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Blueberries boost serotonin and may help with PTSD and anxiety

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blueberries

New research finds that blueberries boost serotonin and may help with PTSD and anxiety. This was an animal study and is very promising.

A press release issued by the American Physiological Society shares the following:

Up to 8 percent of people in the U.S. suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as the result of witnessing or being the victim of a traumatic event.

People with PTSD have been in a situation in which they were at risk of death, serious injury or sexual violence or have seen first-hand loved ones faces such threats. They may experience flashbacks, emotional detachment and jumpiness, among other symptoms that affect their ability to function in everyday life.

Currently, the only approved therapy for PTSD is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Zoloft and Paxil, but their effectiveness is marginal. Now researchers at Louisiana State University have found that a readily available superfood—the blueberry—could be an effective treatment.

Philip J. Ebenezer presented the poster titled “The Neuro-Protective Efficacy of Blueberry in an Animal Model of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)” at the Experimental Biology meeting on March 30, 2016.

Here is the paper/poster abstract: The Neuro-protective Efficacy of Blueberry in an Animal Model of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma and stressor-related disorder that results in a prolonged stress response. It is associated with increased oxidative stress and inflammation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HC). Previous findings from our lab indicate that neurotransmitter levels are modulated in the brain of PTSD animals. The only approved therapy for PTSD is the use of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI), but their efficacy is marginal. Recently, we demonstrated that over-activation of Norepinephrine (NE) along with Serotonin (5-HT) as the possible reason for the lack of efficacy of SSRI. Hence, there is a need for novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of PTSD. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective role of blueberries (BB) in modulating neurotransmitter levels in PTSD. Rats were fed with a blueberry-enriched (2%) or a control diet. Rats were exposed to cats for one hour on days 1 and 11 of a 31-day schedule to simulate traumatic conditions. At the end of the study, the rats were euthanized and PFC and HC were isolated. We measured monoamines and their metabolites by high-performance liquid chromatography. In our PTSD model, NE levels were increased and 5-HT levels were decreased when compared to control. In contrast, a BB diet increased 5-HT without affecting NE levels. These findings indicate non-pharmacological approaches might modulate neurotransmitters in PTSD. Further studies to understand the molecular mechanism of neuro-protection by BB can provide a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of PTSD.

In summary, the traumatized rats that were fed blueberries saw an increase in serotonin levels and the study authors suggest that the non-drug neuroprotection offered by the blueberries may offer support for those with PTSD. Presumably this could help those with anxiety and depression too, since low serotonin can also be a factor in these conditions.  

Here are some ways to incorporate blueberries:

  • Fresh blueberries as a healthy snack
  • Frozen blueberries, also eaten as is as healthy snack (kids love this treat)
  • In a smoothie for breakfast, together with coconut milk, a banana and some whey or pea protein powder (great for good blood sugar control and reducing anxiety and irritability too)
  • As a dessert with grass-fed organic ice-cream or cream, or coconut milk if dairy is an issue for you
  • Dunked in melted dark organic free-trade chocolate as an occasional treat

Make sure to buy organic blueberries as non-organic are on the Dirty Dozen list and are highly sprayed with pesticides.

I love blueberries! How about you? How do you like to eat them?

PS. We’ll be covering other new food anxiety research on the upcoming Anxiety Summit and hope you can join us.

The Anxiety Summit – What if… Nutrition could Treat Anxiety and Depression?

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Julia Rucklidge PhD, Professor of Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychology at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, was interviewed on the Anxiety Summit by host of the Anxiety Summit, Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution.

Julia has over 75 peer-reviewed studies and is passionate about helping people find alternative treatments to medications for their psychiatric symptoms. Her current research interests can be found at the University of Canterbury site here.

What if… Nutrition could Treat Anxiety and Depression?

  • The increasing prevalence of mental health problems and medication side-effects
  • Why diet is so important when it comes to mental health (anxiety, depression, ADHD and even schizophrenia)
  • Nutritional medicine as mainstream in psychiatry and ISNPR (International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research)
  • The problems with food: pesticides, soil quality, Roundup
  • Micronutrient research for ADHD, anxiety, bipolar and PTSD
  • The emerging field of nutritional mental health: Inflammation, the microbiome, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function

Here are some snippets from our interview:

Why is nutrition important? As a scientist I can just say because the data says it’s important. So if we start with the wonderful work that has really been spearheaded from Felice Jacka and there are other people in Spain and in Japan who have published similar studies showing that the more you eat a processed, western type of diet, the higher your risk for mental illness. They’ve published data on depression and anxiety, but also other mental illness as well. And the more you eat what we call, a prudent or a healthier Mediterranean type of diet, the lower your risk for depression and anxiety.

How long is it going to take our society to pay attention to the research that shows that suboptimal nutrition is contributing to the epidemic of mental illness? Are we just going to sit around and ignore this evidence to our peril? Or are we going to start paying attention and start to invest in the really important research that needs to happen?

Here is an earlier blog post I did on Dr. Rucklidge’s excellent TEDX talk: The surprisingly dramatic role of nutrition in mental health

Here is part of the recent paper titled “What if nutrients could treat mental illness?”

We are at a tipping point in psychiatry.

The growing body of literature on the effect of nutrients on mental health is compelling enough and consistent enough for us to pay attention. It is time to revisit the role of diet and supplementary nutrients in the treatment of mental illness and to invest in this line of research.

Here is the smoking and cannabis study we talked about: Use of micronutrients attenuates cannabis and nicotine abuse as evidenced from a reversal design: a case study.

This case adds to a growing body of research supporting the use of micronutrients in the treatment of psychiatric symptoms and suggests it may extend to substance dependence. Micronutrients, by assisting with mood regulation and reductions in anxiety, may assist with successful cessation of drug use.

We discussed this earthquake paper, a favorite of hers: Shaken but unstirred? Effects of micronutrients on stress and trauma after an earthquake: RCT evidence comparing formulas and doses.

This study supports micronutrients as an inexpensive and practical treatment for acute stress following a natural disaster with a slight advantage to higher doses

If you are not already registered for the Anxiety Summit you can get live access to the speakers of the day here: www.theAnxietySummit.com

Missed this interview or can’t listen live? Or want this and the other great interviews for your learning library? Purchase the MP3s or MP3s + transcripts and listen when it suits you.

You can find your purchasing options here: Anxiety Summit Season 1, Anxiety Summit Season 2, and Anxiety Summit Season 3.