While researchers are actively studying supplements and prescription and over-the-counter drugs to fight age-related cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease, there isn’t actually a lot of evidence to say what a healthy, middle-aged person should take to boost brain health and stave off future problems. What’s more, the studies that do exist frequently contradict each other, leaving even the experts scratching their heads. As science continues to search for the brain-health magic bullet, here are some of the best-researched options that may protect your brain and help you stay sharp.
Growing research suggests that cognitive decline and age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s result from free-radical damage in the brain. While few studies have shown consistent results from individual supplements, antioxidants like vitamins C and E are proven free-radical fighters and work synergistically to protect cells from oxidative damage. Because vitamin E is fat soluble, it has access to parts of the brain (which is more than 60 percent fat) that other antioxidants can’t reach, making it especially valuable. A 2004 study in the journal Archives of Neurology found that older adults who took 500 milligrams of vitamin C and 400 IU of vitamin E supplements together had lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. If you supplement with vitamin E, look for mixed natural tocopherols or d-alpha tocopherol rather than the synthetic form, dl-alpha tocopherol.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is another fat-soluble antioxidant able to get into fatty brain cell membranes and protect them from free radicals. It’s made by every cell in your body and helps the mitochondria—cell structures responsible for producing energy—do their job. With aging, however, levels of CoQ10 decline, and your brain may not have enough to perform all of its critical functions or to protect itself against free radicals. Preliminary studies show encouraging results with supplementing for Alzheimer’s and especially Parkinson’s disease, but more research in humans is needed. For basic brain health, start with 30 milligrams a day.
Ginkgo biloba is possibly the best-known supplement for brain health, but research shows mixed results. Ginkgo contains antioxidant compounds called flavonoids and terpenoids that can help prevent free-radical damage to the brain that might impair mental function. It also increases blood flow to the brain, potentially enhancing memory. There is plenty of promising research on the herb not just for preventing cognitive decline but also for improving existing dementia and Alzheimer’s. For example, a 2010 review of studies in the journal Pharmacopsychiatry found that using standardized ginkgo biloba extract for six months improved cognitive function in people with dementia. And a 2009 review of studies in Human Psychopharmacology noted that consistently taking ginkgo improves higher-level thinking and long-term memory.
However, two large, long-term studies published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that ginkgo biloba did not reduce cognitive decline or prevent dementia in people taking 120 milligrams twice a day. The researchers acknowledged that more than 40 percent of the subjects dropped out of the study before it ended (a definite drawback), and participants were all more than seventy years old, so starting the supplement earlier in life may still protect brain function. Ginkgo is safe and relatively inexpensive, so if you’d like to try it, take 120 milligrams once or twice a day (the amount used in most studies).
Some studies show that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, may prevent Alzheimer’s. A 2008 study in Alzheimer’s & Dementia found that people with the Apo E-4 gene (a marker of increased risk for Alzheimer’s) who took a combination of NSAIDs, 500 milligrams of vitamin C, and 400 IU of vitamin E at least four times a week showed less cognitive decline than nonusers. Taking NSAIDs regularly may raise homocysteine levels, which can aggravate neurological problems such as inflammation, depression, memory problems, and cognitive decline; take a vitamin B-50 complex supplement to keep levels in check. NSAIDs have some side effects, in particular gastrointestinal problems and the possibility of rebound headaches, so ask your doctor if the risks outweigh the benefits for you.
Although early research on statins, which are normally used for lowering cholesterol, proved promising for also preventing dementia, later studies have failed to show any benefit. Statins also significantly slow your ability to produce brain-boosting CoQ10 (
59), so if you take statins for cholesterol, add a 50-milligram CoQ10 supplement to your regimen.
