Brain Food?

Many people fervently believe that certain specific “foods” can help the brain to function better. Well, they’re not completely right nor are they completely wrong. Although there are some foods, particularly those that contain tryptophan (a precursor of the B-vitamin niacin), that appear to improve both mental capacity and mood, there is no single food item that can do the trick. And the reason for that is a good argument for variety in one’s diet or eating plan.

For example, amino acids in protein from the diet supply the necessary requirement molecules for about three dozen neurotransmitters (the brain chemicals that help promote the nerve activity in the brain). These neurotransmitters such as serotonin help to regulate many of the activities and functions of the brain. But just consuming or eating protein foods high in tryptophan or even consuming tryptophan in supplemental form will not necessarily increase the brain activity. Other proteins that are consumed in the diet will compete with trytophan for entry into the brain via the “blood-brain barrier”. But there is a way for this important serotonin precursor to gain entry and that’s where variety in one’s diet can, and usually always does, help.

By also consuming foods rich in carbohydrates (in addition to dietary protein, of course), the carbohydrate can assist in the delivery of tryptophan to the brain in a sneaky but effective way. You see, dietary carbohydrate will cause an increase in the amount of insulin in the blood. This, in turn, allows most of the other amino acids in the blood stream to enter the other cells of the body OTHER than the brain wherever they are needed for growth of repair of the body cells. Why is this important? Well, a decrease in the other amino acids in the blood decreases the competition so to speak. With fewer of the other amino acids trying to break through the blood-brain barrier, tryptophan has an easier time entering the brain to assist in the production of serotonin (the important neurotransmitter mentioned above). This is also presumably another reason why a good balance of dietary protein AND carbohydrate is important to health—and that includes the brain and brain function. So don’t forget that whenever you eat, you’re not just feeding your body, you’re feeding you’re head too (all apologies to Grace Slick and The Jefferson Airplane!) Since serotonin is involved in mood (including depression), sleep patterns and general brain activity, it’s a good idea to keep your eating plan in balance. But that’s nothing new, right?

I’m Dr. Paul Kennedy and that’s the “Be Fit, Stay Fit” Topic of the Week. Good luck with YOUR program. I KNOW you can do it!

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