Brain hacking: Advancements in nutritional solutions for 21st century stress and longevity

25 Aug 2022 --- Fast-paced and high-tension lifestyles of the 21st century have brought increasing attention to cognitive health. It is not just the elderly that require maintenance of cognitive abilities; youth and adults share a preventative approach, finding ways to support daily life and alleviate stressors that come with living in this era.

NutritionInsight speaks to representatives from Gnosis by Lesaffre, Solabia-Algatech Nutrition, KaraMD and NZMP of Fonterra, to delve into the latest trends and technological developments in cognitive health.

“Cognitive enhancement is a multifaceted concept that is getting increasing traction in the fast-paced, highly demanding society we live in where technology occupies a prominent space,” comments Beatrice Minin, market manager, mood and cognitive health at Gnosis.

“While some may refer to it as ‘brain hacking,’ cognitive enhancement involves the use of nutrition, technology, medications, genetic modifications or other brain treatments to improve brain performance and cognition,” shares Peyton Rudy, global marketing manager at NZMP.

“The general definition of cognitive enhancement includes ‘improving mental functioning beyond what is necessary to sustain or restore good health’,” adds Dr. Mahmud Kara, founder of KaraMD. 

Moreover, cognition is defined as the processes our brain uses to organize information, including concentration, attention and memory, says Liat Shemesh, marketing manager at Solabia-Algatech Nutrition. “Consumers’ health concerns are shifting to a more preventative approach, resulting in a need for solutions to protect cognitive health over time,” she observes.

Demographics of preventative brain hacking
Kara explains that, as a whole, the driving force behind trends is a desire for people to live and feel well for longer periods of their lifetime. 

“Years ago, when the average life expectancy was much lower, it didn’t matter as much if your cognitive health started to decline around age 40 to 50, but now if people are living to 75 to 85 years old, or even more. That’s a significant amount of time to be faced with daily ailments –  such as a lack of focus or poor memory – disease and other negative health factors.” 

“As life expectancies rise, illnesses, disabilities and dependency rates also rise. Healthy aging and a better quality of life require highly preserved brain and cognitive function, which is why this segment has huge potential,” she continues.The most abundant target consumers will be older adults who want to maintain cognitive acumen and avoid age-related cognitive impairment and dementia, says Minin. 

Shifting focus
Kara also notes that years of undesirable outcomes from pharmaceutical trials to prevent cognitive decline are driving research, as one of the largest generations in the US (Baby Boomers) has reached older ages. 

“On the other hand, due to advances in living conditions and medical technology, the human life expectancy has increased significantly with an increasing elderly population worldwide who are willing to preserve their cognitive capabilities and eager to adopt strategies to prevent age-related cognitive impairment and decline,” says Minin. 

Shemesh underscores that the elderly population is growing at a 10% rate every decade, and it is projected that by 2050, the number will double from 600 million to 1.2 billion. 

Meanwhile, Rudy observes a shift in interest from younger generations due to an increased focus on overall wellness and disease prevention.

“A trend we are seeing is the fight against cognitive decline in the aging population. With no cure for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, scientists are turning toward methods of preventing significant cognitive impairment including cognitive training, nutrition (the MIND or Keto diets) and physical activity,” she observes.

Tech-driven solutions
Minin shares an example of digital meditation – a technologically driven brain-enhancing intervention to increase attention and reduce stress. “The use of head-mounted VR (virtual reality) displays creates an immersive environment and strengthen long-term memory functions.” 

“Digital technologies are now integrated into consumers’ daily lifestyles in the so-called “smart health,” where countless medical monitoring apps and wearable technology collect personal health and exercise data and send them to healthcare professionals in real-time,” she adds. 

Moreover, direct-to-consumer DNA testing is possible due to improved accuracy and accessibility. The consumer health information is continually tracked and uploaded to the cloud, and the individual genome is mapped, continues Minin. 

“Consumers will also be able to get home-delivery with a box of supplements and functional food specifically conceived, designed, and produced according to their individual nutritional needs and DNA profile.” 

“One of the greatest challenges is misleading information or products out there in the industry that are not consumer-focused when it comes to formulating and developing their supplements,” flags Kara. The primary consumers in the cognitive enhancement space seem to be getting younger and younger, says Kara. 

Improving brain functionality
The suppliers highlight that cognitive enhancement – also known as neuroenhancement – encompass three main trends. These are biochemical (nutritional, nutraceutical or pharmaceutical approach), physical (brain stimulation technologies) and behavioral (lifestyle, sport, meditation, cultural activities, sleep, mnemonic training, cognitive enhancement technologies etc.) interventions. 

She underscores that neuroenhancement aims to improve brain functionality – for instance, mental alertness, concentration, information processing and retention, short and long-term memory and problem-solving skills. 

“Consumers seek four key subcategories in the brain health category: focus, cognition, mood and sleep. Regardless of age, job or role, four of these needs resonate across all ages, whether at school, workplace or even in the gaming sector,” adds Shemesh. 

“There is a broad range of tools that could be as simple as medication and prescribed diet or as advanced as altering genetics. Pharmaceutical enhancers include stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamine (Adderall) are widely prescribed to treat ADHD in children and adults. These medications are cognitive enhancers,” shares Rudy.

She highlights that methods of cognitive enhancement are still a hot topic of debate due to the current lack of clinical or real-world evidence supporting them and ethics around human welfare.

Trend one: Chemical interventions
When people hear “chemical,” they often think of pharmaceutical interventions, notes Kara. 

“However, I focus more on the natural remedies that influence essential processes in the body. For example, studies have found that mushrooms like Lion’s Mane, Reishi and Chaga, can help reduce neuroinflammation, prevent damage from oxidative stress, and even enhance the process of certain neurotransmitters – all of which can lead to cognitive enhancement,” he explains.  

Kara notes other popular natural remedies include consuming omega 3 fatty acids to prevent cognitive decline or drinking green tea containing catechins. 

“We now know that the foods we eat, our physical and social activities and active cognitive stimulation greatly impact how our brains age and the rate at which they may decline. What researchers are looking for now is more prescriptive - what specific eating patterns have the greatest impact, how much exercise we need and what type, how much socialization and brain activity,” adds Rudy. 

Trend two: Physical bioprocesses
According to Kara, popular physical interventions for cognitive enhancement include brain stimulation methods, such as deep brain stimulation. “But the physical, to me, goes beyond just the brain and its structures.”Rudy highlights that cognitive enhancement methods are still a hot topic of debate due to the current lack of clinical or real-world evidence supporting them and ethics around human welfare. 

“A more recent trend in the physical area of cognitive enhancement has been the connection between the brain and the gut. The gut microbiome contains millions of neurons interacting with other body parts beyond just the digestive tract.”

“More evidence suggests that taking care of the gut can help improve cognitive health. Furthermore, physical activity has improved cognitive health and reduced the risk for cognitive decline. So these are two important areas to consider beyond brain stimulation interventions,” states Kara. 

Trend three: Behavioral adjustments
Kara thinks “we weren’t built for the 21st century,” underscoring the prevalence of diseases and chronic stress that are aggravated by fast-paced contemporary lifestyles.

When it comes to behavioral interventions for cognitive enhancement, one of the most important is stress reduction, he notes. 

“Stress serves a certain purpose as our ‘fight or flight’ response can help keep us safe; however, the influx of hormones and the changes that our body undergoes during periods of stress can significantly impact our health – especially our cognitive health,” explains Kara. 

Kara shares behavioral methods of combating stress include meditation and mindfulness activities, physical activities, healthy diets (avoiding processed foods, refined carbohydrates, high-sugar and high trans-fat items) and natural herbs like lavender, valerian, chamomile, passion flower and lemon balm.  

By Venya Patel