Deal-Breakers and Brain Function

When it comes to the brain there are a few “deal breakers” that effect it’s functioning. These “deal breakers” impair brain function and need to be treated before any other neurological interventions will be successful. The 3 main “deal breakers” are anemias, dysglycemias, and inflammation. So, let’s take a look at each one of these in a little more detail.

Anemia:

Anemia is the decrease in oxygen carrying capacity of Red Blood Cells. Anemia is diagnosed by low lab values of:

-Red Blood Cell (RBC) count

- Hemoglobin

-Hematocrit

Standard lab ranges are as indicated in the chart below.

Anemia is a general term, but there can be multiple causes for anemia as well as a few different types of anemia. The type of anemia is typically determined by two factors: cell size and hemoglobin content. Cell size is determined by a lab test called MCV. This stands for Mean Corpuscular Volume, which can be small (microcytic), normal (normocytic) or large (macrocytic). Hemoglobin content is determined by the hemoglobin lab and is labeled as either low (hypochromic) or normal (normochromic). Ferritin is another lab value that can be used to help practitioners determine what type of anemia a patient has.

Some anemias are related to vitamin or mineral deficiencies. This can be due to poor diet, malnutrition or poor absorption of nutrients. Iron-deficiency anemia is a result of lacking iron in the diet, megaloblastic anemia is from a deficiency in Vitamin B12. Anemia can also be a result of chronic disease which causes inflammation throughout the body including in the brain.

Now that you know a little bit about anemias, how does this all relate to the brain? Well… being anemic, no matter what the cause, disrupts normal brain cell signaling. Anemia alters the brains ability to use ATP and function properly. Symptoms such as fatigue, poor concentration, and mood instability may all be related to an anemic disorder. Any interventions aimed at fixing the brain to treat these symptoms are unlikely to be successful until the underlying anemia is addressed and treated.

Dysglycemia:

Glucose is the brains major fuel source to function properly. Even though the brain makes up only 2% of the bodies total mass, it uses a whopping 30% of whole-body glucose! So, it seems pretty obvious that any issues with glucose metabolism would affect the brain, right?

When looking at glucose metabolism it is easiest to think of it as a spectrum with hypoglycemia (or low blood sugar) at one end and diabetes (chronic high blood sugar) on the other end. Both ends of the spectrum are equally detrimental to brain function. In fact, Alzheimer’s Dementia is now being considered a “Type 3” diabetes.

Reactive hypoglycemia is a specific type of low blood sugar which is often a “supply” issue. Not consuming enough glucose leads to low levels in the blood and results in mood swings, fatigue, irritability, brain fog and a whole slew of other symptoms. Talk about Hangry much?!? Those who have sporadic eating patterns, including busy work days with little time for lunch/ snacking often experience reactive hypoglycemia. An increase in stimulation of the hypothalamic- pituitary (HPA) axis in the brain releases a set of hormones including epinephrine (adrenaline) that generates a stress response, triggering all those symptoms you feel when you’re hungry. Luckily, reactive hypoglycemia and all of its symptom manifestations improve after a meal. The downside to this, is that the more often you subject your body to this process the better it becomes at it! This means that you’re actually training your brain to fire the stress response which can lead to worsening inflammation!

Insulin resistance on the other hand is a result of chronically high blood sugar. This is an “access” issue. Overeating and living a sedentary lifestyle are the main contributors to developing insulin resistance. Symptoms of insulin resistance include feeling tired after eating or craving sweet/junky foods. High blood sugar and high amounts of circulating insulin can degenerate the brain and promote inflammation and also produce toxic products which, can break down the Blood Brain Barrier (a very important protection for the brain) further contributing to inflammation.

Brains that don’t work optimally require more fuel to complete their tasks. As a result, less fuel is available for the rest of the body to use and reactive hypoglycemia is more likely.

Inflammation:

Just like with the rest of your body, inflammation in the acute sense (say a sprained ankle) can be beneficial. But, chronic inflammation especially in the brain, is detrimental to health. I’ve already mentioned the Blood Brain Barrier above. Basically, this is an important barrier that separates and protects the brain from the rest of the body. Inflammation takes a toll on this barrier and begins to break it down, leaving your brain more susceptible to toxins, chronic stress, infections etc. This causes brain cells to become reactive and actually contributes to more inflammation! Talk about being stuck in a horrible cycle!

Typical symptoms of neuroinflammation include brain fog, inability to concentrate, poor focus and brain endurance and overall cognitive decline (think memory issues). Certain diseases such as depression are now being considered as a neuroinflammatory problem.

Some supplements including curcumin and resveratrol can help reduce inflammation. An overall healthy diet with adequate intakes of fish, nuts and seeds, whole-grains, fruits and vegetables can also protect your brain from inflammation and the subsequent development of disease