The brain is the master organ, responsible for such glories as emotion, intelligence and personality, as well as more mundane but crucial tasks including management of organ function, hormone regulation and locomotion. Certain nutritional practices can improve the performance of the body’s chief executive officer as it manages the body’s vast range of daily activities, from shaping the governing philosophies of the organism to tending to details at the bottom of the organizational pyramid. Perhaps the most complex and sophisticated entity on Earth, the human brain could be considered the pinnacle of biological achievement. Indeed, one of life’s greatest miracles is the ability of cognitive tissue to transcend reflexive activities and form thoughts, versus the less sublime capabilities of the humble hair or the lowly leg, both relative dullards in comparison to the gifted brain. In fact, without the governance of the brain, these body parts and all of their compatriots would be rendered a useless collection of flailing limbs and failing systems. Understandably, furnishing proper nutritional support to such a multifaceted organ involves provision of a comprehensive package of micronutrients and building blocks. These raw materials promote optimal cognitive function by sharpening mental acuity, inhibiting agerelated cognitive decline, and building and maintaining neurons, from the months preceding birth through the Golden Years. Antioxidants Antioxidants contribute to long-term structural and functional integrity of the brain by countering oxidative damage in neural tissues. Antioxidant intake may be of particular importance to older people looking to boost cognitive ability, as the aging brain typically struggles to heal cumulative oxidative damage. Supportive of this premise is a review from Tufts University, Boston; researchers wrote cellular generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) causes oxidative damage to nucleic acid, carbohydrate, protein and lipid components of the brain, where damaged neuronal cells—which are largely post-mitotic— cannot be replaced readily via mitosis.1 They added this damage causes morphological and functional modifications resulting in decrements in motor and cognitive performance, and possibly neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Further, numerous clinical trials confirm the importance of consuming an antioxidant-rich diet to preserve cognitive ability. A study from the University of Perugia in Italy connected depressed peripheral levels of the water-soluble antioxidant vitamin C; lipophilic antioxidants including vitamin A and vitamin E, and carotenoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene; and activities of plasma and red blood cell (RBC) antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD in test subjects, as compared to controls.2 Further, the researchers noted that since MCI may represent a prodromal stage of AD, and oxidative damage appears to occur as one of the earliest pathophysiological events in AD, an increased intake of antioxidants in patients with MCI could be helpful in lowering the risk of conversion to dementia. And a clinical trial from the University of Washington, Seattle, provides additional reason to increase consumption of antioxidants to ensure optimal cognitive performance over a lifetime; researchers monitored long-term antioxidant status and cognitive function in a seven-year study of 2,082 community-dwelling elderly subjects and found test subjects who supplemented with antioxidants (vitamins A, C or E, plus selenium or zinc) had a 34-percent lower risk of developing cognitive impairment and a 29-percent lower risk of experiencing cognitive decline, compared with non-antioxidant users.3Vitamin E, in particular, seems to be one of the most neuroprotective antioxidants, with marked efficacy against AD and other neurodegenerative disorders.4,5 In a cohort of 1,033 elderly people, Italian researchers found participants with plasma vitamin E levels in the bottom tertile had a significantly higher probability of being demented and suffering from cognitive impairment, compared to those in the highest vitamin E tertile.6 And a six-year study from Rush University, Chicago, found a slower rate of cognitive decline was associated with intakes of vitamin E, alpha-tocopherols and alphatocopherol equivalents, and gamma-tocopherols.7 Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next |
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