Archive for the ‘Supplements’ Category

What is Brain Fog & What Can a Patient Do to Get Rid of It?

https://globallymealliance.org/dealing-with-brain-fog/

by Jennifer Crystal

WHAT IS BRAIN FOG, EXACTLY? WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE? WHAT CAN A PATIENT DO TO GET RID OF IT?

Writing a weekly blog post is a thrilling and rewarding process. I love connecting with readers like me over various aspects of living with tick-borne illness, and I’m grateful to be able to share my story. I’m also thankful to have the physical ability to write on a tight deadline, which I haven’t always been able to do. In my worst days of fighting Lyme disease and two of its co-infections babesia and Ehrlichia, I couldn’t write at all. This was in part due to the achiness of my joints, but mostly, it was due to brain fog.

So what is brain fog, exactly? What does it feel like? What can a patient do to get rid of it? Now that I have greater neurological clarity, I can offer some information and tips on what I’ve learned about this frustrating symptom.

What is brain fog?

Lyme is an inflammatory disease. When Lyme pathogens in the form of spirochetes cross the blood-brain barrier, inflammation occurs in the central nervous system. “Common neurocognitive problems include poor memory, slower speed of thinking, difficulty with retrieval of words, and impaired fine motor control,” writes Brian A. Fallon, MD and Jennifer Sotsky, MD, in their book Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Divide. “The slower mental processing speed contributes to the patient’s experience of ‘brain fog,’”[i]

A Johns Hopkins study published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation showed that scans done on 12 patients with Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS) all showed a chemical marker for brain inflammation, compared with 19 healthy controls. In an article published by Hopkins Medicine, Dr. John Aucott, Director of the Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center said: “What this study does is provide evidence that the brain fog in patients with [PTLDS] has a physiological basis and [that it] isn’t just psychosomatic or related to depression or anxiety.”[ii]

A patient with brain fog can experience delayed response times, making it difficult for them to write clearly or comprehend text or conversation. As Drs. Fallon and Sotsky explain, “Patients may have difficulty reading and find that when they move on to the next paragraph, they have forgotten what they [just]read before….Patients may have spatial disorientation such that familiar routes become suddenly difficult to navigate or appear unfamiliar… [Or] patients may have new on-set dyslexic changes, reversing numbers or letters when writing or words and phrases when speaking. They may confuse left and right and may find themselves making verbal errors that are uncharacteristic of them.…Other examples of cognitive errors might include placing the cereal box in the refrigerator or asking one’s spouse to please put the milk back in the radiator.”i

What does brain fog feel like?

During a relapse of my tick-borne illnesses, I had a brain scan done that showed this precise type of inflammation, which made for a lack of oxygen to the left side of my brain. What did those symptoms actually feel like inside my head? In my post, Living With Lyme Brain, I likened brain fog to thick molasses that slowly pours into all the crevices of your brain, until it feels so full that it might explode out of your skull. When I was at my sickest, I felt this fog all the time and wished I could open a spigot to relieve the pressure.

As I got better, my brain fog dissipated, but it still returns from time to time. It can come on slowly, like mist settling over a valley, and can then build into an impenetrable cloud. I get it when I’m neurologically over stimulated: after watching a fast-paced TV show, while hearing loud music, or after reading for too long. “Too long” is defined differently for every patient; at my lowest points, one sentence was hard to comprehend. Eventually, I could read a short article in a light entertainment magazine. Now I can read a whole book, but I still need to pace it out, chapter by chapter.

If I read for too long, I feel pressure start to build, beginning at the base of my cranium and then spreading up over my eyes. Once my head gets full, I struggle to find the right vocabulary, and sometimes I invert my word order. When the brain fog builds to this intense point, it causes me to be very tired. A graduate school professor once joked, “Sometimes, without warning, Jen runs out of steam.” He was right. Suddenly, my eyes would glaze over and I’d zone out.

Sometimes brain fog comes on not from neurological overstimulation but from physical fatigue. When I exercise for too long, or push myself too hard before an afternoon nap, I feel brain fog come on even if I haven’t been doing anything intellectual.

Once I hit this level of fatigue, it becomes hard for me to think clearly. This doesn’t just mean losing the ability to read a book or grade a student’s essay. I get recurring thoughts and feel sensitive and sad. I ask myself, am I actually feeling upset about a situation, or am I just experiencing brain fog?

What I do about brain fog

Once I’ve determined I’m experiencing brain fog, here’s what has helped the most to alleviate it:

  • Antibiotics: To alleviate the symptom of brain fog, you have to eliminate the cause: spirochetes. Lyme is a bacterial infection that needs to be treated with antibiotic therapy. My brain fog did not get better until I’d been on enough antibiotic therapy to really get at the spirochetes in my brain. Due to Herxheimer reactions, the brain fog actually got worse before it got better, but long-term antibiotic therapy eventually cleared up my infection enough to check the inflammation in my brain. The appropriate antibiotic protocol, and length of treatment, is different for every patient. What worked for me might not work for you, so it would not help you to learn about my specific protocol. Please discuss your symptoms and treatment with a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD).
  • Anti-inflammatory medication: My LLMD put me on an anti-inflammatory medication that worked in conjunction with my antibiotic to get across the blood-brain barrier. This was a prescription medication, different than over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pills.
  • Herbal/nutritional supplements: Certain supplements such as essential fatty acids can help reduce inflammation in the brain. Talk with your LLMD about which supplements would be best for you.
  • Anti-inflammatory diet: For me, it helped to eliminate sugar and gluten from my diet. For others, it also helps to eliminate dairy. Some foods like certain green vegetables, nuts, lemon, ginger, and blueberries are known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Water: The more you can flush your system, the faster you will eliminate live and dead Lyme bacteria (just be sure to keep your electrolytes balanced; I do so with electrolyte-infused water).
  • Time limits: To stop my brain fog before it starts, I impose time limits on my screen and reading time. Even if I’m feeling okay after an hour of watching TV, I make myself take a break, so that the fog doesn’t suddenly come rolling in.
  • Rest: These days, the very best thing I can do when my brain fog flares is rest, rest, rest. This means sleep, but it also means just having some quiet down time lying on the couch or going for a short walk. Many people think of reading or watching TV as resting, but for a patient with neurological Lyme disease, that is not the case. We need quiet, calm activities like coloring, baths, or soft instrumental music. The idea is to shut your brain off—to get away from screens, noises, and other stimuli.

Brain fog can be overwhelming. When you’re experiencing it, you might feel like the pressure in your head will never go away. With time, rest, and proper treatment, though, the fog eventually lifts so you can enjoy clearer skies.

[i] Fallon, Brian A. and Sotsky, Jennifer. Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Divide. New York: Columbia University Press, 2018 (52, 314).

[ii] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/publications/hopkins_medicine_magazine/medical_rounds/spring-summer-2019/visualizing-brain-fog-in-post-treatment-lyme-disease

Opinions expressed by contributors are their own.

Jennifer Crystal is a writer and educator in Boston. Her memoir about her medical journey is forthcoming. Contact her at lymewarriorjennifercrystal@gmail.com.

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For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/12/28/hydration-may-affect-cognitive-function-in-some-older-adults/

Category:

diet and nutrition, Herbs, Inflammation, Lyme, Psychological Aspects, research, Supplements, Treatment

Settle Your Stomach With Digestive Health Supplements

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1574/2413/files/1219_BRAVA_24.pdf?270  Full Article Here

A Gut Feeling

by KATHRYN WISNIEWSKI

FROM HEARTBURN and bloating to sensitivity to certain foods or irregular bowel movements, digestive problems can manifest in myriad ways. Health supplements, such as digestive bitters, probiotics or enzyme supplements, can offer relief….(See link for full article)

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**Comment**

This article was written by Katy Wallace of Human Nature LLC.  She is a doctor of Naturopathy and is in Madison, WI.  Read more about her here:  https://humannaturellc.com/pages/about

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/04/the-importance-of-gut-health-to-healing-from-chronic-illnesses-podcast-dr-jill-carnahan/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/24/herbs-habits-to-revive-your-gut/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/08/15/whats-the-best-diet-for-lyme-disease-dr-rawls/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/01/12/sibo-clinical-implications-natural-therapeutic-options/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/19/germs-in-your-gut-are-talking-to-your-brain-scientists-want-to-know-what-theyre-saying/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/29/cochrane-review-probiotics-reduce-c-diff-by-70-in-high-risk-patients-taking-antibiotics/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/09/15/prebiotics-probiotics-do-they-really-work-for-gut-health/

This systemic review suggestions probiotics might benefit kids with abdominal pain:  https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/a-new-systematic-review-suggests-probiotics-might-benefit-school-age-children-with-abdominal-pain/

Category:

Gut Health, Supplements

Hormones & Emotional Health

https://www.womensinternational.com/blog/hormones-and-emotional-health/

Hormones and Emotional Health

Adapted from Moods & Emotions a Connections e-Book
A publication of Women’s International Pharmacy

hormones and emotional healthEmotional health is inseparably linked to our hormones. Hormones are powerful substances, with even small quantities able to produce profound effects on health. Moods may be affected by many factors, including:

  • Social and physical environment
  • Diet
  • Exercise
  • Sleep patterns

These factors are also connected to hormones, which regulate the brain’s response system and thereby determine moods. When hormonal conditions are unbalanced, emotions may become “out of whack.”

Sex Hormones, Mood Fluctuations, and Women’s Mental Health

Sex hormones play an important regulatory role in the sense of well-being. From puberty through menopause, women experience a continuous cycle of hormonal fluctuations that affect brain chemistry and, by extension, their moods. This physiological fact of life may partially explain why “depression and anxiety disorders are 2-3 more times more common in women than men,” according to Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet.

There is a “previously unrecognized connection between declining hormone levels in perimenopausal women and the high incidence of depression and anxiety disorders,” Dr. Vliet states. She reported on research conducted at Rockefeller University, which indicated that sex hormones are the most potent chemical signals affecting the brain. Changes in the levels of these hormones influence neurotransmitters (such as dopamine and serotonin), which in turn affect moods.

Dr. Vliet also reported on a Yale study, which concluded that hormone therapy over a six-month period appeared to result in an improvement in all categories of perimenopausal symptoms, including:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety attacks
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Short-term memory problems

Mood Changes and Estrogen Imbalance

Estrogen levels have a domino effect on brain chemistry and moods. Aside from estrogen’s many roles in sexual and developmental health, it is also known to be a neuro-stimulant with anti-depressive effects. Dr. Phyllis Bronson states that

“high levels of estrogen produce an imbalance in the system that aggravates or causes symptoms of tension and anxiety.”

Most women tend toward either estrogen dominance or estrogen deficiency, yet a woman will often experience both high and low levels due to hormonal fluctuations relative to her “normal” estrogen level. For instance, normal fluctuations occur during premenstrual syndrome (PMS), while perimenopause causes irregular fluctuations. During these fluctuations, women may experience mixed symptoms as their hormonal balance shifts.

Some women with high estrogen levels may be predisposed to anxiety and panic attacks. On the other hand, low levels of estrogen can lead to episodes of depression. Mood changes associated with a woman’s declining estrogen levels tend to respond well to estrogen therapy; upon receiving treatment, women often report feeling more alert and energetic.

Anxiety and Progesterone Deficiency

The estrogen-progesterone ratio may be the key to properly treating mood disorders. A study by Dr. Bronson found that “a deficiency of progesterone is clearly implicated as a primary factor in mid-life anxiety patterns.” She observed that when estrogen levels were high and progesterone levels low, patients “would exhibit extreme rage, followed by [a] conciliatory, self-defeating demeanor.”

The largest concentration of progesterone receptors is in the limbic area of the brain. This is the center of emotion and is also called the “area of rage and violence” by animal physiologists. Progesterone has a calming effect on the brain, suggesting that its deficiency may lead to anxiety.

Progesterone for PMS, Postnatal Depression, and Menopausal Mood Swings

Premenstrual syndrome and postnatal depression both may occur with a sudden drop in progesterone and may include considerable anxiety. Dr. Katharina Dalton found that these conditions may be effectively treated with progesterone, especially if administered before symptoms develop. For PMS, she suggested supplementing with progesterone from ovulation until menstruation; for preventing postnatal depression, she recommended beginning progesterone therapy immediately after delivery, tapering off until menstruation returns.

Dr. Bronson agrees that progesterone may be an effective treatment for anxiety in perimenopausal women. However, she found higher doses (specifically, 400-600mg daily administered on the skin) to be more effective, with most of her patients reporting significant improvements in emotional health. To achieve the best results in progesterone therapy, both Dr. Bronson and Dr. Dalton’s findings emphasize the importance of using bioidentical progesterone instead of synthetic progestins.

Stress and Thyroid Hormones

The thyroid gland produces several different hormones that have powerful and far-reaching consequences to health. The primary thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These respond to pituitary thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) as part of the body’s complex system that regulates endocrine gland secretions.

Thyroid hormones affect every cell in the body in one way or another, including the parts of the body that regulate emotions. Thyroid deficiency inhibits the brain’s neurotransmitters, potentially leading to depression. Thyroid hormones also influence blood glucose levels and the release of stress hormones, two contributors to mood fluctuation.

Insulin, Glucose, and Dietary Factors in Mood Fluctuations

Dr. Dalton noticed a correlation between aggressive, emotional outbursts and blood sugar levels while treating women suffering from PMS. When asked about the time of day or circumstances immediately preceding such outbursts, her patients frequently reported that they occurred later in the morning after missing breakfast, or the evening while preparing a meal (especially if that was occurring later than usual). Many women also reported confusion or forgetfulness during the time surrounding these outbursts.

Paying careful attention to what and when you eat is important to emotional health. In Depression-Free for Life, Dr. Gabriel Cousens identifies foods according to a glycemic index, comparing their impact on blood sugar and mood. For example, eating foods that are high on the glycemic index (such as white flour products, refined and sweetened cereals, and candy bars) should be avoided, as they tend to cause “wild swings in blood sugar, a high followed by a low.”

Other Substances Affecting Mood

Many other hormones, amino acids, and nutrients also affect moods, making difficult to diagnose mood disorders because each individual’s biochemistry has unique needs. We are still learning about how these substances work together to influence emotions. For example:

  • Either too little or too much of the hormone melatonin can lead to depression,
  • People with depression also often have elevated cortisol levels
  • Amino acids (such as glutamine) can affect the neurotransmitters
  • Nutrients such as vitamin B6 and other trace minerals also play an important role in regulating our moods

Conclusion

Because moods are complex, with a wide variety of possible causes or combinations of factors, symptoms of mood disorders may vary significantly from one person to the next and from one day to the next. The common approach of prescribing mind-altering medications may not be the best answer for everyone, particularly if any possible underlying hormonal imbalances are not addressed. However, emotional as well as physical health is a vital contributor to our quality of life, so it’s important to continue exploring how hormones affect mental and emotional well-being to help develop effective treatments for each patient’s needs.

For more information, read our Connections e-Book:  Moods and Hormones: Emotional Health and Well-Being Throughout the Life-cycle

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For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/10/26/5-thyroid-lies-your-endocrinologist-may-try-to-tell-you/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/11/12/is-it-mental-illness-or-hashimotos-thyroiditis/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/12/02/why-test-neurotransmitters-hormones/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2015/06/10/audio-on-hormones-and-adrenal-support/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/21/how-do-hormones-affect-the-heart/

Category:

Psychological Aspects, Supplements, Treatment

How to Prevent & Treat Seasonal Affective Disorder

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/12/05/how-to-prevent-treat-seasonal-affective-disorder.aspx

How to Prevent and Treat Seasonal Affective Disorder

Analysis by Dr. Joseph MercolaFact Checked

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

  • Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that occurs seasonally, typically ramping up in the fall and winter months and disappearing come spring
  • Helpful treatments include optimizing your vitamin D and omega-3 levels, light therapy (including blue light exposure in the morning, but not later in the day), optimizing your sleep, the Emotional Freedom Techniques and exercise
  • Your health and mood are intricately tied to exposure to sunlight. For example, your serotonin levels (the hormone typically associated with elevating your mood) rise when you’re exposed to bright light. Your melatonin level also rises and falls (inversely) with light and darkness
  • Vitamin D deficiency is very common, and should be a top consideration when you’re looking for a solution to flagging mood and energy — especially if it occurs during fall and winter months
  • While light therapy can take up to four weeks before you notice improvement, it was shown to be more effective than antidepressants for moderate to severe depression in a 2015 study

The loss of daylight hours during winter is a common cause of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that hits seasonally and lifts as spring and summer rolls back around.

The fact that SAD occurs when the days begin to darken and sunlight is at a minimum is not a coincidence. Your health and mood are intricately tied to exposure to sunlight. For example, your serotonin levels (the hormone typically associated with elevating your mood) rise when you’re exposed to bright light.

Your melatonin level also rises and falls — inversely — with light and darkness. When it’s dark, your melatonin levels increase, which is why you may feel tired when the sun starts to set, and in the heart of winter, this may be at as early as 3 p.m. if you live far from the equator. Light and darkness also control your biological clock, or circadian rhythm, which impacts hormones that regulate your appetite and metabolism.

As explained in the paper, “Seasonal Affective Disorder: An Overview of Assessment and Treatment Approaches,” published in the journal Depression Research and Treatment in 2015:1

“… SAD is a recurrent major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern usually beginning in fall and continuing into winter months. A subsyndromal type of SAD, or S-SAD, is commonly known as ‘winter blues.’ Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer.

Symptoms center on sad mood and low energy. Those most at risk are female, are younger, live far from the equator, and have family histories of depression, bipolar disorder, or SAD … Typical treatment includes antidepressant medications, light therapy, vitamin D, and counselling.”

Considering the many health risks associated with antidepressants, and the fact that their efficacy is right on par with placebos, my recommendation is to avoid them if at all possible.

Aside from light therapy and vitamin D, other drug-free treatment options include optimizing your omega-3 level, exercise, the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and normalizing your circadian rhythm, all of which will be reviewed here.

The Role of Vitamin D

As explained in the featured paper,2 vitamin D appears to play a role in the activity of serotonin, a mood-balancing hormone, and melatonin, a hormone that responds to light and dark.

People with SAD tend to have lower serotonin and higher melatonin levels, which can account for the fatigue, tiredness and depressed mood typically associated with this condition. According to the Depression Research and Treatment paper:3

“A systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that low levels of vitamin D are associated with depression … During the winter months of November through February, those living about 33 degrees north or 30 degrees south of the equator are not able to synthesize vitamin D.

Many people with SAD and S-SAD have insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D, and although no further studies have confirmed the findings, research investigating this association suggests that taking 100,000 IU daily may improve their symptoms.

Taking vitamin D before winter darkness sets in may help prevent symptoms of depression. Adverse reactions or intoxication is rare but could occur from doses of more than 50,000 IU per day.”

Vitamin D deficiency is very common, and should be a top consideration when you’re looking for a solution to flagging mood and energy — especially if it occurs during fall and winter months.

Ideally, you’ll want to get your vitamin D level tested twice a year, in summer and winter, when your levels are highest and lowest. This will help you fine-tune your dosage over time. While regular sun exposure is the best way to optimize your vitamin D level, this isn’t possible in many areas during the winter, thus necessitating the use of oral supplements instead.

GrassrootsHealth has a helpful calculator that can help estimate the dose required to reach healthy vitamin D levels based upon your measured starting point. The optimal level you’re looking for is between 60 and 80 ng/ml, and for all-around health, you’ll want to maintain this level year-round.

Omega-3 Fats Are Important Too

Another nutrient that can be helpful is marine-based omega-3. As noted in a 2009 review4 of three studies looking at the impact of omega-3 supplementation on patients with unipolar depression, childhood major depression and bipolar depression:

“Twelve bipolar outpatients with depressive symptoms were treated with 1.5-2.0 g/day of EPA for up to 6 months. In the adult unipolar depression study, highly significant benefits were found by week 3 of EPA treatment compared with placebo.

In the child study, an analysis … showed highly significant effects of omega-3 on each of the three rating scales. In the bipolar depression study, 8 of the 10 patients who completed at least one month of follow-up achieved a 50% or greater reduction in Hamilton depression scores within one month.”

In another study5 published that same year, people with lower blood levels of omega-3s were found to be more likely to have symptoms of depression and a more negative outlook while those with higher blood levels demonstrated the opposite emotional states.

A more recent review,6 published in 2015, pointed out that “Cell signaling and structure of the cell membrane are changed by omega-3-fatty acids, which demonstrates that an omega-3-fatty acid can act as an antidepressant.”

Importantly, this paper also points to research showing that the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 is an important factor that can influence your depression risk. People with severe symptoms of depression have been found to have low concentrations of omega-3 in conjunction with considerably higher concentrations of omega-6.

You can learn more about the importance of this ratio in “Getting Your Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio Right Is Essential For Optimal Health.” The key, really, to normalizing this ratio is to increase your omega-3 intake while simultaneously lowering your omega-6 consumption. This means you’ll need to ditch processed and fried foods, as they’re typically loaded with omega-6-rich vegetable oils.

Get Tested Today

GrassrootsHealth, which is conducting consumer-sponsored research into both vitamin D and omega-3, is one of your most cost-effective alternatives when it comes to testing.

Their vitamin D testing kit enrolls you into the GrassrootsHealth D*Action project, where your anonymized data will help researchers to provide accurate data about the vitamin D status in the population, the level at which disease prevention is obtained, and guidance on dosing to achieve optimal levels.

Their vitamin D, magnesium and omega-3 test kit is another option that will allow you to check the status of several vital nutrients at once. Each kit contains instructions for how to collect your blood sample. You then mail in your sample and fill out a quick online health questionnaire through GrassrootsHealth. A link to your test results will be emailed to you about a week after your blood samples have been received.

Light Therapy Is More Effective Than Antidepressants

Light therapy,7 using full-spectrum nonfluorescent lighting that has blue light to artificially mimic sunlight, is among the most effective treatment options for SAD. You want to avoid fluorescents as they emit large amounts of dirty electricity. Ideally, have the light exposure in the morning, well after sunrise. As noted in the Depression Research and Treatment paper:8

“Knowing the difference decreased daylight can make in triggering SAD and S-SAD, approaches seeking to replace the diminished sunshine using bright artificial light, particularly in the morning, have consistently showed promise …

Light boxes can be purchased that emit full spectrum light similar in composition to sunlight. Symptoms of SAD and S-SAD may be relieved by sitting in front of a light box first thing in the morning, from the early fall until spring …

Typically, light boxes filter out ultraviolet rays and require 20–60 minutes of exposure to 10,000 lux of cool-white… light daily during fall and winter.

This is about 20 times as great as ordinary indoor lighting … Light therapy should not be used in conjunction with photosensitizing medications such as lithium, melatonin, phenothiazine antipsychotics, and certain antibiotics.”

While light therapy can take up to four weeks before you notice an improvement, it was shown to be more effective than antidepressants for moderate to severe depression in a 2015 study.9,10 In it, the researchers evaluated the effectiveness of light therapy, alone and in conjunction with the antidepressant fluoxetine (sold under the brand name Prozac).

The eight-week trial included 122 adults between the ages of 19 and 60, who were diagnosed with moderate to severe depression. The participants were divided into four groups, receiving:

  • 30 minutes of light therapy per day upon waking, using a 10,000 lux Carex brand day-light device, classic model, plus a placebo pill
  • Prozac (20 mg/day) plus a deactivated ion generator serving as a placebo light device
  • Light therapy plus Prozac
  • Placebo light device plus placebo pill (control group)

In conclusion, the study found that the combination of light therapy and Prozac was the most effective — but light therapy-only came in at a close second, followed by placebo. In other words, the drug treatment was the least effective of all, including placebo.

The mean changes in the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale from baseline to the eight-week end point was 16.9 for the combination therapy (active light- and drug therapy), and 13.4 for light therapy alone.

Blue Light During Daytime Hours May Improve Your Mood

In addition to the bright white light used in light therapy, blue light has also been shown to be useful. According to a 2010 study,11 blue light appears to play a key role in your brain’s ability to process emotions, and its results suggest that spending more time in blue-enriched light could help prevent SAD.

Blue light is prevalent in outdoor light, so your body absorbs the most during the summer and much less in the winter. Because of this, the researchers suggested that adding blue light to indoor lighting, as opposed to the standard yellow lights typically used, may help boost mood and productivity year-round, and especially during the winter.

Keep in mind, however, that blue light after sunset or before sunrise should be avoided, as it can disrupt your circadian rhythm. In fact, one of the reasons for insomnia and poor sleep is related to excessive exposure to blue light-emitting technologies such as TV and computer screens, especially in the evening.

The blue light depresses melatonin production, thereby preventing you from feeling sleepy. So, to be clear, you only want to expose yourself to blue light in the morning, and possibly afternoon, but not in the evening.

In “How the Cycles of Light and Darkness Affect Your Health and Well-Being,” researcher Dan Pardi explains the peculiar effect blue light has on your brain, which sheds further light on why it’s so important to expose yourself to blue light during daytime hours only, and why you need to avoid it at night:

“[R]ods and cones in the eye… are specialized cells that can transduce a photo signal into a nerve signal… In the mid-90s, a different type of cell was discovered… [called] intrinsically photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells (ipRGC).

It does the same thing as rods and cones: it transduced light to a nerve signal. But instead of the signal going to your visual cortex, it goes to your master clock. Those cells are most responsive to blue light. If you can block blue light, you can actually create something called circadian darkness or virtual darkness.

What that means is that you can see, but your brain doesn’t think that it’s daytime; your brain thinks that it’s in darkness. That is actually a practical solution for living with artificial light in our modern world…

With more awareness, future digital devices will adjust lighting in the evening to automatically dim and emit amber/red light [instead of blue]. This is much better for healthy circadian rhythms and sleep quality.”

Address Insomnia

As you can tell by Pardi’s explanation above, the blue light issue is closely related to your sleep quality and circadian rhythm maintenance, and this too is an important component of mental health.

Historically, humans went to sleep shortly after sunset and woke up when the sun rose. Straying too far from this biological pattern will disrupt delicate hormonal cycles in your body, which can affect both your mood and your health. Indeed, the link between depression and lack of sleep is well established, and sleep disturbance is one of the telltale signs of depression.12

Sleep therapy has also been shown to significantly improve depression. While there are individual differences, as a general rule, you’ll want to aim for about eight hours of sleep per night.

For many, this will require going to bed earlier, which can be difficult if you’ve been watching TV or using electronics beforehand, as the blue light from the screen suppresses your melatonin production.

So, an important part of the solution is to avoid screen-time for a couple of hours before bed. Alternatives to not watching TV or using electronics is to install a blue light modulating software such as Iris,13 or using blue-blocking glasses.

Just make sure you don’t wear blue blocking glasses during the daytime, which is when you need the blue light exposure. Also, make sure the glasses filter out light between 460 to 490 nanometers (nm), which is the range of blue light that most effectively reduces melatonin. You can easily tell this by looking at a blue light and if it doesn’t disappear with the glasses, it is not blocking that frequency.

Exercise Helps Prevent Depression

Like sleep, exercise can impact your risk of depression. Even a minimal amount of exercise may be enough to combat depression in some people — as little as one hour a week could prevent 12% of future cases of depression, according to one study.14

Participants were followed for 11 years in this study, during which time it was revealed that people who engaged in regular leisure-time exercise for one hour a week, regardless of intensity, were less likely to become depressed. On the flipside, those who didn’t exercise were 44% more likely to become depressed compared to those who did so for at least one to two hours a week.

Exercise benefits your brain and mood via multiple mechanisms, including creating new, excitable neurons along with new neurons designed to release the GABA neurotransmitter, which inhibits excessive neuronal firing, helping to induce a natural state of calm15 — similar to the way anti-anxiety drugs work, except that the mood-boosting benefits of exercise occur both immediately after a workout and on in the long term.

Exercise also boosts levels of potent brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, which may help buffer some of the effects of stress. What’s more, anandamide levels are known to increase during and following exercise.16 Anandamide is a neurotransmitter and endocannabinoid produced in your brain that temporarily blocks feelings of pain and depression. It can also be activated with CBD products.

Tap for Symptoms of Depression

Last but not least, EFT, a form of psychological acupressure, is a noninvasive way that can help treat symptoms of depression, whether related to seasonal light differences or not.

Some people avoid energy psychology, believing it’s an alternative form of New Age spirituality. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is merely an advanced tool that can effectively address some of the psychological short circuiting that occurs in emotional illnesses.

It is not associated with any religion or spiritual outlook at all, but merely an effective resource you can use with whatever spiritual belief you have. In the video above, EFT practitioner Julie Schiffman demonstrates how you can use EFT to relieve your symptoms.

It’s the Season To Be Glad, Not SAD

Since SAD is triggered by the loss of light, it makes sense that light therapy is among the most effective treatments. Vitamin D and/or omega-3 deficiency, as well as lack of sleep and exercise, can also play a significant role, so addressing these basic lifestyle factors could also be what you need to avoid the winter blues.

In closing, it may be worth noting that it’s natural for your body to want to slow down somewhat in the wintertime. While this can be difficult when your work and personal life dictate otherwise, allowing yourself to slow down a bit and surrender to the overwinter process may ultimately help you to respect your body’s circadian rhythm, and recharge.

That said, this doesn’t mean you should plant yourself on the couch for the winter and not venture outdoors. On the contrary, staying active and spending time outdoors during the day are among the best “cures” for SAD.

– Sources and References

Category:

Sleep, Supplements

Latest Research on Vitamin C

https://www.deannaminich.com/latest-research-on-vitamin-c/

by | Sep 17, 2018

Vitamin C is no stranger to the spotlight when it comes to powerful nutrients. When you get a cold, you might turn to vitamin C to give your immune system a boost, or you might supplement with it to help combat oxidative stress.

Many of vitamin C’s functions are well studied and can be found in any nutritional textbook and articles out in the blogosphere. As a quick recap, here are some of vitamin C‘s most recognized roles in the body:

– Immune system support
– Collagen synthesis
– L-carnitine synthesis
– Neurotransmitter synthesis
– Antioxidant that also regenerates other antioxidants, specifically vitamin E
– Increases non-heme (plant based) iron absorption

Scurvy, common among sailors in the 15th and 16th centuries, is a disease that arises when there is a deficiency of vitamin C. The early symptoms include fatigue, lethargy, and malaise. As it progresses, it causes anemia, bone pain, easy bruising, swelling, poor wound healing, mood changes, depression, and other symptoms. It can become very serious and even lead to death if not treated.

Although a true deficiency might be rare today, having insufficient levels also leads to poor health. Our knowledge regarding the important actions and roles that vitamin C has in the body—and why it is important to have sufficient quantities—continually expands. So, let’s take a look at what’s new with vitamin C with a quick research roundup of some of the more recent studies in the literature.

Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s Disease

Recent studies on vitamin C’s potential to help prevent and perhaps even alleviate Alzheimer’s Disease and other disorders caused by neurodegeneration found:

  • A reduced risk of developing cognitive decline. Using data from a cohort study, researchers reviewed the impact of taking vitamin E and C supplements on cognitive decline. Supplementing with vitamin C and E resulted in roughly three-quarters the risk of developing cognitive impairment, not dementia, and there was just under two-thirds the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and all-cause dementia. For those who appreciate the science, the adjusted hazard ratio was 0.77 for cognitive impairment, not dementia; 0.60 for Alzheimer’s disease; and 0.62 for all-cause dementia, all of which were significant and remained so in fully adjusted models other than cognitive impairment, not dementia.
  • In another study, lower plasma levels of vitamin C correlated with a higher risk of increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). Increased IMT has been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment. This points to a potentially protective effect of vitamin C against Alzheimer’s disease and similar vascular and cognitive aging.

Based on these two studies, it appears as though having sufficient vitamin C plays a key role in protecting the brain. This makes it especially important for you to consume plenty of vitamin-C rich foods as you age.

Cardiovascular Disease 

Several studies have come out in the past decade or so looking at the association between vitamin C and heart health. Below are highlights of a couple recent studies:

  • A meta-analysis found vitamin C treatment after cardiac surgery was safe and potentially effective in reducing the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation. This is the most common surgical complication, and it can lead to twice the incidence of heart failure and stroke. Finding ways to prevent postoperative atrial fibrillation could contribute to better surgical outcomes and reduced mortality.
  • Patients with metabolic syndrome have lower plasma levels of vitamin C, as well as the other key antioxidant vitamins (vitamins A and E). Low levels were not associated with their dietary intake, but weight did play a role. Those who had a higher BMI also had a lower level of vitamin C, pointing to antioxidant deficiency or impairment. Therefore, regardless of the diet, those who were overweight or obese still had lower levels of vitamin C in their blood, most likely due to increased antioxidant needs. Therefore, it is even more important for those with a higher BMI to focus on consuming sufficient antioxidants, especially vitamin C, through their diet and possibly supplementation.

A healthy diet, especially one rich in vegetables and fruit, is an important component of heart health. One reason might be that the vitamin C in plant foods helps ensure you have a large enough antioxidant capacity when you are stressed, whether from a surgery or excess body fat.

Fighting Infections 

We already know that supporting the immune system is an important task of vitamin C. New research provides even more evidence, as shown below:

  • One randomized, controlled pilot study found that taking probiotics with 50 mg of vitamin C reduced the incidence rate of upper respiratory tract infections in preschool children compared to the placebo group. There was also a reduction in the days absent from school and the number of days for which medication was needed compared to the placebo group.
  • In a randomized control trial, vitamin C supplementation (500 mg) was found to help men with below adequate or deficient vitamin C status at the beginning of the study overcome a cold faster. After taking vitamin C, the duration of infection with the common cold was reduced 59 percent compared to the control group. The vitamin C group also experienced a modest increase in the physical activity score and increased fasting serum vitamin C levels.

Other Promising Findings

There are many other studies pointing to possible benefits from this antioxidant vitamin. Some interesting and promising findings include:

  •  A recent study analyzed data from 3,283 adults in the Korea 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Low intakes of vitamin C, as well as other nutrients, had a significant association with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Low vitamin C intake was one of four elements that had a significant independent risk factor; the other four were being male, older, and a smoker. The study found that higher vitamin C intake is protective, independent of smoking.
  • In patients with hypothyroidism and gastritis (which contributes to malabsorption of thyroid medication), taking vitamin C helped improve absorption of levothyroxine, which in turn improved their serum TSH, free T4, and T3 levels. These are the thyroid hormones that play an important role in regulating metabolism, growth and development, and neural differentiation.
  • A cohort study found that high levels (over 30 grams) of intravenous vitamin C over a treatment period that lasted 90 minutes reduced blood pressure 6 to 7 mmHg and 8 to 9 mmHg in prehypertensive patients.
  • A cross-sectional study looking at middle-aged and older adults found an inverse association between vitamin C intake (adjusted for energy intake) and risk for developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

These studies point to the importance of ensuring you have an adequate supply at all times for your general health and well being. As an added bonus, you protect yourself from an early death. A report reviewing two cohort studies found an inverse association between vitamin C intake and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in adults in China.

How to Get Sufficient Vitamin C 

It is easy to boost your vitamin C intake: just add some fruits and vegetables to your diet, especially if you fall short of the recommended 9 to 14 servings. In a study combining four randomized-controlled trials conducted under similar guidelines by the same research team, there was a 24 percent increase in vitamin C intake per one additional portion of fruit and vegetable added to the diet, which was statistically significant. For a targeted increase, try some of the following foods, which are rich in vitamin C and listed in descending order:

– Acerola cherries
– Orange juice
– Guavas
– Red, green, and yellow peppers
– Peaches
– Mustard spinach
– Tomato juice
– Lychees
– Kiwis
– Oranges
– Sun-dried tomatoes
– Broccoli
– Strawberries

One thing this list has in common is that they are colorful foods! Make a point to eat a colorful diet made up of every color of the rainbow. This ensures you provide your body with a wide variety of nutrients, including vitamin C.

If you struggle to consume enough vitamin-C rich foods, you might wish to turn to supplements. There are a few things you need to know¹:

  • Most supplements use ascorbic acid, which has a similar bioavailability to what you find in food.
  • The body starts to absorb less vitamin C once you go above doses of 1,250 mg. That is why for maximum absorption, it is generally recommended to split high doses to two or three throughout the day.
  • The most common side effect is diarrhea, and you might also experience abdominal pain. Typically, these symptoms are dose related. This means they are more likely to occur the higher the dose. This is another reason to split high doses.
  • Vitamin C increases the absorption of non-heme iron, which is the iron found in plants such as lentils, soy, quinoa, and leafy greens. Therefore, if you are at risk of an iron overload, do not take vitamin C when you consume these foods. Conversely, if you are iron deficient, increase your non-heme iron absorption through consuming vitamin C rich foods and/or supplements.
  • As with any supplement, discuss potential medication interactions and other risk factors with your doctor or pharmacist before taking the supplement.
  • Make sure to have bioflavonoids included in your vitamin C supplement for a complete complement of vitamin C activity.

When you choose a supplement, you want to make sure that it is high quality. One of the best ways to do that is to look for those certified by a third-party, such as Consumer Labs, the Natural Products Association, NSF International, and US Pharmacopeia. Always review the active and inactive ingredients so that you know what is in the supplement. Be wary of “proprietary” blends that do not detail the ingredients. Other ingredients to avoid include wheat, gluten, lactose, hydrogenated oils, sweeteners, artificial colors, and anything else you generally would not wish to ingest.

There will always be more research looking into additional benefits of consuming vitamin C, and there’s no time like the present to focus on your intake so that you benefit from all that vitamin C does to the body, both the actions currently known and those that will only be revealed in the future.  Always check with your healthcare practitioner on whether you need more vitamin C from your diet or from a supplement.

Additional Sources: 

  1. Gaby, A.R. (2011). Chapter 22:Vitamin C.In Nutritional Medicine (1st ed.) [eBook version]. Concord, NH: Fritz Perlberg Publishing. Available from https://doctorgaby.com/the-book/.

Category:

research, Supplements