How many of us have thought “I really want to start a new hobby, I want to walk more, I want to spend more time with my kids, I want to go out dancing…. I just have no time”.
Here is the secret: time is relative, it’s what we choose to do with our time that counts. Yes, some people are extremely busy, living a busy busy life, but it doesn’t mean you don’t have time to do amazing things that make YOU and others happy.
We all heard the dreadful term: Time management. It is about managing your time, but it's more about prioritizing your time with what’s important to you. Yes, this does involve goal setting, and list making.
Plan out your year, month, week and day
Think of what you want to accomplish this year, it can be as simple as decluttering the house, to running a marathon. When you know what goals are, make time for them in your schedule. Ex: every month I declutter 1 room in the house, or sign up for a 5k race. During the week, I throw-out or donate all the things I don’t want in that room, or I determine how many km I need to run this week. Each day or night, take a few minutes to plan out your agenda for the day. If you write it down in a planning notebook or time management app, then you are committing to that task. You are consciously choosing what is a priority for you. Pick something that makes you happy. Seems like too much? You can start by just sitting down and planning out the following week. Pro tip: you will over schedule... so take that task list, cut it in half and that is what you can accomplish in a single day. Once your expectations are aligned, you can be proud of completing 2 tasks, instead of disappointed you didn’t complete 4 tasks.
It doesn't need to be perfect
Done is better than perfect. Schedules change, things are moved around. Know that it’s okay not to be perfect. If your car breaks down or your house floods, dealing with that is top priority, your schedule will change. Plans can change or fail, but when the crisis is over, make sure to add time for the things that make you happy.
No Multitasking
We are not wired to multitask; our brains did not evolve to do this. Yet we do it all the time and we think we are good at it. Research shows that by multitasking we suffer a 40% drop in productivity. In an 8-hour work day, that’s over 3 hours of distracted and wasted time. Constant multitasking takes a huge toll on your brain health, leaving you exhausted, and drained. Limiting distractions will help you stay on task, and find the time to be happy.
Take breaks to recharge your batteries
Planning your day is extremely important but you need to schedule or be mindful to take time to recharge your batteries. These are breaks to recharge your physical, mental, and emotional batteries. This does not include playing games on your phone. Take a few minutes during the day to be with yourself (mindfulness). Taking these small breaks during the day will rest your mind and energize you to stay focused and attentive for your next task.
Set Boundaries
Ya… boundaries aren’t fun, but they are critical to time management. Set your schedule, and stick to it as much as you can. Sure, emergencies will arise, but a colleague asking you to help them with a task isn’t one of them. Get really comfortable with saying “no” or if that is too tough for you, let them know that you are fully booked right now, but you have time at “x-o'clock”. Often, people end up doing a huge amount of work for other people, simply because they keep saying “yes”. The same goes for your personal life. Invited to a family dinner that will cause you to miss your 10km run you had planned to reach your marathon goal? You might be tempted to blow off your run, thinking a dinner or other function is more important, so take the time to analyze if it is actually more important to YOU. Time is the only commodity in life you cannot get back, so protect it.
Time management can be difficult but the wording you use during the day can make all the difference. Instead of saying, I don’t have time for X, Y, and Z, you say: I don’t do X, Y, and Z because I choose to do A.
Upgrade your brain by choosing how you want to spend your time. Time management is a choice, your choice.
Mother and ER Doctor, Darria Long, has a great technique to triage your busy life. I encourage you to listen to her talk titled
"An ER doctor on how to triage your busy life" - by Darria Long
]]>What’s the perfect balanced diet for your brain? This is a tricky question since we are all different with our own dietary requirements, or intolerances and health goals.
It’s made out of macro- and micronutrients. Macronutrients are needed in big amounts this includes water, fatty acids, proteins, and glucose (sugar). Micronutrients are needed in small amounts which includes minerals and vitamins.
Your brain needs an optimal amount of macro- and micronutrients for development, mood, learning, cognition, memory and energy.
Brain Health (Cognition, Mood, Memory, Learning and Energy), all depends on lots of factors, including:
Fats
Proteins
Glucose
Vitamins
Minerals
Water
Omegas 3 and 6 are the major fatty acids in your brain, and are essential for the formation and maintenance of cell membranes.
Omegas must be consumed from omega-rich food.
Fish and other seafood:
salmon
tuna
oysters
sardines
Nuts and seeds:
chia seeds
flaxseeds
walnuts
Omegas are great fats for your brain, others fats like trans and saturated fats (desserts such as pastries ice cream, and donuts, sausages, bacon, and fried foods) may cause damage to your brain health and contribute to mental decline.
Proteins are broken down into amino acids, which are the building blocks for several physiological functions such as:
Development, tissue repair and growth
Nutrient absorption
Production of neurotransmitters
Protein synthesis
In the brain, amino acids are the precursors for neurotransmitters, these are chemical messengers that communicate information between neurons.
Neurotransmitters can affect things like:
Focus, attention and motivation
Learning and memory
Sleep
Mood
Your body does not store amino acids the way it stores fat or carbohydrates. Your gut can absorb so much protein in one sitting, ~20-25g. This makes it very important to have adequate protein intake, every day.
Protein should be consumed based on grams per kilogram of body weight and not by gender, currently at least 1.2-1.5g protein/kg body weight/day, and up to 2.2g protein/kg body weight/day in athletes.
The rule of thumb to optimize overall health, individuals should aim for 4 portions of 20-25g/day.
Amino acids and their co-factors can stimulate neurons to release cognitive-altering neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine.
High quality proteins contains the amino acids to support brain health.
Poultry
Eggs
Beans
Lentils
Whey
Seeds
Glucose is the fuel your brain needs to synthesize nutrients into what it needs them to become.
Your body digests carbohydrates into glucose, where its transported in the bloodstream to the brain and other organs for energy. Your body stores glucose as glycogen in the liver and has the ability to make its own glucose from amino acids and fats.
Glucose is basically the only fuel your brain uses with the exception of ketones during a prolonged state of fasting.
On average your brain consumes 120-200g of glucose a day (and this is just your brain).
A dip in brain glucose may impair cognitive functioning such as learning, memory, and attention.
The best sugars for your brains are complex carbohydrates such as
Fruits
Grains
Vegetables
Legumes
These take longer to digest and provide a steady energy release. Stay away from simple sugars and highly processed junk food like candy, icing, syrups, and table sugar. These sugars hit the bloodstream rapidly and spike insulin levels.
The rollercoaster of blood sugars spikes may lead to neurotransmitter imbalances, this is why you might feel fidgety, irritable, unfocused, inattentive, and even sleepy after a junk food binge.
Vitamins: Several vitamins have an important role in keeping the brain healthy. The optimal concentration of certain vitamins can improve cognition, protect the brain and help with learning and memory.
These vitamins include the vitamin B complex and more specifically vitamin B6, which is required for amino acids to be synthesized into neurotransmitters. Another critical vitamin is good old vitamin C, which supports the immune system and reduces inflammation.
Food rich in vitamins includes citrus fruits, broccoli, kale, meats, poultry and fish.
Citrus Fruits
Broccoli
Kale
Meats
Poultry
Fish
Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals the body needs in small amounts. Don’t be fooled by their trace amounts, micronutrients are extremely important for normal functioning or your body and brain.
They are required for processes like
Antioxidant defense
Energy production
Production of neurotransmitters
Growth and development
Basically, if you need something to happen in your body, you can bet a micronutrient has a role in it. Unfortunately, a great proportion of the population falls short in one or more of these essential micronutrients.
Minerals: Small amounts of the mineral’s sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc are fundamental to brain health.
Foods with high mineral content includes
Nuts
Beans & lentils
Salmon
Dark leafy greens
Seeds
Avocados
For optimal and sustained brain power, it's critical to stay hydrated and to have a varied diet that contains all the healthy macro- and micronutrients your brain needs.
However, it’s important to note that during times of stress, like multitasking, lack of sleep, and distraction, your demand for certain nutrients may increase. Diet alone might not be sufficient to give what your brain needs. Specialized nutrients may need to fill in the nutrient gaps.
How do you know if you have a nutritional gap?
Your brain is extremely sensitive to changes in nutrients, in fact, drop in mental performance is one of the key signs of nutrient deficiency.
Stress can deplete key amino acids and the cofactors critical for the synthesis of neurotransmitters. When this happens mental performance declines.
In times of stress, a supply of nutrients such as tyrosine, choline, taurine, carnitines, vitamin B6 and C, and magnesium may help maintain a balance of key neurotransmitters important for brain health.
When it comes to your diet, your choice in foods have an instantaneous and long lasting effect on your brain. A slump in performance may be an indication you are not fuelling your brain properly. The right nutrients can make all the difference.
For an interesting talk on nutritional neuroscience, check out:
"The Brain Hack to Get Your Life Back" - by Dr. Delphie Dugal-Tessier
Did you know that the brain is approximately 75% water?
Your brain needs water to deliver the nutrients to the brain and to remove toxins.
Brain functioning relies on hydration to be able to think, focus, and experience clarity and creativity.
Signs of dehydration include
Brain fog
Afternoon Fatigue (especially if you only drank coffee all day)
Headaches
Sleep problems
Stress
Depression
Anger
The amount of water needed depends on many factors such as activity level, gender, height and weight.
Pay attention to your urine, if it's very light and yellow (like lemonade), and none smelly, you’re good. If it’s darker with an aromatic smell, you are most likely dehydrated… drink some water.
Caffeine can dehydrate, the rule of thumb is a 1:1 ratio, you have coffee or tea, have a glass of water.
]]>You have probably heard many times that exercise can make you smarter. This one is true. Scientific research has shown time and time and again that regular exercise can boost brain health.
Exercise affects the brain in many different ways:
Increases heart rate, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the brain
Stimulates the release of hormones that provide the best enriched environment for growth of brain cells
Promotes healthy sleep
Stimulates brain plasticity, this is the growth of new connections in the brain and is critical for learning and memory
Mood boosting, known for its anti-depressive effects
Promotes a drop in stress hormones like cortisol (depending on intensity)
Exercise is a no brainer, it reduces the chances of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It helps with healthy weight, controls blood pressure, and prevents depression. Scientific research has also shown that exercise can prevent cognitive decline as you get older. Regular aerobic exercise that raises heart rate and makes you sweat, appears to increase the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in learning and memory. It’s believed that exercise can actually change your brain and protect your memory and ability to learn as you get older.
Whether it’s a direct or indirect effect, exercise improves mood, sleep, and reduces stress and anxiety, all things that contribute to cognitive impairment.
To put it really matter of fact: your optimal brain functioning requires regular exercise.
What does that look like?
Find exercises that you love to do. If you enjoy it, then you are more likely to continue with it. Most of the research has looked into walking. A brisk walk for 1 hour twice a week or 30 minutes 3 to 4 times a week improves brain health and cognition. Other moderate-intensity exercise includes swimming, dancing, stair climbing, tennis, soccer, or frisbee.
If you are still struggling:
Join a fitness class
Find an accountability workout friend
Track your progress on an app or journal
Make a fitness schedule and stick to it
Exercise outside and enjoy the weather
Sleep is the elixir of life. You need sleep to function, plain and simple. In scientific studies that disrupt a person's sleeping patterns, they completely break down both mentally and physically. Oddly enough, humans are the only animals that voluntarily limit our own sleep. Most of us COULD go to bed earlier… but we don’t.
We have all excused our grumpiness, sluggishness or moodiness by telling ourselves: “I’m just tired”. Lack of adequate sleep, less than the optimal 7 hours (can be different between individuals) can cause havoc for cognition. Lack of concentration, attention, focus, and motivation, as well as brain fog can all be telltale signs that you are not getting enough sleep.
Falling asleep quickly, doesn’t mean you have great sleep quality. Do you fall asleep or wake up at the same time every day? Do you need an alarm clock to wake you up? Do you feel groggy when you wake up? Do you find you need a nap in the afternoon or you can’t function without a coffee? If you answered yes to any of these, it could mean that you might not have the best sleep quality and quantity.
Sleep is one if not the most important thing you can do. You need optimal sleep for learning, memory, mood and cognition. For a very interesting talk on sleep, I encourage you to listen to the TED talk titled:
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Ok, we admit it. Mindfulness is all the rage right now, but we promise it actually has a big impact on your brain.
It’s the act of being fully in the present moment. It’s the “right here, right now”. Mindfulness practice focuses on orientating our attention to whatever is happening in the present moment. It's about bringing an attitude of openness to what’s going on internally and externally.
Living in this hectic world is extremely overwhelming and stressful. Technology follows us wherever we go. We dwell on the pass, stress about the future or walk like zombies glued to our screens (we have all seen those videos of people staring at their screens running into poles… and may or may not be guilty of this ourselves).
When life is moving too quickly, being present helps disconnect us from those worst case scenarios, and enjoy life. Mindfulness practices have been scientifically shown to increase positive emotions in stressed adults and has been suggested to physically change your brain. The addition of mindfulness practice is a great addition to upgrading your brain, because it allows your brain a break from all the processing and analysis. To put it simply, it’s easy to get caught in the rollercoaster of life, make the time to get off the ride.
Mindfulness can be challenging, but you can make little steps. Each step can have a huge impact in your life and make the whole practice easier.
Add Mindfulness to your daily routine
It could be meditation, breath work, yoga or other mindfulness practice, but make sure to add time in your day to intentionally be present. Mindfulness takes time, dedication and energy, if you want to be successful at it, like everything else, you have to make time for it.
Keep it short
You don’t have to meditate for hours to get the full benefits of mindfulness. The brain responds to even a small burst of mindfulness throughout the day. Start with a few minutes a day and work yourself up to 10-20 minutes daily. Find 10 minutes each day to deliberately upgrade your brain.
Take time to feel
Part of being in the present is to slow down to give time to experience the different aspects of life, such as breathing, muscle tension, body temperature, or notice what’s around you. You might catch your mind wondering when someone is talking, or feel your jaw tighten up in a board meeting. Taking notice of what’s happening around you in the present may make you feel happier.
Notice your feelings
In general, most humans aren’t so great at “feelings”. We tend to over analyze or try to suppress them. Mindfulness practice focuses on observing them instead of trying to change them. We have the mentality that we need to transform negative feelings like anger, or rage into positive ones. It’s about viewing and accepting your emotions with kindness. In difficult situations, you give your emotion space to naturally rise and come down. It’s the middle ground between suppressing them and over identifying them.
Step away from the digital world
We all know this, and yet, we struggle to step away from it. Spend time everyday away from TV, computers and phones. This could be as simple as putting your phone away while waiting for the bus, sitting on the couch focusing on breathing, or taking a slow nature walk. To be present and enjoying the small joys in life is much easier when you are not connected to the internet.
We recommend checking out a great talk on why it’s important to experience the present moment:
"All it Takes is 10 Mindful Minutes" - by Andy Puddicombe
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Proper nutrition is one of the key factors in healthy aging. The food that you eat has profound effects on overall health.
This is not surprising news; we all know the saying “you are what you eat”. Not only do we feel terrible after crushing a box of glazed donuts, but our nutrition actually impacts our epigenetic profile.
Are Epi…what?
In very simple and generalized terms, epigenetics is the process of switching genes ON or OFF. These genes, within cells, provides instructions on how to make important proteins in your body. What you eat can influence which genes are switched from ON to OFF or vice versa. In many age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or in certain types of cancers, genes are wrongly switched to a position opposite to the healthy normal state.
During the last decade, epigenetic studies focused on optimal nutrition to improve overall wellbeing and healthy aging. B-vitamins, choline, and other key nutrients are emerging as epigenetic modifiers. They have one thing in common, they all play a critical role in methylation.
What is methylation?
Methylation consistently occurs all over the body, it’s the simple process of adding a “methyl group” onto other molecules, gene or enzyme to either block or encourage their function. For example, dopamine becomes inactivated, while melatonin becomes activated when a methyl group is added. The body needs a pool of methyl groups to function properly, too much or too little can cause problems. Certain conditions have been linked to an imbalance in methylation
Healthy methylation can be influenced by:
The methyl groups are produced in a process called the methylation cycle. This cycle dependents on a number of vary important nutrients (B-vitamins, choline, amino acids etc).
You need a well working methylation cycle to function both physically and mentally. This cycle is involved in
Basically, you need the methylation cycle for everything in your body.
How does the methylation work?
The nutrients from the food you eat supports the methylation cycle. This cycle is extremely complicated but essentially it produces methyl groups and provides the energy the body needs to function properly.
The first step of the methylation cycle is to pick up a methyl group to convert folate into methyltetrahydrofolate (MTHF) via the enzyme called methyltetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). MTHF is involved in the conversion of homocysteine into the amino acid methionine. Build-up of homocysteine is known to damage blood vessels.
Methionine is used to make other proteins and molecules like glutathione. Through several chemical reaction and methyl changes, this cycle is critical to the synthesis and repair of genetic materials. It’s also important for gene expression.
Figure 1: Brief summary of the methylation cycle. The methylation cycle is the results of interwinned communication between methionine, folate, and the BH4 cycle. These biological interactions affects inflammation, DNA repair, detoxification, energy production and balance of neurotransmitters. Adequte supply of nutrients are necessary for healthy methylation cycle to occure. B6: Vitamin B6, B12: Vitamin B12, 5-MTHF: 5- methyltetrahydrofolate, MTHFR: methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, TMG: Trimethylglycine.
Which nutrients are involved in the methylation cycle?
We get it, the methylation cycle is crucial for wellbeing, and its extremely complicated. However, the nutrients that you eat doesn’t have to be complicated, it can be simple.
Various B-vitamins are cofactors for methylation, this means that B vitamins like folate, B12, B6, and B2 all play a role in this cycle. Methylation cannot work properly if there isn’t enough of B-vitamins. A good indication of various B-vitamin deficiency is increase in homocysteine. In cases of deficiencies, Vitamins B6, B9 and B12 can correct homocysteine levels.
Poor methylation can also impact the body’s ability to produce glutathione. Important functions of glutathione include:
The methylation cycle is also intertwined with synthesis of amino acids into neurotransmitters.
The proper balance of these neurotransmitters is important in
The methylation cycle is so important, there is a backup system. The backup system relies on the essential nutrient choline. When folate is low, choline can convert homocysteine to methionine and maintain the cycle. Choline is also involved in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and the fatty acid phosphatidylcholine.
How to supports a healthy methylation cycle?
Although the mechanism between methylation and aging needs more exploration, certain factors such as nutrition appear to play a critical role in aging. Increase in specific nutrients may help support a healthy methylation cycle.
Folate (vitamin B9) is not just for pregnant or nursing women, food rich in folate should be incorporated in each meal. A great source of folate includes
Vitamin B12 is found mostly in animal products, and it’s very important for vegetarians and vegans to pay close attention to their B12 levels. A multi-nutrient can be a great addition for vitamin B12, look for the active methylated form of B12, methylcobalamin. The inactive, cheap, and unmethylated form of B12, cyanocobalamin, will do nothing for you if you have a methylation problem. Food high vitamin B12 includes.
Vitamin B6 is basically involved in almost all of not all amino acid metabolism. Active form of B6 to look for is pyrodixal-5-phosphate. Food rich in vitamin B6 includes
A great proportion of the population is low in choline, and common symptoms are brain fog, and poor memory. Choline must be a nutrient that is consume every day. Food rich in choline includes
This amino acid doesn’t get enough credit. The majority of glycine is converted into collagen for skin, bones, joints etc. Glycine also plays a role in buffering methylation, so basically keeping the methyl group pool healthy. It also reduces homocysteine when the diet is too high in the amino acid methionine, which is found in muscle protein. Most of the population is low in glycine since our protein mostly come from muscle meat, where glycine is found in meat’s skin and bones. One of the best sources of glycine is hydrolyzed collagen, but it is also found in
Methylation also need to be supported by magnesium. A large portion of the population is low in magnesium. Magnesium is found in
Methylation and aging
Methylation is a complex system, and although diet is simply one contributor among several factors, it cannot be ignored that a healthy diet an important health predictor. The nutritional intervention in epigenetics and aging is still quite new, however data suggest that proper nutrition can have long lasting epigenetic patterns. The bottom line is, nutrition can maintain methylation and healthy methylation cycle supports healthy aging.
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MindGain improves multitasking by 57%!! What did we test, what did we find and what does this mean for you?
An Overview of Multitasking
Multitasking, simply put, is the ability to perform multiple tasks at the same time. A human example of this would be the ability to write an email while listening to a presentation. As humans, many of us tend to think we are excellent multitaskers. Unfortunately, this isn’t true at all. The human brain is actually really terrible at multitasking. Instead, our brains switch rapidly between tasks and fill in the gaps of what we miss, giving us the illusion of multitasking. Don’t believe us? An excellent example of our failure to multitask is distracted driving. If we could truly integrate information from multiple sources at once, driving while using a cell phone wouldn’t be a problem. Each time our brain switches from task to task, it takes time for our brain to re-focus. Some studies suggest that when performing a difficult task, a distraction could actually result in losing 20minutes of time to re-focus. This lag or loss of time is called a “task-switch cost”.
So, how do you study it?
To study the brains’ ability to switch tasks, we used what was called a “cued task-switching paradigm”. This means the brain is provided with two different stimuli and “cued” as to which one to pay attention to and which one to ignore. In this case, the participant is provided with a coloured shape and told to respond either to the colour or the shape. The paradigm compares the response time between multiple of the same task in a row vs a mix of two tasks. The multitasking paradigm is actually quite difficult as it requires the participant to remember two sets of rules and perform a specific response based on which set of rules is applied. Once the task is completed, we are able to compare the time it takes a participant to respond to a trial when it is the same set of rules as a previous trial (called a congruent trial) compared to when the trial asks them to “switch” (called an incongruent trial). This time is called the “task switch cost”. People that performed this paradigm before and after MindGain were able to improve there task switch cost by 57%. Another way to put it is that when taking MindGain, people responded correctly 57% faster on a switch task.
Great! What does this mean for me?
The ability to switch tasks more quickly actually has a couple of real-world applications. First off, it would mean that if you are working and get distracted by an email or text, you are able to return to the task at hand much more quickly. Second, if you are able to rapidly regain focus on multiple tasks at the same time, you come closer to true efficient multitasking. We have had MindGain users report taking notes while listening to a presentation and not miss a single word, the ability to maintain a conversation while thinking about something else and an overall increase in the ability to focus on the task in front of them.
Well, seeing as we ONLY offer MindGain in a powder, it is probably pretty obvious which camp we fell into, but it wasn’t a soft landing.
Capsules, capsules, everywhere….
Most nootropics on the market use a capsule to house their ingredients. Capsules are easy to carry, convenient to take and avoid that whole issue of awful taste and ingredients that won’t dissolve (see our FAQ “Why is there sludge in my cup”). The major downside to capsules is that they are itty bitty. So, you either are left taking 8-10 capsules/day (stomach ache anyone?), you need to really limit the ingredients (and efficacy) or you need to start to look toward freaky high potency herbal extracts.
Powder became the only choice for MindGain
MindGain works by providing the raw nutrients your brain uses to think clearly at doses that have been shown effective, clinically. If we put MindGain as it is into capsules, it would be over 10 capsules a day. We thought that was a lot of whatever-capsules-are-made-out-of to be eating every day but we also didn’t want to limit the effectiveness. Enter the true north strong and free (but regulated… really really regulated).
We are Canadian, so we have to get MindGain approved BEFORE we can sell it. This is a big difference between us and our neighbours to the south in how nootropics are sold. In the south, nootropics are “generally regarded as safe”, that is to say, you can sell them like hotcakes until someone gets sick. We the North, need to have our nootropics approved for sale (they are assessed for safety and effectiveness) prior to ever being sold.
Ok, great, what does this have to do with capsules?
Well, many of the nootropics that are sold in capsules and are effective, we actually can’t sell in Canada because they contain extracts or concentrates that are so strong, Canada considers them a drug.
YIKES!
Well, that means powder was the only option.
But… i
You might be thinking if it works, taste and sludge don’t matter right? Nope. Bearer of bad news, people will eat literally anything if it tastes and looks appealing. Seriously. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. It doesn’t matter how good something is for you, Taste and texture are a HUGE factor when developing a product. Such a huge factor, that most companies simply don’t want to deal with it
]]>Emerging scientific evidence suggests that physical activity is neuroprotective, and may promote adult neurogenesis (the birth of new neurons in the adult brain) and delay or reverse cognitive decline in the aging adults. Walking, running, resistance training, and swimming are all affordable types of activities shown to maintain physical and mental health.
What if exercise is not an option?
Physical activity may be hindered in an older population that is injured, frail or in poor health, such as during advanced stages of neurodegenerative diseases. A recent article in Science (2020), Horowitz et al. identified a method to transfer the brain benefits of exercise to those who were sedentary through administration of blood plasma. They identified glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-specific phospholipase D (Gpld1), as a liver derived- blood factor that improved hippocampal function in aged sedentary mice.
The hippocampus is the region of the brain that plays a key role in memory, learning and mood. This is one of two regions that generates new neurons (adult neurogenesis) throughout life. This has been shown throughout the animal kingdom from rodents, primates, to humans. It’s believed that the benefits of exercise on cognition lies in the hippocampal circuitry. This circuitry is impaired in animal models and humans with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease.
Horowitz et al. show that infusing plasma from the blood of either exercised mature or aged mice can transfer the benefits of exercise to sedentary mice. The mice that received the plasma transfusions had increases in the survival and differentiation of new neurons in the hippocampus as well as enhanced learning abilities. In both mice and humans, the liver-derived molecule, Gpld1, is increased following physical activity. By manipulating the GPI-Gpld1 pathway, Horowitz et al. fully mimics the benefits of physical activity on cognition in sedentary aged mice.
Although this has not been done in humans, this study is still an extremely important proof of concept to demonstrate how important physical activity is, especially in the aging population. It sheds light on the molecular mechanism of how something like exercise can promote healthy cognition. Not only does it create a possible therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases, but also the opportunities for psychiatric disorders and traumatic brain injuries, where hippocampal circuitry and cognitive impairment may also be affected.
It doesn’t matter how old you are, regular physical activity is required for optimal functioning. Whatever exercise you choose, make that exercise a habit, your overall brain health depends on it.
Reference:
Horowitz, A. M. et al. Blood factors transfer beneficial effects of exercise on neurogenesis and cognition to the aged brain. Science 369, 167 (2020).
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Magnesium (Mg2+) is a dietary mineral that’s required by more than 300 metabolic reactions in the body.
There are many health benefits to maintaining optimal levels of magnesium, Here are just a few examples.
Magnesium is also referred to as an anti-stress mineral because it stabilizes the nervous system, soothing the body into a more relaxed state [1].
The importance of this wonderful mineral, unfortunately, isn’t common knowledge. Almost half of all Americans are magnesium deficient [2], preventing vitamin D from being effectively metabolized [3], which, in turn, inhibits a strong immune system [4].
A possible reason why so many Americans suffer from magnesium deficiency, also known, hypomagnesemia, could be because the symptoms are easily mistaken for common bodily reactions and natural degenerative processes.
Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:
Magnesium deficiency also impacts brain health. Over the past decade, a high number of research efforts have discovered a clear relationship between magnesium and brain function [14].
The following additional symptoms are linked to magnesium deficiency in the brain
Magnesium deficiency is caused by a wide range of factors. By being aware of them, lifestyle habits can be adjusted accordingly to naturally raise magnesium levels.
The following could cause magnesium deficiency:
Stress is a normal process that triggers the release of catecholamines (dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine) and corticosteroids (cortisol).
There are two primary categories of stress.
Physical stress is caused by environmental factors such as extreme weather, sickness, or excessive physical exercise.
Emotional stress is triggered by extreme emotions such as depression, anxiety, pain, and excitement.
In times of stress (both physical and/or emotional), the resulting reduced levels of magnesium could increase the risk of cardiovascular damage, hypertension, and arrhythmias. So it’s important to ingest adequate amounts of magnesium during such stressful seasons in life.
Chronic stress initiates a harmful cycle of magnesium depletion. High-stress levels cause magnesium to leach from the body, resulting in magnesium deficiency, which puts the mind in a highly stressed state, further amplifying magnesium deficiency.
Magnesium is an essential ingredient for modulating the body’s stress response system. When magnesium levels are low, your body is continuously sending a signal to your brain that danger is imminent. This is a very exhausting state to be locked into, so it’s no surprise that magnesium deficiency could eventually cause chronic diseases.
The impact of magnesium on brain health, with a particular focus on cognitive function, is a rapidly evolving field.
So far, the following fascinating discoveries have been made about the brain’s response to magnesium.
Magnesium can be found in high concentrations in the mitochondria - the powerhouse of the cell - where it’s required for the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
ATP is the energy cells need to fuel everything they do. To create this essential fuel, magnesium needs to be present in the mitochondria to activate ATP (ATP-Mg2+), so without minerals like magnesium, ATP is virtually inactive.
The brain accounts for 2% of your body weight and 20% of its energy requirements. This makes sense because your brain, like a supercomputer, requires high amounts of energy to process high amounts of information.
It has also been shown that neurons consume 75-80% of the brain’s energy [17], demonstrating the vast amount of fuel required to send and receive brain signals.
In a healthy human brain, ATP production is highly dynamic. The requirements can dramatically increase especially in times of high cognitive demand, such as multitasking, completing complicated tasks, and persevering through stressful situations. Decreases in ATP production are associated with a decline in cognitive performance.
Because magnesium is required for ATP production, and the brain needs copious amounts of energy for optimal performance, there is a direct link between magnesium levels and cognition.
Dynamic changes in energy in the brain are critical not only for cognitive function (your ability to think and process information) but also for brain plasticity.
Magnesium plays a key role in brain plasticity. Brain plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to make or modify its connections. In other words, it’s the brain’s capacity to re-wire itself when you’re learning something new.
From birth to adulthood, brain plasticity is active and dynamic. The brain interacts with the environment to make and develop new connections.
Brain plasticity is the hallmark of a flexible young brain prepared for optimal learning, memorization, and complex tasks. As you get older, very fewer mature neurons are formed and plasticity decreases.
Increasing brain magnesium levels can promote brain plasticity. Adults aged 50-70 with mild cognitive impairment, demonstrated improvements in memory, brain plasticity, and cognitive abilities when prescribed magnesium supplementation over 12 weeks.
Adequate amounts of magnesium in the brain appear to be really important for learning and memory function, especially as you get older.
Deficiency in magnesium has long been associated with mental health issues. Studies have demonstrated [18] rapid recovery from depression with the use of magnesium glycinate, and taurinate.
This mineral is a co-factor for converting the amino acid tryptophan to the neurotransmitter serotonin. The proper balance of this neurotransmitter is a determining factor for mental health and mood.
Another mechanism promoting mental health occurs through the interaction of magnesium with the glutamate receptor N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). Recent research has shown that drugs like Ketamine block the NMDA receptor and have rapid antidepressant effects.
Magnesium is a natural NMDA blocker and may have antidepressant effects similar to ketamine.
It’s no surprise that depression is so prevalent in the United States [19], given that half the population is magnesium deficient.
Sleep is the elixir of life. Despite the wide range of health benefits that come from getting enough sleep, more than 30% of the population suffers from sleep problems like insomnia.
Lack of sleep, or lack of quality of sleep, is associated with degraded cognition, impaired attention, irritability, degraded memory, and the rise in mental health problems like depression. Quality sleep is extremely important for brain health.
Magnesium has been shown to facilitate sleep in people with insomnia [20]. Studies show that magnesium (magnesium oxide) supplementation can improve sleep time, efficiency, onset latency, and insomnia in elderly people.
Similar to the mechanism of the amino acid, L-theanine, magnesium blocks the NMDA receptor, which promotes the release of the neurotransmitter GABA, which can have a relaxation effect and promote better sleep.
Furthermore, magnesium glycinate, a chelated form of magnesium (which means, in this case, magnesium is stuck to the amino acid glycine), has been shown to promote quality sleep.
Glycine can act as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and has been shown to improve sleep quality, without drowsiness.
If quality sleep has always been a struggle for you, high-quality magnesium glycinate could help you achieve the rest you’ve always longed for.
During physical exercise, magnesium is involved in energy metabolism and facilitates normal muscle contraction and relaxation. It’s widely accepted that magnesium deficiency can impair muscle function and exercise performance.
The scientific data suggest that magnesium supplementation may improve physical performance in people who have low levels of magnesium. In male athletes, there has been some positive data linking performance with magnesium supplementation. However, in a healthy young population, this is still up for debate.
It’s important to note that many of these studies have not considered baseline concentration of magnesium in participants. Furthermore, the dosage and type of magnesium vary across different scientific studies.
In the older, healthy and active population, especially in older women, magnesium supplementation appears to be helpful in increasing physical performance such as grip strength, and lower leg muscle power.
The bottom line is, if your diet lacks adequate magnesium, physical performance can be affected.
A balanced diet in foods rich in magnesium is key for physical and mental health. However, magnesium supplementation can be a great choice to fill in nutritional gaps and ensure adequate levels on a daily basis.
Here’s a list of 13 healthy foods that are naturally high in magnesium. Makes you save this list for future shopping trips.
There are many forms of magnesium supplements. Some options are listed below.
Magnesium supplements are deemed safe for most people, but some experience mild side effects relating to laxative responses. These could include diarrhea, upset stomach, and bloating.
Toxic side effects are very rare, usually occurring in people suffering from kidney diseases or who consume a very large amount of magnesium
The following symptoms could be indicative of a toxic reaction to magnesium supplements:
In Canada, the recommended daily requirement for magnesium is 300 mg for males and 250 mg for females. The National Institutes of Health recommends daily magnesium intake of 400-420 mg for males aged 51+ years and 310-320 mg for females aged 51+ years.
MindGain uses Magnesium Glycinate in its formula for promoting optimal cognitive performance.
This particular form of magnesium has been chosen for many reasons
Your body doesn’t naturally produce magnesium, so the only way to maintain healthy levels is by consuming a magnesium-rich diet.
With a busy lifestyle, it can be difficult to keep track of magnesium consumption. MindGain contains the most potent, and absorbable form of Magnesium so taking MindGain adds to your daily magnesium total.
By also combining other ingredients that fuel the brain, such as the amino acid tyrosine, MindGain capitalizes on magnesium’s positive impact on mental cognition.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
References
[1] Cuciureanu, M.D. and Vink, R. (2011). Magnesium and stress. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507250/.
[2] Pharmacy Times. (n.d.). Study: Half of All Americans are Magnesium Deficient. [online] Available at: https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/study-half-of-all-americans-are-magnesium-deficient [Accessed 23 Jul. 2021].
[3] ScienceDaily. (n.d.). Low magnesium levels make vitamin D ineffective: Up to 50 percent of US population is magnesium deficient. [online] Available at: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180226122548.htm.
[4] Aranow, C. (2011). Vitamin D and the immune system. Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research, [online] 59(6), pp.881–6. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3166406/.
[5] Pham, P.-C., Pham, P.A., Pham, S., Pham, P.T., Pham, P.M. and Pham, P.T. (2014). Hypomagnesemia: a clinical perspective. International Journal of Nephrology and Renovascular Disease, [online] p.219. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4062555/.
[6] Vallee, B.L., Wacker, W.E.C. and Ulmer, D.D. (1960). The Magnesium-Deficiency Tetany Syndrome in Man. New England Journal of Medicine, 262(4), pp.155–161.
[7] Cheungpasitporn, W., Thongprayoon, C., Mao, M.A., Srivali, N., Ungprasert, P., Varothai, N., Sanguankeo, A., Kittanamongkolchai, W. and Erickson, S.B. (2015). Hypomagnesaemia linked to depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Internal Medicine Journal, 45(4), pp.436–440.
[8] Castiglioni, S., Cazzaniga, A., Albisetti, W. and Maier, J. (2013). Magnesium and Osteoporosis: Current State of Knowledge and Future Research Directions. Nutrients, [online] 5(8), pp.3022–3033. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3775240/ [Accessed 12 Oct. 2019].
[9] Huang, C.-L. and Kuo, E. (2007). Mechanism of Hypokalemia in Magnesium Deficiency. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, [online] 18(10), pp.2649–2652. Available at: https://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/18/10/2649 [Accessed 18 Mar. 2020].
[10] Laurant, P., Hayoz, D., Brunner, H.R. and Berthelot, A. (1999). Effect of magnesium deficiency on blood pressure and mechanical properties of rat carotid artery. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex.: 1979), [online] 33(5), pp.1105–1110. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10334795/ [Accessed 23 Jul. 2021].
[11] Kowal, A., Panaszek, B., Barg, W. and Obojski, A. (2007). The use of magnesium in bronchial asthma: a new approach to an old problem. Archivum Immunologiae Et Therapiae Experimentalis, [online] 55(1), pp.35–39. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17277891/ [Accessed 23 Jul. 2021].
[12] Dyckner, T. (1980). Serum magnesium in acute myocardial infarction. Relation to arrhythmias. Acta Medica Scandinavica, [online] 207(1-2), pp.59–66. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7368975/ [Accessed 23 Jul. 2021].
[13] www.medicalnewstoday.com. (n.d.). Magnesium deficiency: Symptoms, signs and treatment. [online] Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322191.
[14] Kirkland, A., Sarlo, G. and Holton, K. (2018). The Role of Magnesium in Neurological Disorders. Nutrients, [online] 10(6), p.730. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6024559/.
[15] Hoane, M.R. (2011). The role of magnesium therapy in learning and memory. [online] PubMed. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507270/.
[16] Pickering, G., Mazur, A., Trousselard, M., Bienkowski, P., Yaltsewa, N., Amessou, M., Noah, L. and Pouteau, E. (2020). Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited. Nutrients, [online] 12(12), p.3672. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7761127/.
[17] Watts, M.E., Pocock, R. and Claudianos, C. (n.d.). Brain Energy and Oxygen Metabolism: Emerging Role in Normal Function and Disease. [online] Frontiers. Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnmol.2018.00216/full [Accessed 23 Jul. 2021].
[18] Eby, G.A. and Eby, K.L. (2006). Rapid recovery from major depression using magnesium treatment. Medical Hypotheses, 67(2), pp.362–370.
[19] National Institute of Mental Health (2019). NIMH» Major Depression. [online] www.nimh.nih.gov. Available at: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression.
[20] Abbasi, B., Kimiagar, M., Sadeghniiat, K., Shirazi, M.M., Hedayati, M. and Rashidkhani, B. (2012). The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of research in medical sciences : the official journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, [online] 17(12), pp.1161–9. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703169/.
[21] McCarty, M.F., O’Keefe, J.H. and DiNicolantonio, J.J. (2018). Dietary Glycine Is Rate-Limiting for Glutathione Synthesis and May Have Broad Potential for Health Protection. The Ochsner Journal, [online] 18(1), pp.81–87. Available at:
L-theanine is used for relaxation without the sedative (sleepy) unwanted effects. It can also play a role in improving memory, and attention, especially when combined with a caffeine source (hello, coffee).
To understand why L-theanine is such a great amino acid, we ought to first understand how it works.
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If you resonate with this scenario, you’re not alone. It’s a common conundrum faced by millions of North Americans every day.
While the internet is bloated with ‘instant hacks’ to overcome low energy and brain fog, the effectiveness of these solutions depends on your genetic makeup, your diet, and your quality of sleep. Vital conditions that are seldom mentioned in such articles.
But recent studies have shown that low energy, burnout, and even brain fog could be treated with a wonderful amino acid known as L-theanine [1] [2] [3].
For the majority of us, this can be repaired with our good friend L-theanine.
L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea and other tea leaves (Camellia sinensis).
Over its long history of consumption, green tea has developed a reputation for promoting health and calming stressed minds.
While the popularity of green tea has spiked in recent history, the ingredient responsible for green tea’s recent rise in popularity - L-Theanine - is still deficient in the average diet.
L-theanine is used for relaxation without the unwanted sedative (sleepy) side effects. There is also increasing evidence that Theanine enhances cognitive functions [5] like concentration and memory, especially when combined with a caffeine source.
L-theanine levels in the blood levels peak within 1 hour of ingestion and remain elevated for up to 5 hours. Just like Tyrosine, L-theanine can permeate the blood-brain barrier (the wall in the brain decides what goes in and out).
The mechanism of L-theanine is pretty complicated, and still not well understood. But the knowledge we have so far reveals some fascinating links to cognition.
Before these findings can be appreciated, It’s important to understand the function of the entire nervous system.
There are two main competing neurotransmitters:
The GABA and glutamate pathways are linked to many other neurotransmitters like dopamine, and serotonin. Changes in one of these two neurotransmitters can affect other neurotransmitters.
Oral ingestion of L-Theanine increases GABA release. This makes sense because it's promoting inhibition and relaxation, but why?
Many believe L-Theanine promotes GABA release indirectly by interacting with glutaminergic neurons (neurons that release glutamate). Because L-theanine’s molecular structure is similar to the molecular structure of the amino acid glutamine and glutamate, it can block transporters and receptors important for the release of glutamate.
This means L-theanine changes the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, promoting GABA (inhibitory) over glutamate (excitatory), which increases other neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.
In simple terms, L-theanine can activate the brain’s calming pathways and influence other neurotransmitters important for mood, motivation, attention, and memory.
Pharmaceutical drugs can achieve similar relaxation effects to Theanine but with the addition of a sedative effect.
For example, when drugs known as Benzodiazepines (or tranquilizers) are consumed, theyhave a sedative and relaxing effect. Similar to L-theanine, Benzodiazepines cause GABA levels to increase in the brain. But contrary to L-theanine, Benzodiazepines interact directly with the GABA receptors.
L-theanine, on the other hand, indirectly increases GABA levels. This indirect stimulation of the GABA pathway is believed to be the reason why L-theanine supplementation can, not only relax, but decrease anxiety without the unwanted sleepy side effects.
Your brain cells operate through a series of electrical impulses. These impulses can be detected with a device called an electroencephalogram (EEG). Brain wave patterns reveal a lot of useful information about a person's state of mind.
Here’s a list of the different types of brain waves and what they represent.
Taking L-theanine can promote alpha wave activity, making you feel more awake and more relaxed.
What’s even more interesting is that increases in alpha wave patterns are linked to decreases in circulating cortisol levels. So in times of high stress, L-theanine can promote relaxation, while also improving attention, motivation, cognition, and memory.
To maximize the mental benefits of L-Theanine, this amino acid should be combined with caffeine. This synergy results in increased attention, alertness and accuracy in healthy adults when assessed with cognitive tests.
Coffee alone has been proven to achieve similar positive results [6], but the associated tremors and eventual crash counteract many of the benefits.
L-theanine supplementation can dampen the coffee crash and reduce the "jitters" associated with caffeine intake.
So with the addition of L-Theanine, it’s possible to maintain the cognitive advantages of caffeine while minimizing its negative side effects.
MindGain is a nootropic supplement that manipulates the specific neuro-molecular pathways related to cognitive function - neurotransmitter production, and mitochondrial health.
By also including the amino acid L-theanine, MindGain’s proprietary formula combines the essential ingredients brains need to improve performance in complex tasks while lowering stress levels.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
References
[1] Hidese, Ogawa, Ota, Ishida, Yasukawa, Ozeki and Kunugi (2019). Effects of L-Theanine Administration on Stress-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 11(10), p.2362.
[2] Owen, G.N., Parnell, H., De Bruin, E.A. and Rycroft, J.A. (2008). The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood. Nutritional Neuroscience, 11(4), pp.193–198.
[3] Baba, Y., Inagaki, S., Nakagawa, S., Kaneko, T., Kobayashi, M. and Takihara, T. (2021). Effects of l-Theanine on Cognitive Function in Middle-Aged and Older Subjects: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study. Journal of Medicinal Food, 24(4), pp.333–341.
[4] Hidese, Ogawa, Ota, Ishida, Yasukawa, Ozeki and Kunugi (2019). Effects of L-Theanine Administration on Stress-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 11(10), p.2362.
[5] Nobre, A.C., Rao, A. and Owen, G.N. (2008). L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, [online] 17 Suppl 1, pp.167–168. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18296328/.
[6] www.coffeeandhealth.org. (n.d.). Caffeine and Cognitive performance - Coffee and Health. [online] Available at: https://www.coffeeandhealth.org/topic-overview/coffee-and-age-related-cognitive-decline/#:~:text=A%20British%20study%20of%209%2C003 [Accessed 24 Jul. 2021].
Choline is important for a large number of things in your body. It is involved in neurotransmitter production, keeping your cell membranes healthy, moving fats to where they need to be, and keeping other metabolites in balance.
Your liver can make a small amount of choline, however the majority of choline comes from your diet. Some foods that are rich in choline include, eggs, soybeans, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts etc), beef and chicken liver.
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If you’ve noticed a significant lapse in concentration and you’re struggling to manage your daily demands, it could be caused by insufficient labels of choline in your diet.
To learn what choline is and how it could improve your quality of life, read on.
Choline is an essential nutrient that’s critical for brain development and function [1]. Choline also impacts many other processes - it’s involved in neurotransmitter production, keeps your cell membranes healthy, moves fats to where they need to be, and promotes metabolic balance.
Your liver can make a small amount of choline, however, the majority of it comes from your diet.
Some foods that are rich in choline include eggs, soybeans, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, etc), beef, and chicken liver.
Unfortunately, recent studies suggest that most of the North American population is not getting close to enough choline in their diet. This could cause mental illness, stress and even preterm birth for pregnant women [2].
In addition to food, choline also comes in a variety of supplemental forms:
Choline is critical for producing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and for keeping neuronal membranes happy and healthy.
Acetylcholine is synthesized in a specific type of neuron, called a “cholinergic neuron”. To make acetylcholine, you need 2 precursors: choline and acetyl coenzyme (shortened to acetyl CoA).
The majority of choline is provided by your diet, while acetyl CoA is made from glucose in your mitochondria.
After ingesting choline, it passes through the blood-brain barrier (BBB: the wall in the brain that decides what goes in and out). Once it’s in your brain an enzyme called choline acetyltransferase converts acetyl CoA and choline into acetylcholine.
Maintaining healthy levels of acetylcholine in the brain is critical for memory function, supporting attention spans, cognition, and overall brain health.
The benefits of choline don’t stop there.
Choline can also be converted into phosphatidylcholine. Phosphatidylcholine is a fatty molecule essential for cell membrane health.
Phosphatidylcholine can then be dismantled to provide choline to the acetylcholine pathway. Your neurons fluctuate between these two reactions, as needed.
Several studies show that a diet rich in choline, or choline supplementation, can enhance neuroprotective and cognitive functions [3]. Choline alone can enhance acetylcholine levels in the brain, a critical requirement for working memory and focus.
Pregnant women are at higher risk for choline deficiency. Studies looking at choline intake during pregnancy found that the children [4] of mothers who had a diet rich in choline displayed better scores in visuospatial memory and non-verbal intelligence.
When observing different biomarkers in pregnant women after choline supplementation, the placental cord had lower levels of cortisol - a stress hormone that’s detrimental to unborn babies. This suggests that choline could help negate the adverse effects of prenatal stress.
Choline has positive health benefits throughout all stages of life. It could even compensate for cognitive decline in healthy elderly.
As you age, there is a natural decline in cell membrane integrity. The lipids derived from phosphatidylcholine help to keep your cell membranes together.
Choline supplementation can enhance cognitive functions [5] as well as preserve phosphatidylcholine levels. This suggests that choline supplementation could compensate for cognitive decline in a healthy aging population as well as exert neuroprotective properties.
There is strong evidence that choline supplementation can enhance cognition in healthy adults. The benefits include improved memory [6] and improved visuomotor abilities [7] such as throwing a ball and drawing.
Similar to Tyrosine, healthy adults who are deficient in choline will experience the highest cognitive benefits from choline supplementation. The theory is that high performers already have optimal levels of acetylcholine, while low-performers have lower levels, thus decreasing cognitive performance.
There’s an ongoing debate about which form of choline supplement is the best. Many hold the opinion that choline bitartrate is an inferior supplement since it’s less expensive and not as well absorbed as other forms.
The truth is that choline bitartrate is the most globally researched of all the forms, and displays the most generalized effect.
Other forms, like CDP-Choline and Alpha-GPC, have shown promising results but these studies analyzed a very narrow population - low cognitive performers and the elderly.
Based on current scientific literature [7], choline bitartrate provides several benefits including improvement in visual-motor coordinator, cognitive function, overall health, and possibly even neuroprotection in the elderly.
MindGain is a nootropic supplement that manipulates the specific neuro-molecular pathways related to cognitive function - Neurotransmitter production, and Mitochondrial health.
By also including the key nutrient, choline, MindGain’s proprietary formula combines the essential ingredients brains need to improve performance in complex tasks while lowering stress levels.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
References
[1] Zeisel, S.H. (2004). Nutritional importance of choline for brain development. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, [online] 23(6 Suppl), pp.621S626S. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15640516/.
[2] Gleaton, V. (n.d.). Studies Explore Links Between Stress, Choline Deficiency, Preterm Births, and Mental Health Issues. [online] news.cuanschutz.edu. Available at: https://news.cuanschutz.edu/medicine/choline-deficiency-preterm-births [Accessed 25 Jul. 2021].
[3] Bekdash, R.A. (2019). Neuroprotective Effects of Choline and Other Methyl Donors. Nutrients, 11(12), p.2995.
[4] Boeke, C.E., Gillman, M.W., Hughes, M.D., Rifas-Shiman, S.L., Villamor, E. and Oken, E. (2013). Choline Intake During Pregnancy and Child Cognition at Age 7 Years. American Journal of Epidemiology, 177(12), pp.1338–1347.
[5] Babb, S.M., Wald, L.L., Cohen, B.M., Villafuerte, R.A., Gruber, S.A., Yurgelun-Todd, D.A. and Renshaw, P.F. (2002). Chronic citicoline increases phosphodiesters in the brains of healthy older subjects: an in vivo phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Psychopharmacology, [online] 161(3), pp.248–254. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12021827/ [Accessed 25 Jul. 2021].
[6] Neurocognitive effects of acute choline supplementation in low, medium and high performer healthy volunteers. (2015). Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, [online] 131, pp.119–129. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091305715000453?via%3Dihub [Accessed 26 Jul. 2021].
[7] Naber, M., Hommel, B. and Colzato, L.S. (2015). Improved human visuomotor performance and pupil constriction after choline supplementation in a placebo-controlled double-blind study. Scientific Reports, 5(1).
]]>Have you ever felt completely drained, or irritable after a long day at work? Have you had difficulty staying motivated even when you really needed or wanted to? Stood up to give a presentation and had your mind go blank?
The truth is, most of us have been in one of the above situations and this very reaction likely has a lot to do with the amino acid L-tyrosine.
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All of the above nasty reactions could be linked to the amino acid L-tyrosine.
We’re all familiar with the basic premise of lego blocks - you dump them out and work diligently to build something out of the hundreds of small pieces.
Amino acids are no different, in many ways, from lego blocks. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein in our bodies. Without these blocks, it’s incredibly difficult to build anything of substance.
With the right blocks available, your body is able to build everything it needs.
Catecholamines are essential for brain health. These neurotransmitters facilitate central nervous system functions that support mood, cognition and memory.
Catecholamines also facilitate dopamine, epinephrine (adrenaline), and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) production in the brain.
A steady supply of L-tyrosine is important for your body to keep producing catecholamines, which means a steady supply of tyrosine is important for motivation, focus, attention, and overall happiness.
Blood levels of tyrosine peak 1-2 hours after taking it, and can stay elevated for up to 8 hours [1]. L-Tyrosine can pass the blood-brain barrier (the wall in the brain that says what can go in and out) and when this happens, only certain brain cells will absorb tyrosine.
In such cells, an enzyme called “tyrosine hydroxylase” will transform tyrosine into L-DOPA.
L-DOPA is then finally transformed into the neurotransmitter dopamine.
The enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase is very important because it regulates dopamine production. As great as dopamine is, you can have too much of a good thing, which will actually lead to a decrease in performance.
That is why it is always important to watch out for products that contain L-DOPA or Mucuna pruriens (velvet bean extract that contains L-DOPA). L-DOPA bypasses tyrosine hydroxylase, which could cause a surplus of dopamine levels.
Being cold on a mountain
One of the first scientific papers to study tyrosine and cognition was written almost 30 years ago [2]. In this study, soldiers were placed on a cold mountain and tasked with solving mathematical problems.
These soldiers didn’t perform well, and unsurprisingly, were not very happy. The theory was that the stress of being at a high altitude and in the cold while performing a cognitively demanding task was depleting dopamine.
Because of the drop in dopamine, their mental performance declined.
When the researchers supplemented another group of these soldiers with Tyrosine to replenish their tyrosine stores, they were able to maintain their mental performance despite the cold and high altitude.
Other studies have also shown the benefits of taking tyrosine during various stresses like extreme heat [3], extreme cold [4], and sleep deprivation [5].
One thing all these studies have in common is stress.
Tyrosine works based on something called the “repletion effect” which is literally the opposite of the depletion effect.
Think of your brain as a car. It needs fuel to run. When you drive fast, you burn more fuel, and if you run out, your car will stop running.
This is an example of the depletion effect. When you pull into a gas station and fill up the gas tank that is an example of the “repletion effect”.
During times of cognitive stress like zoom meetings, multitasking, math tests, or something as simple as driving, the neurons that release dopamine become very active.
At the same time, as a society we are reporting record high levels of emotional and workplace stress [6]. If you’re feeling stressed, without even knowing it, you’re also activating your fight-or-flight stress response.
Remember those other two catecholamines we mentioned - Epinephrine and norepinephrine?
They use tyrosine as a building block as well. When you’re feeling stress (fight or flight), your body starts to dump large amounts of epinephrine and norepinephrine into your bloodstream to cause the fight or flight stress response.
Higher brain functions and stress responses both rely on tyrosine to make catecholamines. If one (or both) of these systems is being pushed hard, this can lead to shortages.
Unfortunately, if you are stressed out, it’s your brain that suffers the short end of the stick.
From an evolutionary perspective, this makes sense. If you have a lion chasing you, you need to run. You don’t need to form and present a cohesive argument as to why you would make a terrible meal!
Scientific studies show that if you give back tyrosine (replenish the stores), you can actually maintain mental performance during stress.
Many nootropics out there rave about different forms of tyrosine or even sources of L-DOPA.
So why did we stick with plain old L-tyrosine?
Honestly, because it is tried, tested and proven.
L-Tyrosine is the form that has been the most clinically studied and proven the most effective. Also, it’s the form of tyrosine most commonly found in food.
At MindGain we whole-heartedly believe in the KISS adage - “Keep it super simple”. The brain is complex enough, the last thing we need is to add unproven forms of nutrients.
MindGain is a nootropic supplement that manipulates the specific neuro-molecular pathways related to cognitive function - Neurotransmitter production, and Mitochondrial health.
By also including the amino acid tyrosine, MindGain’s proprietary formula combines the essential ingredients brains need to improve performance in complex tasks while lowering stress levels.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
References
[1] Glaeser, B.S., Melamed, E., Growdon, J.H. and Wurtman, R.J. (1979). Elevation of plasma tyrosine after a single oral dose of L-tyrosine. Life Sciences, [online] 25(3), pp.265–271. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/481129/ [Accessed 28 Jul. 2021].
[2] Banderet, L.E. and Lieberman, H.R. (1989). Treatment with tyrosine, a neurotransmitter precursor, reduces environmental stress in humans. Brain Research Bulletin, 22(4), pp.759–762.
[3] Tumilty, L., Davison, G., Beckmann, M. and Thatcher, R. (2011). Oral tyrosine supplementation improves exercise capacity in the heat. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 111(12), pp.2941–2950.
[4] Shurtleff, D., Thomas, J.R., Schrot, J., Kowalski, K. and Harford, R. (1994). Tyrosine reverses a cold-induced working memory deficit in humans. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 47(4), pp.935–941.
[5] Neri, D.F., Wiegmann, D., Stanny, R.R., Shappell, S.A., McCardie, A. and McKay, D.L. (1995). The effects of tyrosine on cognitive performance during extended wakefulness. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, [online] 66(4), pp.313–319. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7794222/ [Accessed 28 Jul. 2021].
[6] Boyd, D. (2019). 42 Worrying Workplace Stress Statistics - The American Institute of Stress. [online] The American Institute of Stress. Available at: https://www.stress.org/42-worrying-workplace-stress-statistics.
Vitamin B6 is involved in more than 100 metabolic reactions in the body, especially in the metabolism (processing) of amino acids (protein), carbohydrates and fats, as well as for normal functioning of the nervous system and red blood cells.
Vitamin B6 deficiency is rare, but certain factors may put people at risk.
Risk factors include:
Mild vitamin B6 deficiency causes biochemical changes in the body, however could show no signs or symptoms for months until the deficiency progresses.
Signs of Vitamin B6 deficiency include:
Vitamin B6 is found in a variety of foods, such as:
The majority of the vitamin B6 is highly bioavailable from a mixed diet.
The brain consumes the most energy in the body. Vitamin B6 has a role in many different chemical reactions in the brain and it’s a fair assumption that minor deficiency in Vitamin B6 may impact brain function.
Specific areas where vitamin B6 is required in the brain includes:
Vitamin B6 easily crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB), to reach neuronal and glial cells - two types of brain cells.
Vitamin B6 is the vitamin that has the single biggest impact on neurotransmitter synthesis via amino acid metabolism. Vitamin B6 is a cofactor for the amino acid conversion of glutamic acid, tyrosine, tryptophan, and histidine. These synthesize the neurotransmitters GABA, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin and histamine, respectively.
As shown in the figure above, Vitamin B6 is essential for the production of many neurotransmitters involved in brain health including learning, cognition, mood, and memory.
In animal studies, B6 deficiency has been shown to lead to a decrease in GABA concentration in the brain. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, so when levels decrease, this favours an increase in the excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate.
Strong evidence suggests that changes in this GABA-Glutamate balance lead to sleep and mood problems, as well loss of proper stress control.
In other words, it becomes harder for your body to control sleep, mood and cortisol levels without proper levels of vitamin B6.
Despite a lack of severe deficiency, suboptimal amounts of vitamin B6 are relatively common in the population.
The amino acid called homocysteine is essential for normal cellular functions. However, higher levels of this amino acid, or an excessive buildup can trigger many diseases such as heart disease, strokes, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.
It’s also associated with lower mood and cognitive impairment.
Homocysteine is converted into other amino acids via one of two pathways:
Many factors can raise the levels of homocysteine, such as poor diet and lifestyle choices. However, one of the most prominent causes is deficiency in either folate and vitamin B12 or vitamin B6.
Growing evidence shows that vitamin B supplements like B6 can bring homocysteine levels back within a normal and healthy range.
Vitamin B6 may have a crucial role in your body's antioxidant defence system. Your body uses antioxidants for a wide range of functions, including healthy immune function and metabolism.
Although, the exact mechanism on how vitamin B6 protects the cell from damage is unclear, scientists have two main theories:
In both human and animal models, low blood levels of Vitamin B6 are associated with an increase in oxidative damage biomarkers. These findings support the relationship between lower vitamin B6 status and higher oxidative stress.
Getting adequate amounts of vitamin B6 from your diet or through supplements has protective effects.
There is no getting past it, getting older is associated with a decline in cognitive performance.
Interestingly, a research group from Ireland, found that levels of vitamin B6 are a predictor of cognitive decline in an aging population.
Similar to what is observed with vitamin C, suboptimal levels of vitamin B6 are associated with a faster rate of cognitive decline over a 4-year period.
What’s interesting about this research article is that the finding is specific to Vitamin B6.
The researcher did not find any link between cognitive decline and the other B vitamins. This means the B6 specifically is crucial for healthy aging and the authors go on to suggest that B6 could be an important protective factor in cognitive health.
Similar to magnesium, vitamin B6 has been proposed as a anti-stress therapy, because it is important in making neurotransmitters that affect depression, and anxiety (GABA, dopamine, serotonin), and can help to balance off cortisol, aka “the stress hormone”, release.
The relationship between low magnesium levels and greater perceived stress have been well documented. Read our magnesium blog for more details.
In cases of low magnesium serum level, magnesium supplementation improves sleep, and cortisol levels.
So how are magnesium and B6 linked?
It is believed that vitamin B6 facilitates magnesium absorption. Magnesium can alleviate stress symptoms, however, in combination with vitamin B6 may provide faster relief in magnesium-deficient animals.
In a human study, a combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 provides faster relief in people with severe stress over magnesium supplementation alone.
On a fun side note, evidence suggests that vitamin B6 can trigger lucid dreaming. There is a whole field of study dedicated to investigating the benefits and relationship of lucid dreaming and health.
Dream recall and lucid dreaming has many benefits such as alleviating nightmares, promoting creative problem solving, and exploring the mind-body relationship and consciousness.
Pyridoxal 5’-phosphate is the active form of vitamin B6, and is mainly involved in metabolism of amino acids.
It is important to note that pyridoxal 5’-phosphate has not been associated with toxicity, however its inactive form, found in many multi-vitamins and supplements, pyridoxine, has reported toxicity and neuropathy at high doses.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxal 5’-phosphate) supplementation dose ranges from 0.1-100 mg/day with a maximal dose of 100 mg/day based on recommendations.
Vitamin B6 is essential to many functions in the body, mostly concerning amino acid metabolism.
MindGain uses the active and highly bioavailable form of vitamin B6, pyridoxal 5’-phosphate for these reasons:
Your body doesn’t make vitamin B6, so it is really important to get an adequate amount in your diet. It’s widely accepted that vitamin B6 is necessary for optimal health.
When it comes to supplementation, pyridoxal 5’-phosphate is an excellent supplement to support brain health and promote cognitive performance.
MindGain is a nootropic supplement that manipulates the specific neuro-molecular pathways related to cognitive function - Neurotransmitter production, and Mitochondrial health.
By also including Vitamin B6 in the form of pyridoxal-5-phosphate , MindGain’s proprietary formula combines the essential ingredients brains need to improve performance in complex tasks while lowering stress levels.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
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This means it can only be supplied through the diet or supplementation. Because Vitamin C is water soluble it isn’t stored in the body, and so a consistent supply of the vitamin is necessary.
A diet without vitamin C can lead to a devastating disease known as scurvy. Signs and symptoms of scurvy date back to 1500 BC. Vitamin C is critical to convert the amino acids proline and lysine into collagen, this is what gives structure to your body through bones, skin, tendons, and ligaments.
The breakdown of collagen causes the awful symptoms of scurvy.
Today, scurvy is easily preventable, however, certain factors can increase the need for more vitamin C, such as:
In the western world, 10-15% of the adult population may have severe vitamin C deficiency, with the highest proportion in the elderly population.
Early sign of vitamin C deficiency includes:
Healthy levels of vitamin C are needed for :
All fruits and vegetables contain some vitamin C. Fruits and vegetable with the highest source includes:
The most popular and well-known supplement containing vitamin C comes in the form of ascorbic acid.
Both synthetic and food-derived ascorbic acid (vitamin C) are chemically identical, and have similar bioavailability.
The brain is a huge consumer of Vitamin C, and contains the highest concentration in the whole body.
More specifically, vitamin C is concentrated in neurons. The brain is also very resistant to changes in vitamin C. Even though vitamin C levels may drop throughout the body, the brain has a recycling mechanism to keep levels consistent. This is a direct reflection on how important and vital vitamin C is for the brain.
Vitamin C plays a role in several processes in the brain:
Vitamin C is a nutrient with an important role in the function of the central nervous system.
It is well known that Vitamin C's main role is as a co-factor in the antioxidant defence in cells.
The brain is extremely susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS or free radicals). ROS is a result of normal energy production within a cell. To put this in simple terms, when a cell produces energy, an oxidant molecule is produced, aka ROS.
However, too much ROS causes cell damage. The cell has an antioxidant defence mechanism to protect itself. When the balance between oxidant and antioxidant is shifted towards oxidant, we now have oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress has been linked to many conditions and diseases like cancer, hypertension, and neurological disorders.
Vitamin C is an integral part of the antioxidant defence system, by cleaning up the ROS created during normal cell metabolism. Basically, vitamin C blocks the harmful effects of ROS, helps prevent oxidative stress, and promotes neuroprotection.
Vitamin C isn’t done yet! It is also a co-factor in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, more specifically in the catecholamines: dopamine and norepinephrine.
The creation of catecholamines is enhanced by vitamin C at 2 critical steps in the pathway.
The proper synthesis of catecholamines depends on the amino acid tyrosine as well as cofactors like vitamin C. Proper balance of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain is important for mood, and cognition.
There is some scientific evidence that vitamin C could protect neurons from excitotoxicity.
Excitotoxicity is an overactivation of receptors for the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. During this process, neurons are damaged or killed.
Excitotoxicity is involved in stroke, traumatic brain injuries and several neurodegenerative diseases. There are different theories on how vitamin C decreases excitotoxicity, but what is clear is that vitamin C has neuroprotective properties in the brain.
Vitamin C is a cofactor in the production of L-carnitine, an amino acid that helps transport fatty acids into the mitochondria for energy production. L-carnitine is dynamically transformed into acetyl-L-carnitine and vice versa, depending on what the body needs.
Acetyl-L-carnitine can easily cross the blood-brain barrier, and facilitate the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine as well as support healthy cerebral blood flow. Several animal studies have demonstrated that carnitine levels are directly affected by levels of vitamin C in the diet.
It is well-recognized that vitamin C is crucial for the formation of collagen. Collagen is the primary component in supportive tissues like cartilage, joint, bones etc. When people have scurvy, their body literally breaks down.
What’s less known is how Vitamin C is required for the production of collagen in the brain. Not only is collagen important for the architecture of the brain, it’s critical for the formation of blood vessels, and maintaining their integrity.
Normal vasculature is extremely important to support brain plasticity, an indicator of cognition and flexibility in learning in the future.
From what we know on vitamin C, it’s not surprising that this vitamin is crucial to cognitive performance.
It is a cofactor for the production of several neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine - neurotransmitters that are involved in cognition, learning, memory and mood.
In a 2019 cross-sectional study, researchers found a remarkable relationship between the concentration of vitamin C in blood and higher cognitive performance. Subjects with healthy levels of vitamin C performed better on cognitive tasks involving attention, focus, working memory, and recognition than people with low concentrations of vitamin C.
A longitudinal study in midlife adults (approximately 50 years old), showed that a high proportion of the population (63%) had inadequate blood levels of vitamin C. Decreases in mood, cognitive function, and energy levels were symptoms observed with participants with lower vitamin C concentrations.
This is not surprising given what we now know about vitamin C in the brain! Very few of the participants (7%) had optimal levels of vitamin C.
These studies suggest that the body needs more than the minimum amount of vitamin C to prevent scurvy, it needs much more to support a healthy brain, especially in the aging population.
It’s well supported that both emotional and physical stress can increase a person’s vitamin C requirement. During times of stress, the adrenal glands (the little bean looking glands that sit on top of the kidneys), releases a variety of hormones to deal with the stress.
Specific hormones include the catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine), and cortisol.
Prolonged stress takes a toll on the adrenal glands. It is believed that vitamin C supports the adrenal glands and several studies show that a diet rich in vitamin C (or supplementation) can mitigate the harmful effects of elevated stress hormones while allowing a person to bounce back faster from a stressful event.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study showed that participants who received vitamin C supplementation before a public speaking event experienced less stage fright, and recovered their cortisol levels faster than those without Vitamin C supplementation.
Vitamin C as ascorbic acid supplementation has an overall low toxicity risk in healthy people. High levels of vitamin C (over 2g/day) has been linked to adverse effects such as cramping, nausea, and diarrhea.
Ascorbic acid supplementation ranges from 0.5-1 gram/day with a maximal dose of 2 gram/day based on national health recommendations.
Collectively, it’s evident that vitamin C is important in brain health and suboptimal levels of this vitamin may have serious consequences on cognitive function and overall health.
MindGain uses ascorbic acid for these reasons:
It is widely accepted that vitamin C is necessary for optimal health, but a great deal of the population has suboptimal levels of vitamin C. Your body doesn’t make vitamin C, but with MindGain, you’ll supply your body and mind with the vitamin C levels needed for optimal performance.
MindGain is a nootropic supplement that manipulates the specific neuro-molecular pathways related to cognitive function - Neurotransmitter production, and Mitochondrial health.
By also including Vitamin C, MindGain’s proprietary formula combines the essential ingredients brains need to improve performance in complex tasks while lowering stress levels.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
Acetyl-l-Carnitine (ALCAR for short) is a popular ingredient in many brain health products.
ALCAR has many claims to fame, from enhancing cognitive processing and protecting the brain from age related cognitive decline, to helping with weight loss.
]]>ALCAR has many claims to fame, from enhancing cognitive processing and protecting the brain from age-related cognitive decline, to helping with weight loss.
Your body makes carnitines from the essential amino acids’ lysine and methionine, but unfortunately, it can’t make enough. This deficit is supplemented through the diet.
Carnitines can be found in:
Your body also needs a sufficient amount of vitamins C and B6 to produce carnitine.
Following ingesting ALCAR supplements, your blood levels peak after about 3 hours and can remain high for the next 15 hours.
Carnitines play a couple of different roles in the body. They are first and foremost known for energy production. Your body uses carnitines to move fat into the mitochondria where the fat is converted into energy.
So, what does this have to do with your brain?
Neurons need energy too! In fact, your brain uses more energy than any other organ in your body. The use of ALCAR in the brain doesn’t stop there as it is also used for the production of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, it’s worth noting that there are different forms of carnitine supplementation, each of which comes with their own unique advantages:
ALCAR is simply a carnitine with the addition of an acetyl group. This makes ALCAR more easily absorbed by the gut and the brain. L-Carnitine on the other hand is not easily absorbed and has a difficult time crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB) - the wall that controls what enters the brain.
Depending on what your body needs, L-carnitine and ALCAR can easily be converted into one another. This means that ALCAR has the potential to do everything L-carnitine can.
ALCAR is present in high levels in the brain, and it’s believed that supplementation with ALCAR can affect brain function and health by:
Studies suggest that ALCAR can enhance the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain. In cholinergic neurons, acetylcholine is made from choline and acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA, for short) by the enzyme called choline acetyltransferase.
Although the mechanism is extremely complicated, scientific studies suggest that ingestion of ALCAR increases acetylcholine by increasing acetyl-CoA. The compounds acetyl-CoA and choline make acetylcholine.
To learn more about the acetylcholine mechanism, make sure to check out our blog on choline.
Acetylcholine has multiple roles in the peripheral and central nervous system, and is important for attention, learning and memory.
ALCAR in combination with choline can help maintain a healthy level of acetylcholine in the brain.
It’s impossible to discuss energy production without mentioning mitochondria.
Mitochondria is affectionately known as the powerhouse of the cell. Through a series of chemical reactions, mitochondria converts sugar and fat into energy containing molecules, known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
ALCAR also improves energy production, through acetyl CoA (yes, the same acetyl CoA that can be used to make acetylcholine). Acetyl CoA can also be used to generate energy (ATP).
The relationship between prolonged stress, and mental health disorders such as depression has received a lot of attention in the scientific community. It’s safe to say, stress affects mood and cognition.
Recent studies suggest this might have a lot to do with the “stress hormone”, cortisol.
Most people hear cortisol and immediately think it is a bad thing. Cortisol is actually extremely important, if you don’t have cortisol, you die.
Cortisol is a stress hormone, so it prepares the body for a physical and/or emotional challenge. Cortisol only becomes problematic when its increased levels don’t decrease.
What’s interesting about cortisol is that it has a natural circadian rhythm during a 24-hour day. Normally, cortisol peaks in the morning and decreases as the day advances.
This makes sense, you’re body needs to kick into gear to help you start your day.
When cortisol doesn’t start to decline during the day, like when you’re stressed all the time, this can change the neurotransmitter called serotonin.
Serotonin is important for sleep, appetite, and mood, it’s your “feel good” neurotransmitter.
Many of the drugs used to treat clinical depression, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), change how neurons use serotonin to talk to each other.
Many studies show that the rhythm of cortisol secretion is altered in people - especially the elderly - who suffer from depression. Cortisol stays high during the evening and night.
So far, this has only been studied in animals, but it appears that ALCAR can decrease and stabilize cortisol levels, increase serotonin levels, and improve depressive symptoms in humans.
Interestingly, an ALCAR supplementation study in humans shows the effect of ALCAR on the cortisol rhythm in humans and had promising results in relieving depressive symptoms.
ALCAR is also emerging as a potential biomarker for depression. In cases of major depressive disorder, ALCAR appears to be low in the bloodstream. Furthermore, the degree of ALCAR deficiency was associated with treatment-resistant depression and a history of childhood trauma.
ALCAR is promising not only as a biomarker for stress-related depression but also as a possible treatment.
The role of ALCAR as a biomarker or supportive nutrient for depression is still emerging, and there is a long way to go before it can be determined one way or the other, this should not be taken as medical advice. If you are experiencing depressive symptoms, talk with your healthcare provider.
ALCAR is considered safe with minimal side effects even with long-term use. The most common side effects are nausea, agitation and vomiting. Oral doses of ALCAR typically range from 1-3 grams a day.
MindGain is a nootropic supplement that manipulates the specific neuro-molecular pathways related to cognitive function - Neurotransmitter production, and Mitochondrial health.
By also including carnitine in the form of ALCAR, MindGain’s proprietary formula combines the essential ingredients brains need to improve performance in complex tasks while lowering stress levels.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
Simply pour the MindGain powder into a glass of water, juice, or smoothie, mix well and enjoy.
The problem with capsules is that your digestive system needs to break down the casing before it can even begin absorbing the goodness inside, delaying the positive effects of nootropic supplementation.
Capsules also significantly limits the amount of ingredients that can be delivered because of the limited area inside a capsule shell.
Because MindGain is in a powdered form, this limitation is removed, increasing the potency of each dosage and the comfort of ingestion. A single powdered dose of MindGain would be equivalent to swallowing 16 capsules!
MindGain is a nootropic supplement that supports the specific neuro-molecular pathways related to cognitive function - Neurotransmitter production, and Mitochondrial health.
By also including the constituents of the amino acid tyrosine, MindGain’s proprietary formula combines the essential ingredients brains need to improve performance in complex tasks while lowering stress levels.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
Some of MindGain’s supported health claims include:
When you take MindGain, you can have the peace of mind of knowing that you’re consuming a product that’s backed by real research and evidence.
MindGain is a nootropic supplement that manipulates the specific neuro-molecular pathways related to cognitive function - Neurotransmitter production, and Mitochondrial health.
By also including the nutrients your brain uses, MindGain’s proprietary formula combines the essential ingredients brains need to improve performance in complex tasks while lowering stress levels.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
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The ginseng family is known for increasing energy and improving circulation, and is commonly used by people with fatigue problems.
The endocannabinoid system is located in the central nervous system (CNS), the immune system, and limbic system.
Does the word endocannabinoid remind you of something? If it reminds you of cannabis, that’s because this system was discovered while the effects of marijuana on the body were being studied!
This system impacts many functions including cognition, mood balance, memory, anti-inflammation, and pain reduction.
Endocannabinoids act as a chemical messengers within the body. These messengers play a role in heart rate, sleep, appetite, mood, and fear.
Getting slightly more specific, the endocannabinoid system contains two receptors, CB1 and CB2.
CB1 receptors are prominent in certain regions of the brain associated with certain behaviours. You’ll find an abundance of CB1 receptors in the hypothalamus and the amygdala.
Why does that matter?
Well, the hypothalamus is involved in metabolism and appetite, and the amygdala is involved in memory, fear, and emotional responses. See the connection there?
CB2 receptors are actually found in the peripheral nervous system as well as the immune system. These guys are involved in inflammation, and are the main reason why the endocannabinoid system carries its anti-inflammatory function.
Getting to the main point of all of this science talk, Maca contains chemical compounds called macamides. Macamides are interesting little structures as they are functionally quite similar to endocannabinoids, meaning that they carry very similar neuroprotective qualities.
What makes Maca so special, however, is its inhibitory effects on a fatty acid within the body called fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH).
I know I’m using a lot of big words here, but stay with me for a minute.
Let’s assume by now we have established that endocannabinoids are quite beneficial for cognitive function. But what if these therapeutic compounds had an inhibitor? An antagonist of sorts?
They do, and they’re called FAAH’s.
FAAH ‘s need to be properly modulated within the body. Too much of them can lead to brain damage, and too little can have the same effect.
This is why you won’t see FAAH inhibitors on the market, as it's hard to create a pharmaceutical that won’t inhibit this fatty acid too much to the point where its effects become toxic.
So, in search of a natural method to bring about proper balance of FAAH, researchers discovered somewhat of a breakthrough with macamides.
Macamides demonstrated a PARTIAL inhibition of FAAH, protecting from adverse effects of its complete and total inhibition. When FAAH is inhibited, to an extent, it can have anti-inflammatory effects while also increasing therapeutic effects of the endocannabinoid system.
We include Maca root in our MindGain nootropic because of its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.
On top of that, compounds in Maca are similar to beneficial cannabinoids and can enhance the effects of the endocannabinoid system, which is related to cognition, mood balance, and memory!
Might be time to replace your morning cup of coffee with a refreshing dose of MindGain.
By Shannon Potts
MindGain is a nootropic supplement that supports the specific neuro-molecular pathways related to cognitive function - Neurotransmitter production, and Mitochondrial health.
By also including maca root powder, MindGain’s patent pending formula combines the essential ingredients brains need to improve performance in complex tasks while lowering stress levels.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
Sources:
Cherry, Kendra (2019) Very Well Health, Identifying a Neurotransmitter, retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-neurotransmitter-2795394
Leaf Science (2017) The Endocannabinoid System, A Beginners Guide, retrieved from https://www.leafscience.com/2017/03/17/the-endocannabinoid-system-a-beginners-guide/
Hajdu Z, Nicolussi S, Rau M, Lorántfy L, Forgo P, Hohmann J, Csupor D, Gertsch J. Identification of endocannabinoid system-modulating N-alkylamides from Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra and Lepidium meyenii.J Nat Prod. 2014 Jul 25;77(7):1663-9.
Alasmari M, Bӧhlke M, Kelley C, Maher T, Pino-Figueroa A. Inhibition of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) by Macamides. Mol Neurobiol. 2019 Mar;56(3):1770-1781. doi: 10.1007/s12035-018-1115-8.
Why? What purpose does pine bark serve?
Pine Bark Extract Improves Mood and Focus
While there have been many studies on pine bark and cognitive function, I’m going to share with you one of my favorites!
One study carried out using a group of generally healthy college students between the ages of 18-29 found that supplementation with pine bark extract not only improved mood and cognition over a span of 8 weeks, but also improved testing results and grades Pine Bark Extract Protects Against Oxidative Stress!
Pine bark extract has been shown to reduce oxidative stress, which in simpler terms means that it acts as an antioxidant against free radicals.
Without getting too complex here, free radical damage is responsible for a lot of disease states, one of them being dementia.
Inflammation and oxidative stress have both been associated with cognitive decline, and pine bark extract happens to be quite useful in treating both!
Pine bark extract is also great for your skin. Supplementation over 6 months has been shown to improve skin elasticity and hydration.
Supporting your brain health while having that youthful glow? Count me in!
MindGain is a nootropic supplement that manipulates the specific neuro-molecular pathways related to cognitive function - Neurotransmitter production, and Mitochondrial health.
By also including Pine Bark extract, MindGain’s proprietary formula combines the essential ingredients brains need to improve performance in complex tasks while lowering stress levels.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
]]>Maybe you’ve seen it associated with a sugary, caffeinated beverage and assumed the worst. But hey, give taurine a second chance! Read on to learn why WE use taurine in our MindGain nootropic, and how you can benefit from it!
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On another note, I can almost guarantee that you’ve also seen the word Taurine slapped on an energy drink at your local corner store.
Maybe because you’ve seen it associated with a sugary, caffeinated beverage you assumed Taurine isn’t so good for you.
If so, you should give Taurine a second chance!
I’m going to explain why we intentionally use Taurine in our MindGain nootropic, and how your brain could benefit from it.
Taurine is a special amino acid because it is sulphur containing, doesn’t incorporate into proteins, and it’s one of the most abundant amino acids in the brain, retina, muscle tissue, and heart.
It has long been known that Taurine is extremely important for the body, and plays a critical role in brain development. Recently, it has been noted that changes in Taurine levels can be associated with impaired cognition.
So could Taurine supplementation maintain a healthy brain?
Science seems to think so. Though all the mechanisms are not yet known, Taurine is believed to help cognition in a few different ways
.
Taurine has received considerable attention for its neuroprotective effects, and its ability to maintain cellular integrity throughout the central nervous system. Taurine supplementation has often been used for improving fatigue and mental and athletic performance, as well as a treatment strategy for congestive heart failure, and hypertension.
We all remember our favourite quote from grade 8 science:
THE MITOCHONDRIA IS THE POWERHOUSE OF THE CELL.
Mitochondria are tiny little organelles floating around in our cells that break down molecules from digested food and create energy through a fun process called cellular respiration.
However, cellular respiration isn’t all fun. In addition to energy, it also creates free-oxide radicals (angry oxygen molecules that cause damage).
Oxidative stress is linked to tissue damage and mitochondrial problems.
In other words, poorly functioning mitochondria = poor energy and focus.
So where does Taurine come in?
Because of its sulphur group, Taurine has antioxidant properties. During oxidative stress, antioxidants have the ability to improve mitochondrial function and restore balance.
During physical or psychological stress, where oxidative stress can be elevated, Taurine supplementation could ensure proper function of the mitochondria and lead to a dramatic improvement in cognition and mood.
Taurine is a key component of bile, which is needed for the digestion of fat and fat-soluble vitamins. With that being said, if your bile output is low, and fat digestion is impaired, what does this mean for cognitive health?
Well, you’ve heard of essential fatty acids, right? What makes them essential is the fact that our bodies can’t create them, they have come from our diet. Bile is a critical component in digesting fats, so we can absorb the essential fats we need.
The combination of Taurine with other brain-healthy nutrients could significantly improve cognitive performance. The optimal composition of these components can be found in the MindGain formula.
MindGain is a nootropic supplement that manipulates the specific neuro-molecular pathways related to cognitive function - Neurotransmitter production, and Mitochondrial health.
By also including the amino acid taurine, MindGain’s proprietary formula combines the essential ingredients brains need to improve performance in complex tasks while lowering stress levels.
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
Sources
Chen C, Xia S, He J, Lu G, Xie Z, Han H. Roles of Taurine in cognitive function of physiology, pathologies and toxication. Life Sci. 2019 Jun 17:116584.
Ripps H, Shen W. Review: Taurine: a "very essential" amino acid. Mol Vis. 2012;18:2673-86.
Schaffer, S., & Kim, H. W. (2018). Effects and Mechanisms of Taurine as a Therapeutic Agent. Biomolecules & therapeutics, 26(3), 225–241. doi:10.4062/biomolther.2017.251
Phyllis, Balch A. (2010) Prescription for Nutritional Healing
MindGain works by providing the raw nutrients your brain uses to think clearly at doses that have been shown to be clinically effective.
As most of us know, too much or too little of a good thing can often be bad. When it comes to nutrients, this remains true.
There’s a sweet spot between not getting enough nutrients and getting too much. With too little, you could lose out on the benefits, while too much can have undesired side effects and cause damage.
MindGain has found that sweet spot with all of our ingredients by providing your brain with exactly what it needs at a dose that will actually work.
This is achieved because MindGain is a powder rather than a pill.
There are three benefits of supplying MindGain as a powder:
If we put MindGain as it is into capsules, the recommended daily dose would be over ten capsules a day. We thought that was a lot of whatever-capsules-are-made-out-of to be eating every day and we also didn’t want to limit the effectiveness of the product.
It was more important for us to give you the best nutrients at the effective dose then to fit everything in multiple small capsules.
This is a big reason as to why MindGain remains a premiere product in the nootropic space. We refuse to compromise on the quality, ingredients and dosages.
The end result is a product that delivers the nutrients your mind needs to perform at its best, fast!
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
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What causes us to sometimes be so distracted?
There are many different answers to that question, but I’ll tell you one of the most prevalent reasons – and luckily, it also happens to be one of the easiest ones to fix.
To learn how to finally fix your lack of focus, read on.
Let me try to guess your predicament.
You’re a night owl. Your best work comes after 9 PM. You usually eat a big dinner at 5 PM - lots of rice, chicken, veggies etc.
You’re nice and full but after a few hours, your still up, desperately trying to achieve a productive output of work while battling lightheadedness, a slight headache, vicious cravings, irritability etc
Welcome to the wonderful world of hypoglycemia!
In this scenario, Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) was brought on by a big meal with lots of carbs causing a rapid spike in blood glucose, which leads to a very big crash in blood glucose.
Yeah, sure, people fast all the time. But it takes time to train your body to work well with that adjustment!. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the brain, so what happens when blood glucose gets too low? You guessed it, cognition becomes impaired.
So what can we do as a healthy alternative to reaching for sugary snacks to improve focus and stabilize blood sugar?
Luckily for you, I’ve got some pretty great and easy tips!
I have implemented these tricks into my life and have noticed a world of difference.
However, like many things in life, sometimes we need a little extra help to get to where we want to be.
That’s where MindGain comes in!
MindGain is used to improve memory and cognitive function. Simply mix it in with some water and sip it while you’re studying/getting work done!
It not only tastes great, but it also keeps the brain young, strong, and healthy!
Feed your starving brain. Order MindGain today and experience enhanced mental cognition while supporting optimal brain health.
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Essentially, it means we spent years of research with the goal of determining what nutrients your brain uses when you are stressed out or when your brain is working extra hard. From there, we designed a blend of nutrients that your brain uses and that would allow you to stay focused and clear.
During our research, we confirmed that the majority of us are experiencing either a great deal of stress or increased cognitive load, pretty much all the time. When it came to testing our product, most people who took MindGain experienced reduced brain fog, increased focus and increased cognitive flexibility.
By targeting stress induced neuro-molecular pathways with a blended powder containing amino acids, co-factors and select herbal ingredients, MindGain enhances cognitive performance in those who experience stress.
MindGain focuses on the concept of neuro-homeostasis, or your brain’s desire to reach and maintain balance. During times of stress, changes in neuro-molecular pathways can lead to changes in the brain’s homeostasis. Slight changes in neuro-homeostasis can impact cognition at every level. MindGain was formulated to provide those key nutrients for the brain to maintain neuro-homeostasis, thus allowing the brain to perform at its best.
The concept of “Brain Scurvy”
Let’s roll back to the 18th and 18th centuries. A time primed for revolution across many human civilizations and one that was accompanied by the Scurvy epidemic. Scurvy was eradicating British sailors more rapidly than enemy action at times during the 18th century. Caused by a deficiency in Vitamin C, the juice of something as simple as a yellow lemon could have spared millions of lives.
Fast forward to the present day and we now are equipped with both a solid understanding of single nutrient deficiency and the technology to do something about it; for example: fortified food sources, diverse nutrition, and supplements such as multivitamins.
While dying of scurvy is rare these days, we are facing a number of modern challenges. The truth is, we live in a world that our brain has not evolved to efficiently live in, a world of screens, distractions, and constant multitasking. We are facing a host of new stressors and pressures, paired with the demand our brains perform at peak level for over 8 hours a day every day.
Our brains require fuel such as nutrients like amino acids and co-factors, and our current high paced lifestyle is depleting the fuel our brain needs to be efficient. If you ask us, this is modern-day scurvy, or what we call Brain Scurvy.
The problem is most of us don’t know we have Brain Scurvy.
Here is a huge clue. Your prefrontal cortex is extremely substile to changes in key nutrients in your brain, the first sign of brain scurvy is decline in mental performance.
Some other signs include:
Here is the good news, MindGain was designed to give your brain the key nutrients and co-factors for Brain Scurvy.
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