Youāve tried the latest, greatest nootropic for memory and focus but it didnāt work like they said it would. What is the best vitamin for memory and focus? The new herbal nootropic supplement you saw on TV turned out to be a dud too. But was it really a bad product? Because like all the other supplements youāve tried, nothing ever works for you. Chances are the product was good. And the ads were not just hype.
What you may not realize is many nootropics will only work when supported by the vitamins your body and brain need every day.
The same nutrients that are fundamental to your health. And how your brain works to maintain focus and encode and retrieve memories.
In this post youāll learn which vitamins are essential for memory and focus.
And if youāre not getting enough of each of these vitamins in your diet, what you can do to make up the difference.
Best vitamins for memory and focus
Vitamins are a group of organic compounds essential for human life but not synthesized in your body. So, you need to get adequate amounts of each of these vitamins from your daily diet. Or take them as a supplement.
Plants serve as the primary source for deriving most of these vitamins. But you often get them from higher up the food chain including meat, dairy, and eggs.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and potent antioxidant. It exists in two forms: preformed Vitamin A (retinol, retinyl ester), found in meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products, and utilized directly by your body.
Proformed Vitamin A (carotenoids, beta-carotene) is present in fruits and vegetables. But it must undergo conversion in your body to retinol and retinoic acid before it becomes usable.
Vitamin A plays a role in long-term potentiation, which is necessary for memory formation. Retinoic acid participates in neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, cell differentiation, and synaptic signaling.[i] All required for focus and memory.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Thiamine, also known as Vitamin B1, was the first B-Vitamin to be discovered. Hence, its name Vitamin B1.[ii]
You get thiamine from eating beef, brewerās yeast, legumes (beans, lentils), milk, nuts, oats, oranges, pork, rice, seeds, wheat, whole-grain cereals, and yeast.
Thiamine in its diphosphate form (TDP) serves as a cofactor in carbohydrate metabolism. It produces enzymes that participate in the Krebs cycle and the synthesis of ATP within mitochondria. You require thiamine for generating cellular energy and the downstream production of amino acids, nucleic acids, and fatty acids.
A longstanding association exists between thiamine deficiency and memory deficits. Severe deficiency results in WernickeāKorsakoff syndrome. One symptom of which is memory loss.[iii]
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
The best food sources of Riboflavin are meat, organ meat, cheese, eggs, green leafy vegetable, beans and some nuts and seeds.
The two flavoprotein coenzymes from riboflavin, FMN (flavin mononucleotide) and FAD (flavin adenine dinucleotide) are essential to most enzyme processes in every one of your cells.[iv]
The production of pyridoxic acid from Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), the form of Vitamin B6 utilized by your body, necessitates the presence of FAD. FAD is essential for converting Vitamin A (retinol) into retinoic acid, a vital component for focus and memory functions in the body.
FAD is additionally necessary for converting tryptophan into Vitamin B3 (niacin). FMN and FAD are also cofactors in the metabolism of fatty acids in brain cell membranes, the absorption and utilization of iron, and the regulation of thyroid hormones.
And Riboflavin is an essential part of ATP production in mitochondria. Not enough Riboflavin may result in lack of focus and memory loss.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Vitamin B3 (Niacin, nicotinic acid) naturally occurs in foods like eggs, fish, meat, milk, peanuts, mushrooms, green vegetables, and yeast.
Niacin is a precursor to the coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP).
NAD converts to NADH which is the primary carrier of electrons in the transfer of food from your diet into energy. The energy is stored in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
Not enough NADH leads to ATP depletion, which can eventually lead to cell death.[v]
Niacin boosts the production of Nitric Oxide (NO) which relaxes blood vessels in your brain which increases cerebral blood flow.
Niacin affects cognitive function by stimulating the production of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Neurotransmitters involved in focus and memory formation.[vi]
Niacin also increases Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and stimulates growth hormone. Needed for long-term potentiation for formation of long-term memory.[vii]
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) serves as a precursor in the biosynthesis of Coenzyme-A (CoA), essential for synthesizing neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, epinephrine, and serotonin.
Sufficient levels of acetylcholine are necessary for maintaining focus and memory.
Foods rich in pantothenic acid include animal organs (liver and kidney), fish, shellfish, milk products, eggs, avocados, legumes, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine, P-5-P)
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine, P-5-P) is a required coenzyme for the synthesis of dopamine, epinephrine, GABA, melatonin, norepinephrine, and serotonin.[viii]
Foods rich in Vitamin B6 include bananas, beef, chickpeas, pistachios, pork, potatoes, and turkey.
Even mild deficiency in Vitamin B6 results in down-regulation of most major neurotransmitters.
Leading to poor sleep, behavior, inability to focus or encode memory, cardiovascular function, and the loss of hypothalamus-pituitary control of hormone secretion.[ix] Resulting in increased anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain.
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
Vitamin B7 (Biotin, vitamin H) is a coenzyme for carboxylases involved in the metabolism of fatty acids, amino acids, and glucose.[x]
Biotin influences the use of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the synthesis and release of serotonin from tryptophan, and tyrosine from phenylalanine.[xi]
As a coenzyme, biotin is essential for synthesizing fatty acids, which are used for energy production in the brain. Lack of adequate Biotin can result in fatigue and inability to focus.
Biotin is required for producing tyrosine, which subsequently contributes to the production of dopamine in the brain. Insufficient dopamine levels can lead to poor memory and recall.
Biotin is present in foods such as organ meats, egg yolks, certain dairy products, as well as some fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
Vitamin B9 (Folate) plays roles in gene expression, amino acid synthesis, myelin synthesis, and is essential for synthesizing neurotransmitters such as dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.
Green leafy vegetables, or āfoliageā are rich sources of folate. And how āfolateā got its name. You can also get folate from citrus fruit juice, legumes, fortified foods, and liver.
Many neurohackers, including doctors and other health professionals confuse folate with folic acid. They are NOT the same.
For a detailed explanation of why folate vs folic acid is such a big deal, see my full review of Vitamin B9 (folate). It covers how your body uses both compounds. And what happens if you have problems with the MTHFR gene.
Folate is critically important for the fully optimized brain. And research shows that folate levels even in the ānormal (RDA) rangeā may be inadequate for methyl donation and neurotransmitter synthesis.
Supplementing with folate or a multivitamin with adequate levels of folate may help alleviate depression, improve focus and memory, and ward off dementia.
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
Vitamin B12 is a cofactor in the synthesis of neurotransmitters dopamine, GABA, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Affecting focus, cognition, memory, and mood.
Foods rich in Vitamin B12 include fish, shellfish, meat (especially liver), poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products. The two best sources by far of Vitamin B12 are clams and liver.[xii]
You cannot get adequate amounts of Vitamin B12 from plants. Vegetarians and vegans are especially in danger of B12 deficiency.
Plant foods contain analogs of B12 which are similar to, but not the same as, Vitamin B12. They bind to B12 receptors and block your intake of true B12.
Trying to get your Vitamin B12 from yeast products like Red Star Nutritional Yeast or Marmite is also problematic. These products do not naturally contain B12 but are fortified with it.
Food grade Vitamin B12 comes as methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin which are the forms of B12 naturally occurring in your body.
Avoid other forms including cyanocobalamin which produces a small amount of cyanide each time you consume it.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble nutrient and electron donor critically important for the healthy brain. The active form of Vitamin C is L-ascorbic acid.
Vitamin C is a cofactor in the synthesis of norepinephrine from dopamine. It induces the release of acetylcholine (ACh) and norepinephrine from synaptic vesicles on neurons.
Which means Vitamin C is involved in neuronal signaling transmission required for optimal focus and memory.
And Vitamin C induces the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is needed for long-term potentiation which helps form long-term memory.[xiii]
Vitamin D3
It is the fat-soluble steroid hormone form of the āessentialā Vitamin D.
Vitamin D3 is involved in the synthesis of GABA, glutamate and glutamine, and dopamine in your brain.[xiv]
It is also involved in neuromodulation, regulation of neurotrophic factors, neuroprotection, neuroplasticity, and brain development.
Vitamin D has been shown to play a critical role in neuron cell growth and differentiation, neuron transmission, and the neuroplasticity thatās essential for optimal focus and memory.
It is mostly made in your skin from sun exposure. Not from food like most of our other vitamins. When Ultraviolet-B (UVB) light from the sun strikes your skin, your body synthesizes Vitamin D3.It is the fat-soluble steroid hormone form of the āessentialā Vitamin D.Vitamin D3 is involved in the synthesis of GABA, glutamate and glutamine, and dopamine in your brain. It is also involved in neuromodulation, regulation of neurotrophic factors, neuroprotection, neuroplasticity, and brain development.Vitamin D has been shown to play a critical role in neuron cell growth and differentiation, neuron transmission, and the neuroplasticity thatās essential for optimal focus and memory.Vitamin D is mostly made in your skin from sun exposure. Not from food like most of our other vitamins. When Ultraviolet-B (UVB) light from the sun strikes your skin, your body synthesizes Vitamin D3.
Vitamin E
It includes a group of eight structurally related, fat-soluble, chain-breaking antioxidants: four tocopherols and four tocotrienols: Ī± (alpha), Ī² (beta), Ī³ (gamma) and Ī“ (delta).
Vitamin E regulates the activity of multiple signal transduction enzymes which affect gene expression. Which in turn affects processes including neurogenesis and taming inflammation.
Other genes affected by adequate Vitamin E levels prevent Alzheimerās progression, hormone metabolism, apoptosis, growth factors and neurotransmission.
Lack of adequate Vitamin E has been shown to downregulate genes leading to myelin and synapse loss, disrupting vesicle transport needed for neurotransmitter signaling, and is detrimental to glial functions.
One recent large study demonstrated that Vitamin E supplementation delayed the progression of Alzheimerās progression. Even in moderately severe Alzheimerās patients.
Vitamin E contributes to optimal focus and memory throughout your life. But the only effective Vitamin E supplements are food-sourced containing all four tocopherols and four tocotrienols.[xv]
Vitamin K
We have two forms of Vitamin K: K1 (phylloquinone) and K2 (menaquinones). The two main types of Vitamin K2 are MK-4 and MK-7.[xvi]
You get Vitamin K2 primarily from meat like chicken, pork, beef, egg yolks, milk, and cheese. K2 is higher in meat and dairy products from grass-fed animals. And you get Vitamin K1 from green leafy vegetables.
Vitamin K is essential for the synthesis of sphingolipids which contribute to the formation of the myelin sheath insulating axons in your brain. Sphingomyelin plays a significant role in cell signaling pathways.[xvii]
Several proteins in your brain are dependent on Vitamin K. For example, protein Gas6 is actively involved in apoptosis, mitogenesis, neuron, and glial cell growth.
One recent study showed increased dietary intake of Vitamin K is associated with better focus and memory.[xviii]
Choosing the Best Vitamin for Memory and Focus
After diving into the data and clinical evidence, itās clear multiple vitamins are required for optimal focus and memory.
It is also clear that vitamin dosage is important. How much of each vitamin should you use for optimal focus and memory?
For the conscientious and dedicated biohacker, following the government āRecommended Daily Allowanceā (RDA) may not be a good idea.
Because the latest RDA are what public health āauthoritiesā consider to be the minimum of each nutrient to sustain life.
Not necessarily to make you feel great and perform your best. Just to keep you alive.
If you are striving for optimal health and cognition, consider the clinical data combined with how you feel to determine how much of each vitamin you need every day.
Quality matters as well. The shelves are packed with an overwhelming choice of vitamin supplements. Most of them are cheap synthetics. And not what your body and brain consider āfoodā.
I encourage you to read my article called āHow to Select the Best Multivitamin for Brain Functionā on what to look for when it comes to quality.
Finally, you can buy each vitamin as a separate supplement. Expensive and inconvenient.
Better to choose a high-quality vitamin/mineral supplement at the correct dosage. Itāll save you time and money. You will feel better and your nootropic stack has a more likely chance of providing the benefits you were looking for.
