Written by Ujwal Aluru
From our childhood memories, we can remember our parents or guardians insisting that we consume a well-balanced and healthy diet. In many cases, the food we consume has a drastic effect on the body’s metabolism and physiology. However, a recent increase in dieting is causing people to cut down on caloric intake, reducing not only the carbohydrates and fats from their diets but also the essential vitamins. Among these vitamins, Vitamin E is a critical ingredient for memory preservation and neural health. Studies involving animals on a high-calorie diet have shown that an improper diet could lead to damage of the hippocampus (responsible for memory and learning) [2]. It is important to be cautious of not only high calorie diets, but diets leaning towards high carbohydrate and high fat.
Historically, Vitamin E’s function in the body has been related to its antioxidative properties. This idea is centered on previous experiments that document Vitamin E’s use in breaking down the harmful radicals created from polyunsaturated fatty acids [3]. Vitamin E is fat-soluble, meaning it is absorbed through the lymphatic system and is able to be stored in the liver-helping in the catabolic breakdown of fats. This has been the traditional perception of the role of Vitamin E within the body. However, it also assists in prevention of metabolic disorders and as an anti-inflammatory substance. High-fat diet (also known as HFD) creates metabolic disorders and induces oxidative stress, which results in damage of neurons and interference with synaptic transmission as well as neurogenesis. Therefore, it indirectly causes a decline in learning and memory [2]. Since Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, it assists in boosting cognitive functions. It should be noted that in a study that involved manipulating the mice’s diet, the mice with a high fat content diet were able to recover and countervail the negative effects by taking a combination of antioxidants such as Vitamin E and Vitamin C. Additionally in an experiment done with rats, it was discovered that vitamin E can inhibit the negative effects caused by chronic lead exposure [1]. This is especially impressive because lead is a toxic substance which the brain, when exposed to lead, is incredibly sensitive to. This exposure to lead has been correlated with inhibition of the primary excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate which usually leads to the failure of action potentials on a molecular level. Specifically, the two areas which improved drastically with a diet consisting of antioxidants are acquisition of learning and memory retrieval. This means that a well-balanced diet helps with memory retention as well as learning. Thus, consuming adequate amounts of antioxidants can be incredibly beneficial for not only one’s physical health, but also one’s mental health.
References:
- Khodamoradi, Nasrin, et al. 2015. “Effect of vitamin E on lead exposure-induced learning and memory impairment in rats.” Physiology & behavior. 144: 90-94.
- Komaki, Alireza, et al. 2015. “The treatment combination of vitamins E and C and astaxanthin prevents high-fat diet induced memory deficits in rats.” Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior. 131 : 98-103.
- Ulatowski, Lynn M., and Danny Manor. 2015. “Vitamin E and neurodegeneration.” Neurobiology of disease. 84: 78-83.