Supplements to invigorate the brain

THE human brain is the command centre, which neurologists describe as integrating sensory information, directing motor responses, and serves as the centre of learning. They add that myriad factors affect how the brain matures and functions.

In his website, Neurologist David Perlmutter explains that exercise, engaging brain activities, socialising, and getting eight hours of sleep greatly affect brain health. Food choices also belong to the list of influential variables that we can control in terms of the health, vitality, and functionality of our brain.

These days, consumers usually consider brain food as strengthening brain development in children, and when it comes to adults, it’s for maintaining and preserving brain function and helping restore memory and other brain activity.

The reality however is that busy lifestyles, access to healthy food choices, and picky eaters in children make it challenging to maintain a consistent and sufficient intake of nutrients that our brain needs. This is a space that food supplement manufacturers hope to fill. Among them is Oni Global Pte Ltd, headquartered in Singapore.

According to the company, its LAC Brain Speed comes with an advanced brain formula specially formulated for optimal brain function and performance. It contains brain nourishing ingredients such as Phosphatidylserine, DHA, Niacin, Ginkgo Biloba and Acetyl L-Carnitine in effective amounts to invigorate the brain for peak mental performance.

Alp Protect was developed with Germany’s leading neurologists as a supplement for patients suffering from Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

A version of this supplement called LAC Brainspeed for Junior is available for children three years old and above. It comes in 5 or 30 sticks of ready-to-eat powder in berry flavour. The supplement is intended to help children study longer and faster, says the company. Included in the supplement’s proprietary blend are Fish Oil Powder (DHA 30mg, EPA 4.5mg), Phosphatidylserine Powder, Vitamin B1, Vitamin C and Isomaltooligosaccharide.

Oni Global targets seniors-facing age-related brain deterioration with its LAC BrainEx for Senior. The tonic formulated with Traditional Chinese Medicinal (TCM) herbs that improve blood and ‘qi’ circulation for the health of various organs, helps to remedy ageing brain functions. Additionally, it is said to improve mental alertness and mental clarity; to support management of aging conditions; and to help relieve symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, palpitation and insomnia.

According to Dr. Perlmutter, everyone is at risk of brain degeneration citing that as one lives to age 85 or older, the risk for Alzheimer’s goes up 50%.  He points out that “taking an active role in improving the health of the brain can help fortify the body from some of the most debilitating chronic illnesses we face — the likes of Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis. Fortunately, science has shined a light on numerous factors that have the potential to mitigate the effects of ageing and improve overall brain health.”

Dr. Perlmutter says “trying your hand at new things, reading more, and challenging yourself mentally through activities like crossword puzzles and memory games are all effective ways to improve mental fitness and overall brain health.” A healthy brain he said is one that is readily capable of performing all of its vital functions. “This includes basic functions, like regulating the involuntary functions of the autonomic nervous system, and higher-level functions, such as facilitating cognition and decision-making, and coordinating fine and gross motor skills. While the brain is necessarily an incredibly complex organ, the process of neuroplasticity, which describes the brain’s ability to undergo physical and chemical changes in response to stimuli, affords us a significant degree of control over the health of our brain. In other words, the lifestyle choices we make today have a very real impact on our brain’s current and future health; whether that impact is positive or negative depends on how we live our lives.”

Stemming the tide

Alp Nutrition hopes to offer consumers a way to help combat stress and unhealthy lifestyle. The company specialises in research and development of innovative and natural premium liquid food supplements. Produced in Germany, the products are backed by more than 15 years of research led by managing director Dr. Oliver Schnorr, who himself is a biochemist, Olympic nutritionist and competitive athlete.

In September of this year, the company started distributing its product line of liquid supplements for sports, health and lifestyle in the region though its Alps Nutrition Asia, based in Singapore. According to Dr. Schnorr the products are ideal for consumers in the region. “In particular, our plant extract Alp Phyto which is manufactured from different herbs, grown under certified conditions in the Swiss Alps, and included as a key ingredient in each of our products, has already generated great interest as medical herbs and plants have a long tradition and major importance in Asian diets, traditional medicine and lifestyle.”

The products are currently distributed through various online channels, including e-commerce portal Lazada.com, which taps into Southeast Asia’s estimated population of 658 million. Sales in various chain stores and through trade partners are being worked out next.

Alp Nutrition products were originally intended to help improve the performance of the world’s most elite athletes as it combines the latest scientific research on nutrition and how the body absorbs and utilises nutrients, with the ancient, natural healing and preventive health benefits of consuming mountain-grown herbs. Now they are made available to anyone seeking high-quality supplements that improve quality of health and personal performance levels, while reducing the damage caused by daily stress, dietary deficiencies, aging and environmental pollutants.

Alp Nutrition has created the proprietary herbal liquid extract Alp Phyto as the essential base ingredient of all of the company’s Formulas.

Alp Phyto is blended from a unique selection of seven traditional mountain herbs each with specific nutritional and medicinal properties and all organically grown high in the pure Swiss Alps (Bio-Suisse Certified).

According to the company, its proprietary extraction process is unlike any other available today in its ability to gently remove the highest concentration of phytonutrients from the plants while protecting and retaining all the key phytochemicals and their bioactivity.

Targeted formulations

Each Alp Nutrition Formula—namely Sport, Beauty, Carnitin and Protect—compliments the Alp Phyto base with a tailored combination of micronutrients, antioxidants and amino acids to meet a specific health benefit or performance goal.

The company says each ingredient has been sourced from the world’s highest quality producers and in the most absorbable and bioavailable compound regardless of cost. All ingredients are then blended into a liquid formula to dramatically increase nutrient absorption into the gut and the bloodstream, which allows them to reach all the target cells and organs in the body.

According to the company, the unique liquid dosage of its optimised nutrient combinations is scientifically proven to deliver best results and at same time eliminates the inconvenience, discomfort and side effects that often result in taking multiple supplements in solid or capsule form.

Alp Protect in particular is formulated to improve mental performance and brain health. It was developed with Germany’s leading neurologists as a supplement for their patients suffering from Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. By combining Coenzyme Q10 with key phytonutrients, zinc, selenium, antioxidants and B vitamins, the supplement protects the brain and its cells from oxidative stress induced damage, while improving the function of neurotransmitters that maintain mental sharpness.

The company adds that each Alp Formula is proven to be safe and free from any contaminants, hormones, or steroids, and all product health claims are based on verified third-party clinical evidence, peer reviewed science as required by strict German laws and EU Health Claim regulations.