NeuroVesa

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A-Z of Brain Health Supplements: O for Omega 3's (Fish Oil).

Omega-3’s sound like the name of a Star Wars character but they're actually fatty acids that act as the building blocks of cell membranes throughout your brain and body.

Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids are required in a certain ratio to keep inflammation balanced. Unfortunately most modern diets don't have a good balanced ratio of these two fatty acids.

So we turn to a very common, well known source of supplemental Omega 3’s: fish oils. Fish oils in particular contain high amounts of two important fatty acids within the Omega 3 category: EPA and DHA. 

Some of the evidence for the benefits of fish oils include things like improving cardiovascular health by reducing triglycerides, reducing inflammation, supporting eye health, and even helping fetal brain development during pregnancy.

Your brain is about 60% fat, and omega 3s are literally structural components of your neurons. Low levels of DHA in particular have been linked to cognitive decline as we age, and a series of meta-analyses looking at fish oil supplementation on depression have shown a meaningful mood-stabilizing benefit, especially in people with elevated inflammatory markers. The evidence is so compelling that high EPA omega-3 supplements are often recommended as an adjunct therapy alongside antidepressant medication. 

The typical dose of Omega 3’s is 1–3 grams of combined EPA and DHA per day, not total fish oil, so look for a high potency version. You might need to take 5-6 grams of actual fish oil to reach the recommended amount of EPA and DHA. Most products also come in an enteric coated capsule, allowing it to bypass your stomach to prevent the super fun fish burps that some people experience. 

Omega 3’s, more specifically fish oil supplements, are another one that score an A+

A 90 minute walk in a "nature" setting (forested areas, parks, anything with some natural foliage) can help reduce rumination and lead to less depressive thoughts when compared to a 90 minute walk in the middle of a concrete jungle (a busy city setting).

There was also neuroimaging to back this up result: reduced activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex area, which is associated with depressive thinking.

So maybe the people on Reddit are right when they tell people to "touch grass"

A-Z of Brain Health Supplements: N for N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)

NAC is a supplement derived from the amino acid L-cysteine. It works in the brain by modulating and balancing glutamate, a neurotransmitter that stimulates our neurons, and it also acts as a precursor to our bodies master antioxidant, glutathione.

NAC has some interesting research on OCD, addiction, and compulsive behaviors. Additional research is being done around NAC supplementation and depression and bipolar disorder, where it appears to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain. Last but not least, supplementing NAC for lung health and liver protection has some very strong evidence as far as natural ingredients go.

The neuroprotective mechanisms are legit and pretty well understood, but translating that into noticeable day-to-day improvements in focus or memory for a healthy adult is a bit murky based on the current evidence.

The typical dose of NAC is 600–1800 mg per day. It's an affordable and genuinely useful supplement with benefits that go beyond your brain. But because a lot of these benefits exist outside the brain, as a brain health supplement, I have to give NAC a B+.

Why you're more motivated in the morning than in the afternoon

A-Z of Brain Health Supplements: M for Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, and it's getting a lot of mainstream attention for good reason.

Magnesium has solid research backing for sleep quality, anxiety reduction, mood stabilization, migraine prevention/treatment, and even reducing cortisol.

Like a lot of vitamins and minerals, the benefits are most pronounced in people who are actually deficient, and estimates suggest a significant portion of the population is. So If your levels are already optimal, you might not get as big of a benefit.

There are a ton of different types of magnesium supplements. Each one is bonded to a different compound and might have specific benefits in different contexts. Of those types, magnesium l-threonate has been in focus when it comes to the brain benefits. There's evidence magnesium l-threonate can cross the blood brain barrier more effectively than other magnesium products, but there hasn't been any head-to-head human studies showing that magnesium l-threonate is superior to other magnesium sources for cognitive benefits.

Given that magnesium l-threonate is a lot more expensive, I would argue the most overall beneficial type is magnesium glycinate. It offers the best bang for your buck with the lowest risk of GI distress. 

Magnesium can also act as a laxative depending on the type so you don't want to overdo it.

When it comes to dose, you want to try to get around 200-400mg of elemental magnesium per day.

Magnesium is a great overall supplement that goes beyond the brain, so it gets an A+

A-Z of Brain Health Supplements: L for L-Theanine

L-Theanine is an amino acid found naturally in green tea leaves and supplementing it has some really consistent evidence for reducing stress and promoting focus. There's some studies showing it may promote alpha brain wave activity, the same brain activity we see with meditation.

There's some really compelling research around pairing it with caffeine. If you find yourself getting jittery when drinking caffeine, taking L-theanine alongside it can help smooth out the jittery, anxious side effects while preserving and possibly even enhancing the focus benefits.
L-Theanine also appears to improve the depth of sleep when taken before bed.

The typical dose is 100–400 mg per day, with 200 mg as a sweet spot. It's inexpensive, well-tolerated, and stacks nicely with other things. I give L-Theanine a solid A- — and its especially useful if you pair it with caffeine

We always appreciate when people leave us reviews on our product. So today we thought we'd highlight a few of our favorites.

A-Z of Brain Health Supplements: K for KSM-66 (Ashwagandha)

KSM-66 is a patented, highly concentrated root extract of Ashwagandha, an adaptogen. You’ve probably heard of ashwagandha because it's everywhere right now, and it's a super funky thing to try to pronounce.

There's some solid evidence for stress and anxiety reduction, with studies showing reductions in cortisol levels (our stress hormone) when taking ashwagandha.

There's also decent evidence for improving sleep quality, which indirectly has real benefits for memory and cognitive performance. On the direct cognition side, a few trials show improvements in reaction time, attention, and memory, but that evidence isn't as promising as the stress reduction studies.

Now some caveats: Denmark actually banned ashwagandha in 2023 due to potential health impacts on thyroid hormones and risks to pregnancy. Other European countries have also issued restrictions and warnings related to ashwagandha usage, but many argue these bans are based on flawed data.

The typical dose for KSM-66 ashwagandha is around 300–600 mg per day.

Whether the concerns related to the bans In Europe are legitimate or not , it's still one of the few supplements where the hype and the evidence are at least pointing in the same direction so I give it a B+ grade.