Your brain uses about a fifth of the energy your body makes every day. A few nutrients matter most for it, and most of them come from everyday food.
Nutrients that support your brain
Omega-3 (fish oil)
The EPA and DHA fats in fish oil support the heart and brain.
- How much you need: No official allowance; supplements usually give 250–1,000 mg EPA + DHA a day.
- Best food sources: Oily fish (mathi/sardine, mackerel), walnuts, flaxseed.
Be careful:
- On blood thinners (warfarin, clopidogrel, aspirin): ask a doctor — more bleeding risk.
- Fish allergy: avoid fish oil.
Vitamin B12
Makes red blood cells and keeps nerves healthy. Low B12 causes tiredness, tingling and numbness.
- How much you need: 2.5 mcg a day (ICMR-NIN 2020).
- Best food sources: Milk, curd, paneer, eggs, fish and meat. Strict vegetarians are often low.
Be careful:
- People on metformin for years are often low — worth a test.
Folate (folic acid)
Needed to make new cells and blood, and for the nervous system. Essential before and in early pregnancy.
- How much you need: Pregnancy planning: doctors advise folic acid from before conception.
- Best food sources: Green leafy vegetables, pulses, citrus fruit.
Be careful:
- High-dose folic acid can hide a B12 deficiency — take B12 too if low.
Everyday habits that help
- Good sleep
- Stay active
When to see a doctor: Memory loss, confusion or a sudden change in behaviour needs a doctor, not supplements.
Before you take any supplement
- Supplements fill a gap in the diet; they do not treat disease. Anyone with a diagnosed condition (diabetes, kidney, liver or heart disease) or on regular medicines should ask their doctor first.
- Doses here are for ADULTS. Children’s and pregnancy supplements are chosen by the doctor.
- Only products made entirely of nutrients are suggested (vitamins, minerals, probiotics, amino acids, plant extracts) — anything that also contains a drug is left out.
- Daily amounts are the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances where one exists; more is not better.
- Products are listed focused-first (1–3 ingredients), then multivitamins, each by how often our shops sold it — a multivitamin may carry only a small amount of a given nutrient.
Not sure what suits you? Ask our pharmacist at any FirstShield store, or message us on WhatsApp.