Being Smart About Food Choices Can Actually Make You Smarter

Believe it or not, scientists have figured out a way to increase the intelligence of gerbils by simply feeding them the right stuff. The hope is that scientists can extrapolate the same results to human beings. “Quite frankly,” says Gerald Weissmann, MD, Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal that published this new finding, “this can't happen soon enough as every environmentalist, advocate of evolution, and war opponent will attest." Hopefully, evidence of this accomplishment will be apparent in such global matters in the future and make dissection of human gray matter unnecessary to prove it. The gerbils should have been so lucky.

Nevertheless, the basic idea is to improve or even restore cognitive ability by increasing the intake of foods that stimulate brain synapse activity. This isn’t a new idea, of course. That’s why herbs like ginkgo biloba have been in the news for at least three decades, and why those of us who are becoming a bit forgetful are advised to play math and word games and puzzles on a regular basis. But, it does seem that this group of researchers may have hit on the right combination of the right stuff to feed the big bean.

Wondering what was on the menu? The gerbils were given a chemical cocktail that contained various combinations of uridine monophosphate (from beets), choline (found in eggs) and docosahexaenoic acid or DHA (obtained from fish oils). Previous research clearly demonstrates that these three substances are necessary for optimal brain functioning. So, a mere four weeks after the supplementation began, changes in cognitive ability were measured.

And the gerbils performed. Suddenly, they were able to steer around complex mazes like Mario Andretti on a racetrack. Of course, being scientists, the researchers were compelled to look for biological evidence of increased intelligence, so they went right to the source—the brains. There, they found various biomarkers indicating a marked increase in brain synapse activity and intelligence.

What are you feeding your noodle? If you’re worried that you may not be getting enough of the right stuff for your brain, you can still make the smart decision to supplement these and other nutrients to help your mind stay sharp and focused. Stop by our Healthy Aging section to learn how today!