Brain & Memory

Brain-boosting vitamins and supplements, including fish oil and rhodiola rosea, may help support healthy brain function. The specific benefits, such as focus and memory, may vary.

Nootropics are natural supplements or drugs that have a beneficial effect on brain function in healthy people.

Many of these can boost memory, motivation, creativity, alertness and general cognitive function. Nootropics may also reduce age-related declines in brain function.

Here are the 10 best nootropic supplements to boost your brain function:

1. Fish Oils

These fatty acids have been linked with many health benefits, including improved brain health.

DHA plays a vital role in maintaining the structure and function of your brain. In fact, it accounts for around 25% of the total fat, and 90% of the omega-3 fat, found in your brain cells..

The other omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil, EPA, has anti-inflammatory effects that may protect the brain against damage and aging.

Taking DHA supplements has been linked with improved thinking skills, memory and reaction times in healthy people who have low DHA intakes. It has also benefitted people experiencing a mild decline in brain function.

Unlike DHA, EPA isn’t always linked with improved brain function. However, in people with depression, it has been associated with benefits like improved mood.

Taking fish oil, which contains both these fats, has been shown to help reduce the decline in brain function associated with aging.

However, evidence for fish oil’s preservative effects on brain health is mixed.

Overall, the best way to get the recommended amount of omega-3 fatty acids is by eating two portions of oily fish per week.

If you can’t manage this, then taking a supplement could be beneficial.

More research is required to find out how much and what ratios of EPA and DHA are beneficial. But taking 1 gram per day of combined DHA and EPA is generally recommended to maintain brain health.

 2. Resveratrol

It’s been suggested that taking resveratrol supplements could prevent the deterioration of the hippocampus, an important part of the brain associated with memory.

If this is true, this treatment could slow down the decline in brain function you experience as you get older.

Animal studies have also shown that resveratrol can improve memory and brain function.

Additionally, one study on a small group of healthy older adults found that taking 200 mg of resveratrol per day for 26 weeks improved memory.

However, there currently aren’t enough human studies to be sure of resveratrol’s effect.

3. Creatine

Although it’s a popular supplement, you can find it in some foods, namely animal products like meat, fish and eggs.

Interestingly, creatine supplements can improve memory and thinking skills in people who don’t eat meat.

 4. Caffeine

Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee and dark chocolate.

Although it’s possible to take it as a supplement, there isn’t really any need when you can get it from these sources.

It works by stimulating the brain and central nervous system, making you feel less tired and more alert.

In fact, studies have shown that caffeine can make you feel more energized and improve your memory, reaction times and general brain function.

The amount of caffeine in one cup of coffee varies, but generally it’s 50–400 mg.

For most people, single doses of around 200–400 mg per day are generally considered safe and are enough to benefit health.

However, taking too much caffeine can be counterproductive and has been linked with side effects such as anxiety, nausea and trouble sleeping.

5. Phosphatidylserine

It’s been suggested that taking phosphatidylserine supplements could be helpful for preserving brain health.

You can easily buy these supplements online.

Studies have shown that taking 100 mg of phosphatidylserine three times per day could help reduce age-related decline in brain function.

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