Serotonin is involved in the regulation of the circadian cycle, in digestive mobility and in various psychiatric disorders such as stress, anxiety, phobia and depression.
Consuming whole-grain rye bread alters the intestinal production of serotonin, according to a new study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Consuming whole grains has previously been linked to weight loss and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or certain cancers, but the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood.
What serotonin is used for
Produced mainly in the intestine, serotonin is particularly involved in the management of moods and is associated with the state of happiness when it is at a balanced rate. It has an antagonistic effect to that of dopamine which, on the contrary, promotes risk-taking and the triggering of the reward system. It is also involved in the regulation of the circadian cycle, in digestive mobility and in various psychiatric disorders such as stress, anxiety, phobia and depression.
The intervention consisted of two successive 4-week periods, where 15 adults ate whole-grain rye bread or white wheat bread, after a 4-week rye-free period. Fasting plasma samples were taken at the end of each period and analyzed.
A significant drop in serotonin concentrations
Consumption of whole rye resulted in, among other things, a significant drop in serotonin concentrations compared to consumption of white wheat bread. The researchers also tested in mice whether adding grain fiber to the diet altered the production of serotonin in the gut. The diet of the mice was supplemented for nine weeks with rye bran, wheat bran or cellulose flour. Mice that ate rye or wheat bran had significantly lower serotonin levels in their colon.
“Whole grain rye intake decreases plasma serotonin in healthy adults compared to refined wheat. These results suggest that serotonin may be a potential link between whole grain consumption and its health effects,” the researchers conclude. . They also make the link: “some recent studies have shown that plasma serotonin levels were higher in cancer patients than in healthy controls”.
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