🔋ATP#6: Why This Newsletter Is Called “ATP”

Watching sports has never been my thing (except for a few weeks of craziness about the Tour de France when I was an adolescent). So if you love tennis and thought the name “ATP” in my newsletter was because of tennis, I’m sorry! It doesn’t.

Let’s look at what it means in the context of my newsletter and why it’s so essential for mental health.

What is ATP?

In the world of physiology, ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate. It’s the body’s primary energy source.

And what’s your body’s most energy-intensive organ?

Exactly, it’s your brain.

Although the brain accounts for only around 2% of your body weight, it uses about 20% of your energy.

It needs a lot of ATP to function.

And that’s why my newsletter abbreviates to “ATP” and has a battery symbol in the title! It’s related to your brain’s energy use.

ATP could be the key to mental health disorders

In 2023, I read a book that revolutionized how I think about mental health: Brain Energy* (or here*) by Dr. Chris Palmer, MD. He’s a Harvard psychiatrist who studies the link between metabolism and mental health.

In his book, he introduces the Brain Energy Theory. It proposes that mental disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and more are disorders of brain metabolism.

The cornerstone of the theory is a dysfunction in the brain’s mitochondria, where ATP is produced.

In other words: Mental health disorders could be disorders of brain metabolism, specifically regarding how brain cells produce and use ATP.

Core elements of the Brain Energy Theory

According to Palmer, mental health disorders have a common root: impaired brain metabolism.

He proposes a dysfunction in the brain’s mitochondria, the cell organelles that produce ATP. When they underperform, the resulting lack of energy leads to poor signal transmission, neuroinflammation, and cell death.

Low ATP in key brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex (related to higher cognitive functions, behavioral inhibition, and emotion regulation) and the limbic system (related to emotion, motivation, and memory) could explain symptoms like emotional dysregulation, anhedonia, and behavioral control problems that characterize mental health disorders.

What disrupts the brain’s energy system, and which treatments are available?

Palmer suggests multiple underlying causes: genetics, childhood trauma, stress, nutrition, sleep, and more. It’s a mix of biological, psychological, and social factors.

And therefore, treatments must consider a multi-faceted approach.

Palmer often prescribes a ketogenic diet to his patients. This lifestyle reduces carbohydrate intake to a minimum and shifts energy metabolism: Instead of glucose, the body relies on ketones as fuel.

Ketones improve mitochondrial function, reduce inflammation, and stabilize mood.

Palmer emphasizes that the ketogenic diet can be beneficial for some, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Treatments must be tailored to each individual case, and nutrition is only one of the pillars to consider.

Other elements are:

• Improving sleep

• Managing stress

• Regular exercise

• Optimizing light exposure

• Correcting nutrient deficiencies

• Improving social/psychological support

Wrapping up

Palmer's Brain Energy Theory represents a paradigm shift in mental health treatment. While previous theories focused on single neurotransmitters (like serotonin for depression), this comprehensive approach addresses the fundamental mechanisms underlying mental health disorders.

If you want to understand mental health from a new and revolutionary perspective, I highly recommend you read Brain Energy* (or here*). It will challenge everything you thought you knew about mental health, as it did for me.

Now you know why my newsletter abbreviates to “ATP” and what the battery emoji 🔋 means. It’s Chris Palmer’s fault. 😉

Until next time!

Best wishes,

Patricia (Dr. Schmidt) from creatorschmidt.com.

*Disclaimer: This is an affiliate link, meaning I might receive a small commission if you purchase through this link. It’s a beautiful way to support my work at no additional cost to you. If you don’t want to purchase through this link, feel free to search for the product online.