In some cases, your doctor may want to do testing to determine if you have low dopamine levels and/or underactive dopamine receptors. These may include a physical examination, blood tests, and questions about any symptoms you’re experiencing, among others.
There’s a lot of uncertainty and theorizing here, but you might sum it up by the difference between making a New Year’s resolution to exercise more and eat healthy all at once, versus aiming to make incremental improvements over a longer period of time. In the latter case, your dopamine receptors may be more capable of being retrained and/or reactivated. Even if your doctor doesn’t think you need to worry about your dopamine receptors, they’ll surely be on board with any plans you have to gradually make healthy lifestyle changes.
Immediate dietary changes may not provide the same benefit—the receptors may need time to adjust. This, in turn, may be why making changes all at once might make it more difficult for you to stick to your plan. You may also increase dopamine levels by increasing the amount of tyrosine and phenylalanine you consume, which is found in protein-rich foods like turkey, beef, eggs, dairy, soy, and legumes. It’s also possible that decreasing your calorie intake to recommended levels may actually increase the number of certain dopamine receptors. In any case, it seems that making healthy dietary changes benefits your receptors. [4] X Research source Talk to your doctor for advice on making healthy dietary changes. You might be advised to reduce your daily calorie intake (for instance, by 100 calories) each week, and to replace one fatty food with a low-fat alternative (for instance, carrot sticks instead of fries) each week.
Work with your doctor to create a personalized, gradual exercise regimen. You might, for example, walk for 5 minutes after dinner for a week, then add 5 minutes each week until you get to 30 or 45 minutes. Or, you might start lifting hand weights once per week, then slowly move up to using free weights 2-3 times per week. Exercise may increase how much dopamine your brain stores and can also trigger enzyme production that creates dopamine receptors.
Make sure to take sun protection measures, though. These include wearing sunscreen, using hats and long clothing, and avoiding extended exposure to the mid-day sun.
There’s no conclusive evidence that, for example, quitting smoking gradually is better for retraining or re-activating your dopamine receptors than is going “cold turkey. ” That said, most people find a gradual approach more effective when making major lifestyle changes.
This might mean cutting back on things like TV, internet, social media usage, video games, pornography and/or masturbation, shopping, extreme sports, risky activities, or other sources of stimulation in your life. Not all experts subscribe to this view, however. For instance, there’s some evidence that a very common source of stimulation—caffeine—may actually benefit your dopamine receptors. Talk to your doctor. [7] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Because dopamine plays so many important roles, dopamine-related problems (including those with dopamine receptors) can contribute to a wide range of conditions. These include (but aren’t limited to) Parkinson’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, Huntington’s disease, schizophrenia, ADHD, OCD, and autism spectrum disorders. [9] X Research source
An “agonist” is a medication that binds to and activates receptors in your body (in this case, your dopamine receptors). Common dopamine receptor agonists include ropinirole, cabergoline, bromocriptine, pramipexole, and rotigotine, among others. Depending on the medication and your needs, they may be prescribed as capsules, patches, or injections. Common side effects include extreme sleepiness, hallucinations, low blood pressure upon standing up, and compulsive behavior. [11] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source They can also interact with a range of medications, including the blood thinner warfarin.
If you are prescribed both medications, make sure you take each exactly as prescribed and report any serious side effects. Parkinson’s disease is not currently curable. As it progresses over time, you’ll likely drop the receptor agonist and take higher doses of carbidopa-levodopa. Carbidopa prevents levodopa from breaking down before it’s able to enter the brain. If you only use levodopa, it will not be able to reach the brain.
Protein-rich foods, like lean meats, low-fat dairy, and beans, which contain the amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine. The supplement form of velvet bean, which naturally contains dopamine. The supplement known as golden root, which may enhance dopamine activity.
