Your memory is one thing you can’t leave home without. Whether you’re dashing out to the store for a few items or you’re trying to remember past family events, you rely on your memory each and every day to help you manage your life.
But the truth is that as we age, so do our brains – and does our ability to remember the things we need to recall. Instead of simply letting nature takes its course, you might want to look into several different vitamins to help you with your mind. Though memory boosting vitamins aren’t a guarantee that you’ll always remember your keys, perhaps they will help you remember when your anniversary is.
The B Vitamins
Since the B vitamins are those vitamins which affect the brain the most, it’s no wonder they are most often recommended in terms of memory boosting vitamins. By helping to boost the performance of the brain, you can then remember things you need to remember.
B6 is the first B vitamin recommended by most scientific studies. This is because it helps in the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
When these neurotransmitters are created, the brain can store and receive information for long term access. Without these chemicals in your brain, you might even have troubles remembering what you ate for breakfast.
While the body is able to produce these chemicals on its own, the stress of everyday life can make this process more difficult. You can wear down your stores of Vitamin B6, leading to troubles with the brain’s ability to keep up with its chemical production.
Along with B6 is B12 in helping your body create a healthy mind. This B vitamin works alongside the actual brain waves, helping to keep things moving and flowing in your mind. In order to think clearly and to remember clearly, your brain waves need to be actively processing the information you take in and the information you already have stored.
You can take these memory boosting vitamins in a supplement form, but this isn’t always the best way for your body to increase the B vitamin levels in your body. B12 especially is broken down by the stomach acid when taken in a pill form, so it’s much more effective to add natural food sources of the vitamin to your diet. You can find B vitamins in fortified foods as well as in cheese, milk, yogurt, and red meat.
The Antioxidant Answer
One of the biggest fears among medical circles and the public today is the threat of Alzheimer’s disease. The rapid progression of memory loss causes the patient to eventually forget their entire lives, even those they love.
Since the direct cause of Alzheimer’s is not currently known, researchers are trying to find memory boosting vitamins which might help to stave off the threat of memory loss. Right now, the leading candidates in this research are vitamins C and E. These are both antioxidants which help to stop the damage done by free radicals in the body.
Free Radicals Can Affect Brain Function
Free radicals are the result of pollution, chemicals, and other toxins in the world. When they enter the body, they can damage the cells enough to lead to cancerous growths as well as brain function loss. By taking in antioxidants, it is thought that these vitamins will slow down or stop the spread of free radical damage, which can then prevent memory loss.
You can find Vitamin C in citrus fruits as well as in dark green leafy vegetables and fortified foods. Vitamin E is generally found in fish oils as well as in nuts and seeds. Using supplements can make it easier to take in these vitamins, though you will want to avoid taking too high of doses as they can be toxic when take in excess – especially Vitamin E.
Memory boosting vitamins may not help you with every memory problem you experience during a typical day, but they can allow you to begin to support your brain and to slow down its degradation. While time marches on, you still want to be able to remember what’s happening. And taking steps now can ensure your long life is filled with happy memories.
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