Serotonin Brain Food Review

• L-Tryptophan – an essential amino acid.
• Rhodiola rosea extract – used to treat anxiety and depression, and linked to improve mood.
• Vitamin B-3.
• Zinc.
• Magnesium.

Ingredient Explanations

L-Tryptophan

An essential amino acid, which means humans must acquire it from food. Tryptophan is used primarily to ease anxiety and depression, and to help with sleeping disorders. Upon absorption, tryptophan is converted to 5 HTP, and then to serotonin (a neurotransmitter which is well documented to influence well-being and happiness).

Rhodiola rosea extract                                                     

A plant growing in the colder Northern hemisphere, Rhodiola rosea is used to treat anxiety and depression, and to alleviate stress. In one study, 100 mg of extract per daily was given to medical students during a stressful exam period. Those taking the extract reported a better sense of general well-being, and performed better on tests of mental and psychomotor performance. A third double-blind study of military cadets performing a 24-hour duty showed that 370 to 555 mg of Rhodiola extract per day significantly reduced mental fatigue, as measured by several performance tasks.

Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 is also known as niacin, which is part of the process of the formation of serotonin. Vitamin B3, like all B vitamins, is important for healthy cells. Many people who have suffered depression claim vitamin B3 has helped overcome this feeling. Whilst there is no strict specific evidence to support this, there is proof that people with depression may be deficient in B vitamins.

Zinc

Zinc is an essential trace element. It influences many beneficial outcomes in the human body, and helping with depression (and thus altering the mood) is one of them. In humans, zinc has been found to be low in the serum of those suffering from depression. Several randomized controlled trials support the effectiveness of zinc as adjunctive therapy for improving mood in both depressed and healthy individuals. Zinc supplementation also improved mood in cases with treatment-resistant depression in several studies. ^{[G. Nowak et al, Effect of zinc supplementation on antidepressant therapy in unipolar depression: a preliminary placebo-controlled study, Pharmacol, Nov-Dec 2003]}.

Magnesium

Another important trace element, magnesium has longed been linked with an increase in well-being and to counteract depression. In an article entitled Role of magnesium supplementation in the treatment of depression: A randomized clinical trial it was concluded that: “Daily supplementation with 248 mg of elemental magnesium as four 500 mg tablets of magnesium chloride per day leads to a significant decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms regardless of age, gender, baseline severity of depression, or use of antidepressant medications. While the cross over design of this trial is robust in controlling for internal biases, it would be reassuring to see the results replicated in larger clinical trials that test long term efficacy and provide additional data on subgroups. However, this efficacy trial showed magnesium supplements may be a fast, safe, and easily accessible alternative, or adjunct, to starting or increasing the dose of antidepressant medications.”