By John Michael
A new study proposes an easy and inexpensive way to regulate conditions like depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and even schizophrenia. In the study’s abstract, Dr. Rhonda P. Patrick and Dr. Bruce N. Ames note that at least seventy percent of Americans suffer from a lack of this readily available treatment.
Their simple solution?
Get more sunshine. Eat more fish.
In their study, Vitamin D and the Omega 3 Fatty Acids Control Serotonin Synthesis and Action, the doctors link the neurotransmitter serotonin to the regulation of executive function in the brain. Then they suggest that vitamin D and the two marine omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) encourage our brains to produce serotonin, thereby improving executive function in most people.
We propose a model whereby insufficient levels of vitamin D, EPA, or DHA, in combination with genetic factors and at key periods during development, would lead to dysfunctional serotonin activation and function and may be one underlying mechanism that contributes to neuropsychiatric disorders and depression.
The doctors conclude that increasing the intake of vitamin D, EPA, and DHA can enhance serotonin synthesis and reduce the severity of conditions in which poor executive function is characteristic, like ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.
Whether or not you’re affected by these disorders, the fact that two-thirds of Americans suffer from a lack of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids suggests we might all benefit from taking this study’s advice. EPA and DHA are generally found in fish like salmon, sardines, cod, roe, mackerel and herring. Vitamin D is best obtained from sunlight.
So get outside and enjoy the sun! And if you live by the beach, take a fishing pole with you.