Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Nutritional Supplements For The Brain

Brain SupportIndividuals with neurological disorders are being offered new hope thanks to cutting edge nutritional science and nutritional supplements for the brain. Because of increasing media publicity revealing widespread negative reactions to synthetic pharmaceutical drugs which are commonly prescribed to treat symptoms of brain disorders, there is a universal groundswell in the use of natural alternative treatments involving supplementation.

A significant proportion of the population is starting to take control of their own health as they come to realize that pharmaceutical drugs do not treat the root causes and any underlying deficiencies that are contributing to neurological illnesses.

In addition to positive outcomes for individuals with established neurological disorders, proactive consumers in good health are also using brain supplements as a powerful form of long-term preventative health-care. This wellness strategy ensures their brains receive an ongoing range of specific ‘brain nutrients’ which keep this vital organ in tip top shape to avoid disease and reduce free radical damage and degeneration.

This in turn allows them to enjoy the lifestyle they want through benefits including an improved sense of well-being, sharper and clearer thinking, improved memory, less headaches and better sleep. Brain supplements can also be used by those without classic neurological disorder symptoms, but who have a neurological weakness (either hereditary or acquired) which they would like to strengthen.

The Key Nutrients For Brain Health
The brain is a complex, well-organized matrix of intricate nerve endings. Every second, billions of electrical nerve impulses travel back and forth to this organ, with chemicals acting as neurotransmitters, transporting impulses from one cell to another. Because studies have shown that many nervous system disorders are a direct result of nutrient deficiencies, if the brain has an inadequate amount of the nutrients it needs to manufacture neurotransmitters, it begins to malfunction, leading to many chronic conditions.

The most powerful nutrients for your brain as established through clinical research are listed below. Look for these key ingredients when searching for the most effective nutritional supplements for the brain.

You won’t find every single one in a single supplement formula as manufacturers couldn’t afford to do this in effective dose amounts while maintaining an affordable selling price. Since each nutrient has differing properties some are more effective at certain disorders of the brain than others although there is an overlap for many. So some ingredients will be needed in brain supplements aimed at memory but are not needed in one aimed at insomnia. The key ingredients in a supplement formula for anxiety and depression will differ slightly from those in a general brain formula, particularly in the dose amounts.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine for example is used for Alzheimer's disease, age-related memory deficits, senile depression, Down syndrome, alcoholism-related cognitive deficits and cerebro-vascular insufficiency after stroke. So you should find it in supplement formulas for general brain health, or depression/anxiety formulas and memory formulas but not in supplements for sleep disorders.

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