Brain Health
The brain is comprised of billions of neurons connected together to form a complex network across which messages are sent and received. It requires a constant and
steady supply of nutrients to support its function. Yet unfortunately, brain nutrient deficiencies are incredibly common and can manifest in many different guises.
Memory problems, fatigue, anxiety, sleeping problems, mood swings and the blues are hallmarks of our age – promoting optimum nutrition for the brain has never been so
important.
Below are just a few of the many different symptoms that can arise when the brain is deficient in essential nutrients:
- Anxiety
- Poor memory
- Mood swings
- Sleeping problems
- Poor
- Concentration
- Depression
- Age-associated cognitive decline
Brain Health Checklist:
Answer this simple checklist to see how your brain measures up:
- How sharp is your mind?
- How balanced is your mood?
- How consistent is your energy?
- How happy are you?
- How long do you sleep?
- Is your concentration as good as it used to be?
- Do you ever find the simplest words or the most obvious names suddenly escape your mirt4 for no apparent reason?
- Do you ever walk into a room and forget why you came in?
- Do you find it harder to remember what you did yesterday?
Maintaining cognitive function into old age
Maintaining optimum cognitive function well into Old age Is absolutely paramount for long term health quality of life. And yet statistics show very worrying picture for
Brain health worldwide:
- There is an estimated 24.3million dementia worldwide, with 4.6 year and 1 new case every 7 seconds
- It is estimated that by 2040, this figure will increased to 81 million
- More than 60% of people with dementia live in developed countries
- It is estimated that by 2040, this figure will rise to 71%
- Alzheimer's Disease accounts for more than 50% of cases of dementia in Caucasian populations
Ageing Survey
We recently conducted a small survey on people's attitudes to ageing. Mental degeneration came top as the single aspect of ageing that worried people most and, surprise surprise, top of the healthy ageing wish list was 'mental sharpness'. Yet what was most worrying about the results was that the majority of people saw declining cognitive function as simply a natural part of ageing. A few people identified exercising the brain as one way to maintain cognitive function into old age, but alarmingly, not a single person saw any connection between diet/nutrition and brain health.
You are what you eat - the brain is no exception!
Contrary to this worrying popular opinion, every single function of the brain is altered by the chemistry of the body. The mind' and body are completely interconnected. One does not exist without the other. Without the right nutrients, the brain simply cannot function, as it should.
The Importance of Sleep
Many people underestimate the importance of sleep - nobody can live without it, we need it every day and yet most people are deficient in it. A surprising 47% of people have difficulty falling to sleep or staying asleep throughout the night, but many more are simply not getting enough for optimal health. One of life's great mysteries is why we need sleep at all. Sleep specialists at Loughborough University have carried out a series of tests into how the brain functions when it is deprived of sleep and, the results are very clear: sleepy people have problems finding the right words, coming up with ideas and coping with changing situations. So cutting back on sleep can people less efficient, not more.
Stressed Out?
Stress has an enormous impact on the brain. A mild dose of stress can actually stimulate memory and mental alertness, but long-term stress = negative consequences for brain function. Stress increases control levels and raised levels of cortisol have been linked to poorer memory and a shrinking of the brain's memory sorting centre.
Research has shown that after only two weeks of the raised cortisol levels of stress, the dendrite 'arms' of brain cells that reach out to connect with other brain cells start to shrivel up. This damage isn't necessarily permanent; the dendrites can grow back if the stress is stopped.
The danger of stress-triggered raised cortisol levels over long periods of time should not be under-estimated. Numerous studies have linked elevated cortisol levels with impaired memory function." Researchers at the La Sapienza University in Rome have shown that cortisol levels are significantly higher in Alzheimer's patients than in controls and correlate the severity of the disease.
The Homocysteine Connection
Homocysteine is a brain-damaging toxin, which is made in the body from the amino acid methionine when the body is deficient in folic acid and vitamin B6. Studies have shown that high levels of homocysteine can be very damaging to the brain. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine charted the health of l,092 elderly people without dementia, measuring their homocysteine levels. Eight years later, 111 were diagnosed with dementia, of which 83 were given the diagnosis of Alzheimer's. Those with high blood homocysteine levels nearly double the risk of Alzheimer's.
Essential Nutrients for Optimal Brain Function
Acetyl-L-Carnitine
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC) is a vitamin-like substance that has been shown
to improve energy production within brain cells via its effect on mitochondria. Acetyl-L-Carnitine is involved in the synthesis of acetylcholine, the memory
neurotransmitter that is often deficient in Alzheimer's patients. An analysis of studies reports that persons with dementia given 1.5 to 3 grams of ALC daily have shown
improvement in numerous clinical measures of cognitive function such as memory, depression and mental deterioration.
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo Biloba has demonstrated potential memory enhancing effects in the elderly. Ginkgo
Biloba extract is an approved treatment for dementia in Germany, and it is the only non-prescription substance considered a treatment for dementia in Canada. Many
clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of ginkgo in the treatment of patients with dementia, Alzheimer's disease and age-associated memory
and cognitive impairment.
The B Complex
B vitamins are absolutely vital for optimum brain health. Each of the B complex
group of vitamins has many functions in the brain and nervous system, so a deficiency of anyone of them can rapidly affect cognitive function; both on a practical and an
emotional level B vitamins are water-soluble and rapidly pass out the important to have a regular intake throughout the day. Also, since the brain uses a very large
amount of these nutrients, even a short-term deficiency can affect mental abilities. The B complex vitamins are needed for proper methylation and to keep homocysteine in
a normal range. Deficiencies of these nutrients may result in forgetfulness, memory loss, confusion, depression, dementia, and mood and sensory changes.
N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)
NAC has a protective effect on the brain, because it helps to restore brain glutathione (GSH) levels. GSH is a central part of the antioxidant defences in the brain. NAC
also supports proper mitochondrial function.
Magnesium ET Thiamin
Both magnesium and Thiamin play important roles in maintaining energy production in the mitochondria. Magnesium also has many roles to play in the nervous system and
a deficiency can lead to symptoms such as being irritable or aggressive. Most importantly magnesium can be extremely effective for helping to promote relaxation and
sleep; and as such it is often nicknamed nature's tranquilliser.
Essential fats -Omega 3 & Omega 6
The brain is composed of 60% fat, and a large proportion of this fat is the essential omega-3 and omega-6 fat. The omega-3 and 6 fats playa fundamentally important part
in the complex network that is the brain - without them, the brain simply would not be able to function. This important fatty tissue needs to be constantly replenished,
and since humans can't produce the essential omega-3 & 6 fats themselves (hence the term 'essential'), it is absolutely vital that they consume optimal amounts on a
daily basis.
Fish oils, which contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are well known for their anti-inflammatory activity which is vitally important for
the brain as excessive inflammation over time can cause premature brain aging and nerve cell death. Furthermore, DHA is required for normal brain function in adults.
Decreases in brain DHA content are associated with age-related cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease.
Coenzyme Q10
CoQ10 is a lipid-soluble mitochondrial antioxidant that has shown to be
neuroprotective. As an antioxidant, it helps to protect the vitally important essential fats in the brain. CoQ10 is also critical for the energy producing function of the
mitochondria and since it is the brain that is the most energy hungry organ in the body, CoQ10 is vitally important for optimal brain function. Cellular levels of CoQ10
are known to decrease with age and supplementation is effective in a variety of age-related illnesses.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is the primary lipid-soluble antioxidant found in all tissues. Low vitamin E levels are consistently associated with an increased risk and occurrence of
neurologic disease, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Research suggests that there is a significant synergistic effect from combining CoQ10
with vitamin E.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an important nutrient to support brain cell activity and also has significant antioxidant effects. Deficiency of this nutrient is common, especially among
elderly women and those who get insufficient natural light.
Phosphatidyl Serine
Often nicknamed the memory molecule, phosphatidyl serine is a phospholipid, which is important for maintaining and promoting memory function. Although the body can make
phospholipids, supplementing extra can be really beneficial. In one study, phosphatidyl serine was shown to improve memory function to the level of people 12 years
younger.
5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan)
5-HTP or 5-hydroxytryptophan is the direct precursor of the feel-good neurotransmitter
serotonin. Many people, especially women, become deficient in serotonin. This can result in symptoms such as depression and sleep problems. Studies have shown that
supplementing 5-HTP can be as effective as using conventional anti-depressant medication
but without the side effects. Without enough serotonin, the body cannot make melatonin and without melatonin it is difficult to get to sleep and stay asleep. Waking early
in the morning is a classic symptom of deficiency of these neurotransmitters.
Folate
Folate is an essential nutrient for optimum brain health, in particular to help prevent high homocysteine levels, which can be very damaging to the brain. High
homocysteine levels strongly correlated with folic acid. Research shows that older
people low levels of have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Use it or lose it!
Just like the body, the brain also needs exercise; i.e. use it or lose it! The simple facts are that if the brain isn't regularly exercised (at any age), then its function will simply decline.
If you regularly exercise your brain and thereby increase your cognitive reserve, it follows that you will be a lot sharper than a person who rarely flexes their mental muscle. Building brainpower is important for everyone. It may not be possible to keep the body young forever but the brain can stay fit for life.
Brain Training
The latest craze for improving cognitive function right through into old age is the
very popular mental training games offered for the computer games console 'Nintendo DS'. Nintendo's brain training series was inspired by Professor Ryuta Kawashima, a
professor of neuroscience whose successful research on the brain, especially with Alzheimer's sufferers, is revolutionising health care around the world. He has written a
series of books on brain training and believes that a regime of simple tasks performed daily can improve mental acuity overtime.
The Brain Training is designed to get users exercising their minds on a daily basis, improving mathematical and memory skills and more. It's not just children and young
adults who are' picking it up to find out how well their brains are working; now doctors are recommending that their elderly patients give it a go to help stimulate their
minds. Kyoto's Uchida Hospital, which runs a memory loss clinic for patients suffering dementia, has Nintendo OS systems and copies of Brain Training to lend to its
patients.
A Summary:
The Brain Boosting Plan:
- Make sure you provide your body with a steady supply of the essential nutrients for optimum brain function throughout life - it's never too late to start.
- Build some form of 'brain training' into your daily routine. This can be on a computer console or in the form of crosswords or puzzles like sudoku; it really doesn't matter what, just find something you really enjoy to exercise your mental muscles!
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Do everything you can to reduce ongoing stress.
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