Vitamins & Herbs To Keep Thinking Skills Sharp

By Author: Dr. Victor Marchione
Total Articles: 90
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Whether you are concerned about Alzheimer’s or tired of feeling as if you’re brain is muddled and confused, there are certain vitamins and herbs here to help you. These must-have vitamins and herbs have been chosen because of their abilities to alleviate the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, memory loss and “brain fog.” Let’s take a look and find out how you could think more clearly and sharpen your memory.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is required for at least three hundred metabolic functions in your body — including in the brain. In one clinical study, researchers wanted to find out if antioxidants could protect the aging brain against the oxidative damage that’s typically found in Alzheimer’s patients.
Of 4,740 participants, 200 Alzheimer’s cases were identified in a prospective study of dementia in the elderly in Cache County, Utah. Among the 3,227 survivors at risk, 104 incident cases of Alzheimer’s were identified in a follow-up two years later. The researchers recorded ...
... supplement use at the outset of the study. They discovered that those who took vitamin C and vitamin E supplements in combination had a reduced prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease. They concluded that vitamins C and E together helped significantly reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s in those 65 years or older.2
Taking Vitamin C
• Take vitamin C in divided doses, twice a day. This will increase its ability to act as an antioxidant.
• “Esterified” vitamin C (usually called Ester-C) is a very effective form of vitamin C, especially for those suffering from chronic disease. Esterified vitamin C is non-acidic. Look for this form when you buy supplements.
• Vitamin C works synergistically with vitamin E. Consider taking these two together.
• Chewable vitamin C tablets may damage the enamel of your teeth.
• The recommended daily intake (RDI) for vitamin C is 75 milligrams (mg). You can, however, significantly increase this dose — take to your health-care provider.
Thiamin
Thiamin, or vitamin B1, is a critical nutrient for brain health. It is used to manufacture neurotransmitters, which carry signals throughout your body. In particular, your memory and mental performance rely on one transmitter called “acetylcholine.” B1 is need for the production of this neurotransmitter.
Your brain also uses glucose to function properly — and thiamin is needed to complete the process of turning glucose into energy. So if your intake of vitamin B1 is very low, it will have a definite impact on your brain’s mental function.
This vitamin also plays a role in Alzheimer’s disease. A B1 deficiency closely mimics the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. In both cases, some of your nerves are degenerated. One drug that’s used to treat Alzheimer’s, an incurable neurological disease, works by affecting your “cholinergic system” — a system of nerve receptors that respond to the release of acetylcholine.
Vitamin B1 also works by influencing the “cholinergic system.” Research is ongoing, but the general message is clear: keep thiamin levels up for optimum brain health.
Taking Thiamin
• “Benfotiamine” is a fat-soluble form of the water-soluble vitamin B1. You can find benfotiamine in roasted, crushed garlic; onions; shallots; and leeks. This version of B1 will last longer in the body, achieving additional health benefits that regular B1 can’t.
• The RDI for B1 is 1.4 mg. You can, however, take more than this for therapeutic purposes.
• If you have a high-carbohydrate diet, you will need more thiamine in your diet.
• Take vitamin B1 as part of a B-complex supplement — the B vitamins all work together, and a deficiency in one often means a deficiency in another.
Vitamin B6
This water-soluble vitamin plays a big role in many different bodily functions and remains essential for brain health. This is primarily because protein is a brain food.
In order to metabolize proteins, there are more than 100 enzymes in your body that rely on vitamin B6. The more protein you eat, the more vitamin B6 is needed. Keep your levels of B6 up to help with cognitive function and memory.
Taking Vitamin B6
• Take this vitamin with the other B vitamins for maximum health benefits.
• The RDI for B6 is two mg.
• Therapeutic doses of B6 can go as high as 200 mg, but you should talk to your health-care provider if you are going to take more than 50 mg a day.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 plays a unique role in your body. It ensures that your red blood cells are made properly, including your DNA. When cells rapidly divide, B12 is needed. In fact, anywhere in your body that has a high turnover of cells — for example, your intestines and your blood — requires adequate amounts of B12.
Among its many roles, vitamin B12 also helps you maintain a healthy nervous system. Specifically, it helps protect the important protein “myelin” that surrounds your nerve cells.
Vitamin B12 could protect against neurological deterioration as you age. It may be able to help prevent Parkinson’s disease. For those who are already suffering from the condition, B12 could protect against neural toxicity. This powerhouse vitamin also shows promise in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases. B12 is a star in the brain-boosting category.
Taking Vitamin B12
• The best form of B12 is “methylcobalamin.” The most common form is “cyanocobalamin,” as it is easier to manufacture and less expensive to sell. Methylcobalamin is much more readily absorbed by the body.
• For those with absorption problems, consider taking B12 in “sublingual” form (dissolved under the tongue).
• People who lack intrinsic factor (a protein found in the gastrointestinal tract that is necessary for absorption of B12) may need to take B12 injections.
• The RDI for B12 is two micrograms (mcg).
Vitamin E
Not surprisingly, numerous studies have found that this vitamin plays a role in preventing and treating Alzheimer’s disease by inhibiting damage caused by free radicals. This is because vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. A trial conducted by the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study treated those suffering from Alzheimer’s with 2,000 international units (IU) of vitamin E. The study determined that vitamin E might slow deterioration as compared to placebo.3
Taking Vitamin E
• Your body needs zinc in order to maintain proper levels of vitamin E.
• When vitamin E oxidizes a free radical, it can be revitalized by vitamin C and continue its fight against these damaging compounds. Try to take vitamin E together with vitamin C.
• Inorganic forms of iron destroy vitamin E. If you are going to take vitamin E and iron supplements, take them at separate times of the day.
• Adding vitamin E to fats and oils prevents them from becoming rancid.
• Generally, we get a maximum of about 50 IU of vitamin E in our diets daily through certain nuts, leafy vegetables and oils.
• It is recommended that you take 2,000 IU of synthetic vitamin E and 1,340 IU or natural vitamin E if you have Alzheimer’s, but only 200 IU to 800 IU if you are looking to obtain its antioxidant properties. Check with your doctor before starting to take vitamin E.
Gingko Biloba
Europeans frequently use gingko biloba to treat dementia, since it improves blood flow to the brain. Gingko is said to help those living with Alzheimer’s improve their thinking, learning and memory, and social behavior.
The Chinese have been using ginkgo for millennia. The active ingredients in gingko extract are taken from the dried and milled leaves of the ginkgo tree, which can live up to 1,000 years and is the oldest species of living tree. Gingko is in the top-five prescribed medications in France and Germany and is one of the most popular herbs in Europe.
Research suggests that ginkgo can help with age-related memory loss. One double-blind study found that in 48 healthy, old-age patients, six weeks of ginkgo treatment led to significant improvements in memory.4 Several others have reported similar results.
Ginkgo is a promising supplement for improving capacity in age-associated memory decline and, perhaps, in treating mild cases of Alzheimer’s disease.
Taking Ginkgo Biloba
• Make sure that you are taking supplements that include gingko-biloba extract. There should be at least 24% “flavone glycosides” and six percent “terpene lactones.”
• It may take up to 12 weeks before you notice any changes, but generally, you will start feeling the effects after about four to six weeks.
• There are varying costs associated with gingko, so be sure to shop around.
• It is safe to take gingko over a long period of time, but higher doses (over 240 mg/day) must be avoided, as there have been reports of intoxication and disorientation.
• While there are known toxic parts in gingko, the extracts “EGb 761” and “LI 1370” conform to standards set by the German Commission E and have very little toxicity.
• While you can’t eat the fruit on the gingko biloba tree, you can eat the seed inside it.
• Most ailments require a dosage of between 120 mg and 240 mg of gingko extract a day, but speak to your physician to determine an appropriate dosage for you.
Ginseng
There are three types of ginseng: American, Asian and Siberian. American and Asian ginseng are similar in composition, while Siberian ginseng is totally different, lacking the active ingredient — “ginsenosides” — that is found in the Asian and American plants.
Belonging to the species Panax, which comes from the Greek word for all-healing, panakos ginseng has been used for centuries to cure all sorts of ailments. In Chinese medicine, this is the be-all and end-all in terms of herbs that cure.
Reports show that ginseng can improve memory and help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s. Regular use of ginseng can make you feel more active, increasing concentration, memory and other cognitive functions.
Taking Ginseng
• Be sure that you are buying the type of ginseng that you need — American and Asian are known as Panax, while Siberian is labeled as Eleutherococcus senticosus.
• American ginseng is not available in a standardized extract form as its Asian cousin is. It is recommended that you take one g to three g a day of the dried root powder.
• Ginseng is generally taken for two weeks, then off for two weeks, then used again for two weeks.
• Asian ginseng is the most readily available form, in addition to the one that’s most studied.
• Be sure that you are buying a supplement that has at least seven percent ginsenosides, as there are many on the market that don’t.
• Do not use ginseng for longer than three months at a time.
• Don’t take ginseng before you go to sleep, as it is a stimulant.
• A regular dose is usually one g to two g of raw ginseng root or 100 mg to 200 mg of standardized extract. Speak to your health-care practitioner to determine the most suitable dosage for you.
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