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What Vitamin Is Good For Brain Function

Benefits Of Vitamin B12

Vitamin B6 Pyridoxine: Vital for Brain function, and Anti-inflammatory effects

Vitamin B12 plays an important role in many physiological functions and protects against a variety of health problems.

It is one of the many nutrients required for building strong bones and warding off osteoporosis.

B12 protects against heart disease by removing the toxic amino acid homocysteine from the bloodstream.

It may reduce the severity and frequency of allergies and asthma attacks.

Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy hair, nails, and skin and is sometimes prescribed topically to treat eczema and psoriasis.

It is sometimes used to relieve the pain and nerve damage of shingles.

When taken with other B vitamins, it reduces the risk of macular degeneration, an eye disease that eventually leads to blindness.

Plant Sources Of B1: A Dangerous Myth

Almost half of lacto-ovo vegetarians and over 90% of vegans are B12-deficient.

And, unfortunately, theres a persistent dietary myth thats causing a lot of these people real harm.

Green algae , fermented soy products, and brewers yeast are purported to be plant sources of vitamin B12.

But, in reality, these plant foods contain B12 analogs which are similar to, but not the same as, vitamin B12.

So, consuming these B12 analog-containing foods can make a B12 deficiency even worse.

The only substantial vegetable source of true vitamin B12 is the sea vegetable nori .

Some vegetarians, and especially vegans, take brewers yeast or yeast-based products like Marmite or Red Star Nutritional Yeast believing them to be a good food source of B12.

But nutritional yeast does not naturally contain B12 it is fortified with B12.

This makes eating yeast no different or better than taking a supplement.

If youre a vegan, theres no way around it.

You need to supplement your diet with B12.

I urge you to visit VeganHealth.org or VeganSociety.com to find a wealth of evidence-based information on vitamin B12.

Foods That Improve Brain Health

You are what you eat. While you may not literally transform into the things you eat, your nutritional choices certainly play an important role in your overall health. Not only that, but there are certain foods that can even help to maintain or improve the health of your brain. Eating the right foods to keep your brain healthy can dramatically decrease your risk of developing neurological problems later in life. Here are some of the best foods for your brain:

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Blended Vitamin & Mineral

When it comes to supplements, its hard to find a supplement that offers a blend of vitamins spread over many vitamins. This isnt the case when youre purchasing from the Infuel brand. Infuel Focus Boost offers a great blend of vitamins and essential nutrients that can help in whatever you hope to achieve.

The vitamins, which include Vitamin A, B complex, C and D, that Infuel Focus Boost provides will allow you to stay focused and sharp throughout the day. Youll also find that your energy levels, memory retention and overall clarity will be increased with this brain supplement.

Mechanisms Of Action And Functions Of B Vitamins

Vitamin B12

B vitamins act as coenzymes in a substantial proportion of the enzymatic processes that underpin every aspect of cellular physiological functioning. As a coenzyme the biologically active form of the vitamin binds within a protein apoenzyme creating a holoenzyme, thereby increasing the resultant enzymes competence in terms of the diversity of reactions that it can catalyse . In this role, the B vitamins play key interacting roles in the majority of cellular functions. As an example of their ubiquity, the primary bioactive form of vitamin B6, pyridoxal 5-phosphate, is an essential cofactor in the functioning of over 140 separate ubiquitous enzymes required for the synthesis, degradation, and interconversion of amino acids , whereas the active coenzyme form of pantothenic acid, coenzyme A , is an obligatory co-factor for approximately 4% of all mammalian enzymes . Less often B vitamins also function as direct precursors for metabolic substrates for example, CoA is also acetylated to form acetyl-CoA, an intermediate compound in both the generation of cellular energy and the synthesis of multiple bioactive compounds. Similarly, niacin is a precursor for ADP-ribose, which functions in multiple non-enzymatic cellular roles.

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The 16 Best Brain Vitamins For Studying In 2021

Benjamin Martin – 15 June 2021

The links between nutrition and brain health are only recently becoming apparent.Just as a runner needs to eat lots of carbohydrates before a big run, so should you feed your brain before an activity that requires optimal brain function.We asked our team of experts what are the 16 best vitamins and minerals for your brain if you aim to increase brain function, cognition, mental performance, concentration and focus.By the time you have read this article, you will know the best vitamins and minerals to feed your brain and also the best sources for them.Not only can these vitamins and minerals help with concentration, focus and general mental performance, but they can also help sustain and even improve long-term brain health.

B Vitamins And Brain Signalling

Nerve cells — neurons — within the brain communicate with each other and with your body using chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. Vitamin B-6 also helps to control the binding of neurotransmitters as they bounce from one neuron to another. Additionally, vitamin B-12 is needed to maintain the fatty outer sheath of the neurons. B vitamins are found in a variety of foods including whole grains, lean meats and dairy.

  • Nerve cells — neurons — within the brain communicate with each other and with your body using chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.
  • Additionally, vitamin B-12 is needed to maintain the fatty outer sheath of the neurons.

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What Vitamins Are Good For The Brain

Your central nervous system , made up of the brain and spinal cord, relies on essential nutrients to support normal cognitive function and brain health. Consuming these nutrients in your diet or as dietary supplements may help maintain cognitive function and prevent conditions such as dementia. The following is an overview of what vitamins are good for brain health below.

The Devastating Effects Of Free Radicals On The Brain

Vitamin B12 Cobalamin: For Energy, Brain Function and More

When left unchecked by antioxidants, free radicals can wreak havoc throughout every part of the body, including the brain. An abundance of free radicals leads to oxidative stress that can damage the bodys cells. In some cases, oxidative stress can lead to a range of diseases and lead to symptoms of aging. Premature aging in the brain can be especially damaging.

Studies suggest that free-radical induced oxidative damage which is particularly harmful to the brain due to its high content of fatty acids, high use of oxygen and, unfortunately, low levels of antioxidants. These conditions combined make the brain more vulnerable to oxidative injury. Oxidative stress can actually lead to an attack on brain cells, causing changes in the brain that can lead to dementia and Alzheimers disease.

Alzheimers disease occurs due to oxidation of brain lipids, carbohydrates, proteins and DNA. As oxidative stress begins to damage the brain, it starts to alter cells within the brain. Theres a natural increase in oxidation due to aging, and research has shown its the most consistent risk factor for Alzheimers disease. As people age, the gradual accumulation of oxidative damage could account for the progressive nature of Alzheimers disease.

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Do B Vitamins Have An Impact On Brain Function

Given that B vitamins are essential for every aspect of brain function, and that large proportions of the population of developed societies have less than optimal levels of vitamins, it would be expected that a relationship would be evident between vitamin consumption and mental function both in terms of epidemiological studies and controlled intervention trials. The driver for much of the research conducted to date in both of these domains has been the homocysteine hypothesis described above. Concentrating on this one unproven hypothesis has resulted in both observational and controlled trial research being focussed disproportionately on just three of the vitaminsfolate and vitamins B6 and B12. However, the observational and the controlled trial research concentrating on these three vitamins could be seen as generating somewhat different conclusions.

The Importance Of Exercise

Dont forget that as well as a healthy diet, exercise helps to keep our brains sharp. Research suggests that regular exercise improves cognitive function, slows down the mental aging process and helps us process information more effectively.

Get inspired with our guides to how to workout at home and how to exercise for free.

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Top Amino Acids For Brain Function

John Biggs BSc, NCP, OHP

Amino acids and Neurotransmitters

The next consideration for optimum brain function is to have adequate supplies of the right amino acids from protein to provide raw materials for making neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, i.e. the chemicals nerve cells use to communicate. For example, if you want to heighten alertness and attention, increase your sense of wellbeing, and help ward off the effects of stress you would do well to increase your levels of the amino acid Tyrosine. Tyrosine converts into the alerting neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenalin, and then into the hormone adrenalin. . Collectively these molecules are referred to as catecholamines.

Dopamine the “feel good” neurotransmitter

On the other hand, inflammation shutting down mitochondrial energy production is a key event in developing diseases like Alzheimers, ALS, or Parkinsons, because brain cells that cant produce energy die!

It is actually the release and/ or sustained presence of catecholamines that allows drugs like cocaine, amphetamines, or certain antidepressants to produce feelings of exhilaration, energy, or mood improvement. The problem is these substances do nothing to actually build or replete your catecholamine reserves, and they cause dependency. Tyrosine on the other hand is your bodys natural means of producing catecholamines.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine and B Vitamins for Energy

See carnitine article #1 and ALCAR article #2.

Calm Down and Relax

A Note for Vegetarians

Take A Pill Protect Your Memory

Brain Health Supplement for Kids, Brain Booster &  Memory ...

“Improves memory.” “Sharpens focus.” These are just some of the claims you may see on the supplements that 25% of adults over age 50 are taking to try to keep their brains healthy. Do these products work? It’s often unclear, as the FDA doesnât require makers to prove the supplements are effective, as long they don’t make any claims about specific diseases. Here’s what experts do — and don’t — know about some of these popular items.

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Protection Against Excess Glutamate

Glutamate is a naturally occurring brain chemical, but too much of it is definitely not a good thing.

In excess, it becomes an excitotoxin a substance that literally excites brain cells to death.

Too much glutamate contributes to numerous neurological disorders including Parkinsons, Alzheimers, Huntingtons, ALS, and multiple sclerosis.

Vitamin C protects neuroreceptors that control the release of glutamate.

How To Use Vitamins For Brain Injury

There is an abundance of evidence that nutrition plays a huge role in TBI recovery, and that a good brain injury diet promotes healthy brain function.

But sometimes it is not possible to get enough of the food that fuels your brain, especially after a brain injury, which often causes a decrease in appetite.

Thats where vitamins come in. They can help your brain get the tools it needs to heal and function at its best when you feel like you cant eat the right amount on your own.

However, they wont accomplish this goal if the rest of the food you eat isnt healthy.

If you are regularly consuming junk food, no amount of vitamins or supplements can reverse the damage that will do to your body.

Therefore, you should use vitamins as a supplement to a healthy diet, not a replacement for one.

Want 25 pages of TBI recovery exercises in PDF form?

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Brain Specific Roles Of B Vitamins

The brain is by far the most metabolically active organ in the body, representing only 2% of body weight but accounting for over 20% of the bodys total energy expenditure . The B vitamins general metabolic functions, alongside their roles in neurochemical synthesis, may therefore be conceived as having a particular impact on brain function. Indeed, the importance of the B vitamins for brain function is illustrated by the fact that each vitamin is actively transported across the blood brain barrier and/or choroid plexus by dedicated transport mechanisms. Once in the brain, specific cellular uptake mechanisms dictate distribution, and, whilst the B vitamins all have high turnovers, ranging from 8% to 100% per day, their levels are tightly regulated by multiple homeostatic mechanisms in the brain . This guarantees that brain concentrations remain comparatively high. For example, the concentration of methyltetrahydrofolate in the brain is four times that seen in plasma , whereas biotin and pantothenic acid exist in the brain at concentrations of up to 50 times that seen in plasma .

2.1.1. Thiamine

2.1.2. Riboflavin

2.1.3. Niacin

2.1.4. Pantothenic Acid

2.1.5. Vitamin B6

2.1.6. Biotin

2.1.7. Folate and Vitamin B12

How To Get More Vitamin K From Supplements

Pantothenic Acid: B-vitamin for energy and brain function

Although dietary intake of vitamin K is ideal to strive for, it can be hard to come by through food sources alone. Before you begin supplementing, seek medical advice from a healthcare professional to ensure your vitamin K levels constitute a need for a dietary vitamin.

Too much vitamin K can result in toxicity , potentially causing side effects such as jaundice and anemia. Its also important to check that a vitamin k supplement wont interfere with medications, such as anticoagulants.

Like many nutrients, vitamin K works best when you take it with other fat-soluble vitamins and other cofactors. Thats what makes Vitamins A-D-K a smart addition to your daily stack. So how exactly does this all happen?

Vitamin K works most closely with vitamin D for bone health and arterial health. Where vitamin D raises blood levels of calcium, mostly by increasing calcium absorption through the gut, vitamin K helps make sure that calcium makes it to where it is supposed to, especially in terms of the bones. Studies show that taking vitamin K as a supplement activates a bone-building protein, which taken together with vitamin D, helps to maintain strong bones.

It just makes sense to keep these two partners of bone and heart support together in a multivitamin supplement so that you get all their benefits. In fact, to ensure that the bases are all covered it is a good idea to make sure that you get an adequate daily intake of all four fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K.

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The 16 Best Brain Vitamins For Studying

  • Vitamin B1
1. Vitamin B1

Riboflavin works as a brain vitamin because it helps the nervous system function normally.Moreover, B2 also helps maintain red blood cells and vision, and this brain vitamin can also protect cells from oxidative stress.Its also quite common to be deficient in B2, particularly amongst teenage girls, young women and women over 65 living at home.

2. Vitamin B2

Riboflavin works as a brain vitamin because it helps the nervous system function normally.Moreover, B2 also helps maintain red blood cells and vision, and this brain vitamin can also protect cells from oxidative stress.Its also quite common to be deficient in B2, particularly amongst teenage girls, young women and women over 65 living at home.

3. Vitamin B3

B3 that also goes by niacin is another brain vitamin, as it helps maintain psychological function and function of the nervous system.Niacin is also a very effective vitamin for concentration.

Flavonoids For Better Memory

When someone tells you to eat more colorful foods, these special antioxidants are probably the reason why. Almost all fruits, vegetables, and herbs contain flavonoids, which have been found to have many health benefits, including reducing inflammation, heart disease risk, and eczema symptoms. Studies suggest flavonoids are good for the aging brain, doing everything from increasing the number of connections between neurons to disrupting the development of amyloid plaques that clog the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients.

In 2012, researchers at Brigham and Womens Hospital found that older women who ate large amounts of berries which are high in flavonoids delayed their memory decline by more than two years compared to women who had low flavonoid consumption. Getting more flavonoids in your diet is pretty simple: The more colorful the produce, the higher the level of flavonoids. But you might be pleasantly surprised to learn that some of your favorite drinks are full of flavonoid goodness, too.

Foods high in flavonoids:

  • Red wine

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Better Ways To Boost Brain Health

Someday researchers might identify a blend of ingredients that does wonders for your gray matter. But in the meantime, there are more effective ways to keep your brain healthy:

  • Diet. Nutrition is one of the best ways to protect your brain, Smith says. She recommends a diet rich in produce with healthy oils from olive oil, nuts and seeds and fatty cold-water fish. Aim for a colorful diet, with dark leafy greens, as well as orange and red fruits and veggies, she says. Colorful foods contain antioxidants that may protect the brain.
  • Limit alcohol. Too much alcohol can increase the risk of cognitive decline, she says.
  • Physical activity. Regular exercise has a strong association with the prevention of cognitive problems, Smith says. Try to get at least 150 minutes of activity a week.
  • Sleep. Being sleep-deprived is linked to cognitive decline, so prioritize your slumber.
  • Socialize. Social interaction is closely tied with maintaining cognitive function as we get older. Try to spend time with others and limit isolation, Smith advises. Whenever you can, share meals with friends and family.
  • Treat health problems. Chronic health problems like Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure can increase the chances of cognitive decline and dementia. To lower your risk, work with your doctor to manage any illnesses.

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