"A fascinating journey through the new world of foods and drugs that make you smarter."

-Ross Pelton, Ph.D.,
author of Mind Foods
& Smart Pills

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mart drugs and nutrients are consumed by millions who want to boost their brain power. This number is growing among aging boomers, health enthusiasts, ravers and cyberpunks, Alzheimer's and AIDS victims, as well as students, athletes and professionals. According to Barron's, the market of pharmaceuticals for the brain will exceed $10 billion during the 1990s. Brain Boosters contains the new FDA rules on nutritional supplements, and the story of the FDA's "War on Vitamins". 

Brain Boosters is a comprehensive guide to smart drugs and nutrients. It begins with a description of how the brain works, and the factors influencing mental performance, then tells about the evolution and growing use of nutrients and pharmaceuticals to improve brain function, from patients and cyberpunks to the mainstream. The heart of the book is a laymen's description of the most important pharmaceuticals, vitamins, nutrients and herbs used to boost brain power. 

The benefits of nutritional supplements traditionally have been confined to the fringes of acceptability. But recent research supports the claims that nutrients, especially vitamins, can protect against a host of ills ranging from birth defects and cataracts to heart disease and cancer. Even more provocative to people over forty are glimmerings that vitamins can stave off the normal ravages of aging.

Old wives' tales about the miracle powers of vitamins abound. Well, it's turning out that a lot of the old wives' tales are true. Although people didn't understand how or why certain foods, such as fish, are good for the brain, they became part of our common wisdom. But the latest research has demonstrated that vitamins can, in fact, increase brain power.

"A comprehensive, easy-to-read compendium of cognitive enhancing substances . . . valuable addition to libraries of those who want to improve brain power."

-Ward Dean, M.D.,
author of Biological Aging
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