Food components and their breakdown products can modify the genetic instructions that control the physiology of the human body
loss Foods those that are consumed or the lack of consumption of certain cans affect the mood of people every day. One case that is remembered in the history of nutrition is the long sea voyages of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries: sailors experienced visions of sublime food and lush fields. Finding out that they were nothing more than hallucinations after months at sea was unbearable for them. It was later discovered that the sailors suffered from scurvy, a disease that develops from a severe lack of vitamin C in the diet. Lemon juice was given as a treatment and it was effective.
Scurvy is now rare in many countries, and vitamin C, a micronutrient, can be obtained by eating fruits and vegetables. From neuroscience, efforts are being made to better understand the effect of food on brain health. according to the scientist Monica DusoAssociate Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at the University of Michigan in the United States, loss food ingredient and their decomposition products can modify genetic instructions who control the physiology of the human body.
It is already known that a delicate balance of nutrients is key to brain health: deficiencies or excesses of vitamins, sugars, fats and amino acids can affect the brain and behavior in beneficial or harmful ways. it means that Consuming a complete diet, including a balanced supply of all essential vitamins and minerals, is important for brain health.
Vitamin C is important for the production and release of neurotransmitters, chemical messengers used by the brain.
In Vitamin C is important for the production and release of neurotransmitters, chemical messengers used by the brain. Without it, brain cells dont communicate with each other effectively, which can lead to hallucinations, Dr. According to Dus.
Like vitamin C, deficiencies in other vitamins and minerals can also lead to nutritional diseases that negatively affect the brain in humans. For example, Low levels of vitamin B3/niacin in the diet commonly found in meat and fish cause pellagra, a disease in which people develop dementia.
Niacin is essential for the body to convert food into energy and building blocks, protects the genetic blueprint from environmental damage, and controls the amount of certain gene products produced. In the absence of these vital processes, brain cells, that is, neurons, degenerate and die prematurely. This can lead to dementia.
Niacin is a type of B vitamin. Increasing levels of this vitamin benefits patients with neurodegenerative problems / Archive
In animal models, decreasing or blocking niacin production in the brain promotes neuronal damage and cell death. On the other hand, increasing levels of niacin have been shown to reduce the effects of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers, Huntingtons and Parkinsons. Although the results are not yet conclusive, observational studies in humans indicate that adequate levels of niacin may protect against these diseases, Dus wrote. Conversation, its funnyNiacin deficiency can cause pellagra-like effects due to excessive alcohol consumption.
Another example of how nutritional deficiencies affect brain function Its all about the element iodine, which, like niacin, must be obtained through the diet. It is naturally present in shellfish and algae, and can also be obtained through iodized salt. Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormones, signaling molecules that are important for many aspects of human biology, including growth, metabolism, appetite and sleep. Low iodine levels inhibit the production of thyroid hormones in sufficient amounts, impairing these essential physiological processes.
Iodine is particularly important for the development of the human brain. In fact, before table salt was supplemented with this mineral in the 1920s, Iodine deficiency was one of the leading causes of cognitive dysfunction worldwide. The introduction of iodized salt is believed to have contributed to the gradual increase in IQ scores over the past century.
A study in Italy led by Giovanni Ferrello showed thatPeople with drug-resistant epilepsy a condition in which brain cells fire uncontrollably can reduce the number of seizures by adopting a very low-carbohydrate diet, in which 80% to 90% of calories are derived from fat. The work was published in the journal Nutrients,
Carbohydrates are the bodys preferred source of energy. When they are not available whether from fasting or a ketogenic diet your cells get fuel by breaking down fats into compounds called ketones. Using ketones as an energy source causes profound changes in metabolism and physiology, including the levels of hormones circulating in the body, the amount of neurotransmitters produced by the brain, and the types of bacteria that live in the gut.
Researchers believe that these diet-dependent changes, particularly the increased production of brain chemicals that can calm neurons and lower levels of inflammatory molecules, may lead to a ketogenic diet to reduce the number of seizures. capacity can play a role. These changes may also explain the benefits of the ketogenic state either through diet or fasting on cognitive function and mood.
Also, it has been known from various studies that excessive levels of certain nutrients can also have harmful effects on the brain. In humans and animal models, high intakes of refined sugars and saturated fats a combination commonly found in ultra-processed foods deactivate the brain for hormonal signals known to regulate feelings of satiety and satisfaction. Promotes food intake.
A diet containing many highly-processed foods also weakens the taste system: it causes animals and humans to perceive foods as less sweet. These sensory changes can affect food choice, as well as the rewards that come with it. Dr. Ten and a team of colleagues demonstrated this change in a study published in the journal Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism,
Research shows, for example, that Peoples responses to ice cream in brain regions important for taste and reward blurred when they ate it every day for two weeks. Some scientists believe that this reduction in food reward signals may increase cravings for more fatty and sugary foods, in the same way that smokers crave cigarettes.
Diets rich in fat and processed foods are also associated with reduced cognitive function and memory in humans and animal models, as well as a higher incidence of neurodegenerative diseases. However, scientists do not yet know whether these effects are due to these foods or the weight gain and insulin resistance that develop from long-term consumption of these diets.
The effect of food can also vary over time. Some can profoundly affect brain function and behavior as in hours or days while others take weeks, months or even years to take effect. For example, Eating a piece of cake changes the ketogenic, fat-burning metabolism of a person with drug-resistant epilepsy to a carbohydrate-burning metabolism, increasing the risk of seizures.
other thing, It takes weeks of sugar consumption for the brain to alter taste and reward pathways, and months of vitamin C deficiency to develop scurvy. eventually, When it comes to diseases like Alzheimers and Parkinsons, the risk is influenced by years of dietary exposure. In combination with other genetic or lifestyle factors such as smoking.
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Which Foods Can Alter The Brain And Mood, According To Neuroscience - Nation World News