Life Extension Dopa-Mind Review, Benefits & Side Effects

Dopa-Mind by Life Extension is a dietary supplement designed to promote healthy dopamine levels and to maintain youthful cognitive health.

This supplement contains 800mg of a proprietary brand of wild green oat extract called Neuravena®. This ingredient is purported to support mental acuity and provide longevity benefits.

Dopa-Mind is commonly used to enhance mood, mental clarity, ability to focus and short-term memory. Users who take this product say that it helps them feel sharper, more alert, energized and improves thought patterns.

According to Life Extension, this supplement works by inhibiting the monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) enzyme which is responsible for breaking down dopamine. Levels of this enzyme increase as we age, which can cause age-related decline in dopamine.

Research has demonstrated benefits from using Neuravena® found in the Dopa-Mind supplement, especially in aging adults with below-average cognition. One study demonstrated benefits on mental processing time and speed.

While Dopa-Mind might help individuals diagnosed with low dopamine levels, it may not be appropriate for everyone. Anyone who is being treated for a mood disorder should check with their doctor before taking this supplement.

Dopamine Boosters

Mood Supplements

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Focus

Motivation

How It Works:

• Supports energy & motivation
• Promotes focus & mental clarity
• Improves mood & stress response

Dosage:

Varies depending on supplement

Safety:

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Life Extension Dopa-Mind

A once or twice daily tablet that can be taken with or without food, Life Extension Dopa-Mind contains proprietary ingredients for promoting optimal levels of a neurotransmitter called dopamine.

According to Life Extension, “Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and cognition. But dopamine levels decline as we age, corresponding to a decrease in mental performance.”

Dopa-Mind works as a dopamine booster by inhibiting the enzyme MAO-B, which metabolizes this neurotransmitter once it has been released from neurons.

Dopamine is an excitatory neurotransmitter that plays a role in emotional regulation, attentional control memory, goal-directed behavior, muscle movements and feeling pleasure.

When too little dopamine is available in the brain, people may experience a wide range physical and psychological symptoms such as:

• Depression
• Inability to make decisions or complete tasks
• Poor focus or concentration
• “Foggy” thinking
• Muscle weakness
• Lack of energy/motivation
• Cravings for foods high in sugar and carbohydrates
• Anhedonia/apathy (inability to feel satisfaction or pleasure)

A variety of factors may contribute to dopamine levels falling in the brain, including stress, aging, lack of sleep, poor diet choices, consuming too much alcohol or caffeine and taking antidepressants. [1]

Life Extension Dopa-Mind may be able to restore normal dopamine levels and relieve signs of deficiency. The standardized wild green oats extract found in this product has been shown to naturally increase dopamine activity in the brain, supporting youthful cognitive performance.

Dopa-Mind Benefits

Dopa-Mind promotes normal brain function in older adults by supporting measures of cognitive health and regulating dopamine levels in the brain.

According to the manufacturer, “The wild green oat extract in Dopa-Mind™ has been shown to promote more youthful cognitive performance in those where it is showing signs of waning, help maintain cognitive function in those whose minds are still healthy, and may support longevity.”

In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, use of the wild green oat extract found in Dopa-Mind was shown to improve performance on a standard test of mental acuity in elderly individuals.

Studies have also found it can support cerebral vasodilator function and endothelial function in the brain. This may contribute to healthier blood flow to brain cells, which can promote wide-ranging benefits related to neuronal function and health.

The mechanism of action for Dopa-Mind is to reduce monoamine oxidase-B enzyme levels, which increases the amount of dopamine in the synaptic cleft that can bind to neuroreceptors.

MAO-B and MAO-A are two enzymes that preferentially degrade the neurotransmitter dopamine when it gets released from neurons in the brain. MAO-B drugs have been used to treat Parkinson’s disease, which occurs due to a lack of dopamine in the brain.

When this enzyme is inhibited, more dopamine is available to stimulate dopamine receptors and to facilitate normal neurotransmission.

Research has shown that development of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease are associated with increased MAO-B levels in the brain. MAO-B amounts in the brain also rise as we age and may play roles in cognitive decline attributed to aging. Heart problems related to chronic stress could also be promoted by too much MAO-B in the brain. [2]

MAO-B is a chemical encoded by MAOB genes that appears to have a role in creating reactive oxygen species (ROS), or molecules that damage brain cells. As harmful metabolic products excreted by cells, reactive oxygen species exert oxidative (oxygen) stress on the human body, especially amino acids and DNA.

Reactive oxygen species may also play a role in causing congestive heart failure, hypertension, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders.

Wild Green Oats Extract Review

The active ingredient in Life Extension Dopa-Mind responsible for reducing MAO-B is wild green oats extract. This herbal extract contains bioactive constutients including avenanthramides, saponins, phytoalexin and the flavonoid compounds vitexin and isovitexin.

This supplement contains 800 mg of Neuravena® Wild Green Oat extract (aerial part) with standardized concentrations of isovitexin. Each serving also contains 100mg of calcium carbonate.

In studies with wild green oat extract, doses of 2500 mg significantly improved left frontotemporal activity in the brain while subjects worked on tasks involving focus and concentration.

Wild green oats further increased theta brain activity a clear indication to neurologists that a condition of cognitive alertness exists in subjects who engaged in mental tasks.

Isovitexin is a flavone providing general health benefits by supporting cell signaling pathways and enhancing immune system functioning. All flavones have antioxidant properties that can reduce reactive oxygen species levels and harmful oxidation processes increasing in the body as we age.

Although researchers aren’t certain how wild green oats work to improve mental functioning, they do know that wild green oat extract (WGOE) inhibits the negative effects of MAO-B and another enzyme called PDE4.

Phosphodiesterase-4 exerts detrimental effects on cerebral blood vessels by causing vessels to constrict and reduce blood flow.

Finally, bioactive compounds (avenanthramides) found only in oats support production of nitric oxide and suppression of inflammatory cytokines in the smooth muscle cells of arteries.

Nitric oxide reinforces circulatory system health through its vasodilating effects and performs as a chemical messenger among nerve and brain cells.

Maintaining adequate amounts of nitric oxide in the body enhances signaling between neurons, resulting in an improvement in mental alertness and focus. [3]

Neuravena®

Extracted from a particular strain of green oats called Avena sativa L., the manufacturers of Neuravena^® state that this ingredient “clinically proven safe and effective.”

They state that five clinical studies confirm that this ingredient has benefits for cognitive function. Neuravena^®‘s website provides links to several clinical studies reporting the benefits of this wild green oat extract:

• • Enhancing blood flow
  • Stimulation of the left frontotemporal brain region

Supporting optimal dopamine levels

• Improvement of working memory
• Improved alertness and concentration
• Overall mental performance

Dopa-Mind Side Effects

According to the manufacturer, no serious side effects have been reported regarding the use of Life Extension Dopa-Mind when taken as instructed.

The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates oats as Likely Safe when taken in appropriate amounts. A small number of users report experiencing stomach upset, pain and muscle weakness, hot flashes, and increased frequency of nightmares when using this product.

In rare cases, people with a sensitivity or allergy to oats could experience symptoms of a food allergy, such as hives, swelling of the face and difficulty breathing.

This supplement may interact with medications that influence dopamine activity in the brain. Do not take it with MAOI medications or other drugs used to treat mood disorders.

There is a concern about possible side effects occurring when dopamine levels are elevated over long periods of time. Do not take this supplement for extended durations without first consulting with a doctor.

Dopa-Mind is a vegetarian supplement certified as containing non-GMO ingredients. [4] It is manufactured by Life Extension, which has an excellent quality reputation and manufactures their products in FDA-registered cGMP compliant facilities.

Warnings found on Dopa-Mind’s website include not exceeding recommended dosage, keeping the supplement away from children and consulting with a doctor before taking Dopa-Mind if you are pregnant or undergoing medical treatment for a disorder or disease.

Dopa-Mind Reviews

Reviews of Life Extension Dopa-Mind are generally favorable. A number of users noted that using Dopa-Mind has:

• Given them greater mental clarity
• Helped them focus on tasks to complete them correctly
• Reduced cravings for sugary foods
• Increased short-term memory and mental sharpness
• Improved organization of thoughts
• Improved mood and energy levels
• Reduced anxiety
• Decreased appetite and stopped food cravings

Not everyone experiences benefits from taking this product. While the majority of reviews are positive, there are a number of users who say the supplement did not cause any noticeable changes in brain function or mental performance.

Efficacy of this product may depend on dopamine status in the brain. Users who are not experiencing low dopamine activity may not experience positive effects when taking this supplement.

Dopa-Mind vs. L-Dopa

Do not confuse Life Extension Dopa-Mind supplements with L-Dopa, a synthetic drug that acts as the precursor to dopamine in the brain.

L-Dopa is used to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (trembling, slow movements and muscle rigidity), increase production of human growth hormone and relieve restless leg syndrome.

People taking L-Dopa usually experience a variety of side effects, such as nausea, hair loss, moodiness, insomnia and sleeping excessively. Long-term use of L-Dopa can also cause toxicity. [6]

Conclusions

The belief that brain cells (neurons) die as we age has been debunked and replaced by research indicating the brain begins shrinking once we reach our 30s.

Since neurons have numerous extensions called dendrites and axons that spread out through the brain’s white matter and reach other neurons for the purpose of signaling, a smaller brain means less white matter.

In addition to other structural changes to the brain, older people do not have the white matter capable of supporting as many dendrites and axons they once had as younger adults. Deterioration of white matter primarily occurs in the brain’s frontal lobe which is responsible for recalling and processing information.

Life Extension Dopa-Mind with wild green oats can support brain function in aging adults and improve the ability of existing neurons to communicate with each other for enhanced alertness, memory and focus.

Several risk factors may increase a person’s susceptibility to Alzheimer’s, including depression and chronic stress. Circulatory problems behind hypertension, stroke and heart disease are also factors promoting development of dementia.

Life Extension Dopa-Mind may alleviate symptoms of stress and depression while supporting cardiovascular health blood flow to the brain. [5]

Before taking this supplement to support longevity and mental clarity, it is recommended to check with your doctor to determine whether this product is appropriate for your needs.

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