Dopamine: The Satisfaction Hormone
Updated: Mar 9, 2021
Have you ever wondered what causes the good feeling you get after completing a task, listening to music, exercising or winning something?
This happens when our body produces dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters are small molecules that enable communication between brain cells. Dopamine is released when your brain is expecting a reward or in activities that are associated with pleasure or satisfaction, hence it is often called the ”satisfaction” hormone.
The pathway for the synthesis of dopamine involves an amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. The amino acid L-tyrosine is converted to dopamine within the organism.
The right amount of dopamine can boost your mood and make you ideal for productivity, learning and motivation. The effects of dopamine include:
Improved sleep and response to stress
Enhanced memory, attention and focus
Better mood and emotional behaviour
Experimental studies have shown that increasing levels of dopamine can affect our mental analysis so that it focuses more on the reward. In the other words, when your dopamine levels increase, it helps you take the right decisions.
StudyBoost includes L-tyrosine, the main precursor for the production of dopamine. This supplement helps your organism produce the dopamine it needs and as a result increases your focus levels and enhances learning.
Neurotransmitters work in synergy. Dopamine works together with serotonin to enable communication between brain cells. StudyBoost also contains the necessary ingredients for the production of serotonin.
To read more about serotonin and its effects click here
Bibliography
1. Ayano G (2016) Dopamine: Receptors, Functions, Synthesis, Pathways, Locations and Mental Disorders: Review of Literatures. J Ment Disord Treat 2: 120. doi:10.4172/2471-271X.1000120
2. “Dopamine Affects How Brain Decides Whether a Goal Is Worth the Effort.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 7 Apr. 2020, www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/dopamine-affects-how-brain-decides-whether-goal-worth-effort.
About the Author
Negar Mousazadeh is a Bsc Biomedical Science student at King’s College London with interests in neuropharmacology and physiology.