Dopamine is a neuromodulatory molecule that plays several important roles in cells. It is an organic chemical of the catecholamine and phenethylamine families. Dopamine constitutes about 80% of the catecholamine content in the brain. It plays a role in many important body functions, including memory and feeling of pleasure, motivation. High or low levels of dopamine are associated with many mental health and neurological diseases. Dopamine deficiency means having low levels of dopamine. Low dopamine levels have been linked to certain health conditions such as anxiety or depression.
What triggers dopamine release?
Dopamine is most notably involved in helping us feel pleasure as part of the brain’s pleasure-seeking system. Shopping, your food of choice—all of these things can trigger dopamine release, or the “dopamine rush.” This feel-good neurotransmitter is also involved in reinforcement.
Recent research has shown that the most commonly abused drugs by humans (including opium, alcohol, nicotine, amphetamines and cocaine) induce a neurochemical response that increases the amount of dopamine released by neurons in the brain’s reward center. Increases it a lot.
Where is dopamine produced?
Neurons in the area at the base of the brain produce dopamine in a two-stage process. First, the amino acid tyrosine is converted into another amino acid called L-dopa. Then L-dopa undergoes another transformation, as enzymes convert it to dopamine.
Know the symptoms of low dopamine
Dopamine affects many brain functions and physical symptoms, so the symptoms of low dopamine can vary greatly. Some of them include:
• depression
• Motivation or concentration problems
• Working memory problems, such as difficulty remembering the first part of a sentence someone has just spoken
• Restlessness
• handshakes or other jerks
• Changes in Coordination
• low sex drive
• Inability to feel pleasure from activities already enjoyed
how to increase dopamine
Dopamine deficiency is difficult to diagnose. Although a blood test can measure the level of dopamine in the blood, it cannot assess how the brain responds to dopamine. Due to some diseases, a person’s body cannot manufacture the dopamine transporter. That’s why most doctors do not test dopamine levels, and instead diagnose a person based on symptoms.
Several healthy lifestyle strategies can help increase dopamine safely. they include:
• exercise
• Massage
• Meditation
• Activities that one person enjoys, such as gardening, reading, or playing with a pet