What Does Your Brain Really Need from Supplements?
Those of us with Alzheimer’s are always looking for ways to improve our memory and there are lots of ads promoting just that, a magic pill. It’s good to take a moment to think about what is known about what kind of nutrients the brain needs and why.
Your brain depends on a steady supply of nutrients to do its remarkable work. Vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and other nutrients help brain cells produce energy, communicate with one another, maintain healthy connections, and protect themselves from damage.
But that raises an important question: Are you giving your brain the nutrients it needs?
Understanding how the brain processes and uses these nutrients can help you make better decisions about your diet—and determine whether a supplement might be useful to fill a nutritional gap. A supplement isn't automatically beneficial simply because it is labeled as being good for the brain. What matters is understanding what the nutrient does, whether you are getting enough from food, and whether there is a reason you might need additional amounts.
The videos below, including Dr. Tracey Marks' discussion of which brain supplements actually work, provide an opportunity to look more closely at the science behind common supplements. They can help you understand what different nutrients do in the brain and give you a better foundation for deciding what belongs on your plate, and what, if anything, belongs in your supplement cabinet.
The goal isn't to take more supplements. It is to understand what your brain needs and make informed choices about how to provide it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_LVUM4-d70&t=20s
How To Power up Your Mind: Essential Nutrients for a healthy brain
Start with this one tells what foods give you the vitamins and mineral you need to keep your brain healthy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J64Y8zrO_mc
Can Food Really Rewire Your Brain? (And When to Use Supplements)
Describes how hormones are made from the food we eat, serotonin, dopamine, GABA, acetcylcholine, glucouse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ2Z9wqk3qg
Food vs. Supplements: How to Properly Fuel Your Brain
What Your Brain Craves