The popularity of “cognitive enhancers” has never been greater, and the evidence never flimsier. Not only are bold claims unverified, but the ethics are dubious. The FDA only requires that they don’t cause harm, not if they actually work. Below is a summary of the issues involved, including a broader assessment of dietary supplements in the Related Posts.
All downsides and no upside:
“With
neurodegenerative disease, the most common example of pseudo-medicine is the
promotion of dietary supplements to improve cognition and brain health. This
$3.2-billion industry promoting brain health benefits from high-penetration
consumer advertising through print media, radio, television, and the internet. No known dietary supplement prevents
cognitive decline or dementia, yet supplements advertised as such are widely
available and appear to gain legitimacy when sold by major US retailers.
Consumers are often unaware that dietary supplements do not undergo US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) testing for safety or review for efficacy. Indeed,
supplements may cause harm, as has been shown with vitamin E, which may
increase risk of hemorrhagic stroke, and, in high doses, increase risk of
death. The Alzheimer’s Association highlights these concerns, noting that many
of these supplements are promoted by testimony rather than science. These brain
health supplements can also be costly, and discussion of them in clinical
settings can subvert valuable time needed for clinicians and patients to review
other interventions.”
The
deviousness and underhandedness can’t be overstated:
“Recently,
detailed protocols to reverse cognitive changes have been promoted, but these protocols
merely repackage known dementia interventions (eg, cognitive training,
exercise, a heart-healthy diet) and add supplements and other lifestyle
changes. Such protocols are promoted by medical professionals with legitimate
credentials, offer a unique holistic and personal approach, and are said to be
based on rigorous data published in reputable journals. However, when examining
the primary data, the troubling and familiar patterns of testimony and cargo
cult science emerge. The primary scientific articles superficially appear
valid, yet lack essential features, such as sufficient participant
characterization, uniform interventions, or treatment randomization with
control or placebo groups, and may fail to include sufficient study
limitations. Some of these poor-quality studies may be published in predatory
open access journals.”
4 Examples of Snake Oil
Caprylic
acid and coconut oil
“Some people
with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers have turned to coconut oil as a less
expensive, over-the-counter source of caprylic acid. A few people have reported
that coconut oil helped the person with Alzheimer’s, but there’s never been any
clinical testing of coconut oil for Alzheimer’s, and there’s no scientific
evidence that it helps.”
Coenzyme
Q10
“Coenzyme
Q10, or ubiquinone, is an antioxidant that occurs naturally in the body and is
needed for normal cell reactions. This compound has not been studied for its
effectiveness in treating Alzheimer’s. A synthetic version of this compound,
called idebenone, was tested for Alzheimer’s disease but did not show any
benefit. Little is known about what dosage of coenzyme Q10 is considered safe,
and there could be harmful effects if too much is taken.”
Ginkgo
biloba
“Ginkgo
biloba is a plant extract containing several compounds that may have positive
effects on cells within the brain and the body. Ginkgo biloba is thought to
have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, to protect cell
membranes and to regulate neurotransmitter function. Ginkgo has been used for
centuries in traditional Chinese medicine and currently is being used in Europe
to alleviate cognitive symptoms associated with a number of neurological
conditions.
“However,
results of a large, multicenter Phase 3 clinical trial conducted by several
branches of the National Institutes of Health showed that ginkgo was no better
than a placebo in preventing or delaying Alzheimer’s disease.
“The Ginkgo
Evaluation and Memory (GEM) Study enrolled 3,000 individuals age 75 or older
who had no signs of dementia or had mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Participants were randomly assigned to receive twice daily doses of either a
placebo or 120 milligrams of ginkgo biloba extract. They were followed up every
six months for six years. Researchers found no statistical difference in rates
of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease between the ginkgo and placebo groups. Learn
more about the GEM study results.”
Omega-3
fatty acids
“Experts
agree that more research is needed, and there is not yet sufficient evidence to
recommend DHA or any other omega-3 fatty acids to treat or prevent Alzheimer's
disease.”
Hucksters,
baby boomers and Silicon Valley money:
“In January
of this year, the New York State Attorney General sued the makers of Prevagen for
false advertising claims, since there’s no evidence its jellyfish-based formula
can help improve memory as it claims. ‘We sent letters to at least five major
networks who were airing these ads,’ says Bonnie Patton, director of the
consumer watchdog group Truth in Advertising. ‘And guess what? Prevagen ads are
still airing.’
“Prevagen is
hardly alone. Though it's targeting the 59-and-older set who watch cable news,
Prevagen is just one of many nootropics on the market, each aimed at a
different kind of audience. There's Brain Dust, made by spiritual hippie foodie
guru Amanda Chantal Bacon, which targets the Gwyneth Paltrow-admiring Goop set.
There's Qualia, made by a group called Neurohacker Collective, that appears
targeted at professionals and emphasizes its scientific approach, and
Nootrobox, which offers a whole cocktail of different brain enhancers and a
complete guide to biohacking—to name just three. As baby boomers hit the age
that memory normally starts to fade, and as Silicon Valley pours money into the
biohacking fad, the market for chemical cognitive enhancers like these is
booming.”
Duping the public by way of predatory open-access publishing:
“Predatory
open-access publishers are those that unprofessionally exploit the gold open
access model for their own profit. That is to say, they operate as scholarly
vanity presses and publish articles in exchange for the author fee. They are
characterized by various level of deception and lack of transparency in their
operations. For example, some publishers may misrepresent their location,
stating New York instead of Nigeria, or they may claim a stringent peer-review
where none really exists.”
Related
Posts
Supplemental
Madness: Still More Evidence For The Uselessness Of Dietary Supplements http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2018/07/supplemental-madness-still-more.html
Enough
Already! The Great Dietary Supplement Scam http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2016/12/enough-already-great-dietary-supplement.html
Smart Drugs,
Microdosing, Cryotherapy & 5 Other Biohacks Assessed http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2018/07/smart-drugs-microdosing-cryotherapy-5.html
9 Basic Ways
We Fool Ourselves Into Believing Things That Aren’t True http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2018/04/9-basic-ways-we-fool-ourselves-into.html
Pseudo-Health: 6 More Ways Liars and Hustlers Use
Confirmation Bias To Dupe The Public http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2018/02/pseudo-health-6-more-ways-liars-and.html
6 Ways Liars
and Hustlers Use Confirmation Bias To Dupe The Public http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2018/02/6-ways-liars-and-hustlers-use.html
30 Prying
and Probing Questions To Bolster Critical Thinking http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2016/10/30-prying-and-probing-questions-to.html
9 MORE
Common Characteristics of People Who Get Duped http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2017/08/9-more-common-characteristics-of-people.html
10 Common
Characteristics of People Who Get Duped http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2017/08/10-common-characteristics-of-people-who.html
9 Basic Ways
Shameless Health Gurus Dupe Their Followers http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2018/02/9-basic-ways-shameless-health-gurus.html
Photo: https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2015/08/28/new-insights-parkinsons-disease-synaptic-plasticity/
Jerry De Luca is a Christian freelance writer who loves perusing dozens of interesting and informative publications. When he finds any useful info he summarizes it, taking the main points, and creates a (hopefully) helpful blog post.
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