Supplements for the Brain
In the introductory part, we stressed the importance of diet and lifestyle in the prevention of dementia and age-associated cognitive decline. In this article, we instead focus on supplements that are potentially useful for supporting brain health and cognitive performance in the elderly Noocube review.
Omega 3 – Reduces the risk of Alzheimers
Given their abundance in brain lipids, omega-3 fats are considered nutrients of primary importance for brain health. Additionally, patients with Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive decline showed lower omega-3 levels than cognitively intact individuals. On the other hand, numerous studies have linked increased omega-3 intake to increased hippocampal and frontal cortical gray matter volume, improved episodic memory and visual recognition, and reduced risk of Alzheimer’s.
Carotenoids – Builds Brain skills
Dietary intake of carotenoids – such as lutein , zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, β-carotene and lycopene – appears to be helpful in supporting brain health and cognitive abilities. For example, higher consumption of xanthophyll-rich vegetables has been shown to be linked to lower cognitive decline in healthy individuals. Furthermore, reduced plasma concentrations of lutein and β-carotene appear to increase mild cognitive decline and dementia. Carotenoid supplementation also improved various cognitive domains of verbal learning, attention, episodic memory, processing speed, and reasoning skills in healthy individuals .
Astaxanthin is another interesting carotenoid, which can reduce the risk of stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. In a study of 44 Japanese adults with memory decline, taking astaxanthin (~ 9mg / day) and tocotrienols (~ 50mg / day) for 12 weeks improved composite memory and verbal memory.