Personalized cognitive improvement by dietary supplements

Several recent clinical studies have demonstrated a positive effect of turmeric/curcumin on a variety of medical conditions. Curcumin supplementation improved artery endothelial function and reduced oxidative stress, which is associated with cardiovascular disease, in healthy middle-aged and older adults.5 Curcumin also demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity by significant reduction of serum atherosclerotic low-density lipoprotein levels in patients with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).6 Curcuminoids significantly prevented the development of diabetes in a prediabetic group,7 and markedly increased anti-oxidant activity in the blood of patients with type II diabetes.8 Curcumin significantly reduced neuropathic pain,9 significantly decreased pain in aged patients with knee osteoarthritis,10 and decreased pain and prevented muscle injury after running.11,12 Supplementation of curcuminoids to standard antidepressants showed a significant reduction of anxiety and depression in patients with major depressive disorder.13 Moreover, curcumin extracts significantly improved depressive symptoms and demonstrated anxiolytic effects in patients with atypical depression.14 The positive effects on cognition was confirmed in several clinical trials. A randomized, placebo-controlled, doubleblind study demonstrated that curcumin prevented cognitive decline in older adults.15 Another study showed significant improvement of sustained attention, working memory tasks, and mood after curcumin treatment.16 Moreover, recent studies with mouse models of Alzheimer disease found that curcumin ameliorates cognitive decline and improves synaptic functions. Ongoing studies of the effect of curcumin on Alzheimer disease patients are currently being assessed.17 On the molecular level, curcumin inhibits the formation and promotes the disaggregation of amyloid-β plaques, attenuates the hyperphosphorylation of tau and enhances its clearance, binds copper, lowers cholesterol, modifies microglial activity, inhibits acetylcholinesterase, mediates the insulin signaling pathway, and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.18 Green tea extract