If you’re looking for a boost in memory and cognition look no further. Alpha Brain has been formulated to support memory and learning with ingredients such as Alpha GPC, Huperzine, Bacopa and GABA. This supports much more than just memory for example sleep and athletic stamina. Animal studies and Clinical trials have demonstrated that the ingredients in this supplement support all the above brain functions.
Alpha GPC (alpha glycerylphoshoryl choline) is a nutraceutical that is most important for memory, learning and overall cognition.
This molecule supports an increase in production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is involved in short-term memory. This particular molecule easily passes the blood-brain-barrier unlike other forms of choline which do not. If your supplement says the choline in its product is in the form of choline bitartrate or as lecithin, consider another source of choline. Acetylcholine is found throughout the nervous system including the neuromuscular junction which is important for skeletal muscle contraction. Clinical studies has shown that individuals who have experienced stroke respond well with alpha GPC by improving cognition when the brain has been seriously damaged. Alpha GPC is also involved with the production of phosphatidylcholine which is a major membrane component that is involved with signal transduction and membrane transport.So, Alpha GPC supports neurotransmitter production and membrane integrity. This provides a double punch.
You experience a lack of concentration and focus when acetylcholine levels are low
The botanical Huperzine A has been demonstrated to inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Acetylcholinesterase is found in the synaptic cleft and is responsible for the breakdown of acetylcholine. The breakdown products include acetate and choline. These two molecules are then brought back into the presynaptic terminal and and brought together again by an enzyme known as acetylcholine transferase. Acetylcholine is then packaged into vesicles and released when another action potential is received in the axon terminal. When acetylcholine levels are low the nervous system receives a weak signal causing difficulty for short-term memory. You experience a lack of concentration and focus and become forgetful. Often you tend to neglect inputs only picking up fragments about what you are doing. This makes it difficult to lay down long-term memory because long-term memory is dependent on short-term memory. Not only does it take you longer to recall what you’ve learned but there will be a lack of understanding and general cognitive (awareness) loss.
Huperzine A goes further to increase focus, concentration and cognition
It turns out that acetylcholinesterase has allotsteric sites that bind acetylcholine when it goes across the synaptic cleft. This effectively turns the enzyme off and allows other acetylcholine molecules to make it across and excite the postsynaptic cell. Eventually the allosteric sites are not bound to acetylcholine and the enzyme begins to do its work by breaking down acetylcholine. It has been suggested that Huperzine A or Hup A for short can bind to these allosteric sites effectively turning the enzyme off. This is of particular importance when acetylcholine levels are low. This allows what little acetylcholine there is around to bind repeatedly to the postsynaptic receptors and activate the neighboring cell. If you already have relatively normal amounts of acetylcholine, Hup A goes further to increase focus, concentration and cognition. The rate you learn at is greatly increased and you pick up on detail in a way you never did before. This also means your learning will go into long-term memory faster. The nice thing about Hup A is that there have been no reported side effects which is not the case with some Alzheimer’s medications.
New Mood also contains Bacopa which also supports cognitive function. Clinical studies on Alzheimer’s patients have demonstrated this. Bacopa’s ability to increase cognitive function is believed to be involved the antioxidants it carries such as polyphenols and molecules that have sulfur attached to them. These antioxidants have strong free radical scavenging properties and in fact the inhibit oxidation of lipids and other molecules. This may be important for amyloid deposits found in Alzheimer’s patients. Amyloid is over produced in acetylcholine neurons in Alzheimer’s disease and forms tangles and plaques on the neuronal cell bodies, axons and dendrites. This causes the neurons to take on odd shapes and eventually fragments axons so they lose connection with other neurons. Bacopa tends to decrease the amount of amyloid deposits effectively cleaning up the neurons so they can function better. Regardless of the actual mechanism, Alzheimer’s patients who received Bacopa extractions demonstrated improve short-term memory, retention and hence recall.
This supplement also contains the neurotransmitter GABA which is an inhibitory transmitter. This is the most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. It is important to keep the brain from getting over excited and keeping a calm and relaxed state. This helps to handle stress in the form of anxiety and as such it increases your ability to focus and concentrate on what your doing. So, GABA enhances memory and learning as well. Individuals with attention deficit and hyperactivity often use GABA supplements to calm down their hyperactivity and increase their ability to focus and concentrate.
