RE: How To Bolster Your Blood-Brain Barrier

[Guest guest]

oh my gosh that would explain why when i wake up in the morning feeling like i

have a hang over or trying to shake off an anethisia feeling.......only strong

coffee seems to clear the fog. interesting. i dont like coffe but i hate

feeling like a train wreck in the morning. i told my doctor, dr. Gray, " if i

feel this horrid in the morning i should have had a heck of alot of fun the

night before. " thanks for the insight Shonda

[] How To Bolster Your Blood-Brain Barrier

How To Bolster Your Blood-Brain Barrier by Kerry Friesen, MD

http://www.1healthyworld.com/ezine/vol8no6.cfm

[As I mentioned previously, I am currently working closely with Dr. Friesen in

creating a variety of health products and services that will soon be available

to readers of The Health Plus Letter at a significant discount. I'm very excited

about this because Kerry is one of the most informed and innovative physicians I

know. So much so that I've asked him to be my personal physician and invited him

to be the co-author of my next book, which will be published later this year.

Here's another taste of what I'm learning from Kerry since I started working

with him.]

Just in case you didn't know, the blood-brain barrier (BBB), serves as a

veritable " surge protector " guarding against certain drugs, chemicals and toxins

that find their way into your blood stream.

Depending on the biochemical characteristics of specific molecules, they may

never find their way into the brain. Good thing, since most drugs are medicines

first and neurotoxins second.

But what exactly constitutes the blood-brain barrier?

Blood vessels in the brain (unlike the rest of the body) are lined with

endothelial cells that form tight junctions where they meet. In other words, the

space between cells that line the blood vessels in the brain is so small as to

only permit specific nutritional substances, and nothing else.

More specifically, size matters when it comes to the blood-brain barrier. Large

proteins are excluded entirely and unless small molecules are lipophilic

(soluble in fat), they too will be discriminated against. In short, the brain is

very, very particular about what substances cross the blood-brain barrier and be

thankful that's the case.

All bets are off however when inflammation due to infection or any number of

other diseases is present. Under these conditions, integrity of the blood-brain

barrier is compromised and a neurotoxic " free-for-all " assault on the brain

ensues.

Recent advances in nanomedicine seek to exploit this particular vulnerability of

the blood-brain barrier by developing a drug delivery system utilizing

nanoparticles. Unfortunately, nanoparticles themselves may ultimately be found

to possess neurotoxic properties thus exemplifying the inherent truth the

traditional French proverb: " Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose " , that is,

" the more things change, the more they stay the same. "

So what's an every-day-ordinary blood-brain barrier to do?

Nano-neuro-nonsense on one hand, or fledgling nutritional neuroscience on the

other.

Well consider this for starters. Some of the most innocuous substances on planet

earth serve as penultimate blood-brain barrier bolsterers. (I think bolsterers

is a word).

Coffee, and the caffeine associated with it, has recently emerged as a

neuroprotective agent. It's clear now, the mechanism behind it's neuroprotective

properties includes caffeine's ability to enhance the integrity of the BBB in

addition to coffee's inherent antioxidant properties.

Fortunately, flavonoids (a.k.a. phytochemicals, isoflavones, proanthocyanidines)

can also traverse the BBB, bringing with them potent antioxidant and

anti-inflammatory properties.

The next time you enjoy fresh grapefruit juice, relish the bitterness. The

citrus bioflavonoid naringenin accounts for both the bitterness and

neuroprotective efficacy.

Not surprisingly, regular exercise improves BBB function even in the event of an

ischemic stroke.

Ultimately, maintaining the integrity of the BBB may very well be the most

effective way of ensuring life-long " cognitive reserve " and perhaps more

importantly, establishing a neurobiological foundation for the " neuroprotective

lifestyle " .

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[Guest guest]

Very interesting information!