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Comment by shagie | Hacker News Reader

Serotonergic Mechanisms Regulating the GI Tract: Experimental Evidence and Therapeutic Relevance (2017) - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5526216/

> Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) is best known as a neurotransmitter critical for central nervous system (CNS) development and function. 95% of the body’s serotonin, however, is produced in the intestine where it has been increasingly recognized for its hormonal, autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine actions.

Here's this chemical that we use to run our brain... where is it produced? Not in the brain, but rather in the gut.

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> Here's this chemical that we use to run our brain... where is it produced? Not in the brain, but rather in the gut.

No, it’s produced in the brain, too.

Serotonin plays multiple functions in the body. It is also produced locally in the brain. It plays a significant role in the circulatory system as well.

Serotonin in your stomach does not migrate to the brain. You cannot eat serotonin and have it end up in your brain. You can consume serotonin precursors, which are transported to the brain and used to produce serotonin locally.

The body is very segmented, especially the central nervous system. The body can’t be interpreted as a chemical soup where all the chemicals are mingling with all the organs at the same levels.

That said, lack of serotonin in the gut also created thiamine deficiencies which leads to decreased serotonin uptake.

From what I read, the reasons why it's beneficial is that it improved gut motility and the intestinal mucosal lining, which subsequently improves hormonal, autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine actions.

Peripheral and central serotonergic systems are both relevant:

> Because 5-HT cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, the peripheral 5-HT system is functionally separate from the central 5-HT system. — Diabetes Metab J. 2016 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27126880/

> 5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT

5-HTP*

5-HT is 5-hydroxytryptamine aka serotonin.

5-HTP is 5-Hydroxytryptophan, a precursor to 5-HT.

You're right, tried to delete after I realized I misread but HN wouldn't let me

5-HTP can be bought as a supplement.

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