Do you need motivation?
If you suffer from low motivation, low self-worth, or are prone to temperamental outbursts, finding the underlying cause is the best way to move forward. One potential underlying cause is having low levels of the brain’s pleasure-inducing neurotransmitter, dopamine.
Healthy levels of dopamine enable us to focus, concentrate, and see a task through to completion. It also gives us feelings of enjoyment and the motivation to do exciting, fun new things in life!
Unfortunately, low levels of dopamine may cause some unwanted side effects:
- Inability to self-motivate or complete tasks
- Lose temper for minor reasons
- Inability to handle stress or feel feelings of anger under stress
- Desire to isolate oneself from others
- Unexplained lack of concern for family and friends
Diet & Supplementation
We at Health Connection believe diet plays an important role in a person’s general well-being, and this topic of motivation is no exception. What you eat can absolutely make an impact on your dopamine production and, therefore, your motivation.
Foods that support dopamine contain high amounts of phenylalanine, an essential amino acid our bodies can’t make. Foods containing phenylalanine include:
- Animal products
- Oats
- Chocolate
If you eat these foods but still have low motivation, or if you are vegan/vegetarian, you may benefit from taking supplements.
Supplementation can also positively influence your Dopamine clearance (clearing this neurotransmitter out of your system). By clearing dopamine, we can ultimately increase its efficiency.
Magnesium and methyl donors are key to clearing dopamine. These supplements are power-packed with betaine, folic acids, and methyl B-12.
Conversely, there are many things that can hamper dopamine clearance, including:
- Over-exercising
- Estrogen replacement therapy
- Low stomach acid
- Long-term use of dopamine-based antidepressants.
Motivation doesn’t have to feel out of reach. Contact our office if you need help setting attainable goals to support healthy dopamine levels.
