Geneology International

Author: Linda Rider

  • Best CBD Gummies for Pain & Inflammation In 2022

    Best CBD Gummies for Pain & Inflammation In 2022

    Cannabidiol (CBD) gummies have gained popularity for their pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties. The decriminalization of the cannabis plant for various reasons, such as medical use, has also contributed to the increased demand for CBD gummies.

    Many people prefer a natural way to help them deal with their pain coupled with the benefits of stress relief and relaxation.

    Many users of CBD for pain complain about the difficulty associated with accessing quality products that do what it promises.

    Since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t yet recognize CBD as a treatment for any health condition, it is difficult holding brands to certain standards and requirements.

    Most of the responsibility associated with ensuring the market is filled with authentic products thus falls on the brands having integrity. It also falls on consumers, requiring that they go the extra mile when seeking quality CBD products for pain.

    In this article, we have gone the extra mile to assess the best CBD gummies for pain and present you with suggestions from our top picks that will best help relieve your pain.

    List Of Top Brands For The Best CBD Gummies for Pain Relief

    1. Exhale Wellness – Overall Best CBD Gummies For Pain And Inflammation
    2. Budpop – Best CBD Gummies for Pain
    3. Cheef Botanicals – Top Rated Brand For Flavored Broad Spectrum CBD Gummies
    4. Hollyweed – CBD Infused Gummies With Less Than 0.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} THC
    5. Fab CBD – Best CBD Candies For Beginners

    #1. Exhale Wellness – Overall Best CBD Gummies For Pain And Inflammation

    m

    Exhale Wellness comes up top in our list of CBD gummies that help with managing inflammation and relieving pain.

    The business was established by a group of CBD enthusiasts that were tired of most products on the market being of low quality and impure. Exhale Wellness was their solution to this problem they faced.

    The brand is committed to manufacturing CBD products that are all-natural, organic and considers environmental sustainability during sourcing and processing.

    Many users of their products consider them one of the best in the domain and usually recommend them to other people. The brand is well known for the efficacy of its product and exquisite taste.

    The product comes in two sizes to help cater to users who require different doses.

    In our analysis, we rate Exhale Wellness Gummies as one of the most powerful CBD gummies on the market for pain relief.

    The ingredients are of premium quality, considering the various test and quality assurance processes they undergo before being distributed on the market.

    The dose in each gummy ensures that you get the full benefit of pain relief as well as an additional sense of calmness. The different fruit flavors also mean that users will most probably find one they can easily consume.

    Highlights

    The product offers isolated and full-spectrum CBD gummies to offer pain relief to users. The full-spectrum CBD gummies are infused with a bit of THC but below 0.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, thus making them unable to make you high. Each gummy contains 25 mg of CBD, making it more potent in relieving pain when compared to similar products on the market.

    The brand is well known and trusted. It offers customers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all purchases with the condition that they are unsatisfied with the product. This shows the amount of confidence Exhale Wellness has in the quality and potency of its product.

    Looking at the number of substandard CBD gummies on the market for pain relief, this initiative also offers customers the chance to try out the product and to only pay for it when it works as it should.

    The ingredients used in making Exhale Wellness CBD gummies are sourced from farms that give priority to environmental sustainability in their farming methods. The ingredients are all-natural and non-GMO.

    Although known for its great taste, the product contains no artificial additives for color and flavor. It also does not contain any of the common allergens.

    Pros

    • The CBD gummies are made from all-natural and organic ingredients
    • They contain less than 0.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of THC concentration
    • The product doesn’t have any synthetic additives for color and flavor
    • It is gluten-free and animal cruelty-free
    • Customers get a 30-day money-back guarantee on products they are not satisfied with
    • Vegans can use the product.
    • It has received a lot of positive feedback from customers.

    Cons

    • The amount of CBD in each gummy might be too much for new users
    • The brand hands shipping over to a third party, relieving it of all responsibility of ensuring packages reach you well

    ⇒ Visit the Official Website of Exhale Wellness

    #2. Budpop – Best CBD Gummies for Pain

    m

    Second, on our list of CBD gummies for pain relief is Budpop. Established in 2021, its popularity among CBD users is growing at an exponential rate.

    As a relatively new brand, it is quite impressive that it is currently considered in the same league as some CBD companies that have existed for way longer. This bears testimony to the quality and potency of their products.

    The brand came out as one of the best CBD product suppliers among those we assessed. The product’s formula is well crafted to ensure that only natural ingredients are used to manufacture the CBD gummies. Our chemical tests also show that the amount of CBD in each gummy is precise, giving it an even distribution.

    Highlights

    Budpop CBD gummies come in three varieties: Sleep, Turmeric, and Ashwagandha. These varieties all address pain relief in their way.

    For intense pain and inflammation, the Budpop Turmeric CBD gummy presents one of the best combinations to help relieve users of pain. Each gummy is filled with a combination of CBD, 10 mg of CBG, and 100 mg turmeric.

    Like CBD, CBG is also a cannabinoid that focuses more on helping relieve pain in the body of the user. It also helps against inflammation and nausea. In some situations, CBG has been known to slow down the rate at which cancer cells spread in a patient’s body. In addition, CBG minimizes the pressure that glaucoma puts on the eye.

    Turmeric contains a substance known as Curcumin. This has been used over the years to help control certain health conditions like osteoarthritis and inflammation.

    Budpop’s Turmeric CBD Gummies thus combine CBD, CBG, and Turmeric to form a powerful compound for pain relief.

    Apart from Turmeric Gummies, Budpop also features a Sleep category of CBD Gummies. This type combines CBD with CBN to help regulate pain, inflammation, and many other health conditions.

    Independently CBN is known as a sedative, while CBD is popular for making a person feel calm and relaxed. These properties of CBD and CBN thus combine to create very powerful sleep-inducing gummies.

    The Ashwagandha type features 150 g of Ashwagandha and 10 mg of CBD in each gummy. Ashwagandha is popularly known to help manage pain by blocking pain signals from being transmitted to the central nervous system. It is also known to help with inflammations.

    Combining it with CBD, therefore, creates an efficient pain relief substance for users.

    All the three types of Budpop CBD gummies listed show that the brand is an excellent choice for individuals looking for natural ways to manage their pain symptoms.

    It not only capitalizes on CBD but combines it with other well-known natural pain relief elements to make its products more potent.

    The CBD gummies taste great, help improve sleep and provide pain and stress relief.

    Pros

    • The ingredients used in making the CBD gummies are 100{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} natural and non-GMO
    • It is suitable for use by vegans.
    • It contains no artificial additives for flavor and color
    • Tested by independent laboratories
    • The brand offers customers a money-back guarantee
    • The brand’s website offers safe and secure payment methods

    Cons

    • There is not enough feedback from customers since it is a fairly new brand
    • It does not offer to ship outside the United States

    ⇒ Visit the Official Website of Budpop

    #3. Cheef Botanicals – Top Rated Brand For Flavored Broad Spectrum CBD Gummies

    m

    Next on our list of top picks for CBD gummies that help with pain relief is Cheef Botanicals. This brand is famous for being one of the most organic isolated CBD gummies.

    The company’s mission is to ensure that as many people as possible are aware of the natural healing ability of cannabinoids. In addition, it seeks to demystify natural and alternative medicine compared to traditional methods.

    Cheef Botanicals creates CBD products infused with foods that significantly reduce the risk of certain illnesses. The goal is to contribute to a user’s general health and wellness by preventing illness in the first place.

    It offers a wide range of CBD products, from edibles to flowers and concentrates. In this article, we look at its CBD gummies and their awesome ability to provide natural pain relief to users.

    They are made from 100{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} natural, organic, and cruelty-free ingredients. Due to the purity of its ingredients, its products tend to be of high quality and efficacy. In addition, a user is assured of physical and mental health benefits with Cheef Botanical’s CBD gummies.

    Highlights

    Cheef Botanicals only categorizes its CBD gummies according to their shape. Therefore, customers are presented with gummies that may be “just” gummies and those that are shaped like cubes. These are sold in 300 mg up to 3000 mg packages, with each gummy containing 10 mg full-spectrum CBD. This is a high dose of CBD in a gummy.

    As a full-spectrum CBD, it maintains the various compounds that naturally occur in the cannabis plant together with all their benefits.

    Full-spectrum CBD also contains Terpenes in abundance that help with pain relief and ease inflammation. It also features Flavonoids that are over 10 times more powerful than aspirin.

    The brand ensures that its CBD gummies are of the highest quality by subjecting them to all the necessary tests to ensure there are no allergens, heavy metals, or other impurities that may be unsafe for consumption. These tests are carried out by certified third-party laboratories to prove that the brand hasn’t influenced test results.

    Cheef Botanicals actively participates in the sourcing and manufacturing processes to packaging and distribution to customers. This is one way by which it executes quality assurance throughout production.

    By offering full-spectrum CBD products, the brand offers users other natural benefits of cannabis together with CBD instead of just that of CBD as its competitors.

    Pros

    • All-natural ingredients
    • The products are gluten-free and cruelty-free
    • The brand offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for purchases
    • Orders within the United States are shipped for free
    • The product is subjected to rigorous testing by third-party laboratories

    Cons

    • Although it is at a level less than 0.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, which can’t get you high, the products still have traces of THC, which may put some users off.
    • Shipping is to the United States only.

    ⇒ Visit the Official Website of Cheef Botanicals

    #4. Hollyweed – CBD Infused Gummies With Less Than 0.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} THC

    m

    Hollyweed is another brand that has achieved top-rated status among CBD production companies in a very short time. This is why we have it in our list of top CBD gummies for pain relief.

    The brand was established by a group of professionals from the medical cannabinoid industry to spread the natural healing abilities of the cannabis plant with every product they manufacture.

    Hollyweed has a wide range of CBD products for users to choose from, but the most popular among its users is their CBD gummies by far.

    The ingredients used in making the product are sourced from high-quality hemp plants from farms within the United States of America. These are farms that adhere to strict organic and sustainable methods in cultivating the cannabis plant for use.

    Hollyweed’s CBD gummies are also famous for their sweetness. Although free of artificial flavors and colors, the look and taste of the gummies represent one of the best, if not the best, on the market. This is the feedback most users gave to the company when asked to assess the product.

    The sweet taste, though, is no reason to think the potency of the product is somewhat compromised. Hollyweed’s CBD gummies are one of the strongest pain relief and anti-inflammatory substances for users. They also provide additional health benefits and wellness.

    Highlights

    The brand does not emphasize different shapes for their CBD gummies but presents a single product that focuses on being of the highest quality.

    The ingredients used in making the gummies are non-GMO, grown naturally, and have THC less than 0.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} concentration. The product is also free of animal gelatin, and contrary to popular assumption, contains no synthetic additives to give it the great taste it has.

    It comes packaged as 300 mg, 750 mg, and 1500 mg sizes for sale. The product is made up of a mix of fruit flavors, accommodating everyone’s favorite taste from a single package of CBD gummies.

    The CBD gummies from Hollyweed are considered one of the purest on the CBD products market. The brand pays close attention to each process the ingredients go through from the farm to the customers, ensuring that they meet the very high standards that it is known for.

    The products also undergo various tests to ensure they are safe for consumption. These tests are carried out by independent laboratories so that the brand won’t be able to influence them in any way.

    Pros

    • The ingredients are all-natural and 100{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} organic
    • The product is vegan friendly
    • Customers are offered a 30-day money-back guarantee on all purchases
    • It does not contain any artificial color or flavor
    • The brand provides free shipping for all purchases within the United States

    Cons

    • The product does not have enough variety. Has just a single option available for customers

    ⇒ Visit the Official Website of Hollyweed

    #5. FAB CBD – Best CBD Candies For Beginners

    m

    The final CBD gummy we will be considering on our topmost picks is the FAB CBD. The company is focused on making CBD products of the highest quality and offering excellent customer service while making its products available to users.

    It believes that preventing illness is better to live a healthy life than curing it. It, therefore, promotes natural ways of attaining good health and wellness with its CBD products.

    They also ensure that access to their products is simplified. The goal is to make customers feel as comfortable as possible in seeking insight into the kind of natural CBD products that can benefit them.

    FAB CBD gummies are quite popular, offering 25 mg of CBD in each gummy. This is an ideal dose of the cannabinoid and, at that concentration, contributes greatly to providing pain relief and reducing inflammation in the users.

    Highlights

    FAB CBD makes CBD gummies available for pain relief during the day and also when it is near bedtime. These two categories of CBD gummies provide users with the needed amount of the cannabinoid any time they may require it.

    Therefore, it is not strange that one category of its gummies is the ‘Anytime.’ This CBD product can be used any period within the day to help the user relax and to provide pain relief after rigorous physical activities.

    The other category of CBD gummies from FAB CBD is the ‘Night time.’ This type is combined with sedatives that create the most perfect sleep-inducing CBD product.

    FAB CBD produces its CBD gummies with natural ingredients with no artificial additives for flavor and color.

    The product thus contains citric acid, ascorbic acid, CBD isolate, organic cane sugar, and pectin. For its Night time gummies, the brand adds ingredients such as Melatonin, L-Theanine, Ashwagandha, and GABA to CBD to create a powerful sedative for users having sleep trouble. This also helps relieve any pain they are feeling and calms their minds.

    The packaging for the product is innovative, simplifying the ability to move around easily with your stash of gummies. It also helps you use CBD gummies at various places without attracting too much attention to yourself.

    FAB CBD sources its hemp from local farms in the United States. It keeps a strict quality assurance standard for its products by subjecting them to various tests by third-party laboratories.

    These checks ensure that only CBDs of the highest quality reach consumers, helping improve their physical and mental wellbeing.

    The brand has built an identity of CBD products that can be used anytime and anywhere to provide relaxation and ease your pain. Compared to the Night time CBD gummies which contain loads of sedatives to induce sleep, the Anytime gummies depend solely on CBD compounds to give users pain relief.

    Pros

    • The ingredients for making FAB CBD gummies are organically grown on farms in the United States.
    • These ingredients are non-GMO and pesticide-free
    • It contains pure cannabinoids and terpenes

    Cons

    • The ‘Anytime’ CBD gummies feature only CBDs as a pain-relieving feature.

    ⇒ Visit the Official Website of FAB CBD

    How We Made This List Of CBD Isolate Edibles And Pain Gummies

    Finding high-quality CBD gummies to help with your pain is not easy. Making a comparative analysis of these products with an effective scoring system requires some expertise.

    This is the very expertise we looked for when we formed our team for assessment. The team comprised researchers and professionals from the food and health sectors. It also included researchers from the field of botany to provide more insight into the cannabis plant and its processing.

    We then conducted surveys personally and via social media sites to find out the ideas people had about the various products and the brands that manufactured them. We also checked out the feedback from customers who had already used these products.

    Below are the factors we considered in our total assessment of CBD gummies on the market before concluding on the list of products we recommend to you for pain relief.

    What We Looked Out For

    For any product, the source of the hemp was critical in our assessment because it played a significant role in the quality of the hemp and, consequently, the CBD extraction.

    We gave higher ranking to companies that got their hemp from farms in the United States or the European Union. Also, brands that ensured the farms they sourced their ingredients from used organic farming methods and non-GMO seeds received higher scores.

    How suitable the CBD gummy was for vegans also influenced our rating and the presence or absence of artificial additives for flavor and color. Products that had no artificial additives were considered better.

    • Third-Party Laboratory Tests

    A lot of popular brands subject their products to various tests to show that they are high quality, safe to ingest, and reliable. These tests are more trusted if conducted by independent laboratories instead of in-house.

    In our assessment, we rated such brands higher than those that did test in-house and those who did not test out their products at all.

    Brands that stated the dose of CBD in each gummy on sale were scored higher than brands that did not.

    These CBD gummy brands did not only state the doses but also went on to define what constituted overdose and how one could prevent it.

    Also, the more potent the CBD dose in a gummy was, the better we considered.

    • Affordability and Discounts

    CBD gummies are generally not cheap, and any help that a user receives while purchasing CBD gummies is greatly appreciated.

    This is why brands that sold their products at reasonable prices coupled with promotions and discounts received higher scores in our assessment methods.

    • Shipping and Return Policies

    Here, a brand scored higher if it had very easy shipping methods with money-back guarantees for customers that turned out not to be satisfied with their products.

    Whether or not a brand offers free shipping also influenced how well we scored it.

    Finally, we looked at the feedback the products received from users to check if these were positive or negative.

    The more positive a comment was, the higher we ranked it in our scoring system.

    This is how we ensured that we had selected the best CBD gummies available on the market for our list.

    What You Should Know When Buying CBD Gummies for Pain

    There are a lot of CBD gummies currently available on the market. However, finding an authentic one with the right potency level is not easy as a non-expert.

    There are certain factors about each product that one can check out to guide them in selecting high-quality CBD gummies.

    The list below explores these factors in detail:

    THC is the compound in cannabis responsible for making a person high. It helps reduce the feeling of pain and thus acts as an excellent substance for pain relief.

    This substance is, however, not legal in many states in the US, and a concentration of more than 0.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of it in anything can land you in trouble with the law.

    It is therefore imperative when buying any product that contains cannabinoids to check if it has traces of THC, and if it does, at what level of concentration?

    • Additional Pain-Relieving Ingredients

    Combining CBDs with other natural ingredients like CBN, CBG, Turmeric, and Ashwagandha to help with pain relief and inflammation is very necessary.

    The extra ingredients can increase the potency of the CBD gummy by providing different ways of attacking pain in the user. Therefore, a product that uses this approach has a high probability of easing your pain.

    Nobody enjoys medicine, which is what CBD gummies for pain relief are. Knowing this, most brands in the CBD product industry make products with different flavors to help make them tasty and enjoyable to use.

    Having a wide range of flavors, you should always go for the tastiest to give you an enjoyable experience while easing your pain.

    Tests are one way of determining if a product is of high quality or not. These first show that a product is authentic and also safe to consume. These tests are to be better trusted if they are conducted by third-party laboratories independent of the manufacturer.

    • Brand Popularity and Customer Reviews

    One of the best ways to assess any product is through customer feedback. For CBD gummies, especially those for pain relief, customer feedback is very important.

    The CBD product industry is relatively new, so finding customer reviews may not be simple. That is why you should also consider the manufacturing brand’s reputation and popularity in this assessment.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About CBD Gummies For Pain

    Q1. Are CBD Gummies Legal to Consume?

    CBDs are legal for consumption and have been so in many parts of the globe. This is not the end of the matter, though, as certain details may still land a person using it in trouble if not carefully considered.

    One of them is that Full-spectrum CBDs contain traces of THC, which are supposed to be less than 0.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} concentration to be legal in most states. Consuming a product above this legal limit makes one liable to prosecution, although CBDs are not illegal.

    Q2. Are there side effects to using CBD Gummies?

    CBDs are generally safe with no aggressive side effects. However, authentic CBD gummies produce some reactions that may include dry mouth caused by CBDs altering saliva production in the body.

    This makes the user thirsty, requiring hydration. This simple action will help you deal with this side effect.

    Consuming too many CBD gummies may sometimes trigger a stomach upset or diarrhea in the user. But, again, hydrating is a good way of dealing with this side effect.

    Using CBDs suppresses our hunger cravings. As gummies, they contain sugars that may suppress your hunger more.

    CBDs are known for helping users relax, providing them with calmness in body and mind. However, CBDs can act as sedatives, and users may feel drowsy after consuming them.

    Q3. Is there a difference between CBD gummies and Oils?

    CBD oils and gummies are just different forms of the same substance. To make CBD gummies, one just has to infuse regular gummies with CBD oils. The difference between them is, therefore, nothing major.

    CBD oil affects the body faster than CBD gummies as they are usually ingested under the tongue and kick in minutes after use.

    CBD gummies, on the other hand, have to move through the user’s digestive system, increasing the amount of time required for it to take effect.

    Pain Gummies: Conclusion

    CBDs are excellent natural options for pain relief. They have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic properties that make them not only perfect for pain but also for stress relief and anxiety management.

    Unlike opioids, the side effects of using CBDs for relieving pain are minimal and not addictive. As gummies, these pain relief substances are also very tasty to consume. In addition, they come packed in precise doses to simplify regular use.

    In this article, we have provided you with the necessary information to compare different CBD products and have suggested some products to help you out.

    Go ahead and try these products for your pain, find the one that works best for you, and do not forget to help the next person with your review or feedback.


  • Telehealth experiments & the latest digital health news from JPM

    Telehealth experiments & the latest digital health news from JPM

    You are looking at the world-wide-web edition of STAT Wellness Tech, our guide to how tech is reworking the everyday living sciences. Sign up to get this newsletter delivered in your inbox each and every Tuesday and Thursday. 

    Telehealth businesses take a look at the waters on risk-sharing

    A handful of virtual treatment corporations are inking new varieties of contracts that reward them for preserving patients’ price tag minimal and penalize them for overspending — a model identified as risk-sharing. It’s a departure from the common “fee-for-service” billing process, and a move  providers hope could support them get paid for the expert services they offer in addition to virtual doctors’ appointments, like in-app messaging, medicine reminders, and electronic wellbeing coaching. They are also betting that embracing threat could endear them to the health options and businesses they depend on for contracts.

    ad

    Execs from organizations like Heartbeat Health and Teladoc say they’re in the quite early stages of cementing these contracts. When there is no very clear roadmap for how to construction them, irrespective of whether they choose maintain could explain how virtual care will suit into the brick-and-mortar healthcare process and incentivize individuals corporations to operate with classic companies on avoidance, explained Jennifer Goldsack, CEO of the Digital Drugs Society. “There is an prospect to reimagine what wellbeing care appears to be like when it is close to the affected individual,” she instructed Mohana. Study the complete story.

    The circumstance for scaling principal treatment

    advertisement

    Intently watched upstarts hawking higher-tech health care are in a fierce battle with retail giants and tech corporations to ascertain the long term of key treatment. And as they make the rounds at conferences like JP Morgan, they are out to influence investors that major care — which has traditionally been underfunded — is scalable and value backing. Medicare-targeted startup Oak Road Well being plans to open up 70 far more destinations this year A single Medical expects to get to 28 markets soon. And other gamers including Walmart, CVS, and Amazon are ramping up their own endeavours. But the companies have also confronted headwinds, including a DOJ inquiry into Oak Street’s probable Untrue Statements Act violations. Casey has the tale.

    The guarantee of neurostimulation

    Brain stimulation is booming. This growing field of study is slowly and gradually revealing truths of the brain: how it will work, how it malfunctions, and how electrical impulses, exactly targeted and managed, may be used to address psychiatric and neurological disorders. Scientists are wanting into how distinctive sorts of neuromodulation influence dependancy, despair, persistent soreness, obsessive compulsive condition, and a lot more. Still, the industry is in its infancy, and a lot of hurdles to therapy continue to be. STAT’s Isabella Cueto has the total story.

    Yes, it was a ton of revenue

    SILICON VALLEY Lender

    This is the chart we all noticed coming, we just ultimately know what it suggests, courtesy of Silicon Valley Bank’s annual Health care Investments & Exits report. Health and fitness tech expenditure in 2021 much more than doubled, with 60{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of funding coming from mega rounds. Early stage expenditure also greater from $2.2 billion in 2020 to $3.5 billion in 2021. Inspite of these remarkable figures total, SVB sees some indications that factors could cool off: It expects venture cash fundraising will fall to $16 billion throughout health and fitness care in 2022 from its outstanding $28 billion last 12 months.

    What the study suggests about AI and quality assurance

    AI and device finding out promise popular benefits in overall health treatment, but there is no complete framework for how to safely and securely and responsibly introduce the technological innovation, a team of scientists compose in a new literature evaluation in Nature’s NPJ Electronic Medication.

    Their assessment finds that there is an abundance of guidance about facts preparing, but less about computer software progress and how to evaluate impression and implementation. Their review could provide as the foundation for this sort of a framework, however they famous sizeable gaps in educational exploration about high-quality assessment in the afterwards phases of predictive design development.

    Tech requires more than JPM

    Right now at JPM we’ll be observing shows from Talkspace, Colour, and GoodRx. Here’s what is happened in tech at the convention because we final talked:

    • Headspace Wellness, which was shaped previous year with the merger of telemental wellbeing service Ginger and mindfulness app Headspace, announced the acquisition of Sayana, an AI mental overall health application.
    • Transcarent, the wellbeing treatment startup for self-insured businesses from Livongo founder Glen Tullman, declared a $200 million Collection C round led by Kinnevik and Human Capital with participation from Ally Bridge Group, Typical Catalyst, and 7wireVentures.
    • At a JPM side celebration, Deborah Di Sanzo, president of Very best Acquire Wellbeing, stated that even with the company’s ambitions, it is not fascinated in care delivery: “We have a large red line that we will not cross, and that is, we are not going to be a company,” she mentioned.

    New yr, new gig

    • Fred Hutchinson Most cancers Analysis Center appointed Jeffrey Leek as vice president and main details officer. Leek earlier labored at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg University of Community Wellness.
    • AliveCor appointed Vincent Balsamo as govt vice president of throughout the world profits and Archana Dubey as main scientific officer. Balsamo formerly labored at Salesforce, Cisco, IBM, and Propeller Health. Dubey joins from Hewlett Packard.
    • Tendo Units, a wellness care application startup funded by Typical Catalyst and Lux Funds, appointed Bala Hota as senior vice president and chief informatics officer. Hota comes from Hurry College Healthcare Heart.
    • SonderMind, a psychological overall health know-how startup, appointed Brannan Schell as main functioning officer. He was formerly the company’s chief progress officer.
    • Quartet, a further psychological wellbeing upstart, hired Jay Meyers as main expansion officer. He was earlier CEO of Wellvana Well being and main advancement & marketing officer for Anthem’s diversified business team.
    • BehaVR, which is developing mental health treatment options utilizing digital truth, appointed Risa Weisberg chief scientific officer. Weisberg is a professor of psychiatry at the Boston College University of Medicine.
    • ClarifyHealth hired Niall Brennan, previous CEO of the Health Care Expense Institute, as its main analytics and privateness officer.
    • Cityblock introduced on a host of new hires this 7 days, including chief health officer Kameron Matthews, previously main health care officer at the Veterans Affairs Section chief men and women officer Ara Tucker, who led talent strategy at Audible main administrative officer Susan Brown, previously basic counsel at Haven and chief marketing officer Andrea Zahumensky, formerly chief internet marketing officer at KFC.

    What we’re looking through

  • COVID-19 Update on Mask Requirements from the UMass Public Health Promotion Center

    COVID-19 Update on Mask Requirements from the UMass Public Health Promotion Center

    January 13, 2021

    Dear Campus Neighborhood,

    The college is closely checking the recent COVID-19 instances affecting our campus group, Massachusetts and the country. The latest COVID-19 tests details for the UMass community from Jan. 5-11 reveals 377 new positive scenarios. The university’s cumulative positivity rate is 7.56{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, down from previous week’s charge of 13.21{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}. The state’s 7-day positivity level is 21.61{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}.

    The Omicron variant is now apparent in all favourable COVID-19 assessments performed on campus. UMass is updating its prerequisites for face coverings as we shift ahead with in-human being teaching, understanding and investigate functions for the spring semester. All people really should use a bigger-quality mask, these as KN95, KF94, or N95, or double-mask. Cloths masks are not productive in limiting the distribute of omicron and ought to only be made use of in double masking, with a shut-fitting surgical mask underneath.

    This earlier week, we figured out that a UMass Amherst employee died as the outcome of COVID-19. This is the first time that an active personnel has died from COVID-19 due to the fact the begin of the pandemic. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his relatives, mates and campus colleagues.

    Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 18 the General public Wellness Advertising Middle (PHPC) will adopt the follow of offering only unobserved assessments. Unobserved tests kits are offered at the PHPC on the reduced degree of the Campus Heart in the course of PHPC working several hours. Campus kiosks for return of exam kits are now open just about every working day, 24 several hours for every day. Tests dropped off Monday through Thursday will have effects obtainable inside of 24 to 48 hours. Outcomes from exams carried out on Friday as a result of Sunday are ready the subsequent Monday night or Tuesday.

    Remember to Observe: Monday, Jan. 17  is Martin Luther King Jr. Working day and the PHPC is closed. Results from checks done Friday through Monday this week will be all set Tuesday evening or Wednesday.

    As we in the vicinity of the third calendar year of the pandemic, it is very clear that COVID-19 will be existing for the foreseeable foreseeable future. Importantly, we have learned that vaccinations, boosters and wearing masks indoors enable protect against spikes of severely unwell individuals. The present scientific facts displays that those who are vaccinated and boosted and turn into contaminated are often asymptomatic or knowledge gentle indications.

     

    BOOSTER Pictures

    All qualified UMass college students, faculty and workers are required to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. It is significant that all individuals qualified get the booster shot prior to the get started of the semester. In accordance with CDC pointers, acquiring your booster shot will exempt you from the will need to quarantine if you are a close call of a good situation.  You can make an appointment for a booster shot by pinpointing a spot via the Massachusetts COVID-19 vaccine finder or Vaccines.gov. 

    Tests

    Progress Tests: College students be sure to submit your progress COVID-19 test in the mail by this Friday, Jan. 14. You also have other possibilities to submit an progress test in advance of the start out of the semester. College and Workers need to take a COVID-19 PCR exam by subsequent Tuesday, Jan. 18.

    If you exam optimistic, here is the course of action of notification and the techniques you will have to take:

    Irrespective of your vaccination standing, you will have to isolate for a minimal of 5 times. If you have no signs or your signs are resolved following five days, you can depart your dwelling and must don a mask all-around some others for five more days. If your exam was not completed at UMass Amherst, you need to isolate in location and report your effects to the PHPC quickly at [email protected].

    For individuals who just take checks at UMass Amherst:

    • UMass college, team and learners who examination positive will receive an e mail from [email protected] with lab success. If you are beneficial, you ought to isolate immediately. The UMass Community Wellbeing Workforce assessments all positive outcomes and will send out abide by-up info to your e-mail deal with. These e-mail are sent out all through the working day.
       
    • Neighborhood members who test optimistic will get an e-mail from [email protected] with lab benefits. Make sure you refer to the Massachusetts Section of Community Wellness Guidance for Isolation. If you have any concerns, remember to call your nearby board of health and fitness.

    All people must go on to keep track of by themselves for COVID-19 indications each day prior to coming to campus. If you truly feel unwell, stay residence.

    Thank you for all you are carrying out to treatment for yourselves and a person one more, and to assistance the well being of our group.

    Sincerely,

    Co-Directors of the Public Well being Marketing Center (PHPC)

    Ann Becker, Community Wellness Director
    Jeffrey Hescock, Government Director of Environmental Health and fitness and Security

  • Cover your face, wear a hat and stay hydrated to exercise safely through the winter

    Cover your face, wear a hat and stay hydrated to exercise safely through the winter

    Let’s confront it, winter in Canada is a fact we can’t overlook. And for several of us, it usually means getting outside the house and into the chilly for work, chores and training. But there are approaches to enhance your ease and comfort and security when being active outdoor in cold climate.

    1st off, “cold” is what physiologists (men and women who study human operate and structure) simply call a “stressor,” which signifies your entire body recognizes chilly as one thing it needs to accommodate to remain in homeostasis (when your human body features are continuous).

    We can immerse ourselves in diverse varieties of cold — which includes chilly air and chilly drinking water — exactly where the chilly surroundings can be accentuated by wind and snow or rain. Here are some guidelines for working out in chilly air — there is various assistance for chilly-drinking water swimming.

    If you have underlying heart problems or superior blood force, discuss to your physician about how very long you must keep outside and what types of routines are recommended for you in winter season.

    Maintaining main temperature

    Apparently, in a nude or semi-nude condition your overall body begins to acknowledge cold as a stressor at about 28.5 C. At this air temperature, your body’s coping mechanisms kick in to make sure your core temperature is maintained. This is why when you phase out of a shower, or have number of garments on (like laying on a beach in summertime) you will usually shiver.

    Incorporating insulative clothing to your body lowers the temperature you start off to perception cold tension. In cold weather environments, our bodies deliver a good deal of heat when using vitality to transfer our muscular tissues for functions like shovelling snow or cross-nation skiing. So if we don right insulative outfits and do sufficient muscular get the job done, we can truly feel rather snug — what is identified as thermal consolation — in chilly to really cold weather conditions.

    On the other hand, there are nevertheless strategies to lower hazard and increase ease and comfort while exercising outside the house in cold temperature. Right here are some items to feel about as you make conclusions about workout outdoor in the wintertime.

    A group of people in winter athletic gear stretch
    Dressing correctly for climate circumstances can retain you safe and raise your enjoyment of pursuits.
    (Shutterstock)

    Address your pores and skin

    Cut down your exposed pores and skin, in all places you can. The not long ago updated pointers from the American College or university of Sports Medication show that frostbite, which is a “direct freezing personal injury … of pores and skin surface” can manifest at just -3 C. Tissues with a lot less blood circulation, these types of as arms, feet and head are additional vulnerable, primarily when the cold air is severe (less than -15 C air temperature or -27 C wind chill).

    Frostbite can be accelerated by get in touch with with cold materials (metal, snow, ice) and by damp skin. Use insulative apparel that has a substantial wicking means to draw moisture off pores and skin, and keep your head, toes and arms protected at all times!

    Your facial area ought to also be protected for a couple explanations. Masking your cheeks, forehead, nose and neck improves regulation of thermal comfort and ease, in particular in windy disorders, producing actions like tobogganing or alpine skiing much more at ease. The skin on your encounter can requires a authentic beating — even in moderately windy situations, your experience pores and skin temperature can lower 25 C.

    If you have some underlying long-term conditions, which includes significant blood pressure or coronary heart condition, you should really protect your facial area. Exposing a bare confront to chilly — as minimal as -5 C — engages parts of the anxious technique which can maximize blood strain. Just donning a toque and scarf can reduce this enhance.

    a young child with bare hands and reddened fingertips in the snow
    Frostbite and frostnip, can result in severe health and fitness consequences if not treated speedily with proper clinical care.
    (Shutterstock)

    Shield your lungs and breath

    Our lungs are especially susceptible to cold air environments, where by work out essentially boosts the worry on the lung in winter ailments. Your lungs, for very good cause, want to warm and humidify the air we breathe to entire body temperature and 100 per cent humidity. They do a genuinely great career of this at relaxation, but all through physical exercise, it demands a lot more energy to ailment the air you breath in.

    Include chilly air on major of higher respiration costs (as seen in the course of work out) and your lungs are really challenged to warm and humidify just about every breath. Cooling of the airway is related with a anxious program response and drying of the airway is linked with an inflammatory response, the two which can constrict the lung (generally termed cold air bronchoconstriction).

    Chilly temperature action at fewer than C, at average physical exercise depth (brisk walking rate), also effects in respiratory signs and symptoms together with the really frequent runny nose and experience irritated in the nose (itchy, burning sensation). For much more extreme workout (like a challenging operate or cross-region ski) the signs enhance, and can include surplus mucous, successful cough (obtaining that mucous out) and unproductive cough (irritating cough), upper body tightness (problems respiration), wheeze and sore throat these signs and symptoms can persist up to 24 hrs soon after a hard cold weather conditions exercise session.

    You can choose many actions to cut down these symptoms. Initial, slowing down your work out depth provides your entire body a prospect to ailment the air in each and every breath. Next, covering your mouth with a buff, scarf or cold-climate mask can assist some capture dampness to humidify the next breath in. 3rd, decreasing your overall publicity time in cold air, mainly because even 30 minutes of moderate work out can maximize your indicators and airway constriction. And eventually, drink more than enough drinking water in the course of extended bouts of cold weather conditions because you can reduce up 100 millilitres of water for every hour because of to major breathing exercise in chilly air.

    https://www.youtube.com/enjoy?v=irTG3UHjU7I

    The Mayo Clinic gives ideas on exercising in the cold.

    Currently being well prepared

    Getting unprepared in chilly weather conditions improves your general possibility of hypothermia and other chilly climate linked accidents. In reality, additional than 50 percent of deaths affiliated with normal weather conditions events are owing to chilly climate — right to accidental hypothermia (extreme fall in core temperature leading to death) or when hypothermia exacerbates a pre-existing problem. Be aware that accidental hypothermia can also occur in reasonable chilly, which most likely places out of doors fans at hazard.

    It is also effectively documented that consumption of alcohol is a main possibility aspect in accidental hypothermia, along with prolonged publicity and insufficient outfits. Other chilly climate accidents involve frostbite and frostnip, which can outcome in severe well being effects if not treated promptly with correct professional medical treatment.

    I hope this has helped you much better recognize some of the physiology driving how humans interact with chilly air environments. Much more importantly I hope you can use some of these guidelines to boost your pleasure and basic safety in the winter season, specifically when the temperature dips very well underneath C.

  • How long can you wear an N95 mask, and other care tips

    How long can you wear an N95 mask, and other care tips

    “I dress in mine for a 7 days,” said Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech.

    An N95 mask’s content and filtration potential are not “going to degrade except if you physically rub it or poke holes in it,” Marr mentioned. “You would have to be in genuinely polluted air … for numerous times in advance of it dropped its capacity to filter out particles. So, you can truly wear them for a extensive time.

    “Folks have been talking about 40 several hours — I think which is great. Definitely, it really is likely to get gross from your experience or the straps will get as well unfastened or probably break just before you’re going to eliminate filtration capability,” she added.

    The reason why N95 masks are specified as solitary use is due to the fact they’re categorized as health-related masks, said Erin Bromage, an associate professor of biology at the College of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

    A boy wears an N95 face mask.

    In professional medical options, wellbeing treatment employees improve masks more usually to keep away from “cross-contaminating a affected individual space with products that was worn in a home of an infectious particular person and then going to the future room and bringing that an infection with you,” he reported. “When you then take a clinical-grade thing that is one-use and set it in the standard general public, we are not concerned about you cross-contaminating distinctive environments you are staying in. It’s truly about delivering safety to you.”

    N95s “utilised to be only $1 or so every single,” Bromage included, but selling prices have a short while ago spiked as community need for these masks has improved amid Omicron variant considerations. If you securely reuse N95s, you might be finding at the very least two or three days of use from a single mask, Bromage additional, but “I know that it however adds up to an expenditure.”

    Some nearby community health and fitness departments, these as the Maryland and Milwaukee wellness departments, are supplying free of charge N95 masks.

    Here’s what else you ought to know about safely putting on and reusing N95 masks.

    Why N95s?

    When compared to fabric masks, correctly equipped N95s improved reduce little particles from getting into your nose or mouth many thanks to specific products — this sort of as polypropylene fibers — acting as both of those mechanical and electrostatic limitations to shared air, the most important driver of coronavirus an infection.
    The variance between N95 and KN95 masks is in which the mask is certified, in accordance to Oklahoma’s point out health and fitness office. The US certifies N95s, whereas China approves KN95s. Close to 60{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of KN95 respirators offered in the US are counterfeit and you should not fulfill the needs of the Countrywide Institute for Occupational Wellbeing & Security, in accordance to the US Centers for Illness Management and Prevention.
    Why you should upgrade your mask as the Omicron variant spreads
    “If they are built to the regular and licensed by the proper boards in their state like NIOSH in this article, they all do basically the same detail,” Bromage earlier told CNN. “But there is a ton of knockoffs that are not certified in the KN95 facet of matters, that may perhaps fulfill the criteria but they are not licensed to fulfill it. And you can find others that plainly you should not.”

    N95 masks “are not designed for youngsters,” Marr claimed. “For bigger youngsters, my 10-year-old wears an N95 that will come in a little size (supposed for grown ups).”

    “If you see an N95 as promoted for small children, that must increase a pink flag,” Marr included. “There will be KN95 and KF94s that are intended for and marketed for small children. With people, it is really the similar problem as we talked over for grown ups, which is to make positive you are receiving them from a reliable, dependable source, mainly because there is a problem with fake KN95s that are not virtually as protecting as they ought to be.”

    Venture N95, the Countrywide Clearinghouse working to supply equitable obtain to private protective gear and coronavirus checks, is a dependable source for N95 and KN95 masks, Marr stated.

    KF94s are Korean-normal masks.

    Little kids can likely read your emotions even when you wear a face mask, study finds
    You may have to check out a number of diverse models or designs of KN95s, KF94s or modest N95s to uncover one that fits perfectly and is at ease for your little one, Marr said. If you continue to have hassle fitting the mask to your child’s experience, you can tie the ear loops or use toggles or twine lock adjusters to be certain the mask fits tightly adequate, she instructed. This CDC video on the knot and tuck strategy may also support.

    Reusing an N95 mask — and when not to

    To reuse N95 masks as securely as feasible, stay away from touching the front outer section of the mask when putting it on, Marr said. Rather, attempt to take care of it by the edges or straps. “Unquestionably stay clear of the part appropriate in front of where you breathe, like ideal in entrance of your nose and mouth,” she included.

    Even immediately after carrying an N95 in a crowded indoor setting — such as a subway — Marr reported “these masks are truly created to tackle a whole lot of particles and will continue on to function.”

    On the other hand, a recognised exposure need to impact your method. If “I was working in an business and I was wearing an N95 and another person in my workplace experienced tested optimistic, I’d know I was very well-guarded,” Bromage reported. “But I might most likely throw out that mask. Because that mask has carried out its work of trapping the virus and I will not even want to acquire the risk of it remaining there and receiving on my palms or whatever.”

    There are plenty of N95 masks, but they're not designed for your kids
    That you could have unknowingly been in the vicinity of an infected person in any other community room — this kind of as a subway or grocery store — when carrying an N95 mask is achievable. Being at minimum 6 feet away from other individuals as a great deal as probable can assistance cut down Covid-19 danger.

    If the mask results in being moist, visibly dirty, bent, creased or otherwise weakened — together with from donning make-up — you will need to exchange it given that these circumstances could reduce the mask’s effectiveness, Marr and Bromage stated.

    “The lengthier you wear it, the extra it is truly trapping material — which implies that the breathability, the resistance of the mask, starts to reduce,” Bromage reported. “A person of the 1st indicators of getting in a position to alter it if it seems to be great and clean up is that it just feels a minor harder to breathe by way of. There appears to be much more resistance with every breath.”

    How to sanitize N95 masks

    The more time and more regularly you use an N95 mask, the additional contaminated it can turn out to be. But particles will die off above the study course of a few to a number of hours, Marr claimed, and even quicker if you established the experience covering aside in sunlight.

    “Items like temperature and sunlight have an result, but you will not want to be throwing it in an oven or microwave,” Bromage stated. “I used to adhere mine on the dashboard of my motor vehicle in summer time, and that would do much more than more than enough in regards to the warmth and the direct mild that it was acquiring. But in actuality, there is practically nothing you can seriously do to lengthen its lifetime via cleansing that is obtainable to an typical individual.”

    Mainly because N95 masks have that unique static cost that allows filter out viruses, you shouldn’t clean the masks, as h2o will dissipate the demand, Marr stated.

    All round, the contamination chance in reusing N95 masks is “lower, substantially reduced, than the possibility of you not donning an N95 and breathing in particles,” Marr said. “I don’t want people today to keep away from donning an N95 simply because they’re concerned about contamination on an N95. The N95 is heading to supply a big net benefit.”

  • How To Increase Serotonin: Foods, Pills, Natural Tips

    How To Increase Serotonin: Foods, Pills, Natural Tips

    Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that works to stabilize mood and foster feelings of happiness and well-being. It also plays a role in how well the brain and nervous system cells communicate, enhances focus, and helps regulate the digestive system and sleep cycle.

    The body naturally produces serotonin using the essential amino acid tryptophan. While the body can make serotonin on its own, sometimes it doesn’t make enough to keep the brain and other systems functioning optimally. If serotonin levels are low, your risk of depression and anxiety increases and other problems can occur.

    This article will discuss the importance of adequate serotonin levels in the body, as well as how to boost serotonin both naturally with the help of food, sunlight, and exercise, and synthetically through medications and supplements.  

    Drazen_ / E+ / Getty Images


    Why Are Serotonin Levels Important?

    Having adequate serotonin levels is important for your mental and physical health. Too little serotonin can increase your risk of depression and other mental health challenges like anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

    Low levels of serotonin have also been associated with the development of certain diseases, including chronic fatigue syndrome (extreme, long-term fatigue), fibromyalgia (condition of widespread pain), Alzheimer’s, (progressive disease causing memory problems and mental confusion) and Parkinson’s (neurological disease affecting movement).

    It’s also possible for serotonin levels to be too high. This can lead to serotonin syndrome, a rare condition that can cause symptoms ranging from mild (nervousness, nausea, diarrhea, tremors) to severe (sweating, fever, confusion).

    There are several factors that can cause serotonin levels to fall too low. These include:

    • Tryptophan deficiency: The body can only make serotonin with tryptophan. The body can’t make this essential amino acid on its own, so it must be taken in through food. If you are not eating enough foods with tryptophan, then the body can’t make enough serotonin.
    • Other nutrient shortfalls: Research shows other nutrients, including vitamin D and probiotics, help to regulate the production, release, and function of serotonin.
    • Malfunction of serotonin receptors: In some cases, your body may make enough serotonin but is unable to use it efficiently. This is usually due to having too few serotonin receptors or having serotonin receptors that aren’t working properly.

    Natural Ways to Boost Serotonin

    Fill Up on These Feel-Good Foods

    Serotonin is naturally produced by many plants. In fact, it’s currently found in about 42 plant species from 20 different families, most often in roots, leaves, stems, fruits, and seeds.

    However, serotonin cannot cross the blood-brain barrier (a protective group of tightly packed cells that keep harmful substances from entering the brain), so eating foods with serotonin is not an effective way to raise serotonin levels.

    Instead, it’s better to eat foods rich in the essential amino acid tryptophan, which can pass through the blood-brain barrier. Foods high in tryptophan include:

    • Animal protein, such as turkey, chicken, and fish
    • Eggs
    • Milk
    • Soy products like soybeans (edamame), tofu, seitan, soy milk
    • Nuts and seeds, including peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds

    Studies suggest that increasing tryptophan intake can have a positive effect on mood and well-being, especially in individuals with tryptophan depletion.

    It’s recommended that you consume tryptophan-rich foods with carbohydrates (such as bread, pasta, rice, or fruit). That’s because carbs trigger an insulin response that can help carry tryptophan over the blood-brain barrier.

    Probiotics for Serotonin

    An estimated 95{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut. Beneficial bacteria found in the gut (probiotics) secrete substances used in the creation of serotonin.

    Research suggests that consuming foods rich in probiotics (including yogurt, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, and sauerkraut) helps build the population of good gut bacteria, which positively influences serotonin production. In several recent studies, probiotic consumption was associated with reduced depression and anxiety symptoms. More research is needed to confirm the results and most effective dosage.

    Get 15 Minutes of Sunlight

    Enjoying a few minutes outside on a sunny day works double-duty to boost serotonin levels: Bright light is known to promote serotonin output by stimulating the body’s circadian rhythm (its internal clock).

    Plus, when the skin is exposed to sunlight, skin cells convert the sun’s ultraviolet B rays into vitamin D. Vitamin D plays an important role in the production and activation of serotonin, which can help with mood. One study found that increased sun exposure was associated with reduced depression symptoms in elderly women.

    Experts say getting just 10–15 minutes of sun a day is enough to make adequate vitamin D in most people. If this is not possible, supplements are also available. The body can still produce vitamin D even when you’re wearing sunscreen, so be sure to use adequate protection, especially if you have pale or sensitive skin.

    The Vitamin D and SAD Connection

    Seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD, is characterized by cyclical depressive symptoms occurring in the fall and winter months as the days get shorter and there is more darkness. This condition is thought to develop due to reduced levels of sun-derived vitamin D, which in turn leads to less serotonin production.

    Treatment for seasonal affective disorder includes medication, therapies, and lifestyle changes.

    Move Your Body

    It’s commonly known that exercise is good for mental health. How does it help? In addition to endorphins (the hormones responsible for a “runner’s high”), research suggests that physical activity promotes the release of several mood-boosting chemicals, including dopamine and serotonin. This effect seems to reduce the risk of depression in those who regularly exercise.

    Try some of these exercises to give yourself a serotonin boost:

    • Running/jogging
    • Swimming
    • Biking
    • Dancing
    • Jump rope
    • Yoga

    If those activities are not suitable for you, you can also get benefits from low-impact activities such as taking a brisk walk, chair/water aerobics, and gardening activities, like weeding or raking.

    Try Adaptogenic Herbs

    Adaptogens are plant extracts that work to help keep the body in homeostasis, the balance of internal, chemical, and physical systems within the body. These herbs do this by improving the body’s ability to react and respond to stress and by helping to maintain hormonal balance.  

    Early research suggests that certain adaptogenic herbs may have antidepressant effects. More research is needed, yet there is some evidence that the following may have an antidepressant effect:

    • Rhodiola rosea (R. rosea) 
    • Ginseng
    • Ashwagandha

    Like with any complementary alternative medicine, it’s important to note that these herbs are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It’s best to talk with your healthcare provider before trying any alternative treatment.

    Stress Management

    Chronic stress negatively impacts serotonin production and impairs the function of serotonin receptors. That means stress management can play an important role in maintaining optimal serotonin levels. 

    Here are some study-backed stress-relieving techniques to try:

    While it’s not easy to eliminate stress from everyday life, simple stress management techniques can go a long way in helping you feel better.

    Medications That Increase Serotonin Levels

    Serotonin can be boosted synthetically, too. Antidepressants are a common line of treatment for depressive symptoms that may be due to low serotonin levels. There are several different kinds of antidepressants including:

    • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): These meds work to keep serotonin circulating in the brain for long periods.
    • Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs): These work by keeping serotonin and norepinephrine circulating.
    • Tricyclic antidepressants: An older-generation class of drug that prevents the reabsorption of serotonin and norepinephrine.
    • Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MOIs): This medication blocks the activity of an enzyme that breaks down serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

    These antidepressants can be helpful for boosting serotonin levels, but they may also have side effects. However, these side effects can be mild and usually don’t last long. These may include:

    • Headache
    • Nausea
    • Insomnia or fatigue
    • Sexual issues 

    Sometimes people need to try a few different meds to find the antidepressant that works for them. Talk with your healthcare provider about any side effects you develop, and work with them to find the best fit.

    Summary

    Increasing serotonin levels can be done naturally. The best ways to do this are eating serotonin-boosting foods, getting out in the sun or supplementing with vitamin D, exercising, taking adaptogens, and managing stress.

    Serotonin can also be increased synthetically, with antidepressants. While increasing serotonin is important for relieving depressive symptoms and improving mood, it’s not about getting as much serotonin as you can. Too much can also be harmful to your health. Finding the right balance is key.

    A Word From Verywell

    While you can’t really know how much serotonin you have in your body right now, you likely know when you don’t have as much as you need. When serotonin levels are low, you may feel blue or depressed.

    Not having enough serotonin is nothing to be ashamed of. Many people struggle with low serotonin levels at times, especially during the dark winter months. Sometimes, having low levels is caused by something out of your control.

    Though it can be hard to feel motivated to try new things to increase your serotonin levels when you’re feeling down, finding the right balance is possible.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    • What happens when you don’t get enough serotonin?

      Low levels of serotonin can lead to depressive symptoms. Not having enough serotonin is also associated with anxiety and sleep problems.

    • Are serotonin supplements safe?

      Some are, but it’s important to use caution when trying them. Unlike antidepressants, which are prescribed to you by your healthcare provider and are regulated by the FDA, supplements do not require a prescription and are not regulated.

      However, there is evidence to suggest that some supplements, like vitamin D, probiotics, and adaptogens, may be helpful in reducing depressive symptoms. Research is ongoing.

    • Do low levels of serotonin cause depression?

      Not necessarily. While low levels of serotonin are often associated with depression, having low levels of serotonin does not automatically mean you will be depressed.

    • Can adaptogenic herbs boost serotonin?

      Early research suggests that some adaptogenic herbs, including R. rosea, ginseng, and ashwagandha, may help boost serotonin and improve mood. These herbs and plant extracts are often used in Ayurveda (a form of alternative medicine that is the traditional medicine of India) and traditional Chinese medicine.

      While adaptogens show promise for improving serotonin, it’s best to talk to your healthcare provider before trying them to make sure they are safe for you.