“Brain Food”: Cheap daily supplements that enhance brain functions

An unprecedented study has found that taking daily protein and prebiotic supplements can improve memory functions in people over the age of 60.

Prebiotics are non-digestible substances that help stimulate gut microbes.

The experiment included two types of cheap plant fiber prebiotics available without a prescription in many countries around the world, one of which is called “inulin”: a dietary fiber from the fructan class (a natural polysaccharide), and another type called fructooligosaccharides (FOS): a plant carbohydrate often used as a natural sweetener. Low in calories.

Researchers at King's College London tested the effect of these supplements on brain aging in 36 twin pairs over the age of 60, assigning the daily prebiotic in the protein powder to a specific group, and the daily placebo in the protein powder to another group.

It turned out that the group that took "Inulin" or FOS without its knowledge recorded good results "generally" in the cognitive test after three months.

Daily fiber supplements have also been linked to subtle changes in the gut microbiome between twins.

“We are excited to see these changes in just 12 weeks,” says Mary Ni Lochlin, a geriatric researcher at King’s College London. “This holds great promise for enhancing brain health and memory in older people.”

But, while prebiotics may improve some aspects of cognitive function in the brain in older people, such as memory and processing times, there do not appear to be significant physical benefits, as muscle loss did not improve among participants who took high-fiber supplements, despite the fact that inulin “And FOS are important factors in muscle and bone regeneration.

Previous studies in rodents have revealed that high-fiber supplements, such as inulin and FOS, can “feed” the colon microbiome, allowing “good” bacteria to thrive.

Some of these bacterial agents are also linked to improved cognitive function in mice and humans.

It is worth noting that twin studies are of great importance when it comes to distinguishing between the influence of genetics and environment on human health.

The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.