L-Serine, amino acid.?

Question

Hello,

After feeling run down for several years and multiple Doctors shoving anti-depressants at me, I found a great Doctor who wanted to check my vitiman levels before giving me medication ( what a novel idea right).
The results of my test show a deficency in b6, b12 and L-serine. The Doctor said that an L-serine was a pretty rare deficency. I have had a difficult time finding much more than BASIC information on this amino acid.
I am wondering what I can expect to feel after taking 1500mg (that is what was approprite doseage for my defincey). What benefits might I see, and does serine have anything to do with the production of seretonion?
Thank so much!

Answer 1

Hi Madmstella. Your doctor is much smarter than most doctors. You are fortunate.

Serotonin is biosynthesized from Tryptophan in a two step process. The second step requires Vitamin B6, so your deficiency in B6 might limit this step.

Serine deficiency is unusual. The body can readily interconvert serine and glycine, and the body can make serine (de novo) from glucose (via glycolysis).

The intervconversion of serine and glycine requires B6 and the B-vitamin Folate. Folate is often inadequate in people's diets, which is why it is now required by law to be added to certain foods. So, a combination of these deficiencies might lead to low levels of serine.

Did your doctor check your serum homocysteine level? This can be a quick screen for overall folate, B6 and B12 status.

One additional thought. Even though serine is not involved in Serotonin synthesis in the body, it is indirectly involved in the conversion of serotonin to melatonin.

Melatonin is critical for proper sleep/rest. It is also a major and critical antioxidant in the body. Serotonin is converted into Melatonin by two chemical steps: 1) acetylation and 2) methylation. Methylation requires Folate, B6 and serine to form the methyl group. It also requires the amino acid methionine. A high homocsyteine level (above 7.0) suggests an impaired methylation status.

Hope this was not too complicated to be helpful. Best wishes and good luck.

Also, has your doctor determined "WHY" you are deficient in B6 and B12? Do you have a poor diet? Do you have a malabsorption problem (e.g. Celiac Disease)?