How does it work?
Our entire body is crisscrossed by blood vessels that supply our organs and tissues with essential nutrients and oxygen – including the central nervous system (CNS), which consists of the brain and spinal cord. Here lies the blood-brain barrier, a kind of filter that only allows certain molecules to enter and exit the CNS.
What is it made of?
On the inside of the capillary walls are the endothelial cells, which are tightly connected to each other by narrow, belt-like junctions (tight junctions). Together with the basement membrane and the astrocytes, which surround the vessels from the CNS side, they form the blood-brain barrier.
What is it good for?
The blood-brain barrier selectively decides which molecules, cells, or ions from the blood are transported into the CNS and which waste products are removed. This filtering function is meant to protect our brain from toxic substances that are blocked from passing through. The selection usually works well but has some weaknesses: for example, alcohol or nicotine can easily pass through the barrier.
Who is allowed in, who must stay out?
As a rule of thumb, mainly substances that are small and lipophilic (fat-loving) are transported into the brain, while large molecules that are hydrophilic (water-loving) are generally not allowed through. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule.
How does this affect my daily life?
Have you ever wondered how an active ingredient knows where to take effect? For example, how does a medication during your period know to work in the lower abdomen and not in the head? The answer actually lies in the blood-brain barrier, which, by not selecting certain substances, ensures that the active ingredient Buscopan does not act in the brain—preventing us from feeling drowsy or foggy—but instead works specifically in the lower abdomen.
The example of serotonin / 5-HTP
On the other hand, some substances needed in the brain cannot enter it directly. Serotonin is an interesting example. Also known as the “happiness hormone,” it is one of the most important amines that transmits information between nerve cells as a neurotransmitter. Its ability to influence our emotions and psyche gives it its nickname. You might think such a necessary and natural hormone would easily enter the brain, but that is not the case. To bypass the barrier, the body uses two precursors of serotonin: tryptophan, which naturally occurs in foods like African black beans, bananas, or chocolate, and 5-HTP. The body converts tryptophan into the intermediate 5-HTP and then further into serotonin. While serotonin itself cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, both precursors, tryptophan and 5-HTP, can easily pass through and are then converted into serotonin in the brain. For over 30 years, 5-HTP has been actively used as a therapeutic agent against depression, anxiety, panic, sleep disorders, eating disorders, PMS, and chronic headaches.
We at mybacs have also explored this topic and developed our “Good Mood” product. It provides a real mood boost and supports your overall well-being with high-quality 5-HTP, ashwagandha, saffron extract, and other valuable vitamins.
