You know you’ve met this person before – in fact, you worked in the same building at one time – but her name has fled your mind. At dinner, you tell your visiting son a memory you’ve just recalled. He rolls his eyes, because he’s heard it a dozen times already. And, didn’t you once memorize your PIN number for the ATM?

Losing one’s mental faculties is high on the list of fears for seniors. And, this concern isn’t unfounded or irrational, with recent research indicating that Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of senile dementia may affect up to 47 percent of all people older than 80.

But, luckily, natural methods abound for coping with, delaying or even avoiding age-related mental decline. Promising research is revealing the role of nutrition, herbs and vitamin supplements in treating and preventing cognitive impairment.

Certain types of mental atrophy can result from such common factors as allergies, stress and low nutrient levels, as well as exposure to toxins and oxidizing agents-all of which appear to contribute to brain inflammation, scarring and loss of mental acuity.

The inflammatory process creates chemicals such as free radicals that cause oxygen-induced cell damage, which may hasten senile dementia. Exposure to free radicals can be especially damaging when brain tissues lack adequate levels of antioxidants and other nutrients necessary to defend against chronic inflammation.

The aging brain may have low levels of such nutrients for several reasons, including poor diet or inadequate nutrient absorption.

To fortify the brain’s defenses, antioxidants and B vitamins should top any senior’s list of helpful brain foods. Animal studies have shown that antioxidant levels in the brain decline with age. The lowest levels are associated with the greatest brain impairment.

Antioxidant nutrients such as beta-carotene, bioflavonoids, essential fatty acids, selenium, vitamins C and E, and zinc all reduce inflammation. Scores of foods, including most fruits and vegetables, boast high levels of antioxidants.

Green tea appears particularly promising, exhibiting antioxidant properties that may also help protect the central nervous system from the damage caused by oxidation.

Research indicates that B-vitamin deficiencies can lead to psychosis and cognitive impairment. For example, vitamin B1 deficiency is linked to the personality disorder known as Korsakoff’s syndrome, and low levels of vitamin B3 are often associated with delirium, dementia and memory loss.

Vitamin B6, which helps transform amino acids into monoamines, an important group of neurotransmitters, may be depleted by hormone replacement therapy and birth control pills. Consequently, scientists believe many hormone-induced mental or emotional symptoms may be improved with B6 supplements.

Abnormally low levels of vitamin B12 are associated with Alzheimer’s disease, while folic acid deficiency is linked to forgetfulness, psychosis and dementia. All further indicators that B vitamins are essential for nervous system and brain health.

In addition to antioxidants and B vitamins, researchers suggest that a host of brain-friendly supplements may help reduce damage to the central nervous system as well as prevent and treat impaired brain function.

Acetyl-L-carnitine, an amino acid important to cellular energy production, has become a central focus in neurodegenerative disease research. ALC is one form of carnitine, a vitamin-like compound, which is structurally similar to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine – a critical player in nerve to muscle communication, concentration, memory and learning.

In fact, acetylcholine is so central to mental function that the leading pharmaceutical drugs used for senility are aimed at elevating its levels in the brain. ALC supplementation improves general metabolism in many organ systems, including the nervous system, and may improve mental function by enhancing membrane stability, energy production and nerve transmission.

In a double-blind study done in Italy, several years ago, 236 elderly patients with mild senility were treated with either 1,500 milligrams of ALC or a placebo. The ALC group showed significant improvements in memory and cognition compared with the control group.

In several smaller studies, researchers have noted ALC has a positive effect on cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease patients. In one double-blind trial done in 1986, and still used as a benchmark today, researchers concluded that short-term, intensive ALC treatment, of 3,000 milligrams per day, could improve symptoms of senility without significant side effects.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, is a primary building block of the brain. Adequate levels of DHA are necessary for proper neurotransmissions, and deficiencies of this essential fat have been linked to memory loss and depression.

In a 1995 study in Europe, 494 elderly people treated for six months with 90 milligrams per day of DHA showed marked improvement in their feelings of apathy and social withdrawal .

Age-old herbal wisdom is also as true today as it was when our grandmother’s were young. The old sayings “Why should anyone die who has sage in their garden?” and “rosemary for remembrance,” both still ring true.

Both sage (Salvia officinalis) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) have been found to promote and enhance acetylcholine, the most versatile and common neurotransmitter. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), called the gladdening herb, is also recommended in old herbal remedies for improving mood and cognition.

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) has been well documented to improve cerebral blood flow and to exert antioxidant activity on the nervous and circulatory systems. Ginkgo also may reduce the age-related decline of neurotransmitters and receptors, improving cognitive function and reducing central nervous system degeneration.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng) contains glucosides known as saponins, which, in laboratory studies, have improved learning and memory in rats. One theory suggests that ginseng may improve nitric oxide synthesis in the brain, heart, lungs and kidneys. Because nitric oxide plays a role in widening of the blood vessels, ginseng may enhance the delivery of blood and oxygen to tissues.

Results are far from conclusive when it comes to how certain supplements affect brain function and mental acuity. But the nutrients and botanicals mentioned here hold promise for anyone who’d like to age gracefully, with their memory intact.

–From www.deliciouslivingmag.com