Serotonin deficiency is not tracked the way that vitamin and other deficiencies are in the human population, but it plays an enormous role in many of the mood-related disorders affecting millions worldwide.
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Serotonin is a “messenger chemical” that carries information between nerve cells in the brain and the rest of your body.
It also plays a key role in functions such as wound healing, bone health, normal blood clotting, libido, nausea, digestion, mood and sleep.
In total, 95% of serotonin production is affected most by the gut-brain axis, while 5% on average is produced in the brain itself.
Lack of serotonin may also be caused by digestive issues, drugs, hormonal changes, nutrient deficiencies, lack of sunlight, stress and several other issues.
Serotonin is also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), a key neurotransmitter.
Without enough serotonin, your body has a hard time working properly.
Crucial body functions that would normally be synced together don’t happen without this chemical, and health suffers as a result.
Rarely Taken Seed is The World’s ‘#1 Source of Serotonin’
Griffonia seeds have been used for centuries as a supplement for improving mood and reducing depression.
The Griffonia tree grows near coastal shores but it is also found deep in jungles, and it is known for both its unique looking seeds as well as its thick, fibrous brown branches.
Griffonia seeds and Griffonia seed extracts are also known as 5-HTP.
This natural substance made from Griffonia seed helps boost serotonin levels in the body, since 5-HTP is the precursor for neurotransmitters including serotonin.
According to Healthline.com, Griffonia is also used by people for the following conditions:
-Weight loss
-Sleep disorders
-Sleep
-Anxiety
-Mood disorders
These are all conditions that can be improved naturally through an increase in serotonin.
One study found that taking a 5-HTP (Griffonia Seed) supplement of between 50 to 300 milligrams every day might help heal symptoms of the following conditions:
-Depression
-Binge eating
-Chronic headaches
-Insomnia
It is also taken to help alleviate symptoms of:
-Fibromyalgia
-Seizures
-Parkinson’s Disease
-Pain
-Morning Stiffness
It is recommended to not take Griffonia seed if you are using medications for serotonin such as antidepressants, or drugs for Parkinson’s.
Griffonia can be taken in capsule form and reviewers say it has improved their sleep and enhanced their mood.
Final Thoughts on Griffonia and Serotonin
Originally introduced to the American market in 1995, Griffonia has gained worldwide acceptance and use as a nootropic for boosting serotonin.
According to WeAreFeel.com, a nutrition company with over 500 research papers on the properties of natural healing supplements, each seed pod in the Griffonia simplicfolia plant contains about 20% 5-HTP, which makes it the world’s most concentrated natural source of this nootropic.
Its uses are just now being discovered thanks to pioneering recent research, including a 2021 study published in the ‘International Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine’ which arrived at the following conclusion on Griffonia seed.
“The studies presented in this narrative review demonstrate that 5-HTP extracted from Griffonia simplicifolia can be effective in the treatment of fibromyalgia, chronic headaches, insomnia, in the anxiety control and, above all, in depression.