This powerful neurotransmitter may affect everything from your mood to your memory.

Sometimes called “the happy hormone,” serotonin is a neuro transmitter, or chemical messenger, that plays an important role in mood. In fact, drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), often prescribed to treat depression, do so by boosting serotonin levels. However, there’s still a lot yet to be learned about the chemical and its effects on the brain and the body. Here’s the latest.

Serotonin is made from an essential amino acid called tryptophan (yes, the sleep- inducing chemical in turkey). Produced by your brain and your gastrointestinal tract, it carries messages between nerve cells in your brain and the rest of your body.

Though more research is needed, scientists believe serotonin may influence blood clotting as well as neurological, cardiovascular, and bone health. Specifically, it may help regulate things like appetite, sleep, sexual function, and memory. However, what serotonin is probably best known for is its link to mood. Though SSRIs do appear to benefit some people with depression, research shows that they’re not effective for everyone. In my opinion, while it seems as if some cases of depression may result from a shortage or an excess of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, it makes equal sense to suggest that mood disorders can cause disordered brain biochemistry. SSRIs are also sometimes used to treat migraines, eating disorders, and anxiety, with mixed effects.

If you want to increase your serotonin, you may be able to do so without pharmaceuticals. Just be sure to consult with your physician before discontinuing any medications, including SSRIs—stopping these drugs abruptly can trigger withdrawal effects. That said, here are my recommendations.

Exercise triggers the body’s release of tryptophan and feel-good chemicals called endorphins. One study found that just 90 minutes of weekly exercise might improve mood as effectively as an antidepressant.

Exposure to bright light can help balance serotonin levels. To benefit from this, take your exercise routine outside in the sun, or invest in a light box, a device that mimics the sun’s rays and is an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder (a.k.a. SAD or “winter blues”).

Research is still in the early stages, but there’s some evidence that meditating may help positively change the makeup of the brain, possibly by increasing serotonin.

Though turkey is rich in tryptophan, your body doesn’t convert it to serotonin very efficiently. Rather than eating more meat, try raising your tryptophan levels by eating complex carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, which may help your body process this amino acid better.

Dr Weil is the founder and director of the Andrew Weil Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona and a member of Prevention's Medical Advisory Board. 

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