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BRAIN, MIND, AND STRESS
Pyschological Problems
Lack of motivation, sleeping disorders, anxiety, and negative thoughts
The Story
The Story
I’ve been suffering from depression and sleep disturbances since puberty. To begin with I just accepted my condition, but as my quality of life continued to deteriorate I realised I had to do something. I never got the relief I was looking for from conventional medicine alone – so it turned out to be a long and painful journey. I was given medication for my psychological problems of course, but my symptoms never went away entirely. In addition, the medication that I was given was very strong and made me feel as if I were really hung over. The medication did absolutely nothing to alleviate my existing lack of drive and apathy – all it seemed to bring was a load of side effects.
The Journey
Between the ages of 33 and 37, I decided to take a break from all the drugs and medication and to look for an alternative, more natural way of getting to grips with my health problems. As the daughter of a doctor, who due to a quirk of fate specialised in orthomolecular medicine from the age of 50, I was already very open to the idea of micronutrients. I wanted to strike out for myself and decided to start taking Griffonia simplicifolia, the African black bean, which contains particularly large amounts of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). 5-HTP is an intermediate product of serotonin and melatonin synthesis and is thought to be a natural anti-depressant. I started with one capsule of Griffonia50 Serolution® from Biogena daily and quickly noticed an improvement.
The Success
I suddenly felt so much better, my mood lifted, but my sleep disturbances continued to plague me. It was only when I doubled the dose to the recom- mended two capsules daily and combined my intake with the fit@work® Premium Gold supplement that I noticed a clear difference in my sleep quality. My brooding thoughts and restlessness before going to sleep went away, and I could finally sleep through the night like other people and wake refreshed in the morning – a huge improvement in my quality of life. I’m still taking Griffonia50 Serolution® and also the Neurosagena® B-Complex active Gold, which provides additional support for the functions of my nerves and my mental well-being.
by Lisa Ressi
The Scientific Assessment
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A lack of serotonin is manifested by different mental symptoms, from a lack of drive and irritability to depression. In the case of a serotonin deficiency, you can help the body by taking additional 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), to en- courage it to produce the “happiness hormone” serotonin. If you are already being treated and taking antidepressants, your doctor must monitor the ad- ministration of 5-HTP and carefully review your intake, otherwise you might develop what is known as serotonin syndrome. Whether antidepressants are necessary or if they can be replaced by 5-HTP is a medical decision.
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Lifestyle Changes
The most important recommendation for increasing your serotonin levels is exposure to daylight in the early and late morning. Due to the fact that 75% of people work indoors, many people at our latitudes suffer from a serotonin deficit, particularly in winter. The fact that serotonin works as a precursor to the sleep hormone melatonin in the evenings means that the foundations of a good sleep are more or less laid in the morning.