Does Marine Phytoplankton Cure Mental Disorders?

Research has increasingly shown that nutrition plays a significant role in the prevention and alleviation of mental disorders such as major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), addiction, autism, anxiety, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) and schizophrenia. Although not a cure for mental disorders, marine phytoplankton is proving to be an unparalleled food source for the essential requirements for good mental health.

What is Phytoplankton?

• Phytoplankton are also called algae.

  Phytoplankton (also known as algae) are microscopic organisms that live in the ocean or in freshwater lakes. Like other plant life, they convert sunlight into energy, which is then consumed as food by other species. Phytoplankton contain an especially high concentration of the essential nutrients we need to achieve optimum health and well-being. They also help relax the neurological system and enhance brain function.

Nutritional Requirements

• Vitamins, fatty acids and minerals are required for proper mental health.

  Essential vitamins, especially the B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids and minerals are required for proper mental functioning. Patients with mental disorders have been found to be severely lacking in these crucial elements. Amino acids are necessary for the proper functioning of neurotransmitters, which are responsible for the transmission of information from cell to cell.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• Nutrition affects brain function.

  Omega-3 oils are found in abundance in marine life forms such as fish and phytoplankton, and are so crucial to our mental health that a Danish study showed better prognoses for schizophrenic patients who live in countries that routinely incorporate fish into the diet. The cells within our brains require omega-3 oils in order to be able to transmit signals that enable proper thinking, moods and emotions, and have been clinically shown to help depressed patients and schizophrenia.

Nutrient-Rich Phytoplankton

• Phytoplankton contains a combination of life-sustaining nutrients.

  Marine phytoplankton contains a unique combination of life-sustaining nutrients including omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids (EPA and DHA), protein, chlorophyll, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C and D, minerals, and trace elements. It also contains all nine amino acids the body cannot make itself, but which are required for the creation and functioning of neurotransmitters.

Benefits

• A good diet means good health.

  Nutritional supplements and improved diet have the added benefit of no side effects. Medicines tend to have side effects that are sometimes so debilitating that patients do not take them correctly, or even at all. Marine phytoplankton has not been proven to cure mental disorders, but the results from preliminary studies have been encouraging and suggest that phytoplankton may improve general health while lowering the risk of certain diseases.

Considerations

• Phytoplankton may help in healing mental issues.

  Proper medical diagnosis and care should of course always be the first priority when dealing with any mental disorder. However, it is clear that a diet enriched with nutrient-dense phytoplankton can be an excellent support to the healing process.