If you want to prevent brain drain—the rate at which your aging brain decays—exercise and good diet are crucial. If you eat inflammatory foods devoid of nutrients and full of refined vegetable oils and sugar, you accelerate aging. Junk food = junk brain. A well-balanced diet filled with anti-inflammatory vegetables, fruit and healthy fats slows down the aging process. Do we need to take additional supplements to prevent brain drain?
Unfortunately we are a fast food nation bent on saving time and money. We take short-cuts. Why cook if we can pop something in the microwave? Smart seniors avoid marketing hype and fake promises for instant weight loss and vigorous health. We all want a pill that would prevent loss of brain functioning as we grow older. But which supplements should we be taking?
Supplements for Aging Brains
When it comes to aging brains, we need to supplement with certain natural herbs and substances to prevent decay and disease. Specific vitamins help preserve our memory, focus and energy. Some even help us avoid dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Which leads to the big problem of knowing what to buy and how much of a vitamin or mineral to take. You can’t believe everything you see on the web, otherwise you’d spend your money quickly and not see results.
Here is some information I’m sharing from a helpful book, The Aging Brain: Proven Steps to Prevent Dementia and Sharpen Your Mind, by Timothy R. Jennings, MD.
Nutritional Supplements: Big Business
We have to be careful about buying something that may not be in our best interests. It is estimated that Americans spend between $14 and $20 billion dollars annually on supplements, most of which have no evidence of benefit, and some that are even harmful. The rules for supplements are different than FDA processes.
Not everything that seems like it makes sense for our health is. That is why I read the evidence and only buy products manufactured by reliable sources. Often there’s little evidence about how much of a substance actually goes into our system and is metabolized. Evidence from animal studies don’t always translate to humans. If a supplement hasn’t been on the market long, there isn’t evidence of efficacy.
That’s why I read up on a product as much as possible before investing and using it. That said, Dr. Jennings did a lot of research and checked the medical studies on his list of recommendations.
These Supplements Prevent Brain Drain
Here’s what Dr. Jennings’ list of brain healthy vitamins and supplements includes.
- Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA): This is essential for brain health and people who have a high concentration of these fats in their systems have less risk of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
- Ginkgo Biloba: There is no evidence that taking ginkgo biloba is of benefit in preventing AD, but it does improve memory and cognition in those who already have impairments.
- Vitamin D: Both high and low levels of vitamin D increase the risk of early death and dementia. Optimal levels in one’s system are best: 75-100 nmol/L.
- Curcumin (turmeric): This spice reduces b-amyloid in the brain and has anti-inflammatory benefits, but use of black pepper concurrently supports absorption.
- Walnuts: This nut reduces b-amyloid and the risk of dementia. Eat a handful every day.
More Natural Supplements to Prevent Brain Drain
- Green tea: This natural tea enhances cognition and memory and reduces b-amyloid buildup in the brain. It is also used to reduce fat in the body.
- Pomegranate juice: It is rich in anti-inflammatory factors and reduces b-amyloid buildup in the brain, reducing risk of AD.
- Caffeinated coffee: Daily, mild-to-moderate (1-6 cups) reduces the risk of developing AD. However, side effects for susceptible people are risk of seizure, sleep impairments, and reduced circulation.
- Artificial sweeteners used in coffee are associated with increased risk of psychiatric decline, but sugar and honey are not.
- Vitamins E and C: These are important anti-oxidants that reduce the risk of AD; however, vitamin E should only be obtained from food. Vitamin C can be from either food or supplements.
- NAC is an antioxidant free-radical scavenger that stabilizes mitochondria (the energy powerhouse in our cells). Daily supplements are associated with a range of benefits including reduced risk of AD.
- Vitamin B12 and folic acid (vitamin b9) are essential and when deficient, increase the risk of dementia.
- Rhodiola rosea: An herb with multiple physiologically active compounds with evidence that it slows aging, improves energy, and enhances cognition.
- Estrogen (HRT): If started within five years after menopause, it is associated with a reduction in AD risk. In one study, this was as great as 40-50 percent.)
Action Plan for Aging Brains
This list is pretty comprehensive, but it doesn’t mean spending a lot of money on products. Most of these steps for preventing brain drain can be incorporated into your daily health habits without spending much time or money.
Eat wild caught oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines several times a week if you don’t want to take a supplement. Ask your doctor to test your levels of vitamin D If you’re not in the healthy range of 76-100 nmol/L, start supplementing.
Use curcumin spice along with black pepper to season food, or start taking a daily supplement. Eat a handful of walnuts daily. Consider switching from coffee in the morning, to green tea in the afternoon. Drink one eight-once glass of 100 percent pomegranate juice daily.
Eat foods with vitamin E including sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, pumpkin, red pepper, asparagus, collard greens, and peanut butter (but without the unhealthy fats and sugar added.) Talk with your doctor about these supplements and make sure that any medication you are taking aren’t going to conflict or cause side effects.
For me, I am intrigued about drinking pomegranate juice as I wasn’t aware of it. But I want to make sure that if I buy a bottle, it doesn’t have added sugar or chemical ingredients. That may be a challenge.
Here’s to your good health, good moods, and wisdom!
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