Supplements for Better Brain Power

Aristotle referred to the mind, or nous, as, “the part of the soul by which it knows and understands.” Stanford’s Encyclopedia of Philosophy described Aristotle’s school of thought, according to his writings in Metaphysics and De Anima, stating, “It is plain that humans can know and understand things; indeed, Aristotle supposes that it is our very nature to desire knowledge and understanding. In this way, just as the having of sensory faculties is essential to being an animal, so the having of a mind is essential to being a human.” In line with Aristotle’s philosophy, we are almost nothing without our mind. It becomes a center, or possibly, the center, of our existence, in the same way that it’s the center of the central nervous system. And, with our desire for knowledge and quest for understanding, the mind becomes absolutely essential to our existence.
The brain is extremely complex. It is the source of vision, hearing, balance, taste and smell. It houses our memories, moods and behavior; in essence—it defines us, and without it, our lives begin to deteriorate and we become unable to participate in the simple, everyday tasks and the thoughtful moments that make up our lives.
There are many diseases that can take a toll on brain health. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that destroys brain cells, resulting in memory loss and problems with thinking, behavior, lifelong hobbies and social life. It is a progressive and fatal disease without a current cure. It affects both men and women usually 65 years and older, but an early-onset form also exists. Alzheimer’s is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States; as many as 5 million Americans are living with AD, according to the National Alzheimer’s Association (Alz.org). One of its characteristics is the deposition of senile plaques containing amyloid-beta, a protein that promotes inflammation and oxidation. Natural supplementation is becoming a popular preventive method for addressing AD and other neurodegenerative diseases, by enhancing memory and cognitive functions.
New research is revealing the cognitive and neuroprotective effects of everyday foods such as strawberries and colorful antioxidants, aka carotenoids, like astaxanthin. The 2009 Berry Health Symposium unveiled several studies consistently showing strawberry consumption is a simple way to improve cognitive function. For example, one unpublished study presented by researchers from the Chicago Healthy Aging Project (CHAP) showed older adults who consume strawberries at least once per month have less cognitive decline. Specifically, women who consumed more than one serving of strawberries per month had a 16.2-percent slower rate of cognitive decline versus those who consumed less. Research from James Joseph, Ph.D., and Barbara Shukitt-Hale, Ph.D., Tufts University, Boston, demonstrated aging results in deficits in learning, memory and motor function, such as balance and walking speed; and found strawberries and other berries improved both memory and motor function in rats.
Japanese researchers strongly suggested treatment with astaxanthin may be effective for oxidative stress-associated neurodegeneration and a potential candidate for natural brain food.¹ The neuroprotective effect of astaxanthin was studied by using an oxidative stress-induced neuronal cell damage system. The treatment with DHA hydroperoxide (DHA-OOH) or 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), led to a significant decrease in viable dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells by the MTT assay, whereas a significant protection was shown when the cells were pretreated with astaxanthin. Moreover, 100 nM astaxanthin pretreatment significantly inhibited intracellular ROS generation that occurred in either DHA-OOH- or 6-OHDA-treated cells. The neuroprotective effect of astaxanthin is suggested to be dependent upon its antioxidant potential and mitochondria protection.