Why You Shouldn't Bother With Memory or Brain Health Supplements

A study review published in Consumer Reports found virtually no concrete evidence that memory boosters can prevent or delay memory lapses, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia in older adults, reports the Washington Post . Decades of research have yet to demonstrate any clear benefits to popular memory enhancement supplements such as fish oils, B vitamins, and ginkgo biloba extract. For example, a 2012 study published in the Lancet Neurology found that among 2,854 older adults with memory problems, those who took ginkgo biloba extract twice daily for five years had no fewer cases of Alzheimer's than those who took a placebo. Meanwhile, a 2017 Government Accountability Office report analyzed hundreds of advertisements promoting memory-enhancing supplements online and identified 27 making what appeared to be illegal assertions about treating or preventing dementia and similar diseases. As alternatives to supplements, experts recommend first exercising the brain with reasoning and memory tasks, which might delay or slow cognitive decline. Also suggested is physical exercise, as well as blood pressure reduction.