Well, it does not get any clearer than the findings of the study below. Namely, the old saying is true – we don’t see things the way they are, we see things the way we are. More specifically, the\u00a0 study claims that the positivity\/negativity of our life experience and outlook on the world depend mostly on energy production in the brain, with the effects being bidirectional. Apparently, brain energy production is extremely sensitive to the functioning of electron transport chain (ETC) Complex I, which oxidizes NADH back into NAD+. That process depends on the availability of FAD\/FMN and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and is easily inhibited by a variety of physical, chemical and social factors. One of the most widely prescribed drugs worldwide – metformin – is a powerful inhibitor of Complex I. Chronic stress (even mild in intensity) not only inhibits Complex I, but also reduces its expression, thus causing structural deficits in the machinery that produces energy. The resulting reductions in energy production in the brain result in negative psychosocial experiences, which are perceived as stress by the brain, which leads to further decline in energy production, and so on. In other words, a perfect vicious cycle. The opposite also seems to be true. Good experiences increase energy production in the brain, resulting in positive world perceptions, leading to further increase in energy production, and so on. The study cites numerous other experiments demonstrating that many mental health issues (anxiety, depression, psychosis, mania, etc) can be reliably caused in animals by interfering with energy production in the brain. Thus, the epidemic of mental illness seen in Western countries is likely nothing more than a symptom of the chronic stress people in those countries are experiencing, despite the claims of their governments that everything is great and things are betting better by the day. Aside from trying to improve out lifestyle and reduce stress, which is very difficult to achieve for most people living a “modern” lifestyle,\u00a0 another option would be to supplement with things that support brain energy production and especially Complex I. Such substances include vitamin B2 (precursor to FAD\/FMN), CoQ10 (the oxidized version – uniquinone – not ubiquinol), niacinamide (precursor to NAD+), aspirin, thyroid, etc.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/38889126\/<\/a><\/p>\n Study Links Stress to Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the Brain<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n