Press enter or click to view image in full size Photo by Shawn Day on Unsplash Serotonin, widely known as the “happy chemical” is one of many versatile chemical messengers within your body. Produced in the gut and the brain, with 90% produced in the gut, this little molecule does far more than act as a mood stabilizer, as many believe. Scientifically known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), serotonin functions as a neurotransmitter helping nerve cells communicate with each other. What it does: In the brain Mood stabilization (Keeps emotions balanced, does not generate happiness.) Regulates appetite (Tells you when you’re full, helps suppress feelings of hunger) Memory and cognition (Helps with learning, keeps your brain sharp) Sleep (Aids in the production of melatonin, the “sleepy chemical”) Stress (Helps you have less of it) Pain sensitivity (Influences your perception of pain intensity) Sexual behaviour (Regulates libido and sex drive, however, an unusually high amount of serotonin may repress it) In the gut…