Dr. Jay Gattis

04/02/2026

Magnesium is one of the easiest things to recommend. Generallys safe and almost everyone needs more and it has benefits too numerous to name them all.
https://www.facebook.com/williamwallacePhD/posts/pfbid02gYpwMm6HT4wt5JQKBPReXxjkSRNBWwpd1t7rWHu7jDfDxZaPSRgewybph641NTvVl

Magnesium sits inside the NMDA receptor channel as a voltage-dependent block. At resting membrane potential, Mg2+ physically occludes the pore and prevents calcium from entering the neuron. The neuron only fires when properly depolarized: glutamate binding plus sufficient voltage displacement of the Mg2+ plug.

When systemic magnesium is low, that block weakens. The threshold for neuronal firing drops. Neurons become hyperexcitable, not because something is stimulating them, but because the gate that normally keeps them quiet isn't holding. This is why magnesium deficiency presents as anxiety, insomnia, and sensory irritability before anything shows up on a standard blood panel. Serum Mg reflects less than 1% of total body stores and is actively defended by renal and bone resorption, so it stays "normal" long after tissue levels have dropped.

About half of US adults don't meet the RDA for magnesium (310-420 mg/day depending on age and s*x), based on NHANES intake data. The mechanism described here, voltage-dependent NMDA channel block, was characterized by Mayer et al. and Nowak et al. in 1984 and is one of the best-established ion channel interactions in neuroscience.

Sources: Mayer et al., Nature, 1984. Nowak et al., Nature, 1984. Rosanoff et al., Nutr Rev, 2012.

03/19/2026

Brain injuries don't always leave a visible mark, but their impact can change a life forever.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Every year, millions of people experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI), altering how they think, feel, and navigate the world around them.

While we cannot predict every accident, we can take action to prevent many of them. Simple, everyday choices make a massive difference:

Wear a helmet while biking or playing contact sports

Remove trip hazards at home to prevent falls

Always wear your seatbelt

To the survivors adapting to life after a brain injury, and to the caregivers standing by their side: we see your incredible resilience. Your journey matters, and you are not alone.

Let's build a more understanding and supportive community together. Take a few minutes today to learn the signs of concussion, discover prevention tips, and find ways to get involved by visiting the Brain Injury Association website.

03/02/2026

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/opinion/regulate-legalized-ma*****na.html
It’s Time for America to Admit That It Has a Ma*****na Problem
Feb. 9, 2026
An illustration depicting part of a U.S. $100 dollar bill, which has been torn to appear like a ma*****na joint. Green smoke rises from one side.
Credit...Illustration by Rebecca Chew/The New York Times

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By The Editorial Board

The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values. It is separate from the newsroom.

Thirteen years ago, no state allowed ma*****na for recreational purposes. Today, most Americans live in a state that allows them to buy and smoke a joint. President Trump continued the trend toward legalization in December by loosening federal restrictions.

This editorial board has long supported ma*****na legalization. In 2014, we published a six-part series that compared the federal ma*****na ban to alcohol prohibition and argued for repeal. Much of what we wrote then holds up — but not all of it does.

At the time, supporters of legalization predicted that it would bring few downsides. In our editorials, we described ma*****na addiction and dependence as “relatively minor problems.” Many advocates went further and claimed that ma*****na was a harmless drug that might even bring net health benefits. They also said that legalization might not lead to greater use.

It is now clear that many of these predictions were wrong. Legalization has led to much more use. Surveys suggest that about 18 million people in the United States have used ma*****na almost daily (or about five times a week) in recent years. That was up from around six million in 2012 and less than one million in 1992. More Americans now use ma*****na daily than alcohol.

This wider use has caused a rise in addiction and other problems. Each year, nearly 2.8 million people in the United States suffer from cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which causes severe vomiting and stomach pain. More people have also ended up in hospitals with ma*****na-linked paranoia and chronic psychotic disorders. Bystanders have also been hurt, including by people driving under the influence of pot.
..

The unfortunate truth is that the loosening of ma*****na policies — especially the decision to legalize pot without adequately regulating it — has led to worse outcomes than many Americans expected. It is time to acknowledge reality and change course.

Given the growing harms from ma*****na use, American lawmakers should do more to regulate it.

02/28/2026

BrainMD's Smart Mushrooms or Neuro Greens contains good amounts of ERGO. https://tidd.ly/4rGo4Zz

THE FUNGAL CONNECTION. 🍄🧬

In evolutionary biology, the human body does not waste energy building things it doesn't absolutely need.
If your DNA codes for a specific receptor, it means that whatever fits into that receptor is critical for your survival.
In 2005, scientists made a stunning discovery. They found a specific transport protein in human cells called OCTN1.
They tested hundreds of nutrients to see what this transporter was designed to carry. It ignored almost everything.
It only opened its doors for one rare molecule: L-Ergothioneine (ERGO).

What is L-Ergothioneine?
ERGO is a powerful, rare amino acid that acts as a master antioxidant.
But here is the catch: Humans cannot synthesize it. Plants cannot synthesize it. Animals cannot synthesize it.
It is created almost entirely by Fungi (Mushrooms) and certain soil bacteria.
The fact that human genetics evolved a highly specific, customized transportation system just to pull this fungal compound into our red blood cells and central nervous system proves that our ancestors ate massive amounts of mushrooms. Our biology literally expects it.

The "Longevity Vitamin"
Dr. Bruce Ames, an incredibly renowned biochemist at UC Berkeley, proposed classifying ERGO as a "Longevity Vitamin."
Unlike standard antioxidants (like Vitamin C) which float around the blood and degrade quickly, ERGO is actively pumped inside the cells and stays there for over a month.
It specifically targets the mitochondria and the DNA, acting as an indestructible shield against oxidative stress.

The Clinical Data: Studies comparing blood levels of ERGO across populations show a striking correlation. In regions where mushroom consumption is high (like Japan and Italy), ERGO levels are high, and the rates of neurodegenerative diseases (like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's) are significantly lower than in the US, where mushroom consumption is minimal.

The Soil Depletion Crisis
We used to get ERGO indirectly. Cows would eat grass grown in healthy, fungi-rich soil, and we would get the ERGO from the meat or milk.
But modern industrial agriculture (tilling, fungicides, and synthetic fertilizers) has decimated the mycorrhizal fungi networks in the soil. The ERGO is gone from our food chain.

⚡ VitalShot Protocol:
How to get your ERGO:
To fulfill this genetic requirement, you must actively add fungi back into your diet.

The Best Sources: White button mushrooms have very little. You need to eat Oyster Mushrooms, Shiitake, King Oyster, and Porcini.

The Cooking Rule: Unlike many vitamins, ERGO is incredibly heat stable. Cooking the mushrooms actually helps break down their tough chitin cell walls, making the ERGO more bioavailable.

Supplementation: If you hate eating mushrooms, isolated L-Ergothioneine supplements (often derived from fermented yeast) are now hitting the longevity market. Taking 5mg to 10mg daily saturates your OCTN1 receptors, providing your brain with the fungal shield it was genetically designed to have.

📚 Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), "Prolonging healthy aging: Longevity vitamins and proteins", Dr. Bruce Ames.

01/30/2026

Exciting research showing neuroprotective effects from regular photobiomodulation use during the football season. PBM counteracts some of the primary post concussion detrimental effects (neurometabolic cascade) so this is the outcome we hoped for.

In a groundbreaking The University of Utah x Brigham Young University publication in the Q1-tier Journal of Neurotrauma studying NCAA Football Division I players, athletes using Vielight’s patented itPBM technology achieved a rare outcome:

Brain resilience reversed its typical seasonal decline — and improved.

And it’s already moving from research to adoption:

“We have seen compelling evidence that has driven our decision to incorporate the use of the Vielight Neuro Duo as part of the standard equipment for all our athletes,” says Tom Holmoe, former Athletic Director at BYU Football.

🔗 Read the study here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/08977151251403554
🔗 Read U of Utah’s press release here: https://healthcare.utah.edu/newsroom/news/2026/01/medical-grade-near-infrared-light-therapy-specific-frequencies-shows-promise

What makes this so exciting:
• Validates photobiomodulation as a potential performance health tool
• Positions itPBM for proactive brain resilience
• Establishes brain resilience as a core pillar of athlete performance
• Applicable to all contact sports: hockey, rugby, MMA, boxing, and more

This is a shift in how we think about brain resilience in sport — from reactive to building neural “armor” 🧠🏈

From reactive care → proactive resilience

01/20/2026

Did you know? If you are a carrier of the APOE4 gene and are at higher risk of developing Alzheimers you may benefit from taking higher doses of DHA and of a particular form (not the common type found in fish oil capsules).

Dietary and supplemental intake of the ω-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) reduces risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and ameliorates symptoms. The apolipoprotein E (APOE)4 allele is the strongest risk factor for sporadic AD, exclusive of age. ...

12/27/2025

The effect of saffron supplementation on indices of oxidative stress, inflammation, mental health, and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease: a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
Zahra Hajhashemy et al. Food Funct. 2025.

Abstract
Background: Regarding the antioxidant content of saffron, it could be beneficial for diseases linked to oxidative stress, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there were limited human studies on the efficacy of saffron supplements on PD. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this subject. Method: The current study is a triple-blind, randomized, parallel clinical trial, which investigated the effect of 100 mg d-1 saffron powder or placebo on 92 patients with PD for 12 weeks. The analyses were conducted based on an intention-to-treat approach.



Results: The age and BMI (mean ± SE) were 68.36 ± 1.0 years and 27.09 ± 0.45 kg m-2, respectively. Comparing the mean changes of the saffron and placebo groups confirmed significant favorable effects of saffron on C-reactive protein (CRP) values (adjusted mean difference: -3.84 mg L-1 and 95% CI: -5.61, -2.08; PANCOVA < 0.001), distress (adjusted mean difference: -4.40 and 95% CI: -8.43, -0.37; PANCOVA= 0.03), anxiety (adjusted mean difference: -4.75 and 95% CI: -8.30, -1.20; PANCOVA = 0.009), depression (adjusted mean difference: -4.58 and 95% CI: -8.34, -0.81; PANCOVA = 0.01), cognitive status (adjusted mean difference: 0.78 and 95% CI: 0.16, 1.40; PANCOVA = 0.01), sleep quality (adjusted mean difference: 14.76 and 95% CI: 3.20, 26.32; PANCOVA = 0.01), fatigue (adjusted mean difference: -9.20 and 95% CI: -13.76, -4.65; PANCOVA < 0.001) and indices of quality of life including mobility (adjusted mean difference: -6.43 and 95% CI: -12.32, -0.54; PANCOVA = 0.03), daily activity (adjusted mean difference: -6.62 and 95% CI: -12.89, -0.34; PANCOVA = 0.03), cognitive impairment (adjusted mean difference: -8.07 and 95% CI: -14.39, -1.75; PANCOVA = 0.01), bodily discomfort (adjusted mean difference: -7.50 and 95% CI: -13.93, -1.06; PANCOVA = 0.02), and Parkinson's Disease Summary Index (PDSI) (adjusted mean difference: -4.86 and 95% CI: -7.48, -2.25; PANCOVA< 0.001). Additionally, the saffron group in comparison with the placebo group showed marginal decreases in the values of malondialdehyde (adjusted mean difference: -0.32 nmol mL-1 and 95% CI: -0.69, 0.03; PANCOVA = 0.07). No side effect was observed in the groups.



Conclusion: The current analysis confirmed the efficacy of 100 mg d-1 saffron supplementation in patients with PD for 12 weeks. So, saffron supplementation could be a beneficial adjuvant therapy in the management of PD.

12/16/2025

The next stage is here. I’m assembling these Concussion First Aid kits for Christmas gifts.

12/10/2025

Study suggests lithium deficiency may explain Alzheimer’s disease and low-dose lithium orotate supplement may be the key to treatment. Tap to read more! https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/new-hope-for-alzheimers-study-says-lithium-may-reverse-aging-brain/

12/01/2025

More good stuff from Dr. Amen and Tana Amen. 🤩

Podcast Episode · Change Your Brain Every Day · 12/01/2025 · 37m

11/20/2025

Pocket Size Concussion First Aid reference cards. Prints to Index card size. Link in the Comments which will print nicely to front and back of a single page if you have a printer that prints both sides.

11/20/2025

Consider supporting this bill by advocating with your congressperson.
https://biausa.org/public-affairs/public-awareness/news/2025-traumatic-brain-injury-reauthorization-act-update #

Last year, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) made the passage of the Traumatic Brain Injury Program Reauthorization Act of 2024 (TBI Act) our highest legislative priority. We are […]