9 Methods to Optimize Neurotransmitters for Higher Mind Well being (Half 2)

October 15, 2024

Neurotransmitter imbalances can manifest as power anxiousness, deep-seated despair, persistent sleep disruptions, and cognitive struggles that hinder your focus and reminiscence.

When these points come up, they’re not simply minor hiccups in your well being and wellness—they will disrupt each facet of your life.

Welcome again to Half 2 of my sequence on restoring and optimizing your neurotransmitters—the biochemical messengers that affect your temper, vitality, focus, and general well-being. In Part 1, you explored how neurotransmitters affect your well-being, recognized your neurotransmitter dominance, and found sensible steps to handle imbalances, reminiscent of avoiding extreme antidepressants and stimulants and steering away from environmental toxins.

These foundational methods are simply the beginning, although—there’s far more to uncover about sustaining neurotransmitter steadiness that can assist you improve your focus, enhance your temper, and expertise higher general well being.

In Half 2, you’ll get to dive into six *extra* methods designed to fine-tune your neurotransmitter well being. I am going to reveal cutting-edge strategies for optimizing your mind’s chemistry, together with breakthrough dietary supplements, dietary changes, and strategic life-style modifications. Should you’re grappling with persistent temper swings, mind fog, or unexplained fatigue, these insights are absolute game-changers. Moreover, this text will lay out actionable steps to sort out your points head-on, offering a transparent roadmap to enhanced steadiness and psychological readability. By integrating these superior strategies, you can unlock new ranges of well-being and psychological sharpness.

Able to dive in? 

Ben Greenfield’s High Suggestions for Optimizing Your Neurotransmitters (Continued From Part 1)

4. Keep away from Sensory Overload

Eighteen years in the past, I walked out of the horror flick Noticed, arms trembling with adrenaline, and swore underneath my breath that I might by no means watch one other scary film at night time.

Since making that oath, my sleep has drastically improved, as have my day by day focus and vitality.

Within the twenty-first century, most of us are bombarded with sensory data each day. We’re uncovered to all the next:

• Loud sounds, like honking automobiles and ringing telephones
• Fast visible and auditory results in video games and films
• The digital flickering of displays and screens
• Radio and EMF waves
• Fluorescent lighting
• Extreme working hours
• Violent leisure like horror flicks

All this sensory exposure overloads your central nervous system and can lead to severe neurotransmitter imbalances. Your mind has to calm itself down from these stimuli with increased ranges of calming neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA than it will usually require. You might be overloaded for those who:

• Take heed to loud music whereas exercising
• Have a gradual weight loss program of fast-moving, thrilling, or violent motion pictures and video video games, particularly earlier than mattress
• Spend a lot of your day looking at a pc monitor
• Consistently play music within the background
• Are uncovered to synthetic fluorescent lighting all day

Listed under are a couple of of my prime methods for avoiding sensory overload:

• Cut back sensory enter: To rebalance your neurotransmitter ranges, take pleasure in silence and stillness by turning down loud music throughout exercises, avoiding extreme display time, and choosing actions like leisurely walks within the park, sitting on the porch with chamomile tea or biodynamic red wine, or working towards twenty minutes of mindful deep breathing and meditation.
• Handle know-how use: If utilizing know-how at night time, dim your screen, put on blue light-blocking glasses, and preserve the quantity low to guard your senses and enhance sleep high quality.
• Use GABA-supporting compounds: After publicity to intense stimuli, think about compounds like passion flower extract, which promotes healthy GABA activity and reduces anxiety; lemon extract and CBD for GABA-mediated antistress effects; and phenibut, which crosses the blood-brain barrier to help GABA perform. A dose of melatonin (you can join Dr. Lieurance’s MitoZen Club to snag the kind I use) also can counteract melatonin suppression attributable to vivid lights at night time.
• Think about melatonin for sleep: In brightly lit environments, reminiscent of Las Vegas, utilizing a 100 to 300 mg melatonin suppository earlier than mattress may be an efficient technique to enhance sleep.

5. Repair Your Intestine

You’ve gotten a second mind, and that second mind shouldn’t be in your head. Assume decrease. Okay, fellas, not that low. Up a bit increased.

Sure, the second mind is in your intestine.

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is a internet of neurons that controls your intestine and operates semi-independently out of your mind. It makes use of greater than thirty neurotransmitters, similar to the mind, and as much as 95 % of your physique’s serotonin is definitely produced in your intestine. This is smart when you think about that within the 9 meters out of your esophagus to your anus, there are greater than 100 million neurons, greater than in your spinal twine or your whole peripheral nervous system! Irritable bowel syndrome, which afflicts nearly every active individual now and then, arises partly from a serotonin imbalance in your gut. That is additionally why SSRI antidepressants, which alter the steadiness of serotonin in your physique in addition to your mind, can result in critical intestine points.

Neurotransmitters are produced in your gut lining and by the billions of bacteria in your gut. So in case your intestine lining is broken or your intestine flora is out of steadiness, then you’re at critical danger for neurotransmitter deficiencies and imbalances. This may occasionally even be why probiotics, fiber that will increase small-chain fatty acids that heal the intestine lining and suppress irritation, and the consumption of all kinds of fermented meals may be extremely efficient pure cures for despair.

Based mostly in your newfound information of the brain-gut axis, a great first step in addressing neurotransmitter imbalances is a intestine reboot, which entails:

• 4 to eight weeks of a squeaky-clean diet protocol—two of my favorites are the Autoimmune Paleo (AIP) diet and the low-FODMAP diet)
• Beneficiant quantities of glutamine, colostrum, bone broth or collagen, all kinds of fermented meals, and a well-formulated probiotic
• The inclusion of polyphenol-rich compounds such as blueberries, plums, cherries, black currants, black olives, dark chocolate, black tea, coffee, black walnuts, and even done-for-you “red powder” supplements
• Akkermansia, a singular probiotic that additionally assists with blood sugar management, may be helpful as properly.

6. Substitute Your Constructing Blocks

Amino acids work so well to stave off central nervous system fatigue as a result of they’re the first constructing blocks— together with vitamin B and minerals—of neurotransmitters.

First, study your weight loss program to make sure you are consuming satisfactory protein. I like to recommend a minimal of 0.55g per pound of physique weight per day or, for muscle upkeep or achieve and joint or intestine restore, ideally nearer to 0.8g per pound, particularly for those who’re above the age of forty.

A few of the best-quality amino acid sources are:

Many individuals who battle with sleep or motivation points tied to neurotransmitter issues also can profit from 10 to 20g every day of essential amino acids, which mix 9 important amino acids to provide all the mandatory neurotransmitter precursors.

EAAs and BCAAs

Not all amino acids are created equal.

Branched-chain amino acid dietary supplements (BCAAs) include solely three of the 9 important amino acids (EAAs) that the physique cannot make itself: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

Folks take BCAAs hoping to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, combat fatigue, and enhance focus throughout exercises. Sadly, these claims about the advantages of BCAAs are based on outdated research completed on rats. However newer studies have shown that BCAAs don’t have any vital impact on muscle progress and should as an alternative trigger a spike in blood glucose or insulin, together with an imbalance of the extra necessary EAAs. The most recent, extraordinarily comprehensive paper on EAAs, by the Worldwide Society of Sports activities Diet (ISSN), demonstrably exhibits that EAAs stimulate muscle protein synthesis greater than another protein supply and may help with muscle upkeep and progress even within the absence of weight coaching!!

In distinction, supplements that contain the correct balance of all nine EAAs—that are costlier than BCAAs however much more efficacious—have been shown to enhance the retention of lean muscle, enhance metabolic charge, and optimize mind and liver perform, with no deleterious unwanted effects and a really low-calorie load.

Positive, you possibly can merely eat a steak or suck down a whey protein shake to get all of your EAAs, however the protein from meals should first be digested after which damaged down into amino acids, so food-derived amino acids not solely include much more energy than EAA capsules or powders but in addition take longer to be absorbed. It’s additionally troublesome to devour and digest an considerable quantity of protein from actual meals instantly earlier than or throughout train—say, a exercise or race.

A latest paper by the Worldwide Society of Sports activities Diet on the results of EAA supplementation on efficiency highlighted the important role of EAAs in stimulating muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and turnover. MPS stimulation by EAAs happens with as little as 1.5g per day and turns into particularly vital at round 20g per day. Even when fasting, in a calorie deficit, or in a state of affairs when food-derived protein sources aren’t obtainable, EAAs enable for straightforward muscle upkeep and muscle constructing. My most well-liked model of EAA dietary supplements is Kion (GetKion.com), which is the closest to the precise amino acid composition of human muscle, with none nasty fillers or sweeteners.

For the nervous system to synthesize and flow into the neurotransmitters fashioned by amino acids, you also need to have an adequate intake of B-complex vitamins. Vitamins B6, B12, and folate (vitamin B9) are particularly necessary. Food sources of vitamin B6 embrace bell peppers, turnip greens, and spinach. Folate is present in broccoli, beets, turnip and mustard greens, romaine lettuce, lentils, calf’s liver, asparagus, parsley, and spinach. B12 sources embrace calf’s liver and snapper. For vitamin B supplementation, look into full-spectrum vitamin B blends that use solely the extremely bioavailable type of vitamin B referred to as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) whereas avoiding that all-too-common, inflammatory artificial folic acid as a lot as you possibly can (you’ll discover this isn’t as straightforward because it appears, since a ton of cereals, grains, vitality drinks, and different processed meals are actually “fortified” with artificial folic acid).

7. Lube Your Nerves

Ever since I sat slack-jawed within the viewers at a well being convention and listened to writer Nora Gedgaudas current proof that levels of cholesterol decrease than 200 are related to decrease IQ, I’ve gone out of my solution to shun a phobia of dietary fat.

In spite of everything, cholesterol performs a task in forming and sustaining cell membranes and buildings; rising membrane fluidity; serving to cells alter to modifications in temperature; making plenty of important hormones, together with cortisol, testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen; forming bile, a fluid that performs a significant function within the processing and digestion of fat; making vitamin D; and importantly, insulating or “lubing” nerve cells.

On the flip facet, ldl cholesterol could be a contributory issue to coronary heart illness if sure dangers are current, reminiscent of excessive ApoB (a protein that helps carry ldl cholesterol all through the physique, ideally under 100 mg/dl), familial hypercholesterolemia (genetically elevated ldl cholesterol), excessive ranges of proinflammatory cytokines, a triglyceride-to-HDL ratio above 2 (additionally known as your “atherogenic index”), a excessive calcium scan rating, or elevated unstable plaque as proven on a CT angiography score reminiscent of a CLEERLY scan. However usually, I don’t advocate you make a mad, blind sprint to cut back ldl cholesterol with out making an allowance for these different elements. 

As a result of a weight loss program wealthy in wholesome animal meals like meat, dairy, and eggs is associated with higher cholesterol levels, vegans and vegetarians are more likely to have lower cholesterol—and the unwanted effects that include it.

So I warn vegans and vegetarians to be cautious with a strictly plant-based weight loss program, particularly one that’s low in dietary fat and cholesterols. In a large physique of analysis, vegetarians have been proven to have elevated charges of depressive issues, anxiousness issues, and different cognitive malfunctions.

Although plant-based eaters are sometimes unaware of the potential darkish facet of this weight loss program, significant evidence suggests a hyperlink between going meatless or low-fat (a prevailing attribute of a plant-based weight loss program) and an elevated danger of psychological issues. Many vegetarians and vegans really feel stellar on a plant-based weight loss program for months and even years. However ultimately, they have a tendency to expertise nagging aches and pains resulting from amino acid deficiencies and cognitive decline resulting from fats and vitamin B12 deficiencies, which may trigger dementia, depression, and other mental disorders. Positive, for those who’re hypercautious and really thorough in addressing dietary deficiencies, you’ll be at decrease danger of those points, however that can require loads of meals combining, slow-prep cooking strategies, fermentation, soaking, sprouting, supplementation, and taking nice care to devour satisfactory amino acids and fatty acids. 

Creatine and Reminiscence

Creatine is a vital compound that’s discovered largely in meat, so it’s largely missing from plant-based diets. David Benton, a psychology professor who focuses on weight loss program and conduct, studied the memory of omnivores and vegetarians each earlier than and after they consumed a placebo or creatine complement. Earlier than taking the drugs, the omnivores and vegetarians had comparable efficiency on a reminiscence take a look at. Then every group was divided into two smaller teams, one taking a placebo, and the opposite taking creatine.

Per week later, all 4 teams took one other reminiscence take a look at. The omnivores’ outcomes didn’t change from the earlier week, whether or not they took a placebo or creatine. The vegetarians who took the placebo additionally carried out the identical because the week earlier than. Nevertheless, the vegetarians who took creatine not solely improved from the week earlier than but in addition outstripped all the different teams by way of cognitive efficiency.

Curiously, this means that vegetarians might probably have higher reminiscences than omnivores—most certainly resulting from their excessive consumption of antioxidant-rich vegetation and comparatively low consumption of overcooked or processed meat—however the identical weight loss program that provides them these benefits additionally provides them the drawback of a creatine deficit. It additionally means that creatine consumption, both through supplementation, satisfactory meat (notably beef) consumption, or each, can deal with a few of these deficits. Whereas 5g per day is the recommended creatine intake for muscle strength and power, 10g and as much as 20g per day is really helpful for cognitive efficiency, reminiscence, sleep deprivation, and different nervous system–associated targets. 

The way to Supercharge Your Mind & Defend (and Nourish) Your Nerve Well being

Relating to fat, one other superb solution to improve the velocity with which your mind communicates with the remainder of your physique is to look after the well being of your nerves themselves.

Your nerves are wrapped in insulating myelin sheaths, sleeves of fatty tissue that defend your nerve cells and help with the transmission of messages between your mind and the remainder of your physique.

A diet for a healthy nervous system needs to be wealthy in vitamins that help the formation of those sheaths. In spite of everything, it doesn’t matter what number of neurotransmitters you make if the motion potentials they propagate can’t be adequately transmitted as a result of you might have damaged down, degraded myelin sheaths. Omega-3 fatty acids, notably docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are necessary for the formation of myelin sheaths, so a neurotransmitter-supporting weight loss program ought to embrace a excessive consumption of omega-3s.

Flax seeds, walnuts, kale, collard greens, and winter squash include excessive ranges of omega-3 fatty acids, however the amount absorbed from them can be relatively low as a result of they convert poorly from the omega-3 fatty acid ALA to extra useful EPA and DHA. Sources of extra available omega-3 fatty acids embrace salmon, sardines, cloves, grass-fed beef, halibut, shrimp, cod, tuna, and algae or algal oil.

As well as, anthropological proof exhibits that lengthy earlier than people found cashew cheese and tofu, animal flesh and organ meats could provide not only many of the omega-3s essential to help myelin sheath well being but in addition the calorie-dense meals essential to gasoline the energy-hungry human cerebellum. Many anthropologists consider that with out the flexibility to make use of cooking to make uncooked meat extra digestible, people would by no means have matured past the psychological capability of herbivores like gorillas. At this time, stronger brains are still powered by many of the nutrients generally present in animal proteins, together with B nutritional vitamins, zinc, iron, and tryptophan, which is discovered virtually completely in poultry.

That’s to not say {that a} plant-based weight loss program can’t be neurotransmitter-friendly.

Vegans and vegetarians can obtain myelin sheath–promoting nutrients and oils by consuming soaked, sprouted, and fermented seeds, nuts, legumes, and grains; vegan-friendly algae-based DHA dietary supplements like chlorella, spirulina, and marine phytoplankton; and meals containing the monounsaturated fats oleic acid (which may comprise as much as 30 % of the myelin sheath!), reminiscent of olive oil, almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts, and avocados.

With every meal, embrace not less than one supply of oleic acid, reminiscent of olives, olive oil, or avocados, and not less than one supply of DHA, reminiscent of cold-water fish, fish oil, algae, or DHA-enriched eggs. My private technique is to maintain a bottle of extraordinarily high-quality extra-virgin olive oil readily available within the kitchen always and to journey with a fish oil excessive in DHA.

Plasmalogens are also protective of the myelin, which is extremely inclined to oxidative stress. Very like glutathione and catalase, plasmalogens assist neutralize the reactive oxygen species which might be produced throughout ATP manufacturing. Myelin is rich in plasmalogens, that are made within the peroxisomes inside our cells, however our ranges decline quickly as we age, resulting in a breakdown within the myelin and rising the probabilities of buying a degenerative situation. Whilst you can’t complement plasmalogens instantly, as they’re destroyed by the abdomen acid, you possibly can complement with plasmalogen precursors. 

8. Know Your Genes

When I interviewed Dr. Ben Lynch on my podcast about his ebook Dirty Genes and his genetic testing service, StrateGene, he defined to me that there’s an necessary record of so-called soiled genes—gene variants that instantly have an effect on not solely neurotransmitters but in addition a number of different necessary metabolic capabilities. Probably the most notable of those gene variants are:

• MTHFR, which helps methylation, a vital course of concerned in additional than 200 of your physique’s important capabilities
• GST/GPX, two gene variants liable for regulating your physique’s vitality ranges in addition to your glutathione ranges, thus impacting your pure antioxidant responses
• COMT, which impacts the metabolism of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, thus regulating your temper, vitality ranges, and skill to settle down, sleep, and focus
• DAO, which impacts your physique’s response to histamines from meals and micro organism, thus affecting your vulnerability to meals allergic reactions and intolerances
• MAOA, which impacts your relationship to dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, thus governing your temper, vitality, sugar cravings, and skill to sleep
• NOS3, which impacts your circulation and nitric oxide ranges and helps decide your cardiovascular well being and vulnerability to coronary heart assaults, circulatory points, and stroke
• PEMT, which impacts your cell partitions, mind, and liver, impacting a spread of well being points, reminiscent of gallstones, fatty liver illness, intestine issues, and a focus and focus deficits

You possibly can take a look at for these genes by taking a reasonable salivary DNA take a look at via an organization reminiscent of StrateGene, SelfDecode, or The DNA Company. As soon as you’re armed with the information of which soiled genes you possess, you possibly can go about fixing them.

For instance, for those who uncover you possess the MTHFR gene sample that instantly impacts methylation, you possibly can complement with 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) whereas avoiding folate or folic acid. Should you uncover you might have impaired DAO genes, you should use a pure antihistamine previous to consuming wine or consuming fermented meals or canned fish. Or, for those who uncover that you’ve impaired nitric oxide pathways, you possibly can prioritize life-style methods reminiscent of infrared sauna, breathwork, and citrus fruit and dark chocolate consumption.

9. Give attention to Antioxidants

Antioxidants can play a important function in stabilizing cognition and reducing overall brain inflammation.

For instance, a number of research present the significance of 1 explicit antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), for decreasing the neuronal injury and degeneration related to extra ranges of excitatory neurotransmitters like glutamate (reminiscent of from the MSG megadose in that field of Chinese language takeout meals you polished off final night time).

NAC is also recognized as a crucial nutrient for treating neurological disorders reminiscent of schizophrenia and bipolar dysfunction. As an antioxidant, NAC neutralizes many free radicals earlier than they trigger injury in neural cells, and by inhibiting excess excitatory activity of glutamate receptors in the brain, it may also be very effective at treating addiction to the whole lot from nicotine to cocaine to meth to playing.

It additionally works fairly properly for dependancy as a result of it impacts dopamine reward pathways within the mind.

Any addictive substance or conduct prompts these pathways, which ultimately creates a dopamine imbalance. Together with reducing glutamate, NAC balances these reward pathways, which may scale back or remove cravings.

Different necessary antioxidants for the mind are alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), which protects the memory-friendly neurotransmitter acetylcholine and dampens mind oxidation and irritation; glutathione, which protects the mind and improves methylation whereas stopping dementia; and vitamins A, C, and E, that are all related to decreasing Alzheimer’s danger.

You too can use sure plant extracts to extend your physique’s pure manufacturing of antioxidants, which embrace glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase, all of which decline as we age. When taken in increased doses in a complement, these extracts put stress on your cells, which reply by upregulating the Nrf2 transcription pathway (the grasp regulator of the antioxidant response) and rising antioxidant manufacturing.

Whereas there are actually hundreds of plant extracts that may be utilized, the 2 I like greatest are curcumin and milk thistle, as they’ve many different well being advantages, together with anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, and enhancing intestine and liver well being.

Two different antioxidants—luteolin and diosmin—have been proven to cut back ranges of beta-amyloid, which is strongly related to Alzheimer’s illness. Lemons are wealthy in diosmin, and luteolin is ample in inexperienced peppers and tomatoes. Studies have also shown that flavonoids called anthocyanins—notably these present in pink berries—additionally play a key function in mind well being and Alzheimer’s prevention.

Reviewing the Key Methods for Optimizing Neurotransmitter Operate and Psychological Effectively-Being

From understanding the function of sensory overload in disrupting neurotransmitter perform to exploring the profound affect of intestine well being on neurotransmitter manufacturing, it’s clear that sustaining steadiness requires a multi-faceted method.

By figuring out and addressing these key areas, you possibly can start to revive steadiness and regain management over your temper, vitality ranges, and cognitive efficiency.

To recap Half Two of this text sequence (and for those who missed Part One, you could find it right here), right here’s how one can restore the steadiness of your neurotransmitters:

• Keep away from sensory overload: Constant exposure to stimuli can overstimulate your nervous system, resulting in elevated stress and anxiousness. Easy practices like deep respiration, decreasing display time, and supporting GABA activity can help restore balance and calm your nerves.
• Optimize intestine well being: A healthy gut is crucial for neurotransmitter production, as a good portion of those chemical substances are produced within the digestive system. Supporting your intestine with clear diet, probiotics, and polyphenol-rich foods can considerably improve your psychological well-being.
• Guarantee adequate amino acid consumption: Neurotransmitters are built from amino acids, so consuming sufficient high-quality protein is important for psychological and emotional well being. If mandatory, supplementing with essential amino acids can additional help neurotransmitter synthesis and general mind perform.
• Steadiness wholesome fat: Healthy fats and cholesterol are essential for proper nerve function and neurotransmitter production. Whether or not following a plant-based or omnivorous weight loss program, it’s necessary to observe fats consumption to forestall cognitive decline and temper issues.
• Complement with creatine (particularly for vegetarians): Creatine supplementation can support memory and cognitive performance, especially in those following a plant-based diet. It addresses potential deficits that will come up from decrease pure creatine consumption in vegetarian diets.
• Know your genes: Genetic variants can considerably affect neurotransmitter perform and general metabolic well being. Testing for variants reminiscent of MTHFR, GST/GPX, COMT, DAO, MAOA, NOS3, and PEMT can present insights into your genetic predispositions. For example, in case you have the MTHFR variant, supplementing with 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and avoiding folic acid could also be useful. Equally, in case you have impaired DAO genes, utilizing pure antihistamines earlier than consuming histamine-rich meals may also help.
• Give attention to antioxidants: Antioxidants play a critical role in stabilizing cognition and reducing brain inflammation. Key antioxidants like N-acetylcysteine (NAC), alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), glutathione, and vitamins A, C, and E can defend the mind and help neurotransmitter perform. Moreover, plant extracts reminiscent of curcumin and milk thistle, and antioxidants like luteolin and diosmin, can additional support in decreasing oxidative stress and supporting general mind well being.

By combining these methods with an understanding of your genetic predispositions, you possibly can extra successfully work towards restoring and sustaining a balanced neurotransmitter system and general well being.

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Moreover, in case you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions, you possibly can drop me a line within the feedback under, and I am going to you should definitely reply!