Boost Memory Naturally: Essential Vitamins for Cognitive Health

According to Aaron Nelson and Susan Gilbert, authors of the book "The Harvard Medical School Guide to Achieving Optimal Memory," there is "no magic 'brain food' to sharpen your memory." There are, however, many vitamins that, when deficient, will contribute to memory loss. There are two main categories of vitamins that are crucial to optimal memory function.

Antioxidants

• Antioxidants, most namely vitamins C and E, help memory by eliminating free radicals. Free radicals are toxic molecules that damage healthy brain tissue and reduce brain and memory function. According to Harvard Medical School, "research suggests that some antioxidants might convey some benefits in the treatment of age-related memory loss." According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the recommended doses for these vitamins are 45 to 95 milligrams of vitamin C and 15 milligrams of vitamin E daily.

B Vitamins

• According to Northwestern Health Sciences University, B vitamins are key players in brain and memory function. While all B vitamins are important, they assert that vitamin B-12 is the key player. In their article "B Vitamins and Memory" they point to a Swedish study in which people with low levels of B-12 performed poorly on memory tests, then showed much improvement after increasing their intake of the vitamin. Vitamin B-6 is important for neurological function, spurring the production of neurotransmitters. The recommended daily intake of vitamin B-6 is 1.3 to 1.7 milligrams and for B-6 it's 6 micrograms.