Taurine is known to promote nerve relaxation and provide heart tonic type nutrition. Although exercise is one of the best ways to improve cardio and heart fitness, an individual with a weak heart may not be able to safely exercise or get a good exercise response that translates to improvement. Taurine’s ability to improve heart function to the point of helping people with heart problems exercise is a valuable key to health improvement.

Of course, taurine is known to help stabilize electrical signals to the heart, including those from increased demands such as stress. This study also shows that it can help individuals improve their ability to exercise—a finding relevant to all.

This issue reflects that the nervous system is running too fast – it is too excited. It is as if the 911 switchboard of the subconscious brain has too much to do. If this issue persists for an extended length of time, inflammatory levels of substance P affect subconscious brain perception, as well as cause multiple symptoms in large nerves (jumpy or restless legs) or nerve endings (pain or other uncomfortable sensations).

A variety of nutrients help nerves to stabilize and settle down. Some of my favorites include calcium AEP, magnesium, acetyl-l-carnitine, and quercetin. It is now clear that L-theanine is an excellent addition to this list.

One study showed that 200 mg per day of L-theanine reduced anxiety and blood pressure, while boosting mood in individuals under high stress. Wind up invariably induces a level of anxiety or easy irritability, causing excess tension in the circulatory system and eventually resulting in high blood pressure. This study shows L-theanine is able to reduce nerve tension and thereby help modulate stress-induced overload.

Another study in individuals with mild cognitive impairment showed that L-theanine helped both memory and attention span (cognitive alertness) – two key abilities that are invariably disrupted when nerves are wound up. 

The degree to which nerves are wound up during the day sets the stage for sleep problems at night. In a study of boys with ADHD, 400 mg of L-theanine (200 mg in the morning and 200 mg at dinner) was shown to significantly improve sleep. Sleep is invariably disrupted by wound up nerves. Any time nerves remain calmer during the day, sleep begins to improve at night, as demonstrated in this study.

The combination of anxiety and sleep problems leads to cravings for a quick fix or reward, a temporary solution to “brain pain.” Many substances may bring temporary relief, including junk food, cigarettes, alcohol, pot, etc. This leads to addictive behavioral patterns. An animal and cell study shows that L-theanine can directly calm down the dopamine-based reward circuitry involved with nicotine addiction, although the mechanism of action implies it may help other types of reward-driven behavioral issues.

Intense wind up can disturb the brain’s subconscious perception stability, resulting in varying degrees of more significant mental health issues. One example is schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder, in which distorted perception of reality is related to excessive nerve activity. One research group conducted several studies with L-theanine in this patient population.

In their first study, 400 mg of L-theanine was given for eight weeks in conjunction with existing medication. L-theanine was found to reduce anxiety in these patients, as well as overall symptoms of schizophrenia.

Their second study also used 400 mg of L-theanine per day for eight weeks. It found that L-theanine was able to balance levels of BDNF and cortisol, and that improvement in these factors was directly related to reduced anxiety and improved mood.

Collectively, these studies show that L-theanine can help stabilize nerves so as to reduce inappropriate, excessive nerve activity that can otherwise result in a variety of mental health issues. In doing so, It can help improve basic issues such sleep, mental alertness, stress tolerance, and anxiety. It can also help with more significant issues involving ADHD, mood disorders, and addiction. 

It takes time to change nerves, and nutrition is a tool that can help guide them in the right direction. L-theanine now has plenty of data to support its use to help improve overexcited nerves—a common health issue for many people, especially as the pressures of stress take their toll. It is best to nip these problems in the bud, as their tendency is to get worse and place a person at greater risk for a variety of nerve and pain related issues, as well as more difficult mental health challenges.

This animal study examined precise molecular mechanisms to document the muscle growth benefits of DHA. The researchers showed that enriching the diet of pigs with DHA enhanced the rate of muscle protein synthesis. 

DHA turned on the key gene signal, mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), involved with the body’s natural processes of rejuvenation (anabolic processes). This enabled growth hormone and insulin signaling to work properly in the synthesis of new muscle protein. These mechanisms of operation are essential to the preservation of muscle during aging, as well as the building of muscle at any age, indicating that DHA works in harmony with dietary protein for muscular health.

Additionally, DHA lowered NF-kappaB in muscles, decreasing inflammation and thereby enhancing the rate at which new muscle protein can form.

The animal study showed that limonene reduced a key marker of digestive inflammation known as TNFa. Analysis of digestive cells showed a reduction in the primary inflammatory gene signal, NF-kappaB. This study shows that limonene directly influenced potentially stressed cells to improve stress tolerance, helping prevent activation of the core gene signal involved with stress. 

The human study showed reduced blood levels of inflammatory markers in older people, especially IL-6. This is important since age-related wear and tear is invariably marked by progressive levels of inflammation.

It is worth noting that elevations in TNFa and IL-6 are the hallmarks of inflammation in overweight individuals. It is also worth noting that a majority of overweight individuals have digestive disturbances contributing to their metabolic problems, whether they are aware of them or not. The fact that limonene is so good at reducing both digestive inflammation and general inflammation makes it a nutrient worth considering for metabolic assistance.

Limonene is currently under international study for its impressive anti-cancer properties.

Maintaining excellent lung health is an important priority for overall wellbeing. If the ability to get oxygen in or carbon dioxide out is reduced or impaired, a health-deteriorating domino effect occurs, especially in the cardiovascular system. Individuals prone to shortness of breath, exercise-induced asthma, asthma in general, respiratory infections, and/or who smoke or who have smoked are at particular risk for lung-related wear and tear.

The progression away from healthy lung tissue is an extra effort on the part of the lungs to synthesize new cells and structure. This effort can become misguided, resulting in abnormal collagen deposition, excessive amounts of fibrous connective tissue, and eventual scar formation. Lung damage occurs on a sliding scale, where we see optimal lung health progress all the way down to the excess scarring the medical profession calls pulmonary fibrosis. 

A key goal is to prevent sliding in the wrong direction, while working to improve existing problems. Exercising your lungs helps. Breathing deeply during exercise or playing a wind instrument are examples.

In the study with astaxanthin, researchers used animal and cell models of pulmonary fibrosis. The results showed that astaxanthin significantly improved the structure of the lung cells responsible for oxygen exchange (alveoli), as well as prevented the adverse deposition of collagen that leads to abnormal connective tissue and eventual scarring. Astaxanthin helped regulate multiple gene signals, preventing problems from occurring in the first place, preventing the progression of existing of problems, and even helping to clear out inappropriate cell formations.

Due to these multiple mechanisms of protection, the researchers concluded that “astaxanthin could relieve the symptoms and halt the progression of pulmonary fibrosis.”

These mechanisms of operation are relevant to any person seeking to improve or maintain optimal respiratory health.

A human study conducted in Australia found that hawthorn berry increases protective HDL cholesterol by 5 percent, while lowering total cholesterol. The authors concluded that it “may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.”

A second animal study attempted to understand the specific mechanisms by which hawthorn provides its cardiovascular and metabolic effects. Researchers fed animals a high fat diet to induce disease, treating some with hawthorn. Once again, hawthorn boosted HDL, while lowering LDL and triglycerides. Additionally, hawthorn reduced multiple aspects of inflammation within the circulatory system, including C reactive protein (CRP). Detailed evaluation of the arteries showed that hawthorn inhibited pathological effects that are otherwise induced by a high fat diet.

Hawthorn is well regarded as a heart tonic, helping heart rhythms and situations of poor heart strength. These studies show that hawthorn directly assists struggling metabolism, along with its heart-nourishing properties.

In the first study, researchers showed that ALC turned on an epigenetic signal known as mGlu2, activating gene signaling in a way that produced new neurons in both stressed and unstressed animals, indicating the nutrient activates new nerve cell production as a type of brain rejuvenation or anti-aging principal. A second study by other researchers confirmed the activation of mGlu2 by ALC, showing anti-depressant benefits in animals within three days of treatment.

The fast-acting antidepressant properties of ALC were confirmed in a new human study, which showed significant anti-depressant effects within one week, compared to two weeks for a medication. This controlled study was done in elderly patients, meaning that ALC can even help older nerves, which are typically slower to respond.

An earlier human study found that 2,000 mg of ALC per day improved energy levels and reduced anxiety and depression in patients with liver disease .

Another study with fibromyalgia patients found that 1,500 mg of ALC per day for eight weeks significantly improved fibromyalgia general symptoms, pain level, and depression.

The potent nerve enhancing properties of ALC were reviewed in another new study that reviewed previous science proving that ALC can help attention/concentration, visual scanning and tracking, psychomotor speed and mental flexibility, language short-term memory, attention, and computing ability. Additionally, ALC can also help clear ammonia from the brain, which can otherwise be a major toxic stressor. 

Collectively, these studies show that ALC is a superior nutrient for a wide variety of nerve-related stressors, including depression. One mode of ALC action is to help generate new nerve cells to support healthy function. While this obviously helps offset nerve distress, it is also a potent anti-aging mechanism relevant to any person wanting assistance with nerve rejuvenation as they age.

The classic example of a toxic aldehyde is acetaldehyde, which is produced as your liver metabolizes alcohol. It has nothing to do with the pleasure of alcohol and everything to do with the hangover symptoms. Individuals with an overgrowth of Candida albicans have their own “auto-brewery” in their digestive tract and/or sinuses, cranking out a steady supply of acetaldehyde in direct proportion to the degree of overgrowth – with no pleasure and just the hangover in varying degrees. 

If acetaldehyde is not detoxified, it readily crosses the blood-brain barrier and causes a type of brain stress that results in the primary symptom of brain fog. In addition to the fog, many other uncomfortable mental health symptoms can occur. The fog, however, is the defining characteristic of acetaldehyde overload.

The other common toxic aldehyde exposure is formaldehyde, present in plywood, carpet, paint and many other building materials and industrial chemicals. A person struggling with excess acetaldehyde typically has trouble tolerating formaldehyde exposures, since they are already overburdened by a similar toxin.

Your body processes many non-toxic aldehydes on a regular basis from intake of alcohol and sugar compounds. Unfortunately, when toxic aldehydes overload the system, even normal aldehyde metabolism can struggle, such as the ability to metabolize carbohydrates without unpleasant symptoms or easy weight gain. 

Non-toxic aldehydes are also part of many fragrances. Sensitivity to smells is a further sign of progressive aldehyde issues. Alcohol sensitivity may indicate aldehyde overload and therefore any additional exposure causes unpleasant issues.

As toxic aldehyde levels build up, a chain reaction of damage to fatty acid structures, such as cell membranes, takes place. This causes an increase in free radical damage. While I have mostly been discussing the impact of this on the brain, the study I am referencing focused on aldehyde’s impact on the heart. This is also interesting, as it indicates that long-term aldehyde problems, if left unmanaged, are very stressful to the cardiovascular system. It confirms theories of Candida albicans pioneers, such as A. V. Costantini, MD, that Candida albicans is a primary cause of cardiovascular disease.

Acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, and even normal aldehydes are all cleared out by the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase. The new study conclusively proves that lipoic acid upregulates this enzyme, while simultaneously lowering fatty acid free radical damage. Prior to this human study only pantethine, the special form of vitamin B5, had been shown to effectively perform this task. Now we have two proven nutrients to help with a problem that is burdening the health of millions of Americans. Of course, working to clear out Candida albicans, reducing general exposures to toxic aldehydes, and keeping alcohol intake within reason are also important steps to take, especially if you struggle with brain fog and any other related issues covered in this article.