Top Nutrients For Your Brain Energy

From magnesium to creatine, here's the latest

By Austin Perlmutter, MD

Foods rich in nutrients that power brain energy

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When most people think about food, they think about energy—getting enough or too many calories. As it relates to the brain, they may think about cravings or feeling hangry. But the reality is that food is so much more than brain fuel. It’s information--data that programs our brain state with every meal. Each bite of food we consume contains billions and billions of molecular signals that alter the makeup and function of our 160 billion brain cells, as well as the connections between our brain cells and even the creation of new brain cells. In this article, we're focusing on the link between our food and metabolism and energy, and some top foods and nutrients that may act through this pathway to support brain health.

How does brain energy relate to diet?

Despite weighing only about 2% of your body mass, the brain consumes around 20% of your energy. That energy demand is primarily supplied by mitochondria, —the cellular “power plants” that generate ATP allowing our brains to function. If there are issues with mitochondrial energy production in the brain, this may lead to fatigue, brain fog, mental health issues or even higher risk for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. A growing set of research has focused on the changes in energy production that occur with aging of the brain, showing that our neurons may have more trouble with energy use as we get older, and that this relates to risk for brain atrophy and dementia.

How does diet impact brain energy? At a basic level, we need to consume enough calories to power our mitochondria. But for many people today, an excess consumption of ultra-processed food, added sugar and especially refined carbohydrates may overload the body’s metabolic state and lead to system-wide problems like insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. The impact of these states can spill over and negatively influence the brain. This is good reason to cut back on or avoid consumption of these types of foods to protect healthy brain energy.

Beyond the overabundance of unhealthy calories that comes with eating a standard ultra-processed diet, our modern day food can be low in key nutrients that support healthy brain energetics. Let’s discuss some of these in detail.

1. Creatine

   
   

Creatine is found in primarily animal-based foods, but is often taken in supplemental form. Creatine is believed to help neurons regenerate ATP and supplementation is linked to improvements in cognitive function, especially in people under stress. Recent research indicates a potential benefit to supplementation with between 5-10 grams of creatine monohydrate for brain health, with some publications studying even higher doses. It's shown that taking supplemental creatine does increase brain creatine levels, and has been shown to help counteract mental fatigue.

2. B Vitamins

   
   

Several B vitamins, including B6, B12, folate, riboflavin and niacin are coenzymes in mitochondrial pathways. Deficiencies in B vitamins correlates with worse brain health, and one key reason concerns metabolism and mitochondrial health. For example, vitamin B1 and B12 each participates in energy generation in a mitochondrial process called the TCA cycle. B vitamins are found across a host of plant and especially animal-based foods, but they’re often lacking in ultra-processed foods unless they’re added back in through fortification. People at high risk for B vitamin deficiency include those taking acid blocking medicines, those with previous GI issues or surgeries, older adults and vegans. The best way to know if you need vitamin B supplementation is to get your labs tested.

3. Polyphenols

   
   

Polyphenols are non-caloric plant molecules that may play a role in energy production within our brain cells. While not considered typical nutrients, as they’re not vitamins or minerals, polyphenols make up a large family of over 8000 molecules in plant foods that are being studied for their role in immunity, metabolism and longevity. They’re found across all plant-based foods but are concentrated in colorful foods and especially bitter foods like coffee and Tartary buckwheat. Due to their chemical structure, polyphenols can help fight oxidative stress, which is a key pathway linked to mitochondrial damage and dysfunction. A diet high in polyphenols has been found to correlate with lower risk for dementia.

4. Magnesium

   
   

Magnesium is a mineral that plays a multitude of roles throughout the body and brain. It’s involved as a cofactor in over 300 reactions that regulate a host of systems, including those involved in energy metabolism. The typical recommended level of magnesium intake per day is around 300-420 milligrams, with higher levels for men and pregnant women. However, data from a large US survey of adults found that over 50% of us don’t get adequate magnesium from our typical diets. Magnesium can be found in many plant and animal foods, but is especially high in pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds and spinach. For example, one ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds provides over 1/3 of your daily value of magnesium.

Conclusion:

While it’s easy to think of food simply as fuel, the reality is that what we eat profoundly shapes how our brains produce and use energy. Supporting healthy brain metabolism requires more than just enough calories—it depends on the quality and diversity of the nutrients we consume. Compounds like creatine, B vitamins, polyphenols, and magnesium all play critical roles in powering our brain cells, protecting our mitochondria, and sustaining cognitive function over time. By prioritizing nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods, we can give our brains the tools they need to stay energized, resilient, and healthy well into the future.

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