Can Dopamine Detox Help Low Dopamine? (Part 2-Dopamine Hack)

Welcome to part 2 in the dopamine series. In this part we are going to look at some clever ways to increase dopamine naturally and you might want to stay to the end because we will cover a lot here. 

NOTE: This video is a few years old. Follow along in the written text below, to check updated info! 

Scandinavian Bob here hi, this channel is all about reducing anxiety and discovering interesting biohacks and self-improvement tricks in order to build a stronger self so consider subscribing, click on the little bell icon, and let’s get going.

Ok so there are literally hundreds of things we can do to manipulate dopamine levels, so we will of course¨focus on the things that give the biggest bang for the buck.

In part one I mentioned the causes of low dopamine...

• Long term stress / anxiety
• Lack of sleep 
• Adrenal fatigue
• Sharp spikes and crashes in blood sugar
• Leaky gut and a bad digestive system…
• Addiction
• A bad diet, giving you certain deficiencies, 
• Genes (reward deficiency syndrome)
• Type 2 diabetes 
• Coffee
• Depression
• Lack of purpose

So let’s talk about some clever ways to fix those and also things that raise dopamine in and of themselves. 

Take a look at the first five causes here...

1. Stress
2. Lack of sleep
3. Adrenal fatigue
4. Blood sugar spikes and crashes
5. Leaky gut

Apple cider vinegar may be helpful...

Now of course there are hundreds of things to do about those, but as I said, we will look at the biggest bang for the buck.

I personally attack all those 5 things by starting my day by putting a tablespoon of ACV in a glass of water and then I drink it. I also do it once more during the day, prior to one of my later meals.

This is phenomenal for your gut, and it also helps with stress...

...and it also helps combat sharp fluctuations in blood sugar.

It basically targets the first five things on the list. You can find ACV vinegar in almost every grocery store for just a couple of bucks.

Ashwagandha may also be helpful...

I also take an adaptogenic herb called Ashwagandha. 

This is one of my favorite herbs as it significantly lowers stress and anxiety,. It helps with sleep, and it is one of the best herbs for adrenal fatigue.

Several studies have also shown that Ashwagandha has the ability to lower blood sugar levels, so again, we are attacking the first few causes on that list above.

Make sure to get a potent form of Ashwagandha...

If you want to give ashwagandha a try, don't just buy the root powder!

Make sure it is either KSM-66 or Sensoril that you are buying. 

Ok so the next tool for increasing dopamine levels is meditation. 

Meditation will help your dopamine system...

Several studies show meditation to significantly increase dopamine, and it may perhaps also increase dopamine receptors (the latter is still a bit unclear).

Now as a bonus, it also helps with stress, anxiety and sleep so again, this is one of the most effective tools you can use. 

Another effective tool to naturally increase dopamine is sunshine.

Sunshine helps your dopamine system too...

Yes, being out in the sun can do wonders for your dopamine, and again, it also lowers stress and anxiety.

Studies also show how sunlight helps with depression - so of course this is a tool that we just have in our dopamine toolbox.

Moving on…

Cold showers is a powerful tool for your dopamine and your dopamine receptors...

Cold showers have shown to both increase dopamine levels and dopamine receptors, so that right there makes it a very good long term tool, but here too it does more... 

Cold showers have shown to be really effective for helping with depression, stress, anxiety and insomnia and adrenal fatigue.

Now I admit, it takes some willpower to do them, but If you are serious about fixing your dopamine levels then they are an amazing tool that you really should consider. 

Physical exercise is a 'must do' for your dopamine levels...

Then, of course, we just have to talk about exercises, as this too is a tool that both increases dopamine and dopamine receptors.

It also helps to reduce anxiety, stress and depression!

Just make sure to not overdo it, because if you do, it will backfire and the net result will actually be MORE stress for your nervous system. 

The best kind of exercise for your dopamine? (H.i.i.t.)

Just doing some mild exercise like cardio will increase your dopamine, but if you want to increase the receptors as well, (which is a very good thing to do) then high intensity interval training or heavy strength training is better as those do both. 

But again, don’t overdo it!

Make sure to take a few rest days as well and let your body recover. This is because too much training will lead to even more stress, so keep that in mind and try to find YOUR right balance. 

L-Tyrosine is a building block for dopamine...

Then what you want to do is to eat foods that are rich in the amino acid L-Tyrosine. 

This is because dopamine is made for this amino acid, and of course we want to give the body the right material for creating dopamine...

...otherwise doing all these other things may not help. 

Some foods high in Tyrosine are…

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Spinach
• Fish, particularly salmon and tuna fish
• Yogurt
• Wild rice
• Cheese
• Peanuts
• Almonds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Beans 
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Beef 
• Pork
  
  

There are also Tyrosine supplements that you can take and here too I can provide a link to a good brand, just check under the video where it says links. 

Having a "To-do list" is also helpful for your dopamine...

Then I also recommend that you have a to-do list. 

When you write down your tasks and get to tick them off, one by one, it will help you with motivation. And as you remember from part 1, dopamine and motivation really go hand in hand. 

It may sound trivial, but it is actually a really effective tool.

Make a habit out of always writing down your goals, and then make to-do lists that consists of steps on how to achieve your goals.

So how about type 2 diabetes?...

Well, this is not medical advice, but if I were to suffer from type 2 diabetes I would definitely go on a very low carb diet or ketogenic diet.

By the way, did you know that some experts believe that the keto diet increases dopamine sensitivity? 

One interesting study in children with medication resistant epilepsy, showed how following the diet had a significant impact on the neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin. 

The ketogenic diet may provide multiple dopamine benefits...

So again, it’s a tool that gives multiple benefits when it comes to dopamine.

Personally I cycle on and off the diet with periods where I eat almost zero carbs and then I jump back to a normal diet for a few days before jumping back on. 

I’ve had great success with reducing anxiety and stress like this, and yes, I do feel much more mentally stable when skipping the carbs. 

I highly recommend it.

Just do a little search here on YouTube and you find great channels talking about the keto diet.

Drinking coffee and dopamine…

The next tool is a double edged sword and in part one I promised to talk more about this here and it is coffee. 

Yes, coffee does increase dopamine, but it can also CAUSE your levels to drop. 

So, how is this? 

Well, you see coffee increase cortisol and adrenaline at rest. And the levels of cortisol after caffeine consumption can even be similar to those experienced during an acute stress. 

Cortisol and adrenaline are both really powerful stress hormones, and as you know by now, stress can really tank your dopamine.

So if you are highly sensitive to caffeine, then using it to try to elevate your dopamine levels may not work for you.

Find your right dose of caffeine to help your dopamine system...

Personally I am sensitive to caffeine and I try to get around this by just drinking a very small amount every coffee break…

and I do mean small…

I drink about one fourth or 25% of a cup.

This is enough to elevate my dopamine a bit without raising my cortisol levels. 

Non-caffeine sensitive people do not need to worry about the amount so much...

Now, if you are not that sensitive to caffeine, just drink your coffee like normal and don’t worry about anything.

Ok and then when we zoom back to the causes and look at the word addiction there you have to be honest with yourself.

Are you heavily addicted to something? 

If the answer is yes then you should really consider getting a grip on it as soon as you can, because it is literally impossible to have a dopamine system that functions optimally, if we have an addiction of some sort. 

I know many followers will have to tear themselves away from online porn.

Online porn make be a serious problem for your dopamine system...

As I said before…

…I am not religious and I have no moral problems with it, but the truth is that it can become a real addiction with addiction related brain changes, and in that case, man oh man, your dopamine system will suffer. 

Mucuna Pruriens for dopamine?...

Another interesting tool is something called velvet beans also known as mucuna pruriens. 

This is something that naturally contains a precursor to dopamine called L-dopa.

These can actually be very effective and there are some interesting studies showing how long term use really makes a big difference in people with low levels.

The beans are available as supplements, and again you can check the links under this video for a good brand. *This is an older video! Today I would be a bit careful with using Mucuna Pruriens for any length of time, because it could cause a pretty sever, long term rebound effect!!!*

Listening or playing music is a helpful tool for your dopamine...

The next tool is easy to use, but also backed up by science.

It is listening to music. Yes, listen to songs that give you chills and do it often.

By doing this you will elevate your dopamine levels and you can hardly find a more natural way than that.

Alright that’s it for today, I really hope you found this video informative.

This is Scandinavian Bob signing out for today and as always I wish you all the best in your journey to become the strongest version of yourself!

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