How to Support a Healthy Aging Brain

As the song goes, time makes you bolder, and even children get older; I'm getting older, too. We can't control the march of time, but we can take steps to help support our healthy brains as we age! The brain is our most complex organ, and as we age, the changes it goes through are complex as well, from knowing at what age the brain is fully developed to understanding the difference between male vs female brain development age. There's a lot to cover, so first, we'll talk about how our brain ages and some tips for wise and healthy aging.

Overview of Brain Development and Aging

The brain. If you're reading this, you've got one. It's a big squishy blob of meat housed in your skull that connects just about every system in your body, and it's the main component of any healthy zombie's diet. We're all concerned with healthy aging, so we must first understand how our brain ages. What happens in an aging brain? At what age does your brain fully develop? Is the answer to that question of brain development age 25, as is commonly heard?

Key Changes in the Brain Over Time

How does the brain change over time? Quite a few fascinating things happen in our brains as we age; here are just a couple!

• There is brain shrinkage with age; the volume/weight of the brain shrinks about 5% every ten years after age 40.[1]
• The parts of your brain shrinking with age could be affected by sex; some areas are more affected for men and others for women.[1]
• The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain most affected by shrinkage.[1]
• There are many different kinds of memory, which all change in different ways in our brains as we age![1]
• Episodic memory (the filing cabinet of experiences in the brain) is thought to decline starting in middle age.[1]
• Semantic memory (definitions, facts, trivia, and the like) increases from middle age into the early years of old age, then begins to drop.[1]
• Our attention span for simple tasks remains steady with age but declines for complex tasks.[2]
• Language does not decline with age, but the ability to quickly attach words to images we see can sometimes decline.[2]

Cognitive Milestones in Aging

Our brain goes through several stages in our lives. Here are some cognitive growth and brain development stages by age.

• At 15, the brain's ability to understand hypothetical risks matures. How this affects risk-taking in the real world is another story, more modulated by emotions and stress.[3]
• At 20, the brain's gray matter volume begins to decrease.[2]
• By 24, the prefrontal cortex matures, where emotional regulation and cognitive and executive functions take place.[3]
• After age 40, the brain begins to shrink.[1]
• After age 70, the brain's mental flexibility, abstraction, and concept formation begin to decrease.[2]

Proactive Measures for Brain Health Support

Thankfully, you can take many lifestyle steps to help support your brain health! One of the best ways to support your brain is to keep it working; engaging intellectually in activities like solving puzzles, playing musical instruments, reading, and taking classes is associated with high cognitive function in older adults.[2]

Another way to support your brain is by supporting your body: everything is linked! Cardiovascular exercise like dancing can support your brain health.[2] So does seeing friends and family and finding new experiences and places to go![2]

Diet is also an easy way to support your brain as you age. Research suggests consistent vegetable intake and the famous "Mediterranean diet" can support increased cognitive activity into your elder years.[4] Fatty fish feature heavily in the Mediterranean diet, which are a good source of omega-3s EPA and DHA. Choline, which helps support a healthy brain and nervous system, can be found in your diet in animal products like eggs, fish, beef, and poultry, along with plant foods like soybeans, wheat germ, and vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli. B Vitamins support healthy brain cell function, so try to work dark leafy greens, eggs, legumes, and nuts into your diet to give your body a dietary source! You can also supplement your B Vitamin intake with Nature Made® Super B Complex with C Tablets, which provide all eight essential B Vitamins to support a healthy brain and nervous system.†

Supplements for a Healthy Aging Brain

Nature Made® is proud to offer several brain health supplements to help close dietary gaps and support a healthy aging brain.†

Key Supplements for Cognitive Support

Omega-3 Fatty Acid DHA, found in Nature Made® Fish Oil Softgels, helps support a healthy brain, and EPA and DHA together help support a healthy heart, which is pretty important too!†

If you're looking for a tasty way to give yourself Choline and brain health support, check out Nature Made® Choline Gummies! In two yummy Green Apple gummies, you get 300 mg of the essential nutrient Choline, which supports a healthy brain and nervous system. The best time of day to take Choline supplements is attached to a regular meal. Nature Made® recommends taking supplements with water and a meal, and by picking a regular meal like breakfast or dinner, you are more likely to remember to take your supplement routine.†

For support beyond just the brain, our new Nature Made® Advanced Multi for Adults Gummies support brain, heart, and immune function. These gummies have 20 key nutrients for daily nutritional support, including all 8 B Vitamins to support brain function in 3 daily gummies that are easy to take, and enjoyable!†

Nature Made®'s Commitment to Brain Health

Nature Made® is committed to providing you with the brain support supplements you need at any stage in your life in forms you enjoy! From Nature Made® Vitamin B12 Softgels that support brain cell function to tasty Nature Made® Lutein & Zeaxanthin Gummies that support healthy brain processing speed, we have plenty of options for you to find the best brain health supplement for you!†

Embracing Brain Health at Every Age with Nature Made®

Our brains, just like our lives, are always changing. As we reach our different brain milestones through adolescence, adulthood, and old age, we can support our brain health with diet, activities, and supplements. We're proud to offer support throughout the aging process; Nature Made® is the #1 pharmacist-recommended vitamin and supplement brand.*

*Based on a survey of pharmacists who recommend branded vitamins and supplements.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References

1. Peters R. Ageing and the brain. Postgrad Med J. 2006;82(964):84-88. doi:10.1136/pgmj.2005.036665
2. Harada CN, Natelson Love MC, Triebel KL. Normal cognitive aging. Clin Geriatr Med. 2013;29(4):737-752. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2013.07.002
3. Arain M, Haque M, Johal L, et al. Maturation of the adolescent brain. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2013;9:449-461. doi:10.2147/NDT.S39776
4. Puri S, Shaheen M, Grover B. Nutrition and cognitive health: A life course approach. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1023907. Published 2023 Mar 27. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1023907