Iron
What about iron, one of the most common metals in your body? Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, which is a big molecule inside red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body, including the brain. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, which in severe cases can cause weakness, fatigue, and secondary cognitive impairment. The treatment is iron replacement (tablets). In the absence of iron deficiency, taking iron supplements will not boost your memory. I do not recommend iron supplementation in the absence of anemia, because excessive iron intake can damage the liver and other internal organs, as well as predispose you to a heart attack.
Trace Elements: To Take or Not To Take Them Except for iron, all the heavy metals described in this section come under the category of “trace” elements because they are needed in microscopic quantities for normal bodily function. These metals can become toxic if taken in high doses. You may recall my earlier story about how my father’s Parkinson’s disease was going to be treated with an Ayurvedic heavy metal concoction, and I put a stop to it because of the potential for toxicity. Traces of lead, mercury, or arsenic, which are indistinguishable to the naked eye when mixed with other metals, can be extremely dangerous and even fatal. Therefore, if you plan to take a metallic supplement of any type, you must buy it from a reputed manufacturing source, preferably one with a national or international reputation.
As you’ve noticed, none of the trace metals made it into the Memory Program, largely because of the lack of systematic controlled studies with any of them.
CHAPTER 23
Your Future Memory Program
THE LONG-STANDING DEFEATISM about preventing and treating memory loss has now given way to a feeling of growing excitement that we will soon have the keys to the memory kingdom. But we have just scratched the surface, and new knowledge will eventually render obsolete our current repertoire of preventive and treatment strategies, including some of the components in the Memory Program.
Several potential therapies for age-related memory loss are still in the development stage. These include a new crop of cholinesterase inhibitors, treatment with combinations of cognitive enhancers,
stimulation of neuronal growth, blocking the formation of toxic compounds in the brain, and genetic strategies. Most of these attempts are likely to fail, but the few gems that emerge will revolutionize
the field of memory loss research and potentially could completely reverse the memory loss that occurs during the aging process.
Taken From: The Memory Program How to Prevent Memory Loss
and Enhance Memory Power
