What are the Top 5 Brain Booster Supplements for Adults?

The concept of ‘brain boosters’ stems from prehistoric tradition, as many ancient cultures believed that imbibing mind-altering substances could expand their consciousness.

Fortunately, science has advanced an awful lot since the days of eating magic mushrooms to predict the next season’s harvest, and you can now buy brain booster supplements for adults in pharmacies.

While a supplement for the brain may sound like a crazy idea, these ‘brain boosters’ use ingredients proven to enhance brain function or mental capacity, so they may help you overcome your writer’s blog or focus at work.

These ‘brain boosters’ are commonly referred to as “nootropics”, a term invented by Romanian chemist Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea by combining the ancient Greek “nóos” (mind) and “tropḗ” (a turning). He created this term to define his new drug, Piracetam, which improved mental performance, memory and information processing in user, making it one of the first brain supplements for adults.

Although the original definition of “nootropic” is extremely specific (referring only to substances that improve brain function without side effects or addiction), it is often used as a catch-all term for any substances perceived to improve brain function. It should be noted that many brain booster supplements for adults and substances like caffeine do not meet the original definition of nootropic, but they can still positively affect mental performance.

What is the Most Important Supplement for the Brain?

Your brain is a finely tuned machine and requires a lot of care and attention to work well, including proper nutrition, stimulation and stress management. If you are overly stressed, dehydrated or lacking certain nutrients, your brain will naturally suffer, no matter how many brain supplements for adults or stimulants you throw at it.

Therefore, we strongly recommend you focus on healthy lifestyle choices like proper nutrition, exercise and intellectual stimulation rather than relying on brain booster supplements for adults. While there are no ‘magic’ brain booster supplements, many supplements have been proven to improve brain health and mental function, even in mostly healthy individuals.

What is a Natural Brain Enhancer?

Unlike nootropics, ‘brain enhancers’ are not a defined category and can refer to all kinds of substances that boost your energy, focus, concentration or mood. As a result, brain booster supplements for adults contain a wider range of ingredients than pure nootropics, including many natural compounds that help boost your mental energy.

For example, caffeine (naturally found in coffee and tea) is a naturally-occurring stimulant proven to increase short-term concentration, energy and mood, even in smaller doses. Furthermore, many mushroom species act as an effective supplement for the brain, in addition to the natural supplements listed above, so you can find plenty of brain boosters in the natural world.

RELATED: Read our article on natural nootropics for more plant-based pick-me-ups.

How Can I Sharpen My Memory?

Everyone has moments of forgetfulness, especially if you have a busy lifestyle or stressful job, but a poor memory can damage your quality of life, especially as you age. While genetics is a big factor in memory loss and cognitive decline, brain booster supplements for adults and lifestyle choices can help you maintain your memory and cognitive health, such as:

Cutting your Sugar Intake

Refined sugars (especially High-Fructose Corn Syrup) have been linked to many health issues and chronic diseases, from obesity to Alzheimer’s disease, so cutting back on sugar may be as effective as any supplement for the brain.

Get Plenty of Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids, notably eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), support cognitive health, and taking them as supplements may improve memory, especially in older people.

Try Meditating

Meditation helps to reduce stress and pain and can increase gray matter in the brain, so try to add mindfulness practices to your routine to improve your memory.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Obesity is a risk factor for cognitive decline and many other chronic conditions (such as diabetes, heart conditions, arthritis, etc.), so you should try to maintain a healthy weight.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep plays an important role in memory development, so you should try to get the recommended 7-9 hours of shut-eye each night, even if you take plenty of brain booster supplements for adults, as there’s no substitute for proper rest.

Drink in Moderation

Excessive alcohol consumption is bad for your long-term health and can even damage your hippocampus (a part of the brain vital to memory) in extreme cases, so you should always drink in moderation.

Train your Brain

Exercising your mind with brain games (like crosswords, puzzles, and word-recall games) is a fun and effective way to boost your memory, and some studies show that ‘brain training’ can improve cognition better than many brain supplements for adults.

Avoid Refined Carbs

Like refined sugars, refined carbs (such as cakes, cereal, and white bread) can harm your memory by causing spikes in blood sugar, so swap the cookies with brain booster supplements for adults.

Top up your Vitamin D Levels

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that contributes to cognitive function, and deficiencies are common in the US (due to the Western diet and sedentary lifestyle), so you may benefit from taking vitamin D supplements or seeking out more natural sources.

Exercise

Regular exercise is great for your health, and studies show that even short bouts of moderate exercise, such as 15 minutes on a stationary bike, can improve cognitive performance and memory.

Eat Anti-inflammatory Foods

Inflammation caused by oxidative stress is a significant factor in cognitive decline, so a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods may lower your risk of cognitive decline as much as most brain booster supplements.

The following foods are potent sources of antioxidants:

Curcumin

Curcumin is a natural compound in turmeric with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, making it a promising ingredient in brain booster supplements for adults.

RELATED: Read our article on the benefits of turmeric and curcumin to learn more about this yellow superfood.

Cocoa

Cocoa is packed with antioxidants called flavonoids which are particularly beneficial for the brain, so dark chocolate (with a solid cocoa content of 70% or higher) may support brain health.

Top 5 Brain Booster Supplements for Adults

Whether you need to focus on a big project or get rid of the brain fog that gets on your nerves, there are plenty of reasons to take brain boosters. While the vitamins techniques suggested above can go a long way to improving your brain health and mental performance, here are the brain booster supplements for adults we use when we need a pick-me-up:

Conclusion

Our modern lifestyles are full of distractions and temptations – from social media to multi-tasking at work – so it’s common to feel like you need a supplement for the brain to keep up. While many people rely on stimulants like caffeine, you can improve your cognitive health by ensuring that you get enough vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

Furthermore, many brain booster supplements for adults contain herbal extracts proven to increase mental focus, memory or cognitive function. They may help you focus at work, achieve personal goals or protect against cognitive decline caused by age or chronic conditions, but you should never use dietary supplements instead of proper medical care.