In our rapidly evolving world, cognitive health is a primary concern and among the many dimensions of cognitive function, memory plays a critical role, influencing our ability to learn, retain information, and navigate daily life (although lately mobile phones have been a great help?).

The importance of the studies that we will cite below is basically to put extra efforts into preventing dementia, which is a syndrome caused by a wide variety of diseases and progressively affects cognitive functioning, even more so in older people.
This disease begins with subtle cognitive changes that represent an abnormal decline in the ability to memorize and perform mildly complex tasks and progresses inexorably.

As researchers delve deeper into the intricate interplay between nutrients and cognitive well-being, the potential benefits of providing nutrients in supplement form are coming to light. In this article, we embark on a journey through scientific exploration, delving into the multifaceted benefits of supplemental inputs and their potential to improve memory.

Memory and dementia

In our brain, each memory system has a distinct anatomical organization where, for each function, different parts are recruited during the memory storage phases.
Within this organ, memory is a dynamic property orchestrated by the different populations of neurons and their different interconnections.
Even so, memories are deposited in a form that is still being studied, through chemical changes at the neuronal level.

As mentioned above, memory has different types and both working and short-term memory are closely related in their cognitive architecture, capacity limitations and functional neuroanatomy, which only partially overlap with those of long-term memory.

Sensory reserves located in the visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortex play a role in short-term memory, but the parietal and frontal supramodal areas are often recruited as well.

Classic working memory operations, such as tampering, interference protection, or updating, almost certainly require at least some degree of prefrontal support, but many pure maintenance tasks also involve these areas.
Although activity appears to change from more posterior regions during encoding to more anterior regions during the delay, some studies also reported sustained delay activity in sensory areas. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073858406298480

Since the prevalence and incidence of dementia increase exponentially with age, today it is estimated that 30 million people in the world are affected and there are around 4.6 million new cases each year.
That said, and that average life expectancy continues to rise, the estimated number of people with dementia will exceed 100 million by 2050. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67889-0

If you want to read a little more about Alzheimer’s disease, click here to access one of our articles.

It should be clarified that subjective memory complaints are a common and frequent cause of visits to general practitioners and clinics specializing in neurocognitive impairment but do not imply a diagnosis of dementia.

Testing add-ons

The consumption of nutritional supplements has always been associated with health benefits, including within this group those with activity in memory performance, but few studies have focused on in-depth research.
Below, we will cite some of them as examples.

To test the efficiency of multivitamin supplements in memory , the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study Web (COSMOS-Web) was designed, which included 3562 older adults.
Participants were randomly assigned to either a daily multivitamin supplement (Centrum Silver) or placebo and evaluated annually with a battery of internet-based neuropsychological tests for 3 years.
The prespecified primary outcome measure was change in episodic memory, operationally defined as immediate recall performance on the ModRey test, after 1 year of intervention.
Secondary outcome measures included changes in episodic memory during 3 years of follow-up and changes in performance in neuropsychological tasks of new object recognition and executive function for 3 years.

The results were that, compared to placebo, participants randomised to multivitamin supplementation had significantly better immediate recall of ModRey at one year, as well as throughout the 3 years of follow-up on average.
Multivitamin supplementation had no significant effect on secondary outcomes.
The effect of the multivitamin intervention was then estimated to have improved memory performance over placebo by the equivalent of 3.1 years of age-related memory change. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.05.011

With multivitamins being the most commonly used supplement, another study was conducted taking into account that there is no scientific consensus on whether consuming different types of vitamins prevents cognitive decline or improves mental functioning.
The aim of this study was to determine whether the consumption of different vitamins could be used effectively to improve cognitive abilities.
Multivitamin complexes were found to improve immediate free-recall memory, but not other cognitive domains.
DOI: 10.3233/JAD-2011-111751

This other randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial set out to investigate the effects of 16 weeks of multivitamin supplementation on cognition in older women.
A total of 56 elderly women with subjective complaints of memory loss participated in this study.
Cognition was assessed using a computerized battery of memory and attention tasks designed to be sensitive to age-related decline in fluid intelligence and a measure of verbal recall.
The multivitamin improved response speed on a measure of spatial working memory, however, no benefits were observed for other cognitive processes.
Multivitamin supplementation decreased homocysteine levels and increased vitamin B6 and B12 levels, with a tendency to increase vitamin E. There were no hepatotoxic effects from the multivitamin formula, indicating that this supplement was safe for daily use in the elderly. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-011-2481-3

What are the most suitable nutrients?

• COMPLEX B.
  B-complex vitamins, including B6, B12, and folic acid (B9), have a profound influence on brain health and cognitive function.
  These vitamins act as essential cofactors in neurotransmitter synthesis, DNA repair, and homocysteine metabolism.
  Elevated homocysteine levels, which can arise from vitamin B deficiencies, have been linked to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders.
  DOI: 10.1590/S0212-16112012000100010 Click here to read other articles by Salengei on the benefits of B vitamins.
• ANTIOXIDANTS.
  Vitamins often include antioxidants, including vitamin C and vitamin E, revered for their potential to protect neuronal cells from oxidative stress and inflammation.
  Oxidative stress, a consequence of an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defenses, has been implicated in the progression of cognitive decline and age-related memory decline. https://doi.org/10.1515/almed-2022-0111S.
  If you are interested in the topic of antioxidants, here is a very interesting article to learn more.
• OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS.
  Omega-3 fatty acids, recognized for their role in brain health.
  Omega-3s contribute to the structural integrity of brain tissue, promote neural plasticity and facilitate neurotransmission.
  You can continue reading about this exciting topic in one of our blog articles
• VITAMIN D.
  Beyond its conventional role in bone health, vitamin D exhibits a multifaceted impact on cognitive function.
  Emerging evidence points to the correlation between insufficient vitamin D levels and cognitive decline. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-019-00529-7

Conclusion

As we traverse the intricate landscape of improving memory and cognitive well-being, the role of nutrients consumed in supplement form emerges as a promising avenue for exploration.
From vitamins to antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and hormones, such as vitamin D, these nutrients intertwine to form a network along with neurons to influence memory and cognitive function.
The studies reviewed, accessible through the links cited, underscore the potential benefits in improving memory, providing a basis for future research and understanding.

As always, at Salengei we encourage you to stay informed, adopt a healthy lifestyle and seek guidance from health professionals.
In this way, we will be able to embark on a journey towards optimal cognitive health, armed with the knowledge offered by scientific evidence.