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Neuro Health
The nervous system controls communication in the body.
Its leader is the brain, which allows us to think, decide,
control our actions, and coordinate the ability to move,
touch, smell, hear, and see. Like any body system, good
nutrition plays an important part in seeing that the good
health of the nervous system is maintained. AIMGinkgoSense™
helps maintain your neuro health, especially in regard to
memory, concentration, and vision.
Benefits & Features
Benefits
-
Helps
maintain neuro health
-
Helps
maintain cardiovascular health
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Improves
brain function, memory, concentration, and mental
clarity
-
Helps
maintain healthy vision
-
Improves
blood flow to extremities
Features
- Standardized extracts
for consistent results
- Powerful antioxidants
- 30-count capsules
When we think of aging,
we think of the obvious—wrinkles and achy joints, for
example. We usually don’t consider things such as
worsening vision or memory loss until we are well on our way
to senior status. But we should. After all, the disorders
that may go along with the aging of the nervous system are
some of the most frightening problems we face—dementia,
Alzheimer’s disease, and macular degeneration, for
example. However, there is a way to fight this “neuro
aging.” Through the use of dietary supplements.
DHA
DHA
(docosahexaenoic acid) is an essential fatty acid (EFA).
EFAs are called “essential” because very little can be
synthesized by the body—we must obtain them from our diet.
DHA is one of the omega-3 fatty acids, whose perhaps
best-known source is fish oil.
EFAs
are necessary for good health, and DHA is well-known as one
of the keys to a healthy nervous system. DHA is the building
block of human brain tissue—60 percent of the brain is
fat, and DHA is the most abundant fat in the brain, as well
as in the retina of the eye. DHA is essential in
communication between the brain and nervous system—it
plays a role in the cell membrane, where the electrical
impulses that are the basis of communication within the
nervous system are generated. Without DHA and other fatty
acids, communication within this system can break down or
become less effective.
The importance of DHA to
the brain and nervous system is seen early in our
development. In the first few weeks of embryonic
development, the mother’s blood supplies the fetus with
large amounts of DHA. In the last trimester of a pregnancy,
the DHA content of the brain’s cerebrum and
cerebellum—which contains centers for speech and abstract
thought—increases threefold.
DHA
supplementation may be especially important as we grow
older. The body’s ability to synthesize DHA, which is
limited in all people, may decline even further with age.
This is compounded by the small amounts of DHA we get in our
diet, especially those who strive for a vegetarian
diet—the richest sources of DHA are red meats, animal
organs, and eggs.
Research
indicates that low levels of DHA may be involved in a number
of health problems relating to the nervous system.
Depression
Depression
is on the rise in North America. This is often attributed to
the ups and downs of our lives and is often seen among the
aging population. However, recent research indicates that
there may be a physiological aspect to depression that
relates to nutrition.
A
study published in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition (62 (July 1995): 1-9)
presents research indicating that omega-3 fatty acids,
specifically DHA, may reduce the risk of depression. The
authors associate the increase in depression in North
America in the past century with the decline in consumption
of DHA during the same period. To lend support to this idea,
the authors also note that there are lower rates of major
depression in those societies that consume large amounts of
fish, a key dietary source of DHA, are consumed.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s
disease
DHA
is also being considered as a factor in dementia and
Alzheimer’s disease. In 1997, a link between low levels of
DHA and Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss was the
subject of a conference at the New York Hospital–Cornell
Medical Center’s Nutrition Information Center. Among the
finding discussed at the conference was that a low level of
DHA is a significant risk factor for dementia, including
Alzheimer’s disease.
The Japan Functional Food
Research Association has also investigated DHA and dementia.
The association notes that those with senile dementia
achieved positive results when taking DHA: in 10 of 13
cerebral vascular dementia cases and five of five senile
dementia cases, the patients showed more than slight
improvements in psychiatric symptoms such as communications,
will power, motivation, delirium, the tendency to wander,
emotional disorders, and mental depression (www.jafra.gr.jp/DHA2-e.htm).
Vision
DHA
is also the major fat in retinal tissue. It plays a strong
role in the photoreceptor cells of the retina, suggesting an
essential role for DHA in vision. DHA deficiency in
laboratory animals showed a marked decrease in proper
functioning of the visual cycle.
In a recent study looking
at fish oil, which contains DHA, and macular degeneration,
researchers found that more frequent consumption of fish
appeared to protect against late age-related macular
degeneration. Only a moderate intake of fish was necessary
for the protective effect (Archives
of Ophthalmology 118 (March 2000): 401-404).
Bilberry
In addition to DHA,
bilberry (Vaccinium
myrtillus) is good support for a healthy nervous system.
It is closely related to American blueberry, cranberry, and
huckleberry. It was bilberry jam that first spurred medical
interest in this fruit. During the Second World War, British
and American fighter pilots hailed bilberry jam as a secret
weapon for improved night vision.
There have been very few
studies conducted on bilberry since the 1960s and more
current studies are needed to confirm bilberry’s
properties.
Lutein and zeaxanthin
Lutein
and zeaxanthin, carotenoids found in green, leafy
vegetables, are also good for the eyes. Like other
carotenoids, they are antioxidants. What is unique about
these two is that they are the only carotenoids found in the
eyes—in the macula (the part of the retina responsible for
detailed vision) and the lens. Current research is
investigating what function they may serve, and recent
studies have found that diets rich in lutein and zeaxanthin
may play a role in reducing the risk of age-related macular
degeneration and cataracts—two problems that are usually a
result of the aging process.
Macular degeneration
Age-related macular
degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness
among the elderly in the United States and other developed
countries. In AMD, the retinal tissue breaks down. It is the
retina that converts light into the electrochemical energy
needed to produce vision.
Those with the greatest
risk for AMD tend to have a lower amount of lutein and
zeaxanthin in the eyes than those without AMD. In the
mid-1990s, one large epidemiological study (a study that
looks at a population and charts its general risk) reported
that increased consumption of lutein and zeaxanthin reduces
the risk of AMD (JAMA
272, no. 18 (1994): 1,410-23).
A study published in
November 2000 supports this. In this 140-day study, it was
shown that lutein supplementation increases macular
pigment—this is important because macular pigment may
protect against AMD (Investigative
Ophthalmology and
Visual Science 41 (November 2000): 3,322-26). This is
further confirmed in a report that notes in the abstract
that “Some observational studies have shown that generous
intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin, particularly from certain
xanthophyll-rich foods like spinach, broccoli, and eggs, are
associated with a significant reduction in the risk for
cataract (up to 20 percent) and for age-related macular
degeneration (up to 40 percent).” The author goes on to
note that further research is necessary (J
Am Coll Nutr 5 Suppl (October 19, 2000): 522S-527S).
Cataracts
Cataracts are the leading
cause of vision impairment in the United States and other
developed countries. In cataracts, the lens of the eye,
which is normally colorless and clear, grows cloudy. The
lens is then unable to focus accurately on the retina, which
makes seeing more difficult. Interestingly, lutein and
zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids generally found in the
lens.
There have been three
epidemiological studies looking at the correlation between
dietary lutein and zeaxanthin and the risk of cataracts.
These found a trend toward reduced risk of cataracts and
cataract surgery with increased intake of lutein and
zeaxanthin (Am J Clin
Nut 70, no. 4 (1999): 517-24; Am
J Epidemiol 149, no. 9: 801-9; Optom
Vis Sce 77: 499-504).
How they work
Although exactly how
lutein and zeaxanthin function in the eye is not fully
understood, researchers propose that their health benefits
have to do with their antioxidant ability and their
absorption of near-to-UV blue light.
They absorb near-to-UV
blue light, and this type of light is potentially the most
damaging light that reaches the retina. As antioxidants,
they inhibit the formation of free radicals—this is
important because the eye is rich in fatty acids that are
easily attacked and damaged by free radicals.
Ginkgo
Ginkgo
biloba extract (GBE) has been studied since the 1950s,
and studies reveal positive results for what is known as
“cerebral insufficiency”: a collection of symptoms that
include difficulties in concentration and memory,
absentmindedness, confusion, lack of energy, tiredness,
decreased physical performance, depressive mood, anxiety,
dizziness, tinnitus, and headache. The German Commission
E—a group of physicians, pharmacists, and toxicologist who
evaluate herbs for safety and efficacy—notes that GBE does
lead to an improvement in memory performance and learning
capacity.
This is largely due to
its effect on circulation. Ginkgo
increases blood flow to the extremities and the
brain—there is actually an increase in cerebral blood
flow. It stands to reason that if you get an increase of
blood flow to the brain, the brain is going to get more
oxygen and more glucose. It is this increased flow of oxygen
and nutrients that is the reason why there is significant
improvement in patients with some form of dementia.
Since October 1997, when
the prestigious Journal
of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported that
GBE may be beneficial in the treatment of Alzheimer’s
disease, Ginkgo
has received increased attention. In 1998 and 1999, analyses
of previous ginkgo studies noted that ginkgo does positively
affect cognitive functions to some degree. A more recent
study (Dement Geriatr
Cogn Disord 11, no. 4 (July-August): 230-7), looked at
ginkgo and dementia in a 26-week, double-blind,
placebo-controlled trial. The abstract notes that “In
comparison to the baseline values, the placebo group showed
a statistically significant worsening in all domains of
assessment, while the group receiving GBE was considered
slightly improved on the cognitive assessment and the daily
living and social behavior.”
AIMGinkgoSense™
AIMGinkgoSense™
combines ginkgo biloba, bilberry, lutein, zeaxanthin, and
DHA in a synergistic product to maintain your neuro health.
Each capsule contains
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120
mg of ginkgo biloba extract standardized to contain 24
percent ginkgoflavonglycosides and 6 percent terpene
lactones—the same percentages used in clinical trials.
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40
mg of bilberry extract, derived from the fruit,
standardized to contain 25 percent anthocyanosides
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400
mcg of lutein and 18 mcg of zeaxanthin, both as marigold
extract.
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2.5
g of DHA, as fish oil.
How to use
Take 1 capsule per day.
Close tightly after
opening and store in a cool, dry, dark place (70-75 °F;
20.1-23.8 °C). Do not refrigerate.
Q & A
Who should use AIMGinkgoSense™
Anyone
concerned with mental acuity and vision as they age and with
maintaining their overall neurological health should
consider using AIMGinkgoSense™
Is there anyone who should not
use AIMGinkgoSense™
Pregnant
and nursing women and children should not take AIMGinkgoSense™
Can I take AIMGinkgoSense™
with other supplements or medications?
Those
taking anti-clotting medication, such as Coumadin®,
or using aspirin for this purpose should consult a health
practitioner. You may take AIMGinkgoSense™ with
other products.
Are there any side effects?
No
significant side effects have been recorded. Nausea has been
reported by some people taking ginkgo.
Suggested
Reading
-
Murray, Frank. Ginkgo
Biloba. New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing, Inc.,
1996.
-
Rothfeld, Glenn S., M.D.,
M.Ac., and Susanne LeVert. Ginkgo
Biloba. New York: Dell Publishing, 1998.
-
Gormley, James J.
DHA, A Good Fat: Essential for Life. New York:
Kensington Publishing, 1999.
-
Elkins, Rita. Bilberry
Natural Enhancement for Visual and Cardiovascular Health.
Pleasant Grove, UT: Woodland Publishing, 1998.
Ask About
AIMGinkgoSense™
is a Neuro Health product. The comlete Neuro Health line
consists of AIMGinkgoSense™, AIMKavaMist™,
and AIMComposure™. Use these products to help
yourself maintain neurological health.
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