Dec 01 2008
Serotonin Levels Discovered as the Answer to Bone Loss (Osteoporosis)
Previously science discovered serotonin worked in the brain to control an individuals mood, sleep and appetite. Now they have found that the same brain chemical works in the intestinal tract to control the growth of bones. This new discovery could change the way physicians treat bone loss or osteoporosis from just slowing bone loss to being able to increase the bone mass by regulations of serotonin levels.
The startling information researchers have discovered is not that 95% of serotonin is produced in part of the intestinal tract, the duodenum. They already new this, but thought the body chemical was used for digestive purposes. Even though we have associated the brain with serotonin, it actually only uses 5% of what is made by the body.
The discovery was made by a research group led by Gerald Karsenty, M.D., Ph.D. of the Department of Genetics and Development at Columbia University. The researchers originally working on two rare human bone diseases that were caused by gene mutation known as Lrp5. What they found surprised them. Lrp5 controlled synthesis of serotonin in the duodenum. With their manipulation of turning on or off the serotonin production they could regulate bodily bone formation. They found that serotonin in the intestinal tract was an inhibitor to bone formation.
Up to this point in time, there has been only one drug, on the market, that could create new bone mass. Because of it’s bone cancer causation, the drug had only been given to people with extreme osteoporosis. The big problem with this condition is that most times it is not diagnosed until there has been a lot of bone loss.
One wonders how inhibiting serotonin production in the duodenum would effect the amount making it’s way to the brain where it is needed there as a neurotransmitter. If post menopausal women are considered the highest risk for osteoporosis and depression and sleeplessness are two of the side effects of menopause, how is it that they would have an over abundance of serotonin in their intestinal tract. Could it be that the 5% of serotonin used by the brain is not reaching that part of the body?
