Why a Dopamine Deficiency is More Dangerous than You Think

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The Many Dangers of a Dopamine Deficiency

6 Minute Read

We all know dopamine is one of the 3 feel-good chemicals, along with serotonin and oxytocin. It’s a main player in a lot of mental-health related things like addiction, depression and even some psychotic disorders. And it seems as though keeping dopamine levels in check is difficult for many of us.

Millions upon millions of people are looking for a way to raise their dopamine levels so they can start feeling better. But how do you know if you need to supplement your body’s dopamine production? And what are the health risks of maintaining a dopamine deficiency?

Dopamine is More Than Just a Feel-Good Chemical

There’s way more to dopamine than more = good mood, less = bad mood. And dopamine plays more roles in the body than just mood. This neurotransmitter is also involved in:

Motivation: When something good happens, dopamine is released, making you more likely to work for that feeling again. Think Pavlov’s dog. Kind of.
Movement: Dopamine signaling is involved in motor function, coordination and balance.
Learning/Memory: The brain releases dopamine when you learn something new, which helps you to retain the new information.
Focus: When you’re focusing on something, dopamine is released, helping you to keep attention on a task.

Other functions dopamine is involved in include pain processing, sleeping/dreaming, mood regulation, and more. When you think about it, your dopaminergic system is involved in every aspect of your daily life, physically and mentally. That’s why sub-optimal levels and/or dysfunctional activity has such wide-ranging consequences. And why the symptoms of low dopamine are more than just feeling kind of down sometimes.

Signs & Symptoms of a Dopamine Deficiency

Aside from the telltale sign that you may have a dopamine deficiency – namely, depression, other symptoms you need to supplement your dopamine levels include:

Fatigue
Low sex drive
Mood disturbances
Inability to concentrate
Disturbed sleep
Hand tremors
Restless leg syndrome
Muscle cramps/pain/stiffness

There are several things that can cause neurotransmitter dysregulation, meaning the body’s dopaminergic system isn’t functioning correctly. This can cause too high or too low levels of dopamine, and/or a problem with release and reabsorption:

Traumatic brain injury
Genetic predisposition
The body is resistant or too receptive to the effects of dopamine
Too much or too little dopamine is produced by the brain
There are too few or too many dopamine receptors

Dopaminergic dysfunction is diagnosed indirectly. We don’t have any way to measure dopamine levels in the brain, so diagnostic measures instead test sensitivity to dopamine.

Low Levels of Dopamine Have Long-Lasting Consequences

Dopamine deficiencies are associated with several serious medical conditions, many of which can prove fatal, and many of which can be managed or corrected, in part, by increasing dopamine levels and/or activity:

Psychosomatic conditions:
- Bipolar disorder
- OCD
- Schizophrenia
- Addiction
- ADHD
- Binge-eating disorder
- Major depressive disorder
Physiological pathologies:
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Huntington’s Disease

How to Promote Healthy Levels of Dopamine Naturally

It’s important to remember that not all dopamine deficiencies can be self-corrected, because not all of us are lucky enough to be neurotypical. But all neurotypicality aside, everyone can at least give their body a hand in producing more dopamine. Some healthy habits that have been shown to increase levels of dopamine in the brain include:

Exercise: releases endorphins and spurs the production and release of dopamine via several neuronal pathways
A healthy diet: keeps a balanced blood sugar. Blood sugar spikes from unhealthy fats and carbs can mess with dopamine production. Lean proteins and vegetables provide the amino acids and nutrient support for healthy dopaminergic activity.
Quality sleep: promotes healthy dopamine levels and availability by reducing stress, improving mood, giving the brain time to relax and repair, etc.
Nootropic supplements: can support balanced dopaminergic function by acting as neuromodulators. For instance, L-theanine works to balance levels of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, which is an integral function for the treatment of affect disorders like depression.

Dopamine production is a self-perpetuating cycle, which is why your chosen method(s) of encouraging dopamine production should be daily and consistent.

MTE: You Don’t Have to Keep Running on Empty Energy

The L-theanine in MTE supports dopamine production, along with our blend of adaptogens, nootropics and superfoods. Our ingredients promote a calm, even energy and support mood, stress response and sleep as well. The idea is 360 support for your mind and body so you have the energy you need to live your best life without having to mainline caffeine to get things done. MTE isn’t about getting more energy – it’s about having more energy so you can have more fun.