| Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple | | | | helpful, include Ginkgo biloba, DHEA, Acetyl-L carnitine, |
| Sclerosis, Chronic Epstein-Barr, Irritable Bowel | | | | St. John's Wort, vitamin B-6, mangosteen, and SAM-e |
| Syndrome, and Chronic Lyme are often associated | | | | (S-adenosyl-L-methionine). Additionally, the aromatic oil |
| with low serotonin levels. Serotonin helps regulate | | | | frankincense may be beneficial. |
| sleep, appetite, and mood. Depression and anxiety are | | | | Note: For me, St. John's Wort was effective, but had |
| often caused by a serotonin deficiency and popular | | | | the same unpleasant side effects as prescription |
| antidepressant drugs are prescribed for the purpose | | | | antidepressants. However, others have used St. John's |
| of increasing serotonin levels in the body. | | | | Wort with few or no negative side effects. |
| The amino acid 5-HTP, which can be taken in | | | | Quality sleep is crucial to healthy serotonin levels. |
| supplement form, improves your body's ability to | | | | Sufficient sunshine is needed to allow the body's |
| manufacture serotonin. However, if you eat | | | | internal clock to keep on its normal rhythm. WebMD |
| carbohydrate-rich meals or snacks at night, which | | | | suggests that you increase your exposure to sunlight |
| causes your blood sugar to rise and then drop while | | | | or bright light to one or two hours every day. |
| you are sleeping, the 5-HTP will not be effective. In | | | | For many people that live in northern latitudes, the sun's |
| contrast, eating a high-protein snack several hours | | | | rays are not intense enough to regulate serotonin or |
| before bed can provide L-tryptophan, another amino | | | | melatonin levels. (Melatonin is a hormone produced by |
| acid, which your body uses to produce serotonin. | | | | the pineal gland that causes you to fall asleep.) In the |
| Note: It can be dangerous to take 5-HTP in | | | | wintertime, this can result in Seasonal Affective |
| conjunctions with prescription medications for anxiety | | | | Disorder (SAD), a form of depression. This inability to |
| and depression because you can increase serotonin to | | | | regulate melatonin levels can be corrected by "light |
| unsafe levels. | | | | boxes." These boxes use what is called full spectrum |
| A dietary choice that can naturally increase serotonin | | | | lighting, which mimic the sun's rays. Your doctor can |
| levels is consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids. | | | | write a prescription for full spectrum lighting or it can be |
| According to a study published in the American | | | | purchased over the internet. |
| Medical Association's Archives of General Psychiatry, | | | | Note: At night, you should sleep in complete darkness. |
| Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil increase the level of | | | | Any light in the room can disrupt your pineal gland's |
| serotonin in a way similar to prescription | | | | production of melatonin and serotonin. |
| anti-depressants. Other supplements, which may be | | | | |