Nutrition and Mental Health Part III

In my first two Nutrition and Mental Health posts I addressed the issues of adrenal imbalances, blood sugar issues, allergies, thyroid problems, B vitamin deficiencies, essential fatty acid deficiencies and how they can all directly impact mental well being. The next four issues I will address are serotonin deficiency, histamine imbalance, acetylcholine imbalance and heavy metal toxicity.

Serotonin imbalance is a very common finding in people with mental health problems. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain (neurotransmitter) that is necessary for communication between nerve cells. It’s purpose is to regulate many functions such as mood, sleep, appetite, and sensory perception. The following are symptoms that may be caused by a lack of serotonin:

depression
anxiety
sleep problems
low pain threshold
low impulse control
cravings for sweets
mood swings
obsessive compulsive behaviour
aggressive or violent behaviour
alcohol or drug abuse

If you have several of these symptoms you may be low in serotonin. Although it is possible to arrange a Neurotransmitter Screening Test through your doctor, I always like to recommend the try and see approach. I believe that biochemistry is individual and that some people just require more serotonin to function optimally. The amino acids tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) are precursors to serotonin and are found in protein foods such as meats, poultry, whole grains, beans, rice, lentils, sesame or sunflower seeds, eggs, soy products and dairy products. This chemical helps to regulate mood, emotion, sleep and appetite. See…..the glass of warm milk before bed really did help! This is one reason why some people naturally require more protein than others, but unfortunately not everyone is able to fully digest the protein they eat. This can leave them deficient in many different nutrients. This doesn't mean to go and eat more protein if you are one of these people, but perhaps focussing on ways to improve digestion would be a good idea. (this is a post for a later date!) For those who would like to try a supplement for quicker results, most health food stores carry plant based 5-HTP which comes in capsule form. It is best taken before bedtime as it may cause drowsiness and often promotes lucid dreams!

Histamine imbalance is another issue that can greatly affect mental health. Although most people associate histamine with allergies, it also serves as an important neurotransmitter. Some people have naturally high levels of histamine (histadelia) and tend to have a fast metabolism which causes them to use up nutrients at a fast rate. Often these people become quite deficient in nutrients that are important to mental health. The following are some symptoms associated with excess histamine:

obsessive compulsive tendencies
headaches or migraines
seasonal allergies
sneeze in sunlight
easy orgasm
high alcohol tolerance
poor sleep
depression
fast metabolism
easily nauseated
weepy
produces a lot of body heat
long fingers and toes
lean build

If you think you might be a high histamine type you can check by having a blood test for histamine. If levels are high, try supplementing with Vitamin C, Methionine and Calcium. Do not supplement with large amounts of Folic acid. Low histamine (Histapenia) displays the following symptoms and is often associated with Schizophrenia:

undue suspicion of people
anxiety
hallucinations
delusions of grandeur
feelings that someone controls your mind
high pain tolerance
ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
excess fat in lower extremities
excess body hair
tendency to canker sores
difficult orgasm

Low levels of histamine can also be detected by blood tests. If you have low histamine you may benefit from supplementing vitamins B3/B12, Manganese, Folic Acid and Essential Fatty Acids such as fish or flaxseed oil.

Acetylcholine deficiency can cause memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. Levels of this neurotransmitter tend to decline naturally with age but with the proper nutrients we can prevent this from happening. The following are symptoms of Acetylcholine deficiency:

poor memory or forgetfulness
poor concentration
infrequent dreaming
disorientation
lack of imagination
confused thinking
dry mouth
social withdrawal
trouble putting thoughts into words

If you think you may be low in acetylcholine it could help to supplement with Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s), eat plenty of antioxidant fruit and vegetables, supplement with a high strength multi vitamin/mineral adding extra vitamin C and supplement phospholipids. Also, it would be very helpful to reduce stress and exercise the body as well as the brain!

Heavy metal toxicity is a topic that I will need to do an entire post (or maybe write a whole book) on one day. The most common toxic heavy metals are lead, mercury, aluminum, copper, cadmium and arsenic. All of these metals are common in our environment and in small amounts won’t harm us…they are actually necessary for good health. Unfortunately not everyone can metabolize these metals sufficiently and in this case can become toxic even in small amounts. Equally unfortunate is the fact that these metals are found in dangerous amounts in some agricultural, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, industrial and residential settings which leaves even the most healthy at risk. A few examples of potential sources for exposure are dental amalgams, seafood, drinking water, vaccines, old paint, cigarettes, personal care products eg. deodorants, cosmetics and fire retardants. Heavy metal toxicity can result in reduced mental and central nervous function, low energy levels, and damage to blood, lungs, liver, kidneys and other organs. Long-term exposure may result in slowly progressing physical, muscular, and neurological degenerative processes that mimic Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Repeated long-term contact with some metals also cause cancer. The following are indicative of heavy metal toxicity:

nervousness
phobias
anxiety, paranoia or extreme fears
poor memory
confusion
joint pain
emotional instability
anger or aggression
hyperactivity
headaches or migraines
fatigue
Fibromyalgia
loss of sensation
allergies
asthma
digestive disorders (Crohn’s, Colitis, IBS)
hormonal imbalance
autism and ADD/ADHD and OCD
Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS
Autoimmune diseases - rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis
heart disease

A hair mineral analysis can be performed to check for an excess of metals in your body. it is an non-invasive and inexpensive test that can also draw attention to mineral deficiencies as well. I recommend supporting the body’s natural metal detoxification pathways and restoring normal levels of essential nutrients. You can do this through the supplementation of antioxidants, B vitamins, the minerals magnesium, zinc and selenium, EFA’s, milk thistle (a liver tonic), enzymes and probiotics. Reducing the body’s toxic load by eating organic foods and drinking filtered water would be helpful as would improving immune function through optimum digestion. Also beneficial would be to reduce heavy metals in the body using low/frequent-dose chelation.