I hear it all the time:  “Doc, I feel like I’m not as sharp as I used to be,” or “What can I do for my memory?”  Often, the person is over 50 and feels as if they’re becoming a little more forgetful; usually associated with a little “brain fog” or less mental energy.  This group of symptoms is commonly known as Age Related Cognitive Decline. 
I for one am not willing to take this sitting down.  Instead, I have every intention of growing old (well into my 90’s) spry with my wits about me.  If you feel the same, and want to protect your brain from the ravages of aging or get back that mental step that you may have lost, there are several exercises and nutrients that show tremendous promise.
An interesting article in the June, 2008 Wall Street Journal makes a critical point that scientists didn’t know even a decade ago: people generate new brain cells and new connections between brain neurons called synapses throughout life.  And experts believe the more mental reserves we build up, the better we can stave off age-related cognitive decline.  So how do we optimize the process of creating new connections and protecting the ones we already have? 

1) First we must exercise, both our bodies and our minds.  Mental exercise creates new synapses between neurons such as new memories and instructions on how to perform new tasks, like learning to play an instrument or how to use a computer.  Studies show that those of us who have higher education, exercise their brains with continuous learning and who remain engaged socially, retain our memory and cognition better than those who don’t. 

Top Brain Nutrients

When I think of brain nutrients, several immediately come to mind.  The first is the Omega 3 fatty acid: DHAor docosahexaenoic acid.  DHA is a basic structural building block of the cell membrane of all brain neurons.  In fact, about 30% of the dry weight of the brain should be DHA and at the synapse, the junction where one brain neuron “speaks” to another, the cell membrane should be 60% DHA.  This allows the membrane to be flexible and liquid so that neurotransmitters like acetylcholine, serotonin and dopamine can move swiftly and easily from one brain neuron to the next. 
This is how neurons communicate with one another.  The process is complex and relies heavily on DHA.  Run a deficit of it and your brain can’t possibly function as well as it should.  Recent studies have shown that people (adults and children) think more effectively and preserve their memory longer when they consume higher levels of EPA and DHA.  In fact 2 recent studies, one out of the University of Pittsburgh the other just out of the Journal Neurology, August 2008, show that people who ingested more fish (high in EPA and DHA) had better MRI’s of their brains than those who ate little fish.  Unfortunately, most of my patients eat "little fish"  and ingest very low levels of DHA and EPA. 

The American Heart Association (AHA) points out that a healthy person should consume at least 500mgs per day of DHA and EPA.  They increase their recommendation to 1000-3000mgs for people with heart disease or high triglycerides.  Yet the Council For Responsible Nutrition (CRN) points out that the average American consumes less than 100mgs a day of DHA and EPA.  This gap is where the problem lies.  We need these nutrients, yet the average American isn't ingesting them.  This deficit creates tremendous problems for the brain, the heart, your circulation, inflammation levels in our bodies and much more.
Today the main source of DHA is from fish or fish oils.  Our ancestors got DHA from animal meats.  Hundreds of years ago the animals they hunted were free ranging able to concentrate plant based omega 3’s into their muscle tissue (the meat).  Today the cows, chickens, turkeys etc are grain fed.   Grain is high in omega 6 fats and low in omega 3 fats.  This yields meat that is high in omega 6 fats and low in omega 3 fats.  To illustrate this point Dr Simopoulos points out in her book The Omega Diet, that a free range chicken egg has 20 times the omega 3’s found in a regular commercial chicken egg. 

Bottom line: We must supplement with DHA to get the high levels necessary for our brains to flourish.  I recommend it be taken in a good pharmaceutical grade, omega 3 formula with EPA.  I use OmegaBerry Super Formula or PS-Omega capsules (which I’ll talk more about in a moment) and Arctic Omega which is a liquid. 

The second brain nutrient is PS(short for phosphatydlserine).  The research on PS is nothing short of fantastic.  Over 2 dozen double blind, placebo controlled studies have shown powerful results for memory and cognition. In fact, studies in peer reviewed literature show that supplementation with PS has improved peoples EEG and PET scans (wow!).  An EEG or electroencephalograph, utilizes electrodes and high tech brain mapping equipment to measure a persons brain waves.  A PET scan (short for Positron emission tomography) is similar to an MRI in that it creates pictures of the brain.  The differant colors on the PET are indicative the activity in various areas of the brain.  PS promotes the normal uptake of glucose by your brain cells and studies show that it helps maintain the activity of nerve growth factor (NGF) which oversees the health of brain neurons.  This is truly exciting information and I don’t understand why more people don’t know about the benefits of PS. 

The good news is that both of these cognition factors can be found in one formula called PS Omega.  It has PS along with EPA and DHA at good levels.  Additionally, PS Omega uses pharmaceutical grade fish oil that is molecularly distilled and concentrated.  They have also concentrated the DHA component of the fish oil.  Normally you get only 12 mgs of DHA for every 18 mgs of EPA; a 12:18 ratio.  PS Omega has an 18:18 ratio, so you get more DHA, the building block that our brain uses to make neuronal cell membranes.   Double the dose of PS Omega with your first 2 bottles, so that you are ingesting 2000 mgs of EPA and DHA and 200 mgs of PS per day. Then you can reduce the dose to 2 soft-gels per day.

The third nutrient that comes to mind is a good phytonutrient drinkwith a variety of super fruits and vegetables.  It can be a greens, reds or purples drink.  They’re all good.  If I had to choose just one it would be a greens drink as long as it had some super fruits and berries included (ie. Triple Greens).   The studies on berries, fruits and vegetables for brain health are numerous and excellent.  Super fruits and vegetables such as barley grass, wheat grass, blueberries, cranberries, broccoli, kale, green tea, grape seed extract, etc… supply integral nutrients to the brain, but it doesn’t stop there.
 
They are also powerful antioxidants which protect the brain from free radical damage and inflammation.  A recent study at the British University of Reading showed that older rats fed blueberries were able to navigate a maze 26% better after supplementation and almost as well as young rats.  Another study performed by Dr. James Joseph of Tufts University, showed that not only were older rats able to perform mental tasks better than their peers after blueberry supplementation; they were also able to run faster and increase the time they were able to balance on a spinning rod by 100%.

A large study on 2,000 Chicago area seniors published in the Journal of Neurology last year found that those who ate more than 2 servings of vegetables per day had about 40% less mental decline that those who ate few or no vegetables.  I could go on quoting studies all day, suffice it to say, the phytonutrients from high potency fruits and vegetables are a linchpin in your journey to securing your memory and cognition as you age.  I mix Triple Greens, Super Reds and Perfect Purples together in a big container.  Using this mixture I add 2 scoops of this combo with a scoop of protein powder to water and drink it down as my snack between breakfast and lunch daily (a daily brain and muscle super energy infusion).  It tastes great and I look forward to it.

The 2 final brain nutrients I would like to discuss are: CoQ10 and Ginkgo biloba.  When you think energy, think CoQ10.  As we get beyond our 35th year, we make less and less of this critical energy cofactor.  Indeed our cells can’t create energy without CoQ10.  If you want plenty of mental and physical energy, make sure to supplement with at least 50mgs of CoQ10 daily.  Another big benefit of CoQ10 is that scientist have found that it is one of the best antioxidants available and is an excellent heart nutrient. 

Ginkgo biloba, another potent antioxidant, works by enhancing circulation to the brain and body.  As we age circulation becomes a problem, so exercise and supplementation with Ginkgo are excellent choices.   Ginkgo has been reported to boosts the brain’s capacity to utilize glucose for energy.  I like a nice combination product called CoQ Max 100which combines CoQ10 with GinkgoSelect®, the newest ginkgo technology.  This is a more absorbable form of Ginkgo attached to phospholipids and standardized to yield high levels of the desirable, pharmacologically active, Ginkgo phytonutrients.   Each capsule delivers 50mgs of CoQ10 and 30 mgs of GinkgoSelect®.  As a general rule: take one capsule a day for those under 50 and 2 per caps day for those over 50.  If you’re in your 40’s and feel like you’ve lost a step mentally, use 2 caps a day.
Follow these strategies to protect you memory and cognition as you get older or improve them if you are already noticing some deterioration in this department (if you don’t notice any improvement give me a call or consult with your physician). 

Eat right, exercise, have a positive mental attitude and supplement wisely…That’s how we'll age gracefully, together.

In Health,
Dr Neil Levin

*These recommendations are not intended to diagnose treat or cure any medical conditions and should not replace the advise of your doctor.