Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
As we age, our brain function slows down naturally. This happens for two main reasons. First off, there is a drop that occurs in the concentration of growth factors that repair spaces between nerves, known as the synaptic region. This leads to a slower healing …
neurosynergy is a dietary supplement to support brain function, memory and concentration created by Dr. Alan Pressman. neurosynergy is an advanced nutritional supplement that combines L-alpha glycerlphosphorylcholine (alpha-GPC), ginkgo biloba phytosomes and phosphatidylcholine. These nutrients work synergistically to support proper nervous system function including mood …
Ninety-five percent of diabetes cases in adults are type 2 diabetes. Though several studies have shown that a healthy diet and regular physical activity can prevent diabetes all together, only a small amount of studies have been performed on the link between type 2 diabetes and the effect it has on a person’s memory and cognition – until now.
A new study, published in Neurology, has discovered that those with type 2 diabetes experience negative changes in their ability to regulate blood flow in the brain, causing lower scores on memory and cognition tests.
Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high levels of blood sugar resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both. The most common form, Type 2 diabetes, is the fastest growing disease in the world in a number of new cases. It is a major contributor to mortality and morbidity and is a direct result of the pandemic rise of obesity. However, Type 2 diabetes, through life style changes, can be avoided; and for those of you with Type 2 diabetes, you can take steps to control the disease and lower the risk of complications.
As we age, our brain function slows down naturally. This happens for two main reasons. First off, there is a drop that occurs in the concentration of growth factors that repair spaces between nerves (known as the synaptic region). This leads to a slower healing process of the synapse and a decrease in the efficiency of nerve transmission – therefore, cell-to-cell communication falters. Secondly, the numerous tiny power plants called mitochondria found in each nerve cell become old and wrinkled. Their efficiency decreases, therefore decreasing the creation of energy in the brain.
As it turns out, we can retool these mitochondria in order to restore energy production in the brain. When energy production is restored, memory and brain efficiency improves. When the brain has adequate energy and efficiency, healing can then take place. You can literally restore your brain’s healing ability by restoring some level of function to its neurons (the brain’s nerve cells). This also protects the brain from the increased level of toxic free radicals that are generated as we age. Increased levels of toxic free radicals lead to deteriorating brain function and loss of cognitive function, resulting in poor memory.
Dr. Vera Novak, study author at Harvard Medical School, explains, “Normal blood flow regulation allows the brain to redistribute blood to areas of the brain that have increased activity while performing tasks. People with type 2 diabetes have impaired blood flow regulation. Our results suggest that diabetes and high blood sugar impose a chronic negative effect on cognitive and decision-making skills.”
The study involved 40 people in total but was split into two groups – 19 people who had type 2 diabetes and 21 people who did not. The participants, with an average age of 66 years old, were tested once at the beginning of the study and again two years later. They underwent, not only cognition tests, but MRI scans of their brain and blood tests. These scans were used to observe the brains blood flow and the blood test tested the amount of control of blood sugar and inflammation.
Two years later, during the second part of the test, researchers realized that the participants with type 2 diabetes had major decreases in their ability to regulate blood flow in the brain –about a 65 percent decrease. Also discovered, “they scored 12 percent lower on memory and cognition tests than they has two years ago, while those without diabetes scored the same.”
Novak states, “Early detection and monitoring of blood flow regulation may be an important predictor of accelerated changes in cognitive and decision-making skills.” However, she suggests that more studies with larger groups and an extended follow up time would be needed to further understand the entire relationship between blood flow regulation and changes in memory and thinking skills.
Source: http://www.medicaldaily.com/
The saying, “You learn something new every day” is, in fact, true. But how much “memory space” does your brain actually have? And can your brain suddenly “run-out” of it?
Photo by Diego Ph on Unsplash In a recent study, researchers found that those diagnosed with Diabetes in their 50s were more likely to suffer from memory problems and other mental decline in their 70s. The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. …
Chocolate is one of nature’s most powerful super foods. In its natural form, it contains a wide variety of minerals, vitamins and antioxidant flavonoids that offer great health benefits. But the benefits of chocolate are generally reversed when milk, cholesterol from milk solids, and/or an enormous amount of refined sugar are added. Cocoa is naturally bitter in flavor so chocolate bars require a lot of sweetening. When cocoa is cooked, it becomes even more bitter.
According to a new study published by Columbia University Medical, a concentrated cocoa drink that contains plant compounds called flavanols (a subclass of flavonoids) seems to have a positive impact on reversing the impact of aging on the memory.
In their research, the team tested 37 healthy volunteers aged 50 to 69 who either drank a high-flavanol diet (900 mg of flavanols a day) or a low-flavanol diet (10 mg of flavanols a day) for three months. Everyone received functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans along with a memory test at the beginning, and again after the three months.
The results of the study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, was led by Dr. Scott Small. “If a participant had the memory of a typical 60-year-old at the beginning of the study, after three months that person on average had the memory of a typical 30- or 40-year-old,” stated Dr. Small. In addition, the flavanols that appear to aid in memory health can also support a healthy heart. “This very small trial highlights some possible effects of flavanols found in cocoa beans over a short time period, but we’d need to see much longer, large-scale studies to fully understand whether a diet high in these flavanols could boost cognition in old age,” said Dr. Simon Ridley, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Chocolate in its natural form (without the additives) includes essential minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc, as well as the Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and pantothenic acid. In addition, it has polyphenols similar to those found in wine that offer excellent antioxidant protection. These beneficial antioxidants increase circulation to the brain and heart, improving healthy blood flow. They also help to reduce the blood’s clotting function, potentially decreasing your risk of blood and cardiovascular related health issues. Together, these agents help improve various areas of health such as circulation, energy and mood. Flavonols appear to be the substances in cocoa that are responsible for boosting heart health and keeping blood pressure in the normal range. These substances appear to improve the bioavailability of nitric oxide from the cells that line the inner wall of blood vessels:
Cocoa may increase blood flow to the brain, according to new research published in the Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment journal. The researchers suggest that long-term improvements in brain blood flow could impact cognitive behavior, offering future potential research into a healthy aging brain, increased memory and lowering risk for debilitating events. In a scientific study of healthy, older adults ages 59 to 83, Harvard medical scientists found that study participants who regularly drank a cocoa flavonol-rich beverage had an eight percent increase in brain blood flow after one week, and 10 percent increase after two weeks. In this first-of-its-kind study, the researchers found both short and long-term benefits of cocoa flavonols for brain blood flow, offering future potential for the one in seven older Americans. Scientists speculate that maintaining an increased blood flow to the brain could slow this cognitive decline.