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.
