Looking to improve your mental prowess and reduce stress so you can be more focused at work or tear it up at trivia night? Well, good news: The journey to improved brain health offers many paths along the way. Revamping your diet and exercise habits are a couple of ways. Or, for an extra boost, you could also try supplements.
Supplements consist of specific vitamins, minerals, herbs, and probiotics. They’re made to fill in what your diet might be missing. But it’s not as simple as keeping a stocked supply. That’s why it’s important to stay informed to maximize the results and protect your health.
For example, supplement labels don’t have to say how their products mix with other drugs. This could lead to unintended side effects or irritations without proper physician guidance. Overdosing on vitamins is also possible and, in some cases, can be toxic.
Before taking supplements of any kind, talk to your doctor. They can help determine the nutrients and doses that are best for you — or if you even need them at all.
Supplement-free brain boosters
Supplements have that name for a reason. They help fill nutritional gaps in your diet but can’t replace a healthy lifestyle. So, before exploring the best brain supplements, make sure you’re:
- Eating well. Fresh-food nutrients are much stronger than those isolated in pills, powders, and chewables. It’s also less expensive — and tastier.
- Exercising. A daily workout gets blood pumping throughout your body and your brain, making it a healthy, efficient way to circulate nutrients. It also leads to the creation of neurons — which can improve memory.
- Getting enough sleep. Studies suggest that sleep helps flush out potential waste that builds up in your brain.1 That’s why you feel restored after a peaceful night’s rest.
- Training your brain. Daily memory exercises, puzzles, or a new hobby can challenge and flex your mental muscles.
- Socializing. Social interaction with other people provides new perspectives and experiences. It stretches your brain’s ability to organize ideas and relay them clearly.
3 essential nutrients for brain health
So, which nutrients are best for your brain health? Some support better memory, alertness, and creativity. Others slow down the development of major mental health conditions. Unfortunately, no single nutrient can do it all. But these 3 nutrients available in supplement form can help sharpen your mental edge.
Omega-3 fatty acids
For big-time benefits to your brain health, start with omega-3 fatty acids. They bring a bit of everything to the table. Omega-3s support a stronger immune system to keep you healthy. They also reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure, while reducing the risk for heart disease and dementia.2 Babies benefit, too. In fact, omega-3s promote brain health both during the parent’s pregnancy and the baby’s early life.
Fatty fish like salmon, trout, and herring are excellent sources of omega-3s. If you’re pregnant, nursing, or feeding young children, then avoid fish high in mercury. Consider trying a low-mercury choice like sardines instead. Not a fish fan? Flaxseed, soybeans, nuts, and omega-3 supplements also are dependable sources.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is notable for supporting strong bones and helping to prevent osteoporosis. It’s linked to healthy brain function, too. Maintaining healthy levels of vitamin D may strengthen memory and prevent dementia.3
Sunlight produces vitamin D by stimulating your skin when you go outside. You can get an excellent daily dose of it by taking an easy 10-minute outdoor walk. You can also find vitamin D in cold-water fish (salmon, sardines, tuna), egg yolks, and milk.
If you can’t get out in the sun or have dietary restrictions, consider vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin B12
Like vitamin D, vitamin B12 has many mental benefits. Getting enough B12 has a role in energy metabolism and can help offset dementia. Vitamin B12 has also been shown to help improve mood and lessen depressive symptoms.4,5
You might be getting all the vitamin B12 you need from foods like fish, poultry, dairy, and whole grains. But if you’re an older adult, vegetarian or vegan, or have trouble absorbing nutrients, you can add the supplement form to your diet.
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1Marta Wegorzewska, “Neurons Help Flush Waste Out of Brain During Sleep,” Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, February 28, 2024.
2"Laura Williamson, “Are You Getting Enough Omega-3 Fatty Acids?”, American Heart Association, June 30, 2023.
3Shea et al., “Brain Vitamin D Forms, Cognitive Decline, and Neuropathology in Community-Dwelling Older Adults,” Alzheimer’s & Dementia, The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, December 7, 2022.
4“Vitamin B12 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals,” National Institutes of Health, Updated March 26, 2024.
5Sobczyńska-Malefora et al., “Vitamin B12 Status in Health and Disease: A Critical Review. Diagnosis of Deficiency and Insufficiency – Clinical and Laboratory Pitfalls,” Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, April 2021.
