Your brain is the most important organ in your body. It controls the function of all your other organs (like making your heartbeat and making you breathe properly). But it’s also responsible for all of your creativity, thinking, personality, motivation, and more.
So why wouldn’t you want to make sure your brain is working to the best of its ability? Taking a natural brain supplement can help you think clearly, improve your motivation, and boost your mood.
But which are the best brain supplements on the market? With the literal thousands of options out there, it can be hard to tell which are legit and which are sugar pills with a fancy name like “Brain Blaster.”
Lucky for you, we are going to go through the best brain supplements you can take to boost your brain function naturally.
1. Fish Oil
Fish oil is one of the best natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids including DHA and EPA.
Both DHA and EPA are important for the proper function of cell membranes of neurons. This helps signals to be sent to the brain quickly and efficiently. Studies have shown that fish oil can help maintain brain health.
There’s also evidence that omega-3 supplementation via fish oil can help reduce your risk of mental health and brain conditions like dementia and depression.
2. Caffeine
Chances are you’ve supplemented with caffeine at some point in your life. Coffee, energy drinks, and even chocolate all contain this energy boosting supplement. There are separate supplements that contain caffeine, but it’s somewhat easier to have a cup of coffee or an iced tea to get the effects of caffeine.
It’s common knowledge that caffeine is a stimulant that can help you feel more energetic and fight off fatigue. Caffeine interacts directly with the brain and the central nervous system to give you this boost of energy and alertness.
There’s also evidence that caffeine can help improve memory and concentration. Caffeine has also been shown to improve reaction time both with vision and motor skills.
Just be careful not to go overboard with caffeine, as it can make you feel jittery, anxious, and actually hinder brain function.
Ginkgo Biloba
This natural herb comes directly from the ginkgo biloba tree. It’s use dates back thousands of years to Chinese herbal medicine.
Scientists believe it works by increasing blood flow to the brain. This provides the brain with extra oxygen and energy to work efficiently and maintain brain health.
There are also numerous studies that analyze ginkgo biloba’s effectiveness on memory and concentration. These studies on healthy middle-aged people showed a significant increase in cognitive abilities including memory and critical thinking.
There’s also evidence that ginkgo biloba supplements can help prevent a decline in brain health as you age.
Citicoline
The other supplements we’ve gone over are quite popular, but citicoline is a sort of hidden gem. Citicoline is found naturally in all of your cells. Its main function is to help maintain cell wall health, but it can also work as a neuroprotective agent.
What does this mean? It means that citicoline can protect your brain from disease and damage. It does this by reducing inflammation in the brain and protecting brain cells from oxidative damage.
It can also increase the amount of energy produced in your brain cells, which will improve brain function and health. It’s been shown to help improve memory, concentration, and focus.
This supplement really does do it all!
Tryptophan
Yes, this is the chemical in turkey that makes you feel sleepy. But it does a lot more than make a Thanksgiving nap inevitable.
This amino acid is a precursor molecule to serotonin, which you probably know is known as the “happiness molecule.” Not only does serotonin play a huge role in mood and happiness, it also helps regulate sleep, memory, learning, and your appetite.
Supplying your brain with plenty of tryptophan will ensure that you are able to produce the right amount of serotonin. Tryptophan can be just as, and perhaps more, effective than many classic antidepressants.
It can also help control anxiety disorders like social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, and OCD.
Besides helping produce serotonin to control mood and learning, tryptophan can help regulate your sleep and improve your memory.
Creatine
If you’re into health and fitness, chances are you’ve heard of creatine. Creatine is often used to supplement workouts.
However, creatine supplements are also some of the best brain supplements as well. Research studies show that creatine supplements can help prevent neurodegenerative diseases from progressing. These include:
- Alzheimer’s
- Dementia
- Parkinson’s
- Seizure disorders
Besides protecting the brain from these diseases, creatine can also increase the amount of energy produced by your brain cells. This helps prevent brain exhaustion and improves your mental clarity.
Curcumin
Curcumin is the bright yellow compound found in turmeric.
Besides serotonin, the main “happiness molecule” in the brain is dopamine. This neurotransmitter is responsible for regulating your mood. Low levels of dopamine are linked to depression.
A curcumin supplement will help boost dopamine levels in the brain, which will be an instant happiness and feel-good boost. One study even showed that curcumin was as effective for treating depression as Prozac.
Curcumin is also great for improving memory and learning. It also starts working incredibly fast. One study showed that people improved in learning and concentration 1 hour after they took the supplement.
Curcumin also has great anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties to protect your brain from disease and damage.
The Best Brain Supplements: Wrapping Up
With hundreds of different supplements on the market, it’s hard to know where to start.
You don’t want to waste your money or take something that isn’t going to provide your brain with any benefits.
Some of the best brain supplements will contain one or more of the things we went over in this article. Just like your body, your brain sometimes needs a little boost to get in top shape.
Check out our other articles on supplements and nutrition advice to keep your brain and your body healthy.