Serotonin: The Smile-Frown Chemical

Serotonin is a chemical found in the brain, blood platelets, and mainly in the digestive system (up to 90%). Its scientific name is 5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT. This chemical is a neurotransmitter that delivers messages between our nerve cells. Most of our 40 million brain cells are communicating with serotonin. It is derived from tryptophan which is an essential amino acid, which means that we must obtain this chemical from outside sources. Tryptophan is found in foods like nuts, red meat, and cheese. The normal range for serotonin levels in your blood is 101–283 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) which can be …read more