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@ lowcarbdoctor
2023-09-17 13:33:05While I am a fully licensed physician in Kansas, this communication does not constitute personal medical advice or establish a physician-patient relationship. See your own physician to discuss your particular diagnosis and treatment
If you are reading this and personally feel unsafe or out of control, seek medical help immediately!!
Connections between metabolic disease and mental health DEEP DIVE.
Social disconnection and loneliness lead to increased hypothalamic adrenal axis activity. This results in increased corticotropin releasing hormone that affects the pituitary gland to increase ACTH which in turn increases glucocorticoid levels. As glucocorticoid levels go up, cortisol levels go up. Cortisol directly causes damage to mitochondria and decreases their function. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to increased risk for major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder, and schizophrenia. Mitochondrial function has a central role in cellular metabolism. Chronic elevated blood glucose is also associated with accumulation of mitochondrial damage.
Cortisol also unfortunately will elevate insulin level which leads to worsening metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.
Loneliness also leads to decreased oxytocin signaling. Normally, oxytocin is released within the hypothalamus during positive social interactions. Oxytocin acts as a neurotransmitter and a hormone. Oxytocin usually suppresses hypothalamic adrenal axis activity by inhibiting the release of corticotropin releasing hormone. When social interactions are absent, oxytocin levels will be decreased, and the hypothalamic adrenal axis activity will be increased, resulting in increased cortisol levels. Oxytocin also has direct cardioprotective and neuroprotective effects with decreased inflammation and decreased oxidation.
Loneliness is not only a cause, but a consequence of mental health and metabolic disorders. This creates a vicious cycle. Efforts to break the cycle might include identifying social disconnection, building mental resilience, employing emotional regulation techniques, and even journaling. Cohabitation with others, sex, pets, massage all have found to have benefit with increasing oxytocin release. Practicing your faith in a community of other believers also helps establish connections. Exercise and stretching induce positive changes in mitochondria, as well as increase the release of beneficial neurotransmitters. Of course, avoiding glucose, fructose, and overfeeding can also help to prevent mitochondrial damage.
Citation: Ahmed M, Cerda I and Maloof M (2023) Breaking the vicious cycle: The interplay between loneliness, metabolic illness, and mental health. Front. Psychiatry 14:1134865. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1134865 Received: 31 December 2022; Accepted: 24 February 2023; Published: 08 March 2023.
Previously, I have discussed the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system is a widespread neuro-modulatory system that plays important roles in central nervous system development, synaptic plasticity, and response to endogenous and environmental insults. The endocannabinoid system is intimately linked to neurotransmitter release. It appears that a properly functioning endocannabinoid system also has anti-inflammatory effects. Please reference my Williams Family Medicine Channel YouTube video for more detailed review of the system and how it functions. In that video, I mention how a dysfunctional endocannabinoid system can result in mitochondrial dysfunction as well.
Stress can promote (i) inflammatory diseases such as asthma, eczema or urticaria, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and sickness syndrome; (ii) pain disorders such as headaches and abdominal, pelvic, and lower back pain; (iii) gastrointestinal dysfunction such as diarrhea, constipation, and peptic ulcers; (iv) mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, psychosis, cognitive dysfunction, and insomnia; (v) metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, visceral obesity, and sarcopenia; (vi) ischemic heart disease; (vii) neurodegenerative diseases; and (viii) osteopenia and osteoporosis. Please be aware of the intimate connection with these health problems and mental health disorders.
Please reference Chris Palmer, MD and his videos. He is a psychiatrist from Harvard who strongly believes in the link with metabolic health, nutrition, and possible mitochondrial dysfunction and mental health disorders. He is very active in promoting ketogenic diet for the treatment of many mental health disorders. He has had countless dramatic success stories with his patients that he has treated in this fashion.
When I consider root cause thinking as an approach to medicine, I know that medications, while may be necessary, should be implemented with intent to correct underlying cause instead of treat blindly as a band-aid. Medications are only a part of this treatment. As you can see from above, many other lifestyle enhancements offer promise for recovery from mental health disorders.
I hope this information helps you and your loved ones!
Jason Williams, D.O.