Improving your memory might take too much effort if all you have are mnemonics. Dr. Ross Pelton, in his book Mind Food and Smart Pills, offers some nutritional and drug alternatives. As a purist of the “natural” genre, I consider even vitamins somewhat out of balance, but exploring the value of “memory pills” can shed light on what you can do more naturally.
Pelton discusses the free radical theory of aging in the causation of memory loss. A free radical is a fragment of a molecule that lacks an electron and is therefore chemically unstable. It is so unstable that it will snatch electrons from other molecules and thereby destroy the integrity of tissues. What can be scary is when a free radical creates more free radicals and a chain reaction of free radicals is produced. Normally the body has enough anti-oxidants available to neutralize the free radicals, but losing the balance leads to degenerative disease and memory loss.
Free radicals are produced internally as the end products of regular body metabolism. They are produced externally by things like radiation, sunlight and ultraviolet rays, chemical toxins, and peroxidation of fats. Oxidation of fats is perhaps the most significant source of free radicals because fat consumption is so high in the average American diet, about 40%, and because the brain contains the highest concentration of unsaturated fats which could generate free radicals. Pelton’s solution then is to boost up the defense against free radicals through the use of anti-oxidants.
Below is a list of some anti-oxidants and their recommended dosages:
Vitamin C – 2-5 grams a day in divided doses
Selenium – 100-200 mcg. a day
Vitamin E – 400-800 IU a day; consult a physician if you have high blood pressure, rheumatic heart disease, or thyroid problems
Vitamin A – 5000-10,000 IU a day, with fat-containing meals and Zinc 20-25 mg. a day; avoid toxicity with excessive doses
Beta-carotene – 25,000-50,000 IU a day
Some nutrients increase the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, which is used by the nerve cells for learning and memory. They include DMAE or deanol, choline, and lecithin. All of them require sufficient vitamin B5 and are contraindicated if you have a history of manic depression. Here are the recommended dosages:
DMAE – 100-200 mg. a day
Choline – 2-3 grams four times a day
Lecithin – 3-4 grams twice a day; use the type composed of 30% phosphatidyl choline
Pelton goes on to discuss drugs that have some impact on memory function. Vasopressin is a pituitary hormone, usually used for diabetes insipidus, but can also be used for post-traumatic amnesia, alcoholic amnesia, other memory disorders, and some cases of chronic depression. Hydergine has been shown to help senility and is used more extensively in Europe for medical emergencies where there might be a chance of reduced oxygen to the brain. Lucidril, or centrophenoxine, rejuvenates nerve synapses and reduces lipofuscin, but is not available in the US. Lipofuscin is a pigment that deposits in the brain or on the skin (as liver spots). If sufficiently accumulated, it can reduce brain activity or even lead to brain cell death.
According to free radical theory, the real problem with free radicals is an imbalance. Free radicals, by themselves, occur naturally in the body, and so do
anti-oxidants. A simple solution is to eat more foods that contain all the various anti-oxidants. You can also increase the foods that have more DMAE, choline and lecithin such as in fish, the “brain” food. A reduction in your dietary fat helps prevent free radical formation and a useful book is The McDougall Plan, by John McDougall M.D.
As for the use of vasopressin, any external source of a hormone can lead to the atrophy of the internal source of the hormone. If your pituitary is not excreting sufficient hormone, the problem is the pituitary gland. Using exogenous vasopressin does nothing to restore proper pituitary functioning. You get the benefits of the vasopressin, but you do not address the underlying problem.
Hydergine, is an ergot alkaloid, a family of drugs related to LSD, and thus stimulates the brain. Of course, Hydergine is not the same as LSD, but why do we have to get our bodies into such positions that we need this kind of drug to restore our normal functioning? It is only because we have gotten that much out of control in our lifestyles. Lucidril is related to plant growth hormones called auxins and again indicates a need for a potent drug to make us normal. We must have surely done something quite “abnormal” or “unnatural’ to require extreme measures.
The quest for the Natural may be elusive, but is readily evident with an open mind.