PORT CHAROLETTE, Fla.—A formulation with blueberry, green tea, catechin, carnosine and vitamin D3, increased memory retention in elderly animals in a recent study headed by Cyndy Sanberg, Ph.D., University of South Florida neurobiologist and researcher. The formula, named NT-020, is a component of Enzymedica’s MemoryCell supplement.
In a press release from Enzymedica, the company noted NT-020 produced 32-percent increase in memory retention in a Morris Water Maze task of spatial memory. The study subjects were elderly animals because of memory impairment associated with aging. In a harmless swimming task, animals in a pool swim to a platform which is the target. After reaching this target, they are removed from the water. Visual clues such as pictures and shapes are placed on the walls of the swimming pool room, and remain constant, allowing the animals to memorize them in order to locate the platform faster the subsequent time.
“Results demonstrated those elderly animals given the antioxidant rich NT-020 for 30 days had increased memory by 32 percent as compared to the elderly control animals that did not receive the formulation,” cited Sanberg in the press release. “In addition, NT-020 has potent antioxidant properties to help protect the brain cells from oxidation.”
Enzymedica’s MemoryCell formula blends NT-020 with customized Enzymedica enzymes, including reduced glutathione, alpha lipoic acid, SOD and six additional enzymes to improve absorption and efficacy of the botanical ingredients.
Since memory loss is a primary concern, scientific efforts have focused on therapies derived from natural compounds that are high in polyphenolic content such as green tea, to help maintain a healthy brain. Other promising high antioxidant ingredients include resveratrol, blueberries, grapes, spinach and strawberries.
Antioxidants help to slow the oxidative process that comes with age. Produced by free radicals, cellular oxidative damage is like the brown discoloration that appears on fruit and vegetables left exposed to air.