Читать книгу The Mood Cure: Take Charge of Your Emotions in 24 Hours Using Food and Supplements - Julia Ross - Страница 29

Serotonin deficiency is far and away the most common mood problem we see at our clinic. Serotonin starvation is a virtual epidemic in the United States, inflicting its unique brand of dark cloud misery on people of all ages, sexes, and walks of life. One researcher estimates that more than 80 percent of adults in the United States suffer from this deficiency.¹

The reason that serotonin is so emotionally vital is that it is our primary defense against both depression and anxiety. Serotonin deficiency is a factor in many seemingly unrelated psychological and physical symptoms, ranging from panic and irritability to insomnia, PMS, and muscle pain. Some “dark cloud” types have only a few of the possible deficiency symptoms, but many have almost all of them. Yet they tend to function well, typically getting more done, because of their tendency toward perfectionism, than other, less mood-impaired people. As a result, they often assume that they’re just stuck with some unfortunate but indelible personality quirks and try to work around them. Some try serotonin-boosting drugs, like Prozac, with mixed results, and resign themselves to a somewhat better, but still limited emotional life.

Let’s take a close look at the mechanics of this mood type. You already know from the questionnaire in chapter 1 that your brain contains four different emotional zones. Its serotonin quadrant needs to be brimming with molecules at all times. When it is, your brain can cheerfully fire away with this ready fuel supply, transmitting positive feelings and thoughts. If not, these happy reactions are blocked. But that does not simply leave you feeling emotionally blank. A decrease in serotonin can produce the reverse of every warm, happy feeling that adequate serotonin would normally allow you to experience: instead of seeing your glass as half-full, you see it as half-empty. Instead of feeling proud of your accomplishments, all you can think of is what you haven’t accomplished. Instead of a sound sleep, you get insomnia. Instead of enjoying your family members, you’re irritated by them. Instead of peace, you have anxiety. Instead of looking forward to life, you may regard it with dread and even have thoughts of suicide.

Precious serotonin is synthesized in your body from tryptophan, an amino acid (protein building block) found in foods like turkey, beef, and cheese. Tryptophan first converts into a substance called 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), which then converts directly into serotonin. This crucial three-step process can be short-circuited by a number of things. For example, if there isn’t enough tryptophan in your diet—a problem for many of us—your body can’t manufacture enough 5-HTP or serotonin to keep you happy. Or your natural production of serotonin may be inhibited by chemicals in your food such as caffeine, alcohol, or the artificial sweetener aspartame. Your serotonin production can even be disrupted if you are pregnant or not getting enough sunlight or exercise. Bouts of extreme stress can also dry up your pool of this emotionally vital brain chemical. Finally, you may have inherited a genetic tendency to underproduce serotonin, one that can be aggravated by all of the above.

No matter what the cause of your drop in serotonin, it does not mean that you are doomed to languish in this particular mood pit for the rest of your life. Even the saggiest serotonin levels can be quickly elevated, allowing you to experience the full range of emotion that nature intended for you. Later in the chapter I’ll be telling you all about the nutrient repair strategies that can lift your dark cloud and bring out your emotional sun in less than a day. First, though, I’d like to tell you more about why your cloud is dark and about how it feels to live under the influence of serotonin deficiency.