Understanding Nerve Growth Factor and Why It Matters for Brain Health

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Curious about brain health?

Our brains are deteriorating faster than ever before. New analysis has found that the prevalence of self-reported cognitive disability in US adults increased by over 40% between 2011 and 2021. In younger adults between the ages of 18 to 39 that number nearly doubled.

There’s something you may not know about your brain though.

Did you know that your brain already produces a protein that’s essential for neuron health, regeneration, and cognitive performance? It’s called Nerve Growth Factor or NGF for short.

Let’s dive into what NGF is and why it’s one of the most important proteins when it comes to long-term brain health.

You’ll learn:

• What Is the Nerve Growth Factor?
• Why NGF Is So Important For Your Brain
• How NGF Levels Decrease With Age
• Natural Ways To Increase NGF Production
• Why Natural Cognitive Enhancers Matter

What Is the Nerve Growth Factor?

Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is a small protein found throughout your body. It’s one of many neurotrophic factors that were discovered back in the 1950s. Neurotrophic factors are proteins that support neuron health and survival.

NGF in particular is responsible for maintaining the survival of neurons in your brain and body. When levels become low, neurons begin to deteriorate and eventually die.

Regions of the brain like your basal forebrain contain neurons called cholinergic neurons. They’re responsible for producing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Acetylcholine influences many different cognitive functions like memory, focus and learning ability. NGF supports the health of these neurons so you can continue thinking on a high level.

When your brain has sufficient amounts of NGF, you’re able to recover from injuries that damage neurons, improve neural connections and keep your brain running smoothly.

What happens when NGF levels start to decline though?

Let’s find out why NGF is so critical to your brain health and how it affects your cognitive abilities.

Why NGF Is So Important For Your Brain

If you google best brain supplements, chances are you’ll come across a few articles mentioning NGF.

It’s not just because NGF is a trendy buzzword in the nootropics industry. NGF is actually one of the single most important proteins when it comes to your brain’s ability to perform at its peak.

Natural cognitive enhancers like Lion’s Mane mushroom and L-theanine work by triggering increased NGF production in your brain. You can learn more about how they work together at niagratonic.com.

Essentially…without NGF your brain starts to lose its ability to function properly.

Here’s how NGF supports your brain health:

• NGF supports neuron survival by keeping existing neurons healthy and functioning properly.
• NGF helps repair neurons that become damaged from stressful situations, injury or aging.
• Higher NGF levels are associated with better memory retention, sharper focus and improved learning ability.

It should come as no surprise that NGF has been linked to numerous neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.

Studies have found that lower NGF levels are strongly associated with decline in brain function and memory loss.

This isn’t to say that boosting NGF alone can prevent neurodegenerative disease. But by supporting NGF production, you may be able to maintain higher cognitive function for longer.

How NGF Levels Decrease With Age

Here’s the real kicker.

Your body’s natural production of NGF decreases as you get older.

And unfortunately, age isn’t the only thing to blame. There are many factors that can cause NGF levels to decrease at an alarming rate.

Stress, poor nutrition, lack of exercise and poor sleep are just a few things that can prevent your brain from producing enough NGF to maintain healthy brain function.

When your body isn’t producing enough NGF, you may start to experience symptoms of brain fog. You may have a hard time concentrating for long periods of time or remembering certain things.

Studies estimate that over 10% of seniors are affected by cognitive impairment or dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease. Between 15%-22% of seniors experience mild cognitive impairment.

That means nearly a 1/3 of seniors are facing some sort of brain health challenge.

Natural Ways To Increase NGF Production

As mentioned earlier, there are many things you can do to support healthy NGF production.

Exercise, proper sleep and stress management are all key components of a brain healthy lifestyle. But did you know there are natural ways to spark increased NGF production in your brain?

One of the best ways to trigger NGF production is through regular exercise.

When you exercise, your body releases higher amounts of NGF and another protein called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor).

Both of these proteins work together to support neuron health. By simply going for a daily walk, you can begin to increase NGF levels in your brain.

Sleep is another crucial factor when it comes to NGF production.

Your brain produces NGF while you sleep to repair damaged neurons and maintain sharp cognitive performance.

By getting enough quality sleep every night, you can support your brain’s ability to produce NGF on its own.

Why Natural Cognitive Enhancers Matter

This is where it gets really exciting.

There are natural substances that you can take to spark increased NGF production.

The most well known is called Lion’s Mane mushroom.

Lions Mane is a medicinal mushroom that has been shown to trigger NGF production by penetrating the blood brain barrier and stimulating your brain to produce more NGF on its own.

This is a huge deal. External NGF therapies have never been able to successfully travel through the blood brain barrier.

Your body produces its own NGF naturally. By stimulating your brain to produce more NGF through natural substances like Lion’s Mane, you can support your brain health from the inside out.

Many nootropic supplements incorporate natural brain boosting compounds like Lion’s Mane and L-theanine. When paired with healthy lifestyle habits, these can provide great support for your brain health.

The Bottom Line

Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is a protein produced naturally by your body that’s responsible for keeping your neurons alive and healthy.

As we age, NGF levels in our body begin to decline. Certain lifestyle factors like stress and poor sleep can accelerate that decline even further.

When your body doesn’t produce enough NGF, neurons in your brain begin to break down and die off. This can lead to symptoms of brain fog, memory loss and difficulty concentrating.

By making sure you’re managing stress, sleeping well and consuming nutrients that your brain needs to produce NGF, you can support your brain health. Nootropic supplements that contain natural compounds like Lion’s Mane mushroom can also support NGF production and boost brain health.

Give your brain the nutrients it needs to thrive!