Nerve Disorders And Other Diseases

Nerve Disorders - Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, Lou Gehrig's disease, diabetic nerve disease, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, movement disorders like parkinson's and tardive dyskinesia, and in retinal disorders such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. Also used for PMS, high blood pressure, osteo and rheumatoid arthritus, eczema and psoriasis, ADD, gingivitis, gout, haemorroids, hair skin and nails, headaches and stress, ulcers and varicose veins, allergies and inflamation, digestive and leaky gut syndrome.

DHA: The fat for the brain, retina and nerves askbillsardi.com

For decades now researchers have attempted to fix faulty nerves by supplying more chemicals that carry sensory impulses... chemicals called neurotransmitters. They are akin to electricity in a wire. For example, the nutrient choline (a B vitamin) helps to make acetycholine, a major neurotransmitter. Another nerve transmitter is dopamine made by specific nerve cells. A deficiency of dopamine is what is involved in Parkinson's disease. Efforts to enhance the production of neurotransmitters have been met with disappointment. The primary reason is that, like electrical wires, nerves require insulation around them to conduct electrical impulses. The insulation (called myelin) around human nerves is fat. Nerve cells in the brain and retina prefer a particular type of fat in order to work properly. That fat is called docosahaenoic acid, or DHA for short. Where can humans acquire more DHA and thus help to maintain their nervous system? DHA comes from small single-cell organisms at the bottom of the sea that are eaten by cold-water fish (cod, salmon, tuna, sardines). When humans consume fish they add more of the building blocks for the nervous system, DHA.

In an experiment, DHA was given to stroke-prone rodents and it helped to control blood pressure which causes strokes. Surprisingly the DHA also increased the levels of acetycholine in brain cells. [Pharmacology Biochemistry & Behavior 58: 1123-29, 1997] That's a dramatic finding because it means that humans may be able to increase the quantity of nerve chemicals in their brain, retinas and peripheral nerves by consuming more of the right kind of fat --- DHA. A problem with the American diet is that it provides far too much hydrogenated (man-made) fats (as commonly found in baked goods, French fries, etc.) and omega-6 fats (such as corn oil) at the expense of essential fats required for the nervous system. When there isn't a sufficient supply of DHA the nerve cells use the wrong kind of fats and they malfunction. Recently it was found that infants who were breast fed have a higher IQ and better vision. [Lipids 31: 99-105, 1996] That's because mother's milk provides DHA, formula does not. [Canadian Journal Physiology Pharmacology 72: 1483-92, 1994] Low levels of DHA have been found in virtually all nerve disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, Lou Gehrig's disease, diabetic nerve disease, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, movement disorders like parkinson's and tardive dyskinesia, and in retinal disorders such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. When animals are deprived of DHA they go blind. [Journal clinical Investigation 73: 272-76, 1984] Low levels of DHA are likely to be involved in behavioral disorders such as attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity among children.

Dale Alexander's EXTRA STRENGTH FISH OIL CONCENTRATE by Twin-lab provides 240 milligrams of DHA per capsule. Recommended dosage is 2-4 capsules per day. DHA is an excellent nutrient for nerves, brain and retinal cells. [Pediatric Research 27: 89-97, 1990] Vitamin B12 is a companion to DHA that acts as the glue to keep DHA attached to nerves. A deficiency of vitamin B12 can also lead to nerve problems (a problem called demyelination). Health note: DHA is also available as a vegetarian source (the actual phytoplankton from the sea). The problem is that the manufacturer mixed it in with sunflower oil, an omego-6 fat that interferes with the DHA found in omega-3 fish oils. We advise DHA from fish oils only. Extra note: Increase your consumption of vitamin E when taking fish oils. Vitamin E protects fatty acids like DHA from turning rancid inside the body.

Take Omega 3 capsules (salmon oil)