With the high rates of anxiety and depression in America and in the world at large, it is clear that DOPAMINE is a precious and ever diminishing resource.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, or brain chemical, that makes you feel more satisfied and motivated in life. It's part of your own natural reward system and is essential to the proper functioning of your central nervous system. Without it, you can easily transform from a determined individual into a lack-luster, unmotivated being.
Dopamine deficiency is indicated by DIMINISHED levels of:
interest in life
motivation
the ability to feel pleasure
memory/focus/concentration
Dopamine deficiency causes people to experience ELEVATED levels of:
procrastination
fatigue
mood swings
feelings of hopelessness or guilt
impulsive or self-destructive behaviors
addictions to caffeine or other stimulants
weight gain
restless leg syndrome
altered sleep patterns
Dopamine is only produced by a few specific areas of the brain and can be easily depleted. The lack of dopamine can result in an increase in mood swings, lack of focus, memory loss, and addictions. This can even cause you to lose your motivation to feed yourself!
Foods that increase the amount of dopamine available to your brain either work directly on dopamine levels or affect dopamine indirectly through the amino acid l-tyrosine contained in the foods. L-phenylalanine is an essential amino acid that the body cannot make on its own. It has to be consumed in food. Once inside the body, it is converted into l-tyrosine which in turn is transformed into l-dopa and finally into dopamine.
Dopamine in your food often does not cross the blood-brain barrier, so you have to consume foods with l-phenylalanine or l-tyrosine. These amino acids do cross the blood-brain barrier and are necessary for the production of dopamine in the brain. The best time to get the greatest absorption of the nutrients in food is before your first meal of the day while your stomach is still empty. Foods that contain l-phenylalanine which is converted into l-tyrosine include:
Almonds
Animal Products (including eggs and dairy products)
Apples
Avocados
Bananas (especially ripe bananas are high in l-tyrosine)
Beans
Beets
Cherries
Chocolate
Coffee
Fava Beans (are also called Broad Beans and are one of the few foods containing l-dopa which directly affects dopamine production)
Green Leafy Vegetables
Green Tea
Lima Beans
Oatmeal
Olive Oil
Oregano
Peanuts
Probiotics (or good bacteria, are found naturally in products such as yogurt, kefir, raw sauerkraut, and kimchi. Good bacteria help to keep the bad bacteria in check. Too much bad bacteria in our gut can result in toxic levels of lypopolysaccharides which destroy the brain cells that produce dopamine.)
Pumpkin Seeds
Rosemary
Sea Vegetables
Sesame Seeds
Soy Products
Turmeric
Watermelon
Wheat Germ
Consuming saturated fat, sugar, and artificial sweeteners contribute to the depletion of the amount of neurotransmitters such as dopamine that are available to your brain. Although sugar and caffeine offer an initial kick, they ultimately lead to a depletion of dopamine. The fast food drive through is not your brain's best friend!
A magnesium deficiency can cause a reduction in dopamine production. Many Americans are deficient in magnesium. We soak our tired muscles in it, but we don't consume enough of it. Signs of a magnesium deficiency include craving salt or carbohydrates, constipation, high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat or palpitations, muscle pain and spasms, fatigue, headaches, mood swings, anxiety, and irritability. Sound familiar?
Dopamine is easily oxidized, so taking antioxidant vitamins like C and E can help to protect precious dopamine reserves. These antioxidants help to protect brain neurons that use dopamine from damage done by free radicals. Adding lots of fruits and vegetables to your diet can help you get the needed supply of these important vitamins.
Exercise helps keep the brain young, producing new brain cells, well nourished, and stress resistant. Exercise increases blood flow which helps essential hormones and other substances reach the brain. Research has shown exercise to be as effective as medication in relieving depression. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to get people to exercise. Any form of exercise done regularly can only help to improve your physical well being and state of mind. The important thing is to be consistent. Start slowly, beginning with 10 to 20 minutes of moderate to rigorous exercise for at least 3 times per week. Then keep extending the time until you are getting at least 30 minutes of exercise 5 times per week. But, don't stop there! Studies show that the benefit of exercise for improving longevity increase significantly with increases in the duration of the exercise. If you want to live longer, exercise longer and more often!
Exposure to sunlight causes an increase in the production of dopamine receptors and vitamin D. Vitamin D in turn activates the genes that produce dopamine. Many Americans are deficient in vitamin D.
Meditation has been scientifically proven to increase dopamine production. Creative activities such as needlework, the arts, woodworking, and home repair can also place the mind in a meditative state and thereby increase dopamine levels.
Listening to music and even anticipating listening to music can raise dopamine levels in the brain. It's even more effective when you sing the music out loud. You now have permission to sing your heart out!
Your being massaged by someone or your stroking your pet can increase production of dopamine. The power of a loving touch can work wonders in the lives of you, your loved ones, and even your beloved pets!
Lack of sleep can reduce the number of dopamine receptors and, as a result, lead to a decrease in the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Sleep allows the brain to recuperate and recharge itself. You should get six to eight hours of sleep each night. Sleeping too much or too little combined with a lack of exercise helps to deplete your brain's store of dopamine.
Obesity is associated with people having fewer dopamine receptors. This causes them to feel the need to eat more and more food in order to get a feeling of satisfaction and pleasure from eating. In other words, they develop a food addiction. Ironically, they develop the addiction to food not because it tastes so good but because they can't taste it enough!
The chilling experience of a cold shower can give you a huge increase in dopamine. It's effect can be stronger than that of the caffeine in coffee! The effect can even help get you through an entire day.
Learning new things and having new experiences are also good ways of giving yourself a boost in your dopamine levels.
Remember how you were always told to break your big projects down into little ones in order to be more successful? Now we know why! Your brain gives you a shot of dopamine as a reward every time you accomplish a goal, even a little one. So, set a bunch of little goals for yourself throughout the day in order to get as many rewards as possible. Keep a chart of your accomplishments to motivate you to keep going. If you notice that you are on a streak of successes, your brain will give you an added bonus shot of dopamine!
Make sure your brain gets the news flash about your victories by doing your happy dance in celebration! It is important to start by writing down a list of tiny goals onto paper or on an electronic device. The second step is even more important than the first. You must actually physically check off each tiny goal as you accomplish them. The third step is the most important of all. You must finish this process by enjoying your happy dance. Pretend that you are a very vain quarterback football player and go for it! This act of celebration will not only get your blood circulating in a fun way, but it will signal to your brain to produce more dopamine to fuel your continued success.
Practice gratitude. People have begun to recognize the importance of gratitude and thankfulness to mental well being. Gratitude combines the useful qualities of meditation and checking off accomplishments. Counting your blessings has always been seen as the best method for shifting your focus away from your negatives to your positives. Ticking off your list of blessings is another way of getting additional shots of dopamine.
Supplements can help boost dopamine levels when you can't get enough l-tyrosine through your diet or when your body does not process it properly. When you are suffering from major stress, your supply of dopamine can become depleted. Illnesses and exhaustion can also drain your brain's dopamine resources.
Taking supplements containing the herb mucuna pruriens can be as effective in raising dopamine levels as taking medications. This tropical legume contains the amino acid and hormone l-dopa which is a precursor to dopamine. The brain needs l-tyrosine to make l-dopa and l-dopa to make dopamine.
Curcumin is the critical component in the spice turmeric. It has the advantage of being able to easily cross the blood brain barrier and increase the production of dopamine. Curcumin is as effective as antidepressants in treating depression. It must be accompanied by piperine, a compound in black pepper, and consumed with healthy fats in order to be most effective. Sounds like a good excuse for eating curry to me!
Ginkgo biloba is another supplement found to be effective in raising dopamine levels in the brain.
L-theanine is a substance found in green tea. It can also be found in the form of a supplement.
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