Carnosine Stops Nerve Excitotoxicity

Under stress or by exposure to various chemicals/pollution your nerves can become to excited, as if overheating.  This sets off an inflammatory cascade in your brain and speeds up wear and tear.  Under the most extreme experimental conditions researchers have for the first time shown that the nutrient carnosine can directly lower excessive brain excitotoxicity.

In the experiment the blood flow to the brain of mice was shut down causing the low oxygen condition known as ischemia.  Once ischemic, a chain reaction of excitotoxic brain damage occurs – which is what happens in a stroke.  The researchers showed that carnosine reduced excessive brain glutamate levels and consequent excitotoxic damage. 

This information extends well beyond the idea of having less brain damage should you have a stroke.  Many of us have too much excitotoxic wear and tear going on from day-to-day stress, chemicals in food (especially MSG but many irritants), pollution, etc.  When you are under excitotoxic stress you well feel edgy and irritated too easily.  Your brain will not function smoothly, it is inappropriately hyper (even if you are tired).

Carnosine helps to balance this problem, promoting a more relaxed feeling in the face of stress.