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We often forgo brain health for the more aesthetic purposes behind health and fitness, but brain health plays an undeniable and vital role in overall health and wellbeing. A healthy brain inspires mental clarity, greater alertness, and mental energy and also helps to minimize or lessen the effects of mental fatigue, stress, anxiety, and depression.

 

 

The brain’s electrical activities require an enormous amount of power, and anomalies in energy metabolism underlie many aspects of brain dysfunction, in both healthy aging and in disease. Mitochondria are contained within our cells and provide the vast majority of the energy needed for life.  As we age, face stresses, or develop the disease, our mitochondrial function generally declines, which can lead to many different problems, as all cells need energy to live and function. Given its very-high-energy needs, the brain is often the first organ to show dysfunction. Thus, the health of our mitochondria is a vital aspect of brain health.

 

 

While aging is complex, a major component involves progressive loss of mitochondrial function. Aging is universal; if we live long enough all of us will experience it. What anyone over age 40 years (when studies show that mitochondrial function starts to descend rapidly) or so knows is that aging does not start when we reach 65, but creeps up on us starting decades earlier. Much of the effects of aging regard the health of the brain, and mental fatigue, brain fog, reduced mental flexibility, anxiety, and depression all can increase with advancing years. Additionally, pain, physical fatigue, and gastrointestinal issues can arise from the aging of the nervous system beyond the brain. In many people, dysfunction of the brain and nerves can occur much earlier in life, in the form of conditions such as migraine, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel, and many other “functional disorders”. All of the conditions mentioned in this paragraph, and many others, can be related to mitochondrial function. While we cannot stop the normal age-related decline in mitochondrial function, we can slow it down.

 

Many of the usual choices we face in overall health also apply to mitochondria, and also to the brain. For example, optimized mitochondrial function and brain health can be improved by proper nutrition, regular exercise, sufficient good-quality sleep, stress reduction, and the avoidance of harmful substances such as tobacco. However, it is generally not understood the degree that dietary supplementation can optimize mitochondrial function, and through that improve brain health, function, and general wellbeing.

 

To some, taking supplements does not appear “natural”, and they prefer to obtain the same benefit from the diet. While a good diet is essential, it cannot substitute for dietary supplementation. The reason is the dosage. Optimized brain health requires dosing of specific vitamins and other nutrients at levels that could not possibly be achieved by diet, even if you were to eat the entire salad bar! One reason for the need for higher dosing of specific nutrients is that our lives are far from “natural”. Our diets, exercise, and lifestyles are far from those of our distant ancestors. Nowadays, we are bombarded by a wide variety of stimuli, and impacted by expectations and other stressors, on a near-constant basis, daily, for well beyond the hours of natural daylight. Supplements offer a helping hand to recreate a more-normal equilibrium, and to fill in the gaps where nutrition may be falling short.

 

Many specific nutrients have been shown to help optimize mitochondrial function. Examples include vitamins (e.g. A, C, D, E, and all 8 different B vitamins), minerals (e.g. magnesium, selenium, manganese), antioxidants (e.g. coenzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic acid), and other essential nutrients (e.g. carnitine, creatine). How does one know what nutrients and which brands to take? Since there are so many different essential nutrients for mitochondrial function, look for combination products. Regarding brands, look for those with all-natural ingredients, both active and fillers, that are backed by science. One such company that aims to improve brain health and mental health is NeuroNeeds®.

 

NeuroNeeds® employs the latest techniques in science-based research and clinical practice to offer a holistic approach for safe and effective nutritional-based treatments. NeuroNeeds’® products are all-natural and designed by prominent physician-scientists specifically to address the brain and the remainder of the nervous system in both health and in disease.  Two of their products comprehensively address mitochondrial function and brain/nerve health: EnergyNeeds® and SpectrumNeeds®.

 

EnergyNeeds® comes in vegan capsules and contains 40 active ingredients, all of which are natural nutritional supplements including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. At least 34 of the active ingredients are important in mitochondrial metabolism, while the remainder serve to provide excellent comprehensive micro-nutrition. While many of the ingredients are provided at very high dosing, far beyond that reasonably achievable by diet, there are no ingredients at or near dosages considered to be toxic. EnergyNeeds® is fully vegan except that vitamin D is extracted from sheep wool. This product is also free of gluten, casein/milk, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, egg, fish, and shellfish.

 

 

EnergyNeeds® is designed for individuals with any condition associated with mitochondrial dysfunction (defective energy metabolism). In particular, EnergyNeeds® is primarily designed for people with functional symptomatology, including fatigue, migraine, chronic pain of any type, irritable bowel, and other conditions of GI dysmotility, frequent urination, dysautonomia, anxiety, or depression – whether caused by normal aging, disease, or both. In addition to the fusion of a high-dose mitochondrial-targeted supplement and comprehensive micro-nutrition, EnergyNeeds® also contains several natural nutrients that can boost the immune system!
 

SpectrumNeeds® comes in a powder form, otherwise, it is very similar to EnergyNeeds®. Two flavors, lemon, and berry are generally loved by children. SpectrumNeeds® contains 33 active ingredients, all-natural, and at least 27 are important in mitochondrial metabolism. Also like EnergyNeeds®, SpectrumNeeds® consists of high dosing, yet safe levels, of nutrients, is essentially vegan and free of gluten, casein/milk, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, egg, fish, and shellfish.

 

 

 

SpectrumNeeds® also is designed for individuals with any condition associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. In particular, SpectrumNeeds® is designed for people with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and autism-like conditions, ADHD, and epilepsy, all of which are also conditions associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition to the fusion of a high-dose mitochondrial-targeted supplement and comprehensive micro-nutrition as seen in EnergyNeeds®, SpectrumNeeds® also includes high dosing of activated supplements commonly used by progressive autism providers.


Does supplementation really make a difference? According to Dr. Richard G. Boles, a pediatrician, geneticist, a founder of NeuroNeeds®, and the principal creator of their products “For 30 years, my clinical experience has informed me that nutritional therapy of mitochondrial dysfunction can make a powerful difference in people with functional and neurodevelopmental disorders.” 

 

Here is what other are saying: 

“Patients are reporting a sense of wellbeing, they just feel better, they are thinking better, they are processing information better, less illnesses, and less infections." - Dr. Jean-Ronel Corbier MD

“Deficiencies were corrected (in my patients), focus improved, obsessive compulsive issues were getting better, language had exploded in some kids and their day-to-day existence was so much better” - Dr. Michael W. Elice MD

"I found out about SpectrumNeeds® thru my trainer, Mikail Jenkins, introducing it to me at a training session one day.  I put about 3 scoops in some water and drink it throughout my practice.  Since taking SpectrumNeeds®, I noticed that I have more of an intense focus throughout the entire practice and throughout the entire weight lifting session." - John Hyden - Professional Beach Volleyball player and Olympic Athlete


Dr. Boles highly recommends that ubiquinol, a highly bioavailable form of coenzyme Q10 (coQ10), be taken with either EnergyNeeds® or SpectrumNeeds®. CoQ10 is an essential component of energy metabolism and a powerful antioxidant but is not a component of either product because it does not mix well with the other ingredients. NeuroNeeds® sells a particularly highly bioavailable form of ubiquinol called QNeeds®. To learn more about coQ10, ubiquinol, and QNeeds® here.

 

EnergyNeeds® and SpectrumNeeds® were designed with the input of multiple medical and scientific experts in the field and backed by extensive published medical research. Both products are designed to be used by all individuals regardless of age, gender, presence or type of mitochondrial dysfunction/disease, common comorbidities, the severity of the disease, DNA sequence information, medications, or other supplements taken. However, with all of NeuroNeeds® products, as well as with any dietary supplements, it is recommended to take under the knowledge and approval of your health care provider/physician, especially if you have an underlying condition or take prescription medications. Also, with these products, it may be possible or advisable to discontinue or lower the dose of one or more current supplements that you are taking; ask your healthcare provider. NeuroNeeds® products are NOT designed to be a medical treatment for any condition but to provide excellent nutritional support for a wide variety of conditions.

 

* Contributing Author: Abby Nelson
* In partnership with our friends at SpectrumNeeds®  Photo courtesy of  SpectrumNeeds® 
* None of the statements in this article have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease

* The information available on ewellnessmag.com, including text, graphics, and other materials are for informational purposes only. Reliance on any information in ewellnessmag.com is at the user's own risk. Sponsored product placement may appear in the article. The visitor of this website acknowledges that the information available on or through ewellnessmag.com is not and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Copyright © 2020 Brawo Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

 


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