WELLNESS

A Better Brain Part II: A Smart Design

Last month we discussed brain shrinkage and its association with mental decline. This month we are looking at the big impacts of tiny micronutrients on brain health. These three nutrients stand out in the research as frontline brain builders: Vitamin D, The Ks, and fatty acids. Designing them into your life may be worth a little brain power. Here is why …

Vitamin D3 Our bodies make Vitamin D from sunlight. UVB strikes skin and reacts with a cholesterol substance called provitamin D3 to form Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 activates the brain’s memory and learning pathways, and pushes signaling and growth in the central nervous system. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health found that where Vitamin D levels are low, individuals performed weakly on tests of mental aptitude, being twice as likely to be cognitively impaired compared to those with optimum D levels. In second study at the University of Manchester, people with lower Vitamin D levels showed slower information-processing speeds.

Vitamin D Hiding in the Kitchen The amount of Vitamin D3 you have depends on sunlight exposure along with physical characteristics like body mass, food consumption, and even medications being taken. Blood testing for Vitamin D3 with a doctor is the best way to know how to optimize levels. Vitamin D3 is available in food. Where sunlight is not desired, or is not abundant enough. Foods like cod liver oil, beef liver, wild salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, tuna, eggs, and some types of milk are all sources.

There are also many foods in the kitchen that are “fortified with Vitamin D”. Relying on these for daily dosage can be problematic because not all Ds are created equal. There are several types of Vitamin D, such as D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol) used in fortification. Research has shown that supplemental D3 is more active in the body than D2, and yet it is D2 is more frequently used to “fortify” foods.

Vitamin K1 & K2 Research on Vitamin K indicates that it has all sorts of benefits for the human body including a reduction in heart attack risk, nervous system support, and brain fortification. The Ks help metabolize a class of compounds found in brain cells that control motor and cognitive function. K1 and K2 are also associated with anti-inflammatory properties, helping to protect the brain and other parts of the body against damaged cells present in diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Vitamin Ks Hiding in the Kitchen Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and K2 (menaquinone) are the two main K categories that have bodies of research on them. Vitamin K1 acts as a coagulant and is present primarily in plant foods like spinach (this is the reason those on blood thinners are told not to eat such foods). Vitamin K2 is the one notably changing brain health by acting as a binder to calcium, regulating its circulation around the body. This potentially lowers the risk of building the arterial and brain deposits of calcium seen in diseases like Alzheimer’s and heart disease. K2 is found in animal products, well fermented foods like pickles, cheeses like Brie, and can be made in your gut if you have the right bacteria down there.

Note that most multivitamins do not include K2 as it has only been recently discovered, so dietary intake for K2 is worthy of planning. Additionally, K2 works in synchronicity with Vitamin D3. Consuming them together makes K2 more absorbable. Foods like eggs, cod liver oils, and others possess both K2 and D3 in them, making them naturally smart by design for nutrient absorption!

Fatty Acids Your brain is 60% fat and fat intake is critical to its maintenance and functionality. Research suggests that Omega-3 PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids)-specifically DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) have protective effects against age-related decline. DHA helps support developing brain structure and mental development and also acts to speed-up nerve messengers. Research also supports the role of Omega-3s in reducing inflammation. This inflammation is not the type you feel daily, it happens on a cellular level and is the hallmark of many agerelated diseases. There is also a growing body of research showing Omega 3s have impact on conditions like anxiety and violent behavior. In prison studies where Omega 3s were supplemented to the population, violent behavior decreased by nearly 40%.

The Fatty Acids Hiding in the Kitchen

The body cannot produce Omega 3s, they must be eaten. Their dietary source is mainly fish and pastured/grass fed animals as well as plant sources such as nuts and seeds. Plant sources like flax seeds and olive oil are also available, however not all Omega 3s are equal. Plant sources must go through a conversion process to become EPA and DHA for good brain fat to be available. Receiving your Omega 3s from a variety of sources both plant and animal can be a worthwhile effort.

Nothing in this article constitutes medical advice. All medical advice should be sought from a medical professional.

EMILY REIBLEIN

Director-Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) Crowley Logistics