Aluminum and the Brain

 I recently read a book by Christopher Exley called Imagine You are an Aluminum Atom. Exley is considered one of the leading researchers in the world on aluminum toxicity despite repeated attacks on his research. Exley found accumulations of aluminum in tissue samples of the brains of adults with Alzheimer's and in children with autism which were far higher than the amounts of aluminum in normal brains.

Exley also strongly opposes the presence of Aluminum in vaccines. He has earned the hatred of both the Aluminum and Pharmaceutical industries, but he continues to warn of the dangers of aluminum in spite of the persecution he has endured for years at the hands of these industries. His book discusses not only his research on aluminum, but also the industrial corruption which seeks to hide the amazing toxicity of aluminum to brain and nerve tissue.

Exley's message: Do away with those aluminum pots, antacids and deodorants with aluminum, and don't use vaccines which contain aluminum as an adjuvant. The functioning of your brain may be at stake.

 Omega-3, Carotenoids and the Brain

     

     Scientific studies suggest that carotenoids and omega-3 fatty acids contribute to brain development and brain health. There also appears to be an additive effect when the two are both supplied in adequate quantity. Lutein and zeaxanthin are two carotenoids found in green leafy foods which have been shown to have an affinity for neural tissue including the eye. These carotenoids accumulate in the back of the eye protecting against macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the United States. These carotenoids are so important for eye tissue that they are found at a concentration 500 times greater than in any other tissue in the human body.

     These same carotenoids also have an affinity for brain tissue. The brain has a high requirement for antioxidants because of a high metabolic rate, the presence of many unsaturated fats, and the utilization of about 25% of the body's oxygen utilization. Carotenoids appear to concentate in the brains of infants, contributing to the rapid development of the brain in children. Infant formulas do not contain carotenoids while mother's milk does. These antioxidants are so important for brain development that researchers are now beginning to recommend the addition of carotenoids to infant formula.

     In a 4 month double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial older women showed significant increases in verbal fluency and learning ability when supplemented with both carotenoids and omega-3 fatty acids. These two nutrients should be considered where cognitive decline is evident.

     NeoLife Salmon Oil Plus is tested for over 200 pollutants with a standard of ZERO. It is also standardized for all 8 members of the omega-3 family. Salmon Oil Plus was shown in a clinical trial to reduce the inflammatory index by 68%. It is by far the best fish oil product available. NeoLife Carotenoid Complex is also superior. Testing by USDA researchers showed that the product reduced oxidative damage by 44%.

     Researchers believe that omega-3 fats and carotenoids benefit brain function significantly because these nutrients reduce inflammation and free radical damage. They also play an important structural in neurons assuring proper function of the synapses where memory and cognition are regulated.

References:

http://static.abbottnutrition.com/cms-prod/anhi.org/img/Johnson.pdf

Johnson EJ, McDonald K, Caldarella SM, Chung H-Y, Snodderly DM. Cognitive findings of an exploratory trial of docosahexaenoic acid and lutein supplementation in older women. Nutri Neurosci. 2008 Apr;11:75-83. doi: 10.1179/147683008X301450.

 Vegetable Oils and Antioxidants

     In the 1950's people were told by their doctors that saturated fats were bad and that they should be replaced by unsaturated vegetable oils. Medical authorities are now questioning this advice. Studies show that while unsaturated vegetable oils lower cholesterol, they do not decrease risk of heart attack or death from all causes (all cause mortality).

     Processing of vegetable oils robs them of antioxidants while heating and exposure to oxygen can alter structure and function of the oils. Dr. Catherine Shanahan, a family physician based in Denver, believes that these oils are the "brain's worst enemy." Unsaturated oils promote oxidative damage to brain cells. Short term results of excessive unsaturated oils in her view include lethargy and trouble concentrating. Longer term intake can contribute to migraines. 

     Recent research on palm oil, considered by many to be healthy, led to a warning from the European Food Safety Authority warning that this oil can act as a carcinogen. Heating sunflower and corn oils produces aldehydes which are known causes of heart disease and cancer.

     Excessive poor quality oils in the diet or excessive fat in general may also interfere with proper insulin function leading to or aggravating a diabetic condition. The amount of triglyceride in skeletal muscle is inversely related to insulin activity. It is wise to avoid excessive consumption of oils separated from the foods in which they are found as they are often oxidized and gum up carbohydrate metabolism.

     Always remember that the greater the intake of refined oils into the diet the more important it is to supplement with fat soluble antioxidants like Vitamin E, CoQ10, and Carotenoids as refined oils have been stripped of these important nutrients.

Cholesterol and the Brain

     About one quarter of the cholesterol in the human body is located in the brain. Almost all of this cholesterol is manufactured within the brain itself, since cholesterol can not cross the blood brain barrier. A number of studies have suggested that low cholesterol can damage neurons and contribute to the development of dementia. This raises the question of whether statin medications which block cholesterol synthesis in the body, including in the brain, might not cause damage to brain cells. Henry Lorin makes a powerful argument along this line in his book Alzheimer's Solved.
References:
Lorin, Henry,
Alzheimer's Solved, www.booksurge.com, 2005.
Bjorkhem, Ingemar and Meaney, Steve, Brain cholesterol: Long secret life behind a barrier,
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2004;24:806-815.

Junk Food and Omega-3

     A review of 180 papers suggests that fish oils can minimize the effects that junk food have on the brain. Junk food diets inhibit neurogenesis, the process of producing new brain cells. Diets high in omega-3 fats can prevent and possibly reverse this effect by stimulating the growth of new brain cells.
     The research suggests that the omega-3 fats may also help prevent the weight gain which is associated with intake of junk food. The omega-3 fats do not have a direct impact on weight loss, but they prevent some of the harmful effects on the brain triggered by junk food diets.
Reference:
Marianne A. Yon, Suzanna L. Mauger, Lucy C. Pickavance. Relationships between dietary macronutrients and adult neurogenesis in the regulation of energy metabolism. British Journal of Nutrition, 2013; 109 (09): 1573 DOI: 10.1017/S000711451200579X

Prenatal Nutrition & the Brain

     Nutrition is probably the most important factors in the development of the infant in both the womb and after birth. Malnutrition can result in a wide range of behavioral and learning disabilities. Intelligence is easily influenced by the quality of nutritional intake.
    The nearer the period of malnutrition is to the time of most rapid growth the greater the potential damage to development of overall potential.
    One study compared the IQ of undernourished children with that of children who had superior nutrition. The difference was a startling 22.6 IQ points in favor of the better nourished group.
    Rats require about 121/2 micrograms of thiamine (Vitamin B1) a day. When Roger Williams fed them 3 micrograms a day their maze learning ability was below normal. When they received 100 micrograms a day their performance was supernormal. The profound effect resulted by altering only a single essential nutrient.
References:
Morgane, Peter J., et al, "Prenatal Malnutrition and Development of the Brain," Neuroscience and Behavioral Reviews, 1993;17:91-128.
Williams, Roger, Nutrition Against Disease, New York: Pitman Publishing Company, 1971, 63-65.