Are there memory supplements, memory enhancement drugs, or
memory enhancers, that actually improve memory, lessen the risk
of age-associated memory loss, as well as help concentration?

In a word, yes. But…caveat emptor.

In this article, I will give you basic, core information on
memory supplements that actually work as well as vital
information on those so-called memory aids you should avoid like
a telemarketer.

Needless to say, there’s been a lot of information, not to
mention disinformation, floating around in this Information Age
regarding dietary supplements and natural health remedies at
large.

It’s often difficult to know what’s good, what’s bad, and who is
just trying to make a fast buck. So, with that in mind, what are
the best memory boosting pills you should take? They are:

• Ginkgo Biloba
• Phosphatidylserine
• Piracetam
• Omega 3 fish oils
• Gotu Kola
  

“So, what are the so-called memory supplements I should avoid,” you ask? Avoid the following:

• Vincamine
• Phenytoin
• Growth hormone
  

Let’s discuss the five legitimate memory boosters first.

Good Memory Supplements - Ginkgo Biloba Herbal Remedy
The popular Ginkgo Biloba herbal remedy is fast becoming one of the best memory supplements in the world. It is by far the most popular alternative remedy for memory problems as well as memory enhancement.

To be concise, this herbal memory remedy has been shown in
clinical tests to improve memory, concentration, and retention
— even in Alzheimer’s patients! It reestablishes and enhances
chemical messaging between neurotransmitters in the brain.

It also increases blood flow to the brain so if you’re taking
aspirin or another blood thinner, consult with your doctor
before taking this supplement or any supplement for long-term
use.

(If you have a blood clotting disorder like hemophilia or a
vitamin K deficiency, you especially should talk to your doctor
before using any new memory supplement or drug.)

If Ginkgo Biloba’s tremendous memory-boosting powers weren’t
enough incentive to use it, it’s also a potent antioxidant,
helping to slow aging.

This supplement is actually medically prescribed in Germany and
elsewhere in Europe for the memory impaired. It’s good to see
that and while its popularity is growing here in the US as well
one wonders what Big Pharma’s next move will be.

Recommended dosage for Ginkgo Biloba per day is approximately
120 mg to 240 mg a day. Some prescribe less, some more but that
is a good, general guideline.

Phosphatidylserine
Unlike many supplements, this substance has
been tested extensively on both healthy as well as
memory-impaired adults. Phosphatidylserine has consistently
shown itself to both improve memory and concentration without
the serious side effects that so characterize many drugs today.

This remarkable substance, like Ginkgo Biloba, facilitates
communication between neurotransmitters as well as lowering the
production of cortisol, a stress hormone that researchers
believe interferes with cognitive function. If it’s not a memory
supplement, it’s certainly a great memory-enhancing drug.

Piracetam
Piracetam is actually not a nutritional supplement but
a prescribed drug. It is also among the first memory boosting
pills that was marketed in Europe. It must be prescribed by a
doctor but is available online.

What’s remarkable about this drug is that it doesn’t have any
serious side effects — there’s very few drugs that can make
that claim.

Originally prescribed as a motion sickness aid, piracetam has
been shown to significantly improve age-related memory problems
— even with those with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. It
also helps with improving chronic cerebral ischemia, or
decreased brain blood flow.

Mild side effects include insomnia, nausea, headaches, tremors,
nervousness, etc. The severity of the side effects are reported
as mild.

This one’s a keeper.

The recommended dosage is 2,400 mg to 4,800 divided in three
separate dosages.

Omega 3 Fish Oils & Omega 3 Supplements
What about Omega 3 supplements?
There are many health benefits of Omega 3 fish oil
supplements including reducing blood pressure, lowering
cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and improved brain function
is one of them. Omega 3 fish oil supplements are not memory
supplements per se.

However, this versatile supplement is pound for pound the most
capable nutritional supplement in the world. It is also very
affordable. If your budget is tight and you want to optimize
your budget, consider fish oil supplements.

TIP: Studies have shown the fatty acid DHA as the primary
precursor for improved brain and heart function in Omega 3
supplements. So, make sure your fish oil supplement has DHA over
EPA. In addition, make sure your fish oil pills are molecularly
distilled. This ensures that it is free of contaminants. Also
look for memory boosting pills that are made from deep-water
fish like the hoki.

Yes, omega 3 fish oils are fantastic. They not only help your brain function but also limit the severity of manic depressive episodes in those thus afflicted. It should be in your arsenal of regularly used memory supplements.

This one’s a keeper too.

Gotu Kola Extract
Gotu Kola extract comes from an herb that is
red-flowered that grows in the southern US, China, middle and
southern Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Australia.
African elephants have a strong disposition to this plant, which
may help account for the saying, “memory like an elephant.”

But if it’s good for elephants, is it good for humans? Yes, it
is.

This versatile herb while helping memory function primarily as
it helps increase blood flow to the brain, it also helps build
connective tissue, soothe burns and wounds, and is believed to
contribute to longevity. It’s even been used to help those with
cirrhosis of the liver.

This article thus far has dwelt upon the good, but what about
the bad and the ugly? What scams or feigned memory boosting
pills should you avoid you ask? They are:

• Vincamine
• Phenytoin
• Growth hormone
  

Let’s first talk about Growth Hormone. This is a protein that is
secreted by the pituitary gland. It promotes cell growth, which
of course is vital to good memory function. However, not only
does it not increase cognitive function, but the risks of using
this supplement are significant.

Growth hormone causes blood sugar issues, fluid retention, and
high blood pressure. Research also shows it stimulating the
growth of cancerous tumors — even if they’re microscopic in
size.

Consensus? Avoid growth hormone like you would the Ebola Virus.

It may have its place but it should not be classified as a memory supplement.

Phenytoin, or Dilantin as it is also known by, is a
anticonvulsant drug prescribed to treat epilepsy. Even though
there are no clinical studies to date to support the claim that
this is a memory boosting drug like Piracetam, it is wrongfully
promoted as such.

Side effects of this drug are substantial and even deadly. It
harms the liver, blood, and the thyroid causing in some cases
death. It also causes severe insomnia and incites slurred
speech. You should not take this drug unless prescribed by a
knowledgeable physician.

This one’s not a keeper — avoid it like the tax man.

Last but certainly not least is Vincamine. This is actually an
herbal supplement that is made from the periwinkle plant. It’s
purported to enhance concentration, memory retention, as well as
increase blood flow to the brain — critical to good memory
enhancement.

While Vincamine does increase cerebral blood flow, long-term
usage of this herbal can cause severe sleep problems including
insomnia. It can also induce life threatening and irregular
heart beats.

In summary, while there are certainly fantastic herbals,
nutritional supplements and drugs that enhance mental function,
there are also alternatives that could literally be deadly.

Don’t buy the sales hype, think for yourself and don’t buy
impulsively. As this article has shown you, there are great
memory supplements out there and now you know which ones to use
and which ones to avoid.

Glenn Reschke is the webmaster of http://www.Nutritional-Supplement-Bible.com, a website in the top 3% of all websites offering info on general health as well as herbal, sports, and baby boomer nutritional supplements.

Tags: baby boomer nutritional supplements, memory boosting pills, memory supplementsbaby boomer nutritional supplements, memory boosting pills, memory supplements

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What did people take for vitamin supplementation before they discovered how to manufacture pills? Or even before that… How did people live before they discovered vitamins? This begs the next question: do we actually (really) need to take multivitamin supplements?

Scientists tell us we will be alright if we eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables everyday. Coupled with that habit, we need to exercise, get adequate rest, and manage stress correctly. Well, forget the stress part; it could be somewhat stressful just thinking about our stressed existence right now. But there is something sinister here…

We are also advised that it is better to use all natural vitamins if we do take them. But they also say the environment is no longer capable of producing foods of the same nutritional quality it used to. How natural are chemical extracts anyway?

So we have depleted ozone and depleted soils. Where did the nutrients in the soil go so suddenly after these many thousands of years? Or, is it because we live in a polluted environment why we need multivitamins?

Is the vitamin supplements craze being over-sold?

Health publications continue to reveal a growing concern among some health professionals over the use of multivitamins supplements. Advertising, ease of manufacture, availability, and increasing concerns by the public regarding health and longevity are just some of the factors that may help to drive the overuse of multivitamin supplements.

An article by Penniston and Tanumihardjo (2003), suggests it might be time to re-examine the practice of prescribing multi-vitamins “to the elderly and other patients whose needs for certain micronutrients are high.”

Another by (Kato, et. al.) cites the “risk of iron overload in middle-aged women.” Almost all multivitamins nowadays have iron. In fact, the more components (the more “multi”), the better the product may be perceived. Also, the greater the percentage of each nutrient compared to the USDA requirement the “better” the product tend to be rated.

However, our bodies can only take so much of those nutrients (taken out of their natural forms.)

Why do we need a 500-mg Vitamin C supplement when 50 mg of the ingredient in an orange would be sufficient? It’s because the phytochemicals in the orange make the 50 mg of the substance assimilated more effectively. But there is no process now that can isolate and extract all the phytochemicals and put them in a pill.

Can your food be your medicine?

I looked up the vitamin content of various plant-based foods. This little search made me realize that if we “eat right,” as in having a balanced diet, we do not need vitamin supplements. Our food can be our medicine if our diet is balanced.

The warnings about iron and other nutrient overload should be taken seriously. A doctor once said that no one ever died from anything called a disease - people die because of some deficiency. Well, it appears that the vitamin supplements craze could bring the other side of the coin to view - death by nutrient overload.

References

Meltzer H. M., Haugen M., Alexander J., Pedersen J. I. (2004). Vitamin and minerals supplements–required for good health? Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2004 Jun 17;124(12):1646-9.

Kato I., Dnistrian A. M., Schwartz M., Toniolo P., Koenig K., Shore R. E., Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A., Akhmedkhanov A., Riboli E. (2000). Risk of iron overload among middle-aged women. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2000 May;70(3):119-25.

Penniston K. L., Tanumihardjo S. A. (2003). Vitamin A in dietary supplements and fortified foods: too much of a good thing? J. Am Diet Assoc. 2003 Sep;103(9):1185-7.

Copyright © 2006 by Bentley Thompson

Bentley writes about lifestyle-related conditions such as diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases. He advocates the anti-diabetes diet which he describes on his website. You may visit his website and blog using the following URLs:
http://www.anti-diabetes-diet-supplements.com/ and
http://choosehealthtoday.blogspot.com

Tags: all natural vitamins, nutritional supplements, Vitamin supplementsall natural vitamins, nutritional supplements, Vitamin supplements

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I have good news for you! The answer is both yes and no, depending on how you look at it.

NO, the nutriceuticals do not CAUSE anything bad to happen, nor for that matter anything good. They don’t directly get rid of any health problem (as it is easy to mistakenly give them credit for doing), nor do they cause any, such as headaches or rashes.

I like to tell people that the PRODUCTS DO NOT WORK (in directly giving you the results)–the BODY WORKS!

All the products do is provide the body with essential nutrients, and the results from doing that, putting it from the bottle into the body, is that the body creates the results (and the Designer, who made the body to heal itself deserves the credit).

I like to say that the miracle is in the body, not in the bottle. But if you put what’s in the bottle into the body, you can get a miracle.

And, what is in the bottle will not help you unless you put it into your body!

YES– the products can be the reason a person gets a rash or welt, NOT because they caused it, as a drug could cause a side effect, but because the body is creating the rash or welt, or the whatever undesirable effect.

Why would the body do such a thing?

Because it is the most intelligent thing the body can do under the circumstances–it is often referred to as a healing correction. It is actually very good news when a person experiences something perceived as negative, such as a rash or headache. The reason for this is because this is solid evidence that the person REALLY needed the products, and that the body has been awakened and re-energized to do something.

All of a sudden the body has the resources and energy to begin healing itself. Part of this healing process involves getting rid of stored chemicals and toxins that up until now, the body did not have enough energy and resources to do–sort of like not having enough energy and time to clean your house, and after years of minimal cleaning, it accumulates a lot of dirt.

So when you start this overdue “house cleaning”, the dust and dirt get stirred up in the process. To get rid of the dirt, you have to get into it, until the job is completed.

But if the organs of elimination are not able to handle this new load of “dirt” (toxins and chemicals it is now getting rid of), the intelligence of the body realizes that it is TOO DANGEROUS having these toxins floating around in the blood waiting to be expelled through the normal routes, because they can cause too much damage, now that they are out of “storage” (usually in the fat).

So it wisely expels them through EMERGENCY EXITS, such as the skin, which shows up as a rash or welt. This is referred to as a healing correction, or a healing crisis. It is a good sign that the body is doing something to restore its health.

It is sort of like what happens if your foot “goes to sleep.” As it wakes up and the numbness starts to go away, you will feel an uncomfortable prickly feeling, like needles. Sure, this is not comfortable, but it is actually a good sign that your body is recovering, and it is a very temporary problem. Or would you rather the foot stay numb for the rest of your life?

So as your body and organs “wake up”, and the “numbness” inside starts to go away, you will sometimes feel things that are uncomfortable–but if you understand what is really happening, you will be very happy about it.

It’s like the master teacher said 2000 years ago–Do not judge according to appearance, but judge (evaluate, interpret) according to knowledge(righteous judgment).

So what do you do about this uncomfortable healing correction?

1. APPRECIATE it. Be thankful for it–don’t resent it or be afraid of what is happening. If you understand it, you will be glad to endure it.

2. SUPPORT it by doing things to open up the normal passages of elimination, such as drinking plenty of purified water (8-10 glasses or more a day) and getting enough fiber (raw fruit and vegetables, a manna cleanse product). 2-3 tablespoons of refined coconut oil per day may also help with elimination (I[Ray] do this myself everyday for the immune support that coconut oil provides–it is the most healthy oil you can consume. It also supports your thyroid function, which can help you lose weight).

3. BE PATIENT. It usually will only go on for a few days, though sometimes it could be several weeks.

4. If after doing the first three things it is still too severe, you can REDUCE the amount of nutriceutical supplement intake temporarily, so the body can catch up while you are doing the first three things. Reducing the amounts is not necessary, but it is an option–or a person could actually stop taking the product entirely, but I don’t normally recommend that.

We hope this is helpful. To more fully understand and appreciate how the body works, we recommend the book, How to Cure and Prevent Any Disease. We believe this book will help you immensely, in many areas–nutrition is only one component of health and longevity.

Note: This advice is not intended to take the place of a physician’s proven care. Always consult a physician before attempting to follow any of this advice.

Zach Thompson works internationally as a Glyconutritional Consultant. He lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of rural Virginia. He serves primarily the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, & New Zealand. His clients range from Professional & Olympic Athletes to those with auto-immune disease & children with Learning Disabilities. He uses exclusively Pharmaceutical-Grade
Glyconutritonals, & Dietery Supplements that meet or exceed the criteria set forth by The Council for Responsible Nutrition in his practice. The consumption of Organic & chemical-free foods along with a low-glycemic diet plan is an integral part of of his clients path to wellness. You can get more information at: http://www.myglyconutrientstore.com .

Tags: Glyconutritional5, Glyconutritonals6, manna cleanse1, nutriceutical2, nutriceuticals3, Supplements4Glyconutritional5, Glyconutritonals6, manna cleanse1, nutriceutical2, nutriceuticals3, Supplements4

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