Am I Lacking Serotonin Or Dopamine?

Are you feeling tired, lacking motivation, remembering poorly or feeling depressed and anxious? This might be a sign of either dopamine or serotonin deficiency. 

If you’re having dopamine deficiency, you may experience symptoms such as memory problems, lack of motivation and drive, fatigue, depression, anxiety, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, etc. If you’re having serotonin deficiency, you may experience low mood, irritability, low sex drive, constipation, depression, and anxiety. Although there are some similarities in the symptoms, the neurotransmitters undergo different processes in our body. Increasing serotonin and dopamine includes finding the root cause of the imbalance, a nutrient-dense diet and supplements, exercise, feel-good activities and eliminating any stressors. 

In order to address whether you’re lacking dopamine or serotonin, we’ll discuss the function of the neurotransmitters, deficiencies, test methods and how to increase dopamine and serotonin naturally.

What Is Serotonin And Dopamine?

Serotonin and dopamine are both neurotransmitters or brain chemicals that help regulate different processes in our body including mood, memory, focus, sleep, digestion and feeling good and happy.

Dopamine is produced in the brain from the amino acid tyrosine turns into L-Dopa and then with help from enzymes, turns into dopamine. Dopamine is also a precursor of adrenaline and noradrenaline. 

Dopamine is produced in the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area and hypothalamus in the brain and then released into the nucleus accumbens and the prefrontal cortex. 

Dopamine plays a vital role in:

• Memory 
• Reward 
• Pleasure 
• Attention
• Dreaming 
• Movement 
• Motivation
• Sleep
• Learning 

According to PubMed Central, dopamine deficiency can lead to nervous system diseases, may lead to addictive tendencies and difficulties focusing, learning and staying motivated. 

Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Most serotonin, up to 90%, is found in the cell lining in the intestines while only 10% is produced in the brain. 

Serotonin is made from the essential amino acid tryptophan that we get from food. 

Serotonin plays a vital role in:

• Depression
• Anxiety 
• Mood and feeling good
• Digestion
• Sleep
• Melatonin (sleep hormone)
• Nausea
• Wound healing 
• Libido 
• Bone density 

If we’re not producing enough serotonin due to genetic factors, age, brain changes, chronic stress, digestive issues and lack of sunlight can lead to unpleasant symptoms of serotonin deficiency.

Lack of dopamine or serotonin may lead to unpleasant symptoms and imbalances, both physiologically and psychologically.

Dopamine Deficiency

Dopamine deficiency happens for multiple reasons such as mental illness, excessive stress, poor diet, obesity, substance abuse or taking certain medications. 

Symptoms of dopamine deficiency look like:

• Lack of motivation and drive
• Feeling sad or moody for no reason 
• Inability to concentrate and keep focus 
• Feeling depressed or hopeless 
• Low libido 
• Sleep problems 
• Don’t enjoy things that used to feel pleasurable
• Feeling fatigued or tired 
• Restless legs 
• Short-term memory problems 
• Cognitive changes 
• ADHD symptoms 
• Chronic constipation 

Stress and poor diet can lead to dopamine deficiency. Some things may increase dopamine temporarily, like social media, sex, drugs, nicotine, sugar, coffee, gambling and shopping – but the pleasure only lasts for a moment before the hit wears off again. 

If you’re lacking dopamine, you may have some of the above-mentioned symptoms and find yourself having a tendency of slightly unhealthy habits – maybe like drinking too much coffee or scrolling through social media for a few hours a day.

This can subconsciously lead to addictive tendencies in some cases and have a negative effect on both dopamine, our health and life.

Fortunately, it’s possible to increase dopamine levels naturally through diet and lifestyle changes, which we’ll touch up on later.

Serotonin deficiency can have some similar symptoms as dopamine deficiency, but how do you know the difference?

How Do I Know If My Serotonin Levels Are Low?

Serotonin is known as our happy hormone and plays a vital role in our gut-brain axis that sends signals through the nervous system and intestines. Serotonin is created in our gut and helps regulate immune response, digestion, cardiac function, etc. 

Lack of serotonin may lead to:

• Depression
• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Insomnia or trouble having a good night’s sleep
• Panic attacks 
• Digestive issues
• Poor metabolism
• Poor immune system response

So if you find yourself having chronic constipation, low mood, trouble sleeping, getting sick often, etc. – you may have a serotonin deficiency.

Fortunately, it’s possible to treat low serotonin levels due to lifestyle factors naturally.

The similarities in dopamine and serotonin deficiency lie in having low mood, anxiety, insomnia and digestive issues – but dopamine deficiency tends to be more towards feeling pleasure, motivation and concentration as well. 

If you’re wondering whether you’re lacking either dopamine or serotonin – or both, it’s possible to test your hormones, neurotransmitters and health.

How To Test Serotonin And Dopamine Levels

At the regular doctor’s office, it is said that they generally don’t diagnose serotonin or dopamine deficiency.

As a health coach that’s been through the mill of being diagnosed with ADD (attention deficit disorder) due to low dopamine and also has been dealing with symptoms of low serotonin, I know the frustration of wanting to improve and feel better.

It wasn’t until I came across the place where I got my education as a health coach and took the OrganiX test measuring my exact dopamine and serotonin levels.

The OrganiX test measures 45 markers and can be effective for patient concerns such as mood disorders, chronic stress, inflammation, fatigue and mitochondrial dysfunction.

The OrganiX measures organic acids and looks closely at the body’s cellular metabolic processes. The test identifies the metabolic blocks that can be treated naturally.

When I took the test myself, I was looking into the root cause of my imbalances instead of treating what I thought was the issue. This led to a greater understanding of my healing process. 

How To Increase Serotonin And Dopamine

If you’re suspecting you have low levels of dopamine, serotonin or both, there are natural ways of bettering your symptoms.

Personally, I think finding and treating the root cause of the problem can help in balancing your hormones and neurotransmitter production.

Deficiencies due to lifestyle factors such as chronic stress, inflammation, diet and lifestyle choices are first priority.

Chronic inflammation and stress often go hand in hand – lowering inflammation through excluding toxins and eating an anti-inflammatory diet can work wonders, as well as limiting stress whether it’s physiological or psychological. 

Nutrients are building blocks for our body – also neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.

Dopamine can be supported by the amino acids tyrosine and theanine which are precursors to dopamine. Furthermore, vitamins B5, B6, D, magnesium and omega 3 fatty acid are in the equation of creating dopamine.

Serotonin can be supported by tryptophan-rich foods or as a supplement, 5-HTP supplement probiotic, vitamin D and all the B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids.

Other ways of boosting dopamine and serotonin:

• Exercise
• Sunlight exposure in the morning
• Cold water exposure or ice baths
• Engaging in activities that make you happy
• Meditation and breathwork 
• Playing with a pet
• Massage 

…and the list goes on.

Disclaimer: If you’re having symptoms of low dopamine and serotonin levels or any medical health condition, I recommend you talk to your healthcare provider before self-diagnosing or using any supplements. 

Final Thoughts

If you’re having symptoms of low dopamine or serotonin such as low mood, insomnia, memory and concentration problems, constipation or even anxiety – it’s my personal recommendation to test your metabolic pathways through an OrganiX test.

When finding the root cause of your problem, it’s easier to find the right treatment plan for you.