Memory loss is a normal part of aging, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms include an inability to remember and confusion. However, worsening of memory loss over time can be a sign of a more serious medical condition known as Alzheimer's disease. Research indicates that certain supplements are successful for helping to prevent and treat memory loss. Consult your doctor before taking any supplements for memory loss.
Phosphatidylserine
Phosphatidylserine, also known as PS, is a phospholipid that helps improve brain cells. Researchers investigated the effects of PS on patients with cognitive impairment. Participants consumed either 300 grams of PS or a placebo for six months. Scientists discovered that the PS group had significant increases in cognitive parameters, such as memory, compared with the placebo group, according to research published in the 1993 issue of the journal of "Aging."
Lipoic Acid and Acetyl-L-Carnitine
In a 2002 study conducted by the University of California at Berkeley, researchers documented the impact of the combination of lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine on benign memory loss. Researchers found that subjects taking the combination of lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine had considerably greater improvements in memory tasks compared with other control groups, according to research reported in the February 2002 issue of the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America."
Gingko Biloba
The herb gingko biloba might be helping in boosting memory. According to research reported in the March 2005 issue of the journal of "Psychopharmacology," participants ingesting gingko biloba experienced improvements on memory and attention tests. Researchers also found that after six weeks of supplementation, however, there was no longer an improvement in the cognitive tests.
Vitamin D
British researchers studied the effects of vitamin D on brain health, according to the USA Today website. They discovered that individuals deficient in vitamin D were more likely to experience cognitive impairment compared with those having sufficient levels of vitamin D.
References
- Aging: Cognitive Decline in the Elderly: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Multicenter Study on Efficacy of Phosphatidylserine Administration
- Proceedings of the Ntl. Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A: Memory Loss in Old Rats is Associated with Brain Mitochondrial Decay and RNA/DNA Oxidation: Partial Reversal by Feeding Acetyl-L-Carnitine and/or R-alpha Lipoic Acid
- Psychopharmacology: Differential Cognitive effects of Ginkgo biloba after acute and chronic Treatment in Healthy Young Volunteers
- USA Today: Study: Exercise, Tea and Vitamin D to Ward Off Dementia
- Mayo Clinic: Memory loss: When to Seek Help
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