Dopamine Deficiency, Depression and Mental Health

Dopamine deficiency is implicated in depression, addiction, Parkinson’s, ADHD, and other conditions. Understand the connection and learn what you can do.

What Does Dopamine Do?

Understanding dopamine’s functions is a work in progress.

Over 110,000 research papers have been written about it, yet scientists are still trying to determine exactly what it does! (1)

Here are some of the known functions of dopamine.

Dopamine is crucial to the feeling of motivation you need to work towards both long-term and short-term goals.

It delivers a feeling of satisfaction when you’ve accomplished what you set out to do.

Dopamine is released when your needs are about to be met. (2)

It helped our ancestors survive by giving them an energy boost when presented with a great opportunity, such as locating a new source of food.

You wouldn’t think we’d need to be motivated to find food, yet alarmingly, lab mice with dopamine deficiency are so unmotivated that they starve to death even when food is readily available. (3)

Our modern lifestyle doesn’t provide the same opportunities for dopamine enhancement that our ancestors experienced, like hunting dinner.

But we still seek dopamine because of the way it makes us feel — alive and excited.

There are both healthy and unhealthy ways to get a dopamine lift.

Causes of Dopamine Deficiency

There’s a wide range of reasons you may be low in dopamine.

Poor Diet

Poor diet is a big factor.

Diets high in sugar and saturated fats can suppress dopamine. (4, 5)

Too little protein in your diet can leave you with an insufficient amount of l-tyrosine — an amino acid that’s the major building block of dopamine.

You may also be low in one or more of the cofactors needed to turn l-tyrosine into dopamine, such as B complex vitamins, copper, zinc, and iron. (6, 7, 8)

Vitamin D

Vitamin D activates the genes that release dopamine, and few of us get enough of this critical “sunshine vitamin.” (9, 10)

5-HTP and Melatonin Supplements

Surprisingly, some natural supplements could be the culprit.

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5-HTP and melatonin supplements are the most common ones that can deplete dopamine, but there are several others as well. (11, 12)

Herbal remedies white mulberry (Morus alba), noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia), magnolia bark (Magnolia officinalis), and licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) get rid of excess dopamine and should be avoided when increasing dopamine is your goal. (13, 14, 15, 16)

Certain Drugs

There’s an entire category of drugs called dopamine antagonists that work by binding to receptors to block dopamine activity.

Three main types of drugs that fall into this category are tricyclic antidepressants, drugs for nausea and vomiting, and some antipsychotics. (22)

Electromagnetic Radiation

And lastly, one of the most unexpected dopamine depleters might be your phone.

There’s evidence that the electromagnetic radiation emitted from cell phones disrupts levels of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. (23)

Low Dopamine Symptoms

Dopamine deficiency sucks the zest of out life.

It can leave you feeling apathetic, hopeless, and joyless.

It makes it hard to start things and even harder to finish them.

This could explain why selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antidepressants that work by increasing serotonin, work for only 40% of those who use them. (24)

Here’s some of the key evidence that dopamine may play a bigger role in depression than generally acknowledged.

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The idea that depression is caused by low dopamine is not new.

One study published over 20 years ago states that dopamine has wrongly been ignored as a cause of depression and that there’s a large body of evidence that antidepressants that target dopamine can be effective for treating depression. (25)

More than ten years ago, Harvard Medical School researchers discovered that dopamine dysregulation is implicated in depression. (26)

Clinical trials have found that people with depression have lowers levels of a major metabolite of dopamine (homovanillic acid) in their central nervous system. (27)

There’s some evidence that SSRI antidepressants work by indirectly affecting dopamine levels. (28)

And lastly, there are some antidepressants, like Wellbutrin, that are known to work by increasing dopamine. (29)

Wellbutrin belongs to a class of antidepressants, the norepinephrine–dopamine reuptake inhibitors, which are sometimes prescribed when SSRIs don’t help.

The Difference Between Serotonin and Dopamine Depression

Unfortunately, doctors must rely on trial and error when prescribing antidepressants for their patients.

Blood tests are being developed that may eventually take the guesswork out of this process. (30)

But until these tests have been perfected, the best way to tell if your depression is related to low serotonin or low dopamine is by your symptoms.

While there is definitely crossover between the two sets of symptoms, there are a few key differences as well.

Dopamine-based depression expresses itself as lethargy and lack of enjoyment of life, while serotonin-based depression tends to be accompanied by anxiety.

With dopamine depression, you may use sugar, caffeine, or nicotine as a quick fix to temporarily feel more alive.

This is no coincidence — they all increase dopamine.

Unfortunately, many people resort to self-destructive behaviors such as recreational drug use or excessive shopping, gambling, and porn for their dopamine surge.

With low serotonin, you’ll be more likely to binge on high carbohydrate ice cream or cookies, particularly when worrying thoughts keep you up at night.

The Dopamine Addiction Connection

Substances and behaviors that are addictive provide a temporary, unnatural flood of dopamine.

Drugs like cocaine and amphetamines cause up to 10 times more dopamine to be released than is normal. (31)

Addictive behaviors such as internet use, shopping, gambling, porn, and power have similar effects.

Brain receptors become overwhelmed and eventually respond by producing less dopamine and reducing the number of receptors. (32)

Imaging studies confirm that the brains of substances abusers release less dopamine and have fewer dopamine receptors. (33)

One of the hallmarks of addiction is needing more and more to get the same effect due to this downregulation of dopamine.

This is why many former addicts rely on caffeine, sugar, and smoking to increase their energy, focus, and drive.

What they are really doing is self-medicating with weaker, legal, dopamine-boosting substances.

Low Dopamine and Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that occurs when the brain gradually stops producing dopamine.

Parkinson’s usually starts with a slight tremor in one hand.

Patients gradually lose their ability to regulate their movements and emotions.

There is no cure, but so far the most effective treatment is levodopa, a natural compound that converts into dopamine. (34)

ADHD and Dopamine Deficiency

The underlying cause of ADHD is still unknown.

But it is widely accepted that the root cause of ADHD is probably an abnormality in dopamine function.

This seems logical since dopamine is critical for maintaining focus.

Most ADHD medications are based on the “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. (35)

Dopamine Deficiency Symptoms in FMS and CFS

Both fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are associated with low dopamine levels. (36)

Low dopamine symptoms experienced by FMS and CFS patients include brain fog, achy muscles, poor concentration, tremors, poor balance and coordination, and walking abnormalities.

How to Increase Dopamine Levels Naturally

If you experience signs of low dopamine, you don’t have to live with it.

There are several lifestyle changes that can raise dopamine levels naturally.

Dopamine Foods

The amino acid l-tyrosine is a precursor of dopamine.

Tyrosine-rich foods provide the basic building blocks for dopamine production.

Phenylalanine is an amino acid that converts into l-tyrosine.

Virtually all animal products — meat, fish, poultry and dairy — are good sources of both l-tyrosine and phenylalanine.

Dopamine-Boosting Supplements

Dopamine is a serious medicine used in emergency situations like heart attacks and shock.

So while actual dopamine supplements are not available, there are many dopamine-boosting supplements you can try.

Tyrosine

The most obvious dopamine supplement to consider is the amino acid l-tyrosine.

It is the precursor to dopamine and without it, you can’t make adequate dopamine.

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Even if you think you get plenty of l-tyrosine in your diet, stress, over-work, lack of sleep, and illness can all increase your need for l-tyrosine. (41)

Vitamin D, magnesium, and omega-3 fats

Next, look into vitamin D, magnesium, and omega-3 essential fatty acids.

Deficiencies of all three are extremely common, and each can contribute to dopamine deficiency. (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)

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Dopamine Supplements: Boost Your Mood (and more) Naturally

Some dopamine supplements contain phenylethylamine, but I don’t recommend them.

Phenylethylamine is pretty useless as a mood-altering supplement since once it reaches the brain it has a half-life of only 30 seconds. (55)

Activities That Raise Dopamine Levels

Any activity that makes you feel happy and relaxed increases dopamine.

Exercise

Physical exercise stimulates a spurt of dopamine and is one of the neurotransmitters responsible for “runner’s high.” (56)

Massage

Get a therapeutic massage.

It can raise dopamine by over 30% while also decreasing the stress hormone cortisol. (57)

Meditation

Meditation causes a dopamine release. (58)

So do hobbies that focus the mind such as knitting, home repair, gardening, painting, photography, and woodworking. (59)

Music

Playing and listening to music you enjoy stimulates a dopamine release. (60)

Interestingly, you don’t even have to listen to music.

Just the anticipation of hearing it has the same effect.

Seek and find

Engage in “seeking and finding” activities such as geocaching, fishing, bird watching, and collecting of all kinds.

This emulates the hunt that provided our ancestors with their dopamine boosts.

New challenges

Take on new challenges and set small, regular mileposts to push your progress.

Accomplishing goals, even small ones, stimulates a surge of dopamine.