Food for Thought

The right nutrients can help the brain, particularly those that feed the billions of cells which are part of the central nervous system and promote brain metabolism by restoring phospholipid content in the brain and regulation of neuron membrane excitability.

25/11/05 For health and physical well-being, a balance of vitamins and minerals is essential.  We need to get the necessary vitamins and minerals we need from food and/or supplements as they cannot be manufactured in our body.  A healthy, balanced diet can play an important role in maintaining overall health and quality of life.  Yes, we really are what we eat - but what about our brains?

It is easy to take the brain for granted; however, the brain is the most important organ in the human body.  The brain automatically performs the most complex functions and it keeps us alive.  It is the centerpiece of the nervous system that regulates all functions such as the beating of the heart or the maintenance of body temperature.  Our fascination with the body has led to a wealth of recommendations on nutritional requirements for normal growth, but we know little about taking care of our brain.  At each step, scientists study the maintenance of the brain by ensuring a certain nutritional profile because the human brain is the most complicated organ and we don’t know enough about how it functions.  We do know that the brain consists of billions of interconnecting nerve cells in a complex pattern in which tiny electrical currents flow in any of a vast number of possible pathways via neurotransmitters.

The well protected but delicate human brain is constantly under attack.  Stress, environmental pollution, internal toxicity and lack of proper diet and nutrients all take their toll.  The right nutrients can help, particularly those that feed the billions of cells which are part of the central nervous system and promote brain metabolism by restoring phospholipid content in the brain and regulation of neuron membrane excitability.

Brain Health and Cognition
The most important period of development of the central nervous system begins before birth and continues until a child is 3 years old.  During this period thousands of neuron connections are formed: 70% of the brain develops during the fetal stage and the remaining 30% during the pre-school period1.  Moreover, neurons are more susceptible than the other cells of the body to both deficiencies and excesses.  The close relationship between some nutrients which are listed below and cognition has been investigated in great detail generally by supplementation studies in children presenting the deficiency2.

Cognitive development also depends on a wide range of the factors such as genetics, individual factors, the environment (family relationships), culture – socioeconomic factors and overall health.

Iron
Iron is a mineral of which large amounts are present in the brain.  It is involved in the metabolism of the neurons3 and can affect cognitive and behavioral functions.  According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), iron deficiency is very common4 and can lead to impaired brain function and immunocompetence5.  Even if they do not display any signs of anemia, the children of mothers with iron deficiency will have lower iron levels and/or very soon develop iron deficiencies themselves.

Iron supplementation can increase the mental development scope of anemic children6.

Zinc
Like iron, zinc is also present in large quantities in the brain.  The mechanism of its action is not yet clear, but it seems to modulate the transmission of nerve signals7.  What is clear is that zinc plays a role in cell growth and neurological development.  Zinc deficiency during the embryonic and postnatal periods may result in a wide range of malformations of the nervous system8.
 
Folic Acid
A large number of the B-group vitamins (B1, B2, B6, Folic Acid and B12) are required for the synthesis of various neurotransmitters.  Folic acid deficiency is particularly important.  An insufficient intake of this vitamin by women in the early stages of pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of malformations of the neuronal tube9.

Tocotrienols
Vitamin C and E, beta carotene and selenium are also essential to optimal brain function.  The theory is that antioxidants prevent free radicals from damaging brain cells – damage that inevitably increases as people age.  High blood levels of antioxidants are associated with high mental function, including memory.

by Ram Chaudhari, Ph.D., FACN, CNS, Fortitech Sr. Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer

References:
1 -  Ref: Singh M. Indian J. Pediatrics 2004; 71 (1): 59-62
2 -  Ref: Black MM, J. Nutr. 2003 133 (11 Suppl 2): 3927 S-31S
3 -  Ref: de Deungria M. Rao R. Woblsen JD et al. Pediatr. Res. 2000; 48 (2): 169-76
4 -  Ref: WHO - The prevalence of anemia in women: General info: 1992
5 -  Ref: Gordon N. Brain dev. 2003; 25 (1): 3-8
6 -  Ref: Walter T. Kovalskys J. Stekel A. J. Pediatr: 1983; 102 (4): 519-22
7 -  Ref: Bhatnager S. Taneja S. Br. J. Nutr. 2001; 85 (2 suppl): S 139-S145
8 -  Ref:  Wanbon IP, Xing HC Wainwright PE. J. Nutr. 1999; 129(10):  1773-81
9 -  Ref:  Yates JR Ferguson – Smiths MA Shenkin A et al. Chin Genet. 1987; 31 (5): 279-87

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