I've recently been researching the effects of different antidepressants on mental performance. Before, I complete my article, I thought I'd share the following study with you.

Effects of selective serotonin reuptake and dual serotonergic-noradrenergic reuptake treatments on memory and mental processing speed in patients with major depressive disorder.
Journal of Psychiatr. Rev
Jan. 5, 2009

Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) usually suffer from altered cognitive functions of episodic memory, working memory, mental processing speed and motor response. Diverse studies suggest that different antidepressant agents may improve cognitive functions in patients with MDD. The aim of this work is to study the effects of serotonergic reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonergic-noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) treatments to improve the performance on memory tasks and mental processing speed in MDD. Seventy-three subjects meeting criteria for major depressive disorder were assessed with the Hamilton depression rating scale and a neuropsychological battery. The subjects were medicated with escitalopram (n=36) or duloxetine (n=37) for 24 weeks. At the end of the trial, the subjects were assessed again with the same neuropsychological battery used prior to the treatment. Both treatments improved importantly the episodic memory and to a lesser extent, working memory, mental processing speed and motor performance. Our results suggest that cognition is partially independent from improvement in clinical symptoms. Both groups achieved remission rates in the HAM-D-17 after 24 weeks of treatment, but SNRI was superior to SSRI at improving episodic and working memory. Our work indicates that the superiority of SNRI over the SSRI at episodic memory improvement is clinically relevant.

Which antidpressant are you taking?

I first became interested in this question while researching another completely unrelated article: the importance of BCAAs for athletes. One of the leading theories for the phenomenon called central fatigue is the increased production of serotonin in the brain caused by the increased availability of tryptophan, a serotonin precursor. 

That's when I light bulb went off. If an increased production of serotonin is one of the leading theories behind central fatigue, how are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors affecting mental performance?

The above study sheds a small ray of light on the answer. However, there's still a long way to go.

I'm almost finished with the move. All that is left is painting the walls and laying the carpet.

I'm not for sure if I've posted this study, but it should be of interest to you. I'm betting the house that l-theanine will be a major ingredient in the energy drinks during the next 2 years.

The Effects of L: -theanine on Alpha-Band Oscillatory Brain Activity During a Visuo-Spatial Attention Task.
Brain Top. Oct 2008
Gomez-Ramirez M, Kelly SP, Montesi JL, Foxe JJ.

Background/Objectives Ingestion of the non-proteinic amino acid L: -theanine (gamma-glutamylethylamide) has been shown to influence oscillatory brain activity in the alpha band (8-14 Hz) in humans during resting electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings and also during cognitive task performance. We have previously shown that ingestion of a 250-mg dose of L: -theanine significantly reduced tonic (background) alpha power during a demanding intersensory (auditory-visual) attentional cueing task. Further, cue-related phasic changes in alpha power, indexing the shorter-term anticipatory biasing of attention between modalities, were stronger on L: -theanine compared to placebo. This form of cue-contingent phasic alpha activity is also known to index attentional biasing within visual space. Specifically, when a relevant location is pre-cued, anticipatory alpha power increases contralateral to the location to be ignored. Here we investigate whether the effects of L: -theanine on tonic and phasic alpha activity, found previously during intersensory attentional deployment, occur also during a visuospatial task. Subjects/Methods 168-channel EEG data were recorded from thirteen neurologically normal individuals while engaged in a highly demanding visuo-spatial attention task. Participants underwent testing on two separate days, ingesting either a 250-mg colorless and tasteless solution of L: -theanine mixed with water, or a water-based solution placebo on each day in counterbalanced order. We compared the alpha-band activity when subjects ingested L: -Theanine vs. Placebo. Results We found a significant reduction in tonic alpha for the L: -theanine treatment compared to placebo, which was accompanied by a shift in scalp topography, indicative of treatment-related changes in the neural generators of oscillatory alpha activity. However, L: -theanine did not measurably affect cue-related anticipatory alpha effects. Conclusions This pattern of results implies that L: -theanine plays a more general role in attentional processing, facilitating longer-lasting processes responsible for sustaining attention across the timeframe of a difficult task, rather than affecting specific moment-to-moment phasic deployment processes.

I apologize for my absence during the last month. My fitness center, Ageless LLC, is set for its grand opening Valentine's Day weekend. I'm finishing up the last little bit of loose ends. As soon as my office is restored (it's just finished getting moved into the fitness center), I will be posting a lot more frequently. I've found quite a few topics that maybe of interest to you.

You can still catch me in Bluff magazine. I believe my next article should be out in February's issue. Any suggestions for April's article?

One more thing, go GSP.

   A reader had posted a question regarding the efficacy of Mucuna Pruriens, and also as to whether it could help poker players. Since I wasn't as familiar with that nutraceutical, I did some preliminary research on pubmed. Here are some interesting studies I found.


Study 1 - Your sperm on steroids
Mucuna pruriens improves male fertility by its action on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis.
Shukla KK, Mahdi AA, Ahmad MK, Shankhwar SN, Rajender S, Jaiswar SP.
Department of BiochemistryC.S.M. Medical University, Lucknow, India.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the mechanism of action of Mucuna pruriens in the treatment of male infertility. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Departments of Biochemistry, Urology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, C.S.M. Medical University, Lucknow, India. PATIENT(S): Seventy-five normal healthy fertile men (controls) and 75 men undergoing infertility screening. INTERVENTION(S): High-performance liquid chromatography assay for quantitation of dopa, adrenaline, and noradrenaline in seminal plasma and blood. Estimation by RIA of hormonal parameters in blood plasma, namely T, LH, FSH, and PRL. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Before and after treatment, serum T, LH, FSH, PRL, dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline in seminal and blood plasma were measured. RESULT(S): Decreased sperm count and motility were seen in infertile subjects. Serum T and LH levels, as well as seminal plasma and blood levels of dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline were also decreased in all groups of infertile men. This was accompanied by significantly increased serum FSH and PRL levels in oligozoospermic subjects. Treatment with M. pruriens significantly improved T, LH, dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline levels in infertile men and reduced levels of FSH and PRL. Sperm count and motility were significantly recovered in infertile men after treatment. CONCLUSION(S): Treatment with M. pruriens regulates steroidogenesis and improves semen quality in infertile men.

Study 2 - L-Dopa-like effects
Mucuna pruriens in Parkinson's disease: a double blind clinical and pharmacological study.
Katzenschlager R, Evans A, Manson A, Patsalos PN, Ratnaraj N, Watt H, Timmermann L, Van der Giessen R, Lees AJ.
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK.

BACKGROUND: The seed powder of the leguminous plant, Mucuna pruriens has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicine for diseases including parkinsonism. We have assessed the clinical effects and levodopa (L-dopa) pharmacokinetics following two different doses of mucuna preparation and compared them with standard L-dopa/carbidopa (LD/CD). METHODS: Eight Parkinson's disease patients with a short duration L-dopa response and on period dyskinesias completed a randomised, controlled, double blind crossover trial. Patients were challenged with single doses of 200/50 mg LD/CD, and 15 and 30 g of mucuna preparation in randomised order at weekly intervals. L-dopa pharmacokinetics were determined, and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale and tapping speed were obtained at baseline and repeatedly during the 4 h following drug ingestion. Dyskinesias were assessed using modified AIMS and Goetz scales. RESULTS: Compared with standard LD/CD, the 30 g mucuna preparation led to a considerably faster onset of effect (34.6 v 68.5 min; p = 0.021), reflected in shorter latencies to peak L-dopa plasma concentrations. Mean on time was 21.9% (37 min) longer with 30 g mucuna than with LD/CD (p = 0.021); peak L-dopa plasma concentrations were 110% higher and the area under the plasma concentration v time curve (area under curve) was 165.3% larger (p = 0.012). No significant differences in dyskinesias or tolerability occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The rapid onset of action and longer on time without concomitant increase in dyskinesias on mucuna seed powder formulation suggest that this natural source of L-dopa might possess advantages over conventional L-dopa preparations in the long term management of PD. Assessment of long term efficacy and tolerability in a randomised, controlled study is warranted.

Study 3 - Antioxidant effects

Neuroprotective effects of the antiparkinson drug Mucuna pruriens.
Manyam BV, Dhanasekaran M, Hare TA.
Department of Neurology, Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple, TX 76508, USA. bmanyam@swmail.sw.org

Mucuna pruriens possesses significantly higher antiparkinson activity compared with levodopa in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned rat model of Parkinson's disease. The present study evaluated the neurorestorative effect of Mucuna pruriens cotyledon powder on the nigrostriatal tract of 6-OHDA lesioned rats. Mucuna pruriens cotyledon powder significantly increased the brain mitochondrial complex-I activity but did not affect the total monoamine oxidase activity (in vitro). Unlike synthetic levodopa treatment, Mucuna pruriens cotyledon powder treatment significantly restored the endogenous levodopa, dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin content in the substantia nigra. Nicotine adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and coenzyme Q-10, that are shown to have a therapeutic benefit in Parkinson's disease, were present in the Mucuna pruriens cotyledon powder. Earlier studies showed that Mucuna pruriens treatment controls the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. This additional finding of a neurorestorative benefit by Mucuna pruriens cotyledon powder on the degenerating dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra may be due to increased complex-I activity and the presence of NADH and coenzyme Q-10.

Study 4
Effect of antiparkinson drug HP-200 (Mucuna pruriens) on the central monoaminergic neurotransmitters.
Manyam BV, Dhanasekaran M, Hare TA.
Department of Neurology, Scott & White Clinic and Texas A & M University System Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple, TX 76508, USA. bmanyam@swmail.sw.org

HP-200, which contains Mucuna pruriens endocarp, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Mucuna pruriens endocarp has also been shown to be more effective compared to synthetic levodopa in an animal model of Parkinson's disease. The present study was designed to elucidate the long-term effect of Mucuna pruriens endocarp in HP-200 on monoaminergic neurotransmitters and its metabolite in various regions of the rat brain. HP-200 at a dose of 2.5, 5.0 or 10.0 g/kg/day was mixed with rat chow and fed daily ad lib to Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 6 for each group) for 52 weeks. Controls (n = 6) received no drug. Random assignment was made for doses and control. The rats were sacrificed at the end of 52 weeks and the neurotransmitters were analyzed in the cortex, hippocampus, substantia nigra and striatum. Oral administration of Mucuna pruriens endocarp in the form of HP-200 had a significant effect on dopamine content in the cortex with no significant effect on levodopa, norepinephrine or dopamine, serotonin, and their metabolites- HVA, DOPAC and 5-HIAA in the nigrostriatal tract. The failure of Mucuna pruriens endocarp to significantly affect dopamine metabolism in the striatonigral tract along with its ability to improve Parkinsonian symptoms in the 6-hydorxydopamine animal model and humans may suggest that its antiparkinson effect may be due to components other than levodopa or that it has an levodopa enhancing effect.


An alternative medicine treatment for Parkinson's disease: results of a multicenter clinical trial. HP-200 in Parkinson's Disease Study Group.
[No authors listed]

The natural occurrence of antiparkinsonian drugs in plants--anticholinergics in Datura stramonium, levodopa in Mucuna pruriens and Vicia faba, dopamine agonist activity in Claviceps purpura, and MAO inhibitor activity in Banisteria caapi-are known. Our study examined the efficacy and tolerability of HP-200, derived from Mucuna prurient, in patients with Parkinson's disease. Sixty patients with Parkinson's disease (46 male and 14 female) with a mean (+/- SD) age of 59 +/- 9 years were treated in an open study for 12 weeks. Of these, 26 patients were taking synthetic levodopa/carbidopa formulations before treatment with HP-200, and the remaining 34 were levodopa naive. HP-200, a powder (supplied as a 7.5 g sachet), was mixed with water and given orally. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) was used at baseline and periodically during the 12-week evaluation. Statistically significant reductions in Hoehn and Yahr stage and UPDRS scores were seen from baseline to the end of the 12-week treatment (p < 0.0001, t-test). The group mean (+/- SD) dose for optimal control of symptoms was 6 +/- 3 sachets. Adverse effects were mild and were mainly gastrointestinal in nature. No adverse effects were seen in clinical laboratory reports. HP-200, developed from an alternative medicine source, Ayurveda, was found to be an effective treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease.


Those are just a couple of the more interesting studies I've found. I have yet to have time to look at them in more depth. However, I will shortly. Those should be enough to get you started.

I just want to briefly share with you my thoughts on the above study.

I have yet to read the entire study. I've only read the abstract. Usually, I don't like to evaluate a study before I read the entire thing. However, this time I'll make an exception.

I found two glaring negatives right off the bat.
1) Once again, we have another small sample size. Thus, chance becomes a major contributor to the final results. I understand it's a phase 3 clinical trial, but I'd like to see a larger sample size. Surely, there are more than just 60 people suffering from a fatigue syndrome. Beggars can't be choosers though so we'll have to live with it and move on.

2) The placebo group saw significant improvement in almost every measurement. This reminds me of a a famous arthritis study that was done supporting glucosamine/chondroitin's beneficial role in the treatment of osteoarthritis. I believe it was the GAIT trial (don't quote me). In that study, the G/C group showed a statistically significant improvement in pain AS DID the placebo group. However, the majority of the media and companies touting G/C ignored that fact.  In fact, that study was one of the landmark studies for G/C. Thus we see the power of the placebo effect, and why the dietary supplement industry sells billions of dollars of worthless supplements each year.

This isn't entirely unique to this study though. Any condition in which subjective ratings are the primary basis for results suffers from this same problem. Medical conditions such as pain, depression, anxiety, etc are all affected by the "placebo effect". They lack objective findings. It's easy to tell if a blood pressure or cholesterol medication works because we have objective findings. However, these conditions are largely "cured" when the patient feels they're cured. Thus, persuasion and the mind play important roles.

I must say though that the salivary cortisol test was an excellent choice for an objective finding. Because the Rhodiola group showed a significant improvement in cortisol measures and the placebo group did not, it helps to validate the subjective tests.

Even with those negatives, this is just another study further validating Rhodiola rosea's beneficial role in stress/anxiety. I can't believe the media and the supplement industry hasn't made a bigger deal about this. This is one of the few supplements that continues to have success in clinical trials.

The positives
1) When comparing the Rhodiola group vs. the placebo group, it appears as though the Rhodiola group outperformed the placebo group in every measurement. I'd like to see some p values, CI's, etc, but that's still pretty impressive. We're talking about a lot of measurements: quality of life, symptoms of fatigue, depression, and attention.
2) The Rhodiola group showed an improvement in the only objective measurement in the study while the placebo group did not:: salivary cortisol levels. Because cortisol is the primary stress hormone, this improvement helps validate the subjective measurements and Rhodiola's antistress effects.
3) Not only did the study just look at fatigue and stress, but it also measured mental performance, the component we're most interested in (I like to call it the "what's in it for me"). Thus, it didn't allow us to assume anything. If it would have just looked at fatigue or stress, we would have been able to assume, that mental performance would improve because we already know that stress and fatigue impair  cognition. However, this study went one step further to validate our assumptions. No poker player is going to buy Rhodiola because it helps stress. However, they will buy it if it's been shown to improve mental performance.

As always, give me your feedback.

I was scanning pubmed for new research studies for mental performance, and came across this one for Rhodiola rosea.. Looks like another study supporting Rhodiola's stress-related benefits.

A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study of the Standardised Extract SHR-5 of the Roots of Rhodiola rosea in the Treatment of Subjects with Stress-Related Fatigue.
Olsson EM Planta Medica Nov 18, 2008

The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of the standardised extract SHR-5 of roots of RHODIOLA ROSEA L. in the treatment of individuals suffering from stress-related fatigue. The phase III clinical trial took the form of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with parallel groups. Participants, males and females aged between 20 and 55 years, were selected according to the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare diagnostic criteria for fatigue syndrome. A total of 60 individuals were randomised into two groups, one ( N = 30) of which received four tablets daily of SHR-5 extract (576 mg extract/day), while a second ( N = 30) received four placebo tablets daily. The effects of the extract with respect to quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire), symptoms of fatigue (Pines' burnout scale), depression (Montgomery -Asberg depression rating scale - MADRS), attention (Conners' computerised continuous performance test II - CCPT II), and saliva cortisol response to awakening were assessed on day 1 and after 28 days of medication. Data were analysed by between-within analyses of variance. No serious side effects that could be attributed to the extract were reported. Significant post-treatment improvements were observed for both groups (placebo effect) in Pines' burnout scale, mental health (SF-36), and MADRS and in several CCPT II indices of attention, namely, omissions, commissions, and Hit RT SE. When the two groups were compared, however, significant effects of the SHR-5 extract in comparison with the placebo were observed in Pines' burnout scale and the CCPT II indices omissions, Hit RT SE, and variability. Pre- VERSUS post-treatment cortisol responses to awakening stress were significantly different in the treatment group compared with the control group. It is concluded that repeated administration of R. ROSEA extract SHR-5 exerts an anti-fatigue effect that increases mental performance, particularly the ability to concentrate, and decreases cortisol response to awakening stress in burnout patients with fatigue syndrome. CCCPT II:Conners' computerised continuous performance test II HPA:hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal ICD:International Classification of Diseases MADRS:Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale Qol:quality of life.

I wanted to give you a quick look. I'll talk a little bit more about it in my entry tomorrow.

I've already discussed at length the pitfalls of high glycemic carbohydrates and poker. In fact, I probably was picking on high glycemic carbohydrates a little too much. don't get me wrong though, they're still bad for poker. However, I'm going to switch gears in this entry.

With 2009 right around the corner, I'm sure many of you are thinking about your new year's resolution. If a low-carb diet is on your list, I highly suggest you pass on it if you plan on playing poker in 2009. It's probably even worse than high glycemic carbohydrates with regards to poker performance. Why you ask.....

First, remember that your brain uses 2/3 of the available glucose throughout the day. That glucose comes from carbohydrates. If you're not consuming enough carbs, your body will begin breaking down protein and fat, and turn them into glucose. This process is not nearly as efficient as breaking down carbs. Because of the lack of efficiency, mental tasks will be harder to perform, errors will become more commonplace, and mental fatigue will set in sooner. The harder the mental task, the more sensitive it is to blood glucose levels. Needless to say, poker is a pretty complex mental task.

Secondly, carbohydrates are needed in the production of serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that is responsible for your mood and happiness.Almost every antidepressant in some way improves serotonin. If your low in serotonin, those tough losses will be so much worse.

Some also suggest that increasing your protein intake to compensate for the lack of carbs prevents some of the key amino acids (breakdown products of protein) from getting into the brain. Only so many amino acids can pass through the blood-brain barrier. If you increase your protein too much, it will dilute the amino acids that are important for neurotransmitter production. This has actually been documented for the amino acid tyrosine, which is important for energy production.

For those of you that are trying to outsmart the system, taking antidepressants will probably not solve the low levels of serotonin. This is just my hypothesis. Antidepressants work by inhibiting the reuptake of a particular neurotransmitter within the synapse. They do not increase the production. Thus, even though you're prolonging the time the neurotransmitter is in the synapse, you are not fixing the real problem: the decreased amount of neurotransmitters. Your band-aid will only work for so long.

So, if you're thinking low-carb diet, I highly recommend against. Those are two pretty convincing reasons not to.

It's pretty simple why. Your brain needs carbs. You need your brain for poker.

I apologize for the delay in updating the blog with entries. I just recently purchased a women's fitness center, so I've been extremely busy trying to make sure that is completed by January 1st.

I've also signed a 6 article deal with Bluff magazine. So now with those deadlines, it's been even busier.

However, I will be updating it more frequently. It'll probably be more focused on actual clinical studies, and what they mean to mental performance and poker. Then, the articles in Bluff will cover everything else in more detail.

Thanks for reading.

Get your grocery list ready. Put down that beer, hide those damn energy drinks, and rid your cabinets of potato chips, candy bars, cookies, and everything else you like to snack on during those poker tournaments.  Not only are all of those things neurotoxic, but they’re also aiding in your quick exits from your tournaments.
Remember that drug-free commercial with the eggs and the frying pan? Yea, that’s what all of those things are slowly doing to your brain. You wouldn’t put water in your car’s gas tank, so why are you putting that trash in your body? Your nutrition may very well be holding you back from your true poker potential.

Don’t worry though. I’m about to write out a specific diet program for mental performance. It wasn’t created to get you sexy or healthy. It was created to improve your poker performance. You’ll not only have more mental energy, but you’ll be more focused, your memory will improve, and you’ll reduce that mental fog that always creeps up at different points throughout the day.

Let me warn you though. This is not the be-all, end-all diet. If you’ve read my previous article, you already know the principles from which I created this specific diet. Use those principles, and you can create your own mental performance diet regimen. You’ll also find some links at the end of this article that will help you with finding the right carbohydrates.

Now, let’s get to the diet plan:

Breakfast
Your body has been fasting for at least 7 hours. Thus, you’ve depleted all of your energy stores, especially your carbohydrate stores. That’s why breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. It refuels the body from the 7-8 hour drought of sleep. It’s important that this meal contains the most carbohydrates of any of the meals throughout the day. You should still stick with low GI carbs, but you don’t have to be as picky. Just replenish your energy.

Whole eggs – raw or boiled

• excellent source of high quality protein. Remember, all three macronutrients (fats, protein, and carbs) have unique mental performance attributes. You can’t get higher quality protein than from eggs.
• good source of cholesterol. Yes, too much cholesterol is a bad thing, but so is too little. Cholesterol helps make every hormone in your body, along with every cell membrane. Healthy cell membranes are critical to mental performance because they allow nutrients, important neurotransmitters, and energy substrates to enter your cells without any problems.
• excellent source of choline. Choline is critical for the formation of phosphatidylcholine, an important component of cell membranes, and acetylcholine, the most important neurotransmitter for cognition. Low levels of acetylcholine is one of the leading theories behind the development of Alzheimer’s Disease.
• contains over 15 different vitamins and minerals

Blueberries and oatmeal (not that instant crap, real oats)

• oatmeal is an excellent source of carbohydrates and fiber. Thus, you won’t have those blood sugar fluctuations I’ve been warning you about. You’ll get a nice, steady supply of glucose for mental energy.
• oatmeal is also a good source of protein
• blueberries are considered the most beneficial fruit for a healthy brain. They contain high level of brain specific antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. In animal studies, a diet high in blueberries was shown to not only prevent age-related decline in mental performance, but actually improve memory.

4-6 Fish Oil capsules

• the typical American diet contains a pathetic amount of omega 3 fatty acids. One of those fatty acids, DHA, is critical for neural development. Scan pubmed.org, and you’ll find numerous studies looking at the positive benefits of fish oil supplementation in a wide range of psychiatric diseases. Omega 3 fatty acids are probably the most important component of a mental performance diet.

Pomegranate juice or Acai Berry Juice

• excellent sources of antioxidants. Remember, antioxidants help neutralize free radicals. If you’re playing poker, you’re using a lot of mental power, and therefore creating a lot of free radicals. Ignore those free radicals, and they’ll destroy your brain cells. Guaranteed.
• good sources of carbohydrates. Replenish those carbohydrate stores! You’ll need them for those late rounds.

Lunch
During lunch, you need to pay a little more attention to the quality of carbohydrates you eat. You want to make sure you’re getting all three major macronutrients.

Wild salmon or cod

• excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids. Are you beginning to see a trend here?
• excellent source of lean, quality protein

Brown rice- small scoop

• excellent source of carbohydrates and fiber. Even though, the brown rice has a little higher GI index, the fiber will help neutralize those blood sugar fluctuations. Once again, you want to make sure you have replenished all of your carbohydrates stores for that poker tournament.

Celery with natural peanut butter

• celery is an excellent source of fiber which will help slow down the release of glucose into the bloodstream from the brown rice. It also contains phytochemical called phthalides, which helps improve blood flow.
• natural peanut butter is an excellent source of healthy fats, along with magnesium, copper, folate, vitamin E, and fiber. In addition, it’s a good source of the b vitamin niacin, which is crucial for neural development. All b vitamins are critical for mental performance. That’s how “5 Hour Energy Drink” made all of its money.

Green Tea

• excellent source of antioxidants
• good source of l-theanine, which I’ve discussed earlier. L-theanine has been shown to cause a relaxed alertness. It’s also been shown to improve mental performance better when combined with caffeine compared to caffeine alone.
• it’s also been shown to have neuroprotective effects. Scientists are currently studying it for prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Dinner
Once again, it’s important to eat nutritious, clean foods here. This is your last meal before the big tournament. Make no mistakes here, or may end up costing you in the later rounds.

A source of lean protein – chicken breasts, grass-fed beef, fish again, etc

• grass-fed beef tends to have a higher concentration of omega 3 fatty acids, so it’s always an excellent choice
• excellent sources of quality protein

Spinach

• Popeye was onto something here. This is an extremely good source of antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, magnesium, vitamin A, and quercetin, an anti-inflammatory compound. Pound for pound, this may be one of the most nutritious foods on earth.
• it’s also been shown to have neuroprotective effects. In one animal study, it actually reduced the amount of brain cells lost after a stroke.

Pick a fruit – apples, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe

• excellent sources of carbohydrates and antioxidants
• watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe are considered high-volume foods because of their large water and air content. Thus, they tend to fill you up pretty quick, thereby preventing overeating, and hunger pains later on.
• You really can’t go wrong with any fruit. However, blueberries are considered the best for mental performance.

 
Water, green tea, or one of the juices I spoke of earlier

• All are great options.

Misc tips:

• Add olive oil at will. It’s an excellent source of healthy fats.
• Chew your food thoroughly. It does make a difference. Digestion starts in your mouth.
• Remember to stay hydrated. Sip water throughout the day. Green tea is also good.

Snack choices

• Any fruit is an excellent choice, especially during the tournament. They provide an excellent source of carbohydrates. Thus, you’ll have a steady supply of energy throughout the tournament. Blueberries are my top choice. I like the high-volume fruits also because they help prevent overeating. I tend to overeat without realizing it when I’m extremely focused on a project.
• Nuts are another excellent snack. Cashews, almonds, and walnuts are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and fiber. Walnuts are considered the best for mental performance because of the high omega 3 content.
• Green tea and water are good choices for a liquid snack. I tend to favor green tea because of its l-theanine content. Trust me, l-theanine is the real deal.

There it is. As I said earlier, if you learn the principles, you’ll be able to change the diet to your specific taste. As you can see, low GI carbs, omega 3 fatty acids, and all three major macronutrients are pretty much the foundation for any mental performance diet.
I just want to briefly discuss energy drinks. The only time I suggest using an energy drink is during the later rounds. If you use it too soon, you’ll crash. If you save it, you’ll play your strongest when it counts!

Let me know if you have a suggestion for a “brain food.”

“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today.  Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”—Author unknown

It’s the big day. You’re nervous, yet excited. Over the last 24 hours, you’ve been strategizing. You know you’re prepared, but there’s always that self-doubt, that what-if. You’ve already played the hands a thousand times in your head. However, you know better than anyone that once the cards are dealt, anything can happen. You’ve made sure that you’ve done everything right. You’ve completed every pre-tournament ritual to the “T”. You fell asleep watching “Rounders”, sleeping exactly 8 hours and fifteen minutes. Your Ipod is loaded with your favorite adrenaline-pumping songs. The ballad from “Rocky” starts to play as you sit down at your computer. It’s time..
One hand into the tournament, and you’ve realized you’ve made a HUGE mistake. What did I eat today? What kind of food did I pack for this tournament? My energy is low. My brain seems a little foggy. My sharpness just isn’t there. I’m not seeing the cards like I usually do. Ahhhhh. A wasted tournament!

That’s what happens when you don’t pay attention to your diet. Pre-tournament nutrition is the key to peak mental performance. This just doesn’t include what you eat while you play. It includes everything you’ve eaten over the last 24 hours. Without it, you’re destined for failure. It’s the difference between an early exit and a sweet victory. Only fools ignore it.

This article was written for you. I’ve received many requests over the last 2 weeks about what poker players should eat the day of and during a tournament. It seems that some of you are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and realize how important your lifestyle is to your poker performance. You’ve specifically asked me to outline a detailed diet. I’ll do that. Just not in this post.

This post is even more important than a “detailed poker menu.” It’s going to explain the why’s behind my recommendations. After reading this, you won’t even need my poker menu. You’ll be able to make your own, one that specifically is made for you! What happens if I recommend a salmon one hour before the tournament begins, and all you have is peanut butter and jelly? This post will help you answer that question.

Now for my top three rules regarding nutrition and mental performance.

Rule 1- Blood sugar, blood sugar, blood sugar

Blood sugar levels will make or break you at the table. It is vital that you maintain a stable blood sugar. I guarantee that if you put your blood sugar on a rollercoaster by eating high glycemic, junk carbohydrates, your mental performance will suffer. Mental errors will be plentiful.Guaranteed!
Remember, your brain primarily relies on carbohydrates for energy. In addition, it cannot store carbohydrates for later use. Thus, it’s important that your blood supplies your brain with a steady source of carbohydrates. Numerous studies have shown that blood sugar fluctuations, extremely high and extremely low levels, impair mental performance. Over time, these fluctuations can lead to insulin resistance, which has been shown to negatively affect cognitive performance.

Don’t believe me?

“Furthermore, a period of intense cognitive processing leads to a measurable decrease in levels of peripherally measured blood glucose, which may be linked to increased neural energy expenditure.” – Journal of Physiology and Behavior, 2001

Our findings support the concept that good and stable cognitive performance is related to a balanced glucose metabolism and metabolic activation state."- British Journal of Nutrition, 2001

There was also a very good review article detailing a direct correlation between the difficulty of a mental task and its sensitivity to blood sugar levels. Thus, a hard mental task like poker is extremely sensitive to blood sugar levels, and carbohydrates become even more vital to poker performance.  However, I cannot find it right at this moment. 

Out of the three major macronutrients, carbs, protein, and fat, carbohydrates have the largest impact on cognitive performance. Over 50 clinical studies have shown a positive relationship between consumption of carbohydrates and improved mental performance. You must pay attention to what kind of carbohydrates you eat. Not all are created equal. They will have a major impact on your game.

Rule 2- Proper Hydration

Even the slightest bit of dehydration will impair your mental performance. You know that caffeine you’ve been consuming for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? It actually acts like a diuretic. Thus, you become even more at risk for dehydration.

When most people think of dehydration, they think of physical performance. However, mental performance is actually even more sensitive to your hydration status. During extreme cases of dehydration, it’s not the body that stops. It’s the brain telling your body to stop! Your brain will quit long before your body quits.

“Studies in healthy adults have shown that even mild dehydration impairs a number of important aspects of cognitive function such as concentration, alertness, and short-term memory.” – Nutritions Review, 2005

“During dehydration, there was a significant deterioration in total test solving time, minimum single task solving time, and total ballast time.”- Croation Medical Journal, 2006

Rule 3- Eat protein, fat, and carbohydrates

Each of the three macronutrients is critical to mental performance. They each have a distinctive role. Ignore one, and you’ll be sorry! It’s like playing with only one hole card!

“Energy intake from protein, carbohydrate, or fat can enhance memory independently of elevations in blood glucose. Each macronutrient may also exert unique effects on cognition.” – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2001

“The results suggest that dietary protein rich in alpha-lactalbumin improves cognitive performance in stress-vulnerable subjects via increased brain tryptophan and serotonin activities.” – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002

“A protein-rich or balanced meal seems to result in better overall cognitive performance..” – Physiology and Behavior, 2002

“Protein ingestion resulted in better attention and efficiency of tasks concomitant with higher metabolic activation.” – British Journal of Nutrition, 2001

Thus, you can see the inadequacies of the typical energy drink. Sugar and caffeine are great. However, caffeine, protein, fat, and carbohydrates are far superior! For overall cognitive performance, your meals and snacks should contain all three macronutrients!

A poker tournament is a long, tedious mental task. It’s similar to a marathon, except it’s testing your mental muscle. Thus, you should approach it as one. Marathon runners have long understood the importance of proper prerace nutrition. In fact, they’ve almost became paranoid about it. For good reason though because it could make or break them. When you start paying strict attention to your diet, you’ll begin to start noticing a distinct difference in how you feel, how much energy you have, how you play, and how many mental errors you make. Start now!
Next week, I’ll give you my detailed “poker menu.”