Neurotransmitters Explained

Neurotransmitters: The Chemical Messengers That Control Your Brain, Mood & Health
Your brain is one of the most extraordinary systems in the human body. With nearly 86 billion neurons firing continuously, communication must happen instantly and precisely. That communication occurs through chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters influence your mood, focus, sleep, stress levels, motivation, memory, pain response, digestion, immune system, and even inflammation.
When they are balanced, you feel clear, calm, energized, and focused.
When they are imbalanced, symptoms appear.
Let’s break down the most important neurotransmitters, what they do, and what happens when they’re out of balance.

What Are Neurotransmitters?
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers released by neurons. They travel across a tiny gap called the synapse and bind to receptors on neighboring cells, passing along signals.
They can be:
• Excitatory – stimulate brain activity
• Inhibitory – calm brain activity
• Modulatory – fine-tune signaling
Balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters is critical. Too much stimulation can create anxiety, insomnia, or inflammation. Too much inhibition can cause fatigue, depression, or poor cognition.

The Major Neurotransmitters Explained
1️⃣ Acetylcholine (ACh)
Role: Learning, memory, muscle contraction, autonomic nervous system regulation
Type: Excitatory & inhibitory
Acetylcholine plays a key role in memory formation and muscle activation. It is heavily involved in parasympathetic nervous system function (“rest and digest”).
Low acetylcholine has been associated with memory decline and cognitive disorders.
Symptoms of low ACh may include:
Poor memory
Brain fog
Muscle weakness
Dry mouth

2️⃣ Dopamine
Role: Motivation, reward, motor control, focus
Type: Modulatory
Dopamine drives ambition, pleasure, and goal-seeking behavior. It’s your “reward chemical.”
Low dopamine may show up as:
Low motivation
Fatigue
Poor focus
Depression
Cravings
High dopamine may contribute to impulsivity or agitation.
Dopamine imbalance is associated with Parkinson’s disease (low dopamine) and schizophrenia (excess dopamine activity).

3️⃣ Serotonin
Role: Mood stability, sleep, appetite, digestion, pain perception
Type: Inhibitory/modulatory
About 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut. This is why gut health and mental health are deeply connected.
Low serotonin symptoms may include:
Anxiety
Depression
Insomnia
Carb cravings
Irritability
SSRIs target serotonin pathways to increase its availability.

4️⃣ Norepinephrine
Role: Alertness, stress response, blood pressure regulation
Type: Excitatory
Norepinephrine activates your “fight or flight” response.
Low levels may cause:
Low energy
Poor concentration
Depression
High levels may lead to:
Anxiety
High blood pressure
Restlessness

5️⃣ GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)
Role: Calming the brain
Type: Primary inhibitory neurotransmitter
GABA reduces neuronal excitability. It helps you relax, sleep, and manage stress.
Low GABA symptoms:
Anxiety
Racing thoughts
Insomnia
Muscle tension
Benzodiazepines enhance GABA activity — but natural support through nutrition and lifestyle is preferred for long-term health.

6️⃣ Glutamate
Role: Learning, memory, cognition
Type: Primary excitatory neurotransmitter
Glutamate is essential for brain function — but too much can be harmful.
Excess glutamate can cause excitotoxicity, contributing to:
Migraines
Anxiety
Neuroinflammation
Brain injury damage
Balance between glutamate and GABA is critical.

7️⃣ Histamine
Role: Wakefulness, immune response, inflammation, gastric acid production
Histamine is both a neurotransmitter and immune mediator.
High histamine may show up as:
Allergies
Headaches
Insomnia
Anxiety
Skin flushing
Histamine balance is closely connected to gut health and detox pathways.

8️⃣ Glycine
Role: Spinal cord inhibition, sleep quality, detoxification
Glycine is calming and supports deep sleep. It also plays a role in glutathione production (your master antioxidant).
Low glycine may impact:
Sleep
Detox capacity
Neurological calm

9️⃣ Endorphins
Role: Natural pain relief, pleasure, euphoria
Endorphins are your body’s natural opioids. They reduce pain and promote feelings of well-being.
Low endorphins may cause:
Increased pain sensitivity
Emotional sensitivity
Low mood
Exercise is one of the best natural ways to increase endorphins.

🔟 Substance P
Role: Pain transmission and inflammation
Substance P amplifies pain signals. Elevated levels are linked to chronic pain and inflammatory conditions.

1️⃣1️⃣ Epinephrine (Adrenaline)
Role: Fight-or-flight response
Type: Hormone & neurotransmitter
Epinephrine increases heart rate, blood pressure, and energy availability during stress.
Chronic stress keeps epinephrine elevated, contributing to burnout and adrenal dysfunction.

1️⃣2️⃣ Adenosine
Role: Sleep pressure, calming brain activity
Adenosine builds up throughout the day and makes you sleepy.
Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors — which is why coffee makes you feel alert.
Low adenosine signaling may impact sleep cycles.
Why Neurotransmitter Balance Matters
Neurotransmitters don’t work alone. They operate in networks. For example:
Glutamate must balance with GABA.
Dopamine interacts with serotonin.
Norepinephrine and epinephrine regulate stress response.
Histamine and serotonin are linked through gut health.

Imbalances may contribute to:
✔ Anxiety
✔ Depression
✔ ADHD
✔ Autism spectrum symptoms
✔ Sleep disorders
✔ Chronic fatigue
✔ Neuroinflammation
✔ Hormonal imbalance

What Affects Neurotransmitters?
Neurotransmitter production depends on:
• Amino acids (protein intake)
• B vitamins (B6, B12, folate)
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Iron
• Gut microbiome health
• Stress levels
• Inflammation
• Toxin exposure
Chronic stress and inflammation are two of the biggest disruptors of brain chemistry.

Natural Ways to Support Neurotransmitter Health
🧠 Prioritize protein (amino acid building blocks)
🧠 Support gut health
🧠 Optimize sleep
🧠 Manage stress
🧠 Correct nutrient deficiencies
🧠 Reduce inflammatory foods
🧠 Exercise regularly
🧠 Limit caffeine and alcohol

Functional testing can give insight into neurotransmitter metabolites and nutrient cofactors.

The Gut-Brain Connection
Since most serotonin is made in the gut, microbiome imbalance can directly affect mood.
Gut dysbiosis may alter:
Tryptophan metabolism
GABA production
Inflammatory cytokines
Blood-brain barrier integrity
Supporting the gut often improves mood and cognition.

Neurotransmitters are not “just brain chemicals.” They influence your entire body.
When your brain chemistry is balanced, everything works better — focus, mood, sleep, energy, and resilience.
Instead of masking symptoms, understanding root causes allows you to restore balance naturally.
Your brain deserves that support.

I only offer the most optimal and beneficial functional medicine labs for anyone interested in gaining insight into both their gut and neurotransmitters.
This is why I now offer a combination of a gut test and neurotransmitter test.

Why This Test Is Different
Most practitioners test the gut.
Others test neurotransmitters.
But few evaluate them together — even though science clearly shows they are deeply connected.
The lab I use understands this.
That’s why they created a comprehensive Gut Neurotransmitter panel that includes BOTH:
✔ Advanced microbiome and inflammation analysis
✔ Neurotransmitter and stress chemistry markers
All in one streamlined test.

What This Means for You
Instead of guessing whether your symptoms are:
• Gut-driven
• Brain chemistry driven
• Stress driven
• Inflammation driven
You get clarity.
One test.
Complete picture.
Targeted plan.

Order Today
If you are experiencing:
• Anxiety
• Depression
• ADHD
• Autism spectrum symptoms
• Sleep disorders
• Brain fog
• Chronic fatigue
• Mood swings
It’s time to stop symptom-chasing.

👉 Order your Gut Neurotransmitter panel today and uncover the root cause of your symptoms.
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Your brain and gut are talking.
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