Tryptophan, for one, is present in meals like many animal merchandise, nuts, and legumes, and most of the people get loads of it of their diets. Specialists say that taking massive quantities of it in tablet type isn’t more likely to do a lot to serotonin ranges within the mind. Some research have linked low tryptophan ranges to worsening temper, however that’s solely in individuals who have already got despair—it didn’t do a lot to wholesome folks. On prime of that, to get to the mind, tryptophan must cross the blood-brain barrier, and might solely do that just a little bit at a time, says Roth.Worse, there are potential dangers of taking these dietary supplements. Serotonin shouldn’t be absorbed nicely within the intestine and would possibly stick round, inflicting intestine contractions which may make you are feeling nauseous or trigger GI points.One other well-liked complement is St. John’s wort, a medicinal plant that some scientists assume might need an identical operate to SSRIs and could also be good for sufferers who can’t tolerate SSRIs. However there haven’t been sufficient high-quality research to say for certain how nicely it really works, Bracamonte says—cautioning that St. John’s wort additionally may have drug interactions so it’s finest to speak to your physician earlier than utilizing it.There are additionally pure methods to set off serotonin launch, Bracamonte explains. Train, maintaining a healthy diet, getting sufficient sunshine, and getting loads of sleep. “Doing all of that helps temper and helps the physique operate higher,” he says.Should you’re frightened about your temper, in the end Roth says that the very best factor you are able to do is take the standard route: “Should you’re feeling depressed or anxious, discuss to your loved ones physician,” he says.