What are some good vitamins for brain and general health?

April 26, 2009 8:36 PM

What are some good vitamins for brain and general health?

I currently take Vitamin D and omega 3 supplements cause the potential positives outweigh the chance its snake oil. I notice the Omega 3's increase my ability to focus and relax a little bit so that's good.

What other things can I take to improve my brain functioning/focus and keep me in good health? Especially with the new flu going around I want to be in peak condition.

I already exercise semi-regularly and use my brain in excessive amounts, get enough sleep. I don't eat particularly well as I live in a dorm and have little time/money for good food, but I try.

Especially with the new flu going around I want to be in peak condition.

What other things can I take to improve my brain functioning/focus and keep me in good health?

posted by peregrine81 to health & fitness (6 comments total)

Keep in mind that no vitamins will prevent the flu. That said, B12 deficiencies can cause all sorts of untoward neurological problems so you might want to take a quality B-complex supplement. Other than that, don't overdo the vitamins/supplements, wash your hands a reasonable amount, avoid visibly sick people, etc etc. Common sense trumps most pills when it comes to outbreaks.
posted by Burhanistan at 9:20 PM on April 26

There's no magic formula for good health beyond what you know already - try to eat right (and don't skip breakfast), get enough rest, get some exercise. Being in an institutional setting, it is always a good idea to pay attention to hygiene and to wash your hands regularly.

As for the second part of your question, in general, beyond vitamin D and Omega 3, both of which are good for you for a variety of reasons, the B vitamins are good stuff, including for the brain.
posted by gudrun at 9:23 PM on April 26

I also agree with Vitamin B-complex. General multi-vitamins are also good.
posted by nel at 9:29 PM on April 26

Exercise - and give in to your body's cravings (eg., for specific types of food rather than specific types of junk food).

Body and mind are o n on the same axis, not different entities.

I hate to say this but avoid alcohol and marijuana. Both are terrible for your immune system. Both have direct effects that alter your immune system and their use affects your sleep cycle, which is overly underlooked with regards to anti-getting-sick and general cognitive function.
posted by porpoise at 9:48 PM on April 26

I recommend brewer's yeast, a natural product available in pills or in flakes. It's rich in B-complex vitamins, good for mental alertness, for stress, for healing, for energy and for all-round body functioning.
posted by ragtimepiano at 12:00 AM on April 27

Especially with the new flu going around I want to be in peak condition

Not necessarily. If the reports about swine flu causing cytokine storm are accurate, then a strong immune system is more of a liability.
posted by zerokey at 7:30 AM on April 27