Brain Fitness Awareness: Adventures with Airborne
Being aware of my own brain fitness level can lead to some interesting observations… and occasionally alert me to bizarre brain function quirks, suggest ways to improve my cognitive functions. In the last few months, I discovered an unlikely key: the herbal immunity concoction sold under the name of "Airborne". Here’s the story..
Over last November ’s Thanksgiving holiday, I bravely opted out of the family festivities, and spent the long weekend cleaning out the spare bedroom - at least, it had once been a spare bedroom. Somehow, it had magically converted itself into a space that more resembled a cross between a Goodwill outlet and the old Sanford & Sons salvage yard. It housed mountains of items that never-made-it-onto-eBay, dilapidated boxes and bags of needing-to-be-shredded junkmail…. all covered in dust and paper mites. That meant my dust allergies would be in high gear, which in turn often sets off sinus infections and general lousiness.
So I took precautions. I stocked up on dust masks, Claritin, and Airborne.
(Are you familiar with Airborne? It’s one of those holistic fizzy tablet supplement things that’s supposed to boost your immune system and ward off colds. I don’t know if it works, but it’s inexpensive and tastey, so I use it every so often.)
I guess I did something right, because I didn’t get sick - and the spare bedroom once again holds a useable bed.
But Here’s Where the Brain-Fitness Awareness Comes In!
During the 4-5 days I was cleaning sorting and trashing things, I noticed that I felt *sharper* and my thinking was clearer. My Lumosity scores seemed to be improved. My mood was noticeably better, and the lurking threat of depression I’d been feeling seemed to melt away.
Yes, it required some physical activity, and physical activity helps kick the brain in gear and improve mood…. but it wasn’t all THAT much more physical than my ordinary routines, and it seemed unlikely to be enough of a difference to account for the change.
And it wouldn’t be the anti-histamines, or the dust mask…. which left me with Airborne. Could something in the herbal formula have helped my brain function better?
So I Picked up the Box, and Looked Over the Ingredient List:
Supplement Info: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium, Manganese, Potassium Organic Herbal Extracts: Lonicera, Forsythia, Schizonepeta, Ginger, Chinese Vitex, Isatis Root, Echinacea Amino Acids: Glutamine, Lysine
Nothing jumped out at me - and so I turned to Google, curious to see if there was any reason Airborne might actually have improved my mood/mental state.
Well… ginger is rumored to be a mood enhancer, but I didn’t immediately spot any studies to support that, and there’s no real way of knowing how much is in the product.
But what I found about Zinc was much more interesting. There are a number of studies of adult men and women that link brain function, memory, attention and mood to zinc levels. Studies done with animals seem to reflect similar cognitive problems when zinc levels are reduced. Supplements of zinc sulfate appear to reduce fatique, mood swings and appetite changes. Patients diagnosed with mood disorders often have zinc deficiencies.
If you’re willing and able to sort through the science, a number of relevant studies are mentioned in the Journal of Nutrition’s History of Zinc as Related to Brain Function - but in summary?
The brain needs available zinc for healthy cognitive functions, including memory, attention, perception, and mood.
Ok, so maybe Airborne DID help my Mood and Function?
If I was zinc deficient, it seems possible. 2 Airborne tablets more than meets the minimum daily requirement of zinc, and and I was taking 3-5 of them a day, over that 4-5 day period.
According to online sources, finding the ideal amount of zinc to take is tricky . Requirements seem to vary from person to person, and according to diet, stress levels, and other factors. Since zinc can become toxic in high levels, it’s recommended that adults take in less than 40mgs a day, while the recommended daily minimum is 11mg, which doesn’t leave much room to play with. It’s also recommended that the doses be spread throughout the day - which again fits with the way I was taking the Airborne.
But I’m not recommending Airborne or Zinc Supplements!
The point I’m trying to make isn’t that I was or wasn’t zinc deficient, that Airborne affects the brain, or even to speculate on what sorts of supplements we should or should not be taking.
It’s about Awareness
The awareness of my own mental function helped me to notice a change in my cognitive ability, and then research potential causes for the change.
The change might or might not be coincidence. The change might have been because I was drinking more water, more physically active, or spending more time with my spouse over that weekend. It may have been because getting that mess of a room under control just felt good. It may have been the zinc in the Airborne, a combination of ingredients in Airborne, or a combination of all of the above.
Figuring out exactly which aspects helped the most are probably less important than noting the positive change, and that a combination of the supplements, increased physical activity, social interaction, and a sense of positive accomplishment helped me to function better.
Without that awareness, I wouldn’t even have known to research Airborne’s ingredients, or to track down studies about zinc and the brain, much less that I need to find a decent general supplement that includes zinc.
Even more importantly, I wouldn’t have been able to write this spiffy article! 
So How About You and Your Brain-Fitness Awareness?
Since the brain-fitness craze took off, have you become more aware of your own mental functions? Have you noticed any particular lifestyle factors that seem to help or hinder how clearly you think, how quickly you react, or how well you remember things?
Do you think that just being aware of your cognitive function may help you stay more alert and sharp?
