BDNF supplements are designed to improve cell to cell communication in your brain and as such are excellent cognition enhancers. Our nootropic expert Alex Whybrow examines the best BDNF supplements and has shortlisted his top 5 for you here…
BNDF, or Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor, is a protein that is involved in the function of the central nervous system. It plays a vital role in encouraging the growth of new brain cells – hence the name neurotrophic (“neuro” meaning of the nervous system and “trophic” meaning “to encourage growth”).
It is responsible for far more than just the growth of brain cells though, they also help to maintain and nurture these neurons to keep our brains healthy. The cell-to-cell communication in our brains is crucial for our brain performance like how quickly and clearly we think.
BDNF is also key to increasing brain plasticity, which is the ability of the brain and nervous system to alter its activity in response to external stimuli – in short, it helps us react quicker to circumstances. It also helps to suppress brain inflammation, which can be life threatening, as well as acting as a natural anti-depressant and working to offset the impact of stress in the brain.
In short, BDNF is vital to brain function and health, and it is something that you will need to maintain recommended levels of.
Top BDNF Supplement: NooCube
Can’t wait to read the whole article? Our top BDNF supplement is Noocube. It has a comprehensive profile of ingredients that will not only enhance production of BDNF, but will provide a wide range of cognitive benefits.
It is well priced, has some great bulk buy deals and delivers excellent results consistently in our testing.
What Causes Low BDNF?
Now that we have established how important BDNF is for our brains, let’s take a look at what can cause low levels of BDNF and how we can avoid that.
One of the biggest causes of low BDNF is a lack of sleep. Studies have shown that if we don’t get enough sleep, we don’t produce enough BDNF. A lack of sleep can also lead to a higher chance of getting stressed, which in itself can have a negative impact on BDNF levels. Feeling burnt out can have an enormous impact on how our brain functions too.
The impact of this is so intense that some studies have suggested that if a pregnant mother suffers with stress during pregnancy, the baby could have a lifelong propensity to having low BDNF levels.
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