We live in a modern world with many environmental toxins and other threats to our brain health. Women have a slightly greater risk of developing various chronic diseases that affect their brain health, mental health, and cognition.
These threats include a poor diet, stress levels, lack of sleep or poor sleep, and lack of activity. As we age, changes in our hormonal balance may also negatively impact our cognitive and mental wellness.
In addition, women experiencing hormonal imbalance during perimenopause may be at a higher risk than at other times of their lives. This is due to decreasing estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, which can cause symptoms that directly impact long-term brain health.
Poor sleep is a known risk factor in cognitive decline, and hormonal changes during perimenopause can result in night sweats and disruptions in sleep patterns. Perimenopause can be a time of anxiety and depression, which brings about more stress. Our bodies respond differently to blood glucose levels, often losing the ability to manage those levels resulting in glucose intolerance or type 2 diabetes. All of these are risk factors for dementia.
Can brain health supplements make a positive impact on poor mental health and depression? Can they adequately address our nutritional deficiencies?
High-quality brain health supplements help with nutritional deficiencies as well as inflammation. Normal inflammation is the body’s natural defense against harm from infections, injuries, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. However, if the process does not resolve and inflammation remains, it becomes chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can raise your risk of disease. When you reduce inflammation, you reduce the risk of chronic disease. In addition, your body and brain have a clearer pathway to functioning well.
Many of the vitamins, minerals, and herbs found in brain health supplements can also have a positive impact on anxiety and depression. These include vitamin D, vitamin B, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and Rhodiola, among others.
Nootropic capsules with ingredients like Lion’s Mane Mushroom and Bacopa Monnieri can also address brain health. More research is needed, but the preliminary results are promising and show significant benefits for cognitive function, mood, energy levels, mood, and motivation.
These supplements also show promise for dealing with issues like brain fog due to long COVID-19. However, our scientific knowledge is based on treating brain fog from conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. While researchers are still discovering how to prevent long COVID-19 symptoms, there are numerous supplements that may be helpful in relieving those symptoms and restoring normal function.
The key is to target inflammation. COVID-19 is a highly inflammatory disease. Targeting inflammation can help boost immune function and reduce brain fog and fatigue. Omega-3 fish oils, vitamin D, quercetin, B vitamins, CoQ10, and vitamin C can all help. It is even more effective when you also eat a healthy diet that reduces processed foods, white carbs, sugar, and alcohol.
The World Health Organization cites statistics that show approximately 55 million people worldwide have dementia. That number is expected to increase to over 139 million people by 2050. There is no cure, or effective treatment, for dementia. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia, science has not found a cause yet.
However, we do know that proactively making changes to our diets and lifestyles can help protect our brain health, which in turn may reduce the risk of developing dementia.
The American Brain Foundation estimates that 1 in 6 people worldwide has some form of brain disease, ranging from Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis to Alzheimer’s and stroke. It makes sense to reduce our risks with appropriate supplements that may help protect our brains.