How Food Affects Neurotransmiters

Neurotransmiters

The Mind-Body Connection

While people often just turn to sugary drinks with caffeine, or some other type of branch that will affect brain function, as a kind of self-selected therapy, many doctors strive to improve brain function through nutrition. By ingesting the presence of certain nutrients into the diet, the physician can help to bring to an ideal level the presence of certain chemicals in the brain, which in turn will allow for better regulation of the transmission of different types of messages. The consequences are visible improvements in your feelings and thinking.

Scientists have identified and isolated more than 50 types of neurotransmitters, each of which has its own specific impact on mental health. All antidepressants present on the market today try to control the depressive state by affecting the action of one or more significant neurotransmitters that facilitate communication between neurons or brain cells: serotonin, dopamine or norepinephrine.

The Important Role of Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are chemicals released in the brain that act as message carriers, delivering signals to neurons from the target nerve cell. Each neurotransmitter can directly or indirectly affect neurons in a particular part of the brain, thereby affecting behavior.

Norepinephrine

Norepinephrine is also closely related to adrenaline. Norepinephrine and serotonin are directly associated with the control of anxiety and depression. In fact, they are targeted neurotransmitters of many drugs and alternative therapies designed to alleviate anxiety, insomnia, stress and depression. Appropriate norepinephrine levels can increase energy levels. However, significantly elevated levels of norepinephrine can cause hostile or aggressive behavior.

Food table
Name mg/100g
Pumpkin seed 1316
Algae 912
Chia seeds 711

Serotonin

Serotonin in the brain helps to maintain a sense of happiness and maintain that pleasant mood by calming anxiety, promoting healthy sleep and reducing depression.

Food table
Name mg/100g
Alage 2472
Pumpkin seed 1421
Peanuts 1189

Dopamin

Dopamine is a chemical carrier of messages closely related to adrenaline, affecting the proes in the brain that control movement, emotional reactions and the ability to feel pleasure and pain. Dopamine moves toward the frontal lobe of the brain, regulating notifications coming from other areas of the brain. It is crucial for performing harmonious and controlled movements. A lack of dopamine or impaired domapine flow can result in irrational thinking, memory impairment or paranoia. In contrast, an increase in dopamine in the frontal lobe can ease pain and accelerate feelings of pleasure.

Vitamins and Minerals

B1

B1 (Thiamine), is essential for optimal functioning of the brain and nervous system. Common symptoms of thiamine deficiency are irritability, fatigue, tattooing, painful neuropathy (a type of inflammation of the nerve tissue and dysfunction), difficulty focusing eyes, paralysis, confusion, memory loss and depression. In addition to its effects on the brain and nervous system, thiamine deficiency is associated with muscle spasms and changes in the ECG of the heart.

Food table
Name mg/100g
Wheat germ 2,1
Macadamia 1,5
Linseed 1,3

B6

Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine is one of several nutrients required to keep homocysteine levels in the optimum range. Without adequate amounts of this vitamin, homocysteine levels rise - a situation that dramatically increases one's risk of depression as well as neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. It contributes significantly to the health of the nervous system and is necessary for the production of neurotransmitters such as GABA and serotonin.

Food table
Name mg/100g
Wheat germ 1,3
Garlic 1
Potato 0,6

B9

B9 - folic acid, has proven to be a key nutrient for effective brain function. Necessary for the production of certain neurotransmitters, which play a significant role in gaining a sense of well-being and balance.

Food table
Name mcg/100g
Beans 202
Lens 178
Aspargaus 127

B12

Vitamin B12 is another nutrient that plays a key role in the optimal functioning of the brain and nervous system, including avoiding depressed mood. Lack of this significant vitamin can lead to anemia, numbness or tingling of the arms and legs, weakness, fatigue or loss of balance.

Food table
Name mg/100g
Yeast 55,2
Cereals 21,3
Soy milk 1,2

Bp - Holin

In addition to being essential for superior mental health, choline plays a significant role in key metabolic processes throughout the body. In one of these crucial roles, choline serves as the raw material for the creation of an important impulse transmitter in the brain known as aceticholine. Increasing the amount of choline in the diet allows the brain to produce more ACh when stimulated.

Food table
Name mg/100g
Quinoa 700
Spinach 568
Eggs 126

C

Vitamin C, which is abundant in fruits and vegetables, is crucial for the conversion of certain substances into neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. Without proper vitamin C intake, tryptophan cannot be converted to serotonin. Vitamin C also helps convert the amino acid L-tyrosine to dopamine, which is then converted to norepinephrine by a contributing factor, vitamin B6.

Food table
Name mcg/100g
Cherries 1678
Red apple 218
Kale 108

D

Low vitamin D levels are associated with poor mood, impaired mental function, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. In contrast, researchers believe that adequate levels of vitamin D have a positive effect on cognitive function by increasing the levels of a chemical compound in the brain called acetylcholine, which promotes memory.

E

Vitamin E intake through diet and nutrition supplements can help slow mental dysfunction in older people. Vitamin E deficiency is associated with impaired thinking and occurs almost exclusively in individuals with inherited or acquired inability to absorb.

K

Vitamin K is closely linked to blood coagulation in the body. This vitamin is especially crucial for how calcium will act in the body.

Food table
Name mg/100g
Spinach 572
Kale 408
Charol 367

Calcium

In addition to its well-known role of improving bone health, calcium also facilitates better functioning of nerve and muscle cells. Like other neurotransmitters, calcium serves as a detached type of messenger, transmitting electrical signals through the nervous system.

Iron

Proper iron status, which is essential for good performance in the sports field and optimal physical health, is as crucial to learning and memory abilities as to cognitive function. Our body needs iron to produce and utilize neurotransmitters - chemicals that carry messages from one brain or nerve cell to another.

Food table
Name mcg/100g
Algae 28
Sox 16
Sesame 15

Selenium

The antioxidant role of selenium is crucial for brain physiology. Selenium is a trace element in the body. He and glutathione have been shown to be particularly effective in protecting the area of the brain that has a profound effect on Parkinson's disease. It also reduces the risk of various cancers, including colon and lung cancer.

Food table
Name mcg/100g
Brazilian nut 2158
Whole wheat flour 74
Cabbage 19

Resveratrol

Resveratrol, which has a protective effect on the heart, also improves brain function. A healthy cardiovascular system generally maps well to a healthy cerebrovascular system. The consequence is that it seems reasonable to expect that resveratrol can protect the brain from vascular dementia. It can also increase blood flow to the brain by up to 30%.

Food table
Name Ng/100g
Grapes 6341
Cranberrys 5788
Peanuts 5018

BDNF

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor - BDNF is a protein that can protect the brain from various threats, lately it has been attracting more and more attention. BDNF is a neurotrophin that helps stimulate the survival, development and function of brain cells and can actually stimulate the development of new brain cells.

Fat

Good fat - Omega 3

Omega-3 fats have proven to be an extremely important element of nutrition in the science of the necessary factors for proper brain injury. In fact, omega-3 deficiency is one of the most common factors that can be suspected in individuals facing mental health problems.

Current research has identified omega-3, a highly concentrated fatty acid in the brain, as an effective memory booster. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acids deficiency are persistent fatigue, impaired memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, mania or anxiety, and poor circulation.

Food table
Name mg/100g
Salmon 405
Spinach 153
Blueberry 81

Bad fat - Holesterol

Bad fat

When the walls of the arteries become thicker due to the accumulation of fatty substances such as cholesterol, the consequence is a reduced blood flow to the frontal lobe of the brain. This syndrome can lead to decreased cognitive function and depression.

Lowering cholesterol levels is a significant step in improving optimal brain function, and for a procedure in this direction it is also helpful to recognize that all cholesterol present in the body has not been generated in the same way.

Food table
Name mg/100g
Liver 512
Egg 203
Cream 176

Weight loose tips

  1. Drop food between the main ones
  2. Drink only water between meals
  3. Have a good breakfast, moderate lunch - for dinner
  4. Do not ingest foods high in sugar and fat and eat plenty of fiber
  5. Exercise vigorously every day for at least 45 minutes

Super good food

Berries contain antioxidants that enhance cognition, coordination and memory. Blueberry is one of the best brain foods on Earth because it enhances the power of neural signals. Called the "brain berry", it is known as a brain protector against oxidative stress and can counteract the effects of conditions caused by aging such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Strawberry is also very rich in antioxidants and can prevent aging-induced neurological degradation by improving the ability of brain cells to send and receive signaling molecules.

Vegetables from the crusader family seem to hinder aging and memory decline and thinking, returning the cognitive clock for a full year. Garlic is one of the most valuable sources of nutrients and protective ingredients on our planet. Known for lowering bad cholesterol and boosting the cardiovascular system, it also has a protective antioxidant effect on the brain. Garlic can also help protect against stroke and dementia.

Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale are rich in iron and are among the sources rich in folic acid. Kale, for example, contains compounds that fight against many cancers, optimize the ability of cells to detoxify, reduce the risk of cataracts, improve lung health, support the immune system and help maintain brain sharpness.

Nuts contain large amounts of protein, fiber and useful fats. They also contain an abundance of vitamins B, E and magnesium, which are essential for cognitive function. As positive mood boosters, nuts can also help you think a lot clearer.

Super bad food

Alcohol interferes with the production of dopamine and reduces the tendency of the frontal lobe of the brain. any benefit associated with alcohol-derived resveratrol can also be obtained by drinking grape juice. A healthier way is to be safe with alcoholic beverages.

Syrups and sugars not only lead to health problems such as diabetes and obesity, they also drain the brain. Sweetened fruit juices, various carbonated lemonades, soda water and cola drinks are among the biggest culprits. The best way is to limit the sweets to special occasions, or to take them very infrequently.

Meals with an abundance of carbohydrates, rich in refined ingredients, sugar or so-called fast foods are also significantly impeding mental capacity. Consumption of richly sweetened foods causes a rapid increase and then a faster drop in blood sugar levels. When refined sweets enter the digestive system, blood sugar rises dramatically and the body reacts as if it were exposed to a large amount of food. In contrast, when blood sugar drops to a low enough level, the frontal lobe function may suffer from inadequate fuel supplies.

Meat-based meals contain arachidonic acid, which reduces the synthesis and storage of acetylcholine. The high levels of arachidonic acid found in meat impairs the optimal functioning of the brain's wisdom and foresight center.