Reviews Of Best Supplements For Memory And Brain Health And Where to Buy

In addition to the power of sleep, enhanced nutrition plays an important role in keeping our brain well nourished and running at peak performance. We’re going to review the best nutritional supplements that can ramp up your brain power, sharpen your memory, and improve alertness and your ability to concentrate and focus. Scroll to bottom of page to see who we recommend for brain boosting and natural neurological enhancement supplements.

With just a few additions and alterations to the foods you consume, you might be able to drastically improve specific mental agility, such as memory and attention to task. A poor diet can decrease brain function, cause fatty deposits that can lead to poor brain oxygenation and diseases like Parkinson’s and dementia related illnesses. 

If you are not sleep deprived but still feel foggy, sluggish, and out of focus, even depressed or anxious, you could be depriving your brain of all of the super foods it needs to run like a finely tuned machine.

Consuming more of the following foodstuffs can drastically improve brain function. We’ll also share our reviews and choices for best nutritional supplements you can purchase, which can enhance your brain power and keep your central nervous system healthy.

Eating Fatty Fish

When people talk about brain foods, fatty fish is often at the top of the list. You want to choose fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, and include fish such as salmon, trout, and sardines. Sardines may seem unpalatable, but if you put them on a cracker with a spread or olive garnish, they can be as tasty and as palatable as a smoked salmon.

Over half of your brain is fat, and half of that is omega-3 fat, essential in building and repairing nerve cells, and necessary for memory and learning processes. Omega 3 fatty acids and slow down age related decline that occurs naturally, and keep dementia and Alzheimer’s disease at bay.

Not having enough omega-3 in your diet has been linked to learning impairments, depression, and slowed reaction times. One study suggested that individuals who consume broiled or baked fish had increased amounts of gray matter in their brains, essential for decision making, emotions, and memory.

Drinking Coffee- A Superfood That’s Totally Underrated

If coffee is something you crave and look forward to in the morning, you’ll be thrilled to learn that it’s good for you. Not just good, but great in fact. Coffee contains two primary ingredients that make it highly nutritious for your brain- anti-oxidants and caffeine. 

Coffee may slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease. A Florida study found that when older people with mild cognitive impairment were tested for memory assessment and then tested again five years later, individuals with high blood caffeine, the same found in about 3 cups of coffee, were far less likely to have developed Alzheimer’s disease.

Drinking coffee may help you live longer. A study involving 400,000 seniors found that males who drank 2 cups of coffee a day lived 10% longer than their coffee abstaining buddies. Among women, the numbers were even more impressive- lady coffee drinkers lived an average of 13% longer than their friends who were coffee free.

Further, coffee may help prevent Parkinson’s disease – and can reduce symptoms if you already have it. Studies have shown that coffee drinkers are less likely to develop Parkinson’s, and for those that already have symptoms, consuming coffee has been found to help with tremors and spasms.

Coffee may hold dementia at bay. Animal experiments have  shown that caffeine can disrupt adenosine, a cell chemical that can start a chain reaction that leads to a disruption of neuron function, neuro-degeneration, and ultimately, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

It’s also one of the best sources of neuro-protective antioxidants you can consume. While “superfoods” like blueberries and pomegranates are lauded for their antioxidant content, our morning cup of coffee is loaded  with antioxidants. In fact, research has repeatedly demonstrated that it is the number one source of antioxidants in most people’s diets- by a large margin.

Turmeric- The Miracle Spice

Turmeric, a a deep, burnt orange spice that is a key element of curry powder, has some extraordinary benefits for your brain that more and more people are consuming every day. The active ingredient is curcumin, can cross the blood-brain barrier and is a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound.

Curcumin may help improve memory in patients who already have Alzheimer’s Disease. It works by clearing amyloid plaque buildup in blood vessels, which is one of the markers of the disease. It also boosts serotonin and dopamine, which can reduce depression and improve mood. It has been demonstrated to improve depression when used consistently, in as little as six weeks.

Consuming Turmeric can also boost brain-derived neurotrophic factor which is a growth hormone responsible for the growth of neurons in the brain. In addition to taking it in capsule form as a a supplement, try using curry powder when cooking. Dash it on salads, potatoes, and in soups or tea.

broccoli

We already know this, because broccoli has been around for awhile and touted as the hottest super-food and brain-food you can eat. The cruciform vegetable is packed with powerful compound, including antioxidants, it’s loaded with vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin that’s essential for creating sphingolipids, a type of fat that’s tightly packed into brain cells.

Studies have suggested that higher Vitamin K intake can increase memory acuity, too.  It is good preventative care for your brain as well, packing a number of anti-inflammatory effects, which may help protect the brain against damage and wear and tear.

 Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds pack a wallop and contain powerful anti-oxidants that destroy free radicals, and contain large amounts of iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium. Zinc is critical for nerves to fire properly and transmit signals. Without it, you risk Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and Parkinson’s disease. Magnesium is critical for learning and processing memories, Copper and iron are important for signal transmission as well. All of these nutrients bathe the brain in solid nutrition and can be found in the diminutive pumpkin seed.

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is packed with flavonoids, caffeine, and anti-oxidants. Flavonoids are plant anti-oxidants, and may improve memory and slow age related brain function losses. 

In a study of 1,000 people, subjects who ate dark chocolate more frequently than other groups or the control group that ate no chocolate, performed better in tests involving memory.

Since chocolate is also a mood boosting substance, it may also help with general well-being which contributes to better brain function.

nuts

There’s plenty of solid research that shows the heart healthy benefits of eating nuts, brain health is directly associated with cardia fitness as well. A 2014 study showed that eating nuts can improve focus and cognition, and help stave off age related neuro-degenerative diseases.

Women who eat nuts regularly have sharper memories than those who do not, another study suggests. Healthy fats, Vitamin E, and powerful antioxidants all contribute to brain benefits.

Walnuts

Walnuts are considered the single healthiest nut for brain health. The meaty flesh of walnuts have a significantly higher concentration of DHA, a type of Omega-3 fatty acid, than other nuts. DHA is Docosahexaenoic acid, and has been shown to protect brain health in newborns, improve cognitive performance in adults, and prevent or eliminate age-related cognitive decline. 

One study reveals that mothers who get enough DHA have smarter children. A mere quarter cup of walnuts daily  provides nearly 100% of the recommended daily intake of DHA.

Additional research has found that people who include walnuts and walnut oil in their diets have lower resting blood pressure as well as lower blood pressure responses to stress testing, too.

Almonds & Hazelnuts

Almonds and Hazelnuts are two sources of concentrated vitamin E ,and vitamin E intake is generally associated with slowing down the process of cognitive decline. In one study, participants who received vitamin E improved substantially in some memory and verbal tests, while participants who received a placebo did not. A mere quarter cup of almonds or hazelnuts a day provides 50% of the RDA for vitamin E.

Peanuts

Peanuts are high in niacin (1/2 cup offers about 50% of the RDA for niacin.) Studies have shown that niacin deficiencies may cause a higher incidence of cognitive decline as well as Alzheimer’s Disease. There has also been p research that suggests that eating peanuts may help ward off Parkinson’s.

Several nutrients in nuts, such as healthy fats, antioxidants and vitamin E, may explain their brain-health benefits. 

Oranges And Vitamin C

You can get all the vitamin C you need for the entire day by eating one medium orange, or by juicing one. It’s excellent for brain health, since consuming Vitamin C is a key factor in protecting against age-related mental decline and Alzheimer’s disease, according to a 2014 review article. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight off the free radicals that can damage brain cells. You can also get excellent amounts of vitamin C from bell peppers, guava, kiwi, tomatoes and strawberries.

eggs

Often misunderstood, eggs are a remarkable superfood for brain health. Eggs are a good source of several nutrients tied to brain health, including vitamins B6 and B12, folate and choline. 

Choline is an important micronutrient that your body uses to create acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and memory. Two studies found that higher intakes of choline were linked to better memory and mental function, but most people get inadequate intake of choline in their diet. 

Eating eggs is an easy way to get choline, and egg yolks are among the most concentrated sources of this nutrient. A healthy intake of choline is 425 mg per day for women and 550 mg per day for men. A single egg yolk contains 112 mg of the nutrient.

vitamin e

Vitamin E is an antioxidant and is believed to help with brain health by reducing oxidative stress. It is the only supplement that has been found to have any possible benefit. A 2014 study in the journal Nutrients reviewed the existing research on vitamin E and various health issues, such as heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers found that high-dose vitamin E may help people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s dementia continue to perform daily life functions for a short period of time. However, vitamin E does not prevent the disease or reduce other symptoms, and high doses increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

B-vitamins

Three B vitamins are often linked with brain health: B6, B9 (folate), and B12. They can help break down homocysteine, high levels of which have been associated with a greater risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. B vitamins also help produce energy needed to develop new brain cells.