Here at Arcanum we LOVE to pass along interesting and relevant info as we come across it, and today’s blog is no exception!
Serotonin, Dopamine, GABA, Acetylcholine….I’m sure you’ve heard of these names, even though you may not completely understand what they are/what they do. These are all neurotransmitters.
Before we dive into the fun stuff, let’s first talk about what neurotransmitters are and what makes them so important.
Think of neurotransmitters like your friendly neighborhood postman. They are responsible for delivering chemical messages between your brain and body by transmitting signals from nerve cells to your target cells. When these levels and pathways are optimized, it's paydirt for your nervous system!
You've probably heard of Serotonin, Dopamine, GABA and Acetylcholine (especially if you’ve been reading our blogs for a while). Here’s a quick overview of how these four common neurotransmitters are associated with their effects on the brain and body:
● Serotonin: stabilizes mood; regulates gut mobility; associated with feelings of well-being and happiness
● Dopamine: associated with motivation and planning (can promote ambition and drive); associated with feelings of pleasure
● GABA: helps with calming and relaxation
● Acetylcholine: promotes memory, focus, mental clarity; necessary for motor neuron function and muscular movement
Now that you’re all schooled up on neurotransmitters, let’s get to today’s application: DETERMINING YOUR DOMINANT NEUROTRANSMITTER and supplements for combating a deficiency.
SEROTONIN:
Dominance:
● Activity Preference: High-energy activities like extreme sports, hunting, gambling.
● Personality: Loves excitement, change and trying new things; slightly impulsive.
Deficiency:
● Can be brought on by too much excitement or not enough sleep.
● Feelings of fatigue and loss of control.
● Suggested serotonin-supporting supplements:
o 5-HTP
● Cannabinoids such as our C3 supplement, have shown to help naturally facilitate serotonin production as a result of a more restful sleep.
DOPAMINE:
Dominance:
● Activity Preference: Prefer heavy weights, HIIT and explosive workouts.
● Personality: Strong-willed; confident; loves problem-solving, achievement and inventing; overly alert, often hyperactive.
Deficiency:
● Feelings of sluggishness, fatigue, brain fog, depression
● Suggested dopamine-supporting supplements:
o Rhodiola
GABA:
Dominance:
● Activity Preference: Enjoy laid-back activities and sports
● Personality: Emotionally stable; love organization, routine and certainty of schedule; slow to anger; level-headed; loves to create peace and nurture
Deficiency:
● Feelings of nervousness, irritability and anxiety
● Suggested GABA-supporting supplements:
ACETYLCHOLINE:
Dominance:
● Activity Preference: Adventurous; can stick to the same workout/activity but also likes spontaneity.
● Personality: Creative (think actors and artists); loves travel; can handle high-intensity but needs more time to rest and recover; extremely social and extroverted.
Deficiency:
● Poor memory; brain fog; slow to process information; slow response to stimuli
● Suggested Acetylcholine-supporting supplements:
o CBD when taken during wake cycles
o Nootropics
-Gaia
This was such a fun case study for us! Start 2022 off right with honing in on those all-important neurotransmitters and YOUR body!
Stay healthy, my friends!
Hat tip to Ben Greenfield and his book Boundless for the idea for this blog and some of the info provided.