Anything to help mental focus?

**TexasF355F1** · #1 09-30-2011, 10:26 AM

Is there anything out there to help increase mental focus thats OTC or natural?

The older I get the harder it's becoming for me to focus. I've always had an issue, but it's really becoming difficult.

I had an EEG done earlier this year for other reasons, but was hoping it would show I was ADD. But I'm just below what the minimum is to be considered ADD/ADHD.

Any help/advice would be great.

Thanks.

PRS · #2 10-01-2011, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasF355F1

Is there anything out there to help increase mental focus thats OTC or natural?

The older I get the harder it's becoming for me to focus. I've always had an issue, but it's really becoming difficult.

I had an EEG done earlier this year for other reasons, but was hoping it would show I was ADD. But I'm just below what the minimum is to be considered ADD/ADHD.

Any help/advice would be great.

Thanks.

Get a full blood panel done. Everything including hormones. Could be a simple vitamin deficiency or something more. Expensive, but worth it.

Huskerbill · #3 10-02-2011, 11:56 PM

Your testosterone levels are probably that of a 12 year old boy. Maybe less. Have it checked. Worked for my 80 year old dad (who could bench 200lbs still) who told me "You know, my workouts have really been terrible lately. I just don't have the mental or physical stamina like I used to."

Now he feels like a million bucks again.

Mrpbody44 · #4 10-03-2011, 04:24 PM

Get your testosterone checked. Also check vitamin A & D levels. I had this problem and that cleared it up.

**billyfitness** · #5 10-03-2011, 06:53 PM

Maybe someone could fill me in on the relationship between ADD and hormones.

-Billy

PRS · #6 10-03-2011, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyfitness

Maybe someone could fill me in on the relationship between ADD and hormones.

-Billy

I think ADD is more of a catch all in this case for, "I can't focus very well." Lack of focus is a symptom of low testosterone in men, however, it could be a symptom of something else being out of whack which is why I suggested a full blood panel that covers everything. No sense in guessing or spending hundreds of $$$ on supplements that won't/don't work.

I don't believe in taking anything until I know what it is I need to be taking

**Schatten** · #7 10-03-2011, 10:40 PM

There was a time I was trying DMAE (I think that's what it was), which is OTC stuff. Worked well, and I don't think it was a placebo effect. Come to think of it... I should try to get back on something like that now. Focus is difficult and the internet age, even beyond the timeouts of age-old prime time tv commercials are absent and void. Our breaks of information overload are minimal. It could be the times. Try to focus on one task at a time, becoming a non-multitasker. http://lifehacker.com/5646560/the-on...itasking-world

**finnerty** · #8 10-03-2011, 11:35 PM

Try starting your day with the following (assuming that you are not diabetic and have no other significant metabolic disorders)....

A banana ---- the potassium is very beneficial to concentration and mental focus, and the phosphorus is good too

An egg ---- for the protein energy

A cup of green tea, w/o caffeine, but with a teaspoon or two of raw (avoid the processed / "refined" crap) sugar ---- the brain is entirely a glucose engine

And, if you are not averse to taking minor supplements ---- add an RDA dosage of a high-quality multi-B-complex vitamin for a "non-stimulant" boost

All of the above is harmless, unless you have a serious (and unusual) underlying condition, which I highly doubt because you had the EEG, and you would have also had to have had an accompanying full work-up near the same time ---- EEG's don't get performed "just for the hell of it" or without ruling out / covering all the basics.

**finnerty** · #9 10-03-2011, 11:58 PM

Ditto on the Vitamin D ----

Recent thought is that Vitamin D levels play much more of an important role than was previous believed. Much of the medical community now believes that the body needs to get much higher intakes of V-D to maintain proper levels, and many recommend adding (remarkably) high daily dosages of a high-quality V-D supplement.

Remember --- with ALL vitamin supplements, quality is IMPORTANT and varies widely.....spend the extra money for the "good stuff", the cheap stuff is worthless garbage in most cases

.

**drjohngober** · #10 10-04-2011, 05:28 AM

In the mornings, I mix the following n a blender ( about to have one now)

1) Boathouse Carrot juice
2) 1 pack frozen Acai Berries
3) 1 pack Advocare Fibercare
4) 1 can Verve http://www.vemma.com/verve/
5) 1 pack of FRS http://www.frs.com/
6) 1 scoop of Advocare Sparks

Much better than Starbucks. During the day (Sometimes I am sitting in the operating room for 8-10 hours) I usually start to catch my mind wandering. I take a pack of FRS and just shake it up in water. It really helps me focus.

**billyfitness** · #11 10-04-2011, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drjohngober

In the mornings, I mix the following n a blender ( about to have one now)

1) Boathouse Carrot juice
2) 1 pack frozen Acai Berries
3) 1 pack Advocare Fibercare
4) 1 can Verve http://www.vemma.com/verve/
5) 1 pack of FRS http://www.frs.com/
6) 1 scoop of Advocare Sparks

Much better than Starbucks. During the day (Sometimes I am sitting in the operating room for 8-10 hours) I usually start to catch my mind wandering. I take a pack of FRS and just shake it up in water. It really helps me focus.

Be careful with those 'Multi-Level Marketing' Products from Advocare, Verve, Monavie, etc..Fully laden with chemicals, sugars, (fake and otherwise) and food colorings.
That's unless you're making $100K plus a year selling the stuff! :-)

-Billy

**billyfitness** · #12 10-04-2011, 12:56 PM

My ADD seems to stem from having 50 things on my mind at any given time.
Supposedly 90% of your thoughts are subconscious. No supplement is going to help with it, just mental sorting and prioritization.

Too bad there's not a spyware or phishing pill we can take to knock the unwanted thoughts out!

-Billy

**Schatten** · #13 10-04-2011, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyfitness

Too bad there's not a spyware or phishing pill we can take to knock the unwanted thoughts out!

There is! It's called Nyquil.

**Chupacabra** · #14 10-04-2011, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schatten

There is! It's called Nyquil.

You know what? That crap keeps me awake, believe it or not. I just get into this weird sleepy state where my mind is going a million miles an hour and won't let me actually fall asleep. Argh! Tylenol PM, etc...same story. I just don't take anything if I get a cold, except for (reluctantly) Motrin.

Jimmilew · #15 10-06-2011, 05:55 PM

"Your focus needs more focus" -Jackie Chan

Sorry, I though that was funny. All of the above advice looks right to me!

JL

Paul Vincent · #16 10-06-2011, 08:20 PM

"Is there anything out there to help increase mental focus thats OTC or natural?" Not what you were looking for, but my answer is competition.

166&456 · #17 10-07-2011, 04:51 AM

Driving your 355 on the limit is bound to increase your focus

Jokes aside, in my experience it is important to keep up the mental spirit. Work your body, physically and mentally. If you do not regularly sport, go out and do some as bloodflow is extremely important for your brain. Make sure you sleep regularly and enough. If you drink alcohol or smoke, stop doing that as it kills braincells and obstructs bloodflow.

If your focus issue is getting worse and not directly caused by external distractions, a bad diet, lack of structure in your actions, or a lack of exercise or sleep, I would totally agree on the blood analysis. You need to have a plan to tackle this, and to have a good plan you first need good information. Investment in proper diagnosis is always worth it. Talk to a dietician, it could be they find a food intolerance you never knew about or some other metabolism issue. Good luck and let us know of the outcome.

Of course it is possible that nothing is found and your harddrive is a bit full and not functioning on the potential it once had, and may never do again. You may need to lower your expectations of life and things you can do in parallel. We all have to eventually.

76Steel · #18 10-07-2011, 08:36 AM

On another side, you can also try meditation. Perfect for quieting the clutter that pollutes our brain. We have so much in our minds, that our brains feel like we do not have our thoughts anymore.

If you want, check out One Minute Mediatation/Stacey Mayo on You Tube. Definitely worth a shot and it is very easy. Good luck and best wishes!!

**Schatten** · #19 10-07-2011, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmilew

"Your focus needs more focus" -Jackie Chan

Sorry, I though that was funny. All of the above advice looks right to me!

JL

Funny! Just watched this with my gf the other night. And quite true!

Mrpbody44 · #20 10-09-2011, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyfitness

My ADD seems to stem from having 50 things on my mind at any given time.
Supposedly 90% of your thoughts are subconscious. No supplement is going to help with it, just mental sorting and prioritization.

Too bad there's not a spyware or phishing pill we can take to knock the unwanted thoughts out!

-Billy

I take cod liver oil for vitamin D cleared up 80% of my ADD which I suffered with for years.