Q. What are some of the best foods, nutrients or herbs to help improve your brain function?
A. Once upon a time it was believed that the brain doesn’t grow as people get older. New research, however, has shown that the brain cells continue to branch out and make connections throughout a person’s life. Eating the right diet can help the brain make the right connections—at all ages.
Studies have repeatedly shown that there is a relationship between how we think, act and learn and the food we eat. The brain needs fuel to function optimally; if we are putting in junk, then we get “junk” thoughts. The brain uses 20-25% of the total energy in the body and gets first priority of nutrients in the blood.
The best sugars for the brain are complex carbohydrates. Starches and fruit sugars (fructose) do not cause the roller-coaster mood swings that the junk sugars do. The molecules in complex carbs are long, so it takes longer for the intestines to break them down into the simple sugars the body can use. Thus, they provide a time-released source of steady energy rather than a sudden surge followed by a sudden drop. Foods with a low glycemic index do not push the pancreas to secrete as much insulin, so the blood sugar tends to be steadier.
There are two types of proteins that affect neurotransmitters:
1) neurostimulants, such as proteins containing tyrosine, affecting the alertness transmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, and
2) calming proteins that contain tryptophan, which relaxes the brain. Balancing both of these help with brain function, mood and behavior.
Eating complex and low glycemic carbohydrates along with proteins helps usher the amino acids from these proteins into the brain, so that the neurotransmitters can work better. Complex carbohydrates and proteins act like biochemical partners for enhancing learning and behavior.
Nutritionally balanced plans are likely to help with brain function in many ways. Breakfast eaters achieve higher grades, pay closer attention, participate more in class discussions, and manage more complex academic problems than breakfast skippers.
Foods poor in nutrients are more likely to create inattentive, sluggish behavior. People starting the day with sugary foods and simple carbohydrates are more likely to show erratic eating patterns throughout the day, eat less nutritious foods, and give in to junk-food cravings. They may crave a mid-morning “sugar fix” because they can’t make it all the way to lunchtime on an empty fuel tank.
The two most important amino acids for neurotransmitter production are tryptophan and tyrosine. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, meaning the body does not make tryptophan; it must be obtained from the diet. Tyrosine, on the other hand, is not an essential amino acid because the body can make it if there is not enough in the diet. These two amino acids influence the four top neurotransmitters - serotonin, which is made from the amino acid tryptophan, and dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, which are made from the amino acid tyrosine.
Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain, the other three, collectively known as catecholamines, are neurotransmitters that rev up the brain. Anti-depressant drugs like Prozac work by increasing the amounts of serotonin in the brain. Since carbohydrates favor serotonin production, perhaps carbo-cravers self-medicate to increase their own serotonin.
Two factors influence whether the brain perks up or slows down following a meal: the ratio of protein to carbohydrate, and the ratio of the amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine. A diet that is 25% protein and 75% low glycemic, primarily green foods, along with the good fats, creates the perfect biochemical balance, not only for brain function, but for total health.
A low fat diet is not the best choice. Good fats are essential for memory, concentration and all brain activities. Fats are major components of the brain cell membrane and the myelin sheath around each nerve. It’s not only the amount of fat that’s important for growing brains, it’s the type of fat, such as DHA.
DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that is abundant in deep ocean fish. It is the primary structural component of brain tissue. A deficiency of DHA in the diet could translate into a deficiency in brain function. In fact, research is increasingly recognizing the possibility that DHA has a crucial influence on neurotransmitters in the brain, helping brain cells better communicate with each other.
Asian cultures have long appreciated the brain-building effects of DHA. In Japan, DHA is considered such an important “health food” that it is used as a nutritional supplement to enrich some foods, and students frequently take DHA pills before examinations.
Besides balancing basic intake of good fats, complex carbohydrates and protein, some specific supplements can also help brain function.
B-Complex plays an essential role in brain function. It helps with the manufacture and release of neurotransmitters. B-Complex helps with mood regulation, hunger regulation and sleep. For example, a deficiency of folic acid can result in symptoms of depression. If B6 is deficient, it can cause hyper-irritability and fatigue. B12 is vital to maintaining healthy myelin sheath.
Vitamin C is required by the brain to make neurotransmitters. The brain actually draws extra Vitamin C out of the blood and concentrates it in the brain.
Vitamin E, Nutri-Calm, Thai Go, IF Relief, Super Antioxidant and Green Tea Extract help protect the brain cells from free-radical damage caused by environmental toxins. This helps prevent dementia and other problems in the brain caused by inflammation and aging.
Iron deficiency can cause irritability, lack of concentration and a decrease in mental alertness. It is required for neurotransmitter function. Balanced iron is the key. Too much iron in the wrong forms can be an oxidant and cause cellular breakdown. The best forms are plant forms like the I-X formula and chlorophyll capsules.
Calcium in the right form is important for brain function, too. Lack of calcium can lead to impaired behavior and learning. In the book, Feeding the Brain: How Foods Affect Children (Plenum, 1989), Dr. C. Keith Conners reports that children who were more hyperactive had significantly lower calcium intakes than less hyperactive children.
Binding calcium is essential for the right uptake. This is where B12 and essential fatty acids work in synergy with minerals like calcium. Herbal CA is an excellent choice for Calcium.
Gingko/Gotu Kola with Bacopa, Brain Protex and Focus Attention are great herbal formulas for the brain. Some important herbs for the brain include the following.
Gotu kola is used in India as a cerebral tonic. Containing calcium, pangamic acid, phosphorus and the amino acid glutamine, gotu kola has been used to treat amnesia, dementia, fatigue and senility. It has a revitalizing effect on the brain cells and nerves.
Ginkgo is another important brain herb. It helps improve the brain’s ability to utilize oxygen and glucose by improving peripheral blood flow. Ginkgo improves nerve transmission and activates ATP (Adenosine triphosphate), an organic compound that aids metabolic reactions. Ginkgo is one of the most prescribed herbs in Europe and is recommended in treating dementia, memory loss, senility and for promoting recovery from stroke.
Rosemary stimulates the pineal gland and improves energy levels. Rosemary contains more than a dozen antioxidants. It is a nervine, rejuvenating agent, stimulant and tonic. It is contraindicated with high blood pressure.
Licorice is sweet and energizing, and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. It has been used to treat debility, emotional instability, Parkinson’s disease and stress. It is a tonic, nutritive and rejuvenator. It is also contraindicated with high blood pressure unless it is in a deglycerrized form.
Schizandra berries are a cerebral tonic that improve the body’s ability to utilize oxygen. In China, many people chew a few berries daily to improve concentration and coordination.
Peppermint essential oil helps with focus and concentration. I make the following blend for mental focus: 4 oz. distilled water, 3 drops peppermint essential oil, 3 drops of lemon, 2 drops rosemary essential oil and 1 drop lemon essential oil. Just spritz it in the air when you need it.
Q. Do you have any suggestions for working with ADD and ADHD?
One theory about ADD is that it is caused by a neurotransmitter imbalance. Children with ADD use hyperactivity and undesirable behavior to stimulate production of neurotransmitters, then they become overstressed and deplete themselves of neurotransmitters and are soon out of control. It seems that a child with a tendency toward ADD needs a diet rich in nutrients that build neurotransmitters, given the difficulties he may have regulating their production. Research supports this idea.
Specifically, a 1996 study of 96 boys found that those with lower blood levels of omega 3 fatty acids were significantly more likely to have learning and behavior problems than those whose levels were normal. Another study showed that children with ADHD tended to have low blood levels of DHA and arachidonic acid, two key brain fats.
Perhaps this is why studies have shown that children who have been breast-fed are less likely to have ADHD, and the longer the period of breast-feeding, the less the likelihood of having ADHD. The reason seems to be that breast milk is high in important fatty acids, such as GLA, ALA, DHA, arachidonic acid (AA) and others. But prior to 1997, most formulas contained little or none of these fatty acids.
Studies at Purdue University in Indiana indicate that many boys with ADHD have low levels of the fatty acids DHA, GLA, and AA in their blood, and tended to have lower levels of ALA and LA precursors in their blood than boys without ADHD, suggesting that these children were unable to make the fatty acids their brain needs from the fats in their diet. The boys with ADHD who had the lowest levels of DHA, GLA, and AA, exhibited the most anxiety, impulsivity, hyperactivity and conduct disorders. The researchers suggested three possible explanations for their findings: the children’s diets were deficient in essential fatty acids the children had a metabolic problem that prevented the body from converting dietary nutrients to essential fatty acids for the brain; or various lifestyle and dietary factors reduced the level of essential fatty acids available to the brain.
While a deficiency of omega-3 fats can contribute to poor behavior and learning, the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids in the diet is also important. A study of fifteen children with motor coordination problems showed that motor skills improved after the children were given a diet rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Brain researchers believe that the ideal ratio in the diet is 1:1, but a study found that children with ADHD had a higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in their diet. When the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio gets too high, the important omega-3 fats may be less available to the brain.
Some children with ADHD have outward symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency, such as excessive thirst, frequent urination, dry hair and dry skin. These symptoms appear because the vital organs, such as the brain, seem to have claim on the essential fatty acids in the diet and rob these vital nutrients from less important organs, such as the skin.
The Hyperactive Children’s Support Group in England concluded, after researching the connection between ADD and essential fatty acid deficiency, that since some children may have a problem with normal metabolism of essential fatty acids, they should supplement their diets with essential fatty acids. The group even suggested that perhaps males require two to three times more essential fatty acids than females, since hyperactive male children seem to outnumber females by three to one.
In a study of DHA and behavior, a group of college students were given a daily supplement of DHA beginning in August and continuing until final exams. Students who took DHA supplements displayed far less external aggression than those not taking supplements.
Sugars can also affect the learning and behavior of children. Glucose tolerance tests on 261 hyperactive children showed that 74 percent had abnormal glucose tolerance tests, indicating that some children with ADHD are more prone to blood sugar swings and the poor behavior and school performance that may accompany them. In one study, seventeen children with ADD were shown to have a lower rise in plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine in response to glucose infusion, another indication that these children may have difficulty with blood-sugar problems.
So, the first thing to do with children suffering from learning problems is to increase omega-3 fatty acid intake, especially DHA, and use complex carbohydrates instead of refined carbohydrates like sugar, white flour and pasta. In addition, we have found that increasing iodine intake can he helpful, as iodine helps the body utilize fats.
Some other basic nutritional suggestions for ADD and ADHD include getting more protein, iron, zinc and calcium in the diet. Teenage males need around 25% more protein, at least 15 more grams than a pre-teen. Most adolescent females, on the other hand, need less daily protein than males.
When entering adolescence, males need around 20% more iron during the phase of rapid muscle growth. Females need around 33% more iron once they begin menstruation. Adolescent males need about a 33% increase in their daily requirements for zinc; adolescent females need about 20% more zinc than pre-adolescent females. Both adolescent males and females need around 33% more calcium than pre-adolescents (1,200 milligrams a day versus 800 milligrams). In addition, both males and females show at least a 20 to 30% increase in daily requirements of nearly all the vitamins as they grow from pre-teens to adolescents.
It is very clear that nutritional deficiencies are a major factor in learning problems like ADD and ADHD. So, before putting a child on medications, consider altering their diet and adding some of these basic supplements.