Memory vitamin and nutritional supplements

Many memory enhancer vitamin supplements have been introduced over the past few years that promise to enhance or sharpen memory, intelligence, mood, vision, and mental performance. We have reviewed the very latest research regarding these breakthrough memory enhancer vitamins.

Some Memory Vitamin supplements are:
Acetyl-l-Carnitine is used in a dosage of 100 to 500 mg. See also acetylcarnitine supplement information.
DMAE is used in a dosage ranging from 100 to 400 mg
CDP-Choline is a form of choline used in dosage of 100 to 300 mg.

Many vitamins can help with memory.

Brain Chemicals involved in memory and cognition include:
Acetylcholine is made from choline. Dopamine is involved in mood, movement, and sexuality. Serotonin is involved in mood and impulse control. GABA helps with relaxation.

Fats as Memory vitamin help
Certain fats can help with memory and these include EPA and DHA found in fish oils. Learn about eicosapentanoic acid, docosahexanoic acid, and flaxseed oil.
   Low levels of HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol, are associated with poor short-term memory in middle-aged adults. According to researcher Dr. Archana Singh-Manoux at INSERM and Hopital Paul Brousse, Paris and colleagues at University College London, HDL cholesterol is an important brain compound and is thought to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, online July 1, 2008.
   Lowering cholesterol levels aggressively through statin drugs may cause memory problems.

Memory food or diet
Diet or food selection influences memory. Eating more fish improves memory. A diet rich in fish, omega-3 oils, fruits and vegetables lowers the risk for dementia and Alzheimer's disease, whereas consuming omega-6 rich oils increases chances of developing memory problems.
   Preschoolers whose mothers regularly ate low-mercury fish during pregnancy have sharper minds with better memory than their peers.

Tips for memory problems
Keep a book with you to record important information, phone numbers, names, ideas you have, appointments, your address, and directions to your home.
Place sticky notes around the house when you need to remember things.
Use a calendar to keep track of time and to remember important dates.

Memory Vitamins in the form of Phospholipids, Choline, and Related Nutrients
Choline converts into acetylcholine. Phosphatidylcholine and Phosphatidylserine are phospholipids that line cell membranes in the brain.     

Memory vitamins - B Vitamins and Coenzymes
   The B vitamins can be considered memory vitamins. These include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, nicotinamide, and NADH - nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. Additional memory vitamins include Pantothenic acid and Pantothene,    Pyridoxine and Pyridoxal Phosphate, and vitamin b12 and memory supplements.

Vitamin b12 and memory
   Various forms of B12 are available including cyanocobalamin and dibencozide.

Methyl Donors — For More Energy, Better Mood, (and Longer Life?)
   DMAE, dimethylaminoethanol, DMG, Dimethylglycine and TMG, Trimethyglycine       

Mind Energizers—Think Faster, Sharper, and Longer 
   Carnitine is a precursor to acetylcarnitine. CoQ10 helps with energy metabolism, and Lipoic Acid is a potent antioxidant that can work on nerve tissue.

Amino Acids—Building Blocks for Brain Chemicals
   Tryptophan, 5-Hydroxytryptophan, 5-HTP, Phenylalanine and Tyrosine

Brain Hormones: Potent Memory and Sex Boosters
        What Can Brain Hormones Do for You?
For women undergoing menopause, trouble with forgetting names and the like is related to the hot flashes they're experiencing.
The more hot flashes a woman had per day, on average, the worse her verbal memory.
        Do Middle-Aged and Older Women Need Male Hormones?
        DHEA: The Parent of Estrogen and Testosterone
        Pregnenolone: The Grandmother of All Steroid Hormones
        Melatonin: Nature’s Sleeping Pill
        The Multi-Hormone Replacement Solution for Different Age Groups
        Cautions and Potential Side Effects

15. Psychoactive Herbs: Recommended by Mother Nature
        Ginkgo Biloba herbal extract
        Huperzine A supplement
        Kava is not a memory vitamin but rather an herb for relaxation.
        St. John’s Wort for depression remedy
        Vinpocetine for brain blood flow
        Additional Herbs and Food-Like Supplements
            Bacopa is not a memory vitamin rather a memory herb. Galantamine is available without a prescription.

Memory problems after surgery
People 60 years of age or older who undergo elective surgery such as joint replacements or hysterectomies have lasting memory problems and are more likely to die in the first year after their surgery. It is agreed that patients undergoing heart surgery are at risk for problems with memory, concentration, processing of information. About 30 to 40 percent of adult patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery have some form of memory or processing problem when they are discharged, but most people recover after three months. Those 60 and older are more than twice as likely to still have problems three months after surgery. And those that have problems are more likely to die within the first year after surgery. Surgery and anesthesia cause swelling in the brain that can affect the patient's ability to learn, retain or remember information.
            
Memory Vitamin Emails
Q. I am 21 years old and have tried numerous herbs, for example alpha lipoic acid , hupernize A, just plain choline, and ginkgo biloba. All except ginkgo seem to give overstimulation. Can amino acids or vinpocetine give the same cognitive benefits as ginko for memory and concentration?
   A. It's difficult to notice a significant improvement in cognition at your age. Most of these supplements, particularly huperzine are best appreciated by older individuals. If you notice being overstimulated, just take less. Mind Boosters at your age should only be used once in a while, not daily. Vinpocetine is not likely to benefit you, it is best for people who have poor circulation to the brain which is unlikely to be a problem for anyone younger than 50. Amino acids such as tyrosine can be used occasionally to help with alertness.

Q. Is it safe to take bacopa monniera for memory improvement? I am on blood pressure medication.
   A. We can only refer your doctor to read the page on bacopa and decide for you. We can't make that judgment regarding blood pressure medication interactions with bacopa or other memory herbs. Much depends on your overall health and dosage of medicines used.

Q. I am a 24 years old student from Iraq i have trouble concentrating, like if someone tells me a story on the phone , my concentration is scattered, no memory, i keep asking about the parts of story and i get really embarassed and if my mum tells me to turn off the cocker at 5 i forget to turn it off at that time. please can you tell me what is wrong with me? shall i do exercise or what?
   A. There are many causes of concentration problems, most common in your age group is stress, which is understandable if you are living in a community in Iraq that has had its share of violence. Lack of deep sleep is also an issue, along with family problems, lack of exercise, and not enough good food such as fish.

Q. I heard from some people that there is a solution to very unusual memory problems like I have. I have had a memory problem for about five years and I have taken many medications. What I think is having memory problems only on the right side and I maybe have many dead cells on that side of my brain. I thought I had heard that your organization could do surgery in the brain to take out the dead cells.
   A. We are not aware of brain surgery that takes out dead cells for memory improvement.

Q. I've heard of different supplements that can enhance cognition and memory, including DMAE and Rhodiola. What are your thoughts on their efficacy and safety of these memory supplements on healthy adults in their 20's, 30's, and 40's? How do these cognition and memory supplements compare to products like Adderall and Provigil? Are they better from a safety standpoint? Are they less effective?
   Q.  It is not possible to predict which nutrient, herb, or combination formula, will be effective until one takes the supplement for a few days or a couple of weeks. There are quite a number of memory supplements that are worth trying including acetyl l-carnitine, ginkgo biloba, DMAE, trimethylglycine, vinpocetine, fish oils, choline, cdp-choline, rhodiola, and bacopa monnieri. A popular combination formula is Mind Power Rx which has a small amount of more than a dozen brain nutrients and herbs. One option is to buy three of four of these supplements. Then, each morning, for a period of one week, take one capsule of a particular supplement. Next, take 3 or 4 days off and resume your experiment with a different supplement for a week. After you have experimented with each supplement you have purchased, you will have a better idea which one, or which ones, work for you. I am not aware of any other way to determine which product will be effective for any one person without actually trying it. Note: Some of these supplements are potent, so if you are over the age of 50, or are taking hormones, medications, or other supplements, discuss with your health care provider who may suggest you begin with half a capsule or a tablet rather than the full dose.
   Mind and memory supplements, such as ginkgo biloba and others, are best reserved for occasional use in those who are in their 30s and 40s. These supplements can be taken on days when one wishes to be more alert, focus better, and have more mental stamina. But I do not recommend non-stop daily use of these brain boosters for years or decades since we don't know the long term consequences. Memory-boosting supplements such as acetyl l-carnitine, fish oils, choline, etc, actually help supply nutrients to brain tissue and are already naturally found in the brain unlike drugs such as Provigil which are not found normally in the brain. Drugs have a much higher rate of side effects than do the natural supplements. Some people prefer to take natural pills while others don't mind taking drugs. The proper use of natural supplements for mental enhancement, in my opinion, is just as or more effective than taking pharmaceutical drugs. Exercise, diet, yoga, and deep sleep are crucial for optimal mental health, but supplements can be an addition to a natural mind enhancement program.

Q. I read a newsletter by Dr. Ray Sahelian but I need a memory improvement herb, I tend to forget things, I am also a diabetic. My Physician do not believe in these memory herb products. Please advice on what improve memory herb product to take - ALA, Galantamine, Huperzine, Ginkgo Biloba?
   A. It is very difficult for us to accurately suggest a supplement for memory improvement since each person is different, but a combination with several nutrients and herbs found in Mind Power Rx is a good option if your doctor approves.

Q. Can u pls tell me the best herb or any natural substance to help improve memory supplement.
   A. Each person is different, so it is difficult to say which supplement will work for memory improvement. However, Mind Power Rx is a good combination.

have read Mind Boosters book. I'm currently going through a course of ECT for a severe and chronic case of bipolar depression. I am 29 year old male. I'm
wondering if you can suggest some supplements/meds to help with the memory loss, that are safe to take during ECT. In addition, I'm wondering about AMPAkines to help increase my memory and potentially as antidepressants. Do you know of any natural sources (supplements/herbs) that act as AMPAkines that are available in the market today? I'm currently on the following for memory: Huperzine A Acetyl-l-carnitine Lecithin DMAE ENADA NADH Citicholine Phosphaditdylserine Memantine and I have some Aricept on order. Is there anything I am missing, or are any of these unsafe to use with ECT? I'm also on a host of medications: agomelatine (imported from ukraine) 50mg, geodon 120mg, lithium ER 450mg, clomipramine 150mg, memantine 20mg, deplin 7.5mg, lunesta 3mg.
    We can't provide individual advice on what to take and in what combinations, but sometimes taking more can be less helpful than taking less. We have not seen studies regarding the use of natural supplements along with ECT treatment, so it is difficult to say what effect they would have.

I have a male patient,  67yrs, very healthy and vibrant fellow, who suffered a head-on collision 3yrs ago. By all examination he is fully recovered from moderate physical injury. What lingers is his adamant claim of sudden loss of his ability to track is daily life, mostly with respect to short-term memory, and to a lesser extend cognitive function. He has been referred out for brain re-integrtion therapy, having been assessed to suffer hemispheric communication reversal. I currently have him on Std Process Cataplex B & Catplex F (efa), MediHerb Coleus, and Salvia Root. Research on phosphatidyl serine led me to your site. I read your monogram on your brain power product, but in the end I do not have a sense of it's applicability to this case.
    It is difficult to predict which single brain formula or combination memory formula will help a person in such a case. One approach is to try different formulas, herbs and nutrients for a couple of weeks each and perhaps Mind Power Rx may be helpful but it is nearly impossible to predict the outcome.

We want to produce a brain supplement to enhance cognition and memory, and we would like to know if you could manufacture it. We may also want to use Piracetam and Vinpocetine, but still we have to check if its possible to sell a supplement here in Portugal with those two components, so by now we'll use only the listed components. Of course we can remove some component if you think that it could be a bad idea to include it. Please, if you think that something else would be mixed to achieve our objective results enhance cognition and memory, tell it to us. We know that you're the real experts and I would love to hear your suggestions about how to improve the components. The component list of each pill would be the following, later I'll tell you the exact dosage:

Gingo biloba
Magnesium
Calcium
Curcumin
B12 ( Methylcobalamin)
Folic Acid
Piridoxine HCL (Vit. B6):
B5
DMAE (2-dimetilaminoetanol)
.- Vit. C
.- l-phenylalanine
.- Phosphatidylserine
.- Melatonin
.- N-Acetil-L-Carnitina
.- Glycerophosphocholine (GPC)
.- Gotu kola
.- Pregnenolone
.- Citicoline
.- Centrophenoxine
.- Bacopa Extract supplement
.- Choline (as choline citrate)
.- Pyritinol
.- Dihydroergotoxine
.- Choline Bitartrate

    Thanks for sending this list, but at this time we are not formulating products for other companies.

I have been reading about this product oxytocin. Parents are trying this product to help with calming their children. I was looking for something natural to help my 9 yr old stay focused during school. Would you be able to recommend something?

I have come accross a report on erowid. That guy claims that this combo gives him photographic memory and improves his life dramatically. It's my idea that you could try this combination and if it really works, produce in one capsule. So that potential users can just buy it ready-in-one-capsule, instead of buying all ingredients. That's his report: Transcendent Combo Hydergine, DMAE, Green Tea & Vitamins / Supplements. DOSE: 9 mg sublingual Hydergine (daily)100 mg oral DMAE (daily) oral Vitamins / Supplements. I have used just about every smart dru' on the market. I have tried Aniracetam, Oxiracetam, Piracetam, Hydergine. Also I have tried huperzine A, Ginko, Vinpotocene, Dmae, high-choline Lecethin, Acetyl-L-Carnitin, and tons over other substances. I think I have stumbled over the perfect combination. Piracetam and its other analougs never seemed to do very much for me. Hydergine allways seemed to give me the most noticeable results so I have decided to up my dosage to 9mg a day sublingually. My current daily regimin is: 9mg of hydergine sublingually, 1500mg of Acetyl-L-Carnitine, 100mg of dmae, A multivitamin, an extra B-Complex vitamin, 420mg of choline (from soy lecethin), milk thistle for liver, and about 10 cups of green tea. This is the absolute most effective combination i have found for the money. The green tea seems to make hydergine 100X more effective. I am in another world when I take this combonation. I have incredible photographic memory, and it feels like I have transended to another level of conciousness. I really like it and just wanted to share my experiances.

Benefit of NeuroBright memory pills
RBC Life Sciences, Inc., a provider of proprietary nutritional supplements and wound care/pain management products, announced in August 2009 the debut of NeuroBright, a patent-pending, nutritional supplement that improved test subjects' learning and memory skills by 50 percent during a recent laboratory trial. The researcher who conducted the NeuroBright trial said few of the studies he has conducted in his 25 years in the field of neuroscience saw such dramatic improvements in cognitive function. Lucien Thompson, head of the neuroscience program in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas, said that his two-year animal study of NeuroBright showed that both young and aging rats in controlled trials saw marked improvement in learning and memory tasks similar to those that confront elderly populations. NeuroBright also improved psychomotor skills, including strength, endurance and balance, according to the study. NeuroBright is a synergistic blend of herbs, whole food nutrients and RBC Life Sciences' Microhydrin, a formulated antioxidant whose health benefits have been detailed in some clinical and peer-reviewed studies. The company has filed for a composition-of-matter patent to protect NeuroBright's formulation.. RBC Life Sciences develops, manufactures and markets nutritional supplements and personal care products to a growing population of consumers seeking wellness and a healthy lifestyle. Under its MPM Medical brand, RBC Life Sciences also develops and markets to health care professionals in the United States proprietary prescription and nonprescription products for advanced wound care and pain management.

Jarrow Formulas, Inc., a global wellness and nutritional product company headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, has announced the launch of BrainBoost with clinically tested ingredients to deliver both short-term and long-term cognitive benefits. One of the major ingredients in BrainBoost is Sharp-PS GOLD, an activated form of Phosphatidylserine (PS), which has a conjugated complex of DHA (omega-3) fatty acid bound to the backbone of the PS. This complex is more bioactive because this form of PS is found naturally in the brain. PS is important for cell membrane fluidity and improves brain uptake of DHA. PS-DHA cannot be obtained from any vegan source and is the most clinically validated form of PS. BrainBoost also contains ChocoMind (from Theobroma cacao), a patent-pending extract high in theobromine that has been shown to positively affect cognitive and motor functions, including reaction time. Additionally, BrainBoost contains Vinpocetine which supports brain metabolism by increasing brain circulation, enhancing the cerebral synthesis of ATP, improving the utilization of oxygen and supporting the synthesis of several neurotransmitters that affect such critical brain functions as memory, recall, focus and mood. “We are excited about Jarrow’s decision to make Sharp-PS GOLD a major component of BrainBoost,” says Elzaphan Hotam, CEO of Enzymotec USA, a biotechnology company that develops and produces innovative biofunctional ingredients and suppliers of Sharp-PS GOLD. “We truly believe this is an important step for making this ingredient a standard for the entire cognitive supplement industry.”