FOODS THAT CAN HELP IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY
Up to 15 percent of all U.S. women of childbearing age are deficient in iron— needed for healthy blood—and zinc which is necessary for immunity. According to medical experts, correcting those deficiencies can also lead to memory improvement.
A two month study at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, tested the effect of supplements on the memories of 34 iron-and zinc- deficient women whose ages ranged from 18 to 40. Eleven other women who had normal levels of both iron and zinc served as a control group. Each subject had a normal memory range and took a vitamin supplement. Some of the subjects who were deficient in iron and zinc took 30 extra milligrams of iron and/or zinc. At the end of eight weeks, the iron and zinc deficient women who had taken one of the supplements had improved their memory test scores by as much as 20 percent. Women who had taken both iron and zinc showed only a slight improvement in memory, while those who took just a common multivitamin experienced no improvement at all. The researchers explain the disparity by pointing out that iron and zinc can interfere with each other’s absorption when they are taken as supplements. There is no such interference when the two are part of a balanced diet.
The best source of both nutrients is red meat, and not eating enough red meat is a typical cause of iron and zinc deficiencies. Iron and zinc can also be found in chicken, fish and beans, but in lesser amounts than in red meat.
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