NATURAL FIXES Serotonin Explained

This powerful neurotransmitter may affect everything from your mood to your memory.

- ANDREW WEIL , M.D.

Sometimes called "the happy hormone," serotonin is a neuro-transmitter, or chemical messenger, that plays an important role in mood. In fact, drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), often prescribed to treat depression, do so by boosting serotonin levels. However, there's still a lot yet to be learned about the chemical and its effects on the brain and the body. Here's the latest.

A FULL SPECTRUM OF EFFECTS

Serotonin is made from an essential amino acid called tryptophan (yes, the sleep-inducing chemical in turkey). Produced by your brain and your gastrointestinal tract, it carries messages between nerve cells in your brain and the rest of your body.