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Omega-3s: Are “Brain-Boosting” Effects Scientifically Backed?

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Re: Omega-3s: Are “Brain-Boosting” Effects Scientifically Backed?

#121

Post by theptip »

Mtinie wrote: post #56
permo-w wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why is it that no one wants to study the effects of nootropics?

I have two hypotheses that came to mind when I read your question: 1. It’s a hard problem to quantify effects on cognitive functioning provided by nootropic supplements. We still have so much to learn about brain function; 2. Nootropics offer patent holders opportunities to make obscene amounts of money. As long as those supplements are (generally) safe to consume. That level of review requires R&D spending, but too…

I don't think 1. is correct. There is a large body of research looking into different dimensions of brain function, and how different conditions impair those functions.

For example, look at the N-back test for working memory. This is popular in the nootropics community, and is widely used in clinical pharmacology research. There are plenty of other tests. Scientists do experiments like "measure how impaired you are on alcohol vs. antihistamines" to compare impairment profiles from different modes of drug action.

You can measure impairment from sleep deprivation, alcohol, etc., so of course you can measure improvement in attention, reaction speed, working memory, spatial reasoning, and so on.

The difficulty with quantifying effects is not that we need to learn about brain function to know how to measure them, it's that nootropics have quite small effect sizes, if any.

I think it's entirely about 2 -- large studies are expensive, and unless your effect size is enormous you need a large study to detect it.

Re: Omega-3s: Are “Brain-Boosting” Effects Scientifically Backed?

#122

Post by walthamstow »

Dalewyn wrote: post #22
newsclues wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the "boost your immune system" things are just common deficiencies in modern people. If most people don't get enough vitamin C or D in regular life, then the advice to boost their immune system with a sufficient does to be non-deficient would function to boost their immune system to a normally healthy level.

Milk sold in the US almost always has vitamin D added to it, because presumably Americans don't get enough sunlight to produce sufficient amounts. Instant noodles sold in Japan almost always have vitamins B1 and B2 added to them, for presumably similar reasons.

White bread and processed grain products in the UK always have things like iron, calcium, vitamins, riboflavin added. I think it's to replace the loss of the nutrient-rich germ from milling.

Never known what riboflavin is, still don't today, but I saw it on the side of a cereal box every day as a child and the word is etched in my mind

Re: Omega-3s: Are “Brain-Boosting” Effects Scientifically Backed?

#123

Post by godshatter »

weavie wrote: post #11
simonh wrote: post #8

So basically once your body has all the nutrients it needs to grow or make the things it needs to make, it makes them. Even more extra stuff it doesn’t need, it doesn’t use. Makes sense. This also appears to apply to the immune system. There’s zero evidence that supplements that are supposed to “boost your immune system” do any such thing. Yes your immune system functions best if you have good nutrition, but that’s i…

I guess the argument would be that you don't know for sure whether your diet does provide all the nutrients your body needs, so supplements could be used to fill in any gaps. The assumption being that your body will just dispose of any excess safely.

There is also the triage theory of aging where the idea is that when micronutrient levels are low (not low enough to cause acute symptoms but below the recommended daily allowance), they are triaged and used where needed (such as ATP production) at the expense of being used normally. The theory is that this can cause long-term problems such as neural decay, cancer, and other signs of aging.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1693790/

Re: Omega-3s: Are “Brain-Boosting” Effects Scientifically Backed?

#124

Post by nervousvarun »

rex-mundi wrote: post #92
nervousvarun wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Creatine...would say especially if you're male, is such a game-changer. Recently got my dad who is in his 70s to start taking it and it's been enormously positive for him. Really good stuff. Personally think it's probably equally valuable for women but can't get my wife to take it (worried about the bloating which is a thing). To your point it would be very difficult to get the equivalent creatine from your diet. Wou…

What benefits did you Dad get from it?

More weight and energy/faster recovery with his circuit training. His overall lean muscle tone has visibly improved.

Haven't asked him about his cardio training but he's moving more weight around than he did before and that's creating benefits for him overall.

Re: Omega-3s: Are “Brain-Boosting” Effects Scientifically Backed?

#125

Post by nervousvarun »

taeric wrote: post #93
nervousvarun wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Creatine...would say especially if you're male, is such a game-changer. Recently got my dad who is in his 70s to start taking it and it's been enormously positive for him. Really good stuff. Personally think it's probably equally valuable for women but can't get my wife to take it (worried about the bloating which is a thing). To your point it would be very difficult to get the equivalent creatine from your diet. Wou…

Did you look at any of the studies that showed placebo effects comparable to creatine? It is insane, as we know the mechanism for how creatine does its thing. Still, the social effects of being told it is effective seems to be the dominant reason it is as effective as it is.

Have not seen those studies.

Creatine is one of the most studied supplements out there though so would think the empirical data supports it at this point.

I'm speaking anecdotally of course. I used to cycle creatine but now I just always take it. When I'd cycle off I'd lose 5-10 lbs every time. Thats mostly water weight but my lifts would decrease about 10% as well. Not to mention the extra energy (more reps not just more weight)

It makes a significant difference for me.

Re: Omega-3s: Are “Brain-Boosting” Effects Scientifically Backed?

#126

Post by newaccount74 »

ilostmyshoes wrote: post #106
newaccount74 wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like flax oil, but it spoils very quickly. I have trouble going through 250ml before it goes rancid.

Do you keep it in a refrigerator?

Maybe I should

Re: Omega-3s: Are “Brain-Boosting” Effects Scientifically Backed?

#127

Post by amerkhalid »

weavie wrote: post #11
simonh wrote: post #8

So basically once your body has all the nutrients it needs to grow or make the things it needs to make, it makes them. Even more extra stuff it doesn’t need, it doesn’t use. Makes sense. This also appears to apply to the immune system. There’s zero evidence that supplements that are supposed to “boost your immune system” do any such thing. Yes your immune system functions best if you have good nutrition, but that’s i…

I guess the argument would be that you don't know for sure whether your diet does provide all the nutrients your body needs, so supplements could be used to fill in any gaps. The assumption being that your body will just dispose of any excess safely.

Or, in my case, I am 100% certain that my diet is missing many nutrients as I rarely eat fruits or vegetables. I take various supplements and so far things seems to be okay (based on yearly physical and blood work).

Re: Omega-3s: Are “Brain-Boosting” Effects Scientifically Backed?

#128

Post by abeppu »

mistercow wrote: post #16

I don’t understand the author’s reading of the literature they cite. They refer to “isolated studies” and then link to a systematic review of 25 studies. They also linked to the same review twice for both memory and attention, which I assume is a mistake, because the review only supports the claim about memory. But none of these studies are about “brain-boosting”. They’re about preventing or reversing cognitive decli…

> anyone who has looked into the evidence around nootropics can tell you that pretty much nobody wants to study that

There's a class of areas where lots of non-experts are interested, but doing studies large enough to detect modest effect sizes with high confidence is too expensive. Nutrition can do either large survey studies, or small controlled experiments. Exercise researchers often have to work with a small number of untrained participants. I would love a citizen science platform for large studies of low-risk interventions operated like a multi-armed bandit setup. "Oh, you're interested improving working memory? Follow regimen X for 90 days and do this working memory test every week." I feel like the hardest parts are getting participants to adhere to their assigned intervention, and preventing participants with a pre-existing agenda from joining.

Re: Omega-3s: Are “Brain-Boosting” Effects Scientifically Backed?

#129

Post by zackees »

permo-w wrote: post #43
mistercow wrote: post #16

I don’t understand the author’s reading of the literature they cite. They refer to “isolated studies” and then link to a systematic review of 25 studies. They also linked to the same review twice for both memory and attention, which I assume is a mistake, because the review only supports the claim about memory. But none of these studies are about “brain-boosting”. They’re about preventing or reversing cognitive decli…

why is it that no one wants to study the effects of nootropics?

[dead]

Re: Omega-3s: Are “Brain-Boosting” Effects Scientifically Backed?

#130

Post by zackees »

simonh wrote: post #8

So basically once your body has all the nutrients it needs to grow or make the things it needs to make, it makes them. Even more extra stuff it doesn’t need, it doesn’t use. Makes sense. This also appears to apply to the immune system. There’s zero evidence that supplements that are supposed to “boost your immune system” do any such thing. Yes your immune system functions best if you have good nutrition, but that’s i…

[dead]
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