Just as athletes consume supplements to boost their physical performance, some people look to the best supplements for focus and concentration. Staying focused is important, and in times of high technology and great distractions, it can be complex to fixate on just one task.
But among so many options like Bacopa, CDP-Choline, Ginkgo Biloba, Magnesium, Vitamin B12, and Ginseng how do you know which one is best?
Before defining which supplement is ideal for your needs, you should check out any possible negative interactions with other supplements, vitamins, or medications you already consume.
That’s why it is important to understand what nootropics are and how they improve brain health.
Summary:
What are nootropics?
Nootropics are natural or synthetic substances that are believed to boost our cognitive functions. These kinds of supplements may help enhance your memory, focus and concentration.
You can find nootropics in some foods, such as in eggs, fish, and mango, where you find Choline.
Other natural sources contain curcumin, such as turmeric; magnesium in bananas, avocado, grapes, oats, sesame; zinc in eggs, chicken, sesame seeds, and others.
Our brain is made of a network of neurons that relay messages around our brain and body, which is responsible for everything we do. These messages are sent by our sensory circuits and can trigger different results depending on which part of the brain is activated.
According to science, the brain is divided into four lobes: frontal (purple), parietal (blue), temporal (yellow) and occipital (green). While doing tasks that require focus and concentration, the frontal lobe is the most active part of the brain, which will send messages for the whole body indicating that the task at hand requires attention. These messages are called synaptic transmissions.
Nootropics Supplements: How does this relate to concentration and focus?
Nootropic supplements relate to our cognitive system in their form of action, and can be in one of the following strategies:
How supplements can help improve concentration and focus?
There are many reasons why difficulty concentrating can arise. More than ever, we all have more distractions and activities with short deadlines.
With work commitments, family, friends, and social media, it has become a challenge to focus on just one function.
Due to such a tight routine, it is common for us to not consume the optimal amounts of vitamins and minerals that our body needs, causing deficiencies of some substances that result in the malfunction of certain functions.
Thus, supplementation comes into the picture, as a way to replace the substances not ingested, you achieve all the benefits that supplements can offer.
These supplements, also known as nootropics, may help enhance synaptic transmission and plasticity in some areas of the brain, improving focus and concentration.
What is the best supplements or vitamins for concentration and focus
Through the data presented above, it is important to point out that the best supplement to boost focus and concentration depends on factors unique to your body.
Your diet, relationship with physical activity, and supplements already in your routine can affect the supplements that best suit you.
Therefore, to help you choose the best nutraceutical for concentration and focus, we at HealthProtection have gathered several options, based on scientific studies. See below:
Bacopa
The Bacopa Monnieri is an aquatic herb found in India and Southeast Asia. It grows in swampy and marshy regions and is known in its country of origin as Brahmi, the Indian god of the Hindu religion.
A meta-analysis published in 2013 evaluated nine studies, including 518 subjects, to assess the efficacy of bacopa in improving cognitive function.
Randomized, placebo-controlled human intervention trials on chronic ≥ 12 weeks dosing of standardized extracts of bacopa without any co-medication were included in this study.
The meta-analysis suggests that bacopa has the potential to improve cognition, particularly speed of attention, but larger studies are needed to provide definitive evidence of its efficacy.
CDP-Choline
CDP-Choline, also known as citicoline, is a natural nootropic supplement known for its potential to protect and improve memory.
In addition, it can increase the ability to concentrate by increasing the necessary focus. A meta-analysis from 2004 assessed the efficacy of CDP-choline in the treatment of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral deficits associated with chronic cerebral disorders in the elderly.
This study showed that there is some evidence that CDP Choline has a positive effect on memory and behavior in at least the short/medium term
There are also other benefits associated with CDP-Choline supplementation.
In cognitive processes, one of the most prominent effects is an increase in mental energy. This can happen as a result of the increased blood flow, oxygen consumption, and glucose metabolism that CDP-choline produces.
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo Biloba greatly increases blood flow to your brain.
Because of its large amount of antioxidants, mainly terpenoids and flavonoids, it is very much related to good brain function.
A meta-analysis including 9 trials assessed the efficacy of 240mg/day of a Ginkgo Biloba extract in people with dementia or cognitive impairment. The results showed that Ginkgo Biloba extract is able to stabilize or slow the decline in cognition, function, behavior, and global change at 22-26 weeks in cognitive impairment and dementia, especially for patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms.
It has an effect on the cross synapse, the association of information that happens in our brain when we think about something and remembers other related subjects.
Another interesting fact is that Ginkgo Biloba can reduce anxiety.
Some studies have proven that consuming Ginkgo Biloba daily can reduce anxiety symptoms by up to 45% in some people.
Magnesium
Although it is not an herbal supplement, Magnesium deserves to be highlighted for its action on focus and attention. Its benefits are numerous and it can help you with your health goals.
Magnesium participates in more than 300 reactions in our body. Important both in the dilation of blood vessels and in the action in our brain, it increases our neuronal density helping in other brain functions.
This action results in benefits in mood, focus and attention, short and long-term memory, and decreases anxiety and depression.
Among so many benefits, magnesium supplementation is important for everyone, even more so for people who do not consume foods like avocados, walnuts, and almonds, natural sources of magnesium.
Vitamin B12
As one of the most deficient vitamins in the world, vitamin B12 prevents memory loss, improves mood, aids heart health, aids digestion, and prevents anemia.
In our brains, its role is fundamental for the production of neurotransmitters, and it plays a role in the organization of thoughts. Its low level in the body can bring on cases of confusion, symptoms of depression, and lack of focus.
Ginseng
Common in Chinese medicine, ginseng is a medicinal root that brings a number of benefits proven by science: it reduces stress, reduces fatigue, and even improves the quality of life, providing longevity and daily disposition.
A meta-analysis from 2010 assed 5 studies including supplementation with ginseng extract or compound in healthy subjects. Results of the analysis suggested improvement of some aspects of cognitive function, behavior and quality of life, but it was hard to compare the results due to the high heterogeneity of the studies.
How you will choose the best supplements? Let us help by adding science to that.
If you want to find the best dietary supplement to optimize your focus and concentration, or other health problems, check out our 3-step quiz and maintain your health care!
Our platform has health information based on scientific articles from renowned institutions, like Pubmed, Scielo (Scientific Electronic Library Online) and EFSA (European Food Safety Authority).
