Extra Brain Boosting Nutraceuticals For Sharper Mind

You can also take extra steps to preserve and enhance brain function. For example, one of the most important neurotransmitters in the brain is acetylcholine, which has a vital role in higher mental functions such as thinking, learning, and memory. As we get older, our production of acetylcholine declines, and low levels are associated with short-term memory impairment. Acetylcholine synthesis is dramatically impaired in people with Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, the most popular drug for patients with Alzheimer’s is Aricept, which blocks the enzymes that break down acetylcholine.

The idea of raising acetylcholine levels makes sense, and, fortunately, it doesn’t require taking a drug. All you need to do is make sure you’re supplying your brain with the raw materials it needs to produce this neurotransmitter. Chief among these is choline, a constituent of neuronal membranes and a precursor of acetylcholine.

You get some choline in your diet. It is particularly abundant in lecithin, which is found in egg yolks and soybean oil. However, to ensure optimal intake, nothing beats choline supplements. The best of these is phosphatidylcholine (PC), a water-soluble form that is easier on the gastrointestinal tract than straight choline. There’s a new form of PC called alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (alpha-GPC) that is actually the neurons’ preferred form of choline. When levels of acetylcholine are low, PC in the cell membranes is broken down into alpha-GPC, which is then used to create acetylcholine.

Supplementation with PC has been shown in many studies to improve choline metabolism, boost brain levels of acetylcholine, and improve alertness, information processing, and other measures of cognitive function.

These are not only natural therapies that are important for preserving cognitive function. Fish oil, which contains DHA. which one of the most abundant fats in the brain is all important. Other supplements include phosphatidylserine, an important structural component of nerve cells, and DMAE, which also increases acetylcholine production.

You need to grab the bull by the horns and adopt a program that will ensure a sharp memory throughout life. When it comes to cognitive function, an ounce of prevention is worth pounds of cure.