COMT: The Gene That Balances Your Dopamine — and Your Stress

The COMT gene is like a traffic controller in your brain. It regulates how quickly you break down dopamine, one of your key brain chemicals for motivation, focus, pleasure, learning, and energy.

 

But just like traffic, dopamine needs to flow smoothly — not too fast, not too slow.

COMT determines how fast your brain clears dopamine after it’s been used. And depending on your genetic variant, this can make you feel calm and focused — or overwhelmed and anxious.

 

Let’s take a look at how COMT works and what you can do to support your brain chemistry.

 

⚖️ COMT: The Dopamine Balancer

COMT stands for Catechol-O-Methyltransferase — an enzyme that breaks down dopamine, as well as adrenaline, noradrenaline, and estrogen.

There are two main COMT types:

 

🚀 Fast COMT

• Clears dopamine quickly
  
• You may feel flat, unmotivated, or fatigued if dopamine drops too low
  
• Risk of lethargy, anxiety, irritability from low dopamine
  
  

🐢 Slow COMT

• Clears dopamine slowly
  
• Can lead to high dopamine build-up
  
• May feel wired, overstimulated, or anxious — especially under stress
  
• Sensitive to caffeine, loud environments, pressure
  
  

Both types have benefits and challenges. The key is finding the sweet spot, where dopamine is in balance — this is where we feel motivated, alert, and focused, but calm and in control.

 

💡 The "Jekyll and Hyde" Nature of Dopamine

Dopamine is like fuel for your brain — but too little and you feel flat, too much and you’re jittery.

The images show a dopamine curve:

• On the left, dopamine is too low → low energy, mood, focus
  
• In the middle, dopamine is just right → reward, drive, clarity
  
• On the right, dopamine is too high → stress, anxiety, reactivity
  
  

Your COMT speed, combined with your environment (stress, hormones, nutrients), determines where you land on this curve.

 

♀️ COMT and Estrogen

Estrogen slows down COMT. So if you already have slow COMT, estrogen (especially during PMS, pregnancy, or HRT) can amplify dopamine overload.

That’s why some people feel more:

• Anxious or overstimulated around their menstrual cycle
  
• Sensitive to stimulants like coffee or stress
  
• Prone to mood swings when estrogen rises
  
  

Understanding this helps explain the "traffic jam" effect seen in the second image: estrogen and stress block the road, making it harder to clear dopamine and leading to overload.

 

⚠️ Common Triggers for Dopamine Overload

If you have slow COMT, these things can worsen overstimulation:

• Stress
  
• Estrogen spikes
  
• Stimulants like caffeine or nicotine
  
• Certain polyphenols like green tea extract (EGCG) and quercetin
  
  

These inhibit COMT further, leading to a “dopamine traffic jam.”

 

✅ Nutrients That Support COMT

Whether you have fast or slow COMT, your body needs the right nutrients to support enzyme activity.

Key helpers: