Neurotransmitters: Your Brain’s Messengers

Have you ever wondered why you feel calm after a good meal, energized after exercise, or stressed during a tough day? Much of that comes down to neurotransmitters, tiny chemical messengers that allow your brain and body to communicate.

Think of them as text messages being sent between your nerve cells. Without neurotransmitters, your thoughts, movements, emotions, and even digestion would be impossible.

What Are Neurotransmitters?

Neurotransmitters are chemicals made by your brain that carry signals from one nerve cell to another. Each one has its own “job description,” and together, they keep your brain and body in balance.

Some of the most well known neurotransmitters include:

• Dopamine – motivation, reward, focus, movement

• Serotonin – mood, sleep, appetite, digestion

• GABA – calmness, relaxation, reducing overstimulation

• Glutamate – learning, memory, alertness

• Acetylcholine – attention, memory, muscle activation

• Norepinephrine – alertness, energy, stress response

Why Are They Important?

When neurotransmitters are balanced, we feel focused, calm, and resilient. When they’re out of balance, we may experience:

• Anxiety, depression, or mood swings

• Brain fog or poor focus

• Sleep troubles

• Low motivation or energy

• Food cravings or digestive issues

Neurotransmitter imbalance isn’t about “good” or “bad” chemicals, it’s about too much or too little. The brain thrives on balance, and when one system is off, it can affect everything else.

What Affects Neurotransmitters?

A variety of lifestyle factors can influence how well your brain makes and uses these messengers:

• Nutrition – amino acids, vitamins, and minerals are the raw materials for neurotransmitters.

• Stress – chronic stress can deplete calming neurotransmitters and overstimulate excitatory ones.

• Sleep – poor sleep throws off neurotransmitter cycles.

• Gut health – many neurotransmitters (like serotonin) are produced in the gut.

• Toxins and inflammation – mold, infections, and other stressors can interfere with brain chemistry.

Why We Use Neurotransmitter Assessments

Because neurotransmitters are so deeply connected to mood, focus, energy, and overall wellness, we regularly use neurotransmitter assessments in our office.

These assessments give us insight into your unique brain chemistry so we can create a plan that fits you, whether that means dietary changes, supplements, brain-based therapies, or stress-relief strategies.