5 Ways to Ruin your Memory without getting Vitamin B12 Deficiency

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If you didn’t know, one of the many symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency is memory loss. So if you’re suddenly experiencing forgetfulness, then you should do is take a blood test for vitamin B12 deficiency.  But aside from “B12 brain fog,” what are some other factors that affect your memory?

Here are five things you shouldn’t do if you’re worried about memory loss, even if your B12 levels are strong.

Go to bed late every night

In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn that 28% of people don’t get enough sleep, and that number is probably higher today. 

More recently, a study whose findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concluded that sleep deprivation is strongly linked with decreased “visual short-term memory.”

Another study published by the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found that children between the ages of 6 and 13 who don’t receive enough “quality” sleep score poorer on memory-related tasks than adolescents who sleep sufficiently and soundly.


Take up smoking

Cigarettes aren’t just bad for your lungs and your heart; according to various scientific studies, smoking cigarettes also contributes to memory loss. 

A few years ago, UCSF conducted a study indicating that smokers are twice as likely to suffer Alzheimer’s disease as are nonsmokers.  

Know what else contributes to memory loss and brain shrinkage?  That’s right- vitamin B12 deficiency.

Can Vitamin B12 Deficiency cause Dementia?


Indulge in alcohol

We already know that alcoholics are susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiency, in addition to numerous other health problems.  And we’ve all heard about the “day after” scenario, when you wake up after a night of alcoholic binging without any memory of what occurred the night before. 

Well, researchers wanted to know if people who drink alcohol suffer from memory loss, even when they’re sober.  In one test published by Alcohol and Alcoholism, researchers noted delayed recognition in participants within a few weeks of alcohol consumption, even when their blood alcohol levels were near zero.

Eat a high fat, low carb diet

If you need another excuse to switch to a low-fat diet, it might help to know that it will make you smarter.  In several studies, test rats that were fed fatty foods saw a 25% decrease in their thinking skills, compared to when they ate a healthy, low-fat diet.  

More surprisingly, a study by Tufts University found that women who ate a low-carb diet scored poorer on memory tests than those who chose to follow the standard American Dietetic Association (ADA) dietary guidelines.

Brainy People are high on B12, according to Brain Health Study


Forgo exercise

In a study focusing on the effect of exercise on the hippocampus, the part of your brain involved in memory, researchers found that following a fitness regimen that included regular exercise is effective for maintaining brain mass, increasing oxygen to the brain, and boosting memory skills.  The results of the study were published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Can Aerobics Cure Alzheimer’s Disease?

Please tell us…

Have you been experiencing recent short-term memory loss? Is so, have you tried getting your vitamin B12 levels tested?  Aside from memory loss, other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, confusion, brain fog, painful tingling in your hands and feet, sore tongue, eye twitching, and more.

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Read more about B12 deficiency and your memory

Brain Fog: 20 Ways to Deal

Brain Fog: 20 Causes and Symptoms

Sources:

Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory

NEXT DAY EFFECTS OF A NORMAL NIGHT’S DRINKING ON MEMORY AND PSYCHOMOTOR PERFORMANCE

Functional neuroimaging and behavioral correlates of capacity decline in visual short-term memory after sleep deprivation

Working Memory and Sleep in 6- to 13-Year-Old Schoolchildren

Study Shows Cigarette Smoking a Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease

Low-carbohydrate weight-loss diets. Effects on cognition and mood