Serotonin & Celiac & Depression

[idonteatwheat]

I had am ah-ha moment this week and want to share & maybe learn more from others.

Do I have low serotonin levels?

In May I had a huge reaction to Synthroid that put me in bed for days and I haven't bounced back completely. I suspect it set off a reaction of some sort that totally messed with my absorption and hormone levels. Besides all the physical things, it also has effected my moods, sleep and energy levels and I started to think maybe I am "depressed". I took zoloft about a decade ago and it did nothing for me besides upsetting my stomach and making me have no zest for life so I didn't want to go back on medicine. So I started digging into things thinking maybe I had become deficient in something again (I have a past history of vitamin deficiencies and anemia).

I hadn't been sleeping and tried various things to help over the last few months and nothing really worked consistently to get me to sleep and keep me asleep. I think I have my answer, I suspect I am not absorbing the B group well and perhaps not tryptophan. I started taking sub-lingual B-complex and at night a low dose of tryptophan or 5-htp and I have been sleeping and feeling so much better. I also have to avoid carbs/sugars for a few hours before bedtime or it disrupts my sleep (think it is an insulin issue there) but I am sleeping.

So here's my theory, 80% of our serotonin is in our GI tract (in enterochromaffin cells) and the rest is in our platelets and central nervous system. Our GI serotonin is used to regulate the movement of our intestines, now I know when I have been glutened my intestines do a marathon of movements so perhaps that simple act depletes a significant store of serotonin. Then it is followed up by inflammation which may impede the absorption of the nutrients necessary to replenish it. The enterochromaffin cells also release it to platelets which use it to help with clotting (which explains some of my issues with wounds taking longer to stop bleeding maybe). Stress also will deplete serotonin levels so I wonder if this "stress" of being glutened triggers a depletion and we just don't bounce back quickly. Serotonin also plays a role in the communication of the nervous systems with the immune system. Since we are suffering from an autoimmune disease it makes me wonder if there is more of a key here to the causes of gluten ataxia and other neurological issues we experience after being glutened.

Serotonin is made from Vitamin B6 and Tryptophan (well really 5-Hydroxytryptophan, 5-htp). You cannot take Serotonin as it will not cross the brain barrier but the metabolites will, but I wonder if your GI system is deficient if it uses up most of it and less is available for the brain. I know after I am glutened and get over the initial misery I tend to have a sweet tooth and crave carbs and this is a good sign of being low in Serotonin and my body trying to replenish it (which is not good, I've gained 10lbs since May, ughh).

Antidepressants in the SSRI class (zoloft, prozac...etc) do not make more serotonin, they just try to use it more efficiently. I wonder if those who have tried SSRI's and had a bad experience if it was because there wasn't a sufficient amount of serotonin.

Here are some links to foods with higher levels of tryptophan and B6 (just get past the first page on the tryptophan link, some of it made me go ewwwww and I suspect I won't be alone with that.)

http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000079000000000000000.html

http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000111000000000000000.html

I've been taking supplements but I would like to get to the point where I can consume what I need in my diet and maybe only occasionally need a supplement for say when I've been glutened.

I wish I knew what all I needed to take to counteract the effects of an accidental glutening. I know there is no way to prevent it totally but I would love to be prepared to do what I can so I can bounce back as quick as possible. I just want to feel normal again, whatever that might be these days.

[jklivin]

I love getting into the chemical aspects of this disease as I know from personal experience it is not just "a change in diet" and what one eats. I reaad an interesting article on alcohol and GABA receptors and how glutimate is a primary up-regulation In the production of excitetory nuerotransmitters, and seratonin, all which further a drinkers tolerance to alcohol. Chronic consumption of alcoholic beverages, and the consequent chronic sedation causes a counter regulatory response in the brain to maintain balance..

Google dilirium tremens amd read the wikipedia article

[Andy Hammer]

On my way to Trader Joe's now to pick up some fresh Sea Lion!  It took many years and tests to finally get a diagnosis of Celiac. One of the tests showed that I had such low serotonin, that it didn't even register! Even now after being gluten free, I still suffer from depression and low energy. I'm sure it will take awhile for me to heal completely. 

Please be aware, 5-htp is ONLY for SHORT TERM USE. I was NEVER made aware of this, until I found out on my own researching it. I had been taking it for TEN YEARS. Turns out it can actually BLOCK the production of serotonin after awhile. 

[Jmg]

8 hours ago, Andy Hammer said:

On my way to Trader Joe's now to pick up some fresh Sea Lion!  It took many years and tests to finally get a diagnosis of Celiac. One of the tests showed that I had such low serotonin, that it didn't even register! Even now after being gluten free, I still suffer from depression and low energy. I'm sure it will take awhile for me to heal completely. 

Please be aware, 5-htp is ONLY for SHORT TERM USE. I was NEVER made aware of this, until I found out on my own researching it. I had been taking it for TEN YEARS. Turns out it can actually BLOCK the production of serotonin after awhile. 

Hi Andy and welcome to the forum  

I found removing gluten and adhering strictly to the gluten-free diet the single best thing that I've ever done for tackling my depression, but I've also come to realise that for me at least it doesn't mean that depression can't still take hold. Other things help, definitely supplementing with decent B complex, multi vitamins and magnesium. Eating as well as I can and completely removing dairy from my diet as latterly resulted in an upturn in mood, Of course, exercise, sunlight, talking to people also help.

All of the above both more preferable and effective than the multiple SSRI's and other medications that doctors have given me over the years... 

Hopefully you have plenty more healing to come!

 

Matt