Your Complete Guide To Brain Nutrition
It's a fact, there are supplements out there
that are both healthy
and
good for your brain. And the surprising thing is,
you've probably never even heard of most of them!
What you are about to discover on this page is a complete guide to
brain nutrition. How to give your brain
everything it needs in order to perform at it's best.
If you know me personally, you would know that I am a bit of a "health
nut." So I wouldn't suggest that you take any supplement that is known
to be harmful. Although there hasn't been any long term studies on
these supplements, all research I found has been nothing but positive.
Nevertheless,
I encourage you to do your own research before taking any of these
supplements. Find out if this is something that is right for you.
With that very brief disclaimer aside, let's begin...
Acetyl L-Carnitine
Perhaps the granddaddy of all brain vitamins is Acetyl L-Carnitine.
According to
Making A Good Brain Great...
"Acetyl-L-carnitine
(ALC) has been reported to improve mental focus, enhance energy, and
slow aging. Research has shown that ALC increases levels of
neurotransmitters needed for memory, focus, and learning, and repairs
the damage done to brain cells caused by stress and poor nutrition."
Many
people report an increase in focus and energy within 20 minutes of
taking the brain supplement. From my first-hand experience, this has
proved to be
absolutely true. Especially the first few times that you take it.
The
typical daily dose is 500-1500 mg (milligrams). I personally have never
taken more than 500 mg on any given day. I believe in taking the
minimum amounts when it comes to these sort of vitamins. Feel free to
take whatever dosage that you are comfortable with.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
The second brain vitamin on the list is Alpha
Lipoic Acid (ALA). ALA is an antioxidant that increases the
potency of other
antioxidants. It promotes metabolic functioning to fight against free
radicals and oxidative stress. It supports the regeneration of
glutathione which is one of the body's primary antioxidants.
From
my experience, this vitamin works like a healthy-eating turbo charger.
After a healthy lunch with plenty of fruits and vegetables, I'll take
the minimum dose of 250 mg and have a nice brain boost to carry me
throughout the rest of the day.
Although it didn't appear to work
as well as ALC for me personally, you may have a completely different
affect. After all, your brain is totally unique from everyone else. So
different brain vitamins may work for you differently.
Omega 3 Fish Oil
Chances are pretty good that you've already heard of this one. And for
good reason! Let's start with some key points...
- Having fish in your diet is a very smart health
decision
- Most of us don't have enough fish in our diet (for
whatever reason)
- Fish Oil supplements can be a quick and easy way to
receive more of the health benefits of fish
I
can understand if you're not the biggest fish lover. I, personally, am
not obsessed with the flavor of fish. But I'm more than happy enough to
eat it in order receive all of the health benefits that you get.
If
you feel that fish tastes too "fishy", or fish is simply hard to come
by in your area, consider taking a fish oil supplement. Although it's
not as healthy as the real thing, you still receive a lot of the health
benefits of having fish from taking the pills.
Other Brain Supplements
There are several other vitamins and minerals you can take to ensure
the best brain nutrition. The list above is what I would consider the
"big three." Here's a list of some other brain boosters:
- Coenzyme Q10
- Ginko biloba
- Vitamin B,C, and E
- Phosphatidylserine
- L-Theanine (in green tea)
- Vinpocetine
That's a lot of supplements to take in one day! So what's my strategy?
I generally take a collection of the "big three" and
always take
a multi-vitamin every morning. A multi-vitamin gives you a collection of the
additional vitamins and it also ensures that you give your brain
and
your body the vitamins and minerals it needs.
On top of that, I drink a ton of
water! I like to think of water as lubricant for your car. With it,
everything runs smoothly and the wheels keep turning. Without it,
everything starts to become a struggle when friction starts to set in.
My general brain nutrition strategy is the following...
Big Three + Multi-vitamin +
Water = Top Notch Brain Nutrition
I'd encourage you to experiment with your own formula and see what
works for you.
Where To Get These Supplements
Nearly
all of the supplements mentioned can be found at your nearest retailer.
I was really surprised when I found Alpha Lipoic Acid and Acetyl L-Carnitine
at my local grocery store.
I did a ton of searching online, and found
Alpha Lipoic Acid and Acetyl L-Carnitine
together in one pill here. At the time of this writing, you
could get a yearly supply of these supplements for under $100.
As for Fish Oil, you can already get this
really
cheap at a grocery store or other retailer. They
come in big bottles for less than $10-15.
Same
thing with multi-vitamins. I use
Centrum Performance and it's easily
under $50 for a year supply. An extremely good investment for both your
mind and body. If the price bothers you, think of it this way. If it
saves you from going to the doctor just one time, it more than pays for
itself!
As I mentioned before, use or don't use whatever you would
like. Do extensive research on any supplment you decide to put in your
body. Once you feel comfortable, start by doing a simple experiment.
Commit to taking it every day for just a couple of weeks.
If
taking more than one supplement, experiment with what you take and when
you take it. Do some supplements work better when you take them in the
morning or the afternoon? Is it better to take them all at once or to
space it out throughout the day?
Maintain an experimental
attitude and understand that there is not one right answer. Every brain
is wired differently. Some of the supplements mentioned above may or
may not work for you. Just give it a try and observe what happens. As
for the importance of brain nutrition, remember this mantra...
"If your brain is
doing well, chances are that your body is doing well also."
Take care of your brain. The rest will follow.
*Update* I've done an experiment where I test using some of these supplements.
Click here to see my brain vitamins experiment.
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