Serotonin and rosacea

[NoMoreRed!]

What's the consequences of manipulating serotonin levels? Is this a good way of treating rosacea?

[drnase]

Good question.

Serotonin out in the blood stream is a potent dilator. Carcinoid syndrome is a prime example. It can cause flushing so bad that people with no genetic predisposition can develop true rosacea.


However, that is a unique case. As with any chronic disorder, disease, or illness, your brain chemistry physically changes. One of the first things that happens is your serotonin levels drop in the brain and then your norepinphrine levels drop. This is normal -- whether you are just constantly frustrated with rosacea, tired of avoiding all triggers or have entered a state of depression (which is totally normal in chronic disorders -- why shouldnt one be depressed with moderate to severe rosacea).

Decreased serotonin levels allow your sympathetic nervous system to increase its drive and dilator hormones including cortisol to be released. So, you want to raise serotonin in the brain up to normal levels by either (1) blocking its reuptake or (2) blocking its degradation. This also helps calm down the conditioned response that we talked in depth about. While "anti-depressants" is a voodoo word, they do help most and the norepi- and serotonin reuptake inhibitors have fewer side effects and very little to no withdraw symptoms if you wean off over a two week period.

So, absolutely get your serotonin levels back up to par. You cant do this by thinking good thoughts all the time. Sometimes you do need meds to get you through the acute phase and then let your body heal itself.

[NoMoreRed!]

Ah, thanks for a great and really fast reply. :)

Is it supplements that not only claim to raise serotonin, but actually do it? What about "5-HTP"?

[drnase]

Some supplements do raise serotonin levels like Sam-E and a few others, but usually only about one-tenth that of the medicine. So, it makes sense to start out with naturopathic to see any effect.

It is never a wam bang phenomenon. It is a slow recovery. Ironically, most realize how much it was actually helping them only after they have stopeed the meds......... then they go back on. Its quite deceptive.