Myelin Regeneration

Your myelin, the insulation of your brain’s wiring, keeps your brain cells from grabbing other brain cells’ signals and getting confused. Good myelin helps you focus, serve a tennis ball, finish your expense reports, and so much more.

What is myelin?

Myelin is a white-colored sheath made of mostly fat and cholesterol that wraps around a nerve cell. Myelin’s main function is to insulate the neuron, protect the axon, and direct the nerve’s impulse where it’s supposed to go.

Myelin decreases with age

Myelin decreases naturally with age,[1][2] partially because age limits the action of oligodendrocytes, the myelin-producing cells. Oligodendrocytes split into cells that produce myelin only until you’re in your late fifties.[3]

Even without the age factor, oligodendrocytes are the most vulnerable nervous system cells you have.[4]

Some of the things that can mess with myelin production include:

· A high sugar diet

· Poor sleep quality

· Alcohol

· Nutrient deficiencies

· Hormonal imbalances

Giving myelin the right environment and nourishment helps you stay Head Strong throughout every stage of life.

What does myelin do?

The condition of your myelin impacts your:

· Motor control and coordination[5][6][7]

· Cognitive ability[8][9][10]

· Memory[11]

· Intelligence[12]

· Problem solving[13]

· IQ[14]

· Reading ability[15][16]

· Brain development[17]

· Reaction time[18]

· Learning[19][20]

· Sensory perception[21][22]

· Attention[23]

· Perception of reality[24][25]

· Mood[26]

Myelin, oligodendrocytes and schwann cells

Before diving into ways to support your myelin, here’s a quick myelin what’s-what:

· Myelin is the fatty sheath itself

· Oligodendrocytes split off into myelin-producing cells in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)

· Schwann cells split into myelin-producing cells in the peripheral nervous system (everywhere else)

Now that you have those straight, you can get a better idea of what goes wrong and how to keep your myelin strong.

Taurine

A team of researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found that the amino acid taurine can actually help spark myelin regeneration, a process which is vitally important in multiple sclerosis (MS). Myelin is a functional coating that allows transmission of nerve signals to happen more efficiently.

Ursolic Acid

Ursolic Acid, Compound in Fruit Peels, Promotes Myelin Repair, Early Study Finds. ... Ursolic acid, a compound found in some herbs and in the peels of certain fruits, promoted nerve cell repair and restored the myelin sheath covering and protecting nerve endings in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reported …

Lions Mane Mushroom

Lions mane contains Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) which has the ability to stimulate new nerve growth, protect our nerves, and is a building block in brain health. Lions mane also helps the body to build up new myelin around the nerves which provides insulation and faster communication.