these things. Having chronically low serotonin levels can be difficult to reverse quickly too, so it’s important to not let serotonin deficiencies go untreated!