Causes of serotonin deficiency

A serotonin deficiency can be caused at different levels: For example, if the building blocks for the production of the hormone are missing, the concentration drops. The main component of serotonin is L-tryptophan, a so-called essential amino acid. This means that L-tryptophane cannot be produced by the body itself and must be taken in with food.

Therefore, a diet low in L-tryptophan can be the cause of a serotonin deficiency. Further components for the production are missing for example with a hypothyroidism, thus a thyroid hypofunction, or a lack of Vitamin B6. However, since serotonin is also important for the body’s immune system, a deficiency can also occur in an autoimmune disease or chronic infection. Last but not least, environmental influences and stress can also play a role.

Consequences of serotonin deficiency

A serotonin deficiency can have various consequences. Since the hormone in the brain plays a decisive role in the processing of emotions, a disturbed balance of the serotonin concentration can lead to a change in mood. Otherwise, the person may experience unfamiliar feelings, such as frequent anxiety, stress, listlessness and tiredness.

In the long term, this can manifest itself in depression, although other factors must also be taken into account here, as the connection between a serotonin deficiency and the development of depression is not fully understood. Since serotonin also plays a role in digestion, the symptoms caused by it can lead to eating disorders in the long term at reduced concentrations. This can lead to weight gain and thus to a higher strain on the circulatory system.

A further consequence is a disturbance of the thermoregulation, i.e. the control of the body temperature, which can lead to increased sweating attacks. In the long term, a change in the serotonin level also has an effect on sexual behaviour. Here, for example, it can lead to a reduction in the desire for sex.

Diagnosis of serotonin deficiency

To diagnose a serotonin deficiency, the concentration of serotonin must be determined.This can be done for example by a simple blood test. Alternatively, the serotonin concentration can be measured in the stool, for example. In the meantime there are also studies that show that genetic disorders of certain serotonin transporters can be linked to a lack of serotonin.

Recently, urine tests have also been developed in which the serotonin level can be measured easily at home. However, there is also the problem of correlation to symptoms. The problem of diagnosis, however, is that it is not possible to draw clear conclusions about the symptoms from the concentration, since serotonin plays a role in the brain as well as in the gastrointestinal tract and the circulatory system.