The Two Brain Health Supplements You Need As You Age

There are literally hundreds of brain health supplements on the market, each touting how well it could keep your brain healthy as you age. Each expert you ask has his or her favorites.

When you consider which brain health supplements you want to take, I suggest you evaluate Phosphatidylserine and Ashwagandha, because they can support cognitive health.

Let’s take a look at each.

Phosphatidylserine Supports Thinking and Memory

Phosphatidylserine could improve your thinking skills and memory. It could also help combat the decline in brain function as you age. 

Phosphatidylserine is a type of fat compound called a phospholipid, which can be found in your brain. Taking phosphatidylserine supplements could be helpful for preserving brain health. (1)

Studies have shown that taking 100 mg of phosphatidylserine three times per day could help reduce age-related decline in brain function. (2, 3, 4, 5)

Additionally, healthy people who take phosphatidylserine supplements of up to 400 mg per day have been shown to have improved thinking skills and memory. (6, 7)

Why is Phosphatidylserine So Beneficial to the Brain?

As we age, we often lose some sharpness in the complex functions of memory and cognition. Phosphatidylserine may help keep us sharp because it’s vital to brain cell structure and function and plays an important role in the brain's neurotransmitter systems, metabolism, and maintaining nerve connections.

In an Italian study, researchers assessed the effects of phosphatidylserine on mental deterioration and compared it to a placebo. In the study, 87 test subjects, aged 55 to 80, with moderate cognitive deterioration, received either 300 milligrams of phosphatidylserine or a placebo for a 60-day period. (8)

Results from follow-up evaluation done at 60 days and then at 90 days, revealed improvements in the treatment group with regards to cognitive functions such as attention, concentration ,and short-term memory. Behavioral measurements also showed improvement such as in socialization aspects, daily living, and of being more engaged with one's environment and self-sufficiency. (8)

Phosphatidylserine may help sharpen memory and mental acuity. It has these attributes:

• A soy-based brain nutrient
• Supports communication between brain cells
• Helps maintain concentration and recall

This natural hormone supports communication between brain cells and promotes memory function. Phosphatidylserine circulates throughout the central nervous system and builds a healthy infrastructure of communication to support memory and cognitive function. 

Ashwagandha, A Powerful Adaptogen That Supports Brain Health

Ashwagandha, is an incredible medicinal herb that offers many benefits, such as supporting healthy levels of:

• Blood sugar
• Muscle mass
• Body fat
• Immune function
• Cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Studies indicate that ashwagandha may be able to do all of this, but what’s it’s really known for is its ability to support healthy brain function, including memory.

Optimized Ashwagandha contains the highest concentration of ashwagandha extract available, and may help you:

• Support healthy mood
• Support memory and cognition
• Support endurance and strength
• Support sexual function and testosterone levels in men

What gives Optimized Ashwagandha it’s concentration power is KSM-66®, the highest-concentration extract on the world market today that is drawn using only the roots of the ashwagandha plant. It is produced using the first-of-its-kind extraction process, based on "Green-Chemistry" principles, without using alcohol or any other chemical solvents.

KSM-66® is an ashwagandha extract made by Ixoreal Biomed, created via a process that took 14 years of R&D to develop and refine. Numerous herbs from ancient India are reputed to promote physical and mental health, improve defense mechanisms of the body, and enhance longevity. Among the most promising of these for promoting cognitive health is ashwagandha. 

Conclusion

Adding Phosphatidylserine and Optimized Ashwagandha to your brain health supplements’ regimen is a smart move, not only to support your cognitive capacity and memory, but also to help reduce the chronic stress so detrimental to health and longevity.

References:

1. Kim HY, Huang BX, Spector AA. Phosphatidylserine in the brain: metabolism and function.
2. Engel RR, Satzger W, Günther W, Kathmann N, Bove D, Gerke S, Münch U, Hippius H. Double-blind cross-over study of phosphatidylserine vs. placebo 
3. Crook T, Petrie W, Wells C, Massari DC. Effects of phosphatidylserine 
4. Klinkhammer P., Szelies B., Heiss W.-D. Effect of Phosphatidylserine on Cerebral Glucose Metabolism
5. Richter Y, Herzog Y, Lifshitz Y, Hayun R, Zchut S. The effect of soybean-derived phosphatidylserine on cognitive performance 
6. Parker AG, Gordon J, Thornton A, Byars A, Lubker J, Bartlett M, Byrd M, Oliver J, Simbo S, Rasmussen C, Greenwood M, Kreider RB. The effects of IQPLUS Focus on cognitive function, mood and endocrine response before and following acute exercise.
7. Kato-Kataoka A, Sakai M, Ebina R, Nonaka C, Asano T, Miyamori T. Soybean-derived phosphatidylserine improves memory function of the elderly Japanese subjects with memory complaints.
8. LifeExtension. Phosphatidylserine (PS) - The Essential Brain Nutrient
9. Kurapati KR, Atluri VS, Samikkannu T, Nair MP. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) 
10. Manchanda S, Mishra R, Singh R, Kaur T, Kaur G. Aqueous Leaf Extract of Withania somnifera as a Potential Neuroprotective Agent in Sleep-deprived Rats: a Mechanistic Study.
11. Baitharu I, Jain V, Deep SN, Hota KB, Hota SK, Prasad D, Ilavazhagan G. Withania somnifera root extract ameliorates hypobaric hypoxia induced memory impairment in rats.
12. Soman S, Korah PK, Jayanarayanan S, Mathew J, Paulose CS. Oxidative stress induced NMDA receptor alteration leads to spatial memory deficits in temporal lobe epilepsy: ameliorative effects of Withania somnifera and Withanolide A.
13. Pingali U, Pilli R, Fatima N. Effect of standardized aqueous extract of Withania somnifera on tests of cognitive and psychomotor performance in healthy human participants.
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15. Candelario M, Cuellar E, Reyes-Ruiz JM, Darabedian N, Feimeng Z, Miledi R, Russo-Neustadt A, Limon A. Direct evidence for GABAergic activity of Withania somnifera on mammalian ionotropic GABAA and GABAρ receptors.
16. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress in adults.
17. Cooley K, Szczurko O, Perri D, Mills EJ, Bernhardt B, Zhou Q, Seely D. Naturopathic care for anxiety: a randomized controlled trial ISRCTN78958974.
18. Andrade C, Aswath A, Chaturvedi SK, Srinivasa M, Raguram R. A double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of the anxiolytic efficacy ff an ethanolic extract of withania somnifera.
19. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root 
20. Andrade C, Aswath A, Chaturvedi SK, Srinivasa M, Raguram R. A double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of the efficacy ff an ethanolic extract of withania somnifera.