Boost Your Blood Flow for a Sharper Memory

If you’re finding yourself wondering why you entered a room, where your car keys are, or what you needed from the store more often than ever before, you may be tempted to chalk it up to a normal part of aging.

Alternatively, you might worry that this is a sign of early cognitive decline.

Rest assured, it’s a normal part of aging — but there are some things that you can do to be proactive and to keep your mind in tip-top shape. Many of them actually revolve around improving blood flow and circulation in your brain.

In this article, we’ll review:

• How aging affects blood flow and the role of blood flow in brain function and memory,
• How exercise may help reduce memory loss,
• The role of nitric oxide in improving brain blood flow,
• And how Juvenon’s BloodFlow-7 supplement may help to naturally boost nitric oxide production.

Circulation, aging, and memory

Your blood is what delivers oxygen to your tissues, as well as a delivery method for nutrients, hormones, enzymes, and more. Good circulation ensures that your blood is able to deliver oxygen and other vital materials to every corner of your body — including your brain.

Unfortunately, aging does tend to naturally impede blood flow over time, and unfortunately it can be further impeded by high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (plaque buildup within arteries), and heart problems.^[1]

This diminished blood flow can affect how much oxygen is getting to your brain, which unfortunately may also lead to memory loss or forgetfulness.

Exercise and blood flow

Exercise is one important factor that can preserve or even help improve blood flow. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, everyone — regardless of age — should strive for 150-300 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. In addition, it’s also important to include at least 2 resistance training sessions.^[2]

Additionally, several studies have found that exercise can improve memory and brain function — particularly in older adults. Researchers even theorize that gardening may offer similar effects.^{[3, 4, 5]}

These studies highlight the importance of engaging in regular physical activity, even if it’s not traditional “exercise” (like gardening). It’s important to find a way to move your body that you enjoy, not just for the physical benefits but also for the mental benefits.

The role of nitric oxide in memory

Another important factor to consider when it comes to blood flow and memory is nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a gas produced by your cells that promotes vasodilation, or a relaxing of the blood vessels that allows for increased blood flow.^[6]

Nitric oxide also plays a role in memory. One way is that it helps promote blood flow in and to the brain, which is necessary for proper brain functioning.

Animal research has shown that exercise may potentially improve memory through increasing circulating nitric oxide levels, which increase blood flow.^[7]

Nitric oxide is also a neurotransmitter, or a chemical messenger for the brain and central nervous system, that plays a key role in memory formation.^[8]

This evidence suggests that increasing nitric oxide levels in the body may help to improve memory.

BloodFlow-7

One convenient way to help support your body’s natural nitric oxide production is by taking Juvenon’s BloodFlow-7, a supplement made with potent natural ingredients that may help your body create more nitric oxide, use nitric oxide more effectively, or preserve its existing nitric oxide.

Here’s a bit more about each of the ingredients in BloodFlow-7, and how each may help promote or protect your nitric oxide.

Nitric Oxide Precursor Blend

BloodFlow-7’s Nitric Oxide Precursor Blend consists of three powerful compounds that your body can use to create more nitric oxide. Research has also shown that all three of these compounds may play a role in memory and brain function, as well.

Here’s what you’ll find in the Nitric Oxide Precursor Blend.

Citrulline

Citrulline is an amino acid, one of the compounds your body uses to make new proteins. It plays a key role in nitric oxide synthesis, because it can be converted into the amino acid arginine in your body, which is a precursor for nitric oxide.

Animal studies have shown that supplementing with citrulline does indeed help to reverse arginine deficiency and boost nitric oxide production, and one even showed that citrulline supplementation helped to improve “memory deficits.”^{[9, 10]}

Arginine

Unlike citrulline, arginine’s precursor, arginine is directly involved in nitric oxide synthesis. An enzyme called nitric oxide synthase acts directly on arginine to oxidize it (or break it down) into nitric oxide and citrulline.

Animal research has noted the benefits of arginine for memory, and a human study has noted that arginine levels in the brain appear to be lower in people with cognitive deficits or other brain-related health issues. This suggests that arginine supplementation may offer a potential solution or partial solution.^{[11, 12]}

Research also shows that low levels of arginine may inhibit nitric oxide production, and that arginine supplementation may help promote higher levels of nitric oxide.^{[13, 14]}

Glutathione

Glutathione is a potent antioxidant. As such, it protects the cells from oxidation (damage) caused by free radicals) — hence the name antioxidant.

However, glutathione also plays a key role in nitric oxide production. It is a precursor to nitric oxide synthase, the enzyme that the body utilizes to break down arginine into nitric oxide and citrulline.^[15]

For this reason, the inclusion of glutathione in BloodFlow-7 offers a two-pronged benefit:

• First, it protects the cells and your existing nitric oxide from being broken down by free radicals, and
• It promotes increased nitric oxide production by potentially helping to increase levels of nitric oxide synthase in the body.

Additionally, some evidence suggests that low glutathione levels may be linked to memory loss — as researchers have noted that animals with brain or memory impairments have lower levels of glutathione because their bodies create more of the hormone glutathione reductase, which breaks down glutathione.^[16]

Beet root extract

In addition, BloodFlow-7 also contains beet root extract. Yes, from the purple-hued, love-it-or-hate-it vegetable! Fortunately for you if you don’t like the taste of beets, BloodFlow-7 provides all of the benefits of beets in easy-to-take, tasteless capsules.

Beets are a natural source of nitrogen-based compounds called nitrites. These nitrites can be utilized by the body to create nitric oxide, which is also nitrogen-based.

Beet root extract is a popular supplement for athletes thanks to its effects on nitric oxide, which allow for increased blood flow and oxygen delivery to the tissues — improving athletic performance.

As a rich source of nitrites, beet root may help to increase nitric oxide levels through a biochemical pathway called the nitrite-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway — which includes a number of reactions that converted dietary nitrites (nitrites that you eat or consume through supplements) into nitric oxide that your body can use.^[17]

Additionally, some animal studies have linked beet root extract to improved memory. This is thought to be due to the antioxidant effects of certain compounds in beet root. Therefore, beet may have a dual purpose related to memory and blood flow — both increasing nitric oxide levels and protecting neural (brain) cells from oxidative damage.^{[18, 19]}

Trans-resveratrol

Found in dark chocolate and red wine, this antioxidant helps protect NO from breakdown by free radicals. It also provides protective effects to brain cells, and may help to prevent or reverse memory loss — according to several studies.^{[20, 21, 22]}

However, trans-resveratrol may also directly help to increase nitric oxide levels. It helps to increase levels of and activate nitric oxide synthase (the enzyme that breaks down arginine into nitric oxide), as well as prevent nitric oxide synthase from being broken down. This allows for higher circulating levels of nitric oxide synthase, which may increase circulating nitric oxide levels as well.^[23]

S7 Blend

The S7 Blend is a potent blend of seven whole-food sources of plant-based antioxidants. It is included in BloodFlow-7 to help protect against oxidative damage caused by free radicals, which may inhibit nitric oxide.

The S7 Blend includes:

• Green coffee bean extract: Green coffee contains polyphenols (plant chemicals) that may help NO to be more effective, and according to some early animal research the extract may also help to alleviate cognitive

  decline.^{[24, 25]}

• Green tea leaf extract: Green tea may offer some benefits for memory and focus, likely due to the combination of polyphenols it contains. ^[26]

• Turmeric root extract: Turmeric contains the powerful antioxidant compound curcumin, which some studies show may help to protect against memory loss or cognitive decline.^[27]
• Tart cherry: Tart cherry is often taken as a supplement on its own to help improve circulation, and one small study in older adults showed that daily supplementation with tart cherry improved memory, attention, and learning. 

  ^[28]

• Blueberry: Blueberries are rich in anthocyanin antioxidants, and a handful of studies have shown that regular blueberry consumption may improve short and long term memory, as well as spatial memory.^[29]

• Broccoli: Broccoli is rich in antioxidants like quercetin and sulforaphane, which may offer protective effects in the brain.^{[30, 31, 32]}
• Kale: Kale is a close relative of broccoli, and may provide similar effects thanks to the antioxidants it contains.

Takeaway

Blood flow may be key for helping to retain a sharp memory well into your senior years, and there are some key strategies that you can use to help promote healthy blood flow. The first is to exercise regularly, which is associated with increased nitric oxide production and memory improvements — along with overall better health.

The next is to make BloodFlow-7 a part of your daily routine. Its powerful ingredients can help your body to make more nitric oxide and use it more efficiently, which can provide numerous physical and mental benefits.

References:

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