Protect Your Brain

As I promised in my blog entitled “Going Nuts!” here’s something about Niacin, one of the important nutrients for mental health.

THE BRAIN
Photo Credit:  www.magicalmaths.org 

What’s so nice about NIACIN? J

Niacin is commonly known as vitamin B3, nicotinic acid and less known as vitamin PP. It used to be called the pellagra-preventive and anti-dermatitis factor. It is one of the essential human nutrients. It has been used for more than 50 years now to increase HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or “good cholesterol” levels in the blood and has been found to moderately decrease cardiovascular disease.

Amazingly, Niacin has also been discovered as a significant nutrient in maintaining balance in the brain. This is shown by the story below:

 

“Sonia was admitted to the hospital with mania, having previously been mildly depressed and prescribed the antidepressant paroxetine. The physical examination failed to pick up that she had severe diarrhea, had vomited, and her hand was turning bright red. She was prescribed the anti-psychotic droperidol and the tranquilizer diazepam. She remained high and was detained under the Mental Health Act. She managed to steal some of her own B vitamins (including niacin) and swallowed 12 of them. She recovered almost completely in the next 24 hours and her detention was canceled. But she couldn’t obtain any more vitamins and relapsed. She was put on a longer detention and diagnosed with manic depression. It was more than two months and numerous doses of drugs including haloperidol, depixol and lithium before she returned to normal. Today her mood is stable, and her chronic depression since childhood has cleared. She takes 3g of niacin per day, has a low sugar and gluten-free diet, and is studying to become a nutrition consultant. Her psychiatrist concedes that niacin deficiency is a credible explanation for her symptoms, and her lithium dose is being reduced.”

-- Patrick Holford, “New Optimum Nutrition for the Mind,” p.268

Now, where to find Niacin? Well, it is found in a variety of foods like liver, beef, chicken, fish, cereals, peanuts and legumes. Fruits and veggies such as avocadoes, dates, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots and sweet potatoes are also good sources.

Various sources of Niacin. Take your pick!
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Yummeh yummeh! Let's eat!
Photo Credit:  www.thenutritiondr.com  

I’m NOT saying that Niacin is the solution to mental health problems. So far, there is NO specific nutrient that has been established to cure mental illness, specifically in my case, bipolar disorder or manic depression. But there are many that make a difference and Niacin is one of them. However when it comes to diet, it still is good to eat all types of food so as to have all the nutrients that the body needs. Multivitamin supplementation is also highly recommended since nutrients work together as a TEAM. J

So, protect your brain by having the right balance of vitamins and minerals in your body. Eat well. Eat right, alright? J

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niacin

               Holford, Patrick. “New Optimum Nutrition for the Mind.”