3 ESSENTIAL Nutrients for the Brain (Science-backed)

Omega-3

Your brain is made of fat, and the most important fat is Omega-3. It’s what your brain cells are literally built from.

If you don’t get enough, your brain cells lose their flexibility. Messages between cells start moving slower, which makes thinking, memory, and focus feel harder.

🔸 People with good Omega-3 levels remember things 12% faster after just 8 weeks. 

🔸 Low Omega-3 is linked to a 70% higher risk of depression, because it helps control brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine.

🔸 Kids low in Omega-3 show weaker reading skills and lower IQ, and adults with low levels learn and recall information more slowly.

The problem is, your body can’t make Omega-3 by itself. You have to get it from food or supplements daily. Aim for 250-500 mg combined DHA + EPA every day.

Most diets don’t give enough. For example, wild salmon has about 1,200 mg of Omega-3 per 100 g, while cheap farmed salmon often has less than half that.

How to get it daily:

🔹 Fish: salmon, sardines, mackerel

🔹 Plants: chia, flax, walnuts (but weaker form your brain can’t use well)

🔹 Supplements: the cleanest option is algae (the original source of Omega-3s). You can try vegan softgels made from algae oil, or just grab a good one on Amazon (look for 500-600 mg DHA plus 300 mg EPA per serving, in natural triglyceride form, that’s what your brain actually uses best)

Iron

Iron is the oxygen carrier of the brain. Every thought, every bit of focus, every memory depends on oxygen, and iron is what delivers it.

When you’re low, neurons can’t get enough fuel. That’s when you feel tired, foggy, and struggle to remember even simple things.

🔸 The brain uses about 20% of the body’s oxygen, and iron is the mineral that makes this possible.

🔸 Iron is also needed to make dopamine and serotonin, the brain’s “motivation and mood” chemicals. Low iron = low drive, low focus.

🔸 Even mild deficiency can slow reaction time, weaken memory, and cause attention problems. (source)

🔸 A drop in iron storage (ferritin) by just 10% can reduce white matter integrity in the brain, which directly impacts processing speed.

Daily needs: adult men require about 8 mg, while women need closer to 18 mg due to monthly blood loss. Students and athletes often need more because of higher energy demands.

Where to get it:

🔹 Foods: red meat, chicken, lentils, spinach, beans

🔹 Pair with vitamin C (like oranges or bell peppers) to absorb iron better

🔹 Supplements: I take a daily iron capsule with vitamin C included, which makes it easier on the stomach and boosts absorption. On Amazon, look for iron bisglycinate (gentle and effective). Avoid cheap ferrous sulfate, it often causes stomach upset.

Magnesium

Magnesium is like the spark plug of the brain. It powers the reactions that let you think, focus, and stay calm. Without it, your brain literally can’t make enough energy.

When levels drop, you’ll notice it fast: stress goes up, sleep gets worse, and focusing feels impossible.

🔸 Magnesium is involved in 300+ brain and body processes, from energy production to nerve signaling.

🔸 In one study, people with higher magnesium intake had larger brain volumes and better memory scores.

🔸 Magnesium helps regulate stress hormones, low levels can raise cortisol by 20% or more, leaving you anxious and wired.

🔸 A special form called magnesium L-threonate has been shown to improve short-term memory by 25% in just six weeks.

Around 70% of people don’t get enough magnesium from diet alone. Coffee, alcohol, and stress all drain it even faster.

Where to get it:

🔹 Foods: pumpkin seeds, almonds, dark chocolate, spinach

🔹 Supplements: I take a 150mg magnesium dose supplement that combines two highly absorbable forms, it gives me deeper sleep, calmer focus, and way more mental energy. On Amazon, just look for magnesium L-threonate (for brain) or citrate (for energy and digestion). Avoid cheap magnesium oxide, your body barely absorbs it.

Tools & Resources

Performance Lab - My favorite supplement brand for years now. Clean, vegan, science-backed. They’ve got Omega-3, Magnesium, Iron, and plenty more. If you want to build a smart daily stack, check them out. They have good discounts for subscriptions.

Apple Health (iPhone App) - This is where I track my supplements. You can log what you take, get reminders so you don’t forget, see your full history (when you’ve taken or missed), and even check for possible drug interactions. Super useful if you’re stacking multiple supplements.

Brain Food by Lisa Mosconi, PhD (book) - Focuses specifically on how diet and nutrients (including Omega-3, Magnesium, Iron) shape memory, focus, and long-term brain health. Good read.

Pill organizer / reminder bottle - simple, but helps keep you consistent with daily supplement.

Thank you for reading

I take these three (Omega-3, Magnesium, and Iron) religiously. As a student, I need my brain running on full power every single day.

I do take more (Vitamin D3 + K2, Mind Lab Pro, and a few others), but that’s a longer list I’ll share another time. These 3 are the essentials I’d never skip, they’re the foundation that keeps my focus sharp, my memory clear, and my energy steady.

Thanks for reading,
see you next Sunday

—Ernest ✌️