Researches indicated that increased of serotonin level was related to positive mood (23). Norepinephrine is another neurotransmitter that associated with the level of happiness.
Serotonin Syndrome: Signs of Too Much Serotonin
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps stabilize mood, is often associated with feelings of happiness, and plays a role in sleep quality, memory, and sexual desire. However, too much serotonin can lead to harmful effects. These effects are known as serotonin syndrome.
Serotonin is a chemical that the body produces naturally. It's needed for the nerve cells and brain to function. But too much serotonin causes signs and symptoms that can range from mild (shivering and diarrhea) to severe (muscle rigidity, fever and seizures). Severe serotonin syndrome can cause death if not treated.
It has long been suggested that over-activity of the serotonin system may relate to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, as these seem characterized by too much withdrawal and avoidance.
They found that serotonin produced by these cells is a signal to other neurons in the circuit, leading to an increase in anxiety.
The Role of Serotonin in Brain Function
In addition to depression, serotonin may play a role in other brain and mental health disorders, including anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phobias, and even epilepsy.
When serotonin is at normal levels, you feel more focused, emotionally stable, happier and calmer. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression. Many medications used to treat anxiety, depression and other mood disorders often target ways to increase the level of serotonin in your brain.
The serotonin test measures the level of serotonin in the blood. Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.
Certain drugs and substances such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, NutraSweet, antidepressants, and some cholesterol-lowering medications deplete serotonin and other neurotransmitter levels. Hormone changes cause low levels of serotonin and neurotransmitter imbalances.
Feeling Too Good
Antidepressants are supposed to help you feel good, but you never want to feel “too good,” or like you're having a manic episode. Depending on your diagnosis and overall mental health, an antidepressant can induce a state of mania.
In almost all of these scenarios, we need to help the body retain and make more serotonin—the chemical in the brain that becomes depleted with chronic pain, chronic digestive issues, chronic stress or anxiety, poor sleep, poor nutrition, etc.
Dopamine is involved in movement, coordination, and feelings of pleasure and reward. Serotonin, too, is involved in emotions, but it also affects digestion and metabolism. People sometimes refer to dopamine and serotonin as the “happy hormones” due to the roles they play in regulating mood and emotion.
Serotonin syndrome happens when you have too much serotonin (a normal chemical) in your body. It's usually caused by taking drugs or medications that affect serotonin levels. Stopping the drug(s) or medication(s) causing serotonin syndrome is the main treatment.
Serotonin is a crucial chemical for increasing mood and decreasing anxiety. Researchers have found a clear connection between low serotonin levels and increases in depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges.
Self esteem
Serotonin has been labelled the confidence neurochemical. Higher serotonin activity is related to greater feelings of confidence, which in turn gives you the drive to do the things that build self-esteem.
It was previously reported that caffeine has the capability to reduce brain serotonin synthesis by inhibiting tryptophan hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme for central serotonin biosynthesis (Lim et al., 2001), and/or to reduce brain serotonin/dopamine ratio by blocking adenosine α1 and α2 receptors within the CNS.
High serotonin levels can cause shivering, heavy sweating, confusion, restlessness, headaches, high blood pressure (hypertension), muscle twitching, diarrhea, and more. Serotonin is a hormone that helps to stabilize moods, regulate feelings of well-being and happiness, regulate anxiety, and control sleep.
Some people have a mutation in the gene that controls this process, the MTHFR gene. This leads to a tendency to overproduce serotonin, causing an excess amount in the brain. People with this gene usually have high blood levels of copper and low levels of zinc as well.
Researchers have theorized that low serotonin levels cause depression. Data from a recent systematic umbrella review found little evidence linking serotonin levels with depression.
When it comes to happiness, in particular, the primary signaling chemicals include: Serotonin. Dopamine. Endorphins.