by The popularity of brain health supplements continues to surge. Their meteoric rise in demand and usage isn’t surprising because many people want to have an edge in today’s extremely competitive world. For them, one way to gain an advantage over others is to boost the brain’s function, focus, memory, and creativity with the help of cognitive enhancers.
There are many types of brain-boosting supplements on the market today. To know which products work and which ones don’t, you must read labels, do your research, and check online ratings, such as WholisticResearch’s recent NooCube review. But always remember that just like other types of supplements, cognitive enhancers come with benefits as well as risks.
Reasons To Take Brain Health Supplements
Here are five reasons taking supplements for your brain is a bright idea:
1. Aids In Memory Improvement
Brain fog and memory lapses are problems everybody can experience as they age. Eating a healthy diet and playing games like chess and crossword puzzles may help strengthen your memory. Aside from brain games, however, taking brain health supplements may help improve both short- and long-term memory.
Supplements that contain ingredients like Bacopa monnieri and HuperzineA may raise brain activity, particularly memory functions. Bacopa monnieri may boost signaling functions in the hippocampus, a part of the brain responsible for memory processing. Meanwhile, experts believe that HuperzineA may enhance short-term memory in healthy people.
2. Improves Mental Agility
Did you know that your brain consumes as much as 20% of your body’s energy to function correctly? Although you can get the necessary vitamins and minerals your brain needs from your food, such a source may not be enough to power your brain to the fullest.
So if you want to improve your mind’s agility and function, you may need the help of cognitive enhancing supplements. Alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (Alpha-GPC) is one primary ingredient that your brain supplement should have. This helps produce acetylcholine, a brain chemical essential in improving mental sharpness and retentiveness.
3. Enhances Concentration Ability
To boost one’s performance at work or in school, concentration and mental endurance are vital. Unfortunately, there are plenty of distractions these days, including social media, online games, and easy access to entertainment. Brain health supplements may help maintain one’s focus, boost multitasking abilities, and enhance mental flexibility in easily distracted people.
4. Stabilizes Mood
It’s challenging for many individuals to control their anxiety and mood swings because of many triggers, which may include social media and even bad vibes from colleagues. Since negative emotions can affect one’s quality of life and mental performance, you may need to increase your dopamine, a brain chemical linked to feeling good improving your mood. Some brain health supplements contain ingredients like L-tyrosine, an amino acid responsible for producing dopamine.
5. Helps Ease Stress
Managing stress is a crucial reason a lot of people take brain health supplements. Ingredients like Bacopa monnieri and L-theanine are natural stress relievers. Many believe that these ingredients may also help prevent insomnia, which may be responsible for poor memory and concentration and even unhealthy weight gain.
Risks Of Taking Brain Health Supplements
There may be possible downsides linked to brain supplements. Here are some of the top risks you should be aware of:
1. Could Lead To Misuse
Misuse of cognitive enhancers is one problem that many teens are facing today. Since these supplements boost brain function and memory, even young students feel the need to use them to maintain good grades and get into prestigious colleges. What’s worse, some take more than the suggested dosages with the misguided belief that consuming more supplements would be better for enhancing their mental capacity.
It’s worth noting, however, that brain health supplements aren’t for everyone. For one, these enhancers are ideal for people aged 18 years old and above. Additionally, if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it would be best to take a break from taking them.
2. May Interfere With Medications
People taking medications, such as antibiotics, maintenance medications, and even over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, must always seek their doctor’s advice before going for any supplements. Before you take any brain-boosting supplement, it’s best to know if the ingredients found in the cognitive enhancer of your choice could affect the efficacy of the medicines you’re already taking.
3. Possible Quality Issues
Many unscrupulous individuals would like to make money from the increasing popularity of brain enhancers, so they manufacture and sell products of inferior quality. To minimize the risk of taking substandard products, see to it that you’re getting your supplement from a reputable company. Take the time to read online reviews on known health blogs and testimonials from users regarding any cognitive enhancer you’re looking to purchase.
The Bottom Line
There’s no doubt that exercising regularly, eating healthy, and getting adequate sleep are the best ways to improve your mental functions. However, if you feel that you need more help, you can take brain health supplements. But before you do, it’s prudent to know the reasons you may need cognitive enhancers in the first place and the risks linked to such supplements.
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