| Rosemary, roses and mint | Yes | Not to ingest, but to smell. Research suggests that inhaling these three aromas at the time of learning a new task can enhance recall when you’re exposed to the scent at a later time. |
| Ginkgo biloba | If you want to | Though there are no large studies to support its use, there’s some promise that this very commonly used supplement is effective in helping improve cognition. It can also thin the blood, which can be helpful in people with blood vessel disease but dangerous for those with clotting disorders or anticipating surgery. Because it’s considered a safe antioxidant supplement, we’re comfortable with you trying 120 milligrams daily to see if it has any positive effects. |
| Huperzine A | Maybe | This ancient Chinese herb was used for memory loss even before we knew that it increases acetylcholine levels by blocking a chemical that devours this precious neurotransmitter. If you have mild cognitive impairment, we recommend 200 micrograms twice daily and suggest that your doctor help titrate the treatment if other pharmaceuticals with similar effects are being used. |
| Vinpocetine | No | There’s not enough evidence that this supplement from a periwinkle plant helps, and it can reduce your blood pressure too much, so we would rather wait for more clinical trials. |
| Phosphatidylserine | If you want to | About 70 percent of our cell membranes are made from this, and as we age, the level of phosphatidylserine drops, and the membranes become brittle. This supplement seems to strengthen cell membranes and the phospholipid sheathing around nerves, protecting the cables that transfer information from shorting out. Since risks are few, taking 200 milligrams daily is reasonable. |
| Coenzyme Q10 | Yes, but for other reasons | This supplement has a beneficial effect in protecting against Parkinson’s disease (a neural disease that can be caused by trauma, as in the case of boxers, or through viruses and genetics). As a potent antioxidant, it may help prevent inflammatory damage to the brain, but this remains unproven. The ideal dose is 100 milligrams twice a day (some research says that 300 milligrams four times a day is even better for Parkinson’s). This is one supplement where more than 90 percent of what’s sold doesn’t contain the real thing, so look for products that have actually been shown repeatedly to have in the bottle what’s on the label. The website to check to see if it contains what’s on the label: www.consumerlab.com. |
Your Neurochemicals: Nerve cells communicate with one another via neurotransmitters, chemicals that ferry information from neuron to neuron across the synapses between them. The most common neurotransmitter is called acetylcholine. When levels of this chemical fall, especially in the hippocampus (the part of the brain that controls our memory), we develop cognitive impairment. Many of the treatments for Alzheimer’s are aimed at increasing the amount of acetylcholine in the brain.
FACTOID
Those neurofibrillary tangles associated with Alzheimer’s disease contain aluminium (an element that makes up 14 percent of the earth’s crust). While there’s no evidence suggesting that aluminium causes memory problems, it’s better to try to avoid it. One way to reduce the aluminium you absorb: use sea salt instead of table salt, which is processed with aluminium to avoid caking. Other things that contain aluminium include nondairy creamers, antacids, cans, certain cookware and antiperspirants.
The other chemical that plays a significant role in memory is called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, or just neurotrophins if you prefer), which works like Miracle-Gro for your brain. During infancy, BDNF helps develop nerves that help us learn, but as we get older, things like inflammation and stress can decrease its levels. Research shows that you can do things to improve your levels of BDNF, such as consuming the spice curcumin (a component of turmeric), restricting calories, doing exercise, being in love and taking some of a class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Not surprisingly, you can decrease BDNF by eating high levels of saturated fats and refined sugars, as well as by not getting enough of the natural antidepressant tryptophan (yes, it’s found in turkey, but there’s twice as much in spinach) in your diet.
Are You Losing Your Mind?
When it comes to brain problems, it’s not easy to diagnose yourself or a loved one. Yes, you’d like to write off a memory lapse as a natural part of ageing, and in many instances, it is. But this checklist of the eight early signs of Alzheimer’s can help you decide whether you or a family member needs further attention. Do you …
So what’s the biological effect of all this? Well, if you have serious memory-related problems, the grey matter in your brain actually shrivels faster than a centenarian sunbather. And the connections that are so important to maintaining memory get blocked and broken and detoured so that your memory function is slowed – or sometimes lost. In the end, that can cause you to lose the power lines that go to the neighbourhood of fashion trivia or to the office complex of phone numbers or to the cul-de-sac of your anniversary date.
Luckily, as you’ll see, there are several simple ways to restore those power lines, regrow those neural connections and preserve one of the most powerful things you can pass along to the generations that follow: your memory. And your wisdom.
YOU TIPS!
Like babies and brats, all your brain wants is this: attention. Feed it, challenge it, care for it and you’ll smack a bad genetic destiny square in the face with five knuckles of good information and smart action. One of the key things to do is constantly stretch your mind – be it through crosswords, Scrabble, chess or learning how to speak Chinese (if you don’t already). Thankfully, there are many ways to keep your brain operating at maximum efficiency, maximum power and maximum quality.
YOU Tip: Teach a Lesson. In life, we have all kinds of teachers – schoolteachers, football coaches, ballet instructors. While they may have been