While there are many factors that can affect mental health and memory, good nutrition is without a doubt the most important. Nothing else works optimally without it—not exercise, not brain games, nothing! This, in fact, is one reason why physical activity has been shown to be helpful for the brain, as it helps to improve the digestion, circulation and assimilation of nutrients into the brain.
However, as we age we tend not to eat or exercise as much or as well as when we were younger. Moreover, our immune, digestive, endocrine, metabolic and other systems tend to slow down, as our cells break down and die off at a faster rate. These changes in addition to environmental toxins can put a strain and drain on our nutritional resources leaving an aging body less capable of creating adequate amounts of endogenous antioxidants and other biochemistry needed to make repairs and function properly.
These are some of the reasons why older individuals tend to have more significant deficits in key nutrients and are at much higher risk for developing Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. Conversely this is why boosting key nutrients has been shown to be one of the fastest ways to improve cognitive function, mood and memory.
Various Nutrients Are Needed
A wide variety of nutrients are essential to maintaining the structures, biochemistry and energy needed to keep our brain functioning at optimal levels.
The brain has a higher need for a more diverse array of nutrients than any other part of our body. While it’s primarily made of fatty acids, it also requires various B-vitamins, minerals, amino acid, antioxidants as well as other phytonutrients to perform it’s many functions of support, repair, neuro-signaling etc.
For example, while it is true that memory problems suggest some nutrient is lacking in the brain, there are at least seven good candidates for what that nutrient might be. So a supplement that contains only one, or even a few nutrients, may be insufficient.
Moreover, unlike drugs that can often conflict, nutrients work in concert and often synergistically with each other. Generally, several are needed in sufficient amounts simultaneously in order to make a difference. For example, a recent review of the B-vitamins in brain health concluded:
“The B vitamins represent a group of eight essential dietary micronutrients that work closely in concert at a cellular level and which are absolutely essential for every aspect of brain function.” [1]
So it’s no wonder the newest best tested brain formulations contain a variety of scientifically validated essential nutrients. And of these formulations perhaps the best has been the drink mix called Memoryze™.
The 12 nutrients and herbs in Memoryze™ provide a broader array of brain and memory supporting nutrients, at higher levels, than any other formulation I am aware of. Each has been shown in various clinical studies to safely and effectively address a wide variety of potential problems within the brain. Below is a summary. Click on each nutrient for a link to more information. (Additionally, I recently had the privilege of presenting on this topic as part of the Integrative Health Series at Torrance Memorial Medical Center in Torrance, CA. You can view that 90 min lecture by clicking here if you’d like. Arrow down to Past Lectures.)
For example, the 3 B vitamins are critical to maintain the health of various brain cell structures, such as synapses and microtubules, that transport chemical messengers, as well energy producing mitochondria. Taken together they have been shown to improve mood, reduce inflammation and brain shrinkage as well as age related memory decline.[2],[3],[4]
Vitamins C & E help protect the various structures of the brain from oxidative damage, widely associated with cognitive decline.[5],[6],[7]
Resveratrol from the skins of grapes is a powerful plant based antioxidant now shown to help protect the vascular system in the brain and memory from inflammation, age and disease related decline, and promote mental health, brain growth and longevity, so our body doesn’t outlast our brain.[8], [9]
Curcumin from the spice turmeric plays a variety of roles in maintaining the brain. Studies in the US and India show it helps reduce inflammation from traumatic brain injuries,[10] enhances the immune system, reduces beta amyloid plaque,[11] and helps to restore brain cell function.[12] It can also protect the brain against the devastating consequences of stroke and exposure to toxic heavy metals.[13] And more recent research suggests it may help in overcoming depression as well.[14]
These work synergistically with N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) also in Memoryze, to support and regenerate glutathione the most powerful cellular protector in the human brain.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR) helps protect against Alzheimer’s in a variety of ways. It helps in the synthesis of acetylcholine, the chemical messenger (neurotransmitter) needed to make memories, plus it’s been shown to reverse damage in the receptor sites as well. This is very significant, since a loss of receptors is believed to be a significant cause of decreased function in dementia patients. It is also required by our body to transport fats into our cells mitochondria, where they can be used to produce ATP the energy brain cells need for thinking, concentration and learning.[15],[16],[17]
A review of related clinical studies nearly 20 years ago showed that ALCAR could slow the natural course of AD.[18] Two 2003 studies showed Alzheimer’s patients who took high amounts reported improvements in memory compared to patients receiving placebo.[19]
In an Italian study, were Alzheimer’s patients in the early phases of the disease took 2 grams of acetyl-L-carnitine daily for three months, functional response rates improved 30% with Aricept® but 50% with the addition of ALCAR.[20] Another placebo-controlled, double-blind study with younger AD subjects, conducted at Stanford University concluded, “Acetyl-L-carnitine slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in younger subjects.”[21]
This works synergistically with another ingredient in the formula:
Alpha GPC (Glycerylphosphoryl) Choline provides the basic building block for the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine required to make memories. In one study of more than 2,000 subjects with memory impairment Alpha GPC was shown to reverse cognitive decline and forgetfulness in 71% of the patients.[22] ALCAR and Alpha GPC work synergistically in the brain with our next ingredient.
Phosphatidylserine is another fatty acid essential for building brain cells and neuron networks, which store memories. This is one of the best documented nutrients for dementia prevention and memory enhancement. In patients who had serious cognitive decline PET scans revealed that, after taking 500 mg of phosphatidylserine every day for 3 weeks, every study participant showed significantly enhanced glucose metabolism (i.e. energy production) across all brain regions, compared to baseline scans.[23] In another double-blind, placebo-controlled study, with cognitively impaired patients those who took 300 milligrams per day (mg/day) of phosphatidylserine performed significantly better on standardized memory tests at the end of the 12-week trial period.[24]
Finally Rhodiola is a powerful herb found in Asia and Eastern Europe. It’s best known for its ability to reduce the stress hormone cortisol and thus counteract the mental and physical effects of stress on the hippocampus where memories are made and retrieved.[25],[26] This potent herb has also been shown to support healthy oxygen levels as well as key brain chemicals involved in regulating mood, and increasing mental energy for thinking and remembering.[27]
In summary
Memoryze contains 12 of the most important nutrients found in empirical studies to support brain health and memory. These ingredients facilitate optimal cognitive function in at least a dozen different ways. They:
- Increase the oxygen needed for brain and heart cell metabolism[28] [29]
- Improve energy production in brain cells for thinking, and remembering [30] [31] [32] [33] [34]
- Help maintain cellular integrity and fluidity to allow nutrients in and keep toxins out [35]
- Protect against free radicals or oxidation – a type of rusting associated with brain aging and cognitive decline [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42]
- Reduce damaging inflammation known to impair memory and accelerate decline[43] [44] [45]
- Protect against stress and cortisol known to cause damage to the hippocampus the memory “switchboard” in the brain [46] [47] [48] [49]
- Reduce insomnia and improve depth and quality of sleep [50]
- Improve Neurotransmitter production and transmission [51] [52]
- Lower and protect against amyloid-beta a known cause of damage to neurons. [53] [54] [55] [56] [57]
- Protect microtubular tau to enable molecular transport within brain cells [58]
- Help compensate for genetic deficiencies like ApoE-4 [59]
- Protect cellular DNA from damage and modulate gene expression [60]
- Support microvascular health and blood flow to the brain [61] [62]
Taken in combination with other essential fat soluable nutrients for the brain (that don’t mix well in water) like Omega3 fatty acids, and vitamin D, as well as a good probiotic these may dramatically increase cognitive function, especially in those experiencing some difficulties. Several of the individuals in the UMass study I was involved in had a dramatic reversal of subsequent decline once they started on this formulation.[64] That’s why our investigation found not only does this formulation work faster than most to provide the results desired, but when other formulations stop working this may help restore function like no other product on the market that we know of. It’s not magic, but in a relatively short period of time it can make a significant difference in one’s ability to think, reason and remember. As well as elevating mood.
If you are interested in obtaining a sample to try, contact me at David@abcbrain.org or 801-529-8238 for more information on where and how to purchase this formulation at a significant savings.
References
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Feb; 8(2): 68. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4772032/
[2] Smith, AD, Smith, SM, de Jager, CA, Whitbread, P, Johnston, C, et al. 2010 Homocysteine-Lowering by B Vitamins Slows the Rate of Accelerated Brain Atrophy in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PLoS ONE 5(9): e12244. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0012244
[3] Mattson MP and Shea TB, Folate and homocysteine metabolism in neural plasticityand neurodegenerative disorders. Trends Neurosci, 2003. 26(3): p. 137-46.
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[5] Zandi PP, Anthony JC, et al. Reduced risk of Alzheimer disease in users of antioxidant vitamin supplements: the Cache County Study. Arch Neurol. 2004;61(1):82-8.
[6] Landmark K. Could intake of vitamins C and E inhibit development of Alzheimer dementia [in Norwegian]? Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2006 Jan 12;126(2):159-61; Boothby LA, Doering PL. Vitamin C and vitamin E for Alzheimer’s disease. Ann Pharmacother. 2005 Dec;39(12):2073-80.
[7] Shea TB, Rogers E (2002) Folate quenches oxidative damage in brains of apolipoprotein E-deficient mice: augmentation by vitamin E. Molecular Brain Res 108, 1-6.
[8] A study published in the November 11, 2008 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry shows that resveratrol, a compound found in grapes and red wine, lowers the levels of the amyloid-beta peptides which cause the telltale senile plaques of Alzheimer’s disease – Media release from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
[9] http://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2015/2/Combat-Age-Related-Brain-Atrophy/Page-01
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[31] Spasov AA, Wikman GK, Mandrikov VB, A double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of the stimulating and adaptogenic effect of Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract on the fatigue of students caused by stress during an examination period with a repeated low-dose regimen. Phytomedicine. 2000 Apr;7(2):85-9.
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[42] Wu A, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F. Dietary curcumin counteracts the outcome of traumatic brain injury on oxidative stress, synaptic plasticity, and cognition. Exp Neurol. 2006 Feb;197(2):309-17.
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[56] Zhang L, Fiala M, Cashman J, et al. Curcuminoids enhance amyloid-beta uptake by macrophages of Alzheimer’s disease patients. J Alzheimers Dis. 2006 Sep;10(1):1-7.
[57] Yao ZX, et al. “Ginkgo biloba Extract (Egb 761) Inhibits Beta-Amyloid Production by Lowering Free Cholesterol Levels.” J Nutr Biochem. 15.12 (2004): 749-56.
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[64] Contact me at david@abcbrain.org for a list of related testimonials.
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