Stress, sleep disorder, our feelings that change shape during the day… These ailments that seem to be present in everyone at first glance may be caused by the deficiency of a secretory protein called BDNF by the medical literature.
Don’t be afraid of the name of BDNF, which is located in our brain and the number of which varies from person to person, and what it does, because the benefits of this protein, which seems like a very scientific term at first, are in a language that we can all understand. Moreover, the strings of the BDNF level in our brains are entirely in our hands. Let’s look at what BDNF is, which makes learning much easier and protects people from diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, its benefits and how to increase it.
What is BDNF?
BDNF stands for brain-derived neurotrophic factor. In the simplest terms, the purpose of BDNF is to cause the development and differentiation of nerve cells during developmental ages and to ensure that these cells remain healthy in adulthood.
If we don’t have a special interest in this subject, we may not have heard of BDNF before, but it plays a key role in acquiring new skills, learning something new and memorizing. BDNF also repairs damaged neurons in our brain, and its significant deficiency leads to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Why is it important to keep the BDNF ratio in the brain high?
Having a large amount of brain-derived neurotrophic factors in our brains has many benefits. As we mentioned before, high BDNF facilitates the learning process, makes memories stronger in our memory and makes it easier for us to acquire new skills.
Low BDNF leads to the opposite of these benefits, making learning very difficult and leading to diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s in the future. At the same time, low BDNF can cause disorders such as mood changes and depression.
Of course, it is not possible to measure your BDNF level yourself, for this, doctors need to look at your brain’s hypothalamus, but you can make small estimates based on how you feel during the day.
If you experience multiple mood swings during the day, if you are not willing to get out of bed when you wake up in the morning, and if you quickly forget what you learned during the day and don’t remember who you talked to, then BDNF in your brain may be at low levels. Of course, we recommend that you consult any specialist in order not to attribute all these symptoms to a single cause and to clarify the problem you are experiencing.
How to increase the level of BDNF in the brain?
There are many ways to increase BDNF levels in the brain, and many of these pathways are similar to ways that increase gray matter in the brain. It is possible to increase BDNF levels by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, but let’s take a closer look at the specific things you need to watch out for and the scientific evidence.
The effect of regular exercise on the brain and especially on the BDNF level is a subject that has been directly researched by scientists. For example, according to a study by scientists from the University of Wroclaw in Poland, men who cycled regularly for 3 months experienced a noticeable increase in BDNF levels.
Scientific studies on animals reveal that even the least effortful exercises directly affect the level of BDNF in the brain. This animal research also shows that rising BDNF levels minimize the signs of aging.
Consume omega-3-rich foods
A study focusing on the relationship between omega-3-containing foods and BDNF reveals that low BDNF in the brain of people who consume omega-3s can return to normal levels. For this reason, it is useful to include foods that you can easily find such as walnuts, salmon, soybeans and mackerel among the foods you consume daily.
Reduce Sugar Consumption
How harmful it is to consume more sugar than necessary is something that has been repeated by all scientists over and over. Although sugar paves the way for diabetes, it can cause cancer and weaken the body’s defense system. Of course, it should not be forgotten that it reduces the level of BDNF in the brain. According to a study, sugar is one of the biggest reasons for the decrease in BDNF in the brain. Therefore, if you are determined to increase the BNDF level, you need to reduce your sugar consumption to a minimum as soon as possible.
Pay attention to magnesium and vitamin D levels in your body
According to studies conducted by scientists, magnesium and vitamin D deficiency are directly affected by low BDNF levels. As you can imagine, the healthiest source of vitamin D is sunlight, and you have many options to naturally increase your magnesium levels. These options include nuts, legumes, flax and chia seeds.
Of course, we should not burden them because magnesium and vitamin D are good for BDNF. We recommend that you be careful when consuming foods containing magnesium, because excess magnesium can lead to disorders such as depression and low blood pressure. For this reason, we recommend that you have a blood test before you decide to take supplements.
Be consistent with your sleep schedule
A group of scientists from the University of Basel, Switzerland, together with the article they published, reveals that a healthy sleep pattern increases the level of BDNF in the brain. In addition, the same research shows that people with a sleeping disorder called insomnia have a very low level of BDNF in their brains.
A stable sleep pattern provides many benefits to our body, as well as increasing the level of BDNF. These benefits include increasing dopamine and gray matter levels, protecting heart health and providing weight control. So long story short, there is more than one thing in your life that will work out as soon as you make your sleep more regular to increase BDNF levels.
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