Consuming certain types of vitamins and fatty acids may help reduce the risk of memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease, and among these vitamins we mention the following:
Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 contributes to maintaining the health of red blood cells and nerve cells. It should be noted that the lack of levels of this vitamin in the body; Which is common among the elderly and vegetarians , and may lead to the appearance of many symptoms and signs, including memory loss.
In these cases, memory can be improved by using vitamin B12 supplements, as a small study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2016 revealed that low levels of vitamin B12 are associated with poor memory performance in patients with mild cognitive impairment (in English: Mild Cognitive Impairment).
Animal products are the natural source of this vitamin and it cannot be found in plant foods. Among its good food sources are; Beef, poultry, all kinds of fish , especially haddock and tuna, and dairy products; Such as cheese, yogurt, and milk, in addition to eggs, and some nutritional yeast products (in English: Nutritional Yeast).
For more information about the importance of vitamin B12 for the body, you can read the article on vitamin B12 and folic acid .
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is one of the vitamins that may contribute to improving brain health and memory in the elderly. A study conducted on mice and published in the journal Behavioral Brain Research in 2012 indicated that consuming vitamin E may help reduce long- or short-term memory impairment caused by For chronic sleep disorders , because this vitamin acts as a powerful antioxidant, As for foods high in vitamin E; It includes; Sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, avocado, pumpkin, kiwi, and salmon, in addition to shrimp, olive oil, wheat germ oil, and broccoli.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D plays many important roles for the health of the human body. Including helping to enhance the health of the brain, nervous and immune systems, and low levels of vitamin D may lead to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia,
A small study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in 2016 showed a link between Severe deficiency in the levels of this vitamin in the blood and poor visual memory (in English: Visual Memory), It should be noted that Vitamin D can be obtained either by exposing the skin to sunlight;
The body responds by manufacturing this vitamin naturally, and it can also be obtained through the diet or nutritional supplements. Egg yolks, liver , and marine fish are among the foods rich in this vitamin, while some other foods may be fortified with it. Such as milk and cereals.
Vitamin K: The scientific name vitamin K refers to a group of fat-soluble vitamins, some of which are of plant origin. Such as the main and most common type of vitamin K, which is known as vitamin K1 or phylloquinone (in English: Phylloquinone), while the other type is available less commonly and is found in some animal sources and fermented foods.
It is called menaquinone or vitamin K2 , and as for its effect on memory; Increasing its levels in the blood is associated with improving episodic memory in the elderly, and a study published in the journal Maturitas in 2016 indicated that increasing consumption of vitamin K contributes to improving memory and reducing memory-related problems in the elderly, Vitamin K1 can be obtained from foods that contain high amounts of it.
Such as fresh or cooked leafy vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, pickled cucumbers , asparagus, okra, green beans, and kiwi, in addition to what is known as Brussels sprouts, and green salads that contain lettuce, for example, As for the group of vitamin compounds K2 can be obtained from meat, cheese, and eggs, or it is manufactured by bacteria.
Recommended Amounts of Vitamins
Recommended amounts of vitamin B12: The following table shows the daily recommended amounts of vitamin B12, but it should be noted that the amounts indicated for age groups from birth to 12 months of age express the adequate intake of the vitamin (in English: Adequate Intake) and not the recommended amount to be taken:
Recommended amounts of vitamin E: The following table shows the recommended daily amounts of vitamin E. It should be noted that the amount mentioned in the first two age groups expresses adequate intake of vitamin E:
Recommended amounts of vitamin D: The following table shows the adequate intake of vitamin D for children from birth to 12 months of age, and the recommended daily intake for older age groups:
Other items Useful for Memory
Omega-3: Omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil supplements are nutrients that affect memory. Many studies have shown that increasing the intake of foods that contain this fatty acid , such as vegetable oils, nut oils, cold-water fish, and English walnuts, may contribute to memory loss.
Significantly reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and a study conducted on mice and published in the journal PLOS ONE in 2012 showed that following a diet containing a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the risk of brain injury to neuroinflammation and associated cognitive impairment. By old age.
Iron: Iron is the essential mineral that maintains the proper functioning of the hemoglobin protein in the body. It is the protein responsible for the process of transporting oxygen through the blood.
In addition, iron contributes to many important processes in the body. A study conducted on mice and published in the journal Advances in Nutrition in 2011 indicated that iron deficiency in the early stages of life negatively affects memory, speed of analysis, and the ability to learn in adulthood.
Iron can be obtained from several sources; Such as canned oysters (in English: Canned Clams), beef liver, fortified oatmeal, dark chocolate containing 45 to 69% cocoa, in addition to white beans and boiled filtered lentils.
Magnesium: Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body. It plays an important role in many processes necessary for the health of the body and brain.
It also improves memory function and the learning process, according to what was indicated by one of the studies conducted on mice and published in the journal Neuron in 2017. 2010, It is one of the most important natural sources of magnesium; Pumpkin seeds, almonds , dark chocolate, spinach, avocado, and banana.
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