As we get older, it’s natural to start thinking about brain health, memory, and trying to protect ourselves from cognitive decline. The good news is that there are plenty of nutrients, plants, probiotics, and more that can contribute to helping preserve cognitive function as we age.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3s are a family of nutrients known as polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs for short. These “healthy fats” are extremely important to your brain health, and deficiency is thought to contribute to a number of brain disorders.
A round-up of 9 different placebo-controlled studies suggests that omega-3s may provide benefits to memory in older adults, likely because of improved blood flow in the brain.
Omega-3s are found in fish oil supplements. When comparing labels, you may notice the terms "DHA", "EPA", and/or "ALA". DHA is the key omega-3 fatty acid in the brain, while EPA is generally thought of as being important for reducing systemic inflammation. ALA is a plant-derived omega-3 fatty acid that can be converted into DHA and EPA by our bodies, but not efficiently.
You don’t necessarily need omega-3 supplements to get this critical nutrient into your diet. You can find omega-3s in fish, especially fatty fish like salmon and tuna. They’re also found in less bioavailable forms in nuts and seeds like walnuts and flaxseed, oils like flaxseed and canola oil, and certain fortified foods.
Curcumin (Turmeric)
Turmeric has been used both as a spice and as a health booster for a long time. A cornerstone of Indian cuisine, this yellow spice contains curcumin, an anti-inflammatory agent that poses several health benefits.
A meta-analysis of 12 studies suggests that bioavailable forms of curcumin were associated with statistically significant benefits to working memory and other aspects of cognition, in people with and without cognitive issues. Notably, use of curcumin supplements can cause some gastrointestinal side effects.
While turmeric is used in many dishes, taking certain supplements will give you a much more bioavailable form of curcumin for better absorption.
Probiotics
While many people may associate probiotics with gut health, that’s far from the only way they can benefit people. For instance, psychobiotics are probiotics that benefit mental health. They seem to do this by influencing the biochemistry of our brains.
Psychobiotics can offer a wide variety of benefits, to mood and behavior. In studies they’ve been associated with improvements to sleep quality and stress, low mood, and more.
Those benefits also include memory! The probiotic strain MCC1274 was associated with improved memory in healthy older adults with memory complaints or mild cognitive impairment. While many of the items in this article can be obtained from a healthy diet, MCC1274 cannot.
However, it can be found in Neuralli Cognition+. There, it’s combined with PS23, which has been shown to reduce muscle damage after intense exercise, in addition to its psychobiotic traits. Together, these two probiotic strains make for a powerful combination designed to help people age with grace.
B-Vitamins
B-vitamins have been studied in conjunction with brain health for ages. Low B-vitamin status can affect cognitive function in the short term, but it also appears to be connected to age-related cognitive impairment and decline. In particular, several B vitamins are essential for maintaining the health of neurons and synthesizing key neurotransmitters that support memory and focus.
Vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and vitamin B9 (also called folate) all help your body process an amino acid called homocysteine. The methylation cycle associated with homocysteine is vital for DNA repair and brain cell communication.
While the different B vitamins appear in different foods, they’re most common in animal proteins, dairy products, leafy green vegetables, and beans. Many grains in the U.S. are fortified with B vitamins. A synthetic version of B9 called “folic acid” is used to fortify grains in 70 countries, including the U.S., because of how important it is to neural development in fetuses.
People who eat a vegan diet should be aware that B12 does not appear in plant-based foods, and you will probably need to take a supplement to get B12.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E has been associated with slowing the progression of cognitive decline in many studies, perhaps due to its antioxidant properties. However, the picture is not entirely a clear one. A 2021 review of 22 studies noted that only half of the included studies suggested that Vitamin E had a neuroprotective effect.
While you can find vitamin E supplements, you should be aware that it’s possible to get too much Vitamin E. Fortunately there are plenty of foods that provide this potentially brain-protecting nutrient. Green vegetables like spinach and broccoli, fruits like kiwi and mango, seeds like almonds and peanuts, and oils like soybean oil and sunflower oil all contain vitamin E.
Lion’s mane
Lion’s mane is a type of mushroom known for its antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. Studies suggest that some of its components can cross the blood-brain barrier, promote nerve growth, and even improve mood and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults. Studies of people with cognitive impairment show improvement associated with lion’s mane.
That said, research so far seems to show that incorporating mushrooms like lion’s mane into your daily life over the long term is better than trying to use them as an intervention for age-related cognitive decline.
Ashwagandha
With a long history in Ayurvedic medicine, Ashwagandha root has been in use for over 3,000 years, with claimed benefits to the immune and endocrine systems, as well as brain health. These claims have been bolstered by research, including studies on memory in people with mild cognitive impairment, as well as healthy, but stressed adults.
Ginseng
Ginseng has been used medicinally for over 2,000 years across several East Asian folk medicine traditions. Today, research shows that it provides benefits that range from immune function to stress relief to nervous system functions like learning and memory.
Ginseng’s benefits include protecting memory against cognitive impairment in both animal studies and humans. The combination of ginseng and Gingko biloba has even been associated with improved memory in healthy, middle-aged adults.
How can I slow down memory loss in old age?
There are plenty of ways to help stay sharp as you get older. They include brain training games like problem-solving activities and puzzles. Physical exercise has also been associated with improvements to memory. Following a plant-focused diet with a focus on antioxidants and avoiding saturated fats, like the MIND Diet, can go a long way.
The supplements listed here can help, too! From ancient solutions like ashwagandha and ginseng to the focused gut-brain probiotic combination in Neuralli Cognition+, there are plenty of research-backed options out there for boosting memory as you age.
