For many years, man has relied on food, exercise, rest, and reading to improve the brain’s cognitive functioning. But of late, he has resorted to using pills, which are believed to improve brain function, as discussed at Chron.com. These are nootropics that promise to support brain health and make humans smarter. But the question that we need to answer is whether the pills can really improve cognitive performance.

Already research shows that men aged 50 and above take pills to improve their brain function. The manufacturer claims that such pills make the memory shape, enhance attention and improve focus.

Thus, the world is aware that dementia and cognitive decline can be reversed through the use of certain ingredients. It is the reason why the number of firms producing products that are said to boost memory is on the increase. However, these pills can be unsafe and ineffective even though you can access some of them across the counter. Here is how brain booster pills can help to improve cognitive performance.

They Work On The Brain

Brain booster pills can be either prescriptive or issued over the counter. They are believed to help in boosting cognitive performance.  Some of them contain the following supplements that support the brain.

Ginkgo -has compounds that are antioxidants and which help to improve blood circulation. Extracts from Ginkgo have some positive effects on dementia.

Caffeine – some pills contain caffeine which provides short-term benefits to mental alertness but helps focus the brain.

Vitamins and minerals – some pills contain vitamins and minerals that support brain health function. Particularly vitamin B, vitamin C, contain antioxidants are believed to support brain function. However, research on whether they help to boost the brain is still ongoing.

Multivitamin pills- taking extra vitamins can help protect the cells from damage. It disarms free radicals, which destroys brain cells. Also, they contain antioxidants that protect the neurons to help keep the blood vessels open and allow nutrients to flow to the brain. Also, multivitamins contain vitamin C, beta carotene, folic acid, which all help to improve brain function.

Ingredients from fruits and vegetables- some pills are extracted from fruits and vegetables, rich in antioxidants. Blueberries are rich in anthocyanins- the most popular potent antioxidants. Also, extracts from vegetables and fruits will keep the heart healthy and pump blood and nutrients to the brain.

So, Pills rich in Vitamin B supplements are good for older people since they reduce serum homocysteine and help to reverse memory loss.

How Is This Possible?

Drugs such as ISRIB (ISR Inhibitor) helps in restoring memory by reversing cellular stress. Studies in mice show that the drug rejuvenates the mind and the immune cells, which help in improving brain function. Also, studies show that as one ages, the cognitive capacities get blocked, so drugs such as ISRIB can break the cycle and help to restore cognitive abilities that have been blocked.

According to Peter Walter, a UCSF professor, as one ages, the cognitive resource gets trapped in a cellular stress cycle which needs to be broken to restore full cognitive functioning. ISRIB breaks the cycle and helps in restoring cognitive abilities. It helps to reboot a cell’s protein production, which is important in restoring cognitive ability.

Typically, ISR detects protein production issues in a cell that may result from infection or gene mutation. So, the drug helps to enhance protein synthesis, and so it weeds out any of the misbehaving cells hence restoring cognitive functioning.

In animals, ISRIB can help restore cognition functioning in mice that have suffered from traumatic brain injury. According to the study, older mice that received ISRIB treatment could learn new things, including finding their way around a watery maze. Initially, older mice struggled to get around the maze, but younger mice could do it with ease.

On further interrogating ISRIB, very interesting results were established. A dose of ISRIB reduced neuronal aging and improved responsive stimulation. Also, it enhances the connectivity of the cells by forming a stable connection to the cells. This is a sign that the neurons are likely to form stable connections to the cells- a thing that is usually observed in the younger mice. It is evident that ISR disrupts cognitive aging and is likely to affect Alzheimer’s and could be used in the future to reverse cognitive edging.

Of course, studies on whether brain booster pills can improve cognitive performance are not conclusive. But there is increasing evidence that consuming vitamins and inhibitors are likely to play a leading role in cognitive performance.