Home » Health » 5 Vitamins Your Brain

5 Vitamins for memory and brain function

Vitamins for memory

Vitamins are crucial for your overall well-being, so your brain needs them too in order to function properly.

A lot of issues like memory and focusing problem are related to vitamin deficiencies. The brain needs various vitamin to function properly, however some of them are more important than others. We present the five most important vitamins for the brain health and power.

Vitamin B

This vitamin fights depression, slows down the brain aging process, and prevents memory loss. According to many studies, Vitamin B complex provides numerous benefits. Fredrik Jerneren of the University of Oxford has conducted a study which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, revealing that this vitamin is beneficial in the brain atrophy treatment, and that it helps avoid age-related brain-wasting.

The production of many important neurotransmitters for brain health is assisted by vitamin B. So, Vitamin B complex enhances the neurotransmitter balance and therefore your mental well-being too.

There foods are the best Vitamin B sources: green leafy vegetables, legumes, fish, eggs, poultry, peas, spinach, potatoes, carrots, and bananas.

Vitamin C

This vitamin is crucial for your overall health, and it is part of brain supplements with a reason. It increases the levels of the “happy” hormone (serotonin) and therefore has an antidepressant function.

The Free Radical Radiology and Medicine has published a study of James M. May and Fiona E. Harrison of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, explaining all the beneficial effects of this vitamin on brain health. Some of the most important ones are:

  • Prevents lipid peroxidation caused by different oxidizing agents
  • Causes synaptic maturation of the neurons, something that other antioxidants can’t mimic
  • Has a significant part in the process of memorization, learning, locomotion, etc.
  • Vitamin C protect our brain from dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke.

The foods which are the best sources of Vitamin C are: citrus fruits, peppers, cantaloupe, berries, tomatoes, pineapple, green leafy vegetables, winter squash, white and sweet potatoes, and cruciferous vegetables.

Vitamin D

The so-called “sunshine vitamin” can’t be obtained through food as much as the other vitamins. But it is highly important for brain function and health.

Soni M. of the University of Exeter has conducted a study which was published in the Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, showing that Vitamin D deficiency is connected to increased risk of cognitive decline.

Moreover, this vitamin improves your mood, memory, and increases your problem-solving capacities. It is recommended taking this vitamin as a supplement, since it can’t be obtained from foods in sufficient amounts, and on the other hand exposing your skin on sun is bad for its health. Make sure you consult a doctor before buying any vitamin D supplement.

Foods that contain some amount of Vitamin D are fortified milk, sardines, tuna, mushrooms, mackerel, and salmon.

Vitamin E

Not only that this vitamin is considered to be beneficial for the heart health, but it’s also good for the brain function. It prevents memory decline caused by aging, and combined with Vitamin C offers even more benefits.

This vitamin works similarly as the Cogniflex brain supplement in terms of preventing memory decline and improving memory. The Archives of Neurology has published the results from the study conducted by a team of researchers, led by Zandi P. P. from the Johns Hopkins University. They showed that Vitamin E and Vitamin C combination is associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Foods considered as best sources of Vitamin E are: seeds, broccoli, nuts, avocados, shrimp, green leafy vegetables, and olive oil.

Vitamin K

Although Vitamin K benefits for the brain function aren’t so popular, they are still very important. This vitamin helps the calcium absorption, plays an important role in blood clotting, enhances the speed of brain functions, and keeps your brain sharp.

Nancy Presse and a team of scientists from the University of Montreal has conducted a study which was published in Neurobiology of Aging, which proved that the intake of Vitamin K is related to improved memory and cognitive functions in older adults.

Since people with Alzheimer’s disease have Vitamin K deficiency, it is considered that this vitamin could prevent the occurrence of this disease.

Foods considered as best sources of Vitamin K are: green leafy vegetables, celery, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, fermented foods, asparagus, cabbage, and parsley.

Conclusion

The brain needs various vitamins to function properly, which also improve its cognitive abilities and protect it from damage. We presented the five most important vitamins for your brain health as well as their food sources, so that you can add them in your everyday diet.

Archives