13 ULTIMATE DRUGS THAT BOOST BRAIN FUNCTIONALITY AND PREVENT DEPRESSION
LIST OF DRUGS AND EXPLANATIONS
1. FISH OIL
2. RESVERATROL
3. CAFFEINE
4. PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE
5. ACETYL-L-CARNITINE
6. GINKGO BILOBA
7. CREATINE
8. BACOPA MONNIERI
9. RHODIOLA ROSEA
10. S-ADENOSYL METHIONINE
11. CITOCOLINE
12. HUPERZINE
13. BACOPA MONNIERI
1. FISH OILS
WHAT IS FISH OIL?
Fish oil is the fat or oil that's extracted from fish tissue.
It usually comes from oily fish, such as herring, tuna, anchovies, and mackerel. Yet it's sometimes produced from the livers of other fish, as is the case with cod liver oil.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends eating 1–2 portions of fish per week. This is because the omega-3 fatty acids in fish provide many health benefits, including protection against a number of diseases.
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN
Deficiencies in omega-3 in both animals and humans has been shown to be correlated with increased mental health problems and even a higher risk of suicide.
However, if you don't eat 1–2 servings of fish per week, fish oil supplements can help you get enough omega-3s.
Around 30% of fish oil is made up of omega-3s, while the remaining 70% is made up of other fats. What’s more, fish oil usually contains some vitamin A and D.
It's important to note that the types of omega-3s found in fish oil have greater health benefits than the omega-3s found in some plant sources.
The main omega-3s in fish oil are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), while the omega-3 in plant sources is mainly alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
“DHA is such an essential building block of the brain’s cell membranes that, like a house without bricks or walls, the brain could not exist without Omega 3 fatty acids.”
Dr Dyer
Although ALA is an essential fatty acid, EPA and DHA have many more health benefits.
It's also important to get enough omega-3s because the Western diet has replaced a lot of omega-3s with other fats like omega-6s. This distorted ratio of fatty acids may contribute to numerous diseases,
Brain cells work differently to the other cells in our body. In our bodies, cells continuously die and are replaced, but the cells of our brain are irreplaceable and need a special kind of nourishing. The most important foods for our brain are glucose, vitamins and minerals and polyunsaturated long-chain fatty acids such as Omega 3.
“Omega 3 fatty acids are involved in many different fundamental brain processes,” says Simon Dyall, head of nutrition at Bournemouth University. Talking to Time Magazine he says, “both EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) influence gene expression, oxidative stress, cerebral blood flow, levels of neurotransmitters and other brain-related processes such as the production of new neurons.”
HOW DOES OMEGA 3 HELP THE BRAIN?
The brain has a huge number of cell membranes and all of them are made out of fat. But not just any fat. Unlike the rest of the body, the only fatty acid allowed into healthy grey matter in appreciable amounts is the Omega 3 fatty acid DHA.
According to Kamilla Schaffner, “grey matter is fat, so if you’re not getting enough Omega 3 it affects your central nervous system. We need essential fatty acids (EFAs) for the neurons in our brains to fire impulses. Mental illnesses such as depression can occur when this process does not work correctly.”
Omega 3 DHA is vital for our brain throughout life, from early cognitive development in foetuses to learning and memory in adults. But the benefits of Omega 3 DHA for the brain don’t end there. According to Dr Dyer, “DHA is such an essential building block of the brain’s cell membranes that, like a house without bricks or walls, the brain could not exist without Omega 3 fatty acids.”
And it’s not just the DHA in Omega 3 that benefits the brain. The other essential fatty acid in fish oil, EPA, plays an anti-inflammatory role which in itself is thought to be neuroprotective. While inflammation is a natural response to injury, chronic inflammation in the brain has been linked with clinical depression, low mood and even inability to sleep.
Omega 3 can even help blood flow in specific regions of the brain. According to a report published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease there’s “a clear correlation between lower Omega 3 fatty acid levels and reduced brain blood flow to regions important for learning, memory, depression and dementia”.
WHAT IS RESVERATROL
Resveratrol is a stilbenoid, a type of natural phenol, and a phytoalexin produced by several plants in response to injury or, when the plant is under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. Sources of resveratrol in food include the skin of grapes, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, and peanuts
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN
Another benefit of resveratrol is the anti-oxidant property. The brain produces more free-radical damage than other organs, and compared with other organs the brain has especially low levels of antioxidant defense enzymes
One recent study has revealed resveratrol had protective effects against brain damage caused by a chemical that kills acetylcholine neurons.
The practical issue for us is whether resveratrol will help cognitive function in humans, especially healthy humans. It seems likely because other substances that have strong anti-oxidant properties seem to improve memory capability. Because animal studies have shown promise for resveratrol in preventing or treatment several different conditions associated with aging, several human clinical trials have been initiated
Another crucial way resveratrol helps your brain is that it can cross the blood-brain barrier, or BBB. Examined Existence explains that a century ago, scientists found that blue dye injected into animal tissues turned those tissues blue, but would not permeate the brain or spinal cord.
That resveratrol is able to get across your brain barrier means that brain inflammation can be regulated and decreased in your central nervous system. Part of the significance of this ability is that brain inflammation is a factor in the development of most neurodegenerative diseases.
More benefits include
1. May improve learning and memory,
2. Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties,
3. Improves brain blood flow
4. Suppresses brain inflammation
3. CAFFEINE
WHAT IS CAFFEINE
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive drug. Unlike many other psychoactive substances, it is legal and unregulated in nearly all parts of the world. There are several known mechanisms of action to explain the effects of caffeine.
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN
Over the last decade, Food Regulation Authorities have concluded that coffee/caffeine consumption is not harmful if consumed at levels of 200 mg in one sitting (around 2½ cups of coffee) or 400 mg daily (around 5 cups of coffee). In addition, caffeine has many positive actions on the brain. It can increase alertness and well-being, help concentration, improve mood and limit depression. Caffeine may disturb sleep, but only in sensitive individuals. It may raise anxiety in a small subset of particularly sensitive people. Caffeine does not seem to lead to dependence, although a minority of people experience withdrawal symptoms. Caffeine can potentiate the effect of regular analgesic drugs in headache and migraine. Lifelong coffee/caffeine consumption has been associated with prevention of cognitive decline, and reduced risk of developing stroke, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Its consumption does not seem to influence seizure occurrence. Thus, daily coffee and caffeine intake can be part of a healthy balanced diet; its consumption does not need to be stopped in elderly people.
4. PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE
WHAT IS PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE?
Phosphatidylserine is a phospholipid and is a component of the cell membrane. It plays a key role in cell cycle signaling, specifically in relation to apoptosis. It is a key pathway for viruses to enter cells via viral apoptotic mimicry.
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid that contains both amino acids and fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA work synergistically with PS to provide the building blocks for healthy cell membranes. The human body can make phosphatidylserine, but it obtains most of what it requires from foods.
Have you ever heard of phosphatidylserine? Most people haven’t, but would you believe it’s actually present in every single human cell? Yes, it’s true. Phosphatidylserine has many vital functions throughout the body’s tissues and organs, but most importantly, it’s a key building block for the billions of cells in your brain.
Phosphatidylserine is produced by the body, but we get most of our intake from food. When food isn’t enough or we have a greater need for this vital molecule, supplements are another option. It’s a natural treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and also used for age-related cognitive decline, depression, ADHD and improving athletic performance.
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN
1. Phosphatidylserine Can Improve Cognitive Function. A supplementation containing 400 mg phosphatidylserine increased the speed of mathematical calculations and decreased errors in a clinical trial of 18 people.
It also improved cognitive function in three clinical trials of 577 people total (at a dosage of 300 mg/day). However, in another clinical trial of 248 people, taking a supplement containing fish oil and 88 mg phosphatidylserine 4x/day did not enhance performance on cognitive tasks.
2. Phosphatidylserine Can Improve Memory. Supplementation with 200-300 mg/day of phosphatidylserine improved memory in three clinical trials with 263 total people.
In another clinical trial of 72 people, 300 mg/day of phosphatidylserine with phosphatidic acid improved memory and mood.
Phosphatidylserine combined with omega-3 fatty acids helped maintain or improve memory in two clinical trials of 130 people.
While Ginkgo biloba extract had no effect alone, when complexed with phosphatidylserine, it improved memory in a clinical trial of 28 people.
However, phosphatidylserine did not improve age-associated memory impairment in a clinical trial of 120 people.
3. Phosphatidylserine Reduces Stress; Phosphatidylserine reduced cortisol and ACTH (which controls cortisol release) levels following a stress test in a clinical trial with 80 people. Strangely, this effect was only seen with the 400 mg dose and not higher dosages.
A 400 mg phosphatidylserine/400 mg phosphatidic acid complex normalized ACTH and cortisol levels but only in chronically stressed people and not people experiencing low stress in a clinical trial of 75 men. This specific effect was also seen with a phosphatidylserine/omega-3 supplement in a clinical trial of 60 men. Phosphatidylserine (300 mg/day) also improved mood and feelings of stress.
4. Aids the Slowdown of Age-Related Cognitive Decline
Phosphatidylserine from bovine brain phospholipids has been shown to improve memory, cognition and mood in the elderly in at least two placebo-controlled studies. Both studies had elderly patients take 300 milligrams of PS per day or a placebo.
In the first study, 10 elderly women with depressive disorders were treated with a placebo for 15 days and then with a PS supplement for 30 days. The researchers found that the phosphatidylserine produced a consistent improvement of depressive symptoms, memory and behavior in all of the subjects.
Another study published in the journal Aging evaluated the effect of six months of PS supplementation on 494 elderly patients with cognitive impairment. Researchers found that the PS produced statistically significant improvements in behavioral and cognitive parameters after three months and again after six months. In addition, the phosphatidylserine was well-tolerated by subjects.
5. Combats Depression
Studies show that patients with depression have compromised blood flow to a number of brain regions. Having an omega-3 deficiency is a health condition that can decrease normal blood flow to the brain. Omega-3 deficiency also causes a 35 percent reduction in brain PS levels. So, when someone is depressed, he or she is typically low in omega-3s as well as PS. It makes sense that an increase in PS intake through food and/or supplementation can help to combat depression.
Phosphatidylserine also affects the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain related to mood, and research has shown it can decrease the severity of depression. In a one preliminary trial, elderly women suffering from depression who were given 300 milligrams of PS every day for 30 days experienced an average 70 percent reduction in the severity of their depression.
Phosphatidylserine benefits - Dr. Axe
6. Improves Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative illness of the nervous system that results in loss of intentional movement. Generally, those with Parkinson’s lose the ability to speak properly, have difficulty walking and may also experience tremors. There is no specific known cause, but people with Parkinson’s experience a die-off of the brain cells that produce dopamine, which is responsible for signaling to areas of the brain that deal with movement. When these brain cells die, the brain starts to lose the ability to tell the body when and how to move, resulting in Parkinson’s symptoms.
Phosphatidylserine is key to proper brain function, and people with Parkinson’s often have low levels of phosphatidylserine. In one study, taking 100 milligrams of PS three times per day improved mood and brain function in people with Parkinson’s. The phosphatidylserine used in this trial was derived from cow brain.
7. Treats ADHD Symptoms
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. Children with ADHD typically have difficulty focusing and controlling impulsive behaviors and are overly active. ADHD can also affect adults.
For people diagnosed with ADHD, phosphatidylserine has been shown to help by increasing mental focus, promoting memory and cognition, boosting the mood, and relieving stress through a reduction of cortisol levels. PS has been shown to encourage increased brain activity through the neurotransmitters, thus improving the ability of ADHD sufferers to focus, control impulses better and learn without becoming easily fatigued.
A 2014 study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics wanted to figure out whether or not supplementing with soy-derived phosphatidylserine can improve ADHD symptoms in children. This randomized, double-blind study had 36 children, 4 to 14 years of age, who had not previously received any drug treatment for ADHD take either a placebo or 200 milligrams of PS each day for two months. The researchers found that supplementing with PS significantly improved ADHD symptoms as well as short-term auditory memory. They conclude that PS might be “a safe and natural nutritional strategy for improving mental performance in young children suffering from ADHD.”
5. ACETYL-L-CARNITINE
WHAT IS ACETYL-L-CARNITINE
L-carnitine is an amino acid (a building block for proteins) that is naturally produced in the body. It helps produce energy
Acetyl-L-carnitine, ALCAR or ALC, is an acetylated form of L-carnitine. It is naturally produced by the body, although it is often taken as a dietary supplement. Acetylcarnitine is broken down in the blood by plasma esterases to carnitine which is used by the body to transport fatty acids into the mitochondria for breakdown.
according to spencer brooks, Acetyl L Carnitine Benefits: The Supplement That Burns Fat and Powers the Brain
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN
You can use ALCAR to enhance your mitochondrial function cognition, workouts, and more. ALCAR helps your mitochondria (the powerhouses of your cells) burn fat and create more energy — especially for your muscles and brain.
Acetyl-L-carnitine has two main benefits:
Boosts brain power: ALCAR is an anti-aging nootropic, or smart drug, meaning, it helps your brain perform better. The acetyl group on it lets it pass your blood-brain barrier and reach your brain and nerves, where it can improve your mood, learning, and memory.
Burns fat and builds muscle: ALCAR can give you an edge in the gym, too. It shuttles fuel (in the form of fatty acids) to your muscle mitochondria, which ramps up your energy production and can increase endurance. ALCAR also pushes your metabolism toward fat burning while you work out.
Here’s a closer look at how ALCAR works.
Acetyl-L-carnitine and weight loss: how it helps burn fat
Acetyl L Carnitine weight loss When you take ALCAR, it turns into carnitine in your body, and if your insulin levels are low — for example, from eating a keto diet (like the Bulletproof Diet), doing intermittent fasting, working out intensely, or being in a calorie deficit — carnitine becomes very important for burning fat.
When your insulin is low, your mitochondria start turning to fat for fuel.They grab onto stored body fat (or fat you eat), break it down into fatty acids, and send the fatty acids to your mitochondria. Your mitochondria turn those fatty acids into ATP (energy) that powers your cells.
But fatty acids can’t get into your mitochondria alone. They use something called a carnitine shuttle. Basically, carnitine latches onto fatty acids and carries them into your mitochondria. It gives your mitochondria the raw materials to produce lots of energy and function at their best.
In other words, you need carnitine to metabolize fat. If you’re low on carnitine, fat can’t get into your mitochondria, and you struggle to use it for fuel. But with abundant carnitine, your fat metabolism works like a well-oiled machine. That’s where ALCAR supplements come in, and why they’re so popular with bodybuilders.
Acetyl-L-carnitine for mood, memory and cognitive decline
Acetyl L Carnitine Acetyl-L-carnitine is a supplement form of L-carnitine that can pass your blood-brain barrier, giving it access to the dense collection of mitochondria in your brain, as well as to the mitochondria in the rest of your body. That explains why ALCAR is becoming so popular as a nootropic supplement (something that makes your brain work better).
Here’s what the research has to say about using ALCAR to make your brain work better:
More mental & physical energy: Older men and women who took ALCAR daily saw a significant boost to their physical and mental energy levels, as well as better overall cognitive ability
Improves cognitive function: People with low carnitine levels see a major decrease in brain function. Taking ALCAR improves that brain function. A lot. In a recent study, 8 out of 14 participants reversed a diagnosis of dementia and returned to their full cognitive abilities after taking ALCAR daily.
Lowers inflammation: Acetyl-L-carnitine decreases inflammation in healthy adults. Part of it is because ALCAR increases glutathione, your body’s master antioxidant. Side note: glutathione is awesome for hacking hangovers. And, as it turns out, ALCAR decreases damage to brain cells after drinking, too.
Boosts circulation: In healthy adults, ALCAR increased circulation and nutrient-rich blood flow after a high-fat meal. Good blood flow is an essential part of muscle and brain function.
Improves focus: Acetyl-L-carnitine improves attention, both in kids with ADHD and adults who struggle with mental fatigue.
6. GINKGO BILOBA
WHAT IS GINKGO BILOBA
Ginkgo biloba, commonly known as ginkgo or gingko, also known as the maidenhair tree, is the only living species in the division Ginkgophyte, all others being extinct. It is found in fossils dating back 270 million years. Native to China, the tree is widely cultivated, and was cultivated early in human history.
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN
So far, studies testing ginkgo biloba's effects against aging-related declines in brain health have yielded mixed results. In a research review published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in 2015, for instance, scientists analyzed nine previously published clinical trials focusing on ginkgo biloba's possible role in the treatment of cognitive impairment and dementia. All of the trials focused on a ginkgo biloba extract called EGb761.
In their conclusion, the review's authors state that taking 240 mg of EGb761 per day for at least 22 weeks may stabilize or slow decline in cognition, function, and behavior in patients with cognitive impairment or dementia.
However, an earlier report (published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2009) concluded that evidence for ginkgo biloba's effects against dementia and cognitive impairment is "inconsistent and unreliable." In their review of 36 clinical trials assessing ginkgo biloba's efficacy and safety as a treatment for dementia or cognitive decline, the report's authors found that the herb appears to be safer than placebo but that most of the reviewed studies were significantly flawed.
Supplementation with an extract from Ginkgo biloba may help to battle memory loss and cognitive impairments associated with dementia by encouraging the growth and development of neural stem cells, according new research in rats.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMM), "Gingko is widely used in Europe for treating dementia." Doctors started to use it because they thought it improved blood flow to the brain, but more recent studies indicate that it may protect nerve cells from damage in Alzheimer's.
There is some evidence indicating that ginkgo can help people with dementia, although more studies are required to confirm this.
Researchers believe that ginkgo improves cognitive function because it promotes good blood circulation in the brain and protects the brain and other parts from neuronal damage.
However, other research suggests that ginkgo may not improve memory among people who are healthy.
WHAT IS CREATINE
Creatine in solution. Creatine is found in vertebrates where it facilitates recycling of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cell, primarily in muscle and brain tissue. Recycling is achieved by converting adenosine diphosphate (ADP) back to ATP via donation of phosphate groups.
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN.
Creatine plays an important role in brain health and function.
Research demonstrates that your brain requires a significant amount of ATP when performing difficult tasks. Supplements can increase phosphocreatine stores in your brain to help it produce more ATP. Creatine may also aid brain function by increasing dopamine levels and mitochondria function.
As meat is the best dietary source of creatine, vegetarians often have low levels. One study on creatine supplements in vegetarians found a 20–50% improvement in some memory and intelligence test scores.
For older individuals, two weeks of supplementing with creatine significantly improved memory and recall ability.
In older adults, creatine may boost brain function, protect against neurological diseases and reduce age-related loss of muscle and strength.
Despite such positive findings, more research is needed in young, healthy individuals who eat meat or fish on a regular basis.
One of the potential therapeutic agents for restoring brain energy is creatine. Creatine is particularly important since it replenishes ATP (a cellular unit of energy) without relying on oxygen.
Creatine is better known as one of the most popular supplements for bodybuilding. Being a completely natural compound, it has no negative effects and is commonly used by gym goers. Creatine is mostly stored in muscles where it serves as an easily available source of energy. But according to scientific findings, creatine also concentrates in the brain. It is an important component of the creatine kinase/phosphocreatine system that plays an important role in the metabolic networks of the brain and central nervous system and is involved in many of the brain’s functions. Experimental studies have indicated that creatine can protect from ischemic cell damage (which is caused by a lack of oxygen) by preventing ATP (energy) depletion and reducing structural damage to the affected brain cells.
In spite of promising laboratory findings, investigation of creatine’s effects in the human brain has produced controversial results. So far, the studies on oral supplementation with creatine have demonstrated some benefits. For instance, one study in healthy young volunteers has shown that oral supplementation with creatine monohydrate for 4 weeks leads to a significant increase in the total creatine concentration in the participants’ brain, with the most pronounced rise seen in the thalamus. The fact that creatine concentrates in the brain after consumption clearly indicates that creatine can pass the blood-brain barrier, where the benefits of creatine supplementation for the brain can be expected.
Research undertaken by scientists at the University of Sydney and Macquarie University in Australia has shown that taking creatine, a compound found in muscle tissue, as a dietary supplement can give a significant boost to both working memory and general intelligence. The work, to be published in a forthcoming Proceedings B, a learned journal published by the Royal Society, monitored the effect of creatine supplementation on 45 young adult vegetarian subjects in a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment.
"The level of creatine supplementation chosen was 5g per day as this is a level that has previously been shown to increase brain creatine levels. This level is comparable to that taken to boost sports fitness," explains Dr. Caroline Rae who led the research. "Vegetarians or vegans were chosen for the study as carnivores and omnivores obtain a variable level of creatine depending on the amount and type of meat they eat - although to reach the level of supplementation in this experiment would involve eating around 2 kg of meat a day!"
WHAT IS BACOPA MONNIERI
Bacopa monnieri is a perennial, creeping herb native to the wetlands of southern and Eastern India, Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia, and North and South America. B. monnieri is a herb used in Ayurveda, where it is also known as "Brahmi", after Brahmā, the creator God of the Hindu pantheon.
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN.
Plants like Bacopa Monnieri often contain numerous chemicals that influence human biology. However, a group of triperpenoid saponins called bacosides appear to underlie many of the benefits of this herb. (Triterpenoids are compounds containing three terpene structures. Saponins are compounds that foam like soap when shaken in solution.) Just know that this is relevant to picking the best Bacopa Monnieri supplements.
1. this plant helps in neuroprotectcion.
2. communication between brain cells.
3. neuromoducatoin and adaptation of stress.
4. increase brain synthesis of serotonin.
Antioxidant Power for the Brain
In addition to its impact on mental health and memory, bacopa appears to offer several antioxidant and neuroprotective benefits in the brain. This may help support mental functioning in a variety of ways, including enhanced memory and cognition. Several studies report that bacopa can be neuroprotective, while preventing oxidative stress (an antioxidant benefit), lipid peroxidation, and cell death. In addition, neuroprotective effects against neurotoxins such as aluminum, cigarette smoke, and morphine have also been observed.
WHAT IS RHODIOLA ROSEA
Rhodiola rosea is a perennial flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae. It grows naturally in wild Arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America, and can be propagated as a groundcover
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN
1. Encourages a Balanced Mood
To put it simply, the available data suggests that Rhodiola rosea can help support a balanced, uplifted mood.In 2008, researchers at UCLA confirmed that Rhodiola is one of several herbs with the ability to subdue anxiety.A fairly recent, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated Rhodiola rosea on mood imbalance and found it not only led to improvements in mood, but it also seemed to positively affect sleep quality. These results have been noticed by many, and some have even suggested that Rhodiola may have potential to psychiatric drugs.
2. Supports a Healthy Stress Response
Do you ever feel stressed? If so, you may want to review the results of this 2010 study, one that pitted stress against the supportive effects of Rhodiola rosea: Study participants who had complained of stress-related symptoms noted improvement within days of beginning a Rhodiola rosea supplementation regimen. Progress continued throughout the duration of the study and no serious side effects were reported.
3. Mental Performance
Mental fatigue makes it difficult to focus, causing personal achievements and success to dwindle. The good news is that clinical trials show that Rhodiola rosea stimulates the central nervous system to fight the fatigue that so often stifles mental clarity. Additionally, using animal models, research conducted by Chinese scientists suggests that Rhodiola rosea supplementation supports the brain by simultaneously saving injured neurons, thus encouraging the growth and development of brain cells.
4. Nutritional Support for Parkinson's Disease?
While Rhodiola is by no means a cure for Parkinson's disease, Rhodiola rosea has grabbed the attention of those interested in supportive therapies for the disorder. Researchers at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences evaluated a multi-herb preparation that included Rhodiola rosea and reported that — following supplementation — antioxidant levels, immune function, and hormone levels were in normal proportions. Despite the research being preliminary, the finding is certainly an exciting and positive step for the potential future management of Parkinson's disease.
WHAT IS S-ADENOSYL METHIONINE
S-Adenosyl methionine is a common cosubstrate involved in methyl group transfers, transsulfuration, and aminopropylation. Although these anabolic reactions occur throughout the body, most SAM-e is produced and consumed in the liver.
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN
1. S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine Improves Depression
Major depression is a common mental health disorder and for some patients, the standard method of treatment is often inadequate.
Sometimes the use of a supplementary medicine, such as high-dose S-Adenosyl-L-methionine, along with antidepressant medication has proven to be beneficial.
SAM-e produces therapeutic effects similar to common antidepressants, while also being safe to use.
It has a faster onset than some conventional antidepressants and is safe (well-tolerated) even at high doses.
2. SAM-e May Improve Brain Function
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) SAM-e levels are significantly lower in severely depressed patients and in patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Treatment with SAM-e increased CSF SAM-e and improved moods and brain function.
SAM-e is linked to the folate cycle and vitamin B12 energy production, which provide methyl groups required for SAM-e mediated methylation reactions.
Mice raised on a diet deficient in vitamins B6 and B12 increased Alzheimer’s-like features.
SAM-e inhibits the increase of progression of these Alzheimer’s-like features and also improves spatial memory.
WHAT IS CITICOLINE
Citicoline, also known as cytidine diphosphate-choline or cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine is an intermediate in the generation of phosphatidylcholine from choline, a common biochemical process in cell membranes. Citicoline is naturally occurring in the cells of human and animal tissue, in particular the organs.
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN
As a brain supplement, citicoline can raise levels of important neurotransmitters, increase mental energy, and protect your brain from damage and aging.
Your brain needs to produce acetylcholine, and it prefers to use choline to make it. This neurotransmitter acts on both your peripheral nervous system and central nervous system. It has wide reaching effects. We have seen that supplementation is one of the best ways to give your brain the choline it needs to make these important neurotransmitters.
Choline has also been shown to improve the cellular communication between your brain cells. Citicoline also increases the energy production in your brain and blood flow. Citicoline helps reduce inflammation and stress while protecting the blood-brain barrier.
1. Citicoline Is a Nootropic
Citicoline is considered a nootropic and is often sold as either a single ingredient supplement or included in nootropic brain supplement formulas.
The term nootropic originally meant a drug that enhances learning and memory, is neuroprotective, and is very safe with few side effects.
But the definition has grown broader to now include any substance, pharmaceutical or natural, that improves mental functions such as memory, intelligence, motivation, attention and concentration.
One study that compared citicoline to several popular nootropics found it improved memory and cognition as well as the study drug piracetam.
Studies have found that citicoline can significantly improve memory, motor speed, focus, and attention.
2. Citicoline Raises Levels of Important Brain Chemicals,
Your brain cells communicate with each other via brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.
Citicoline raises the levels of several important neurotransmitters including acetylcholine and dopamine. Acetylcholine is the brain chemical associated with memory and learning.
You need acetylcholine to turn short-term memories into long-term ones.
Unfortunately, many prescription drugs are anticholinergic which means that they block the action of acetylcholine.
A good rule of thumb is that any medication that starts with “anti,” such as antihistamines or antidepressants, is likely to affect your acetylcholine levels.
This includes seemingly innocuous over-the-counter remedies like Benadryl.
If you take any anticholinergic medications, supplementing with citicoline will help bring your levels of acetylcholine up.
3. Dopamine is your “motivation molecule.”
It increases your motivation, productivity, and focus.
A low dopamine level can leave you feeling depressed and “blah” with little enthusiasm for life.
People low in this brain chemical often self-medicate with caffeine, sugar, and other stimulants (including substance abuse) and engage in other risky behaviors to get their dopamine boost.
Citicoline is a safe way to increase dopamine naturally.
It works in two ways — by increasing the level of dopamine and the number of dopamine receptors in the brain.
4. Citicoline Increases Energy Available to the Brain,
your brain uses a lot of energy — 20% of your daily calorie and oxygen intake. But it can’t store energy and needs a constant supply. It gets energy, usually in the form of glucose, from blood flowing to the brain.
Citicoline enhances glucose metabolism and increases blood flow to the brain
Poor circulation to the brain can cause neurological problems including memory loss, fatigue, vertigo, and stroke.
Citicoline is so effective at increasing circulation to the brain that doctors throughout Europe have been prescribing it for this reason for years.
Another way citicoline increases brain energy is by firing up brain cell mitochondria.
Every cell in your body and brain gets energy from these little cellular powerhouses.
Citicoline increases mitochondrial energy production in the frontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for language, thinking, decision making, and planning.
WHAT IS HUPERZINE
Huperzine (HOOP-ur-zeen) A, a dietary supplement derived from the Chinese club moss Huperzia serrata, is sparking some interest as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Huperzine A acts as a cholinesterase inhibitor — a type of medication that works by improving the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain.
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN
Huperzine A helps, protects, enhances, and promotes the following brain health benefits:
Protects against toxic organophosphates. Organophosphates inhibit acetylcholine (remember that acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that helps communication of nerve cells), so Huperzine A is a great way to combat organophosphates.
Protects neurons against glutamate toxicity. Glutamate is an amino acid neurotransmitter that kills neuron cells by overstimulating receptors.
Protects the brain from oxidative damage. Oxidative damage can occur from iron overload, so Huperzine A helps to protect the negative effects of the excess iron.
Helps with recovering from a traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. It has been shown to aid the recovery from brain bleeding by preventing damage to the mitochondria and delaying cell death.
Protects brain health from Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It has been shown that Huperzine A has had a stronger effect in mitigating Alzheimer’s than other interventions, and it helps improve mental functions.
Helps with brain damage from severe bacterial infections. In studies of rats, it has been determined that Huperzine A protects the brain by reducing inflammation and increasing the functions of neurons.
Helps with cognitive symptoms from depression. It does not cure depression, but it can reduce some of the cognitive symptoms associated with depression.
Helps with epileptic seizures. It’s been shown in studies done on animals that Huperzine A protects the brain cells from over-excitement and death associated with convulsions, and it can increase the resistance of seizures.
Could be a safe way to treat addiction. There could be a decrease in a person’s perception of the effects of cocaine and could be a safe way to treat addiction.
Enhances memory and other cognitive functions.
Promotes growth of neural cells.
WHAT IS BACOPA MONNIERI
Bacopa monnieri, also known as brahmi, water hyssop, or Bacopa monniera, is an herb long used in ayurveda (the traditional medicine of India) for memory, brain function, anxiety, and thyroid health. Available in capsule or tablet form, bacopa contains saponin compounds such as bacosides and bacopasides.
BENEFITS ON THE BRAIN
To date, few studies have tested the health effects of bacopa. The research that has been done has focused on the treatment and/or prevention of the following health problems:
1. Memory and Brain Function
Several studies indicate that bacopa may help preserve memory and enhance cognitive function. In a report published in the Journal of Ethnophamacology in 2014, researchers analyzed nine previously published studies assessing the effect of bacopa on cognitive function. In their conclusion, researchers stated that bacopa has the potential to improve cognition, but that large, well-designed trials comparing the supplement to medication are needed.
An earlier report also reviewed previously published studies on bacopa for cognitive performance and found some evidence suggesting that the herb extract may improve memory during free-recall tests.
In a 2016 study of 60 college students, researchers found that six weeks of twice-daily treatment with bacopa (at a dose of 300 mg per day) led to improvements in tests relating to cognitive function.
2. Anxiety
Studies suggest that bacopa may help alter the activity of certain enzymes involved in the stress response, suggesting that bacopa could allow the brain to be prepared to cope under stress. A small study published in Phytotherapy Research in 2014 assessed the effects of a bacopa extract in healthy participants undergoing multiple tasks. Researchers found positive cognitive effects, some positive mood effects, and a reduction in cortisol levels in those taking bacopa.
REFERENCE
Cathy Wong. The Benefits of Bacopa
Cathy Wong. Can Ginkgo Biloba Boost Your Brain Health?
Dr Dyer. Our Omega 3 fish oil for brain health guide
Dr. Edward Group DC. 5 More Mental Health Benefits of Rhodiola Rosea
Deane Alban. Citicoline: An Impressive Brain Protector and Enhancer
Greg Potter & Bacopa Monnieri. A Nootropic that Boosts Brain Health and Function
Helen Quach. 5 Benefits of S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAM-e)
Nathan Gray. Ginkgo biloba may boost brain functions by increasing stem cell growth: Rat study
Joseph Nordqvist: Health benefits of Gingko biloba
Rudy Mawer. Nutrition 10 Health and Performance Benefits of Creatine
Restorative Blends. Bacopa Monnieri and the Benefits to Brain Health
Spencer Brooks. Acetyl L Carnitine Benefits: The Supplement That Burns Fat and Powers the Brain
The Royal Society. Boost Your Brain Power
Viatcheslav Wlassoff. Creatine and the Brain
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