Formulating Nutritional Products for Brain Health

Given the aging U.S. population, it’s to be expected that most product formulators are reading the research to determine how to nutritionally support and protect the brain. For example, new research recently revealed a protein called transthyretin (TTR) may be a natural defense against the development of Alzheimer’s disease. TTR is manufactured in the liver as a carrier for vitamin A and thyroid through the blood.

Along with new innovations, basic nutritional compounds and specialty ingredients may make a difference in preventing neurodegeneration. A good place to start is with the B vitamins. A nutritional formula to protect the brain could include folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 to support normal homocysteine levels. Further, it has been shown that some individuals with Alzheimer’s disease have low blood levels of B12. One study showed these patients had even lower B12 levels in their cerebrospinal fluid, which can impact methylation reactions. These reactions are needed for a healthy brain, neurotransmitter levels and nerve cell myelin sheath. Methylation reactions are affected by low levels of B12 since it reduces the manufacturing of methionine and S-adenosylmethionine.

Long-chain omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) may also be a good inclusion in a brain support formulation, or as an adjunct product. Research from the Archives of Neurology has shown in a seven-year study that individuals who consumed a diet rich in omega-3 EFAs had an 80 percent lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Omega-3 EFAs are important for various body functions and support against inflammation. One difficulty in formulation is to deliver large amounts of omega-3s in capsules, which require a spray dried powder form. In addition, most omega-3 fatty acid products provide low concentrations for soft gels. However, an omega-3 supplement could be positioned as a companion product to a brain support dietary supplement.

Antioxidants are known to protect against the damaging effects of free radicals, which cause oxidative damage to tissues of the body and that includes the brain. Free radical damage has been associated with many disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. A formula to support brain function may include antioxidants such as vitamins E and C and selenium. All have been used in trials to determine their effects on Alzheimer’s disease; however, formulators should investigate and confirm the ingredients pass through the blood brain barrier. On its own, vitamin E is presently being used in a large Alzheimer’s disease prevention trial, which is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Ginkgo biloba as a standardized extract may be an herb useful for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and may be included in a formulation. Ginkgo biloba standardized to 24 percent ginkgo flavonglycosides and 6 percent triterpene lactones at a daily dose of 120 to 240 mg has demonstrated to be beneficial to the brain and early stage Alzheimer’s patients. There are various ginkgo products, but it is wise to select one that has low ginkgolic acid levels because of potential allergy reactions. If a company wants to make structure/function claims related to ginkgo’s impact on the brain, it is important that the formulation uses high quality materials that match what was used in the studies supporting that claim.

One of ginkgo’s mechanisms of action appears to be its ability to inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which promotes an increase in acetylcholine levels. With age, levels of acetylcholine, a brain neurotransmitter, decline. The function of acetylcholine is to transport information across the synaptic cleft, which is the space found between two nerve cells. Alzheimer’s patients and people with problems with memory, cognitive function, learning and recall have been shown to have low levels of acetylcholine.

Compounds such as ginkgo, Huperzine A, vinpocetine, acetyl-L-carnitine, lecithin choline and phosphatidylserine (PS) appear to inhibit acetylcholinesterase, thereby increasing acetylcholine levels. While the jury is still out on the individual effects of some of these compounds on acetylcholine levels, combinations of ingredients that may affect acetylcholine levels should be limited. There is not enough research to show whether such combinations are safe. More than one ingredient in a formula that has this function could have a cumulative, possibly adverse, effect on acetylcholine levels in the brain. Further, products with these compounds should include a warning that states the effect of the compounds on acetylcholine and that the product should not be used by individuals taking certain prescription medications, including prescription cholinergic or anticholinergic drugs or acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.

The formulator has various choices of ingredients to include in a product to support the brain and potentially help prevent devastating diseases.

Judi Quilici-Timmcke, M.S., is the president of Q-Tech Services Inc. (JudiQ.com), and works as a product formulator in the dietary supplement industry. She has a master’s degree in dietetics and exercise physiology, and has worked for industry companies including Weider Nutrition and Rexall Showcase International.