What Supplements can Improve Cognitive Function?

When it comes to supplements you can use to improve your cognitive function you will find no shortage of recommendations if you search online. Today we will look at four supplements that may be able to improve your memory and focus.

Though memory has been studied throughout history, it is not very well understood. Most people agree that short-term and long-term memory work differently but some researchers believe all memory processes are basically the same. However, injuries and illnesses usually affect only one or the other. Further study may clear up some mysteries of the human brain.

Before we get into supplements that may be able to boost your memory let’s first take a look at somethings you may want to consider when it comes to memory and focus.

Train Yourself To Boost Your Memory The Right Way

If you’re a student trying to boost your memory for a test, the worst thing you can do is cram. Attempting to learn so much in too little time will not allow you to retain anything at all. You will only grasp bits of pieces of the material and will not be able to properly learn what you need to.

Visualizing yourself recalling information is actually a great way in which you can work to recall information. You are basically training your brain to be able to memorize items when you foresee yourself dipping into that memory bank to pull them out at a later date. Think of it like visualizing your hand turning a doorknob before you actually turn it.

Consider Your Diet

Believe it or not, your diet can have an impact on more than just your weight. It just stands to reason that a healthy diet can lead to a healthy body and a healthy brain. While I believe diet is an important part of health we know it is not the only part of health and well-being. That being said we need to recognize it is an important part of health and that includes our brain health.

Adding healthy brain food to your diet can boost healthy brain activity for life. Look for foods that are a veritable treasure trove of B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These vitamins and minerals have incredibly important functions for taking care of your brain. They also do a great job in supporting the functions of your brain. The healthier the brain, the better the memory will be.

Get Plenty of Rest!

Don’t skip on sleep if you want to improve your memory. It is when we sleep that our brains really go to work. During deep sleep, our brains are incredibly active in processing information and trying to understand problems. Skimping on your sleep will start having an almost immediate effect on your memory.

It’s interesting to note that the sensation known as deja vu is widely believed to be caused by the brain sending an event directly to long-term memory. Trauma to the head often erases long-term memory while sparing short-term memory. On the other hand, neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease do just the opposite. Whatever your situation is regarding focus and memory here are four promising supplements that may help.

Four Supplements for Cognition – Number 1 Agmatine

Agmatine sulfate is a common amino acid derived from L-arginine that’s involved in protein synthesis. When L-arginine undergoes decarboxylation, a process that results in the removal of a carboxylic acid group, it converts into agmatine sulfate.

Agmatine sulfate is stored in neurons within the brain and gets released when those neurons are activated. Agmatine sulfate is regarded as a neuromodulator and neurotransmitter which may explain some of the Agmatine sulfate nootropic benefits some people tend to experience.

As a nootropic, Agmatine sulfate offers a diverse profile of potential Agmatine sulfate benefits for brain health and function as well as overall fitness.

Supplement for Cognition – 2 Citicoline

Supplementation with citicoline is thought to improve cognitive dysfunction and neurological recovery in various conditions including traumatic brain injuries, stroke, vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and aging. However, the research to support citicoline benefits remains lacking and definitive recommendations for supplementing with citicoline cannot be made.

That being said, citicoline is well documented to be safe and there is growing evidence of its benefits for improving cognition and improving nerve function and possibly in helping people to deal with addiction recovery.

Supplement for Cognition – 3 Lion’s Mane

Extracts from lion’s mane mushrooms may be beneficial in the treatment of anxiety and depression. In a 2015 study, mice that consumed lion’s mane mushroom extract displayed fewer depressive behaviors and had blood markers that indicated lower depression. The researchers suggest that this is due to the extract’s anti-inflammatory effects.

The findings of a 2018 animal study support this, with the authors concluding that these mushroom extracts may contain agents that are useful for treating depressive disorders.In a small Japanese study , women with a variety of health complaints, including menopausal symptoms and poor sleep quality, ate cookies containing lion’s mane extracts or placebo cookies for 4 weeks. The participants who ate the extract reported lower levels of irritation and anxiety than those in the placebo group.

It is possible that lion’s mane mushrooms might boost cognitive function, but the existing research is mainly on animals. In one study, lion’s mane dietary supplements appeared to give mice better object recognition and recognition memory.

Other researchers have concluded that the mushrooms may have the potential to treat or prevent diseases that cause a decline in cognitive health, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. This is the supplement I take for cognition and it has improved my memory. Keep in mind that supplements can be very specific to each individual’s needs.

Supplement for Cognition – 4 Huperzine A

While research on the health effects of huperzine A is limited, there’s some evidence that huperzine A may offer certain benefits. Here’s a look at some key findings from the available research:

Huperzine-A appears to be of some benefit to people with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a 2013 research review published in PLoS One. Researchers searched for all randomized controlled trials on the efficacy and safety of huperzine A for Alzheimer’s disease and concluded that huperzine A was more effective than a placebo in terms of its effects on cognitive function, behavioral disturbance, and functional performance. This was also found in a 2008 review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

So there are four supplements that show promise for memory and focus. Will they work for you? The answer to that question lies in you testing the supplement out to see if it is what will benefit your memory. It may not make you an Einstein but it might help you to know where you left your car keys.

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