It turns out everything we do produces ammonia because it’s a product of metabolism. Even when no food is eaten, and the body burns it’s own carbs and fat for energy, ammonia is produced. So having a healthy liver is essential for cleaning out the NH3 and living well.
I went on to the good old internet to find out more. Too much ammonia messes with the neuron activity in the brain, causing connections to slow and eventually fail. A conclusion many medical studies made was that excess ammonia leads to a quicker onset and progression of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (1).
After learning this, I went ahead to Google “foods that reduce ammonia in the body”. Guess what delicious, gooey goodness showed up - yoghurt. (2) While some deficiencies in the study were pointed out, there was some insight into how probiotics can support the liver in reducing the quantity of ammonia in the body.
More digging required. I found this study (3) that specifically looked into how the Mediterranean diet could reduce the onset of Alzheimer’s disease from probiotic aspect. I picked out these thought provoking nuggets from section 4 and 5 in the report -
"Study shows that oral and rectal administration of Lactobacillus plantarum decreased both blood and fecal ammonia levels in rodent models of hyperammonemia."
"Some clinical studies performed in patients with liver diseases suggest that Lactobacillus strains were able to decrease blood ammonia level and improve neuropsychological symptoms."
"In addition, existing evidence suggests that administration of Lactobacilli, contained in yogurt, helps in reducing elevated blood ammonia levels. Lactobacilli reduce the blood ammonia level by stabilizing physiological luminal permeability. On the other hand, Lactobacilli also promote the growth of non-urease producing microflora bacteria followed by depressing ammonia production and release into the portal system. Therefore, higher adherence to the MeDi (Mediterranean diet) may be able to remove neurotoxin effects of ammonia in the brain by lowering the blood ammonia levels and this could, at least partially, explain the lowered incidence rate of AD (Alzheimer’s disease) in Mediterranean."
There are many types of gut germs and two of the Lactobacilli varieties mentioned in these studies were Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei. Do these names sound familiar? They’re the good bacteria in Vitagen and Yakult!
More Googling ensued. An abstract of one study (4) gave an indication of ammonia reduction from exercise-initiated metabolism by consumption of Lactobacillus casei Shirota - that’s the patented stuff that’s in Yakult!
Of interest to those of you watching your weight by eating mostly carnivorous, you’re likely producing more ammonia that folks eating carbs. Carbs FTW!
There are lots of reports available out there but it was logical for me to conclude something simple. Yoghurt, probiotics and milk-based drinks like Vitagen and Yakult help put in useful Lactobacilli into the body that helps to reduce ammonia, which in turn helps the brain and body work better. This consequence goes beyond the traditional marketing for these products that focuses mostly on digestive health. But then again you already know you are what you eat.
So do yourself a favour - start eating some yoghurt regularly. Especially if you enjoy that beer or two, or seven. Eighty year-old you will thank you for it later.
Sources
1. Ammonia as a Potential Neurotoxic Factor in Alzheimer's Disease
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4976099/
2. What Improves Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy: Probiotic Yogurt, Protein Restriction or Nonabsorbable Disaccharides?
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3371416/
3. Blood Ammonia as a Possible Etiological Agent for Alzheimer’s Disease
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5986444/
4. Lactobacillus casei Shirota modulation of ammonia metabolism in physical exercise - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287309677_Lactobacillus_casei_Shirota_modulation_of_ammonia_metabolism_in_physical_exercise
"Study shows that oral and rectal administration of Lactobacillus plantarum decreased both blood and fecal ammonia levels in rodent models of hyperammonemia."
"Some clinical studies performed in patients with liver diseases suggest that Lactobacillus strains were able to decrease blood ammonia level and improve neuropsychological symptoms."
"In addition, existing evidence suggests that administration of Lactobacilli, contained in yogurt, helps in reducing elevated blood ammonia levels. Lactobacilli reduce the blood ammonia level by stabilizing physiological luminal permeability. On the other hand, Lactobacilli also promote the growth of non-urease producing microflora bacteria followed by depressing ammonia production and release into the portal system. Therefore, higher adherence to the MeDi (Mediterranean diet) may be able to remove neurotoxin effects of ammonia in the brain by lowering the blood ammonia levels and this could, at least partially, explain the lowered incidence rate of AD (Alzheimer’s disease) in Mediterranean."
There are many types of gut germs and two of the Lactobacilli varieties mentioned in these studies were Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei. Do these names sound familiar? They’re the good bacteria in Vitagen and Yakult!
More Googling ensued. An abstract of one study (4) gave an indication of ammonia reduction from exercise-initiated metabolism by consumption of Lactobacillus casei Shirota - that’s the patented stuff that’s in Yakult!
Of interest to those of you watching your weight by eating mostly carnivorous, you’re likely producing more ammonia that folks eating carbs. Carbs FTW!
There are lots of reports available out there but it was logical for me to conclude something simple. Yoghurt, probiotics and milk-based drinks like Vitagen and Yakult help put in useful Lactobacilli into the body that helps to reduce ammonia, which in turn helps the brain and body work better. This consequence goes beyond the traditional marketing for these products that focuses mostly on digestive health. But then again you already know you are what you eat.
So do yourself a favour - start eating some yoghurt regularly. Especially if you enjoy that beer or two, or seven. Eighty year-old you will thank you for it later.
Sources
1. Ammonia as a Potential Neurotoxic Factor in Alzheimer's Disease
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4976099/
2. What Improves Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy: Probiotic Yogurt, Protein Restriction or Nonabsorbable Disaccharides?
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3371416/
3. Blood Ammonia as a Possible Etiological Agent for Alzheimer’s Disease
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5986444/
4. Lactobacillus casei Shirota modulation of ammonia metabolism in physical exercise - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287309677_Lactobacillus_casei_Shirota_modulation_of_ammonia_metabolism_in_physical_exercise
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