Depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, memory loss, or other mental health disorders have become synonymous with Prozac, lithium, antidepressants, and other powerful prescription drugs that may relieve sufferers, or may even add misery to their depression and mental suffering. When I think of such problems, I wonder what reduced these individuals to the point of depression or mental decline. Were they born with these disorders? If not, what triggers them?
Stress, sleep loss, strained relationships, financial or family pressures, and a combination of these as well as nutrient deficiencies are influential factors, leading to mental disorders. A genetic make-up is another cause if prompted by deficiency in hormones (serotonin), neurotransmitters (brain chemical messengers), essential fatty acids (omega-3-and-6), minerals, and vitamins.
Though scientists knew for sometime that acute vitamin B deficiencies can result in mental confusion, irritability, and memory loss, recent studies indicate that B supplements can delay or even ward off Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
What is interesting is that some B vitamins like B12 along with folic acid can spark brain responses that increase the effectiveness and production of the mood regulator, S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), which induces serotonin secretion in the brain. Insufficiency or absence of the two nutrients can inhibit serotonin and dopamine, throwing the brain off balance.
Recent research shows that vitamin B12 plays a sizable role in making SAMe. Even though B12 is usually low in depressed individuals, it is not clear whether the vitamin deficiency triggers depression or is it a side effect of the condition.
According to Finnish researchers, sufferers with higher blood B12 levels experienced fewer depression symptoms than those with low vitamin B12. When B12 is suppressed, the brain and spine’s protective sheath of nerves get affected, resulting in numbness, extremity pricking, memory impairment, and dementia.
Vitamin B12 is found in animal products (meat, fish, poultry, eggs). Since citizens over 60 years of age are less likely to fully absorb important nutrients like B12 due to low stomach acid or intestinal disorders, they are, therefore, advised to take digestive enzymes or hydrochloric acid to increase their benefit from all nutrients in order to avoid deficiencies. Supplements can come in handy.
According to Harvard Medical School psychiatrist George Papakostas, low folic acid reduces SAMe levels so that depression sufferers’ conditions deteriorates, interfering with the effect of medication.
He, therefore, prescribes folates along with antidepressants to non-responsive patients. Folic acid is abundant in dark leafy greens, cabbage family, and oranges.
Not only B12 helps with Alzheimer’s disease, but also vitamin B3, niacin; it protects neurons from damage, preventing the disease as well as heart problems.
This finding leads scientists to prescribe the vitamin and the consumption of niacin-rich foods such as whole grains, nuts, and legumes.
The lesson to be learned, never starve your body from vital nutrients. Start by eating a balanced, nutrient-rich, low-fat diet consisting of fresh organic fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, their cold-pressed oils (essential fatty acids), free-range poultry, eggs, and dairy products, and toxin-free fish.
Include regular activity and keep stress out of your life. Remember, when you feed your body you are nourishing your brain as well. Shall we call this, hitting two birds with one stone?
(Mariam Alireza is a holistic science specialist. Send comments to [email protected]. Log on to arabnews.com for previous articles.)
