There's a Link Between Serotonin and Tinnitus

I know that this is an older thread, but I wanted to post my experience.

First of all, I have noticed that when I'm sick or have a headache (usually a sinus-type headache), the ringing in my ears gets worse. Have any of you noticed that?

I've been on and off SSRIs since the birth of my second child 17 years ago. I have come to the conclusion that for whatever reason, my body just needs a little more serotonin. Years ago, when the depression first started, I took Zoloft. It worked wonderfully but made me gain weight. That is the main reason I got off of it. I tried a few others, and for a while tried taking nothing and trying natural methods. But I found that taking an SSRI just worked best for me, even though I really didn't like taking it.

Jump to about 5 years ago. The depression kept creeping back, so I tried Zoloft again. This time it didn't do as good of a job and again I began gaining weight so I went off of it. I know how to taper off these drugs slowly (1 to 2 months timeframe). After I totally stopped the Zoloft, I developed a pronounced ringing in my ears. It was so loud and so terrible that I actually went to an audiologist to get a hearing test. Turns out my hearing was fine. The audiologist said it was probably the result of going off the Zoloft, and it should clear up soon. He was right. About 3 weeks later, it got much better.

Jump forward now a couple of years. I had been off Zoloft but the depression was coming back, and no matter what I did and what I tried, I just couldn't shake it. I went to a new psychiatrist who suggested Celexa. That has been working really well. It is interfering with my weight a little bit, but not as badly as the Zoloft did. Lately I've been thinking of upping my dose (I only take a small amount), because I think I could feel a little bit better. I think I could use a little more seratonin. And interestingly enough, the ringing in my ears has gotten louder recently.

So, in my experience, there is definitely a link between seratonin levels and T. In a few months, I plan to increase my dose of Celexa a little bit, and it will be interesting to see whether the ringing in my ears gets better. (It's never totally gone….just seems louder sometimes for unknown reasons).

 

very interesting please keep us posted

 

I know that "depression creeping" back situation. I was ssri free for 1,5 years and life was fine, but it just creeped back. No obvious reason. One thing i wanted to mention here, that will potentially stop it from creeping back or at least is much more better than ssri are and thats Neuralstem NSI-189 (google it). Its in the trials and out 1-2 years, but thing will change the lives of depressed people. Hang in there for some time, amazing times are coming!

 

HI, I just recently joined - when you say there is a correlation between serotonin & tinnitus, do you believe if serotonin levels are normal - tinnitus is OK or if serotonin levels are normal/high, tinnitus is bad? I've been doing some reading and trying to figure it out. I have been on cymbalta & topomax and I recently developed dibilitating T in my right ear - so I am wondering if it could be because decreased serotonin levels due to taking the SSRI for so long.
thanks
laura

 

I'm noticing a strange thing, I do not know if it can be useful ... I dropped in my case because the antidepressant drugs (Cipralex, Effexor, Zoloft...) are harmful and they were taking me to suicide. I was buying melatonin last week and I saw a supplement that I always wanted to try: Simplicinalis Griffonia (5-HTP). I started to take it in the morning and after a few hours my tinnitus change tone, volume and lateralization. I do not know if I'm doing a good thing. Does anyone have experience with 5-HTP?

 

I don't consider myself a depressed person. I do have relatives that deal with depression and take medications for it. Years ago I tried taking antidepressants for dealing with my antisocial shyness. A few weeks into taking it I recall this odd feeling of peace as if wind was blowing in the trees and stress was going away, it was a great feeling. All of that was short lived once I had my first full blown panic attack, it felt like my soul was leaving my body. Thought I was dying, it's a truly horrible feeling. My mother said something about antidepressants doing stuff with Serotonin levels, but I'm unsure if that was too much or little? I didn't have any Tinnitus back then, so I can't really comment on the associated link with serotonin.

We often read about people who have spikes in their Tinnitus after eating certain foods. Perhaps the connection with Tinnitus in relation to Serotonin is not just what we eat but rather what we don't eat?

I'm just leaving this information here as my notes on the subject of Serotonin and Tinnitus.

----------- Tryptophan, serotonin, tinnitus

http://www.tinnitusformula.com/library/tryptophan-serotonin-and-tinnitus/

As stated above, antidepressant medicines do not create serotonin. There is one way, and one way only, to create serotonin in the brain. That way is with the serotonin precursor, L-Tryptophan. This amino acid crosses the blood-brain barrier and creates serotonin, melatonin and niacin within the human brain.

L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid. This means that the body cannot produce it and it must be obtained from the diet. It is found in most protein-based foods, most notably turkey, but is also found in oats, dried dates, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, bananas, peanuts, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, red meat, eggs, fish, and poultry.​

----------- Sugar-sensitive

http://www.radiantrecovery.com/chemistry.htm

When your serotonin is at an ideal level, you feel mellow and relaxed, hopeful and optimistic. You have a sense of being at peace with life. You are creative, thoughtful, and focused. You also have a lot of impulse control, which enables you to "just say no" more easily.
People who are sugar-sensitive have naturally low levels of serotonin. As a result, you do not have good impulse control. It is almost impossible for you to "just say no" because there is such a short time between your getting the urge to do something and then doing it. The insufficient serotonin level in your brain isn't giving you the time you need to make good decisions.​

Besides being impulsive, you may feel depressed and find yourself craving foods such as bread, pasta or candy. This craving is the work of your brain, not your ego, because your brain knows that getting you to eat such foods will temporarily raise your serotonin level. Unfortunately, it will also have a devastating boomerang effect and cause all sorts of negative feelings. Having low serotonin can cause these feelings:
​

----------- Serotonin, GI tract

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin

Approximately 90% of the human body's total serotonin is located in the enterochromaffin cells in the GI tract, where it is used to regulate intestinal movements.[7][8] The remainder is synthesized in serotonergic neurons of the CNS, where it has various functions. These include the regulation of mood, appetite, and sleep. Serotonin also has some cognitive functions, including memory and learning. Modulation of serotonin at synapses is thought to be a major action of several classes of pharmacological antidepressants.​

----------- Serotonin deficiency

http://blog.paleohacks.com/serotonin-and-gaba-inhibitory-neurotransmitters/

Serotonin and GABA are the great stabilizers to the nervous system – the counterpart to Dopamine and Acetylcholine which allow us to move, act, focus and be alert. Like all neurotransmitters, they carry messages to every cell of the body, working to create balance in body systems. Low levels of any neurotransmitter can be due to genetics, nutrient depletion, stress or trauma. Here are just a few symptoms of either a GABA or Serotonin deficiency:
• Physical – Carbohydrate craving, loose stool or constipation, butterflies in stomach, ringing in the ear, muscle tension (especially in neck and back), tics/twitching, hyperventilation (not the emergency kind, but the everyday breathing too fast and too shallow), blurred vision, allergies, night sweats, heart palpitations, reflux and pain.

​

----------- Salt

http://www.saywhydoi.com/salt-cravings-why-do-i-crave-salt/

Low moods, Low serotonin and low protein levels may lead to salt cravings
Ratatouille Mouse and Rat Disney print
Some researchers have noticed that low levels of “happy hormone”, serotonin, increase cravings for salt. Serotonin is a proteinaceous hormone, so consuming inadequate amounts of protein may mean that insufficient amounts of serotonin are made. This can contribute both to low moods and salt cravings. (2, 10)​

Why would low serotonin levels trigger salt cravings? The answer to this is not clear but one possible connection may be that salt appears to have an anti-depressant effect by triggering off pleasure zones in the brain. The exact mechanism is yet to be elucidated but salt does seem to stimulate production of another “happy hormone” called oxytocin.
​

---------- Caffeine

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/coffee-and-hormones

Chronic caffeine intake has been shown to increase the receptors of serotonin (26-30% increase), GABA (65% increase), and acetylcholine (40-50%). This may contribute to the elevated mood and perceived increase in energy we feel after a coffee (which makes espresso a handy pre-workout drink). Despite increasing receptors, caffeine also inhibits the release of GABA, which contributes to our feeling of alertness.

For example, coffee inhibits the absorption of iron, a key mineral involved with the synthesis of serotonin and dopamine. Additionally, we need the activated form of vitamin B6, pyridoxal-5-phosphate, to synthesize serotonin, dopamine and GABA. Coffee consumption can decrease amounts of circulating B-vitamins, which could affect neurotransmitter synthesis in another way.

Thus, caffeine impacts whether certain chemicals are available; how receptive our brains are to them; and whether we’re even making those chemicals in the first place.
​

---------- Probiotics as Prozac

http://www.more.com/health/healthy-eating/probiotics-surprising-way-beat-stress

The big news: In the past couple of years, scientists have discovered that just as the brain alters the gut bacteria, so too can these bacteria influence the brain. Not only do stress and your moods affect the functioning of your gut, but the bacteria in your large intestine may affect your mood and your emotional response to stress. For instance, animal experiments have shown that rises in Bifidobacteria increase levels of tryptophan circulating in the blood. Tryptophan is a precursor of the feel-good neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.

If the bacteria in your gut can affect your mind, is it possible to manipulate these bugs to bring about desirable changes? A French team led by Messaoudi believes the answer is yes. The researchers gave healthy but moderately anxious people a daily probiotic supplement that contained Lactobacillus helveticusand Bifidobacterium longum. After 30 days, the volunteers who had taken probiotics showed decreases in anger and depression and an increased ability to solve problems. A later analysis showed similar mood-lifting effects in subjects who were less stressed.
​

 

As a retired ENT specialist, I never prescribed SSRIs; however, I have read extensively about them. These medications are not to be taken lightly. They are highly dangerous. I suspect that the numbers of suicides resulting from SSRIs are far greater than reported, and quickly covered up by the manufacturers. I hope many members will read the articles at the following links.

If you are taking any SSRI, - or if you decide to change your dosage in any way or to stop it altogether - do so only with close monitoring by a qualified mental-health professional. And immediately report any thoughts of suicide to that professional, or to a Suicide Watch Center in your area.

http://www.breggin.com/31-49.pdf

Here's a pretty good summary of the relationship between serotonin and tinnitus.

http://www.tinnitusformula.com/library/tryptophan-serotonin-and-tinnitus/#.VHXtb9LF-Ag

There are far better ways, IMHO, to reduce the fear, anxiety, or depression associated with the noise of tinnitus.

Bless you,

Dr Charlie

 

I tried 5HTP back in the 90's. It didn't do anything for my anxiety or depression.

IMPORTANT: The WebMD site has a serious warning about the interaction between 5HTP and antidepressants. People on an AD should not take it:

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-suppl...veIngredientId=794&activeIngredientName=5-HTP

Click on "Interactions."

 

Interesting. This weekend I was out with some old friend and was offered some mdma. Having read about the trials into mdma I figured why not. I have taken mdma regularly in my 20ies (40ies now) so I have no fear in doing it again. Didn't notice my t at all during the evening and the morningafter I experience near silence for a few hours. Came back in the late afternoon though first slightly higher but returned to baseline next day. Now I am mentioning this because mdma is a serotonin release so this route may actually hold some promise.

 

@JeffDamsko
I think there is a link between seretonin and T because when u r depressed, even if you dont realise it, often people get T. So the seretonin level is low when u r depressed. Just a theory

 

Hi, i am suffering from Tinnitus after taking the SSRI Citalopram.
As my "low" Tinnitus before got much worser after Citalopram, i was wondering if my Serotonin Level is to high or to low ?
How can the right Serotonin Level be measured ?
Thanks.
Bill

 

Hi @FrankfurtMan or should I say, grüß dich serotonin levels cannot be measured. It has not been established scientifically that people who are depressed have low serotonin levels. It has only been inferred based on the observation that people with anxiety and depression seem to be responding to medications blocking the reuptake of serotonin in neurons. this gave birth to the idea, that in anxious and depressed individuals in specific areas of the brain have too low levels of this little chemical compound called serotonin.

 

Thanks Martin, so now after i took Citalopram and have severe Tinnitus after taking it (it did not Stop after i withdrawn Citalopram) do i have still too much Serotonin inside of me, or does it fade, when you Stop taking SSRI ?

 

Just want to put this piece of information out ... i`m watching this documentary called `neurons to nirvana; psychedelic medicins` where they speak about relation of serotonin and scizofrenia ... BUT it also says that serotonin is found mainly in the gutt .... which lighted a bulb in my brain regarding relations between diet and tinnitus ... just putting it out, I will look into it ... i`m about to do some experiment with diet, fasting hydrotherapy and such ...

 

I want to weigh in on the SSRIs and relationship to Tinnitus.

I've been taking 50mg of Zoloft everyday for the last 10 years or more. I started taking it years ago for a chemical imbalance. You can call it what you want, depression, anxiety whatever, I finally after years of struggle got the right psychiatrist to understand that my weird feelings were not situational they were chemical. Anyway, as I was saying I've been taking 50mg of Zoloft for over 10 years now and really pretty happy, I'm 58. Something I had noticed over the years was if I would skip a few days of my dosage, I would hear or feel a sort of steal against steal sound coming from I really don't know where. It was ever so slight and last only for a few seconds. I began to relate that to MAYBE missing my dose of Zoloft.

About 5 years ago, I experienced my first Vertigo ride. I can count on one hand how many I have had over the last 5 years.

Over the last 3 years I have been taking care of my elderly parents. My Mom ,84 has dementia very bad so it has really taken a toll on me. She also has a back injury from 30 some years ago that has caused her to pretty much not walk at all. My Dad is in excellent health for an 88 year old. I'm still working 8 hours a day 5 days a week.

Last Nov. 2014 I was preparing for the holidays and having a hard time keeping everyone happy. Stress comes in so many forms. Anyway on Nov 4, (wrote this one down cause I plan on remembering now when this happens) I had a Vertigo attach. The next day I called my GP, I wanted to know what the heck was happening and why. I went to see him and he said let's do an MRI to rule out any tumors, let's do a some blood test on your thyroid, and BMP. Well, while I was waiting for the results of those test a strange ringing (steal against steal) sound showed up in my ear(s) and this time it was steady. Okay so the MRI was negative the Blood work was fine so he sent me to an ENT. ENT says hearing is okay, high pitch is a little low but nothing serious. He suggested maybe the very start of Meniere's and if I wanted, I could try a water pill. So I started the water pill last week, took it for 5 days. Won't take that anymore, nausea, stomach ache and loss of appetite was not what I was hoping for. Needless to say the ringing is still steady.

So my question is, can stress cause the ringing in my ear(s) or could the serotonin levels just have gone crazy because to the stress and caused the ringing?

 

I'm no doctor, but I'm 110% sure that the stress/anxiety can lead to T.

I think that about 100% of the people suffering from Ts got them aggravated by stress, so I'm sure it might be a factor even for someone who don't have T. There might be other physical/neurological/psychological reasons that make you at risk to have Ts, and this stressful period could have made them go from unnoticed to notice.

My advice: do everything you can to relax, including getting a period off from work, etc. You're still in the firsts months so it's probably not permanent and might go away easily. But act! Just don't keep going and wishing for a miracle.

Julian Cowan Hill (on YouTube) has a lot of nice advices: https://www.youtube.com/user/jcowanhill/videos

Watch his videos, do some relaxation, meditation, eat well, cut completely on coffee/chocolate/alcohol/sugar/other crap you may eat for at least 1 month...

This is just my 2 cent. Good luck!

 

I am trying to find out more about this research into links of seratonin and tinnitus but not able to find more. Was this research study Concluded? Perhaps somebody could point me in the right direction of any further relevant threads