Taya Gordon

HLTH- 1020-Sp17

Paul Roberts

4/13/2017

How Nutrition Affects the Brain

The brain, its one of the most powerful, and important organs in the body along with the
heart of course. It only takes up 2% of a persons mass but requires 20 % of their energy intake.
No wonder why what we eat has such a big effect on how our brain functions. What we eat can
change our mood, such as making us calm or upbeat. It has a huge effect on how alert or sleepy
we are. What I want to discover is; what are the different types of food and what are the effects
on the brain? I would also like to discover what I could do personally to help fuel my brain better
to have better focus, sleep better, perform better, and have higher brain function.

So what makes up the brain? If you were to remove all of the liquid from a brain, and
observe what is left; what would the nutritional content be? The majority of the dehydrated brain
matter would be made of lipids. The rest would be varying concentrations of proteins, amino
acids, trace micronutrients, and glucose. Out of the lipids found in the brain the most important
are Omegas-3 and -6 fatty acids. So what do these fatty acids do to our brain? Omega-6s which
are found in foods such as vegetable oils, nuts, poultry, eggs, and many other sources, can
increase not only body inflammation, but inflammation of the brain as well. It does this by acting
upon the cyclooxygenase enzyme or COX enzyme for short. The activation of this enzyme will
then trigger prostaglandins to produce inflammation. This is concerning because too much
inflammation of the brain can lead to adverse effects and symptoms such as; headaches, memory
loss, dizziness, reduced or loss of abilities. However we do need Omega-6 fatty acids in our diet,
but they need to be limited. Here in the U.S. we consume way too much Omega-6 fatty acids.
This overconsumption of Omega-6s along with not getting enough Omega-3s is the real problem.
In the U.S. we are consuming the ratio 17:1 of Omegas- 6s to -3s respectively. For optimal brain
health and performance that ratio should be 1:2. This is a drastically high difference. They need
to be limited because they compete for the same enzyme. A very high concentration of Omega-6s
will make it very difficult for Omega-3s to bind to the proper enzymes and perform their
physiological roles, which are very important when it comes to brain health. Consumption of
Omega-3s leads to an increase in docosahexaenoic acid or DHA for short in the hippocampus of
the brain. Higher levels of DHA in the hippocampus leads to better memory function, more
mental clarity, and greater focus. Because we are consuming so much Omega-6s, Omega-3s
cant compete. In return we are missing out on being able to have a higher brain function. Also
when the brain is operating on mainly Omega-6s the myelin sheaths around nerve cells stiffen
this decreases the frequency at which a neuron can fire action potentials. This stiffness also
affects the binding of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and
serotonin, adversely affecting the positive effects of these neurotransmitters. With a diet saturated
in Omega-6s it becomes harder to get in a good mood, harder to sleep better and harder to get
motivated.

Proteins and amino acids have an effect on our mood, sleep, attentiveness, and weight.
This is because amino acids are precursors for neurotransmitters. Each unique compound found
in food can release the mood altering neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and
serotonin. This is why consistently consuming a diet full of variety is so important. This variety
helps your brain keep a balance so your mood doesnt become drastically skewed one way or the
other. For example the amino acid Tyrosine is converted to dopa, an intermediate for dopamine,
this requires iron so a person who has anemia related to iron deficiency would also have a
decreased production of dopamine. The dopa is then converted to dopamine which requires the
vitamin B6. So even if someone is consuming enough of the amino acid Tyrosine, they could still
have a deficient production and release of dopamine if they are lacking other key nutrients.
Another amino acid that is the precursor for the very important neurotransmitter serotonin is
Tryptophan. Tryptophan is converted to serotonins intermediate 5 HTP, which is then converted
to serotonin. Again the vitamin B6 is required for that last conversion. So consuming a diet with
a lot of variety in it provides your body with the important nutrients it needs to play out vital
cognitive functions.

Micronutrients play very important roles when it comes to brain health and function. As I
just stated the importance of the vitamin B6 is to the production of neurotransmitters. There is
many other trace micronutrients that we need to obtain in our diets. Some of these include
Thiamin (vitamin B1) is needed for the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids in
the brain. Niacin (vitamin B3) if someone is severely lacking this vitamin they can develop a
condition called pellagra, which is characterized by dementia, some of the symptoms that effect
the brain are headaches, fatigue, depression, difficulty concentrating, delusions, hallucinations,
psychosis, and even death. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) plays an important role in the oxidative
metabolism of fatty acids to form phospholipids. Phospholipids is the major component of the
myelin sheath that wraps around neurons, if someone is extremely deficient of this vitamin they
would have delayed or even depressed neuronal firing.

Glucose is the primary fuel for most of our bodies metabolic reactions. We need glucose
to produce ATP via glycolysis, conversion of acetyl coenzyme A to pyruvate, Krebs cycle, and
ultimately the electron transport chain. This molecule is also need for the production of
glucagon. But, too much glucose can be very dangerous. When we eat not just specifically
glucose, but most foods will activate the reward system in the brain. This is because it triggers
the release of dopamine. So if you eat a well-balanced meal dopamine will be released. If you
continue to eat that same well balanced meal the level of dopamine released will decrease, giving
you less of a reward, this is why eating the same foods get boring. Sugar on the other hand will
continue to release dopamine at high levels even after consistent consumption. This is why sugar
is so addicting. So in conclusion glucose is very important, because it is the fuel source of the
brain, but it can be dangerous if consumed in high quantities.

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