Folic acid supplements are typically recommended to people with anemia and to expecting mothers. However, folic acid supplements can also be important for the cardiovascular system, the brain and memory, and for preventing stroke. The widespread lack of this nutrient is a result of poor diets, pregnancy, ageing, alcohol abuse, and the consumption of birth control pills and various types of medicine.
There is a link between depression and brain inflammation
- and supplements can often help
Depression is on the rise. The problem is often caused by inflammation in the brain. The British neuro-immunologist, Edvard Bullmore, has published the thought-provoking book called The Inflamed Mind, in which he describes the link between root canal treatment and depression, among other things. David Perlmutter, a neurologist, has written the book, Grain Brain, where he describes how gluten combined with carbohydrate overload also can cause inflammation in the brain. Depression, in other words, may occur when the blood-brain barrier is not as impermeable as assumed, and when the cytokines of the immune defense are able to cause undesirable brain inflammation. Numerous studies have shown that fish oil, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, and selenium can improve a person’s mood by counteracting inflammation in the brain and other sites, and there is often a connection. It requires therapeutic doses, however, and it is vital that the supplements have good bioavailability, so the active substances reach the cells.
High-dosed supplementation with coenzyme Q10 is able to reduce the frequency, severity, and duration of migraine attacks, which is because the compound reduces levels of a brain peptide that causes pain and inflammation. This was shown in a groundbreaking study that is published in Nutritional Neuroscience. Pharmaceutical companies are now working around the clock to develop a patentable drug that is able to block this peptide, but migraine sufferers may just as well use Q10. It is already available without a prescription. Always choose a high-quality product with documented bioavailability to ensure that the Q10 molecules reach the energy-producing mitochondria of the cells. The reason why migraine sufferers may have an increased need for coenzyme Q10 is that they have mitochondrial defects.
People whose dietary consumption of vitamin B2 is more than twice the amount that is officially recommended have significantly fewer migraine attacks, according to a new study published in Neurology. Earlier studies also show that high-dosed vitamin B2 supplementation has a positive effect. It is important to pay attention to the factors that impair the body’s utilization of vitamin B2.
Rheumatism is the most widespread chronic disease in Denmark, and many people experience a worsening of the symptoms during the winter period. The majority of people take anti-inflammatory drugs for years, but this increases their risk of bleeding stomach ulcers and other side effects, not to mention premature death. The underlying cause is chronic inflammation and it is a problem that is not properly addressed. For decades, Nobel Prize-winners and other scientists have revealed what causes chronic inflammation and how the problem in many cases can be helped with various supplements that help cure the pain. In the following, we have summarized a lot of the research that has been conducted with vitamin D, fish oil, magnesium, selenium, zinc, and glucosamine, and we have looked at why the anti-inflammatory lifestyle has become such a health trend. It is essential to use supplements that contain the different ingredients in therapeutic doses and with a quality that allows the body to absorb and utilize the active compounds.
Melanoma can be very dangerous if it is not treated in time, but a study from the University of Leeds in England shows that vitamin D affects melanoma cells and makes them less aggressive. According to the scientists behind the study, this revelation may lead to new therapies. It is a problem, however, that health authorities warn people against sun exposure without informing about alternative ways to optimize vitamin D levels. The sun during the summer period is our main source of vitamin D, so we just have to make sure not to get burned. At our latitudes, it is a good idea to take a vitamin D supplement during the winter period. According to other studies, the nutrient prevents cancer by way of several different mechanisms.
Sleep deficiency is a common problem that is linked to lifestyle, and many people actually get used to it. Still, chronic lack of sleep is very bad for your health and is associated with accelerated ageing and a risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study that is published in the science journal, Communication Biology. Research from the last decades has demonstrated how the hormone, melatonin, optimizes sleep and serves as a powerful antioxidant that protects cells. One of the world’s leading melatonin researchers, Dr. Walter Pierpaoli, refers to melatonin as the “miracle hormone” that is able to delay ageing by way of several mechanisms. In the following, you can read more about the ageing process, how to optimize your melatonin levels, and why a melatonin supplement can be a perfect solution with a positive impact on your health and life expectancy.
