How to Increase Acetylcholine Levels in the Brain Naturally

When researching nootropics and other brain supplements, many people may wonder how to increase Acetylcholine in the body. Low Acetylcholine levels are linked to poor focus, memory difficulties, anxiety, mental fatigue and a lack of clear thought.

Some research suggests that chronic low levels of Acetylcholine may be linked to dementia and age-related memory loss.

In some cases, increasing Acetylcholine may help improve memory, concentration, and learning. Because of this, many consumers wonder how to increase Acetylcholine through diet and supplements to improve their cognitive function.

Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter in the brain. Its main function is to help create, store, and retrieve memories. It is also involved in other facets of mental performance, such as learning, focus, and alertness.

Acetylcholine has been implicated in Executive Function, which generally describes the set of functions related to behavior control, attention, intelligence, and mental performance.

Raising levels of this brain chemical may improve many of these facets of brain function, as well as contribute to better moods and maintain cognitive abilities as we age.

Acetylcholine Precursors

Cholinergic Supplement

Memory

Brain Health

Cognition

How It Works:

• Supports memory and synaptic plasticity
• Raises acetylcholine levels
• Promotes brain health and focus

Dosage:

Varies Depending on Supplement

Safety:

Varies Depending on Supplement

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What is Acetylcholine?

Acetylcholine is an excitatory neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitter are chemicals that pass messages between special cells of the nervous system, known as neurons.

These neurons can communicate with each by releasing chemical messages that are received at specific receptor sites. Neurotransmitters carry these messages from one neuron to another by moving between the empty spaces between the nerve cells, known as synapses.

There are more than 100 identified neurotransmitters in the human body. Neurotransmitters work in specific parts of the brain and nervous system to cause various effects.

Acetylcholine, which was the very first neurotransmitter ever discovered, works primarily in the parts of the brain associated with memory, learning, and cognitive thinking. This neurotransmitter also helps reduce the decay that occurs in many neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

Acetylcholine works by improving the quality and frequency of the signals passing between neurons, which means the messages are clearer and move faster. Acetylcholine accomplishes this by boosting theta waves, the brain waves responsible for storing and retrieving long-term memories.

When theta waves move slowly, they do a poor job of storing and retrieving memories. Acetylcholine increases theta waves in a way that enhances memory clarity and improves the storage and recall speeds of memories.

How the Body Makes Acetylcholine

The human body creates Acetylcholine from the nutrient Choline, which is found in many common foods that we eat. Acetylcholine is synthesized by adding one enzyme, known as choline acetyltransferase, to two other substances already found in the brain, choline and acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA).

It takes a tremendous amount of choline – up to 500 mg daily – to synthesize an adequate amount of Acetylcholine for clear thinking and other functions.

Unfortunately, research shows that as much as 90% of the North American population is deficient in choline and not getting enough from their daily diet. This is a significant contributing factor for low Acetylcholine levels in the brain. If your diet is deficient in precursors for this neurotransmitter, it may be necessary to use nutritional supplements to make up the deficit.

Having too much Acetylcholine can cause problems too. Symptoms of high Acetylcholine include depression, difficulty concentrating and thinking, mental fatigue and confusion, memory problems, and irritability. Acquiring the right level of Acetylcholine is essential for optimal memory and learning.

How to Increase Acetylcholine With Food

There are several ways to increase Acetylcholine and reap its many benefits. A person can boost Acetylcholine naturally by consuming foods rich in choline, such as:

• Low fat dairy
• Eggs
• Animal liver (Beef, chicken, or turkey)
• Seafood
• Nuts
• Oat bran

In many cases, even eating a diet rich in choline may not raise acetylcholine levels enough to promote memory and learning. In these cases, supplementation may help.

How to Increase Acetylcholine Levels With Supplements

A number of safe, natural dietary supplements can raise Acetylcholine levels in the brain. Nootropic supplements to increase Acetylcholine can benefit healthy people who want to improve their cognitive abilities, especially memory and learning.

Unfortunately, taking Acetylcholine supplements directly would not work because the human digestive tract does not absorb Acetylcholine. In fact, digestion destroys any Acetylcholine molecules it encounters. Even if the digestive tract could absorb Acetylcholine and disperse it into the bloodstream, this chemical does not pass the blood-brain barrier so it would never enter the brain in this form.

This might leave the consumer wondering how to increase Acetylcholine in the brain enough to improve memory and learning if this essential neurotransmitter does not come in a pill. Fortunately, there are several other ways to raise acetylcholine levels.

Choline Supplements Review

If directly supplementing with Acetylcholine is not an option, then you may wonder how to increase Acetylcholine levels with supplements. Choline supplements provide the body with all the choline it needs to make Acetylcholine.

It is possible to buy Choline Bitartrate pills, which are generally the cheapest option sold online. However, Choline Bitartrate has low oral bioavaiability as it is also heavily degraded during the digestion process. This means that not enough will reach the brain to be converted into Acetylcholine and improvements in memory and focus are generally minor.

Citicoline is a highly bio-available form of choline, which means Citicoline delivers Choline in a form the body can absorb easily. There is significant research showing that Citicoline can increase brain Acetylcholine levels following consumption. Citicoline has been linked to improved memory and cognitive performance in human trials.

Alpha GPC is another supplement that can increase Acetylcholine levels to help improve the brain’s learning and memory capabilities. Alpha GPC is a precursor to Acetylcholine, which means the body skips the conversion process by breaking Alpha GPC down directly into Acetylcholine.

In research studies, this supplement resulted in the greatest increase in Acetylcholine levels on a per dosage basis, compared to other choline products.

All of the above mentioned Choline sources are available as health supplements only, and the FDA has not approved Choline as a drug to prevent or treat any conditions.

How to Increase Acetylcholine Levels with Enzyme Inhibitors

Another way to boost Acetylcholine levels is to suppress enzymes that inhibit the neurotransmitter. The human body uses a particular enzyme, acetylcholinesterase, to prevent Acetylcholine levels from going dangerously high.

Unfortunately, acetylcholinesterase can suppress Acetylcholine too much and prevent the brain from getting all the memory and learning benefits from this neurotransmitter.

Fortunately, scientists have learned that certain compounds can suppress acetylcholinesterase in a way that allows Acetylcholine to return to healthy levels. These compounds, known as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, let the body use as much Acetylcholine as it needs for ample memory and learning.

Doctors prescribe the inhibitors Huperzine A and Galantamine (Reminyl ER) to patients with Alzheimer’s disease, which is often characterized by low Acetylcholine levels. It is also possible to combine these supplements with the choline sources listed above for additional benefits.

By adopting some simple dietary changes and using supplements, it is possible to safely increase Acetylcholine levels. This may promote improvements in concentration, learning, mood, nebtal altertness, and memory retention and recall.

If you are interested in how to increase Acetylcholine levels naturally, consider using a supplement stack like Alpha Brain by Onnit Labs, that contains both a choline source (Alpha GPC) and an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (Huperzine A).

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