Mucuna Pruriens Benefits for Dopamine, Testosterone and Better Sleep

Mucuna pruriens is one of the more potent mood enhancing and libido stimulating superfoods available, with noticeable health benefits and a long list of uses.

This powerful herb can have a direct influence on your brain’s neurotransmitters and potentially have beneficial effects on your mental state, energy levels, ability to relax and even body composition and libido.

Mucuna isn’t for everyone though and it’s important to read the dosage information and potential precautions before taking it. Strength and quality varies but there are details on high potency mucuna pruriens capsules and an organic seed powder at the end of this article.

Low Dopamine and L-Dopa

The neurotransmitter dopamine acts upon your central nervous system and, in concert with other neurotransmitters, plays a vital role in motivation, attention, memory, mood, relaxation, sexual desire, sleep and many other areas. You can read much more on the complexities of how dopamine works here.

Regularly using stimulants like caffeine, high levels of sugar, nicotine and other drugs can lead to a lowering of dopamine production in the brain and leave you feeling edgy, craving food, restless and unable to relax.

Possible longer-term symptoms of low dopamine levels include difficulty concentrating, constant tension, social anxiety, general negativity, ongoing low-energy and decreased libido.

People suffering Parkinson’s disease are known to lack dopamine in the brain and some research has shown that mucuna pruriens may benefit the condition. Scientists are also studying the link between low dopamine and depression.

If mucuna pruriens and its L-dopa can be used to normalize dopamine levels for those suffering from Parkinson’s disease or clinical depression it may have important applications as a treatment. Especially since mucuna extract has been shown to be more effective than isolated L-dopa in research studies.

That said, Parkinson’s is a very serious disease and the causes of depressions are varied. Both should be treated by knowledgeable health care professional and the use of herbal supplements discussed first as they may interfere with other treatments.

Particularly in the case of serious depression, mucuna would not be appropriate for many people. This is especially true in cases where symptoms manifest as occasional mania alongside depression as too much dopamine may only increase problems.