Can Vitamin B Raise Serotonin?

Eat fortified cereals -- they contain the B vitamins your brain needs to make enough serotonin.


Serotonin belongs to a family of compounds called neurotransmitters. Collectively, neurotransmitters help your brain cells communicate -- they relay chemical messages so that your brain can think, regulate your feelings and control biological processes, like your heart rate and digestion. A healthy diet plays a role in your brain function by helping to control the function of neurotransmitters, and certain B vitamins help your brain produce enough serotonin.

Importance of Serotonin

Serotonin is a called a "feel-good" chemical, as one of its primary roles is mood regulation. Healthy levels of serotonin help to maintain a generally good mood to preserve your mental health. It plays a role in your brain's response to pain and regulates your anxiety levels. Serotonin also helps with cognitive functioning -- the neurotransmitter plays a role in learning and memory formation. Too much or too little serotonin negatively affects your brain. Low serotonin levels can cause depression or other mental illness, while too much serotonin -- a condition called serotonin syndrome -- proves toxic to your nerve cells.

B Vitamins and Serotonin

Getting B vitamins from your diet helps maintain healthy serotonin levels. Vitamins B-1, B-3, B-6 and B-9 all help convert tryptophan, an amino acid you get from protein in your diet, into functional serotonin, explains the Franklin Institute. A deficiency in any of these vitamins can hinder serotonin production, reducing the overall levels of the chemical within your brain. As a result, deficiencies in these vitamins can affect your mental health or cognitive functioning, causing symptoms such as confusion or depression.

Getting Your B Vitamins

A well-balanced diet made up of healthy foods usually provides enough vitamin B-1, B-3, B-6 and B-9 to support serotonin production. Eat fortified cereals -- they often contain all the B vitamins you need to make serotonin. Meats, including fish, poultry and lean pork, also provide rich sources of B vitamins to help fight nutrient deficiencies. Seeds, nuts and beans serve as sources of B vitamins, while avocados boost your intake of vitamins B-6 and B-9 and peanuts provide a source of vitamin B-3.


Making sure you get your B vitamins will certainly help maintain healthy serotonin levels, but the vitamins might not boost your serotonin levels in all circumstances. Low serotonin levels might occur for reasons completely independent of your diet -- if you're genetically predisposed to low serotonin, for example, taking vitamins might not help. Taking vitamins without medical supervision might also prove harmful. For example, too much vitamin B-3 can harm your liver. If you've noticed signs of low serotonin, such as decreased mental performance, insomnia or depression, talk to your doctor. She can help find the underlying cause and prescribe a treatment to boost your serotonin levels safely.

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