Supplements that give your brain the boost it needs

 

Tuesday, January 29, 2013 by: Dr. David Jockers


(NaturalNews) The brain depends upon specific nutrients in order to function with peak capacity. There are certain nutrients that are challenging to get from our diet and lifestyles. These nutrients can be supplemented through whole food based sources. These are some the most specific nutritional supplements for healthy brain function.

Vitamin D3

This is extremely critical for brain development and maturity throughout life. Lowered vitamin D3 levels are associated with autism, dyslexia and ADHD in children and neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in adults.

The optimal source of vitamin D3 is through the sun. Most of our ancestors were able to derive optimal vitamin D3 levels through regular sun exposure. In the Northern climates, they would get a lot in the summer and then their diet of fatty fish, organ meat and raw milk that naturally contain little bits to keep them going in the winter.

Researchers have found that the optimal vitamin D3 levels are between 70-100ng/ml. Over 95 percent of society is well under these levels. Taking 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily is a great way to ensure your levels are optimized and your brain development is at its peak.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acid supplements and astaxanthin reduce inflammation. Omega-3s help provide better cell membrane receptor activity while astaxanthin has the unique ability to cross the blood brain barrier as well as the blood-retinal barrier while most carotenoids do not. This helps protect the brain and eyes from inflammatory damage and reduces the risk for blindness, cataracts, macular degeneration, dementia, Alzheimer's Disease and other neurological disorders.

Astaxanthin works particularly well against peroxyl radicals that damage cell membranes. This is particularly important because all essential fats, in-particular, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA are very fragile and susceptible to free radical damage. Astaxanthin is the most powerful antioxidant at inhibiting the oxidation of these essential fats. Take one to two grams of EPA/DHA daily with four to eight milligrams of astaxanthin.

Probiotics

Gut health is extremely critical to brain health. Children with neurodevelopmental problems like Autism, dyslexia and ADHD are known to have leaky gut syndromes and often have very profound food allergies. When the gut is damaged, it allows food particles to cross into the blood stream where the immune system creates an inflammatory attack. This inflammation passes into the brain and screws up neurological processing.

Many individuals have dysbiosis or bad bacterial balance in their gut and parasites like Candida. The parasites and opportunistic bacteria release toxins into the blood stream that get into the brain and cause inflammation leading to poor memory, brain fog and advanced states of brain degeneration.

Supplement with a high quality probiotic that has diverse strains (at least 20 different strains) and over 50 billion colony forming units. This is the probiotic that will deliver results and you will feel the difference after a week.

B-complex vitamins

Methylation is a key biochemical process that happens billions of times every second to repair the DNA in the body. B vitamins are the key components to healthy methylation processes. Take a whole food-based multivitamin and/or B complex supplement and improve your gut health to absorb these nutrients more effectively. It is also key to eat lots of dark, green leafy vegetables and organic animal products to get these nutrients.

The key methylators include vitamin B6, folate and B12. Research has shown that lowered levels of these nutrients all result in a significantly increased risk of dementia, mood and anxiety disorders and neurodegenerative processes. Niacin which is B3 also has been shown to be important for cognitive function.

Sources for this article include:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100817134302.htm
http://www.drjockers.com/2012/11/astaxanthin-is-a-super-nutrient/
http://www.naturalnews.com/032154_candida_solutions.html

About the author:
Dr. David Jockers owns and operates Exodus Health Center in Kennesaw, Ga. He is a Maximized Living doctor. His expertise is in weight loss, customized nutrition & exercise, & structural corrective chiropractic care. For more information go to www.drjockers.com To find a Maximized Living doctor near you go to www.maximizedliving.com Dr. Jockers is also available for long distance phone consultations to help you beat disease and reach your health goals