Deficiency in Vitamin
D, for example, was long known to cause rickets and with its eradication,
vitamin D deficiency was thought to have been conquered. Recent
research, however, is showing that Vitamin D is important not just
for bone health but may help reduce the risk of some cancers, diabetes
and multiple sclerosis, as well as depression and schizophrenia.
Vitamin D receptors have been discovered in most cells throughout
the body, and we are just learning how much vitamin D we really
need and the role it plays in the health of other organs. Furthermore,
by measuring the biologically active form of vitamin D in the bloodstreams
of various populations, researchers have discovered that a deficiency
in vitamin D is widespread, especially in those who live at higher
latitudes or have darker skin. For example, according to several
studies, greater than 40% of the elderly living in the United States
may be deficient in vitamin D. Postmenopausal women taking medication
for osteoporosis are likely to be deficient as well.
Vitamin D or “the sunshine vitamin”
is made in our skin when we are exposed to UVB light, or we can
get it from dietary sources such as fortified dairy products, orange
juice, cereals, egg yolks, shiitake mushrooms, fatty fish or cod
liver oil. Most fair-skinned individuals can get enough vitamin
D in North America from spending 5 to 15 minutes in the sunlight
each day during the summer. However, darker-skinned people, such
as South Asians, may take up to six times longer. My father tells
me that mustard-oil massages, outdoor exercise and sun exposure
were a regular part of the daily ritual when he was growing up in
India. No doubt, public awareness about the need to apply sunscreen
to avoid sun damage and skin cancer has increased vitamin D deficiency,
since sunscreens that block UVB rays block vitamin D production
too. Adding vitamin D-rich foods to your diet will help make up
for any deficiency.
Similarly, omega-3 essential fatty acids have been
getting a lot of attention in the media these days for playing a
role in cardiovascular health, but rarely talked about are the findings
that they may also be helpful in mood disorders. Omegas 3s are essential
fatty acids that our bodies can’t make and must be absorbed
through food. The nutritionally essential omega-3 fatty acids include
a-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA). Vegetarian sources of omega-3s such as flaxseed, walnuts
and omega-3 eggs contain ALA which must then be synthesized by our
bodies into EPA and DHA. Fatty fish and fish oil are good sources
of EPA and DHA. South Asians who are vegetarians and who don’t
eat fish may be particularly susceptible to an omega-3 deficiency.
Furthermore, changes in our diet may have left us more susceptible.
For example, my aunt tells me that ground flaxseed flour was a regular
staple in the North Indian diet until people moved away from traditional
foods and towards more refined ones.
Omega-3s, by the way, should not be confused with
omega-6s which are found in vegetable oils. Omega-6s in fact are
thought to produce molecules that are the precursors to inflammation
such as prostaglandins. The ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s in your
diet should be no higher than 4:1. Typical diets in America are
between 10:1 and 30:1. Some studies have reported that countries
with high rates of fish oil consumption have low rates of depressive
disorders. Some studies have found that omega-3 supplementation
may be helpful in the treatment and prevention of bipolar disorder
and depression. One small study recently found that patients treated
with both antidepressants and omega-3 supplementation did better
than those who took antidepressants alone. Omega-3 fatty acids have
been found to enhance the membranes of brain cells, helping the
brain to repair damage by enhancing neuronal growth. This is also
thought to change neurotransmitter function in the brain and is
postulated to be the mechanism by which omega-3 supplementation
is helpful in mood disorders.
Finally, there is evidence that folate and vitamin
B12 supplementation may also be helpful in the treatment of depression.
Vitamin E has also been postulated to have a role in preventing
free radical damage that leads to Alzheimer’s. Certainly much
more research is needed to fully understand how these vitamins and
nutrients affect our mental wellbeing. However, there is much reason
to believe that by doing so, we may lead to exciting ways of treating
and preventing mental illnesses in the future.
|
