Serotonin — often known as 5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT — is usually known as “the happiness hormone” and deficiency is considered the supply of melancholy. That’s why melancholy is routinely handled with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that elevate serotonin ranges in your mind.
The issue is, serotonin is NOT answerable for melancholy, and elevating your serotonin is the very last thing you wish to do, because it destroys empathy, love and knowledge. Elevated serotonin additionally impairs thyroid perform, reduces your metabolism, and contributes to untimely growing old by rising reductive stress.
SSRIs Linked to Power Fatigue Syndrome
SSRIs have additionally been linked to power fatigue syndrome (CFS), in any other case often known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or ME/CFS. As reported by bioenergetic medication researcher Georgi Dinkov,1 elevated extracellular 5-HT has been proven to trigger a lot of the CFS signs, together with debilitating bodily and psychological fatigue.
“I’m truly shocked it took researchers so lengthy to make that connection,” he writes,2 “contemplating the well-tested so-called ‘central fatigue speculation’ (CFH), which stipulates that a lot of the notion of fatigue is brain-derived and sometimes is just not peripherally biochemically justified.
Extra particularly, it’s the accumulation of serotonin within the mind, which leads one to understand extreme fatigue even when the bioenergetic state of their muscle mass don’t show indicators of fatigue (e.g. lactate buildup, creatine kinase and LDH leakage, ammonia accumulation, and so on).
Conversely, decreasing serotonin ranges within the mind normally results in abolishing the emotions of fatigue. In reality, there are a number of animal research demonstrating that tryptophan depletion within the mind (which results in decrease 5-HT ranges within the mind) is a dependable mechanism to delay and even abolish emotions of fatigue even in animals whose muscle mass are biochemically fatigued …
One other truth implicating 5-HT as a causal agent in CFS is the truth that most CFS sufferers appear to develop the situation because of viral an infection … [M]ost viral infections require activation of particular 5-HT receptors (by elevated serotonin) to ensure that the an infection to take maintain, and blocking these receptors both prevents the an infection altogether or can deal with an already established one.”
One Month of Prozac Induced CFS Signs in Mice
In a single 2024 research,3 researchers had been in a position to induce the classical indicators and signs of CFS in mice by giving them Prozac (fluoxetine) for 4 weeks, albeit at dosages which are two to 5 instances increased than what’s utilized in scientific observe for depressive sufferers. Science Alert reported:4
“Based mostly on scientific clues, Jin-Seok Lee, a ME/CFS researcher at Daejeon College in South Korea, and colleagues hypothesized {that a} spillover of serotonin might result in ME/CFS. Recognized to play a job in governing moods, declining ranges of the neurotransmitter serotonin have lengthy been thought to trigger melancholy.
Though that concept is now disputed, remedies that concentrate on serotonin pathways — reminiscent of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) — are a number of the mostly prescribed antidepressants. By blocking receptors that bind and take away serotonin from the signaling pathway, the treatment artificially maintains the next stage of the temper messenger.
In line with a number of decades-old research, some sufferers with ME/CFS seem to have fewer serotonin transporters than wholesome volunteers and may additionally have receptors that solely weakly bind serotonin.
Lee and colleagues thought that if such folks had coincidentally been handled with serotonin-based remedies for melancholy earlier than they developed ME/CFS, they might have had extreme ranges of serotonin of their mind. This might have triggered ME/CFS by throwing off a suggestions mechanism designed to maintain a lid on the immune system and irritation …
After 4 weeks, animals handled with fluoxetine had increased ranges of serotonin in two components of the mind, the hypothalamus and dorsal raphe nucleus.
Additionally they developed behaviors that resembled the primary signs of ME/CFS seen in people, together with unrefreshing sleep, PEM and orthostatic intolerance, however not cognitive impairment. These behaviors disappeared six weeks after the drug was stopped.
Mice whose serotonin receptors had been depleted by way of viral knockout additionally confirmed ME/CFS signs, additional confirming the mechanism. One other experiment confirmed inhibiting serotonin manufacturing might alleviate their signs.”
In line with the authors:5
“Our research gives the primary translational [animal] proof for the involvement of 5-HTergic [serotonergic] hyperactivity within the pathophysiology of ME/CFS. With our novel animal mannequin for ME/CFS, this research helps to make clear one of many potent pathophysiological mechanisms of this syndrome.
As well as, we offer diagnostic clues (excessive central serotonin) that can be utilized to distinguish ME/CFS from comparable ailments, reminiscent of fibromyalgia and depressive issues.”
Serotonin Inhibitors
The serotonin inhibitor used within the featured research was fenclonine, however there are a number of over-the-counter choices as nicely, together with Benadryl and the H2 blocker Pepcid (famotidine).
Aspirin may decrease extracellular serotonin by inhibiting the absorption of tryptophan out of your gastrointestinal tract,6 whereas progesterone inhibits serotonin synthesis instantly. Progesterone is certainly one of solely 4 hormones I imagine many adults can profit from. (The opposite three are thyroid hormone T3, DHEA and pregnenolone.)
As a normal suggestion, I like to recommend most adults to take 25 to 50 mg of bioidentical progesterone per day, taken within the night one hour earlier than mattress, as it may additionally promote sleep. For optimum bioavailability, progesterone must be blended into pure vitamin E. The distinction in bioavailability between taking progesterone orally with out vitamin E and taking it with vitamin E is 45 minutes versus 48 hours.
One other good motive for taking progesterone with vitamin E is as a result of it binds to purple blood cells, which permits the progesterone to be carried all through your physique and be distributed to the place it’s wanted probably the most.
Merely Progesterone by Well being Natura is premixed with vitamin E and MCT oil. You may also make your individual by dissolving pure USP progesterone powder into one capsule of a high-quality vitamin E, after which rub the combination in your gums. Fifty milligrams of powdered progesterone is about 1/32 teaspoon.
Don’t use artificial vitamin E (alpha tocopherol acetate — the acetate signifies that it’s artificial). Pure vitamin E will likely be labeled “d alpha tocopherol.” That is the pure D isomer, which is what your physique can use. There are additionally different vitamin E isomers, and also you need the entire spectrum of tocopherols and tocotrienols, particularly the beta, gamma, and delta sorts, within the efficient D isomer.
I don’t advocate transdermal progesterone, as your pores and skin expresses excessive ranges of 5-alpha reductase enzyme, which causes a good portion of the progesterone you are taking to be irreversibly transformed primarily into allopregnanolone and can’t be transformed again into progesterone.
GABA Is a Far Higher Selection Than SSRIs
It’s a travesty that the first treatment for melancholy is a drug that not solely comes with a laundry checklist of uncomfortable side effects reminiscent of CFS, but additionally doesn’t deal with the underlying drawback within the first place. Once more, melancholy is just not the results of low serotonin.
A much more widespread drawback in melancholy is GABA deficiency, and rising GABA can certainly be a part of the answer. As defined by Dr. Scott Sherr, director of integrative hyperbaric medication and well being optimization at Hyperbaric Medical Options and an knowledgeable on neurotransmitter balancers like GABA:
“GABA deficiencies are related to nervousness, with worry, with melancholy, with a brief mood, phobias, impulsiveness, disorganization, addictions. It’s even related to schizophrenia and OCD [obsessive-compulsive disorder].
You may also have issues like IBS and diarrhea, hypertension, tinnitus, power ache, migraines, allergy symptoms, frequent urination, flushing, sweating, salt cravings, muscle pressure. These are all issues that may very well be indicators of GABA deficiency. Many have been prescribed an SSRI for a few of these signs, however … we all know that melancholy is just not associated to serotonin deficiency.”
For my part, GABA is among the best options for melancholy, nervousness and insomnia, both alone or with progesterone. I like to recommend a dose of 500 mg to 2,000 mg (2 grams) day by day. This vary has been proven to alleviate nervousness and insomnia in people who find themselves already taking SSRI medicine.
Nevertheless, based on Sherr, as little as 100 milligrams of GABA has been proven to decrease the evaluation scores of sufferers with nervousness and melancholy issues. Results will be additional amplified by combining it with the amino acid L-theanine, which is a pure GABA agonist.
Simply watch out utilizing GABA merchandise that comprise magnesium. Whereas magnesium could be very useful, when you take excessive doses of GABA, you’re going to get far an excessive amount of magnesium, which might have a laxative impact.
Apparently, when you take an excessive amount of GABA, a few of it’s going to get deaminated and convert into succinic acid, an intermediate of the Krebs cycle. As such, GABA additionally helps enhance mitochondrial perform at excessive doses. So, from a toxicity perspective it seems to be very protected.
To Tackle CFS, Be Certain to Get rid of LA
As for CFS victims, the No. 1 treatment can be to drastically decrease your day by day LA consumption, as extra LA acts as a mitochondrial toxin and severely inhibits mobile vitality manufacturing. Naturally, in case your mobile vitality manufacturing is low, you’re going to battle with fatigue and a number of different well being issues. PUFAs like LA additionally disrupt your physique’s hormonal equilibrium, imitating the consequences of estrogen and cortisol whereas counteracting androgens and progesterone.
Contemplating the profoundly severe injury they trigger, eliminating seed oils out of your eating regimen can go a great distance towards bettering your well being. This consists of soy, canola, sunflower, grapeseed, corn, safflower, peanut and rice bran oil.
Additionally, be conscious of olive oil and avocado oil, as each are generally adulterated with cheaper seed oils. That mentioned, even pure olive and avocado oil are loaded with LA. If, like me, you’re within the behavior of consuming olive oil, I might strongly encourage you to restrict your consumption to 1 tablespoon per day or much less. For my part, olive oil is just not a magic bullet and in case you are already consuming 80 grams of LA per day, it’s going to solely worsen, not assist, your well being.
To keep away from these oils, don’t prepare dinner with them, after all, but additionally keep away from processed meals, condiments, quick meals and restaurant meals. If you happen to eat out, you’re undoubtedly consuming unhealthy quantities of seed oils, as most restaurant meals are loaded with it.
Fried meals, dressing and sauces are usually key culprits. Your finest wager is to organize most of your meals at dwelling, so you already know what you might be consuming and, within the case of seed oils, what you’re not. Hen and pork are additionally excessive in LA and are due to this fact finest prevented. Since these animals, even wholesome organically grown animals, are usually fed grains, they’re loaded with omega-6 fat and should have 10 instances the LA content material that beef, lamb or buffalo do.
How A lot Linoleic Acid Is Too A lot?
Ideally, contemplate slicing LA right down to under 5 grams per day, which is near what our ancestors used to get. If you happen to’re undecided how a lot you’re consuming, enter your meals consumption into Cronometer — a free on-line vitamin tracker — and it’ll give you your complete LA consumption.
The important thing to correct entry is to rigorously weigh your meals with a digital kitchen scale so you’ll be able to enter the load of your meals to the closest gram. Cronometer will inform you how a lot omega-6 you are getting out of your meals right down to the tenth of a gram, and you may assume 90% of that’s LA. Something over 5 grams is more likely to trigger issues.
