HACKING YOUR BRAIN — 13 Natural Supplements to Boost Brain Function
To make the most out of our lives it seems reasonable to harness every available skilful method to maximise our abilities. In today’s article, I’d like to discuss smart brain supplements that can protect, maintain and enhance the functioning of key processes in the body linked to good brain function.
This article briefly lists thirteen of the most powerful, effective and safe-to-use natural supplements available on the market. I have described what they do (the benefits), how they create said benefits (why they work) and some typical usage amounts (dosage and frequency). I have also provided up to date and relevant references (where possible) for those of you that would like to follow up on any particular supplement in more detail.
Each one of these supplements should be available over the counter at your local health store. They are relatively safe to use and are 100% completely naturally derived.
Careful, responsible use of these supplements could radically enhance your mental and physical capabilities. This is especially true if you also follow an excellent diet, exercise and meditation regime.
**Please note that this article does not constitute medical advice. In all cases where dietary or supplementary advice is given it is ALWAYS better to consult with your own healthcare professional before using any of the substances on this list.
Please do not just go ahead and self-medicate merely on the basis of an internet article. There is a whole host of important factors that for one reason or another could not be included here.
Your healthcare professional will know what to consider before recommending usage of any of the following supplements so that contraindications, dosage, pregnancy or any other factor can be safely accounted for.**
Smart Supplement 1: Artichoke Extract & Forskolin
Artichoke extract contains Luteolin, a safe natural inhibitor of PDE4. PDE4 inhibitors have been shown to have significant nootropic effects including increased cognition, improved long term memory, increased wakefulness, and neuroprotection.
Forskolin derived from Coleus Forskohlii activates the enzyme adenylyl cyclase which increases intracellular levels of cAMP. The result is an overall improvement of cognitive function, especially memory formation and retention of new information.
These powerful agents can be found in CILTEP.
CILTEP® is a natural nootropic featuring a patented formula for optimal mental performance.
The benefits of include:
- Increased motivation and mental endurance
- Improved concentration and alertness
- Improved mood and social ease
- Increased ability to study
CILTEP® is used every day by thousands of people around the World, including CEOs, Wall Street Executives, college students, scientists and creatives.
Smart Supplement 2: Alpha-Lipoic Acid
This powerful agent is able to remove toxins — including heavy metals — from the brain due to its potent antioxidant capacity and ability to bypass the blood brain barrier — thus giving it an elevated status with regard to detoxification.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid works by increasing the energy available to the brain. It does this by increasing mitochondrial (“mitochondria” — cellular structures responsible for energy production in the body) efficiency in brain cells.
It is also highly neuroprotective (protects nerve cells) against degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Typical Usage:
200 to 400 mg a day for most users and 600 mg two times per day in case of neuropathy or cognitive decline
Smart Supplement 3: Acetyl-L-Carnitine [2]
This amino acid combats fatigue — effectively increasing brain power. It also exerts its effects on the mitochondria (site of energy production in our cells, especially found in muscle and nerve cells).
Acetyl-L-Carnitine increases blood circulation. If you are exercising it will have the added benefit of supporting the conversion of fat into muscle tissue. This potent energizer and important metabolic cofactor are beneficial for multiple cognitive processes.
Typical Usage:
Daily Supplement Dose: 500–1,500 mg
Acetyl-L-Carnitine is also found in Ciltep.
Smart Supplement 4: Vinpocetine
(Found in Vinca minor / lesser periwinkle plant)
Vinpocetine has been gaining attention in the last decade because it seems to increase blood flow through its vasodilatory (relaxation or widening of blood vessels) effects — causing improvement in overall mental functioning.
Enhanced memory and improved concentration appear to result from the increase in blood flow through the relaxation of blood vessels.
Typical Usage:
Daily Supplement Dose: 30–60 mg
Smart Supplement 5: Resveratrol [3] [4]
This smart supplement has been shown to increase the longevity of a cell’s life by lengthening telomeres (genetic material implicated in cellular lifespan) by 23%.
It has also been reported through various studies that Resveratrol caused a significant increase in the quality of life of mature adults.
This supplement protects against atrophy (decay or degeneration). Supplemental resveratrol (200 mg/day) has demonstrated functional improvement of connections between the hippocampus (site of memory processing) and the frontal areas of the brain (location where we are able to make choices). To put it simply, Resveratrol improves the link between “what we know and remember” to “how we plan for the future”.
Typical Usage:
Daily Supplement Dose: 200 mg
Smart Supplement 6: Methylcobalamin (Vitamin B12) [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]
This vitamin needs to be taken sublingually (placed under the tongue) to be absorbed so that the body and brain can benefit.
Vitamin B12 is involved with so many neuro-processes that they are too numerous to mention them all here, but one of the main advantages of B12 supplementation is that it has demonstrated benefits regarding brain processing speed.
It also helps protects nerve cells by preventing neuronal demyelination (the loss of fatty tissue around nerve cells that help them to transmit signals quickly).
Typical Usage:
Daily Supplement Dose: Vitamin B12 500–1000 mcg/day
Smart Supplement 7: Vitamin B6 / P-5-P (Activated Vitamin B6)
This form of B6 (P-5-P) is essential to modern lifestyles because it is used in countless metabolic processes affecting multiple outcomes. Vitamin B6 is also found in Ciltep.
It has a special place as a “meta” brain supplement without which many neuro-processing functions are not effective especially with regard to counteracting stress.
It therefore indirectly supports brain function by supporting other processes in the body that have strong, direct effects on the brain.
Typical Usage:
Daily Supplement Dose: Vitamin B6 20 mg/day
Vitamin B6 is also found in Ciltep.
Smart Supplement 8: EPA / DHA (Omega 3 essential fatty acids) [10]
Brain tissue is made of fatty acids (including this omega 3 lipids) so it is not surprising that supplementing with extra omega 3 supports brain energy.
Extra omega 3 supports brain energy due to anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation/swelling) functions and is particularly protective to nerve cells.
EPA / DHA are not considered to be nootropic (promoting or enhancing cognition or learning) however, there is a large body of scientific evidence that shows the neuro-benefits of supplementation and they are considered to have synergistic effects when combined with cognitive enhancers in a supplementation program.
Typical Usage:
Daily Supplement Dose: 500mg
Smart Supplement 9: Pomegranate Juice [11]
Pomegranates contain polyphenols which are super-potent antioxidants that are particularly neuroprotective owing to their powerful anti-inflammatory properties. These properties are believed to be a result of polyphenols’ ability to slow down brain cell death.
Typical Usage:
Daily Supplement Dose: 2xGlass of Pomegranate juice (2x250ml) — 1 morning & 1 evening
Smart Supplement 10: Folic Acid [12]
Another B vitamin that is vital to keep cognitive degeneration and brain atrophy at bay.
People who supplemented regularly with this vitamin experienced a 30% reduction in brain degeneration when compared with controls.
This B vitamin has the added bonus of being able to protect against cardiovascular disease as well as protect against prostate cancer. Basically, this should be on everyone’s essential supplement list.
Typical Usage:
Daily Supplement Dose: Folate 500mg once per day
Smart Supplement 11: L-Theanine [13]
This nootropic (enhances cognition and learning) is a powerful amino acid (a building block of proteins) extract derived from green tea or mushrooms.
It is involved in promoting new growth of brain cells and therefore protects against ageing effects in the brain whilst stimulating learning and memory. Yes, please!!
Current trends are to combine 5g of this extract with caffeine after several small independent studies confirmed that this combination increases cognitive performance. Studies to date have not been done to determine whether changes were attenuated long-term or not.
Typical Usage:
Daily Supplement Dose: 200–400mg per day. (Best taken at night before bed)
Smart Supplement 12: Taurine [14] [15] [16]
This is a wonderful and potent neuro-supplement, with animal studies demonstrating this amino acid’s profound ability to stimulate new brain cell formation. This neurogenesis occurs most notably in the hippocampus (where memory is predominantly processed) and can cause impressive improvements in cognitive functioning and memory recall. Quite a remarkable achievement considering that only a decade or two ago brain cell re-genesis was considered impossible in an adult brain.
Typical Usage:
Daily Supplement Dose: 500mg
Smart Supplement 13: Phosphatidylserine [17]
Since the early 1990’s this brain supplement has been scientifically correlated with counteracting stress-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis pathway in healthy men. In other words, stress can cause hormonal changes in men with many negative consequences to their health and wellbeing — Phosphatidylserine counteracts those effects.
Finally! A natural product that can help business executives to manage their physiological stress responses :D
Phosphatidylserine: 50 mg — 75 mg daily resulted in significantly blunting the effect of stress markers in study participants
Typical Usage:
Daily Supplement Dose: Phosphatidylserine: 50 mg — 75 mg
Always remember to consult with your health care professional before taking any supplements.
The above thirteen powerful natural supplements are the perfect tools to enhance brain and body functioning when used wisely as part of a well-balanced regime of exercise and nutrition.
These tools are now in your hands — time to start building your empire!
REFERENCES:
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[1] https://naturalstacks.com?rfsn=354198.34424dc Roy Krebs, Ben Hebert, Abelard Lindsay and Ryan Munsey. CILTEP naturally increases focus and improves memory by inducing Long-Term Potentiation.
[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1691485/ Caroline Rae, Alison L Digney, Sally R McEwan, and Timothy C Bates. Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial. Proc Biol Sci. 2003 Oct 22; 270(1529): 2147–2150. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2003.2492.
[3] Moriya J, Chen R, Yamakawa J, Sasaki K, Ishigaki Y, Takahashi T. Resveratrol improves hippocampal atrophy in chronic fatigue mice by enhancing neurogenesis and inhibiting apoptosis of granular cells. Biol Pharm Bull. 2011;34(3):354–9.
[4] Witte AV, Kerti L, Margulies DS, Floel A. Effects of resveratrol on memory performance, hippocampal functional connectivity, and glucose metabolism in healthy older adults. J Neurosci. 2014 Jun 4;34(23):7862–70
[5] Polyak Z, Stern F, Berner YN, et al. Hyperhomocysteinemia and vitamin score: correlations with silent brain ischemic lesions and brain atrophy. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2003;16(1):39–45.
[6] Blasko I, Hinterberger M, Kemmler G, et al. Conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia: influence of folic acid and vitamin B12 use in the VITA cohort. J Nutr Health Aging. 2012 Aug;16(8):687–94.
[7] Smith AD, Refsum H. Vitamin B-12 and cognition in the elderly. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Feb;89(2):707s-11s.
[8] Healthy Quality Ontario. Vitamin B12 and cognitive function: an evidence-based analysis. Ont Health Technol Assess Ser. 2013;13(23):1–45.
[9] Douaud G, Refsum H, de Jager CA, et al. Preventing Alzheimer’s disease-related grey matter atrophy by B-vitamin treatment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Jun 4;110(23):9523–8.
[10] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25238820
[11] Bookheimer SY, Renner BA, Ekstrom A, et al. Pomegranate juice augments memory and FMRI activity in middle-aged and older adults with mild memory complaints. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:946298.
[12] Smith AD, Smith SM, de Jager CA, et al. Homocysteine-lowering by B vitamins slows the rate of accelerated brain atrophy in mild cognitive impairment: a randomised controlled trial. PLoS One. 2010;5(9):e12244.
[13] Giesbrecht T, Rycroft JA, Rowson MJ, De Bruin EA. The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness. Nutr Neurosci. 2010 Dec;13(6):283–90.
[14] Gebara E, Udry F, Sultan S, Toni N. Taurine increases hippocampal neurogenesis in ageing mice. Stem Cell Res. 2015 May;14(3):369–79.
[15] Pasantes-Morales H, Ramos-Mandujano G, Hernandez-Benitez R. Taurine enhances proliferation and promotes neuronal specification of murine and human neural stem/progenitor cells. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2015;803:457–72.
[16] Gebara E, Udry F, Sultan S, Toni N. Taurine increases hippocampal neurogenesis in ageing mice. Stem Cell Res. 2015 May;14(3):369–79.
[17] Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1992;42(4):385–8
Originally published at buddhaempire.com.
