Can you optimize your brain and nerve health with antioxidants, certain herbs, and “nootropics?” What does the current research say about brain and nerve boosting herbs and nootropics?
And…what exactly is a “nootropic?”
Nootropics are compounds, both synthetic and natural, that are believed to improve the function of nerves–as manifested by improvements in memory, creativity, motivation, or attention.
Sound far-fetched? Not so much…
Caffeine is a natural substance we all know, and it is considered a nootropic. Caffeine supports memory, motivation, and attention indirectly–predominantly through its stimulant properties.
The effects found in research are mixed, but there is research to suggest improvements in brain and nerve function from caffeine consumption. These results may be more pronounced in situations involving fatigue, as well as for elders versus younger persons.
Additionally, habitual caffeine intake may slightly reduce the rate of cognitive decline…again, the research is mixed. Perhaps more promising, caffeine appears to protect against the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
While the protective effects of caffeine against general memory loss, along with day-to-day brain-enhancing effects remain debatable, caffeine’s protective effects against Parkinson’s disease specifically appear to be supported by a wealth of research.
For example, a prospective study followed over 8,000 Japanese-Americans for a period of 30-years, evaluating their risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by age 65. Those that drank approximately 784mg/ kg of coffee per day had a 5-fold lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Similar results were repeatedly demonstrated in much larger studies, including a systematic review of 120 observational studies, a meta-analysis of 13 studies involving over 900,000 participants (26% Parkinson’s disease risk reduction for every 200mg of caffeine per day, max effects at 3 cups of coffee), as well as the Health Professionals’ Follow-Up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study–which combined involved approximately 130,000 individuals.
The optimal dose based on all these studies? The research repeatedly suggests around 3 cups of coffee daily on average (approximately 300 mg of caffeine) for maximal effects.
So, is it the caffeine, or the coffee? The protective benefits appear to be linked to specifically the caffeine, as decaffeinated coffee did not offer the same risk reduction according to the research trials.
Caffeine appears to work its magic in protecting nerve cells by binding with adenosine A2A receptors. In blocking these receptors, caffeine appears to protect neurons against toxins, reduce nerve cell destruction, reduce nerve cell inflammation, and protects against over-stimulation (excitotoxicity) of these nerve-cell receptors.
Interesting enough, in animal research (which allows for more direct observation of effects of caffeine on brain cells), caffeine protected nerve cells from progressive damage after exposure to a known neuro-toxin—even when caffeine was administered 2-weeks after the toxin exposure.
Caffeine also has research-backed support for its ability to reduce the symptom severity of mood and cognitive disorders that occur with Parkinson’s disease. Recently, the FDA approved a drug as an add-on therapy (in addition to levodopa) for Parkinson’s patients that works similar to caffeine in binding to the same receptors.
So, the research is clear, natural substances can be found in the plant-world that protect our nerves against various diseases. Nootropics are a “thing,” and a number of plant-substances in addition to caffeine are being researched for their potential nerve-cell protecting/ enhancing effects.
Nootropic substances appear to protect brain and nerve health through a variety of functions. These include:
In the post, Your Brain and Nerve Health: Wired For Success!, I explored the impact of diet and nutrition on brain and nerve function.
If you do anything for your brain and nerve health, shifting to a plant-based diet is arguably one of the most important steps–as I demonstrated with powerful and current research findings. To throw a couple supplements on top of a diet rich in eggs, meat, and dairy will likely do little to address the underlying chronic inflammation that results from heavy intake of these pro-inflammatory foods.
However, assuming you are already eating a diet with minimal to no animal products, evaluating antioxidant-rich/ antioxidant-stimulating herbs and supplements for their potential to positively influence your brain and nerve health may be worth a closer look. In this post and upcoming posts, I look at the research on various herbs and nootropics that are touted for nerve- and brain-enhancing properties.
Along with chronic inflammation, the role of antioxidants and oxidative stress have been the subject of research exploring why and how our brain and nerve cells decline in function.
Researchers note that the brain begins to shrink in weight and volume by about 5% on average each decade, starting in our 40’s. However, reductions in processing speed and cognitive function can be seen starting as early as our mid-20’s!!
Changes in nerve-cell health, such as destruction of connections, decreased ability for the cells to process metabolic waste products, and loss of supportive structures–such as capillary blood-vessel supply can be attributed in part to oxidative stress. Studies on aging note a decline in our body’s ability to counter oxidant stress with our own internal antioxidant defense-systems as we age.
This leads to increases in oxidative stress, damage to cell structures, and the oxidation/ damage/ and destruction of fats that make up the cell membranes and nerve linings (myelin sheaths responsible for rapid conduction of nerve signals).
Indeed, higher oxidative stress and lower natural antioxidant levels during a 4-year study period predicted faster rates of cognitive decline. This was the findings in a study of 511 healthy university staff. The measurements of oxidative stress loads included circulating aminothiols (reactive molecules), and the antioxidant measures included glutathione (a strong antioxidant found in human tissues).
The faster glutathione levels fell, the faster cognition also declined. Brain functions most vulnerable included memory, flexible thinking/ adaptability, and ability to control impulses.
Oxidative stress underlies damage to peripheral nerves as well. Similar to the declines in brain function noted when our internal antioxidant levels decrease, peripheral nerve function (nerves located outside the brain) also worsen when internal antioxidant levels decline.
Isolated antioxidant/ nutrient supplementation, such as supplementing with individual vitamins (and possibly omega 3 fatty acids), in absence of a deficiency, appear to have limited value. Excess vitamin E supplementation can even raise the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. However, particular foods and herbs–containing thousands of complex compounds–can be powerful in protecting our brain and nerve health according to research.
As I demonstrated in my post “Your Brain and Nerve Health: Wired For Success!,” compounds found in minimally processed, whole-food plant-based diets and herbs can have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant neuro-protective effects. One of those research-backed herbs reviewed in that post included sage. Another herb discussed included turmeric.
Sage and turmeric are not the only specific herbs to show promise in terms of promoting healthy nerve function. Additional natural herbs/ nootropics currently being researched using human trials for potential neuro-protective/ enhancing effects include:
Numerous plants found in the mint family (Lamiaceae)—in addition to sage–have research-backed nootropic effects:
The herbs listed above have some fascinating research supporting their use in protecting and enhancing brain and nerve health. When taken in addition to a healthy lifestyle, these herbs and nootropics offer a lot of promise based on current research findings!
A few of the above nootropics are reviewed below, with the others to be reviewed in future posts.
The mint family has some powerhouse fascinating herbs. One of my favorites is tulsi, otherwise known as holy basil. Tulsi is native to India and has been a part of Ayurvedic medicine for over 3,000 years! Tulsi has been referred to as “the elixir of life.”
Research-backed benefits of tulsi include:
A systematic review of multiple research trials concerning tulsi’s effects on humans selected 24 human study trials. Many of these studies utilized double-blinded and randomized-controlled study designs, with the systematic review involving over 1,000 participants in total. Health benefits identified in the various human trials found the following benefits of tulsi:
Tulsi is pretty impressive due to its effects of stimulating internal mechanisms within our bodies–boosted liver enzyme activity, boosted internal antioxidant activity, and increased immune-system activity.
As such, the total effects of tulsi go beyond simply the number of antioxidants obtained from the plant itself. Stimulation of internal mechanisms are likely responsible for the significant clinical effects, including those effects that promote brain and nerve health.
Native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean, lemon balm has been used in traditional medicine for anti-anxiety, memory-enhancing, anti-bacterial, blood-pressure lowering, and anti-spasmatic effects in numerous cultures across the globe. Included in the FDA Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list (except possibly during times of pregnancy), lemon balm offers a number of benefits with minimal downsides.
Rich in bioactive flavonoids, tannins, polyphenols, rosmarinic acid, caffeic acids, and numerous other compounds, researched-backed benefits of lemon balm include:
Human research trials studying the effects of lemon balm include double-blinded randomized-controlled trials (considered gold-standard for studying the effects of an intervention), clinical trials, and randomized cross-over designed studies. Study-group size tends to be small in these studies. Nonetheless, results are promising with the following findings:
Other members of the mint family researched for brain, nerve, and general health benefits include rosemary, spearmint, and peppermint. The research trials around some of these mint family members are less robust in terms of study design and size when compared to the research on tulsi and lemon balm.
Still, compounds found in plants in the mint family appear to positively impact brain and nerve function by impacting neuro-transmitter and enzyme activities. Such activities include GABAA, nicotinic and NMDA receptor binding properties, as well as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition.
A controlled study on spearmint ingestion for people ages 50-70 found improvements in working memory, vigor, mood, sleep onset, and alertness after 90 days ingesting 600 mg and 900 mg of an aqueous extract of spearmint that contained the phenolic constituents.
A separate, small, controlled trial similarly found that peppermint oil ingestion significantly improved cognitive performance on a variety of cognitive tests measuring accuracy, recall, speed, among other measures. Participants in the group ingesting the peppermint oil also experienced reduced fatigue versus those in placebo group when tests were conducted at 1 hour, 3 hours, and 6 hours post-ingestion.
Interestingly, neurons in a cell culture (lab setting) exposed to a nerve toxin experienced modestly reduced damage when bathed in peppermint oils versus control groups.
Native to the Mediterranean and sub-Himalayan regions, rosemary is stirring interest in the research community due to its therapeutic potential for a number of conditions. Bioactive compounds found in rosemary include triterpenes, phenols, and phenolic acids including rosmarinic acid, carnosic acid, rosmanol, carnosol, ursolic acid and betulinic acid.
Rosemary is included in the FDA’s Generally Rocognized as Safe List. The compounds found in rosemary have been noted by research studies to possess the following benefits:
Animal studies (which are preliminary/ do not always translate to results in humans) show acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, leading to greater availability of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter) in the brain. This effect led to reduction of depression/ low activity symptoms in animal models along with reductions in hyperactivity symptoms.
Memory and recall were also boosted in animal models. Similar to tulsi, animal studies of rosemary found boosted levels of internal antioxidants and inhibition of inflammatory cytokines.
Animal studies also affirmed rosemary’s protective effects against nerve cell damage due to free radicals (oxidants). Rosemary appears to inhibit T-type calcium channels (TTCCs) in the brain, protecting nerve cells from excessive stimulation. Such effects may protect nerve cell integrity plus reduce the risk for seizures.
Dopamine generating nerve cells bathed in rosemary compounds (carnosic acid) were protected against a toxin challenge in a lab dish study, and animal studies using nerve toxins also demonstrated rosemary’s ability to protect animals against Parkinson’s onset following toxin exposure.
Small human trials noted consumption of rosemary powder improved speed of memory recall for working memory and memory of every day events (episodic memory). Rosemary aromatherapy reduced cortisol levels and boosted mood and performance on cognitive tests.
In a 4-week human trial with 81 patients being treated for opioid-addiction, consumption of rosemary capsules containing 300mg of dried rosemary leaves each were noted to reduce pain, reduce insomnia symptoms, and reduce muscle jerks, easing withdrawal symptoms.
In my first post on the subject of brain and nerve health, I covered the research findings demonstrating the harms of chronic inflammation—much of which can be attributed to diets high in animal-based products. Toxic stresses to our nerves include even mild elevations in blood sugar, vascular disease, excessive uric acid levels, toxins, and oxidative damage (among other factors).
Antioxidants, herbs, and nootropics are research-backed regarding their ability to promote brain and nerve health by countering many of these insults. The effects are not to be dismissed as trivial.
Significant reductions in the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, reductions in the harmful effects of diabetes, improvements in healing sleep, shielding from toxins prevalent in our environment, improvements in neuro-processing speeds and cognition—the potential nootropic herbs and substances have to enhance our day-to-day life is significant!!!!
This post covered the effects of caffeine and herbs from the mint family on our brain, nerve, and general health. Future posts will explore some of the other nootropics described above. Live well!!!
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