357 | id == 357
357 | category_id == 21
357 | category_order == 18
357 | category_name == Anxiety
357 | category_color == #C47AC0
357 | slug == tph2-anxiety
357 | title == A Chemical-Producing Gene and Its Link to Anxiety (TPH2)
357 | meta_description == Variants of TPH2 are associated with anxiety. Click here for some diet and gene-based tips!
357 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The gene TPH2 causes serotonin to be made in the brain, leading to higher GABA levels. Some variants produce less of these chemicals, making them more prone to anxiety. Read on to find out what you can do about it.</strong></p>
357 | overall_score_text == Your Anxiety Score (based on TPH2)
357 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/TPH2-Anxiety.jpg
357 | author_id == 15
357 | author_name == John Williams
357 | author_title == B.Sc
357 | author_order == 3987
357 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/sinan_pic.png
357 | author_intro == <p>John received his BSc from the University of Toronto.&nbsp;John has spent the last several years teaching high school science and math to English-language learners, which has forced him to learn how to simplify difficult concepts as much as possible. He has also worked in two different research labs and has experience as a student intern working and studying under doctors in hospitals and clinics to help diagnose and treat patients, interpret lab results and fill out mountains of paperwork.</p>
357 | reviewer == None
357 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
357 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
357 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
357 | publish_date == 2020
357 | publish_date == 9
357 | publish_date == 25
357 | avg_rating == 5.0
357 | tags_id == 112
357 | tags_name == Anxiety
357 | tags_id == 711
357 | tags_name == GABA
357 | tags_id == 309
357 | tags_name == Serotonin
357 | tags_id == 693
357 | tags_name == TPH2 gene
357 | tags_id == 694
357 | tags_name == Tryptophan
357 | permissions_favorite == False
357 | permissions_rate == False
357 | content_article == <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TPH2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes the protein responsible for making serotonin in the brain. Variants of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TPH2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> play a role in anxiety by causing less serotonin to be produced. Serotonin and GABA are both associated with anxiety and their levels seem to be related. Lifestyle, diet and supplement modifications can therefore counteract the effects of these variants by increasing serotonin or by increasing GABA.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>TPH2</em> and Anxiety</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TPH2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene encodes tryptophan hydroxylase 2, a protein that is needed to make serotonin in the brain. Some variants will result in less TPH2 being produced and therefore less serotonin as well. Low serotonin levels are associated with anxiety [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19132526/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17768266/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11110013/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">SSRIs, which are drugs that increase serotonin levels by preventing serotonin from going back into your cells, seem to result in higher GABA levels. The rs4570625 TPH2 variant with higher serotonin levels also has higher GABA levels, suggesting that one way serotonin can help with anxiety is through GABA [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14754790"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23552096/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Your <em>TPH2</em> Results for Anxiety</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*9623900428572789*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Primary SNP:</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>TPH2 </em></strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs4570625/"><strong>rs4570625</strong></a></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = associated with an increased risk of panic disorder and anxiety</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = no association with panic disorder or anxiety</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A study also showed that the 'T' variant is associated with higher GABA levels in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for thinking and planning. GABA is a chemical that makes your brain less active so it makes sense that it is lower in the 'G' variant [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23552096/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Other Important SNPs:</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>TPH2 </em></strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs1386494/"><strong>rs1386494</strong></a></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = associated with an increased risk of panic disorder (in women)&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = no association with panic disorder</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*3667307473693848*</strong></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Recommendations for Improving Anxiety</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*5030265127600815*</strong></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Meditation</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many different kinds of meditation are associated with reduced anxiety. Mindfulness meditation both increases levels of serotonin and reduces anxiety symptoms. This can be especially useful since certain </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TPH2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants produce less of the protein responsible for making serotonin [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24719001/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19132526/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similar effects on anxiety were found for transcendental meditation and qigong meditation </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">as well as meditation/exercise hybrids like yoga and taichi. For maximum benefit, it is&nbsp;</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">important that you perform the meditation on a regular basis [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31333265/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31145299/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31469677/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24107199/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Meditating on a regular basis may help reduce anxiety.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Magnesium</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some studies have suggested that magnesium may provide an anxiety-related benefit. One of the effects of magnesium is to stimulate GABA release, and high GABA levels are associated with reduced anxiety as GABA is mainly responsible for turning things off in your brain</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28445426/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30068404/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7352515/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29920008/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Magnesium can be taken as a supplement or added to your diet. Good sources of magnesium in your diet include nuts and leafy, green vegetables, with spinach providing a particularly high amount</span> <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15650-magnesium-rich-food"><span style="font-weight: 400;">[R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">The relatively higher magnesium levels found in nuts and leafy, green vegetables may improve anxiety levels.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>L-theanine</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">L-theanine is an amino acid that was discovered in green tea. Some studies have found that L-theanine is associated with a decrease in anxiety. Animal studies have shown that L-theanine causes both GABA and serotonin levels to go up. Given that both GABA and serotonin are low in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TPH2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants we have mentioned in this article, supplementing with L-theanine may provide some benefit</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21208586/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31623400/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31758301/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17182482/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30474152/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Consider supplementing with L-theanine as it may help with anxiety.</span></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">5-HTP</h4> <p>5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of serotonin and melatonin in the brain from the amino acid tryptophan [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11869656" target="_blank" rel="noopener">R</a>].</p> <p>In a small study of 15 young adults who suffer stress or anxiety from unreciprocated romanticism, 6-weeks of supplementation with 5-HTP decreased anxiety by 3 weeks. The authors attributed the positive results to increased&nbsp;<a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/a-comprehensive-list-of-natural-ways-to-increase-bdnf/">BDNF</a>&nbsp;and serotonin levels [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21178946" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-ref-link="10">R</a>].</p> <p>24 people who suffered from chronic panic attacks, due to lower availability of serotonin in the brain, found significant relief after taking 200 mg of 5-HTP [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12559480" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-ref-link="11">R</a>].</p> <p>In clinical trials, herbal extracts of 5-HTP were shown to activate GABA receptors or increase GABA levels, promoting a sense of relaxation and decreased anxiety [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19865069" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-ref-link="12">R</a>].</p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">The body uses 5-HTP to produce serotonin. Supplementing with it may compensate for low TPH2 activity by increasing the availability of serotonin precursors.</span></p>
357 | content_snp_table_9623900428572789_key == 9623900428572789
357 | content_snp_table_9623900428572789_blur == True
357 | content_snp_table_9623900428572789_hidden == False
357 | content_learn_more_3667307473693848_key == 3667307473693848
357 | content_learn_more_3667307473693848_blur == True
357 | content_learn_more_3667307473693848_hidden == False
357 | content_learn_more_3667307473693848_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your TPH2 gene makes you somewhat more likely to develop anxiety. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of anxiety; it’s just one gene related to it. Meditation, increasing magnesium in your diet, and L-theanine may help. Keep scrolling to find out more.
357 | content_recommendation_5030265127600815_key == 5030265127600815
357 | content_recommendation_5030265127600815_blur == True
357 | content_recommendation_5030265127600815_hidden == False
rsIDs = rs1386494,rs4570625
rsStatus = rs1386494,TPH2,chr12,71958763,T,A,C,G,18,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs4570625,TPH2,chr12,71938143,G,A,T,,30,0,Normal
