There's a Link Between Serotonin and Tinnitus

Found this website as I was researching serotonin levels with tinnitus sufferers.

I ordered a dietary supplement that increases serotonin levels and I did not want to take the chance of reversing my good progress and the level of tinnitus with the product.

What's on the horizon?
Serotonin Birmingham University and Buffalo University in New York are looking at the role of serotonin in tinnitus. The BTA are hoping this may be the prelude to developing a pill.

A PubMed study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10753413

The Serotonin / Melatonin Connection
Some serotonin is converted in the pineal gland to melatonin, which regulates sleep patterns. Melatonin has been shown to be helpful in getting a good night’s sleep and in some cases reducing tinnitus symptoms. A clinical study conducted at the Ear Research Foundation in Sarasota, FL, tested 3 mg melatonin on tinnitus patients for one month.1 They found that those people who did not have trouble sleeping were not greatly benefited by the melatonin. However, of the people who had difficulty sleeping, 47% reported an overall improvement in their tinnitus.

My personal experience is that 3mg of melatonin will put me right to sleep, however I wake up in the middle of the night. I feel rested but I’m wide awake at 3:00 AM. I find that 3 to 6 mg of time-release melatonin will keep me asleep all night long.

There are basically two ways to rectify the Serotonin Deficiency Syndrome. One solution is through the natural method of increasing tryptophan intake and the other through the use of anti-depressant medications such as Prozac. This is where the story gets very interesting.
There is a class of pharmaceutical medications called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) anti-depressants. SSRI anti-depressants include Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and others. Their method of treatment is to concentrate existing levels of tryptophan in the brain so they stay in the synapse between nerves and facilitate communication. They do not create serotonin, as many people believe, but simply collect the existing serotonin so it is used more effectively. Some studies suggest that long term use of SSRI anti-depressants actually reduce serotonin levels.

In a study to be published in early 2011 in Neurochemistry International, researchers studied the effect of long-term SSRI anti-depressant use on laboratory rats.2 They found that serotonin levels in the rat brains treated with SSRI medications were reduced by 60% on average in nine areas of the brain. Since the SSRI blocks the normal uptake of serotonin, the brain’s response is to dramatically decrease serotonin synthesis.

SSRI anti-depressants are in wide use today and prescribed for many people with tinnitus. In some cases they help but they can come with a host of side effects. Some of the more serious side effects include heart palpitations and chest pain, decreased libido, suicide (this has been in the news recently as it affects teenagers), nervous system disorders and tinnitus. The Physician’s Desk Reference lists tinnitus as a "frequent" side effect of SSRI anti-depressants. There are no side effects to supplementation with tryptophan. So here we can have a situation where an individual who is depressed because of tinnitus is prescribed a medication that is a known cause of tinnitus.


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I take a fraction of the recommended dosage for liquid melatonin each night and do quite well with sleep. The dosage is 2 tsp (10 ml). I only take a less than a tsp each night in my sleepy time tea.

 

Vestibular = balance... so, I am not clear about this report and study. See link and read the full analysis for more information. hope somebody can figure it out! lol


http://www.tinnitusjournal.com/detalhe_artigo.asp?id=251

CONCLUSIONS
These studies demonstrated that 67% of examined patients with tinnitus blood serotonin concentrations that are significantly increased above the referent values. Owing to the insufficient number of patients with tinni-tus in the study, particular conclusions about the role of blood serotonin in the etiology and pathogenesis of tinnitus cannot be drawn. However, what should be emphasized is that patients with tinnitus have higher blood serotonin values.

Follow-up of the dynamics of change in serotonin levels at vestibular loading shows that serotonin concentration could be used as an indicator for determining vestibular stability: Serotonin data from this study correspond to data from neurootological tests and Chilov's criteria for degree of vestibular stability. On the basis of the presented results, we recommend that blood serotonin studies be included with routine neurootological examinations for choosing candidates to work in conditions that overload the vestibular analyser.

 

Subjective tinnitus is also a side effect of some medications, such as aspirin, and may also result from an abnormally low level of serotonin activity. It is also a classical side effect of quinidine, a Class IA anti-arrhythmic. Over 260 medications have been reported to cause tinnitus as a side effect.[22] In many cases, however, no underlying physical cause can be identified. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus

 

Meet the researcher: Dr Gillian Grafton

The BTA has committed to supporting a two year research programme, valued at £112,000, funding a two year full-time Research Fellowship at the University of Birmingham. Dr Gillian Grafton has recently been appointed to this position, investigating the role of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This research will be a pioneer in the use of molecular biological techniques in tinnitus research, with the long term objective of developing a suitable drug for the treatment of tinnitus.

What is your research background?
I gained my PhD from the University of Birmingham in 1994. My research kicked off a lasting interest in the field of cell signalling which is the ability of cells to detect and respond to their environment. After my PhD I developed a research programme looking at how calcium enters cells through specialised proteins called calcium channels. There are many different kinds of calcium channels and they play a key role in the regulation of cell signalling.

How are you going to apply this to your new role?
Serotonin can affect cells through proteins on their surface called serotonin receptors. There are seven different kinds of these receptors and one of them, the 5-HT3 receptor is a calcium channel. This particular serotonin receptor is found in the auditory pathways in the brain and may have a role in the development of tinnitus so my track record of work on calcium channels has a direct relevance to this project.

What is serotonin? How is it associated with tinnitus?
Serotonin is a chemical naturally produced in the body and found in the brain and the intestine. Recently it has become known as the “happy molecule” since decreased levels are associated with depression. However, the reality is much more complicated than that. Serotonin has numerous roles including control of appetite, sleep, memory and learning, temperature regulation, and hormone function to name a few. The common factor is that serotonin allows certain types of nerve cells to talk to each other and to modify their behaviour. This is where the link with tinnitus comes in. It is possible that tinnitus arises in the auditory pathways in the brain (the chain of nerves that goes from the ear to various parts of the brain and which allows us to make sense of the sounds we hear). Nerves in this pathway talk to each other and once they have processed a sound they should quieten down. In tinnitus we think that they don’t – you might say that they’re listening out a little too hard and as a result might perceive sounds which really aren’t there at all. We think that serotonin, and particularly the 5-HT3 receptor, plays a role in this altered activity.

What excites you about the programme?
I think there is a very real opportunity to find out much more about tinnitus and to start to design drugs which can tackle the problem.
That’s a very exciting prospect.

What are your plans and aims for the future?
My present research is funded by the BTA for two years. This funding will allow us make good headway in an exciting developing area of tinnitus research. We can collaborate with some of the leading groups in the world to make a real impact. It is my hope that this funding will also help to raise the profile of tinnitus research and thus bring more research groups into the field. I have had tinnitus for as long as I can remember and am acutely aware of just how debilitating it can be. It is a much more widespread condition than many people realise and deserves more attention than it receives.

How are you going about your research?
I’m taking two approaches. The first is to look at 5-HT3 receptors to see if there are any differences between those with tinnitus and those free from it. We want to follow that up to track down exactly where in the auditory pathways the problems may lie.
The second approach is to make many slightly different variants of the 5-HT3 receptor and put them into cells grown in culture in the lab. We can use these different variants to figure out where drugs bind to the receptor and what effect they have on its activity. This in turn will allow us to design drugs to modify the receptor which we can then test to see if they affect tinnitus.

 

Calin

thanks for your research on serotonin and tinnitus

i too have read that very little serotonin passes thru the blood brain barrier so clearly upping my oral intake of serotonin wont help

and i read your references to 5 htp...fascinating

seems to me tryptophan, which can pass from the gut to the brain, would also work to increase the availability of serotonin in the brain, at least for a while...but.... im wondering if boosting exogenous supply thru diet would cause the body to simply make less by itself (endogenous supply) and we would be right back in a situation where we would have to up the dose even more

im looking forward to dr gillion graftons research results and tempted to go out and dose myself with typtophan or 5 htp just to take the risk on some peace

thanks again
mock turtle

 

Nice to Hear that this research is coming from the UK, and the U.S Gillian a researcher that has tinnitus herself !!The British Tinnitus Association are claiming there never been so close to understand Tinnitus. I wonder what country will make the Break, when?

Come On you researchers we been waiting 40 years lets have a cure now

http://www.tinnitus.org.uk/research

 

Calin -
I have also read bits and pieces about this possible link between tinnitus and seratonin. I seem to recall reading one study where the results were indefinitive....but I could be wrong.

Yesterday, I was reading one of Jim's postings:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...t-and-how-have-you-tried-to-alleviate-it.257/

To paraphrase Jim: "...Then I took Zoloft. I took it for only about 2 week. Damn near cured me. I still had the T but at much lower and more tolerable level...". Wow! Do you think that Jim's tinnitus was decreased because of seratonin, or was it only his anxiety/fear factor that decreased?

(Hey, Jim...Excuse me! We need your input here ...Why did you stop taking Zoloft?)

For those of you who have never taken an SSRI anti-depressant, such as Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac....they function by increasing seratonin. "SSRI" stands for "Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitor" (of course). Typically it takes about a month to take their full effect. I am very familiar with Paxil, because I took it for four years due to depression. I have heard that Paxil is one of the worst and Zoloft is one of the best of these SSRI's.

There are a lot of people who seem to avoid prescription medicines, prefering "natural" forms of medicine (nuts, berries, snake venom). Anyone who wants to increase seratonin "naturally" will have a tough time doing so. I can't imagine how many turkey sandwiches you would need to eat to kick-up your seratonin levels substantially.

A very inexpensive over-the-counter product that will increase your seratonin is 5HTP. A bottle of 30 capsules costs about $10. If you really want to increase seratonin without using prescription medicines, 5HTP does the trick. ("5HTP" actually refers to the chemical process which makes seratonin.) Be cautious about taking stuff like this, though.

 

Karl, I Started taking the the Zoloft as prescribed by my psychiatrist for anxiety reduction. I was in a high anxiety feedback loop (my term). Lack of sleep, obsessive thoughts, worry about the future with tinnitus, depression, downward spiral, etc,etc. Zoloft worked almost immediately for me. Within 2-3 days my anxiety had subsided. It had no effect on the T however but it sure changed my reaction to it, which is what it's all about anyway, right? I stopped the Zoloft for 2 reasons. 1)One of the side effects of Zoloft is a condition called anorgasmia. Within 2-3 days I had it! Needless to say that is something I was unwilling to tolerate. So I quit taking it at about 2 weeks. 2)I found that the high anxiety did not return. On a couple of occasions when I felt the stress coming back I took a Xanax. Have not needed the Zoloft since.
I give lots of credit to my shrink. I had lots of apprehension about taking prescription drugs. He helped me to understand that the severe stress was more dangerous than a short course on prescription meds. He was correct.

 

Instead of quoting, I will just reply.

I used to take Zoloft for a brief period some years ago for depression (laid off and marriage breakup all at the same time). I stopped as soon as I could - after a year. I did not have tinnitus then, so I wouldn't be able to report on that.

I am reluctant to take 5HTP. I will try this PEA Phenylethylamine in the product I ordered and see how it goes. The trails show it increased the blood serotonin levels by 25%. I am hoping that will be helpful and not harmful. Or at least not change my current low measures of tinnitus.

I have to research this more... or others here can help out! - to see where this is going with serotonin levels. There is a link and I think it has to do with the kind of receptors on the cells and which kind of serotonin properties link up. Just a hunch.

I do understand how SSRIs can cause the body to stop serotonin production or more likely decrease the levels. That makes sense. When you mess with balances, all kinds of affects can occur. Good and bad. One issue might be fixed while another may be hindered. Stress is a big key though and that does effect serotonin levels for sure. I have tons of that! I have managed that now though and no longer need the crutches of prescribed drugs!

Oh... when I read the above article I saw calcium channels... I tried a calcium channel blocker (BP mediation) for a short period before deciding it wasn't right for me. Made my heart / chest hurt. I wonder if that has anything to do with the tinnitus. Just a passing thought ...

 

Jim -
Thanks for clarifying that the Zoloft helped reduce your anxiety, but apparently did not reduce your tinnitus.

When I took Paxil I used to get what I call "the heeby jeebies". The trouble with Paxil is it's hard to get off the drug. John Lennon's song, "Cold Turkey" comes to mind.

WhenI got tinnitus, I was really freaking out, and I was unable to sleep. I returned to my psychiatrist who I hadn't seen for 4 years. I was very afraid to take another psycho-tropic drug like Paxil. Fortunately she gave me a non-seratonin based anti-depressant called Remeron, which has caused me no side effects.

 

Karl, it could of been the paxil you taken for 4 years that has thrown out your serotonin levels, for 4 years you had no tinnitus whilst taking paxil then it sounds your discontinuation of it may of bought on your tinnitus, you should go back on paxil for 6 months then slowly cut it down. You may find your T diminishes within the first 3 months.

 

Joe -
Thank you for this idea. I've been off Paxil 4 or 5 years. I was almost willing to give it another try if it would cure my tinnitus. Given a choice between taking Paxil and having the "heeby jeebies" without tinnitus versus how am now without the "heeby jeebies" but with tinnitus , I would take the Paxil. I just doubt that it would help. The other day I took a 5HTP capsule, which raises seratonin levels, but I my tinnitus didn't change.

I think my tinnitus was caused by ototoxic medication that was given to me for atrial fibrilation in October, 2011. I got stressed out, and my heart rhythm got out of wack for one day. My doctor prescribed Metoprolol and asprin (325 mg/day). That was when I first heard the ringing.

I think this apparently "new idea" about a possible relationship between seratonin and tinnitus has been around awhile. It's sounds almost like the "teaser" health news, meant to keep us watching television. It's my gut feeling there is no connection between seratonin levels and tinnitus. It just sounds too easy - just like the idea of curing tinnitus with magnesium or vitaman B. If it were that easy, doctors would be routinely prescribing SSRI anti-depressants for tinnitus. If it were that easy, the American Tinnitus Association wouldn't be celebrating 40 years, still looking for a cure and asking for donations.

 

This portion of the above article is what struck me....

There is a class of pharmaceutical medications called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) anti-depressants. SSRI anti-depressants include Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and others. Their method of treatment is to concentrate existing levels of tryptophan in the brain so they stay in the synapse between nerves and facilitate communication. They do not create serotonin, as many people believe, but simply collect the existing serotonin so it is used more effectively. Some studies suggest that long term use of SSRI anti-depressants actually reduce serotonin levels.

This would mean low serotonin levels.

I took metotprolol.... I got off the drug as I suspected the tinnitus could be the culprit - warning label suggested it as a side affect. My ENT nodded when I said that.

I take no BP meds now and I am just fine. I may still have a heart murmur as the ENT just told me about and could be a reason for the pulsing tinnitus. All these could be's and maybe's - geez!

 

Calin -

Woow...hold on there. The word "suggest" does not confirm a conclusion. To say that SSRI's don't increase seratonin is exactly the opposite of their purpose. SSRI's work on the gut, decreasing the uptake of seratonin so that the body has more available.

 

I am not seeing anywhere so far that is that SSRIs increase seratonin levels. They seem to make better use of what you already have IMO. Of course I could spend a day or so researching, but this is the first step...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_serotonin_reuptake_inhibitor
SSRIs are believed to increase the extracellular level of the neurotransmitter serotonin by inhibiting its reuptake into the presynaptic cell, increasing the level of serotonin in the synaptic cleft available to bind to the postsynaptic receptor. They have varying degrees of selectivity for the other monoamine transporters, with pure SSRIs having only weak affinity for the noradrenaline and dopamine transporter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antidepressant
SSRIs are said to work by preventing the reuptake of serotonin (also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) by the presynaptic neuron, thus maintaining higher levels of 5-HT in the synapse.

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro99/web1/Byrd.html
Of the chemical neurotransmitter substances, serotonin is perhaps the most implicated in the treatment of various disorders, including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, stroke, obesity, pain, hypertension, vascular disorders, migraine, and nausea. A major factor in the understanding of the role of 5-HT in these disorders is the recent rapid advance made in understanding the physiological role of various serotonin receptor subtypes. There are at least four populations of receptors for serotonin: 5-HT1, 5-HT2, 5-HT3, and 5-HT4. The physiological function of each receptor subtype has not been established and is currently the subject of intensive investigation (1).
The linkage of serotonin to depression has been known for the past five years. From numerous studies, the most concrete evidence of this connection is the decreased concentration of serotonin metabolites like 5-HIAA (5-hydroxyindole acetic acid) in the cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissues of depressed people. If depression, as suggested, is a result of decreased levels of serotonin in the brain, pharmaceutical agents that can reverse this effect should be helpful in treating depressed patients. Therefore, the primary targets of various antidepressant medications are serotonin transports of the brain. Since serotonin is activated when released by neurons into the synapse, antidepressants function at the synapse to enhance serotonin activity. Normally, serotonin's actions in the synapse are terminated by its being taken back into the neuron then releases it at which point "it is either recycled for reuse as a transmitter or broken down into its metabolic by products and transported out of the brain." As a result, antidepressants work to increase serotonin levels at the synapse by blocking serotonin reuptake (2).

 

Medical Science Shows Insight into Noisy Eyeballs and Tinnitus

Recently an article was published in Scientific American on noisy eyeballs. Yes you read correctly, noisy eyeballs.

Often times happy accidents happen in medicine or shall you serendipity in science.
You see R. Douglas Fields, developed noisy eyeballs. Each time he moved his eyeballs he heard a grating sound. As luck would have it, R. Douglas happened to meet Josef Rauschecker, a professor of physiology and biophysics at Georgetown. Fields started discussing his noisy eyeballs and Rauschecker, an expert on the brain's auditory cortex, suggests Fields have his serotonin levels checked.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain - a chemical responsible for the movement of signals from point A to point B in the brain. Coincidentally the noisy eyeball expert had also been conducting tests on subjects who experienced tinnitus - ringing in the ears. Dr. Rauschecker felt the two phantom sounds were related to low serotonin levels.

Dr. Rauschecker had discovered that brain scans of patients with ringing in the ears showed that these men and women had a smaller nucleus accumbens. This nut-sized section of the brain is the valve that controls the amount of serotonin released by the brain.

This enables us to block out sounds and prevent sensory overload. It's Dr. Rauschecker's belief that tinnitus, at least in some cases, isn't always an ear problem. It's a problem of serotonin levels in the brain. The cure? Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRI drugs.

Now, these drugs are currently prescribed to treat depression, anxiety and other stress disorders. Though not available for use in treating tinnitus just yet, someday, based on the ongoing research results, doctors may be prescribing drugs used to treat depression to people who experience tinnitus.

Currently there is no the cure for tinnitus, though 50 million Americans (1 out of 6) experience ringing in the ears. Over 12 million of us have sought medical attention to address the symptoms of tinnitus. Not to mention tinnitus is one of the leading medical disabilities military veterans are experiencing.

The luck of science may in fact lead to the discovery of a medication to ease or even eliminate tinnitus in some people. That would be nice.

Or shall we say serendipity science.

 

This is Dr. Josef Rauschecker - a real person!

PICCS Faculty Interview: Dr. Josef Rauschecker

 

I realize that this video is about the blind, but there is value in it as it exemplifies the work of Dr. Rouschecker and his credibility.

Turning Images Into Sensations to Assist the Blind

 

I am still torn abut taking in more serotonin (as in the Lepticore - increased serotonin levels) as the following cautions about too much serotonin levels - which cause serotonin syndrome. If the research on tinnitus indicates correctly that tinnitus could be low levels of serotonin due to reasons such as smaller nucleus accumbens, then more serotonin intake through ingestion should be fine. I don't take SSRIs or MAOs so I am not getting the effect of the receptor control.

Still researching this... here is the article I mentioned ... I claim no accuracy....


Symptoms of Serotonin Deficiency

Serotonin stored in platelets also behaves as a vasoconstrictor and prevents bleeding to aid in the healing process. Overdoses of serotonin can lead to pulmonary hypertension due to constriction of the pulmonary vessels. Serotonin may by itself cause the development of excess fibrous connective tissue in the heart when eaten in large quantities in diet.
A condition called serotonin syndrome is caused by extremely high levels of the neurotransmitter. It is practically not possible to reach an overdose through a single antidepressant but a combination of drugs like SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and MAOI (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors) can result in an overdose.
Serotonin levels can be brought to the desired levels by synthesized serotonin derived from its precursor, the amino acid tryptophan. But it is always better if medication can be avoided. Although the effect of diet on emotion is short lived, steady serotonin levels can be maintained by effective management of diet by regular consumption of foods containing serotonin.

 

Then, since serotonin effects the blood vessels and the pial vessels via dilation and heart functioning (arterial blood pressure) I don't know if more or less serotonin levels is necessary yet. I am naturally inclined to high blood pressure and serotonin can constrict the vessels.... regulating them. Am still researching. Here is more on that....
(I may be incorrect as I am still learning about serotonin) Don't hold me to this stuff! lol


http://www.tinnitusjournal.com/detalhe_artigo.asp?id=251
The role of serotonin in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases is an important issue of modern biochemistry. Its significance for vestibular disturbances has not been studied sufficiently [1,2]. The interest in this biogenic amine has been increasing since its 1947 discovery by Rapport and Green in their search for vasoconstrictors.

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) has the most common indole structure, but it is a biologicaJly active substance with a very complex physiological effect. It is found in greater concentrations mainly in the chromaffin cells of the gastrointestinal tract, in the spleen, in the skin labrocytes, and in the platelets, where its function is predominantly hormonal.

Serotonin is a mediator in the peripheral and central nervous system. It is localized partly in the neuron celJ and, to a greater degree, in the nerve ends of the axon, the vesicles. There, it can be found in both free and bound forms.

The majority of serotoninergic neurons are situated in the middle portion of the brainstem, in the dorsal nuclei and Raffe's medial nuclei, in the myelencephalon and mesencephalon, in the pons, and the like. Seven serotonin receptors are known by now and are situated in different structures of the brain [3].

Serotonin has an important role in the activity of the limbic and reticular brain structures participating in the central regulation of vessel tonus [4]. Its vasoconstricting effect on large blood vessels and vasodilation of pial vessels has been proved. Serotonin influences heart activity via the hypothalamus [5] and is one of the regulators of arterial blood pressure [6]. Thus, the aim of this survey is to study the concentration of serotonin in blood in patients with vestibular disturbances before and after vestibular provocation and in patients with tinnitus.

 

My ENT wants me to have an ultrasound on my neck arteries - carotid due to the pulsing tinnitus and he hears a heart murmur.

So.... I found this....

Serotonin May Play Role In Hardening Of The Arteries

ScienceDaily (Mar. 3, 2006) — A less active brain serotonin system is associated with early hardening of the arteries, according to a study presented by University of Pittsburgh researchers at the 64th Annual Scientific Conference of the American Psychosomatic Society in Denver. These findings, which are the first to establish a link between serotonin messages in the brain and atherosclerosis, could lead to an entirely new strategy for preventing heart disease and stroke, say the researchers.
In the study being presented today, which included 244 adult volunteers between the ages of 30 and 55 years, researchers measured serotonergic activity using a pharmacological approach and carotid artery thickness using ultrasonography. At the time of testing, participants were free of clinically evident vascular disease. Yet, those with low levels of serotonergic function were more likely to have thickening of the carotid artery than those with higher levels.

 

High BP and SSRIs due to serotonin....

http://highbloodpressure.about.com/od/lifeafterdiagnosis/a/antidepressants.htm
Most drugs used to treat depression work by increasing the amount of serotonin or dopamine available in the body. These chemicals regulate how cells within the brain talk to one another, and also help coordinate interactions between different brain regions. Low levels of serotonin and dopamine have been linked to alterations in mood, and antidepressant drugs are designed to increase the available amount of these chemicals.
Serotonin and dopamine, however, play important roles in many parts of the body outside the brain, and antidepressant drugs are increasingly used to treat a variety of conditions such as chronic pain. Both of these compounds are known to affect the heart and blood vessels. In concentrated doses, dopamine is used as an emergency drug to support (increase) blood pressure during surgery and when certain conditions –- such as body wide infection –- lead to low blood pressure beyond the body’s ability to correct. To a lesser extent, serotonin has similar blood-pressure-raising effects and may increase how sensitive the heart and vessels are to effects of dopamine.
While antidepressants don’t increase serotonin and dopamine to extreme levels, their use has been known to raise blood pressure. Specific antidepressants that have been linked to increased blood pressure include:

• Buproprion (Wellbutrin, Zyban)
• Venlafaxine (Effexor)
• Phenelzine (Nardil)

Increased levels of serotonin and dopamine play an important role in how these drugs raise blood pressure, but there is probably more to the story, and the precise mechanisms are still a matter of some debate. Current thinking is that these drugs increase overall activity in the nervous system, which might amplify certain signals (such as those controlling blood pressure) that the nervous system sends to the rest of the body. If you have high blood pressure, you can still use antidepressant medications. Your doctor may choose to avoid certain types of antidepressants,

 

People with high blood pressure or diabetes should talk to their doctor before taking 5-HTP.

​

​

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)​

​

5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a chemical that the body makes from tryptophan (an essential amino acid, which you get from food). After tryptophan is converted into 5-HTP, the chemical is then changed into another chemical called serotonin (a neurotransmitter, which relays signals between brain cells). 5-HTP dietary supplements help raise serotonin levels in the brain. Since serotonin helps regulate mood and behavior, 5-HTP may have a positive effect on sleep, mood, anxiety, appetite, and pain sensation.​

5-HTP is not found in the foods we eat, although tryptophan is. Eating foods with tryptophan does not increase 5-HTP levels very much, however. As a supplement, 5-HTP is made from the seeds of an African plant called Griffonia simplicifolia.​

 

Found a rather long but comprehensive article by Joseph M. Carver, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist on neurotransmitters which includes serotonin. Informational only and not necessarily about tinnitus....

http://www.drjoecarver.com/clients/49355/File/Chemical Imbalance.html

 

I got this Lepticore product a week ago and started with just one dosage - instead of two. I took both dosages today. I did not want to overdo the serotonin levels as I had to wean off the inositol powder I was taking daily.

I did coincidentally notice a drop in the volume of the tinnitus. It is fairly low now. Don't know if it relates to the Lepticore or not.

I still am doing all the same things but just added this product due to the proven serotonin level increases.

The way my tinnitus is decreasing reminds me of when you hear an airplane or a train. You hear it faintly then it gets louder as it comes closer to you and then fades away as it leaves the hearing range. I think that is how mine began. Hardly noticeable and then very noticeable. Now it is fading - hopefully out of range!

 

I stopped the Lepticore (which increases serotonin levels) because I am going to increase my intake of inositol. Up to 12 grams a day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. I take the powder form and mix it in my super greens twice a day. Started this yesterday with a total of about 6 grams. I took 6 grams tonight and take another 6 grams in the morning and see how it goes every day. I found Swanson's to be the best price. I was taking inositol but not in the higher dosages. It has tons of advantages and has been proven to stop cancer and reverse lung cancer. ABC news - You tube has it I think. Lots of good stuff on it if you google. Anxiety, OCD, panic disorder, hair (hmmm) etc.

inositol -> serotonin -> GABA -
GABA-mediated inhibition might be effective treatments for tinnitus says Dr Tzounopoulos


I just spent tons of hours researching inositol and I think I will see how it goes. One can take up to 18 grams with no harmful effects. Diarhea..... maybe! Big deal when your being hounded with noises! lol

Since the newer research is pointing to serotonin and GABA influences, I am good with this experiment.

I am getting more zinc as well now since I changed my toothpaste and mouthwash to Vita-myr which has zinc in it. Zinc seems to be one of the suggested supplements for tinnitus. It is better for my teeth and gums anyway! Of course one doesn't swallow the stuff, but some will get absorbed from the mouth.

BTW....I am doing great! Still have a reduced high pitched sound, but nothing like it was months ago!!!!

I'll keep you posted with my latest research and personal experiment!

 

Found this: 2007 Canadian Medical Association
How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077351/

 

Neurotransmitter Testing
Neurotransmitter Testing is now available to detect Brain Neurotransmitter Imbalances!
Basing a treatment on symptoms alone (traditional medicine) will not provide the information needed to address the underlying brain imbalance. A visit to a doctor or practitioners office for depression involves telling them how you have been feeling emotionally. The typical depressed person leaves the office with a prescription for an antidepressant without ever having any conclusive laboratory evidence of what is causing their symptoms.
New sophisticated equipment and tests are now available to evaluate neurotransmitter imbalances using a urine or blood sample. This provides a neurotransmitter baseline assessment of your neurotransmitter levels, and is useful in determining the root causes for many diseases and illnesses. Laboratory analysis can now provide precise information on brain neurotransmitter deficiencies or overloads, as well as detect hormonal and nutrient co-factor imbalances which influence neurotransmitter production. Individuals require individual solutions. Testing helps to determine exactly which neurotransmitter levels are out of balance and helps to determine which therapies are needed for an individualized treatment plan. It also helps in monitoring the effectiveness of an individual's treatment.

How do you measure brain chemicals in urine?
Studies have demonstrated that intact neurotransmitters are transported from the CNS to the periphery, via specific BBB transporters, followed by renal filtration of neurotransmitters with subsequent excretion in the urine. Additionally, animal studies have suggested a relationship between neurotransmitters excreted in the urine and neurotransmitters in the CNS (Lynn-Bullock et al., 2004).

http://www.integrativepsychiatry.net/neurotransmitter_tests.html

 

I emailed Dr. Grafton and asked if she can give us some research findings on her progress.

Hope she will find time to reply!