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Optimising brainpower and memory
At 30, I have just gone back to full-time education, following a 13-year gap. I am finding University life very demanding and while I enjoy the challenge, my memory is not as good as it used to be. Can you tell me more about supplements that can help improve it?
The first pre-requisite for optimum brainpower and memory is a good supply of oxygen to the brain so any of the supplements which have been shown to improve circulation will help. The key one, of course, is Ginkgo biloba. This is one of the best researched of all the herbs and it has been shown to improve memory and reduce signs of senility in the elderly. The recommended dose to sharpen mental alertness and memory is to take 3 x 40mg capsules daily. Alternatively, use a tincture and take as directed on the bottle.
The part of the brain that is believed to be essential for memory is known as the hippocampus and what has been established is that a deficiency in zinc can reduce the efficiency of the workings of this structure. That said, nobody has yet shown whether taking extra zinc will boost its efficiency but it would certainly not harm you to take a multisupplement that includes zinc, which reduces the level of copper in the brain and, in turn, excites the brain cells. Other nutrients that play an important role in increasing circulation are the vitamins E and B3 or niacin.
As we age, levels of the brain’s chemical messengers or neurotransmitters drop by as much as 70%. One of the more important brain chemicals involved in memory is acetylcholine and there is now widespread interest in whether taking choline supplements - which the body can then convert to acetylcholine - will help retard the normal effects of ageing on the brain from middle age on.
To use choline, the body also needs several other nutrients, including vitamin B12, folic acid and the amino acid, L-carnitine so find a supplement that includes these. Take between 1000 and 3000mg daily.