Question: what is seratoin

Joanna Giles answered on 12 Nov 2012:

Seratonin is a chemical messenger. It can work as a hormone and a neuro transmitter to signal happy feelings and make you more awake!

A hormone is something which is produced in our body and floats around our body in the blood system until it reaches a cell which has a receptor to bind to it. Hormones can work on cells far away from where they are produced. Hormones allow the cells in the body to communicate with each other (which is why they are also called chemical messengers).

A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger which communicates over short distances to nearby nerve cells. They are vital to allow synapses to form.

Chocolate has a chemical in it that helps you make more seratonin, which is why eating chocolate can make you feel happy!! (And bananas, bananas do too!)