Our readers who are grandparents will appreciate this one!
How many times have you said to your children and grandchildren, “I’m a lot older and a lot smarter than you, so listen up.” Well, provided your in good health and your receiving adequate nutritional insurance, you were probably right. You probably thought you were smarter merely because you’ve been around the block a few times. After all, experience is the best teacher, right?
But perhaps there’s more to it that!
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, good nutrition aids brain function in seniors. Researchers at the US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota compared nutritional status to both cognitive performance and measures of brain function in seniors.
In the 28 healthy subjects aged 60 years or older, poor nutritional status, especially low levels of vitamin B1 and B2, and iron, had the greatest impact on demanding cognitive tasks. “Changes in brain function were relate to vitamin B1 status, which suggests subtle impairment of brain function is associated with even marginally low nutrient levels.*
In contrast, those with high-iron status showed brain function responses comparable to younger adults, indicating there is an association between optimal nutrional status and maintenance of good brain function and performance with age,” reports nutrition expert Earl Mindell, Ph.D.
* Tucker D., Penland J, Sandstead H, et.al: Nutritiona status and brain function in aging. Am J Clin Nutr 1990; 52:93-102.
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