Brain Fuel

Chlorella is a microalgae providing what’s called the Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF) — an extract composed of amino acids, peptides, proteins, vitamins, sugars, and nucleic acids. Studies have shown that chlorella has potent anti-inflammatory properties. It also reduces levels of oxidative stress and increases markers of antioxidant activity. It is proven to significantly decrease fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids. Additionally, it enhances immune function and helps detoxify the body by enhancing the excretion of toxicants, including heavy metals. It’s an all-around amazing superfood for cardiovascular health, detoxification, and metabolic health.

MCT (MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES) As the name suggests, Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) oil contains medium-length chains of fats called triglycerides. Due to their shorter length, MCTs are more easily digested than longer-chain fatty acids found in many other foods. 

The body absorbs MCTs more rapidly than long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which contain more carbons in their fatty acid chains. Due to their shorter chain length, MCTs travel more quickly from the gut to the liver and do not require bile to break down like longer-chain fats do In the liver, the fats are broken down to be either used as fuel or stored as body fat. Since MCTs easily enter your cells without being broken down, they can be used as an immediate source of energy. MCT has therefore the potential to be an excellent source of energy. 

When you’re on a ketogenic diet, MCTs can also be converted into ketones in the liver. These ketones can pass through your blood-brain barrier, making them a source of energy for your brain cells. 

CITRUS BIOFLAVONOIDS 

Hesperidin is the primary bioactive compound in orange peels, alongside naringenin. They are powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecules, capable of protecting against several degenerative diseases and particularly brain diseases. These effects are mediated, in part, by their ability to prevent mitochondrial dysfunction, to boost NAD+ and to combat oxidative stress. 

D-RIBOSE is a special type of sugar that is required to create energy and DNA. Some evidence suggests that D-ribose can help boost energy and physical function in situations where energy levels are reduced, such as people who have suffered from heart disease or stroke, or people engaging in regular intense exercise.  D-ribose has been shown to dramatically improve energy levels in people with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome by over 30%.

Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR) is a unique form of L-Carnitine that has  incredible brain- and body-boosting properties. 

Most importantly, it is one of the most evidence-backed anti-aging, and mitochondrial boosting (cellular energy-enhancing) compounds ever discovered. 

ALCAR has been proven to: 

• Reduce depression with a potency comparable to antidepressant drugs (with far less side effects) 

• Protect and repair neurons from damage (like that caused by diabetes) 
• Improve insulin sensitivity 
• Improve cardiovascular health 
• Combat the side effects of aging, like neurological decline and chronic fatigue  
• Increase mitochondrial function by increasing their ability to produce energy. 

Creatine is among the most well-researched, safe, and effective supplements for performance enhancement, especially activities involving short bursts of high-intensity activity, but also even endurance exercise (cardio) to some extent. It is proven to improve strength, increase lean muscle mass, and help the muscles recover more quickly during exercise.  Much less known by most people is that creatine also been shown to have neuroprotective and cardioprotective benefits and to improve brain function. In addition, it has been shown to increase both physical and mental energy in people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Creatine has also been shown to improve mitochondrial function. 

Cordyceps is a medicinal mushroom traditionally used in the east for thousands of years. It grows on the bodies of caterpillars but is now more typically farmed (no caterpillars necessary). Cordyceps is perhaps the most prized energy booster within Eastern medicine traditions. So it has long been known as an energizer and fatigue fighter, and importantly, modern research backs these traditional claims up. 

Cordyceps has been proven to: 

• Exert anti-aging effects at the cellular level  

• Combat several types of cancer  
• Boost immune function  
• Fight inflammation  
• Combat insulin resistance and type II diabetes  
• Dramatically increase cellular energy production and improve exercise performance (click here for references) 

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is a bioactive mushroom that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for a variety of ailments, earning it the nickname “mushroom of immortality.” One of its principal uses is as an immunomodulator that enhances immune function against viral and bacterial infections. 

In particular, the polysaccharides within Reishi have been shown to 

• Improve natural killer cell activity 

• Improve communication (antigen presentation) within the immune system 
• Increase lymphocyte counts and lymphocyte function 
• Enhance the phagocyte system responsible for engulfing and destroying pathogens 
• Suppress the inflammatory TNF-α 
• Improve T-helper cell activity

Quercetin is the most abundant dietary flavonoid. It's been linked to improved exercise performance and reduced inflammation, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. Plus, it may have brain-protective, anti-allergy, and anticancer properties. It is also involved in helping the mitochondria to regenerate NAD+ — a key molecule that supports mitochondrial health and energy production.

Increasing energy levels (decreasing fatigue) 
Boosting mitochondrial health/function  
Mood optimization 
Improving immune function  
Improving immune function  
Anti-cancer effects  
Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects  
Increased resistance to stress  
Improving brain function and cognition . 

One study in 52 people showed that a ginseng extract caused highly significant reductions in fatigue severity.

• Stabilizes mood 

• Reduces anxiety and depression 
• Improves cognitive performance 
• Reduces feelings of exhaustion, irritability, and burnout 
• Increases resilience (resistance to stress) 
• Functions as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory 

• Fast-acting 

N-acetyl cysteine is a special variant of the sulfur-rich amino acid cysteine. 
It is actually a commonly used medicine in conventional medicine, in the context of acetaminophen (Tylenol) toxicity – which is a commonly used drug that is also highly toxic to the liver (and depletes one of the body’s most important compounds for detoxification and antioxidant protection – glutathione).  

• Its antioxidant effects protect DNA 
• It supports liver health and detoxification 
• Treating COPD and other respiratory symptoms 
• It boosts brain function and improves mental health 

• Improves skin health 
• It improves mood (combats depression, and bipolar disorder) 
• Reduces fatigue after exercise 
• It dramatically improves mitochondrial function (and protect the mitochondria from damage) 

ALPHA GPC 

• Protects neurons in the brain and supports neurotransmission 
• Increases dopamine and serotonin signaling in the brain 

• Decreases risk of vascular dementia 
• More effective than Alzheimer drug (Aricept) at improving cognition 

The choline supplied by alpha-GPC plays a critical role in neuronal plasticity, membrane stability, signaling events, and neurotransmission. Choline is, without a doubt, neuroprotective, and a low brain concentration is one of the primary causes of vascular dementia (loss of memory and ability to think).  As of 2007, alpha-GPC has been investigated in 14 clinical trials enrolling individuals with neurodegenerative disorders, vascular dementia, or stroke, and the results have been very positive. For example, compared to drug therapy for Alzheimer’s disease (the cholinesterase inhibitor called donepezil or Aricept), alpha-GPC was more effective at improving cognition over 6 months. 

WILD BLUEBERRIES 

Blueberries are a rich source of anthocyanins and pterostilbene (phytochemicals), and have been shown to increase the activity of nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neuropeptides that help neurons grow, branch toward each other, and thus communicate better. 

Blueberries and their constituent phytochemicals are also protective against the development of cancer, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, bone loss, poor immune function, fatty liver, vision loss, and chronic inflammation. 

• Reduces anxiety and depression 
• Helps improve memory, concentration, and overall cognitive function 
• Promotes nerve growth and regeneration in the brain 
• Reduces inflammation 

• Stabilizes mood 
• Restores key neurotransmitters 

Magnesium is an essential dietary mineral, and the second most prevalent electrolyte in the human body. Magnesium deficiencies are common in developed countries because prominent sources of magnesium, like leafy vegetables, are not often eaten. 

A deficiency increases blood pressure, reduces glucose tolerance, and causes abnormal neural excitations that impair sleep.  It’s also a critical cofactor for mitochondrial energy production.​ 

Two types of magnesium — malate and citrate — which provide other cofactors for mitochondrial energy production as well.

Niacinamide and Niacin are NAD boosters. NAD+ has received a ton of attention in the last few years as possibly one of the most important compounds for anti-aging, disease prevention, prevention of DNA damage, and longevity. It also happens to be one of the most important compounds in regulating mitochondrial energy production. 

Several studies have now found that boosting levels of NAD+ can have profound anti-aging effects, and can even “make old rats young again” (to steal some of the media headlines).  
This is where vitamin B3 (and versions of it, like niacin, niacinamide, nicotinamide riboside and nicotinamide mononucleotide) come in… They boost levels of NAD+.  

A very powerful compound for mitochondrial regeneration: Phosphatidyl Serine is one of the compounds necessary to repair and regenerate damaged cell membranes of mitochondria. 

Phosphatidyl is one of the components that are able to regenerate dysfunctional mitochondria, increase energy production, and enhance the energy levels of those using it. 

Numerous studies have shown that supplementing phospholipids help reduce fatigue by up to 20 to almost 45 percent among those with chronic fatigue syndrome or conditions associated with fatigue, like general aging, obesity, Lyme disease, and PTSD.

In BRAIN FUEL we use a compound of fulvic and humic acid. Shilajit is a mixture of minerals used traditionally in Ayurveda, with the main bioactives being fulvic and humic acids. It’s believed to help transport other nutrients in the body, facilitate energy production within mitochondria, and supports the body’s detoxification processes. Clinical trials have shown that fulvic and humic acid supplementation can: 

• Improve mitochondrial health and decrease fatigue (increases energy levels). 
• Increase total and free testosterone levels in men. 
• Improve sperm parameters. 
• Binds and detoxifies heavy metals and other pollutants. 

• Supports gut health. 
  Improves immune function. 
• Reduce oxidative stress. 
• Improves skin health. 
• Improves brain health. 
• Favorably alter gene expression in skeletal muscle for improved neuromuscular signaling and regeneration (faster recovery from workouts). 

• Enhance absorption of other compounds it is paired with.  

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a mitochondrial compound involved in energy metabolism and the antioxidant system. It provides a short but potent reduction of oxidation by increasing antioxidant enzymes, which protects against a variety of inflammatory and oxidative diseases like neurodegeneration. 

ALA accumulates in various brain regions as soon as an hour after ingestion, and it has been shown to protect against neuronal cell death.  

ALA (especially R-ALA) is one of the most powerful evidence-backed compounds for mitochondrial repair and optimization as well as it is a precursor of glutathione (one of the strongest anti-oxidants). (click here for references) 

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a molecule found in mitochondria that has a critical role in energy production. 

Several diseases and low-energy conditions are associated with low CoQ10 levels, including people who have fibromyalgia, have survived heart attacks or heart failure, have multiple sclerosis, are infertile, or suffer migraines.  

Generally speaking, CoQ10 will enhance blood flow, protect blood vessels, lower oxidative stress, and boost vitality in anyone who suffers from fatigue, but especially those people with the aforementioned conditions. 

Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is one of the most powerful promoters of mitochondrial biogenesis ever discovered. Mitochondrial biogenesis is the process of your cells literally building more new mitochondria — cellular energy generators — from scratch. Since the loss of mitochondria is one of the key drivers of fatigue (especially aging-associated fatigue), stimulating mitochondrial biogenesis is absolutely critical. And few things do it better than PQQ! 

Interesting fact: PQQ is a growth factor in the human body, and our cells manufacture about 100-400 nanograms each day. But most importantly, it’s a powerful booster of mitochondrial growth and stimulator of mitochondrial renewal. 

Studies have shown that PQQ can help with: 

Decreasing systemic inflammation 
Improving sleep  
Improving brain function 
Speeding up metabolism, decreasing insulin resistance and increasing weight loss 
Improving immune function 
Improving mitochondrial health and stimulating mitochondrial biogenesis (click here for references)