Happiness is influenced by a complex interplay of various chemicals in our brain, particularly four key neurotransmitters, D.O.S.E or Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins. These chemicals, often referred to as "happiness chemicals," are responsible for creating feelings of joy, motivation, connection, and calm.

However, when there's a deficiency in any of these, it can significantly affect our mood, energy, and overall well-being. Let’s dive into what these four neurotransmitters are, how their deficiency impacts us, and how we can boost their levels naturally.

Dopamine: The Motivation and Reward Chemical

Dopamine is often called the "motivation molecule." It plays a major role in enabling motivation, learning, and the pleasure-reward system in the brain. When we accomplish something — whether it’s finishing a project, completing a workout, or achieving a goal — dopamine gives us that sense of satisfaction and determination to continue.

Deficiency Effects:

When dopamine levels are low, it can lead to procrastination, low self-esteem, lack of focus, and general fatigue. A person might feel anxious, hopeless, or experience mood swings because the brain isn’t getting the reward signals it needs.

Boosting Dopamine:

You can increase dopamine levels by setting and achieving small goals, exercising regularly, eating foods rich in L-Tyrosine (such as almonds, avocados, and eggs), and practicing mindfulness or meditation. Engaging in creative activities like writing or drawing also helps boost dopamine levels.

Oxytocin: The Bonding Chemical

Oxytocin is often referred to as the "love hormone" or "cuddle hormone" because it plays a major role in social bonding and trust. It’s released when we hug, touch, or engage in other forms of physical affection. Oxytocin fosters feelings of connection and emotional intimacy, making it essential for relationships, family bonding, and even team cooperation.

Deficiency Effects:

A lack of oxytocin can lead to feelings of loneliness, stress, anxiety, and difficulties in forming or maintaining relationships. Low oxytocin levels are associated with feelings of isolation and disconnection from others.

Boosting Oxytocin:

You can raise your oxytocin levels through physical touch, socialising, spending quality time with loved ones, and even engaging in activities like massage or listening to soothing music. Acts of kindness, such as helping others or volunteering, also help release oxytocin.

Serotonin: The Mood Stabiliser

Serotonin is responsible for feelings of well-being and contentment. It helps regulate mood, sleep, digestion, and even social behavior. People who have balanced serotonin levels often feel calm, confident, and emotionally stable. Serotonin is crucial in helping people feel valued and significant among their peers.

Deficiency Effects:

Low serotonin levels are linked to depression, low self-esteem, irritability, and mood swings. Individuals may feel overly sensitive to criticism, experience panic attacks, or struggle with social phobias when serotonin is deficient.

Boosting Serotonin:

You can boost serotonin by getting regular exercise, exposing yourself to sunlight, engaging in cold showers or massages, and practicing mindfulness. Simple activities like walking in nature, meditating, or doing yoga are also effective serotonin enhancers.

Endorphins: The Pain Reliever

Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers. Released in response to stress, pain, or intense physical activity, they help alleviate discomfort and promote a sense of euphoria. Endorphins are what make you feel good after a workout or a hearty laugh, often referred to as the "runner's high."

Deficiency Effects:

Without enough endorphins, people may experience anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and insomnia. A deficiency in endorphins can make daily life feel overwhelming and physically draining.

Boosting Endorphins:

To boost endorphins, engage in laughter, exercise, and stretching activities. Eating spicy foods or dark chocolate can also stimulate endorphin production. Regular massage therapy and meditation are other ways to naturally elevate endorphin levels.

Dehydration is a serious concern for people fasting during the month-long Ramadan period, and can severely impact kidney and prostate health. Experts suggested that avoiding excess salt and caffeine can help.

While Ramadan fasting is generally safe for people with early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD), maintaining adequate hydration between iftar and sehri -- the two important meals each day for faithful observing the fasting -- is of significant importance.

Dehydration can lead to acute kidney injury and electrolyte imbalances for individuals with advanced CKD. As prolonged fasting hours -- more than 12 hours a day -- urine becomes concentrated, increasing the risk for kidney stones and Urinary Tract infections (UTIs).

For men with prostate problems, fasting during Ramadan can pose challenges, such as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) or an enlarged prostate, primarily due to dehydration.

“As a practicing urologist and kidney transplant surgeon in India, I often notice a rise in kidney stone pain and urinary infections during Ramzan. When patients fast for long hours -- especially in our warm climate -- urine becomes highly concentrated. That increases the risk of stones and UTIs. Men with prostate enlargement sometimes report worsening urinary flow because they consciously reduce fluid intake,” Dr. Pankaj Panwar, Additional Director, Urology, Fortis Escorts Okhla, New Delhi, told HealthandMe.

The doctor advised people “to hydrate strategically between Iftar and Sehri, avoid excess salt and caffeine”.

How Excess Salt And Caffeine Impact Ramadan Fasting

Consuming high-sodium foods such as processed meats, pickles, salty snacks, and fast food during iftar or sehri can increase thirst and dehydration.

High salt intake forces the body to pull water from cells to dilute the sodium, leading to severe thirst. It can also lead to bloating.

Similarly, caffeine in coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks can be diuretic and cause the body to lose fluids and salts through increased urination. Particularly, drinking coffee or tea at sehri -- the pre-dawn meal -- can lead to faster dehydration during the day.

Caffeine consumption, especially late in the evening, can also interfere with sleep, making it harder to wake up for sehri.

“Ramzan is a sacred month of fasting, but prolonged abstinence from water, especially in hot climates, can increase dehydration risk. Concentrated urine puts stress on the kidneys and may worsen kidney stones or trigger urinary tract infections,” Dr. Mangesh Patil, Urologist at Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, told HealthandMe.

Dehydration during Ramadan fasting can lead to symptoms like headaches, extreme thirst, fatigue, and dizziness. But in case of severe dizziness, fever, confusion, or blurred vision, the experts warned of immediate medical help.

“Do not ignore warning signs like flank pain, fever, or difficulty passing urine. A little planning can prevent an emergency hospital visit,” Panwar said.

Patil said warning signs include severe flank pain, burning urination, fever, vomiting, blood in urine, or reduced urine output. Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia may notice worsening urinary symptoms.

Tips To Prevent Complications

• Drink 2-3 liters of water between iftar and sehri
• Include water-rich fruits
• Avoid excess salt and caffeine
• Individuals with kidney disease, stones, UTIs, or prostate issues should consult their doctor before fasting.

Colon (colorectal) cancer begins when small growths called polyps form on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Over time, changes in the DNA of these cells can cause the polyps to become cancerous.

As abnormal cells multiply, they replace healthy cells and eventually form a mass known as a tumor. This process develops slowly, often taking up to ten years for a precancerous polyp to turn into cancer and begin showing symptoms.

Colon cancer poses serious health risks because cancerous cells can invade healthy tissues. Over time, they may break away and spread to other parts of the body, making detection more difficult since the symptoms can resemble other conditions.

What Is the First Sign of Colon Cancer You Shouldn’t Ignore?

Colon cancer can be difficult to detect because it often develops without obvious symptoms. However, doctors emphasize that the number one warning sign is rectal bleeding or blood in your stool.

"Colon cancer can be hard to diagnose because it can develop asymptomatically,” said Dr. John Nathanson, a gastroenterologist at New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital.

Dr. Pratima Dibba adds that this symptom should not be misdiagnosed as hemorrhoids, infection, or constipation, since early signs of colon cancer can look similar.

She urges patients to get checked promptly to rule out serious conditions.

Research from the Cleveland Clinic also shows that blood in stool can originate anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract, including the colon.

Detecting colon cancer early is critical, as survival rates can be as high as 90 percent when caught in its initial stages.

What Are Other Symptoms Of Colon Cancer?

Persistent changes in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of stool). Other signs include:

• Abdominal (belly) pain
• Bloated stomach
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Feeling like there’s still poop in your bowel even after you go to the bathroom
• Feeling tired or weak
• Unexplained weight loss

Present Day Scenario In India

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health concern worldwide. In India, it is the fourth most common cancer among both men and women. In 2022, there were 64,863 new cases and 38,367 deaths.

Projections suggest that incidence will continue to rise by 2026, reflecting both lifestyle changes and improved detection.

Compared to developed countries, survival rates in India remain lower, largely due to late-stage diagnosis and limited access to screening programs.

The American Cancer Society notes that colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. Colorectal cancer impacts around 1.9 million people every year, noted the World Health Organization (WHO) as per its 2022 data.

Some of the risk factors include risk factors involve being over the age 50, family history, certain genetic syndromes (like Lynch syndrome), inflammatory bowel diseases, and lifestyle factors (diet high in red meat, alcohol, smoking, inactivity).

The most effective way to prevent colorectal cancer is through annual colonoscopies, screening and stool tests.

For the longest we have been told that Type-2 diabetes though can be maintained, cannot be fully reversed. However, Chinese scientists may have found a cure, thanks to stem cell therapy. Chinese scientists have achieved the first case in the world in reversal of type-2 diabetes.

What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels. It develops when the pancreas either doesn't produce enough insulin, doesn't produce any insulin at all, or when the body doesn't respond properly to insulin, a condition known as insulin resistance.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and occurs when your body doesn't use insulin properly. The risk of developing Type 2 diabetes increases if you are overweight or obese, or if you have a family history of the condition.

What Did The Study Find?

First, researchers collected stem cells, either from the patient’s own body or from a donor. These cells are valuable because they can develop into many different specialised cell types and take over specific biological functions.

In the laboratory, scientists exposed the stem cells to carefully designed chemical signals and genetic instructions. This guided them to become pancreatic islet cells, more precisely, beta cells, the body’s natural insulin-producing cells.

Once reprogrammed, the cells were grown into small clusters that resemble real pancreatic tissue damaged in diabetes. These clusters are capable of sensing blood sugar levels and releasing insulin when required.

Next came transplantation. The insulin-producing clusters were implanted into the patient’s body, in this case, the abdomen. After implantation, they connected to the bloodstream and began functioning within the body.

After transplantation, the new cells begin behaving like healthy pancreatic beta cells. They sense rising blood glucose levels and release insulin in response, helping bring sugar levels down naturally and reducing, or sometimes removing, the need for insulin injections.

Doctors then closely monitor the patient over time to make sure the cells survive, continue producing insulin, and do not trigger immune rejection or other complications.

This approach falls under regenerative medicine, where the goal is not just to manage type-2 diabetes but to repair the underlying problem by rebuilding the body’s insulin-producing ability.

The early outcome is encouraging, but caution is essential. The success comes from a single case, and that alone cannot prove the treatment works broadly. Larger clinical trials across diverse patient groups are necessary to confirm both safety and effectiveness before it can be considered a reliable therapy.

Why Does This Study Matters Especially For India?

Many experts have recognized India as the diabetes capital, with type-2 diabetes being the most common cost. Globally, diabetes affects about 90 million adults between the ages 20 to 70 years, with over 90 per cent of these cases are of type-2 diabetes. India had 89.8 million adults between ages 20 to 79 years living with diabetes in 2024 and the numbers are expected to increase to 100 million by the end of 2026. This is why this stem cell therapy could prove to be of great help in controlling the numbers, especially for insulin-dependent patients.