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Memories Are Made of These
by author Julian Whitaker, MD

Do you ever lose your glasses or misplace your keys? Is remembering names a problem? Have you ever lost your train of thought in the middle of a sentence or walked into a room, then wondered why you were there?

We all experience occasional memory lapses from time to time. Yet if you feel like you’re having more than your share of “senior moments,” you might consider natural therapies that boost levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in memory.

What Are Neurotransmitters?

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that allow neurons (nerve cells) to communicate with one another. An electrical pulse stimulates small vesicles located on the ends of neurons, causing them to burst open and release neurotransmitters, which cross the synapses (spaces between neurons) and attach to receptors on the dendrites (branches) of adjacent nerve cells. This signals those neurons to “fire” and carry electrical impulses to other neurons. Strings of these neuronal transmissions working together and interconnecting different areas of the brain are the essence of thought.

One of the most important and abundant neurotransmitters is acetylcholine, which is involved in storing and recalling memories. As we grow older, our production of acetylcholine declines and, along with it, the number of cholinergic receptors in the neurons. This is believed to contribute to short-term memory loss, and severe losses are associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Here are three ways to increase levels of acetylcholine and improve memory and cognitive function.

1. Choline to the rescue

First, make sure you get adequate amounts of choline, which easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and enters brain tissues to be converted into acetylcholine or incorporated into cellular membranes. Choline, usually in the form of phosphatidylcholine (PC), is fairly common in the diet. Found in egg yolks, soybeans, nuts, legumes, fish, and brewer’s yeast, it is particularly abundant in lecithin granules or powders, which can be sprinkled on food or mixed in drinks.

Choline may also be taken in supplement form. Because large doses can cause nausea and sweating, PC supplements are preferable. A particularly good form of is L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (alpha-GPC)–the neurons’ preferred form of choline. GPC has been shown in clinical trials to restore levels of acetylcholine, increase numbers of cholinergic receptors, and enhance mental performance.

Choline and PC supplements should always be taken with vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), which is required in the synthesis of acetylcholine.

2. Benefit of ginseng

Second, you can improve neuronal acetylcholine uptake with ginseng. Panax ginseng has been an important part of traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, used to enhance stamina, improve overall well-being, and revitalize the body. In the past 50 years, numerous studies have documented the therapeutic effects of Panax ginseng, which include improvements in performance on a variety of mental and physical tasks.

The compounds responsible for these benefits are a family of phytonutrients called ginsenosides. Hundreds of studies have revealed broad therapeutic effects of ginsenosides, from improving the immune response to modulating the effects of stress to, in the case of ginsenoside Rb1, facilitating the release and increasing the uptake of acetylcholine in the brain. This explains, at least in part, ginseng’s long-touted benefits on memory and cognitive function.

If you’re concerned about memory, consider adding ginseng to your supplement regimen. It should be taken cyclically: daily for up to two months, then off for two weeks. Don’t take ginseng if you have high blood pressure or if you’re pregnant or nursing.

3. Block Acetylcholine Breakdown

The third way of increasing acetylcholine levels is to block its breakdown, and nowhere is this more important than in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, who have severe acetylcholine shortages. The most popular drugs used to treat this disease boost levels by blocking acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine. A natural remedy is equally if not more effective.

Huperzine A is extracted from club moss (Huperzia serrata), an ancient Chinese medicinal herb. It has been demonstrated in clinical studies to enhance focus, concentration, memory, and behaviour in patients with Alzheimer’s. The recommended dose of huperzine A for patients with Alzheimer’s is 200 to 400 micrograms per day in divided doses. Some healthy patients report improvements in memory with smaller doses.

Consider incorporating some of these therapies for maximizing acetylcholine levels into your health maintenance program. After all, according to one of the most original film directors, Luis Bunuel, “Memory is what makes our lives.”

Aid for Alzheimer’s

One of the most promising therapies in Alzheimer’s disease is acetyl-l-carnitine (ALC). A derivative of L-carnitine, which is involved in the transport of fat into the mitochondria, ALC boosts flagging energy in aging brain cells. It also stabilizes cellular membranes, increases levels of acetylcholine, and protects the brain from aging.

ALC has been shown in a number of studies to improve cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer’s and to slow progression of the disease. British researchers recently reviewed all the double-blind placebo-controlled studies examining the effects of ALC on patients with early Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment. They found that study subjects taking 1.5 to three grams of ALC per day for three to 12 months fared better on tests of logical intelligence, spatial learning, long-term verbal memory, and attention than those on placebo. Another recent study suggests that ALC also boosts the efficacy of the most popular class of drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s.

The recommended dose of ALC for patients with Alzheimer’s disease starts at 500 milligrams, building up to is 1.5 to three g per day over time.

Julian Whitaker, MD, practises medicine at the Whitaker Wellness Institute in Newport Beach, California, and writes the monthly newsletter Health - Healing.

Source: alive #264, October 2004