Cheap Daily Supplement Seems to Boost Brain Function in Older People

What’s good for your aging gut may also be good for your aging brain. The first study of its kind in twins has found that taking daily protein and prebiotic supplements can improve scores on memory tests in people over the age of 60.

The findings are food for thought, especially as the same visual memory and learning test is used to detect early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

The double-blinded trial involved two cheap plant fiber prebiotics that are available over the counter in numerous nations around the world. Prebiotics are non-digestible consumables that help stimulate our gut microbes.

One is called inulin, and it is a dietary fiber in the class fructan. Another is called fructooligosaccharides (FOS), and it is a plant carbohydrate often used as a natural low calorie sweetener.

To test the effect of these supplements on the aging brain, researchers at King’s College London enrolled 36 pairs of twins over the age of 60. Each duo was randomly split so that one twin was assigned a daily prebiotic in a protein powder and the other was assigned a daily placebo in a protein powder. (Read more from “Cheap Daily Supplement Seems to Boost Brain Function in Older People” HERE)