Memory loss is not
a normal part of aging.
If you’ve seen my recent videos on memory, you’ve heard me say something that surprises people: don’t dismiss memory loss as “just age.”
Whether you’re concerned for yourself or someone you love, you’re right to pay attention. Occasional forgetfulness can happen with age; changes that disrupt daily life deserve an assessment. Here are practical steps I encourage you to take.
Adapted from Dr. Neil Nedley’s memory podcast.
Neil Nedley, MD
01 / EVERYDAY MEMORY
Give yourself a chance
to remember.
Before you can remember something, you need to pay attention to it. Put the distractions aside while you read or learn. Then pause and see what you can recall without looking back.
In medical school, I wrote down the points I wanted to remember and reviewed them later. Give yourself that opportunity to revisit what you’ve learned. And protect your sleep—it plays a part in how memories are formed.
Sleep and healthy aging ↗A HABIT YOU CAN PRACTICE TODAY
Notice it. Come back to it.
02 / MOVEMENT
Exercise belongs in
a memory routine.
A year-long trial followed 120 older adults assigned to aerobic exercise or stretching. The exercise group gained volume in the hippocampus, a structure involved in memory. Stretching was used as the comparison activity; the study does not suggest that stretching is harmful.
I encourage you to make movement a regular part of your day. Choose an activity you can keep doing, with guidance suited to your health and abilities.
Erickson et al. · PNAS, 2011 ↗120 ADULTS · ONE YEAR · RANDOMIZED TRIAL
Regular movement.
A growing hippocampus.
after one year of aerobic exercise
03 / FOOD
Put berries
on the menu.
Blueberries and strawberries are two foods I talk about in the podcast. In the Nurses’ Health Study, women who ate more berries had slower cognitive decline.
That study shows an association, not proof that berries caused the difference. My practical suggestion is simple: try adding berries to breakfast as one way to eat more plant foods.
Devore et al. · Annals of Neurology, 2012 ↗NURSES’ HEALTH STUDY · OBSERVATIONAL
More berries were associated
with slower cognitive decline.
in cognitive decline
04 / INGREDIENT RESEARCH
What did the
citicoline trial find?
I also discuss citicoline in the podcast. In one 12-week trial, 100 adults aged 50–85 with age-associated memory impairment received citicoline or a placebo. The citicoline group improved more on two secondary memory measures.
The trial was manufacturer-sponsored and did not test this bundle.
Nakazaki et al. · Journal of Nutrition, 2021 ↗100 ADULTS · 12 WEEKS · RANDOMIZED TRIAL
Composite memory score change
Saffron and huperzine A: what else to know
A small saffron trial found similar outcomes to donepezil, not superiority. A huperzine A trial did not find benefit on its primary cognitive outcome at the lower studied dose. Discuss ingredients and medicine interactions with your clinician. These studies do not establish that this bundle treats or prevents dementia.
Bring the habits into your day.
The Optimize Your Brain course gives you a place to start. Explore the course and supplement offer below.
Explore the offer ↓
