Can We Raise Our Dopamine Levels Ourselves?

I did a quick Google search to see what the web would tell me in answer to this question. I was not surprised to several articles suggesting methods for raising dopamine naturally. These articles discuss the need for regular sleep and exercise. They discuss methods of lowering stress. They suggest that by eating foods containing tryptophan, a precursor to dopamine production, one can raise dopamine levels. If a person adopts these strategies and practices, I believe that (s)he will feel better, but I am not convinced that dopamine levels will be higher.

I consulted a few sources to see what the experts have to say about raising dopamine levels. In Nutrition and Mental Illness, The Brain Diet, and The Brain Chemistry Plan, I did not find any suggestions of how to raise dopamine levels.

Animal experiments published in the European Journal of Pharmacology (2005) and the Journal of Ethnoparmacology (200), the behavioral effects of turmeric were comparable to the antidepressent drug fluoxetine (Prozac). Turmeric can help prevent the breakdown of important neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin and dopamine. According to Alan C. Logan, author of The Brain Diet, deficiencies in omega-3 fatty acids in animals can lead to alterations in the levels and functioning of serotonin and dopamine. But these research findings do not suggest that we can raise our dopamine levels through nutrition.

In his book Feeding the Brain, Dr. C. Keith Connors points out that it is logical to think that by eating foods high in tyrosine we can produce more dopamine. But he believes that this approach is too simplistic. He points out that inadequate levels of neurotransmitters in the brain probably reflects abnormalities in the brain itself or in the ability of nerve receptors to respond properly to the neurotransmitter. In reviewing studies, he points out that even where increased levels of tyrosine are found in the blood, the studies do not show how much of the tyrosine made it to the brain. Dr. Logan also notes that the brain has a feedback system which tells it to stop manufacturing some neurotransmitters as soon as enough is produced. "Only if the brain neurons are actually firing (and thus using up the neurotransmitters) will the brain allow production of these neurotransmistters from additional tyrosine." Thus, if we experience high stress and have high levels of tyrosine in our blood, we might raise our dopamine levels . . . Doesn't seem like a very good plan to me.