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Brain Cell Support is a classic blend that contains highly potent doses of the most widely studied nutrients and botanicals for brain and memory protection. We particularly like the unusually high concentration of 120 mg of ginkgo and binding it to phosphatidylserine gives greater cognitive support than the same dose of ginkgo alone, in research reports. Our patients have experienced excellent results from this blend for memory, learning, focus and mild depression. All the ingredients are synergistic: they enhance each other’s benefits, and their cumulative effect is greater than taking just some of them in isolation.

About this product

Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) naturally occurs in the brain. It is made up of acetic acid bound to the amino acid carnitine which carries long-chain fatty acids into the energy-producing mitochondria. Acetyl-L-carnitine can mimic the major neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is essential for memory and optimal brain function. The body’s acetylcholine declines with age and especially with Alzheimer’s. Since the 1980s, ALC has shown outstanding results for Alzheimer’s disease in well-controlled clinical trials: over the course of a year patients can improve in all scores of memory and cognitive function.

Studies solidly show benefits for depression in elders, and impaired memory: 500 mg daily can help even mild memory loss, enhance concentration, focus and objective thinking. Along with lipoic acid, ALC can bring biochemical markers of Alzheimer’s disease to near-normal levels. In research, it improved spatial memory maybe via inhibition of tau-hyper-phosphorylation. ALC may also increase the number of nerve cells in growing brains, increase cellular ATP production, and prolong the healthy lifespan of neurons by boosting the brain’s inherent growth factors that usually decline with age.

ALC is a powerful brain antioxidant that stabilizes cell membranes and boosts energy production within cells. Oxygen free radicals are a normal byproduct of the body’s metabolism and energy production. Most of these oxygen radicals are safely contained within the membrane folds of mitochondria, but about two percent get free, generating toxins that endanger the entire cell. Antioxidants “loan out” extra molecules to stabilize oxygen free radicals. Recent research shows that acetyl L-carnitine can protect nervous system proteins and fats from peroxidation while at the same time enhancing the activity of other antioxidants. (L-carnitine, a different form, is used for cardiovascular health, male reproductive health, supporting testosterone, Peyronie’s disease, and athletic performance).

Phosphatidylserine is a crucial brain phospholipid: it is found in the inner surface of neurons and maintains brain cell membrane integrity and fluidity. It boosts neurotransmitters including acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine and enhances cell-to-cell communication in the brain. Phosphatidylserine also supports many vital enzymes and quells inflammation that can injure brain cells. The brain manufactures phosphatidylserine, but this declines with age which may lead to lower mental acuity and depression. It crosses the blood-brain barrier well when taken by mouth. In Europe and Japan, it is a prescription drug for memory and learning disabilities. Phosphatidylserine may be even more effective when combined with the omega-3 fatty acids.

Phosphatidylserine can also calm production of cortisol, the adrenal stress hormone, and ACTH from the pituitary in response to mental stress. Phosphatidylserine is said to support a clear head under pressure. In a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, healthy, young men taking phosphatidylserine for 6 weeks had decreased mental stress associated with cognitive tasks measured as decreased beta-1 power. Phosphatidylserine has been shown to support healthy endocrine and adrenal responses to mental stress: in double-blind studies, healthy women and men 20 to 45 years old had lower serum ACTH and cortisol responses to stress, indicating a central calming effect on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis stress responses.

Many double-blind controlled studies since the 1990s found that phosphatidylserine can improve mood (without influencing serotonin), boost mental performance and acuity, enhance memory and concentration especially in older people, and reverse age-related cognitive decline especially for patients with early Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Clinical trials also show that phosphatidylserine combined with cognitive training improved electrophysiological brain measurements.

Ginkgo is both an antioxidant brain and nerve protector and it also improves blood flow to the brain. It helps brain cells produce more energy and enhances oxygen levels. When bound to phosphatidylserine, Ginkgo’s benefits are magnified.

Many clinical trials have found that ginkgo can bring statistically significant improvement for conditions due to poor blood flow or cerebral vascular insufficiency, including short-term memory loss, vertigo, depression, poor concentration, confusion, fatigue, absent-mindedness, decreased physical performance, and anxiety. For early Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, ginkgo may delay or even reverse neurological losses, and improve alertness, cognition and mood. Ginkgo starts taking effect after about twelve weeks and its benefits build up over time: in several big studies with patients taking ginkgo for one year, up to 64% of Alzheimer’s patients had notable improvements in mental acuity. Scientific literature indicates that ginkgo may be as helpful as acetyl-cholinesterase inhibitor drugs such as Aricept® for Alzheimer’s dementia.

Ginkgo may work by reducing age-related loss of adrenergic and cholinergic receptors, by increasing serotonin levels, and by boosting serum levels of acetylcholine and norepinephrine. Ginkgo appears to be particularly protective for the hippocampus, an area that can be most affected by Alzheimer’s. Ginkgo may also benefit dementia by reducing insulin resistance, balancing brain sugar levels, and improving mitochondrial function.

Ginkgo helps protect the nervous system from injury due to atherosclerosis and clogged arteries that decrease blood flow to the brain, or due to many tiny clots or strokes over time which gradually deprive brain tissue of oxygen. It enhances blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery and the anterior cerebral artery, both major sources for brain nutrients. The function of the endothelium, artery lining, and levels of nitric oxide which helps open blood vessels, also improve. Ginkgo can decrease the stiffness of red blood cells, and reduce plasma viscosity and fibrinogen, cutting the risk of blood clots in the brain.

A couple other botanicals not included in this formula, but worth mentioning are Bacopa monnieri leaf extract and Vinpocetine. Bacopa monnieri leaf extract is called brahmi in Ayurvedic medicine and has been traditionally used in India for thousands of years to enhance memory, improve comprehension and recollection, and to relieve pain. Studies with humans found evidence that bacopa improves cognition, learning abilities, memory and speed of information processing in younger and older people. After six to twelve weeks, there is a significant reduction in the rate of forgetting newly learned information. Other research showed that bacopa could improve cognitive function in children and decrease anxiety symptoms in adults. Improvements continue to build for 3 or more months.

The active constituents in Bacopa are saponins called bacosides. Bacopa may work by free radical scavenging and by cholinergic modulation in the brain. Bacopa intake is linked to increases in the levels of antioxidants superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in the prefrontal cortex, striatum, and hippocampus. Evidence shows that the effects on the cholinergic system include the modulation of acetylcholine release, choline acetylase activity, and muscarinic cholinergic receptor binding.

Vinpocetine is a neuro-protective compound that was discovered in the late 1960s, derived from vincamine, an alkaloid in the leaves of the periwinkle plant (Vinca minor). In combination with ginkgo biloba, vinpocetine increases electrical conduction between nerve cells and supports nerve pathways related to mental alertness. In studies with healthy volunteers and dementia patients, vinpocetine statistically improved memory tests, attention, and concentration. Additionally, it may help encephalopathy, hearing impairment, memory loss from diminished blood supply, ophthalmologic disorders, renal impairment, stroke consequences, urinary incontinence, and possibly Alzheimer’s disease.

Vinpocetine significantly improves blood flow to the brain: blood vessels dilate via relaxation of smooth muscle, oxygen delivery to neurons is up, and ATP production increases. Improved circulation boosts brain metabolism and protects neurons from ischemic injury from insufficient oxygen. Studies show vinpocetine can also block platelet clumping, reducing clot risk and further streamlining brain blood flow. Vinpocetine boosts the rate of glucose and oxygen use, speeds energy-production by neurons, enhances performance on cognitive tests and improves EEG measurements of brain cortex activity. Vinpocetine can increase the amounts of memory neurotransmitters including noradrenaline, dopamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin, plus it can block the release of toxic free radicals.

Contents

2 capsules provide:

Acetyl L-Carnitine (as 600 mg Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl) 500 mg
Cognizin ® Citicholine (CDP-Choline) 200 mg
DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol as 275 mg DMAE bitartrate) 100 mg
Phosphatidylserine (from soy) 100 mg
Ginkgo Biloba leaf extract (standardized to 24% ginkgoflavonglycosides and 6% terpene lactones) 120 mg
Gotu Kola herb extract (Centella asiatica, standardized to 10% asiaticoside and 30% triterpenes) 100 mg

Other Ingredients: Vegetarian cellulose capsule

This product does not contain artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, preservatives, fillers, binders, stearates, dairy, gluten tree nuts or peanuts.

Cautions

Always take natural remedies under the supervision of your health care provider. Do not use acetyl-L-carnitine without the advice of your healthcare professional if you take anticoagulant drugs such as Sintrom or warfarin, as acetyl-L-carnitine can prolong clotting times. Stop Brain Cell Support at least seven days before surgery and for seven to ten days after because of the possible blood-thinning actions of acetyl-L-carnitine and gingko. Use Brain Cell Support with caution if you also take garlic, ginger, fish oil or gingko, all of which may also reduce blood clotting.

Do not use ginkgo or Brain Cell Support without the advice of your healthcare provider if you take antiplatelet drugs such as Plavix.
Only use phosphatidylserine with the approval of your healthcare professional if you also take medication for Alzheimer’s or anticholinergic drugs as these can all increase acetylcholine.

Do not use during pregnancy or lactation unless under the guidance of your physician as there is insufficient data about safe use during pregnancy.