How to Increase Dopamine, the Motivation Molecule

wakeup-world.com /2015/03/07/how-to-increase-dopamine-the-motivationmolecule/wuw_paginate/disabled/
7th March 2015
By Deane Alban
Contributing Writer for Wake Up World
Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter for motivation,
focus and productivity. Learn the symptoms of
dopamine deficiency and natural ways to increase
dopamine levels
There are about 100 billion neurons in the human
brain about as many stars as there are in the
Milky Way. These cells communicate with each
other via brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter responsible for providing motivation, drive, and focus. It plays a role
in many mental disorders including depression, addictions, ADHD, and schizophrenia.
Lets take a closer look at dopamine what it does, symptoms of deficiency, and how to increase it
naturally.

Dopamine: The Motivation Molecule

Dopamine has been called our motivation molecule. It boosts our drive, focus, and concentration. It
enables us to plan ahead and resist impulses so we can achieve our goals. It gives us that I did it! lift
when we accomplish what we set out to do. It makes us competitive and provides the thrill of the chase
in all aspects of life business, sports, and love.
Dopamine is in charge of our pleasure-reward system. ( 1) It allows us to have feelings of enjoyment,
bliss, and even euphoria. But too little dopamine can leave you unfocused, unmotivated, lethargic, and
even depressed.

Dopamine Deficiency Symptoms

People low in dopamine lack a zest for life. They exhibit low energy and motivation, and often rely on
caffeine, sugar, or other stimulants to get through the day.
Many common dopamine deficiency symptoms are similar to those of depression:
lack of motivation
fatigue
apathy
procrastination
inability to feel pleasure
low libido
sleep problems

mood swings
hopelessness
memory loss
inability to concentrate
Dopamine-deficient lab mice become so apathetic and lethargic they lack motivation to eat and starve
to death. (2) Conversely, some people who are low in dopamine compensate with self-destructive
behaviors to get their dopamine boost. This can include use and abuse of caffeine, alcohol, sugar,
drugs, shopping, video games, sex, power, or gambling.

How to Increase Dopamine Naturally

There are plenty of unhealthy ways to raise dopamine. But you dont have to resort to sex, drugs, and
rock n roll to boost your dopamine levels. Here are some healthy, proven ways to increase dopamine
levels naturally.

Foods That Increase Dopamine

Dopamine is made from the amino acid tyrosine. Eating a diet high in tyrosine will ensure youve got
the basic building blocks needed for dopamine production.
Heres a list of tyrosine-rich foods: ( 3, 4, 5, 6)
all animal products
almonds
apples
avocado
bananas
beets
chocolate
coffee
fava beans
green leafy vegetables
green tea
lima beans
oatmeal
sea vegetables
sesame and pumpkin seeds
turmeric
watermelon
wheat germ
Foods high in natural probiotics such as yogurt, kefir, and raw sauerkraut can also increase natural
dopamine production. Oddly, the health of your intestinal flora impacts your production of
neurotransmitters.
An overabundance of bad bacteria leaves toxic byproducts called lipopolysaccharides which lower
levels of dopamine. (7)

Sugar has been found to boost dopamine but this is a temporary boost, more drug-like than food-like.
(8)

Dopamine Supplements
There are supplements that can raise dopamine levels naturally.
Curcumin is the active ingredient in the spice turmeric. Its available in an isolated form as a
supplement. It readily crosses the blood-brain barrier and can boost levels of dopamine. (9, 10, 11)
Curcumin has been found to help alleviate obsessive actions and improve associated memory loss by
increasing dopamine. (12, 13)
Ginkgo biloba is traditionally used for a variety of brain-related problems poor concentration,
forgetfulness, headaches, fatigue, mental confusion, depression, and anxiety. (14)
One of the mechanisms by which ginkgo works is by raising dopamine. ( 15, 16)
L-theanine is a component found in green tea. It increases levels of dopamine along with other
neurotransmitters serotonin and GABA. (17, 18) L-theanine improves recall, learning, and positive
mood. (19, 20) You can get your dopamine boost by either taking theanine supplements or by drinking
3 cups of green tea per day. (21)
L-tyrosine the precursor to dopamine is available as a supplement.
We recommend taking acetyl-l-tyrosine a more absorbable form that readily crosses the bloodbrain barrier. (22)
Phosphatidylserine acts as your brains gatekeeper, regulating nutrients and waste in and out of
your brain. It can increase dopamine levels and improve memory, concentration, learning, and ADHD.
(23, 24, 25)

Boost Dopamine with Exercise

Physical exercise is one of the best things you can do for your brain. It boosts production of new brain
cells, slows down brain cell aging, and improves the flow of nutrients to the brain. It can also increase
your levels of dopamine and the other feel good neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine. (26)
Dr. John Ratey, renowned psychiatrist and author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of
Exercise and the Brain, has extensively studied the effects of physical exercise on the brain. He found
that exercise raises baseline levels of dopamine by promoting the growth of new brain cell receptors.
Dopamine is responsible in part for the high serious runners experience. (27) But you dont need to
exercise strenuously to enhance your brain. Taking walks, or doing gentle, no-impact exercises like
yoga, tai chi, or qi gong all provide powerful mind-body benefits. (28, 29, 30)

Increase Dopamine with Meditation

The benefits of meditation have been proven in over 1,000 studies. (31) Regular meditators
experience enhanced ability to learn, increased creativity, and deep relaxation. Its been shown that
meditation increases dopamine, improving focus and concentration. (32)
Crafting hobbies of all kinds knitting, quilting, sewing, drawing, photography, woodworking, and
home repair focus the brain similarly to meditation. These activities increase dopamine, ward off
depression, and protect against brain aging. (33)
Listening to music can cause of release of dopamine. Oddly, you dont even have to hear music to get

this neurotransmitter flowing just the anticipation of listening can do that. ( 34)

Using Your Brains Reward System to Balance Dopamine

Dopamine functions as a survival mechanism by releasing energy when a great opportunity is in front
of you. Dopamine rewards us when our needs are met. We love dopamine surges because of the way
they make us feel. But according to Dr. Loretta Graziano Breuning, author of Meet Your Happy
Chemicals: Dopamine, Endorphin, Oxytocin, Serotonin, we are not designed to experience a non-stop
dopamine buzz. The constant hunt for dopamine boosts can turn you into a Wolf on Wall Street
driven by addictions, greed, and lust.
Here are some healthy ways to balance your dopamine by working with your brains built-in reward
system.

Enjoy the Quest

Our ancestors were on a constant quest to survive. They got a dopamine surge every time they spotted
a new patch of berries or a better fishing hole because this meant theyd live to seek another day.
While you can still pick berries and fish, there are endless other healthy ways you can enjoy the quest
in modern life.
You can forage for new music to download, specialty ingredients to cook with, a travel package
bargain, a hard-to-find collectors item, or that perfect gift for a loved one. You can engage in
specifically quest-oriented hobbies like geocaching, bird watching, rockhounding, amateur
archaeology, and collecting of all kinds.
The act of seeking and finding activates your reward circuits with no regrets later.

Create Both Long and Short Term Goals

Dopamine is released when we achieve a goal. Having only long term goals gets frustrating, so set
both short term and long term goals. Short term goals dont have to be anything major. They can be as
simple as trying a new recipe, getting caught up on emails, cleaning a closet, or finally learning how to
use a new app for your phone.
Break up long term goals into small short term goals to give yourself dopamine boosts along the way.

Take on a New Challenge

Getting a promotion is a great dopamine boost, but this doesnt happen very often! But you can create
your own dopamine rewards by setting a goal, then take small steps toward it every day. This can be
starting a new exercise program, learning French, or challenging yourself to drive home from work a
different way every day, preferably without the use of your GPS.
According to Dr. Graziano Breuning, working on a goal without fail for 45 days will train your brain to
stimulate dopamine production in a new way.

Dopamine and Mental Conditions

Dopamine plays such an important role in how we live our lives, its no surprise that when the
dopamine system is out of balance it can contribute to many mental conditions. (35)
Here are three of the most common conditions that have a dopamine connection.

Dopamine and ADHD

The underlying cause of ADHD is still unknown. Until recently it was widely accepted that the root
cause of ADHD was probably an abnormality in dopamine function. This seems logical since dopamine
is critical for maintaining focus. Most ADHD medications are based on this dopamine deficiency
theory. Prescription medications used to treat ADHD are believed to work by increasing the release of
dopamine and norepinephrine while slowing down their rate of reabsorption. (36)
However, the latest research suggests that the main cause of ADHD lies in a structural difference in the
grey matter in the brain and not dopamine. (37)

Dopamine and Depression

Serotonin is the brain chemical most associated with depression. Selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, and Lexapro are prescribed for depression
and work by increasing brain levels of serotonin. But this only works in about 40% of patients who use
them. (38)
What about the other 60%?
Theres a growing body of evidence that shows low dopamine and not low serotonin is the cause of
depression for many. Bupropion (brand name Wellbutrin) has proven effective for patients who havent
been helped by SSRIs by addressing dopamine deficiency. (39)
How to determine if your depression is more likely from serotonin versus dopamine deficiency?
Serotonin-based depression is accompanied by anxiety and irritability, while dopamine-based
depression expresses itself as lethargy and lack of enjoyment of life. (40)

Dopamine and Schizophrenia

The cause of schizophrenia is unknown, but genetics and environmental factors are believed to play a
role. (41) One prevailing theory is that its caused by an over-active dopamine system. ( 42, 43)
Supporting evidence for this theory is that the best drugs to treat schizophrenia symptoms resemble
dopamine and block dopamine receptors. (44)
However, these medications can take days to work which is indicative that the exact mechanism is not
yet understood. (45)

How to Increase Dopamine in a Nutshell

Dopamine is our motivation molecule. Its also in charge of our pleasure-reward system. There are
both healthy ways and unhealthy ways to increase dopamine. Unhealthy ways to increase dopamine
can be gateways to self-destruction and addictions. Healthy ways include eating the right foods, taking
dopamine boosting supplements, physical exercise, and meditation.
Learn how to harness your reward system for a healthy stream of dopamine. Enjoy the quest, set both
long term and short term goals, and take on new challenges. Youll feel more alive, focused,
productive, and motivated.
Previous articles by Deane:
Ways to Improve Memory and Live Longer with Music
Exposed: Why Cholesterol Doesnt Cause Heart Disease
Overcoming Resistance to Change: The Secret to Lasting Health
Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Brain
Advantame the New & Improved Artificial Sweetener, Approved by FDA

5 Reasons You Arent Getting Enough Vitamin D.. and What You Can Do About It
Five Common Food Additives That Can Damage Your Brain
18 Choices You Make Every Day That Keep You Up at Night
Stress, Telomeres, and the Secret to Prevent Aging
20 Common Medications That Can Cause Memory Loss
About the author:
Deane Alban holds a bachelors degree in biology and has taught and written on a wide variety of
natural health topics for over 20 years. Her current focus is helping people overcome brain fog, senior
moments, and other signs of mental decline now, and preventing Alzheimers and dementia in the
future.
The human brain is designed to last a lifetime, but modern life takes a greater toll on the brain than
most people realize. Deane teaches the best ways to keep your brain healthy and stay mentally sharp
for life at her website BeBrainFit.com.

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