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Israeli researchers have discovered an ingredient in avocado that can reduce anxiety - Walla! health

2021-05-21T00:00:30.821Z


Feeling anxious lately? First of all know that you are not alone. A new Israeli study has found a food supplement that is found in avocados and pistachios and can soothe anxiety. That's how it works


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Israeli researchers have discovered an ingredient in avocado that can reduce anxiety

Feeling anxious lately?

First it is important that you know that you are not alone.

A new study by the Weizmann Institute has found that a food supplement found in avocados and pistachios can help and soothe anxiety.

But how exactly does it work?

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  • anxiety

  • Stress

  • Avocado

Walla!

health

Tuesday, May 18, 2021, 6 p.m.

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Delicious and relaxing.

Avocado (Photo: ShutterStock)

There is no better, or worse, time than the present, to talk about anxiety.

A new study by the Weizmann Institute of Science published in the scientific journal Cell Reports Medicine found that a natural food supplement found in avocados and pistachios, among others, may help reduce anxiety.



It is important to remember that anxiety is not necessarily a bad thing.

Evolutionarily, anxiety is essential to our survival, as it leads to an appropriate response to various dangers.

Precisely for this reason it is so difficult to develop anti-anxiety drugs: the neural circuits responsible for anxiety are closely related to circuits that encode memory, self-awareness and the environment, and other vital functions required to deal with threats.

This is why researchers around the world are trying to develop drugs that will selectively reduce anxiety without causing unwanted side effects.

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To the full article

In the current study, Dr. Nicolas Paniotis, along with his colleagues, scanned an international database to find existing drugs or other substances that mimic a genetic signature found in more "calm and peaceful" mice in a previous study. He identified five possible molecules and examined their effect on Behavior of mice The molecule that was found to have a calming effect on the behavior of mice was beta-sitosterol, which is sold in health food stores as a food supplement intended primarily for lowering cholesterol.

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In a series of experiments, mice given beta-sitosterol showed much less anxiety than mice in the control group.

For example, in the "open area" test that tests anxiety levels in rodents, they roamed fearlessly in areas well lit in bright light, while normal mice did not dare to roam these areas in the center of the open area and preferred to stay in dark areas on the sides.

Furthermore, the mice that received the beta-sitosterol did not exhibit side effects expected from anti-anxiety drugs, such as movement disorders or avoidance of new stimuli.

Can reduce the side effects of anti-anxiety pills.

Prozac (Photo: ShutterStock)

The scientists then tested the effect of beta-sitosterol on mice in combination with fluoxetine, a drug from the SSRI group, which is sold under the brand name "Prozac".

The result was a synergy between the two: when beta-sitosterol and fluoxetine were given together, they both reduced anxiety in mice at a lower dose than that required when each was given separately.

"One of the big problems with anti-anxiety drugs is their side effects. If beta-sitosterol can help lower the dose of these drugs, maybe it will also reduce the side effects," says Dr. Paniotis.

"It is recommended to consult a doctor"

Beta-sitosterol occurs naturally in many edible plants, and is considered a safe substance, as it has been marketed for years as a dietary supplement. The substance is found in particularly high concentrations in avocados, but also in pistachios, almonds and other nuts, in canola oil, various grains and other plants. However, eating avocados alone will probably not be enough to calm an anxious mind. "In order to reach an anti-anxiety dose, one should eat avocados day and night. In that case, we are more likely to develop digestive problems before reducing the level of anxiety," says Dr. Paniotis.



Scientists have not yet deciphered the anti-anxiety mechanism of beta-sitosterol. In the mice that received the supplement, they detected changes in the expression of some genes that are normally activated in stressful situations, as well as changes in the levels of metabolites and neurotransmitters in brain regions involved in anxiety regulation.



Because the study focused on neural pathways involved in anxiety regulation in both mice and humans, the findings are likely to be valid for humans as well.

"To determine this, of course, clinical trials are needed," the researchers clarified.

"And in any case, we recommend consulting a doctor before considering taking beta-sitosterol to reduce anxiety."



The study involved Philip Freund and Dr. Leticia Marbaldi of the Department of Biomolecular Sciences; Dr. Tali Shalit of the Israeli National Center for Personalized Medicine named after Nancy and Stephen Grand;

Dr. Alexander Brandis and Tabi Melman from the Department of Life Sciences Infrastructure Research; and Dr. Michael Zuri from the Department of Veterinary Resources.

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Source: walla

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