Full concentration: The right nutrition for the brain

Our brain: A more than demanding organ

Although our brain makes up only about two percent of our body weight, it consumes 20-25 percent of our energy. Also, 25 percent of the oxygen flowing through our veins is solely destined for our data center. However, the vast amount of energy is anything but wasted: Approximately 11 million pieces of information flow into us per second. This corresponds to a data amount of about 100 MB per second! Our senses constantly pick up impressions from our environment and pass them on to the brain unfiltered. It is only here that the decision is made about what becomes "conscious" to us and what does not - and that in split seconds.

Another masterpiece of the brain is our memory: When we remember a past experience, it activates no less than ten million brain cells. This way, we can relive the past at any time.

You never stop learning!

The basis for these incredible achievements is laid before birth: When a baby is born, it already possesses all the brain cells available to it. However, many millions of connections between the cells are still missing, known as synapses. It is these connections that make our brain the powerful network that it is. Throughout childhood, the brain continues to grow and connect - a fragile time during which the cells need to be well nourished and protected. Growth also continues during puberty. In addition, there is a hormonal transformation that does not always lead to positive experiences, but also brings a lot of stress (more on the topic of stress will be discussed later). It is not until the twenties that the growth of the brain is mostly completed.

So, is it all downhill from there? That's what people thought for a long time. However, the latest research shows that even the brains of 70-year-olds are still capable of regenerating and evolving. An impressive and certainly extreme example of this is the oldest documented woman in the world, Jeanne Calment, who reached the age of 122. At the age of 85, she even learned a completely new sport: fencing. Even later and until her death, she remained mentally sharp, attributing this mainly to her diet rich in vegetables, olive oil, and garlic.

What the brain needs - throughout life!

The development of our brain is a lifelong process. Before the age of 30, it is important to provide the brain cells with optimal conditions for their networking and maturation. After that, we need to protect, nurture, and care for our cells. Similar rules apply to both stages of life.

One can imagine our brain as a plant that needs to be taken care of. In order for it to grow and thrive, bloom and stay healthy for as long as possible, several factors are important: Besides a little attention, it needs water, nutrients that it can absorb from the soil, and carbon dioxide from the air. If it lacks any of these factors, its growth will stagnate - sooner or later the plant will die. In such a case, giving it more fertilizer instead of water will not help. Balance is absolutely necessary.

But what does this have to do with our brain? Quite simply, our gray matter also needs specific nutrients, enough water, and instead of carbon dioxide, of course, oxygen that is transported to the brain through the blood. If only one factor is missing for a certain period of time, it has a negative impact on our cognitive performance. The brain's needs are not always the same. Special challenges such as stress, lack of sleep, or environmental toxins can disrupt the delicate balance in our control center.

Often we don't even notice this or question the reasons. We simply feel exhausted, tired, irritable, or unfocused. How much our brain cells, our emotions, our mood, and also our mental performance can be influenced by nutrition is repeatedly demonstrated by impressive studies. For example, a study published in the "Journal of Affective Disorders" showed that there is a lower risk of developing depression if one mainly consumes vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains.

In the field of nutritional science, a whole new area has even emerged: Nutritional Psychology - which is the psychology dependent on nutrition.

Attack on the brain: Stress

Stress always means an exceptional situation for our brain. Our body reacts very similarly to physical as well as purely psychological stress. In a stressful situation, the adrenaline level (the stress hormone) suddenly rises, breathing and heart rate increase, muscles tense up, and the senses sharpen. Other functions of

On the other hand, the body's functions are shut down: digestion, detoxification, and above all cognitive performance and concentration.

If such stressful situations only occur occasionally and we have sufficient recovery time afterwards, this reaction is not a big problem. However, the reality today is unfortunately different: Chronic stress, time pressure, and high personal demands have become the norm. The result is reduced ability to concentrate - which in turn leads to more stress.

Wie also können wir unser Gehirn vor zu viel Stress schützen? Bei Stress – vor allem bei chronischem Stress – steigt der Bedarf an verschiedenen Nährstoffen wie B-Vitaminen oder Magnesium stark an. Gleichzeitig verbrauchen unsere Zellen mehr Sauerstoff. Dies führt dazu, dass der sogenannte oxidative Stress in den Zellen steigt. Oxidativer Stress kann die Zellen beschädigen, im schlimmsten Fall sogar absterben lassen. Darum ist bei Stress auch der Bedarf an natürlichen Antioxidantien, den Gegenspielern des oxidativen Stresses, erhöht. So ist es gerade für stressgeplagte Menschen besonders wichtig, auf eine ausgewogene und gesunde Ernährung zu achten. Doch leider greifen wir besonders bei Stress zu eher ungesunden Snacks, Fast Food oder Fertiggerichten. Dies konnten Forscher der Universität Zürich sogar in einer Studie beweisen: Die Wissenschaftler fanden heraus, dass Personen, die zuvor einer Stresssituation ausgesetzt waren, eher ungesunde (süße und fettige) Speisen auswählten als die Kontrollgruppe ohne Stress. Wie dagegen die optimale Ernährung für unser Gehirn aussieht – auch in stressigen Zeiten – erfahren Sie noch.

The aging brain: Degeneration is not destiny

We already know that we reach our cognitive peak between the ages of 20 and 30. In the past, it was assumed that it would only go downhill from there - and inevitably so. Today, scientists, doctors, and psychologists no longer think so negatively. Rather, they are convinced that we largely have it in our own hands to determine if and how quickly the decline in our brain function progresses.

There is also good news regarding dementia: Just a few years ago, the disease was considered inevitable and unstoppable. It was believed to be purely genetically determined. However, after many years of research, observations, and studies, it is now known that there are indeed many ways to delay mental decline, if not prevent it entirely. In addition to plenty of exercise and a healthy social environment, nutrition plays a key role in this.

A measurable factor here is the homocysteine level in the blood. Homocysteine is an amino acid that occurs as an intermediate product in normal metabolism. Normally, homocysteine is quickly broken down into its components and does not pose any further problems. This process requires primarily the B vitamins vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folic acid, as they contribute to a normal homocysteine metabolism.

If homocysteine cannot be completely broken down, the corresponding levels in the blood increase. Studies have shown that an excess of homocysteine can attack the blood vessel walls. In particular, our brain cells seem to suffer from high levels of homocysteine: it accelerates cell aging and leads to an earlier cell death.

Brain Food: How the MIND Diet Works

These and other insights from brain research prompted scientists to explore the optimal diet for our brains. They combined the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet with the proven DASH diet - a dietary approach that can effectively lower high blood pressure. The result is the so-called MIND diet. (The term 'diet' is misleading in this context, as it is not a short-term way of eating, but a long-term dietary change.)

In a long-term study with older participants, researchers tested their hypothesis - with great success! The risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or experiencing significant cognitive decline was impressively reduced. The concept of the MIND diet is relatively simple: it involves using as many whole grain products as possible, consuming vegetables and salad daily, eating fatty fish (such as salmon, mackerel, or sardines) at least once a week, and poultry up to twice a week. Special attention is also given to legumes, berries, and nuts, which should be included in the diet as often as possible. According to the researchers, red meat, butter, cheese, and especially sweets and refined flour products should be avoided.

And here's more good news: The researchers were able to deduce from the results that even those study participants who did not strictly adhere to the guidelines benefited. At the same time, those who followed the MIND diet for the longest period achieved the best results.

Conclusion of the scientists:

A good supply of all important substances for the brain already significantly increases brain performance, especially when it persists long-term - ideally throughout life!