Nutritionists have long proclaimed the benefits of a diet rich in seafood. Fish contains no saturated fat or carbohydrates and is a good source of protein, minerals, and vitamins. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils help lower cardiovascular risk. Fish and shellfish also are among the best sources of iodine, which are vital for healthy thyroid and brain function. But it's another lesser-known compound in fish that is increasingly favored by medical practitioners for its role in boosting brain power. This compound is known as dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE).
WHAT IS DMAE?
DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol) is an organic amino acid compound that is naturally produced in the brain. DMAE boosts the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (a chemical that helps nerve cells transmit signals).
DMAE supplements are promoted to boost brainpower, improve memory, and slow aging. The idea that DMAE can improve memory stems from research suggesting it may increase levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is believed to play an important role in learning and memory.
KEY BENEFITS
● Memory and Cognition Enhancement
According to the National Library of Medicine, with a clinical trial of 60 patients with mild mental disorders, DMAE improved cognition, strength, and energy levels. As well as special formulation, DMAE pyroglutamate (1,500 mg/day for 6 days), reversed short-term cognitive impairment in 24 healthy men. Tests on rats revealed the same.
DMAE is also said to enhance stimulation of glucose uptake, oxygen consumption and energy metabolism in the brain.
● Boost Athletic Performance and Weight Loss
DMAE also increases the brain’s blood flow, which improves oxygen and glucose uptake in the brain responsible for increases in energy metabolism, meaning there is more energy to fuel cognitive activities. Athletes say that this supplement helps them get focused for their workouts, practices, and games by giving them improved mental tolerance and stamina. One study found significant increases in athletic performance during exercise when DMAE was taken in combination with other vitamins, minerals, and trace elements.
● Anti-Aging Skin Care
One of DMAE’S biggest claims to fame is its ability to reduce the appearance of wrinkles; combat the dark circles under your eyes; improve nasolabial folds, and decrease sagging skin (primarily around your neck). Science seems to back up some of these claims with emerging evidence.
According to a study listed on the National Library of Medicine, facial gel with 3% DMAE (applied for 4 months) reduced the signs of skin aging in a clinical trial of 156 participants. Those who used the gel reported an improvement in: forehead and eye area coarse wrinkles, lip shape and fullness, dark circles around the eyes, neck firmness, and overall skin youthfulness.
IN SUMMARY
DMAE is a naturally occurring nutritional substance with powerful anti-inflammatory properties; it is found in fish including wild Alaskan salmon, anchovies and sardines. DMAE is important in the production of neurotransmitters, which are essential in the communication from one nerve to another and between nerves and muscles. Taking DMAE as a supplement will not only improve your cognitive function by improving memory and problem-solving ability, it will help increase skin firmness and muscle tone -- important for anyone on a weight loss or anti-aging program