Have you been suspecting dopamine imbalance and are curious about how and where you can test your dopamine levels? It’s my impression that doctors usually don’t test dopamine through a simple blood test – but you should rather use a more specific method through a specialist.
If you want to test your dopamine levels, I’ll personally recommend an OrganiX test as a health coach – this is what I usually recommend to my clients. OrganiX measures 45 markers including energy metabolism, antioxidant status, dysbiosis and oxidative stress – all factors that may interfere with a balanced amount of dopamine. Dopamine is metabolized from tyrosine and phenylalanine, why diet or supplementation may help increase dopamine levels along with other factors.
In order to address which method you can use in checking dopamine levels, we’ll go through what causes low dopamine, symptoms, test methods and how to increase dopamine levels.
What Causes Low Dopamine?
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain responsible for sending signals between nerve cells and making you feel good.
Dopamine is a part of:
- Feeling pleasure
- Motivation
- Memory
- Concentration
- Mood
- Sleep
- Attention
- Learning
When we do something that makes us feel good, for example, a massage or finishing a good day of work, the brain usually releases dopamine.Â
Dopamine is, amongst other things, made from tyrosine and magnesium, why these foods may help boost dopamine production. The step in dopamine synthesis includes converting tyrosine to L-Dopa by tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme, according to PubMed Central.
From my perspective, the human body is wired to produce a normal amount of dopamine when in balance – but some diseases and lifestyle factors may interfere with healthy dopamine levels.
This includes stress, hormonal imbalance, lack of sleep, substance abuse, obesity, an unhealthy diet containing too much sugar and saturated fat or caused by a problem with the adrenal glands.
Low dopamine levels may lead to unpleasant symptoms. Finding the root cause by checking dopamine levels may be beneficial in increasing dopamine levels.
Low Dopamine Symptoms In Females
If you’re experiencing low levels of dopamine you may experience:
- Insomnia or disturbed sleep
- Lack of motivation
- Restless legs
- Constipation or stomach issues
- Difficulties concentrating
- Low sex drive
- Feeling depressed
- Fatigue
- Social withdrawal
- Anxiety
- Symptoms of ADHD
The list of symptoms is not definitive and each individual may experience different symptoms.
Sleep deprivation may interfere with the production of dopamine due to reduced D2 receptors which may decrease dopamine and make us feel more tired.
Stress, obesity and a diet high in saturated fat may also decrease dopamine levels. According to PubMed Central, saturated fat consumed for a longer period can potentially dysregulate the neurotransmitter functioning – aka dopamine levels.
According to doctors, acute stress raises dopamine while chronic stress depletes dopamine levels.
Acute stress releases adrenaline, but once the acute stress is over – cortisol takes over (our primary stress hormone). When cortisol binds to the glucocorticoid receptor, dopamine will be released in the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is important for normal brain functioning and responsible for focus, memory and attention, why dopamine may help our minds think more clearly.
The opposite may be the case with chronic stress. The parts that break down dopamine increase hence we may break down more dopamine and dopamine levels decrease. Stress can have an impact on the whole dopamine reward system according to researchers.
Another possible reason for low dopamine levels may be linked to adrenal fatigue where cortisol levels are low – combined with low blood sugar levels. Cortisol is responsible for regulating our blood sugar and keeping it stable. If cortisol is low, it may decrease blood sugar and insulin levels.
When insulin levels are too low, our bodies don’t allow the precursors of dopamine to cross the blood-brain barrier efficiently. These precursors are amino acids called tyrosine and phenylalanine as mentioned earlier. This means we may not be able to metabolize dopamine properly.Â
Low dopamine levels may manifest as fatigue, difficulties concentrating, poor memory or even anxiety. Guessing symptoms doesn’t give a clear result whether dopamine levels are low or not.
It is my personal recommendation to test dopamine levels if you’re suspecting low dopamine levels.
Can You Test Dopamine Levels?
If you’re suspecting that you have low levels of dopamine and want to check your dopamine levels, here’s my personal recommendation on how to do so.
A simple blood test doesn’t tell much about our dopamine status and according to Cleveland Clinic, doctors rarely check dopamine levels.
Personally, I’ve had my dopamine levels tested through a test called OrganiX which is a test I highly recommend to my clients.
OrganiX measures not only dopamine but 45 markers in total and gives you a picture of your overall health – chances are if dopamine levels are imbalanced, something else is imbalanced as well.
OrganiX measures fatty acid oxidation, carbohydrate metabolism, energy production, B-complex vitamins, neurotransmitters (including dopamine), oxidative stress, detoxification and dysbiosis markers.
These markers give an indication of metabolization of nutrients and toxic load in our body – and also give an impression of antioxidants in our body.
So if you’re having low levels of dopamine or struggle with obesity, fatigue, low mood, digestive issues or other health-related issues, it may be relevant to get an OrganiX test.Â
With the OrganiX test, it may be easier to find a relevant way of balancing levels of specific markers and your general health status.
With that said, it may be possible to increase dopamine levels naturally.
How Do I Increase My Dopamine Levels?
If you have low levels of dopamine and experience unpleasantries from that – finding the root cause is in my opinion the best solution.
Other than that, it may be possible to increase dopamine through different methods.
This includes:
- Reduce stress
- Eat less saturated fat
- Increase protein and strength training (the 9 essential amino acids may increase muscle)
- Eat a diet rich in tyrosine and magnesium
- Supplement with tyrosine, magnesium, B-complex and folate acid
- Probiotics that improve digestionÂ
- Get enough sleep
- Meditate
- Cold water exposure
As mentioned earlier, stress, diet, saturated fat and sleep deprivation may have a major impact when it comes to metabolizing dopamine – lowering these may help in increasing dopamine levels.
A diet rich in tyrosine and magnesium may be helpful with cofactors such as b-complex vitamins, folate acid and probiotics. This means both in diet and as supplementation, this can be helpful in increasing dopamine as they all play a role in dopamine metabolism.
According to research, 50% of dopamine is also created in the gut by enteric neurons and intestinal epithelial cells. Gut-related issues and dopamine may be connected in a complex cocktail – nonetheless, it is my opinion that a healthy gut equals a healthier mind and body.Â
Probiotics along with prebiotics may be helpful in supporting healthy gut bacteria and have a positive impact on our immune system.
Cold water exposure is said to increase dopamine through increasing adrenaline and noradrenaline, making us more alert and awake. According to a study, plasma noradrenaline and dopamine concentrations were increased by 530% and 250% by entering cold water of 14 degrees. The study also mentioned cortisol seemed to decrease.Â
So, if you’re looking to increase dopamine levels naturally, I’ll personally recommend you to try some of the methods mentioned above.
Final Thoughts
Low levels of dopamine may be caused by multiple factors such as lifestyle, stress, diet, substance abuse, obesity, etc. This can lead to unpleasant symptoms such as difficulties remembering and concentrating, lack of motivation, fatigue, low mood and anxiety.
If you’re experiencing any symptoms, it’s my personal opinion to test your dopamine levels through an OrganiX test and find the root cause.
By finding and treating the root cause you may increase dopamine levels.
Other than that, you may increase dopamine through diet changes, minimizing stress and engaging in cold showers.
