Amla (Indian Gooseberry) for Brain Health
Amla fruit, also known as Indian gooseberry or Emblica oficinalis, is a superfood found in india and southeast Asia that has been used for millennia for its many medicinal properties.
But where amla diverges from many ancient cure-all remedies is that science has increasingly shown that the claims surrounding amla are actually supported by the scientific evidence.
Amla’s benefits are varied, and include everything from antidiabetic to antioxidant to anticancer properties (amla has even been shown to promote hair growth).
In this article, we’ll focus on one particular aspect of amla’s benefits — brian health — and explore how amla can improve your cognitive function both directly and through promoting your overall health.
Table of Contents
Ayurveda and Amla for Brain Function
The historical use of amla revolves around its status as a primary ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine, which originated in India. Amla powder, amla chutney, and amla juice are prescribed frequently in this ancient form of medicine for an incredibly wide range of different ailments.
Within Ayurvedic medicine, amla is particularly well regarded for its ability to help balance kapha, a form of energy within the body.
And though the research on this specific use has not been confirmed, amla’s use with hyper-nutrient-rich mixtures like chyawanprash and triphala has been confirmed to be some of the most powerful plant-based sources of medicinal nutrients.
It’s these key nutrients and their effect on the body that make amla such a promising natural medicine for your brain health.
Brain Health Benefits of Amla
The research on the consumption of amla and its benefits for your brain health are extensive and varied, but many areas are also still being studied.
We’ll start with the evidence that focuses on the ways amla, amla juice, and amla powder have been repeatedly shown to promote brain health and then review emerging areas of promise that have not been extensively tested in clinical trials yet.
*Note: Though there is a strong and growing body of evidence to show that amla may have some very powerful neuroprotective effects, without clinical trials it’s very difficult to make any decisive conclusions.
Helps Manage Blood Glucose
The first two ways in which amla helps promote brain function actually pertain to your overall cardiovascular health. Amla has a well-documented blood sugar modulation effect, which helps every single organ in your body, and particularly the energy-hungry brain.
Apart from the fact that Alzheimer’s disease is actually becoming known as type 3 diabetes, many studies have shown that glucose within the ideal range promotes better brain function, due to your brain’s dependence on glucose as a fuel source.
Helps Manage Blood Pressure
The second way that amla helps your entire body, and by proxy your brain, is through amla’s hypotensive (blood pressure lowering) effect. Having controlled blood sugar helps is key to avoiding chronic conditions like heart disease. Moreover, proper blood pressure helps maintain brain health both short and long term.
Studies have shown that proper blood pressure keeps your brain functioning properly, helps avoid lesions and other complications, and slows cognitive decline in the long term.
May Prevent Alzheimers
In recent years, there has been an increasingly studied correlation between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, leading to the conclusion that Alzheimer’s is effectively type 3 diabetes.
And apart from the blood sugar modulation benefits of amla, there has been increasing research done showing that amla may also prevent Alzheimer’s independently of blood glucose.
It’s been hypothesized that this is due to Phyllanthus Emblica (another name for amla) has the highest antioxidant activity of any fruit, meaning that it scavenges free radicals and reduces oxidative stress more than any other food per gram.
Combined with amla’s anti-inflammatory effect, and its effect on key brain enzymes, and this is an area of promise for brain health that is being studied extensively.
May Support Memory
Another area where amla and amla extracts have shown benefits in animal trials, as well as in initial clinical trials, that show potential for yet another reason to consume amla.
Amla (commonly referenced in these studies as Emblica Officinalis) drastically lowers cholesterol levels, which can interfere with blood flow in the brain and memory.
Studies have also shown that the reduction in oxidative stress (and boost to the immune system) from amla’s antioxidants and flavonoids also shows potential in boosting memory and other cognitive functions.
Brain-Beneficial Nutrients
In addition to many other overall health benefits that can also help the brain (like amla’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties), amla is also packed with a number of nutrients that help promote brain function.
Vitamin C
Amla actually has the second highest vitamin C content of all naturally occurring substances, a value more than 10x that of some citrus and only surpassed by the Barbados cherry.
Vitamin C has many, many benefits to your body, especially for your immune system, and these benefits extend to your brain health as well. Multiple studies have concluded that vitamin C has benefits for your overall cognitive health, specifically when consumed as a part of your diet.
Polyphenols
Polyphenols are an area that has shown promise in clinical trials, but some inconsistencies in methodologies have left room for improvement as to how exactly these compounds promote brain health.
There are multiple methods of action that have been proposed and explored, which cover a wide range of benefits including cognitive, mood, and memory improvements to dementia prevention, making this a promising, but still inconclusive field of research.
However, as one study explains, polyphenols consistently show “promising effects.”
Gallic Acid
Gallic acid has a strong set of neuroprotective properties, which have been documented to help slow the onset of degenerative mental disorders.
This effect has been especially well documented in animal studies, so while there is still research to do on this compound before its effect on humans is conclusive, the signs are very positive.
Tannins
Tannins are another area of interest for cognitive protection, especially from neurodegenerative diseases.
Tannins not only have an additional antidiabetic and blood pressuring lowering effect that prevents cognitive degeneration, but studies have started to show that tannins inhibit the production of compounds (both β-Secretase and AChE) that cause degenerative disease.
Amla for Brain Health: An Important Note
To sum up the research, amla has many, many, many benefits for your overall health, which includes the overall health of your brain. In addition, amla has no clinical side effects, and may also have specific medicinal nutrients that specifically benefit different parts of your brain health.
So should you add amla to your diet? Almost certainly, and we can help with Amla Green. We take 20x concentrated amla berries and blend them with green and hibiscus teas for an organic mix that plays well as a drink or in different foods.
However, for an overall plan to tackle your brain health, you should certainly still work with your nutritionist and healthcare professional, as there’s still no replacement for personalized care to your situation.
Amla Green has strict guidelines for scientific references in our articles, and we rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, governmental organizations, and reputable medical organizations. We do our best to avoid using non evidence-based references in all articles. The references in this article are listed below.
“Ammar, Achraf, Khaled Trabelsi, Omar Boukhris, Bassem Bouaziz, Patrick Müller, Jordan M Glenn, Nicholas T. Bott, et al. “Effects of Polyphenol-Rich Interventions on Cognition and Brain Health in Healthy Young and Middle-Aged Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Clinical Medicine 9, no. 5 (May 25, 2020).” ”https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9051598"
“An, Yang, Vijay R. Varma, Sudhir Varma, Ramon Casanova, Eric Dammer, Olga Pletnikova, Chee W. Chia, et al. “Evidence for Brain Glucose Dysregulation in Alzheimer’s Disease.” Alzheimer’s & Dementia : The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association 14, no. 3 (March 2018): 318–29.” ”https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2017.09.011"
“Avadhani, Radhika, Kristen Fowler, Corinne Barbato, Sherine Thomas, Winnie Wong, Camille Paul, Mehmet Aksakal, Thomas H. Hauser, Katie Weinger, and Allison B. Goldfine. “Glycemia and Cognitive Function in Metabolic Syndrome and Coronary Heart Disease.” The American Journal of Medicine 128, no. 1 (January 2015): 46–55.” ”https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.08.025"
“Cox, Katherine H. M., and Andrew Scholey. “Polyphenols for Brain and Cognitive Health.” In Recent Advances in Polyphenol Research, 259–88. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2017.” ”https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118883303.ch12"
“D’souza, Jason Jerome, Prema Pancy D’souza, Farhan Fazal, Ashish Kumar, Harshith P. Bhat, and Manjeshwar Shrinath Baliga. “Anti-Diabetic Effects of the Indian Indigenous Fruit Emblica Officinalis Gaertn: Active Constituents and Modes of Action.” Food & Function 5, no. 4 (April 2014): 635–44.” ”https://doi.org/10.1039/c3fo60366k"
“Effect of Plain and Fortified Amla Fruit Powder on Aluminum-Induced Alzheimer’s Disease in Wistar Rats Vishala TC, Pitchaiah G, Pravadha D, Annapurna A - Phcog Res.” ”https://www.phcogres.com/article.asp?issn=0974-8490;year=2019;volume=11;issue=4;spage=406;epage=409;aulast=Vishala"
“Farbood, Yaghoob, Alireza Sarkaki, Sheida Hashemi, Mohammad Taghi Mansouri, and Mahin Dianat. “The Effects of Gallic Acid on Pain and Memory Following Transient Global Ischemia/Reperfusion in Wistar Rats.” Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine 3, no. 4 (2013): 329–40.”
“Frontiers | Tannins Enriched Fraction of Emblica Officinalis Fruits Alleviates High-Salt and Cholesterol Diet-Induced Cognitive Impairment in Rats via Nrf2–ARE Pathway | Pharmacology.” ”https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2018.00023/full"
“Golechha, Mahaveer, Jagriti Bhatia, and Dharmveer Singh Arya. “Studies on Effects of Emblica Officinalis (Amla) on Oxidative Stress and Cholinergic Function in Scopolamine Induced Amnesia in Mice.” Journal of Environmental Biology 33, no. 1 (January 2012): 95–100.”
“Gottesman, Rebecca F., Andrea L.C. Schneider, Marilyn Albert, Alvaro Alonso, Karen Bandeen-Roche, Laura Coker, Josef Coresh, et al. “Midlife Hypertension and 20-Year Cognitive Change: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study.” JAMA Neurology 71, no. 10 (October 1, 2014): 1218–27.” ”https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2014.1646"
“Lamport, Daniel J., Louise Dye, JoLynne D. Wightman, and Clare L. Lawton. “The Effects of Flavonoid and Other Polyphenol Consumption on Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Research Review of Human Experimental and Epidemiological Studies.” Nutrition and Aging 1, no. 1 (January 1, 2012): 5–25.” ”https://doi.org/10.3233/NUA-2012-0002"
“Lane, Christopher A., Josephine Barnes, Jennifer M. Nicholas, Carole H. Sudre, David M. Cash, Thomas D. Parker, Ian B. Malone, et al. “Associations between Blood Pressure across Adulthood and Late-Life Brain Structure and Pathology in the Neuroscience Substudy of the 1946 British Birth Cohort (Insight 46): An Epidemiological Study.” The Lancet Neurology 18, no. 10 (October 1, 2019): 942–52.” ”https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(19)30228-5"
“Malve, Harshad O., Sanket B. Raut, Padmaja A. Marathe, and Nirmala N. Rege. “Effect of Combination of Phyllanthus Emblica, Tinospora Cordifolia, and Ocimum Sanctum on Spatial Learning and Memory in Rats.” Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine 5, no. 4 (2014): 209–15.” ”https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-9476.146564"
“Mirshekar, Mohammad Ali, Alireza Sarkaki, Yaghoub Farbood, Mohammad Kazem Gharib Naseri, Mohammad Badavi, Mohammad Taghi Mansouri, and Abbas Haghparast. “Neuroprotective Effects of Gallic Acid in a Rat Model of Traumatic Brain Injury: Behavioral, Electrophysiological, and Molecular Studies.” Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences 21, no. 10 (October 2018): 1056–63.” ”https://doi.org/10.22038/IJBMS.2018.29639.7165"
“Mori, Takashi, Kavon Rezai-Zadeh, Naoki Koyama, Gary W. Arendash, Haruyasu Yamaguchi, Nobuto Kakuda, Yuko Horikoshi-Sakuraba, Jun Tan, and Terrence Town. “Tannic Acid Is a Natural β-Secretase Inhibitor That Prevents Cognitive Impairment and Mitigates Alzheimer-like Pathology in Transgenic Mice.” The Journal of Biological Chemistry 287, no. 9 (February 24, 2012): 6912–27.” ”https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M111.294025"
“Teimouri, Elham, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Prashant Bharadwaj, Giuseppe Verdile, and Ralph N. Martins. “Amla Therapy as a Potential Modulator of Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Factors and Physiological Change.” Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease: JAD 74, no. 3 (2020): 713–33.” ”https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-191033"
“The Effect of Acute Hypoglycemia on Brain Function and Activation | Diabetes.” ”https://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/50/7/1618"
“The SPRINT MIND Investigators for the SPRINT Research Group, Ilya M. Nasrallah, Nicholas M. Pajewski, Alexander P. Auchus, Gordon Chelune, Alfred K. Cheung, Maryjo L. Cleveland, et al. “Association of Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control With Cerebral White Matter Lesions.” JAMA 322, no. 6 (August 13, 2019): 524.” ”https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.10551"
“Travica, Nikolaj, Karin Ried, Avni Sali, Irene Hudson, Andrew Scholey, and Andrew Pipingas. “Plasma Vitamin C Concentrations and Cognitive Function: A Cross-Sectional Study.” Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 11 (April 2, 2019).” ”https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00072"
“Travica, Nikolaj, Karin Ried, Avni Sali, Andrew Scholey, Irene Hudson, and Andrew Pipingas. “Vitamin C Status and Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review.” Nutrients 9, no. 9 (August 30, 2017).” ”https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9090960"
“Uddin, Md. Sahab, Abdullah Al Mamun, Md. Sarwar Hossain, Farjana Akter, Mohammed Ashraful Iqbal, and Md. Asaduzzaman. “Exploring the Effect of Phyllanthus Emblica L. on Cognitive Performance, Brain Antioxidant Markers and Acetylcholinesterase Activity in Rats: Promising Natural Gift for the Mitigation of Alzheimer’s Disease.” Annals of Neurosciences 23, no. 4 (October 2016): 218–29.” ”https://doi.org/10.1159/000449482"
“Vasudevan, Mani, and Milind Parle. “Memory Enhancing Activity of Anwala Churna (Emblica Officinalis Gaertn.): An Ayurvedic Preparation.” Physiology & Behavior 91, no. 1 (May 16, 2007): 46–54.” ”https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.01.016"
“Vauzour, David. “Dietary Polyphenols as Modulators of Brain Functions: Biological Actions and Molecular Mechanisms Underpinning Their Beneficial Effects.” Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2012 (2012).” ”https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/914273"