Skip That, Do This: Tips for Protecting Your Brain
Brain-boosting tips and products are everywhere, but most aren't backed by science. So for Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month (and the other 11 months), we asked experts: What's the most overhyped brain-protecting strategy, and what's the one more people should be using?
Skip that: Taking nootropic supplements
The hype: Sometimes marketed as smart drugs, memory enhancers, or brain boosters, nootropics promise to improve your thinking skills. The industry is enormous, amassing nearly $9 billion in global sales in 2022 – 40% of which came from the U.S.
The reality: While prescription nootropics – like ADHD and Alzheimer's medications – are proven to work for their FDA-approved uses, evidence for over-the-counter supplements is thin, said Eva Feldman, MD, PhD, director of the NeuroNetwork for Emerging Therapies at the University of Michigan. Companies get away with vague claims of improved memory or brain function because the FDA only oversees products with specific health claims. That means most makers of these substances are never asked to prove their promises – or even that the supplement includes the ingredients on the label.
Science says: One study review of 18 common ingredients in brain-boosting supplements found "no compelling evidence for use of apoaequorin, coenzyme Q10, coffee extracts, L-theanine, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, vitamin B9, or vitamin B12 supplementation for memory."
Plus, the lack of regulation may pose a health risk, particularly if undisclosed ingredients cause harmful side effects. Another study tested a dozen "brain health" supplements and found two-thirds were missing at least one ingredient on the label – and all but two contained ingredients that weren't on the label.
What to do: Talk to your doctor before taking any OTC nootropic product, said Scott Small, MD, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Columbia University.
"The first issue is, do no harm. And harm can be both health and financial," he said. "I have patients who come in spending hundreds of dollars on false claims. It's shocking."
Do this: Protect your hearing – and get hearing aids if you need them.
Why it matters: People with hearing loss have a 37% higher risk of getting dementia than people with no hearing impairment. And the longer that hearing loss goes untreated, the worse your odds get. Hearing aids reduce that risk.
What we know: "Your brain is made up of billions of nerve cells that communicate with each other using electrical signals and chemicals," Feldman said. "Hearing loss decreases the communication between nerve cells, and this communication is important for keeping the brain healthy."
With untreated hearing loss, you're missing out on more than just speech. Studies have found that musicians and piano tuners – people who listen closely to music – often show increased brain volume. With hearing loss, you miss that brain-boosting opportunity.
Science says: A mounting body of research shows a strong link between hearing loss and risk of dementia. How long you've had hearing loss and how severe it is matter: People who've been living with hearing loss for more than 25 years have the highest risk. One study found that for every 10-decibel loss in hearing (the difference between a quiet conversation and a whisper), dementia risk increases by 16%.
What to do: If you think you've lost hearing, get tested ASAP – and get hearing aids as soon as you're told you need them. Remember, the problem isn't so much hearing loss itself – it's untreated hearing loss. Across the board, people in studies who wore hearing aids had a lower likelihood of dementia.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
FDA warning: Don't eat these potentially radioactive shrimp sold at Walmart
You might want to think twice about buying this brand of shrimp next time you're shopping at Walmart. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to consumers about eating, selling or serving select brands of Great Value frozen raw shrimp due to contamination with a radioactive isotope. U.S. Customs and Border Protection alerted the FDA about the radioactive isotope, Cesium-137, after it was found in shipping containers at four U.S. seaports, according to the FDA. Here's what you need to know about the products that are affected and whether a recall will be imminent. What contaminated shrimp is the FDA warning consumers about? The Frozen Raw Ez Peel Tail-On Farm-Raised White Vannamei Shrimp in 2-pound bags distributed by Indonesia's BMS Foods tested positive for the contamination. The FDA is recommending a recall on certain BMS shrimp products even if they did not test positive. While a recall hasn't been conducted yet, the FDA is working with distributors and retailers 'to recommend' a recall. The following products are affected: Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 The products were sold in Walmart stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia, according to the FDA. What should people do if they have the contaminated raw shrimp? The FDA is advising people who might have raw, frozen shrimp in their freezers from Walmart that matches the descriptions to not cook or consume them. Instead, the agency is asking customers, distributors and retailers to throw the shrimp away. The FDA also says, 'If you suspect you have been exposed to elevated levels of cesium, talk to your healthcare provider.' Consuming food or water contaminated with Cs-137 in low doses over an extended period of time can create an elevated risk of cancer due to a breakdown in DNA in the body's living cells, according to the FDA. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@ Have a tip? Tell us at Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
FDA Pushes Back Eylea HD Review; Regeneron Still Gains
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Regeneron (NASDAQ:REGN) picked up gains Tuesday after announcing that the FDA pushed back decision timelines for two key reviews of its high-dose Eylea (aflibercept) injection. The new action dates fall in the fourth quarter of 2025, covering a prior-approval supplement for a prefilled syringe and a label expansion filing to treat macular edema after retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Signs with REGN. The company is also seeking to expand Eylea HD's dosing schedule to every 4 weeks across approved uses a shift from the current 816 week regimen for patients with wet AMD and diabetic macular edema. The extension stems from additional information submitted after an FDA inspection at Catalent Indiana LLC, the third-party manufacturer recently acquired by Novo Nordisk (NVO). The FDA classified the new submission as a major amendment, automatically extending review timelines. Novo Nordisk provided a detailed response earlier this month in an effort to address the agency's concerns. For now, Eylea HD remains available via vial administration, but the delay tempers near-term expectations around label expansion and convenience upgrades. Still, investors seem encouraged, with shares moving higher on confidence the regulator will complete its review later this year. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Walmart recalls frozen shrimp over potential radioactive contamination
Walmart has recalled frozen, raw shrimp sold in 13 states because federal health officials say it could have potential radioactive contamination. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration asked Walmart to pull three lots of Great Value brand frozen shrimp from stores after federal officials detected Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope, in shipping containers and a sample of breaded shrimp imported from Indonesia. The products could pose a 'potential health concern' for people exposed to low levels of Cesium-137 over time, FDA officials said. 'If you have recently purchased raw frozen shrimp from Walmart that matches this description, throw it away,' FDA officials said in a statement. The risk from the recalled shrimp is 'quite low,' said Donald Schaffner, a food safety expert at Rutgers University. Cesium-137 is a byproduct of nuclear reactions, including nuclear bombs, testing, reactor operations and accidents. It's widespread around the world, with trace amounts found in the environment, including soil, food and air. The level detected in the frozen breaded shrimp was far lower than FDA intervention levels. However, the agency said that avoiding potentially contaminated products could reduce exposure to low-level radiation that could lead to health problems over time. The FDA is investigating reports of Cesium-137 contamination in shipping containers and products processed by P.T. Bahari Makmur Sejati, doing business as BMS Foods of Indonesia. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials alerted FDA that they found Cesium-137 in shipping containers sent to U.S. ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami and Savannah, Georgia. FDA officials collected several product samples and detected contamination in one sample of frozen breaded shrimp. The shipping containers and products were denied entry into the U.S. However, the FDA then learned that Walmart had received potentially affected products imported after the first detection, from shipments that did not trigger contamination alerts. Walmart immediately recalled the products, a company spokesperson said. They include Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp with lot codes 8005540-1, 8005538-1 and 8005539-1, all with best-by dates of March 15, 2027. The shrimp was sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia. Consumers should discard the products or return them to any Walmart store for refund. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
