How Do Nutrients Boost IQ?
But how exactly do nutrients increase IQ scores? Wendy Snowden, a researcher from Reading University’s psychology department, decided to investigate. Once again, schoolchildren were given supplements or a placebo.’ The supplemented children showed significant increases in nonverbal IQ scores, but not verbal IQ scores, after ten weeks. A close analysis of performances in the IQ tests showed the same error rate but the children were able to work faster and attempt more questions after the ten weeks of supplementation.
For the verbal IQ test all children completed all questions so there was no room for improvement in work rate. This suggests that the effect of the vitamin and mineral supplements is to increase the speed of processing, which is clearly a significant factor in IQ and presumably in intelligence, as well as attention span. In other words, you think faster and can concentrate for longer.
Brain Fats
Eating the right essential brain fats speeds up thinking processes in the brain. While these earlier studies didn’t supplement omega-3 fats, there’s plenty of evidence that they should have. The levels of omega-3 fats at birth, especially DHA, which is the ‘brain building’ fat, predict intellectual development later in life.” Children with optimal intakes of omega-3s have the minimum risk of behavioural and learning problems later in life.
An ideal intake of DHA a day is in the order of 250 to 500mg, or double if you have a related mental health problem. This is equivalent to eating 100g of fish, preferably salmon, mackerel, tuna or herring, three or four times a week. Alternatively, you can take a supplement of fish oils containing DHA. A good quality cod liver oil supplement can provide up to 200mg.
The best source of all, at least for babies, is breast milk. Breast milk is naturally rich in DHA, and especially so if the mother eats fish or flax seeds. Breast-fed babies not only have higher IQs ten years down the track,’ and better results in examinations, they also have fewer mental health problems.’
Balancing Blood Sugar
Keeping an even blood sugar level is critical to intelligence because this affects your ability to concentrate over long periods of time more than anything else. Blood sugar dips not only lower intelligence and concentration, they can also increase aggressive behaviour.” Eating ’slow- releasing’ carbohydrates and ‘grazing, not gorging’ is the best way to avoid blood sugar dips. If, on the other hand, you refuel on the move, going from one sugary snack or drink to another, then your blood sugar level is likely to rise and fall like a roller coaster. So too will your concentration and mood.
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How Do Nutrients Boost IQ?
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