With mature and adult students going back to school this fall, one may be looking for supplements to help with memory, focus, and retaining information especially when studying. Or perhaps you just want to keep the neurons firing so you can keep up with your daily Wordle game or be more focussed when reading articles and books. Newer products have come available that go well beyond taking your standard Gingko Biloba herb.
A proprietary extract of the plant sceletium (Zembrin) found in Elite Neuro by Innovite showed after 3 weeks of treatment a significant improvement in cognitive flexibility and executive function compared with placebo. Executive function includes working memory, attention control, and concept formulation, all things that may be helpful when trying to study. Another study looked at brain electrical activity in 60 older subjects taking Zembrin for 6 weeks. Increased brain activity was shown in areas of memory retrieval, concentration, and mood. Positive effects on cognition may also indirectly come from its calming actions. Studies concluded that larger trials for early Alzheimer’s could be warranted.
Focus by Eversio Wellness contains Lion’s Mane mushroom and has the highest amount of Beta-D Glucans that I have seen. Mouse studies have shown increased expression of Nerve Growth Factor which is involved with nerve regeneration. In humans, a double-blind placebo-controlled study showed significant improvements in cognitive function scales.
Various products containing Bacopa Extracts are popular for cognitive wellness because of studies showing improvements in memory. Brain Matrix by CytoMatrix also contains Alpha GPC, and Phosphatidylserine which can upregulate acetylcholine production and improve cognitive markers such as memory, attention, mood, and reaction time. SuperFocus by AOR is geared towards professionals and students as it contains L-Theanine and Rhodiola for calming as well as Ginseng and Caffeine for energy and performance.
One approach to cognitive health is to consider the gut-brain connection and take probiotics associated with brain health. HMF Neuro Cognition by Genestra has probiotics as well as Bacopa and other ingredients that may be associated with improved cognitive function. If you regularly take a probiotic, then this could be an all-in-one combination.
For brain health many people think of fish oils, which contain EPA and DHA. The DHA component is traditionally thought of as the component most beneficial to help with neurological effects and is recommended in ADHD patients. Surprisingly the best source of DHA doesn’t come from fish oil but from squid oil. Omegagenics Neuro 1000 by Metagenics and Omega-3 High DHA by NutraSea are great sources of squid oil.
If you are feeling the brain strain of daily life and want to think more clearly, consider taking a daily supplement….to help you remember to take your daily supplements.
Lyle Sunada is a compounding pharmacist and NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner specializing in hormone balancing and alternative medicine at Clovedale Pharmasave. He also specializes in veterinary medicine for animals. Everything mentioned in the article is available In-Store.
