Teenagers may be able to beef up their mental skills with the help of zinc. According to researchers, adding zinc to the diets of middle schoolers resulted in memory and attention span improvements.
In the study, researchers analyzed over 200 seventh grade boys and girls who drank 4 ounces of fruit juice every weekday for 10 weeks. Students received the juice with either: no added zinc, 10 milligrams of the supplement or 20 milligrams. Attention, perception, memory and reasoning were assessed in each of the students through a series of task tests.
The Results:
Students who received 20 milligrams of zinc answered questions on a visual memory task test 12 percent more accurately and quickly, compared to 6 percent for those in the non-zinc group.
In a word recognition task, students who received 20 milligrams of the mineral increased the number of questions answered correctly by 9 percent, compared to 3 percent by the non-zinc group.
It is unknown exactly why zinc improved performance in the students; however, researchers explain an insufficient supply of the mineral can alter the function of the hippocampus, a part of the brain linked to memory functioning. Also, older children may be at risk for zinc deficiency, especially during their rapid growth spurt in puberty; the stated daily requirement of zinc for teens ranges anywhere from 9-11 milligrams and 8 milligrams for kids ages 9-13.
A word of caution: Too much zinc for too long can lead to severe health problems.
While zinc has been discovered to spike mental performance, help regulate cell growth, help wounds heal and boost the immune system, experts warn parents not to supplement their children with the mineral until after consulting with a pediatrician or family doctor.
Forbes April 4, 2005
I have long been a fan of using zinc therapeutically, such as using zinc lozenges to treat colds.
You do need to be aware, however, that there are some potential concerns with zinc supplementation. If you or your child supplements with nutrients like zinc indiscriminately, serious health damage can occur especially when they lower your copper levels.
Gain a Mental Edge Through Healthier Alternatives
Even though supplements are certainly far safer than most medications, it is my observation that most supplements taken by people who are following my eating plan are unnecessary.
And, in addition to eating a nutritious diet, staying in shape and challenging your mind are good habits to get into to strengthen your mental abilities. You may also be interested in trying the Focus 2-CD set, as it trains your brain to work at higher levels of consciousness and guides the mind to an enhanced attentive and focused state.
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