Food and Mood

Many people have long believed that eating certain foods can influence a person’s mood— at least temporarily. Food that enters the body goes to make the constituent parts of the brain, is turned into the neurochemical messengers that make the brain operate and provides the energy for the brain to function. These neurochemical messengers are called as neurotransmitters. Apart from food, neurotransmitters are affected by many other factors, such as hormones, heredity, drugs, and alcohol. Three neurotransmitters-dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin-have been studied in relation to food, and this research has shown that neurotransmitters are produced in the brain from components of certain foods.

People are more alert when their brains are producing the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, while serotonin production in the brain has been associated with a more calming effect (and even drowsiness in some people). A stable brain serotonin level is associated with positive mood. Women have a greater sensitivity to changes in the brain serotonin levels. Mood swings during the menstrual cycle and menopause are majorly due to hormonal changes that influence the production of serotonin.

The foods that increase the production of serotonin in the brain are the ones high in carbohydrates. This explains the drowsiness that sets in the afternoon after eating a large meal of pasta, rice, sweets, breads etc. Carbohydrates affect brain serotonin because they increase the levels of tryptophan in the brain. Tryptophan is an amino-acid and is the precursor of serotonin.

We the CMS Data Bank trying to help you, through our exclusive database of specialist doctor. We suggest you to take advice of specialist doctors near you. You can visit our website www.cmsdatabank.com/healthcare  or you can call our Patients Help line Number 0129-6542356. We will help be happy to help you.

………………………After all health is wealth………………………..