Brain
and memory supplements earned their marketers $643 million in the United States
in 2015 (most recent year numbers available) and $3 billion in sales globally
in 2016. By 2023 forecasts are that almost $6 billion will be spent worldwide.
In an exhaustive 2019 survey by the AARP Brain Health and Dietary Supplements
Survey, more than 25% of Americans over 50 regularly take supplements for brain
health. The brainy, intelligent question that must be asked is, is there
evidence that these specific supplements are actually improving brain health?
A
meticulous and comprehensive report was compiled by The Global Council on Brain
Health to attempt to answer the question. Before we examine their conclusions,
who is this Council?
A summary of the
Council’s conclusions:
“There is no convincing evidence to recommend dietary
supplements for brain health in healthy older adults. The consensus statements
and recommendations above are based on the current state of science as of May
2019. Supplements have not been demonstrated to delay the onset of dementia,
nor can they prevent, treat or reverse Alzheimer's disease or other
neurological diseases that cause dementia. For most people, the best way to get
your nutrients for brain health is from a healthy diet. Unless your health care
provider has identified that you have a specific nutrient deficiency, there is
not sufficient data to justify taking any dietary supplement for brain health.
"The GCBH does not endorse any ingredient, product or supplement formulation specifically sold for brain health. Because no government agency determines dietary supplements are safe or effective before they are sold, consumers should approach supplements claiming to improve or boost brain function with skepticism. Because dietary supplements can be sold without a government agency first determining that they are safe or and effective before they are sold, consumers should also be aware that in addition to being a waste of money, some supplements could physically harm them.
"The GCBH does not endorse any ingredient, product or supplement formulation specifically sold for brain health. Because no government agency determines dietary supplements are safe or effective before they are sold, consumers should approach supplements claiming to improve or boost brain function with skepticism. Because dietary supplements can be sold without a government agency first determining that they are safe or and effective before they are sold, consumers should also be aware that in addition to being a waste of money, some supplements could physically harm them.
“Despite claims to the contrary, brain health supplements
have not been established to maintain thinking skills or improve brain
function. However, there are many other lifestyle habits such as getting enough
sleep, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, staying mentally active and
being socially engaged that are recommended by the council. For evidenced-based
strategies on what you can do to help maintain your brain health as you age, see
the council's other reports.”
The
claims brain supplement marketers make are not supported by evidence:
“Simply
because there is research showing effect of a substance in the lab, at the
cellular level, or in animal trials, this does not mean it will translate into
human benefit. Sometimes supplement manufacturers rely on preliminary or early
scientific enquiry, or general scientific principles or evidence of other
potential health benefits, to support their claims making or implying a brain
health benefit. To truly understand how supplement use affects long-term brain
health, we need more large, long-term high-quality randomized controlled trials
in humans during which one group receives a placebo—a substance that has no
effective compound—and another group gets the supplement. These trials should
also be double-blind, so that neither the researchers nor those in the study
know whether they are receiving the supplement or the placebo. The studies’
outcomes should not be influenced by the supplement manufacturers. Unfortunately,
there are very few high quality human studies completed on the vast array of
dietary supplements compared with the number of products that are being sold or
taken for brain health.”
Just a representative
sampling of the misleading claims by devious marketers in ads online and in other
media:
----A
dietary supplement that has been clinically shown to help with mild memory
problems associated with aging.
----Clinically
shown to be safe and support memory and brain function.
----Clinically
proven natural ingredients.
----Supports
neurotransmitter development to promote a feeling of mental sharpness.
----Helps
your brain maintain healthy neurons to support learning and recall.
----13
scientifically proven nutrients for a healthier brain.
----Keeps
your mind sharp and memory strong with an ingredient that’s clinically shown to
improve memory and recall in healthy adults.
----Has
shown statistically significant improvements in memory and recall in as little
as 4 weeks when taken as directed.
----Comprehensive
blend of vitamins, amino acids, and herbal extracts that support the brain’s
structure and function to deliver amazing improvements in memory and
concentration!
----Give
your brain the compounds it needs to help keep your mind bright, clever and
strong.
----Helps lessen the frequency of episodes of forgetfulness and brain fog.
----Helps lessen the frequency of episodes of forgetfulness and brain fog.
How do you know if the ingredients
in the brain supplement you are taking actually travels to your brain?
“When
researchers study prescription drugs that have an effect on the brain, a key
experiment that they perform is measuring how much of the drug taken (orally or
through other routes) gets into the brain. Not
all substances taken by mouth survive the strong stomach acid, and not all
substances that persist beyond the stomach get absorbed into the blood. Even
after absorption into the blood, the liver can further break down the
substance, and the blood-brain barrier—the natural gatekeeper of the brain—may
keep out what is left. Usually it is not known how much—if any—of the
supplement people take gets into the brain. When a nutrient is absorbed into
the blood but not into the brain, people can still experience undesirable side
effects (e.g., nausea, dizziness). Therefore, even when people feel a
difference (good or bad) after taking a supplement, there is no guarantee that
it is reaching the brain. So a key step in using science to support any
supplement’s benefit on brain health would be to study how much of each
nutrient gets to the brain.”
With the exception of
major scams like Prevagen, sorry, the FDA has no interest in brain or dietary
supplements:
“People
often think that supplements are subject to the same government regulations as
prescription and over-the-counter drugs. AARP’s 2019 survey reveals that almost
half of older adults (49 percent) in the United States mistakenly believe the
FDA determines that dietary supplements, including vitamins, are both safe and
effective before they are sold, while 36 percent believe that herbs and enzymes
receive the same scrutiny. In fact, the FDA’s mandatory premarket evaluation of
the safety, effectiveness, and health and medical claims of drugs does not
apply to dietary supplements. It is against the law for supplement
manufacturers to make claims that they treat diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Both
the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) require that such claims be
substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence before they are
made. However, the substantiation requirement is not generally reviewed by the
regulatory agencies. These agencies can only take enforcement action against
unsubstantiated or false claims once the product is already on the market. This
situation may lead many people to have a false sense of security when it comes
to taking dietary supplements they find on store shelves or online.”
Further Reading
Brain
Food: GCBH Recommendations on Nourishing Your Brain Health https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/health/brain_health/2018/01/gcbh-nourishing-your-brain-health-report-english-aarp.doi.10.26419%252Fpia.00019.001.pdf
Don't Fall for the 'Memory' Pills Targeting Baby Boomers https://www.wired.com/story/dont-fall-for-the-memory-pills-targeting-baby-boomers/
How amazon promotes, profits from deceptively marketed brain supplements https://www.truthinadvertising.org/how-amazon-promotes-profits-from-deceptively-marketed-brain-supplements/
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Photo: https://streetartrat.com/2015/05/27/creative-brain/
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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