brain and mood stuff!

[derien]

This article suggests that there might be a new medicine for Alzheimer's coming out soon - http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/01/08/alzheimer.drink.scan/index.html - the parts being uridine, choline, and the omega-3 fatty acid DHA 'in the correct proportions.'

The Wiki entry for uridine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uridine ) says "Harvard researchers report that supplementation in rats with a combination of uridine and EPA/DHA omega-3 fatty acids has antidepressant activity equivalent to that of commonly prescribed antidepressant medications, such as Prozac and other SSRIs." Dietary sources are sugarcane extract, tomatoes (0.5 to 1.0 g uridine per kilogram dry weight), brewer’s yeast (3% uridine by dry weight), beer, broccoli and organ meats (liver, pancreas, etc.)

The omega 3 DHA article on Wiki is a lot more complicated, but it's here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid and dietary sources are fish oil, flaxseed oil and some particular type of sage.

The Wiki entry for choline (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choline ) says "choline concentrations were inversely correlated with anxiety symptoms in subjects aged 46–49 and 70–74 years who had valid information on plasma choline concentrations and symptoms of anxiety." and "The foods richest in phosphatidylcholine — the major delivery form of choline — are egg yolks, soy, wheat germ and cooked beef, chicken, veal and turkey livers. In 2004, the USDA released its first database of the choline content in common foods. The most often available choline dietary supplement is lecithin"

Lecithin! Which has been suggested for memory problems for a long time. My cousin thought I had set this up as a running joke when we used to work together. I'd ask some random person "Isn't there something you're supposed to take for your memory?" and they'd say "Yeah, there is, but I forget what it is." But eventually we all realized it was lecithin.

So... cool!

Comments

[kryptyd.livejournal.com]

It would be great if they could do something for alziemers. My nana has it, and it's tough. She actually is pretty upbeat about it, and makes jokes about it which is amazing, but it's sad for the rest of us to see her that way. I'm terrified of it.

[derien.livejournal.com]

Try getting her to eat liver and fish oil pills. The liver has both the choline and the uridine and the fish oil or flax seed oil has the omega 3 DHA. Or you can eat a lot of tomatoes, marmite or broccoli for the uridine ... or drink beer. :) And then the choline can be in eggs and soy, or you can get lecithin pills. I totally know it's not a cure all, but my intake of these foods is going up, soon.