Nootropics that Improve Nervous Disorder Symptoms
Nervous Disorders can be wildly life-changing, developing pain and inconveniences of all sorts. Some common nervous disorders include but are not limited to: Alzheimer’s disease, Bell’s palsy, Cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Motor neurone disorder, Multiple sclerosis, Neurofibromatosis, Parkinson’s disease, and more. These disorders will manifest a large variety of symptoms which can affect small and large parts of living function alike. Fortunately, there are nootropic supplements which can aid in the treatment and management of these disorders and their symptoms.
Top Nootropics for Nervous Disorder Support
The following nootropics are some of the most common in terms of managing the symptoms nervous system disorders.
Bacopa Monnieri
Bacopa monnieri is a staple in Ayurvedic medicine and traditional holistic healing (Chevallier, 2016). It is especially well-known throughout Ayurvedic practice to aid with a variety of nervous system disorders. Some of the top disorders Bacopa can help with include epilepsy, mental illness, and neuralgia (2016). Bacopa works wonders for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, especially due to its adaptogenic and antioxidant properties (Manap et al., 2019). It also helps that the herb has the ability to offer neuroprotective benefits, being able to pass through the blood-brain barrier. For these reasons it is commonly referred to as one of the most therapeutic nootropic herbs for nervous disorders (2019).
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo is known to be one of the oldest trees on planet Earth, dating back over 190 million years ago (Chevallier, 2016). It is a long part of traditional Chinese medicine with many therapeutic uses. It has found its place in the treatment of many neurological disorders, especially Alzheimer’s and forms of dementia. There are many empirical studies which outline the herb’s ability to improve memory, which is very helpful in many neurological disorders. For this reason it is commonly used to help with memory in aging patients suffering from neurodegenerative conditions (2016). There are very specific studies which prove its ability to help with dementia patients (Balch, 2016). Ginkgo has also been shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (2016). Some studies prove the plant can offer significant benefits to patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (Murray & Pizzorno, 1998). There is empirical evidence which outlines improvements to cognitive impairment and overall mental function in MS patients, as well as improvements to attention span and executive function (1998).
Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Lion’s Mane Mushroom is a highly versatile herb, finding its place in both medicinal and culinary scenes. It has been used in both ancient times and modern cultures for its brain-boosting and medicinal benefits (Beshara et al., 2019). Lion’s Mane is a common treatment in traditional medicines for peripheral neuropathy, both as a tea and an extract (Weil, 2004). One of the reasons is it so commonly used for this condition is for its natural nerve growth factor (2004). It has been used to improve symptoms in patients suffering from ischemic stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and more (Li et al., 2018). Some recent studies have shown Lion’s Mane the ability to activate peripheral nerve regeneration following injuries (Wong et al., 2016). And there are many studies which prove the herb is able to improve overall brain and nerve health (Sabaratnam et al., 2013).
Honorable Mentions
One honorable mention worth noting is Huperzine A. Huperzine A is a powerful nootropic for combating Alzheimer’s disease and similar forms of dementia (Du et al., 2017). This includes slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s and reducing symptoms (Beshara et al., 2019). It is also known for its ability to promote overall cognitive function. Huperzine A can improve memory as well (2019).
Final Notes On Using Nootropics for Nervous Disorders
Nervous disorders can create large inconveniences in one’s life. Fortunately, there are a lot of nootropic supplements which can help improve the symptoms of nervous disorders. Sometimes just one of these nootropics is enough to manage symptoms. Other times individuals will use many nootropics in combination to attain the desired benefits and symptom reduction. And the nootropics on this list also offer other favorable benefits too, making them a wonderful addition to almost any nootropic stack.
A Note From NooFiles
This article is intended to be used for information only. We want to remind you that consulting your physician is recommended before adding any dietary supplement of any kind to your daily regimen.
Sources
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Beshara, J., Engle, D., and Haynes, K. (2019). Beyond Coffee. Monocle Publishing. ISBN 9781544505459
Chevallier, A. (2016). Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. Third Edition. DK Publishing. New York, New York. ISBN 978-1-4654-4981-8
Du., Y., Liang, H., Zhang, L., and Fu, F. (2017). Administration of Huperzine A exerts antidepressant-like activity in a rat model of post-stroke depression. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior. Vol. 158. Pp. 32-38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2017.06.002
Li, I., Lee, L., Tzeng, T., Chen, W., Chen, Y., Shiao, Y., and Chen, C. (2018). Neurohealth Properties of Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Enriched with Erinacines. Behavioural neurology. PMID: 29951133. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/5802634
Manap, A., Vijayabalan, A., Madhavan, S., Chia, P., Arya, Y., Wong, A., Rizwan, E., Bindal, F., & Koshy, U. (2019). Bacopa monnieri, a Neuroprotective Lead in Alzheimer Disease: A Review on Its Properties, Mechanisms of Action, and Preclinical and Clinical Studies. Drug Target Insights. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1177392819866412
Murray, M., and Pizzorno, J., (1998). The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Third Edition. Atria Paperback. ISBN 978-1-4516-6300-6
Sabaratnam, V., Kah-Hui, W., Naidu, M., and Rosie David, P. (2013). Neuronal health – can culinary and medicinal mushrooms help?. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine. Vol. 3(1). Pp. 62–68. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/2225-4110.106549
Weil, A. (2004). Natural Health, Natural Medicine. Houghton Mifflin Publishing. New York, New York. ISBN 978-0-618-47903-0 Wong, K., Kanagasabapathy, G., Naidu, M., David, P., and Sabaratnam, V. (2016). Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers., a medicinal mushroom, activates peripheral nerve regeneration. Chin J Integr Med. Vol. (10). Pp. 759-67. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-014-1624-2