Essential Nutrients for a Healthy Brain

Last updated May 15, 2024.
Edited and medically reviewed by Patrick Alban, DC. Written by Deane Alban.

Without sufficient brain nutrients, your cognitive and mental health will be compromised. Unfortunately, certain nutritional deficiencies are common.

They increase the blood’s ability to transport oxygen to brain cells and keep blood sugar levels stable.

Starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams, carrots, beets, and winter squash are excellent at delivering a steady supply of glucose to the brain.

Conversely, the regular consumption of white sugar and other refined carbohydrates leads to chronically high blood sugar levels. 

Regular consumption of these unhealthy carbs can shrink the brain and cause memory loss. 

There’s strong evidence that spikes in blood sugar contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, now considered by some experts to be a form of diabetes that selectively targets the brain. 

Proteins for Neurotransmitter Synthesis

The body breaks down proteins into building blocks called amino acids.

They help regulate mood, cravings, addictions, sleep, and more.

Experts speculate that most of us have subpar neurotransmitter levels, but getting adequate protein can help.

Animal products such as meat, poultry, fish, and dairy are excellent protein sources.

You can get adequate protein on a vegetarian diet, but you have to do more planning.

And vegetarians, especially vegans, have reason to be worried about a micronutrient deficiency which we’ll talk about shortly.

The Right Fats for Brain Health

There is no area of nutrition that’s more misunderstood than dietary fats.

We’ve been brainwashed into believing that just about all fat is bad for us when, in fact, fats are essential for overall health and especially for brain health.

People who consume a diet low in fats, and especially low in cholesterol, are at higher risk for depression and suicide. 

Counter to what we’ve been led to believe, the risk of dementia is significantly reduced in those with high levels of cholesterol. 

We’ve been told that when we do eat fat, it should come from polyunsaturated vegetable oils.

But this advice couldn’t be worse for your brain.

The best fats for the brain are found in avocados, olives, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel.

Eating healthy fats won’t make you fat, but adding them to your diet can help keep you mentally sharp and happy.

Brain Micronutrients Most Likely Missing From Your Diet

Micronutrients are the nutrients that the body needs in very small amounts.

These include vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.

The brain needs all these essential micronutrients to be healthy and to function at its best. 

Surprisingly though, nutritional deficiencies are common, even in people who eat ostensibly “healthy diets.” 

Here’s a look at nutrients that are often missing in our diet that can profoundly impact the brain.

B Vitamins: The Happy Vitamins

B vitamins have been called the “happy vitamins” or “anti-stress vitamins” because they can improve mood and increase tolerance to stress.

Of all the eight B vitamins, vitamin B12 is one to be most concerned with for two reasons.

First, vitamin B12 is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies.

In the US, it’s estimated that 40% of adults are B12-deficient. 

Secondly, vitamin B12 deficiency can result in very serious conditions.

It can lead to a wide spectrum of neurological symptoms, including mental confusion, memory loss, dementia, nerve damage, fatigue, weakness, and depression. 

Two particularly high-risk groups are seniors, who often absorb B12 poorly, and vegetarians, since B12 is found only in animal products. 

Another at-risk group is those who take medications that interfere with vitamin B12 absorption.

The worst offenders are acid-reducing drugs and drugs for treating type-2 diabetes. 

If you suspect that you may be deficient, have a vitamin B12 blood test done.

If your level is low, B12 supplementation should bring it back to normal quickly.

Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin

Vitamin D deficiency has also reached epidemic proportions.

It’s reported that one billion people worldwide have a substandard level of the sunshine vitamin. 

Second, for much of the year, the sun isn’t strong enough in most of North America and Europe to allow the body to manufacture vitamin D.

The bottom line is that you may benefit from taking supplemental vitamin D.

As with vitamin B12, you can have your vitamin D level checked with a blood test to know for sure.

Magnesium: The Original Chill Pill

Magnesium is so important that it’s referred to as the “master mineral.”

The body uses it in hundreds of metabolic functions. 

Magnesium deficiency is a widespread issue, with only 25% of Americans getting the recommended daily amount. 

Magnesium is so good at helping us to sleep and relax, it’s been called “the original chill pill.” 

When looking for a magnesium supplement, quality matters.

Cheap magnesium oxide is only 4% absorbed. 

Magnesium sulfate, the form found in Epsom salts, can cause stomach upset, including vomiting and diarrhea.

Better forms of magnesium include magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, and, especially, magnesium l-threonate which is unique in its ability to readily enter the brain.

Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids

It’s widely agreed that taking an omega-3 supplement is one of the best things you can do for your brain nutritionally.

Deficiency is widespread; 80% of the world’s population has an insufficient blood level of omega-3 fats. 

There are two main omega-3 fatty acids — EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

The best omega-3 food source is wild-caught fatty fish — not a food that most of us eat regularly.

You can find out if you are getting adequate omega-3 fats in your diet with this omega-3 quiz created by AlwaysOmega3s, a not-for-profit organization.

If you have any doubt that you have an adequate omega-3 intake, definitely consider taking a supplement.

Antioxidant Nutrients Protect Against Brain Aging

Free radicals are unattached oxygen molecules that damage cells and hasten their demise. 

Every cell in the body is affected by free radical or oxidative damage, but brain cells are particularly vulnerable.

Antioxidants are naturally occurring compounds that protect cells from the harmful effects of free radicals.

You can see oxidative damage in action by cutting open an apple.

In a short time, you’ll notice that it turns brown.

Oxygen in the air is causing the oxidative damage that you see.

You may have learned the trick of rubbing cut fruit with a little lemon juice to keep it from turning brown (see the apple picture).

While lemon juice won’t keep an apple fresh forever, it definitely slows down the spoiling process.

Similarly, when you consume a continuous supply of antioxidants, you slow down the cellular aging process.

Top Antioxidant Foods

Finding an antioxidant foods list that’s based on science isn’t easy.

Top vegetable sources of antioxidants are artichokes, olives, spinach, onions, broccoli, asparagus, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkin, and potatoes.

Some of the world’s favorite foods and beverages also make this list — chocolate, coffee, tea, red wine, and beer.

There are hundreds and perhaps even thousands of nutrients found in these foods that are responsible for their antioxidant properties. 

Some of the most familiar ones include vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium, manganese, glutathione, coenzyme Q10, lipoic acid, flavonoids, and polyphenols.

Two Forgotten, But Critical, Brain Nutrients

You might think that ingesting adequate amounts of oxygen and water would be automatic.

But most people use oxygen inefficiently and drink too little water.

And this can have surprising repercussions for the brain.

The Brain Needs Oxygen

Oxygen is one nutrient that the brain can’t live without for more than a few minutes.

Since you’re alive, you are clearly getting enough oxygen to survive, but you may not be getting enough for your brain to thrive.

Some researchers believe that Alzheimer’s may be the result of long-term dehydration of the brain.

Getting adequate water isn’t a given.

In fact, it’s estimated that 75% of the US population is chronically dehydrated. 

We’re often told to drink 8 glasses of water per day, but that is overly simplistic advice.

A better rule of thumb is to divide your weight in pounds by two and aim for that many ounces of water.

Knowing how much water you need is especially important if you engage in sports or exercise outdoors.

Camelbak, a cutting-edge water bottle company, has an online hydration calculator that will help you determine the amount of water you need while exercising.

It takes into account variables such as age, weight, and gender along with the type of activity, intensity, duration, temperature, and even cloud cover.