Table of contents:
- List of nutrients and vitamins to maintain brain health
- 1. Vitamin B1
- 2. Vitamin B2
- 3. Vitamin B6
- 4. Vitamin B9 or folic acid
- 5. Vitamin B12
- 6. Vitamin E
- 7. Vitamin C
- 8. Omega-3 fatty acids
Maintaining brain health needs to be done by all people at all ages. The reason is, this vital organ plays an important role in coordinating all body functions. If there is damage to just one part of the brain, various symptoms and diseases can occur, which of course can reduce a person's quality of life. One way to maintain brain health is to meet the necessary vitamins and nutrients.
So, do you know what vitamins and nutrients are good for brain health? Here's the complete information for you.
List of nutrients and vitamins to maintain brain health
Certain vitamins and nutrients are said to have an important role in maintaining the health of the human brain. Meeting these nutritional needs is believed to support brain development from childhood to improve cognitive function, prevent memory loss, and reduce the risk of various brain diseases in the future.
You can get various types of vitamins and nutrients through healthy food choices with balanced nutritional content. In certain conditions, vitamin supplements may be needed, although it needs supervision from a doctor to consume them. Here is a list of vitamins and nutrients for the brain that you shouldn't miss:
1. Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is one of eight B vitamins that help the body produce energy and is good for liver, skin, hair and eye health. Not only that, these nutrients can also help the nervous system continue to function normally, by ensuring that nerve cells and the brain communicate with each other and transmit messages.
Conversely, vitamin B1 deficiency can actually affect mental condition, learning ability, energy, the body's ability to deal with stress, and memory in people with Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, you should meet your vitamin B1 needs by eating several types of foods, such as grains, whole grains, meat, nuts, or yeast.
2. Vitamin B2
Apart from producing energy for the body, vitamin B2 or riboflavin also works as an antioxidant by fighting free radicals. Therefore, fulfilling the need for this vitamin is believed to help prevent cell damage in the body, thus avoiding the risk of various diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and migraines related to the brain.
In fact, several studies have found that riboflavin can be a natural remedy for migraines. In order to get these benefits, you can get vitamin B2 from beef, offal (beef liver), salmon, almonds, spinach, eggs, and milk and dairy products.
3. Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 plays an important role in normal brain development and helps maintain a healthy nervous and immune system. Reporting from Harvard Health Publishing, along with B9 and B12, vitamin B6 can help maintain homocysteine levels, which in high levels are associated with the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
You can meet your vitamin B6 needs by eating several foods, such as poultry, fish, potatoes, green beans, and bananas.
4. Vitamin B9 or folic acid
Apart from maintaining mental and emotional health, vitamin B9 or also known as folic acid is very important for maintaining proper brain function. These nutrients help the body produce the genetic components of DNA and RNA when a person is a baby, teenager, or during pregnancy.
On the other hand, folic acid deficiency can actually reduce memory and focus abilities, so you may feel forgetful easily. Foods that contain folic acid can be found in green vegetables, whole grains, salmon, avocado, whole grains, and orange juice.
5. Vitamin B12
Not only does it help maintain the health of red blood cells, Vitamin B12 also plays a role in the formation of myelin, the neuroprotective layer of the brain. Therefore, consuming this vitamin can protect the brain from nerve damage and improve memory.
On the other hand, vitamin B12 deficiency can actually cause various symptoms that may develop gradually and increase over time, such as anemia, tingling in the hands or feet, having balance problems, increasing the risk of memory loss and dementia. You can find Vitamin B12 in beef, poultry, fish and dairy products.
6. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that is believed to help maintain brain health and reduce oxidative stress due to free radicals. Mentioned in the journal Nutrients, the brain is particularly susceptible to oxidative stress, which increases with aging and is thought to play a role in neurodegeneration.
As for consuming vitamin E, it is said to improve a person's cognitive abilities, so it is believed to be able to prevent Alzheimer's disease. To get these benefits, you can eat several foods containing vitamin E, such as almonds, olive oil, canola oil, peanuts, meat, milk, green vegetables, and cereals.
7. Vitamin C
Just like vitamin E, vitamin C is also an important antioxidant that can protect the brain from free radicals. These nutrients can also help the body produce hormones and chemicals that are beneficial to the brain and nerve cells, and are believed to reduce the risk of dementia. Some of the sources of vitamin C that you can consume are oranges, lemons, kiwi, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
8. Omega-3 fatty acids
It is familiar, omega-3 fatty acids are known for their role in brain development and health. These fatty acids are said to help build cell membranes in the brain and have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that can protect brain cells.
Conversely, a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids is thought to cause a decrease in cognitive brain function in a person. To prevent this, you can meet the needs of omega-3 fatty acids by eating various types of fish, such as salmon and mackerel, or green leafy vegetables, nuts, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Omega-3 supplements have not shown the same effect.
