Should You Use Serotonin Supplements?

Supplements may be beneficial, but you may want to think twice about serotonin. Learn the side effects of serotonin supplements and the risk of serotonin syndrome.

By Sara Novak
Dec 22, 2023 4:00 PMDec 29, 2023 2:32 PM
white and pin pill wit two bottles shaped like faces
(Credit:Liudmila Chernetska/iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

We all want to feel happy, and with so many supplements on the market that claim to do just that, you might think “going natural” is safer. Many of us are also looking for ways to increase serotonin without taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, known as an SSRI. But it’s important to be cautious with supplementation and realize that just because you don’t need a prescription doesn’t mean the supplement is safe.

What Is Serotonin?

Serotonin, or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a chemical in the human body that carries messages between nerve cells in the brain and throughout the body. It’s ubiquitous and, therefore, impacts everything from mood and digestion to wound healing, nausea, blood clotting, and sexual health. 

This major neurotransmitter regulates mood, anxiety, cognition, and sense of well-being. The other two major neurotransmitters, norepinephrine and dopamine, are chemically similar in that they are all monoamines, says Chris Pagnani, a psychiatrist and instructor at The Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Medicine for the Department of Psychiatry. A monoamine contains one amino group linked to an aromatic ring by a two-carbon chain. 

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.