Third of three parts

The TV commercials about brain-enhancing supplements are everywhere. The supplements are advertised as ways to improve your memory and focus.

Unfortunately, there is no proof that the supplements work.

“The main issue with all over-the-counter supplements is lack of regulation,” said Dr. Gad Marshall, associate medical director at the Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment at the Harvard University-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

“The FDA,” he said, “doesn’t oversee product testing or ingredient accuracy. They just look out for supplements that make health claims related to the treatment of specific diseases.”

A supplement manufacturer can claim a product helps with mental alertness or memory, but not that it protects against Alzheimer’s disease.

“This way, manufacturers don’t have to back up any claim that their product is effective or even safe,” Dr. Marshall said.

Many brain supplements concentrate on omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil), vitamin E and various B vitamins.

There are three types of omega-3s, which are found in fatty fish (salmon and mackerel), leafy green vegetables (Brussels sprouts, spinach), vegetable oils (canola, soybean), and nuts/seeds (walnuts, flaxseeds).

Omega-3s help build cell membranes in the brain and also may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that could protect brain cells.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant. It is the only supplement that has been found to have any possible benefit to brain health.

Three B vitamins, B6, B9 and B12, can help break down homocysteine, which has been associated with a greater risk of dementia. B vitamins also help produce energy needed to develop new brain cells.

The extract from the leaves of the ginkgo tree is sold as a supplement commonly called ginkgo biloba. It is sold as a memory enhancer. However, as with other brain health supplements, the science doesn’t support the claims.

“Invest more in doing aerobic exercise and following a plant-based diet,” Dr. Marshall advised. “These can help with memory and brain health in the long term more than any supplement.”

There’s strong evidence that certain diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and the MIND diet, can help improve cognitive function, according to Dr. Marshall.

The diets emphasize vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy foods and moderate amounts of whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts.

Fish is a staple in the Mediterranean and MIND diets, among others, and studies have found an association between higher intake of fish and a lower risk of cognitive decline. However, omega-3 supplements haven’t shown the same effect.

“Any benefit seems to come from a greater intake of fish and not from taking fish oil supplements,” said Dr. Marshall.

Have a question? Email: fred@healthygeezer.com. Order “How To Be A Healthy Geezer,” 218-page compilation of columns: healthygeezer.com

All Rights Reserved &Copy; 2020 Fred Cicetti

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