There's been a lot of discussion over the last decade or two about supplements, vitamins and minerals. While they've been around for many decades, they've only just started to become popular in a massive way. When they first arrived, most of the discussion was about supplements that would make you stronger and improve your performance. Now, the field has opened up and people are staring to take vitamins for the brain - supplements that support mental performance and development.

Vitamins for the brain

There are a number of different vitamins for the brain, but perhaps the most exciting of these are the B vitamins. The B vitamins were originally thought of as one single vitamin, until scientists discovered that there are actually 8 different distinct types of vitamins in what is now called the B complex. Even further research discovered that the vitamins of the B complex are not even that closely related to each other, and are all chemically distinct, yet they all tend to appear in the same types of foods.

B vitamins are found abundantly in animal products, such as meat, liver, poultry and some fish. They can also be found in eggs and dairy products, whole unrefined grains, bananas, avocados, potatoes, lentils, and both nutritional and brewers yeast. Because it is found most commonly and abundantly in animal products, very strict vegetarians and vegans are most likely to have B vitamin deficiencies.

B vitamins: More than just vitamins for the brain

B vitamins are known to greatly assist mental functioning, but they are more than just vitamins for the brain. They are known to be real energy vitamins, as they are known to improve nervous system functioning, to charge your metabolism, to be crucial in the formation of red blood cells and to help maintain healthy muscles and skin. While they are primarily known as vitamins for the brain, b-vitamins are real powerhouses.

Still, it is the mental benefits of B vitamins that are most highly touted. B12 vitamins are especially known as vitamins for your brain. Those who suffer from a B12 deficiency often face serious mental problems, such as memory loss, difficulty sleeping, irritability and sudden shifts in mood. Deficiencies in the rest of the B complex, especially in B6, is known to contribute to similar brain problems.

B6 and B12 pills

It's crucially important that you take enough of these vitamins for the brain. After all, while it would be terrible to develop the worst conditions associated with B deficiencies, it's still bad to live with the minor symptoms. The best thing you can do is ensure that you get a steady supply of the B vitamins. You can ensure that you change your diet to include plenty of high quality animal products if you consumer them, and more whole grains and doses of nutritional yeast if you don't. It's also a good idea to supplement with vitamins for the brain by taking a high quality, naturally produced B complex supplement. If you don't want to take the full complex, you can narrow it down to B6 and B12 pills, though it's probably better to take the whole complex and cover all your bases.