Everyone wants a healthy brain that can remember things fast and make swift decisions whenever needed. However, one thing that all of us have to deal with at some point is memory loss and cognitive decline.
There is no rule about when your brain’s cognitive function will decline. It happens early in life for some people, while others do not have to deal with it until they reach an extremely advanced age.
If you suspect your brain function is declining, it would be best to start taking vitamins to improve it. You could try using vitamin supplements that will enhance your memory. To learn what vitamin is good for memory, stick around for the rest of this guide!
Can Vitamins Improve Memory?
For the longest time, people have been researching the potential benefits of vitamins on brain health. Some research efforts have shown positive results that point to some vitamins being beneficial for memory enhancement.
But this should not come as a surprise. Even as children, one of the first things our parents teach us is that we need to consume vitamins and minerals to become big and strong and grow big muscles.
As we age, we tend to forget about our vitamins, so we adopt unhealthy lifestyles that revolve around little movement, lousy nutrition, insufficient sleep, stress, tension, and so on.
All of these things could lead to forgetfulness, and ultimately cognitive decline. If you want to improve your memory function and brain health, you should take a look at your lifestyle and life choices, and see if any of them are harming you without you realizing it.
What Vitamin Is Good for Memory?
Your entire body will benefit from a healthy dose of all nutrients. But when it comes to the brain vitamins needed to keep your brain healthy, there are several that one simply should never go without. Here are the vitamins that are best at preventing memory impairment:
Omega 3s
Omega-3 fatty acids are contained in almost all fish, mostly in fatty fish. You can either add a dose of fish to your diet, or take omega-3 supplements.
Research has shown that these omega-3 fatty acids positively impact your memory and reaction time, while they can also improve brain function. They are proven to help prevent serious illnesses as well, like dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Vitamin D
Many people do not realize that having low doses of Vitamin D in their bodies can have many adverse effects on their health. Sometimes, improving Vitamin D doses is as easy as going out in the Sun for a few hours. But sometimes, people need to take brain health supplements with this vitamin to help raise their levels.
Vitamin D is very beneficial for the brain because it can help avoid, control, or prevent serious illnesses. It has been known to positively affect people with schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. Supplements with this vitamin are also given to people dealing with depression.
Vitamin E
Some research has shown that vitamin E can help improve cognitive function while preventing cognitive impairment in aging people. Even though this vitamin is already used in many dietary supplements, more research needs to be done for us to learn all of the brain-boosting benefits or downsides it can have. Be on the side of caution heavily when using this vitamin.
Vitamin B12
Finally, we can mention vitamin B12 as an excellent brain booster you can use to improve cognitive functioning. B-complex, in general, is beneficial for the brain, meaning that most vitamin Bs can help improve cognitive health.
As for B12, research shows that it can help people dealing with mental illnesses or low energy. It can also help a person have better memory health and learning skills.
This might be one of the most researched vitamins, so it is wise to stick to it if you are looking for a safe supplement to add to your brain-boosting diet. After all, you can never go wrong with a bit of vitamin B!
Other Ways to Improve Memory
Supplements and vitamins, when taken in megadoses, can also have a negative impact on a person’s health. One must be careful and only use them if a healthcare provider recommends them.
If you would rather skip the vitamins and supplements, there are other ways to improve your memory.
Looking at the word “NEURO,” you can take each letter and assign a way to improve your memory. N would be nutrition, E is for exercise, U is for unwinding from stress, R is for restorative sleep, and O is for optimization. Let’s look into each category and how they can help improve memory:
Nutrition
A healthy and balanced diet can give your body and brain all the nutrients they need to be on their A-game. A healthy dose of each nutrient can also prove helpful in preventing poor memory.
Ensure you leave all fast and sugary food aside and adopt a healthy, plant-based diet. You should add a lot of oily fish to it as well as some nuts like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Do not forget your leafy greens – they are an excellent source of many vitamins your brain needs!
Exercise
Exercising is as important as maintaining a healthy diet. Instead of sitting at home on your phone or computer all day long, go for a run or walk.
As you exercise, your blood starts circulating through your body. It moves around and helps all the nutrients reach the blood cells. Then, the blood cells and nutrients reach the brain, making it function better.
Unwind
We know how difficult life can be and how stressful it can all get. All that stress can not only ruin your mood, but can also negatively impact your brain.
A piece of medical advice you often hear is to remember that you need to unwind. Unwinding will serve as a memory enhancer that can keep your brain in good shape.
Restorative Sleep
Getting at least eight hours of sleep per day is crucial to having a body that will operate as a well-oiled machine. We know that sometimes you think you cannot afford to sleep that long, but you have to remember how helpful restorative sleep can be for your brain. Do yourself a favor, and go to bed earlier tonight!
Optimize
Finally, try to give your brain as much exercise as possible. Do some memory tests of games, puzzles, or anything else that would require some work from your brain. Giving it the exercise it needs will keep it young and healthy longer, and that will aid in memory function overall.
Wrap Up
We hope this guide taught you a lot about the best vitamins you can use to improve your overall health. If you are still wondering what vitamin is good for memory, we recommend using Vitamins B12, D, E, and omega-3 fatty acids to improve your memory.
If you know of any brain supplements that can help prevent memory loss, make sure to mention them in the comment section!
