Developing a Healthy Brain

Dom D'Agostino, PhD (12 minutes)

Published by: Metabolic Mind - 1 Dec 2022

This video was recorded at the first ever Metabolic Psychiatry roadmap retreat, hosted by Baszucki Group and the Milken Institute for Strategic Philanthropy in May, 2022 in Santa Barbara. The conference brought together physicians, neuroscientists, dietitians, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and philanthropists to build community in the emerging field of Metabolic Psychiatry.

Dr Ede is also the creator and director of the first medically accredited course in ketogenic diets for mental health practitioners. In 2022, she co-authored the first inpatient study of the ketogenic diet for serious mental illnesses and was honored to be named a recipient of the Baszucki Brain Research Fund’s first annual Metabolic Mind Award.

(14 minutes)

Published by: Anthony Chaffee MD - 13 Apr 2024

In this wide-ranging interview covers:
-Implementing a therapeutic ketogenic diet in Dr. Ede’s clinical practice and the mental health benefits observed
-The critical role of ketones in alleviating cerebral glucose hypometabolism
-Why metabolic health forms the foundation for optimal mental health
-The lack of practical nutrition education in medical training and why it matters
-Alzheimer’s disease as a metabolic disorder
-The importance of insulin levels, not just glucose, for gauging metabolic health

Dr Georgia Ede (18 minutes)

Published by: The Metabolic Link - 15 Feb 2024

Prof Julia Rucklidge (26 minutes)

Published by: PREKURE - Prevention is cure - 11 Dec 2023

Professor Julia Rucklidge, is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Canterbury, a mental health and nutrition researcher, international TEDx and Tedx speaker. She co-authored the book "The Better Brain: How Nutrition Will Help You Overcome Anxiety, Depression, ADHD and Stress"; the first book that will tell you both how and why nutrients can be used to treat mental health issues.

In this lecture Prof Julia Rucklidge has three topics, the role of medicines in mental health, the window of opportunity to create better mental health, and how we can prevent much of the mental health issues in our community.

On the use of medications

Prescriptions for 5 to 14 years old children increased by 29% in the years 2016 to 2020. The number of young people committing suicide is rising. The medical profession is expected to "fix" the problem, but the tools they are using are inadequate.

In a study over 12 years, of patients suffering from major depression, who were on medication, only about 10% report success. For the other 90% they were still depressed most days. That's a significant failure rate; it's hardly good enough. Psychiatric drugs damage the metabolic pathways that maintain good health. They commonly cause harm.

Dr Christopher Palmer, from Harvard also reports that most patients treated for depression with drugs, do no achieve satisfactory long term results. In addition, the medications used for mental health had undesirable side effects, increased risk of cardio-vascular disease, obesity, type two diabetes, and general metabolic dysregulation. The suggested solution for these problems is refer the patients to weight management clinics. That idea also has a long track record of failure.

Once people are diagnosed and prescribed a "treatment" it's very difficult later decide that the treatment is wrong or unnecessary. Once treatment has started it's very difficult to stop.

Is there a Window of Opportunity - A Better Solution?

Maybe. First of all if we understand that our metabolic system runs autonomously, but it's dependent on quality water, air, food, housing, exercise, work conditions, social support, a whole list of pre-requisites. If poverty wasn't common, fewer people would have mental disorders. So the autonomous processes of metabolism keep us healthy, as best they can. In particular, all the processes in the body rely on a continuous flow of energy, that energy is produced by the mitochondria that exist in all our cells (Except red blood cells.) and there are numerous chemical pathways within the cell that allow our mitochondria to make ATP, which is cellular energy.

Food and oxygen are converted by metabolic processes down chemical pathways in all of your major organs, and inside each cell. These processes depend on an adequate supply, often a very tiny supply of vitamins or minerals. The body can make or conserve some of these necessary co-factors but that may be inefficient or produce unsatisfactory metabolic reactions. Experiments science has proven that inadequate nutritional and/or an inadequate supply of vitamins and minerals can cause depression and mental illness.

It's commonly said that taking vitamins and minerals is unlikely to be effective. That's what all well trained medical doctors and psychiatrists were taught, until recently. "An expensive way to produce chemical laden urine", as one doctor told me. BUT, there is now a growing body of research proving that diet and mental health are strongly connected. More-over, In Julia Rucklidge's laboratory over 15 years of administering quite high doses of micro-nutrients, there is no evidence of increased suicide, weight gain, cardio-vascular disease, tremors, blurred vision of thyroid and liver changes. People sleep better, have better emotional control, and improved mood.

Given this new understanding, Prof Julia Rucklidge is suggesting that the window of opportunity for better mental health is FIRST, to improve the diet of the patient, using whole unprocessed food as a base. Then if problems persist, vitamin and mineral supplements can be used to ensure that the many co-factor dependent processes of metabolism have the building blocks for success.

Her laboratory has been using a high dose multi-vitamin capsule, with people taking up to 12 capsules a day. There are several studies that demonstrate some success, if a "therapeutic dose" is used. See her personal page for more details.

Recent Research Showing that Prevention is Possible

GP's identified 150 people who "functionally disabled" who were assessed by the clinic. 114 of those were classified as "moderately depressed", and they were divided into two groups, the group given micro-nutrients, and a placebo group given inactive capsules. The trial lasted only 12 weeks.

61 percent of the micro-nutrient group and 49% of the placebo group reported significant improvement. That's considered a significant positive result.

But there is another twist. If all the participants were re-classified according to their history taking psychiatric medications, first of all those who had never been medicated did much better. Even then, of those taking other medications, 48% reported feeling much better.

Another study looked at the incidence of anti-natal depression.

The participants were accessed, and randomised into two groups, one taking micro-nutrients and the other placebo capsules. There was no other change to diet or medications.

Those who were in the micro-nutrient group, 70% reported high satisfaction, against 40% in the placebo group.

Once again if the people who were previously on medication are separated out, both those getting micro-nutrients and those in the placebo group did worse, that people not previously medicated.

Pregnancy places extra demands on the mother, and if the quality of her food is poor, that can be shown to increase anxiety in the child between the ages of 3 to 8 years.

Mothers who drink extra servings of sugar sweetened beverages, have children with slower social development, in the years 3 to 7.

Additional servings of omega-3 fatty acids (Fish oils) during pregnancy have been shown to increase IQ, reduce the need for neo-natal care, and the risk of having a low birth weight baby.

These are small steps forward, but the demonstrate the potential for preventative dietary strategies. Sadly, the public know little about this, and Health New Zealand, and our politicians are not interested or are silent on the issue.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick (16 minutes)

Published by: FoundMyFitness - 10 Nov 2023

80% of people globally (and ~95% of people in the US) don't get enough EPA & DHA. Why does this matter? For one, just as many deaths per year are attributable to trans fans as they are to not consuming enough EPA/DHA. Other key benefits of EPA/DHA include reduced inflammation (a key driver of the aging process) and protection against disuse atrophy.

"Shifting Perspectives In Mental Health"

Dr Tamsin Lewis has overcome a series of health problems and childhood adversity to perform at the top level in endurance sport. The journey has not been a smooth one - and there were very dark times. Pulling through a severe head injury/coma in 2004 in her final year of medical school had lasting implications on her physical and mental health. She was on the verge of suicide back in 2005.

Medicine

In 2004 I qualified as a medical doctor at Kings College London, UK (MBBS HONS LON) and completed a BSc in Neuroscience and Anatomy as the brain was always fascinated me - and this was prior to me learning or indeed being taught (as its only now that research is supporting what many medical thought leaders have known for decades - that the brain and body are inextricably interwoven - and focusing on one without addressing the other is inevitably fruitless.