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Experts say there is no strong evidence that supplements can improve memory or cognitive skills with age.
More than a quarter of adults over the age of 50 are taking supplements to improve their brain health, but a new report suggests that these dietary supplements may be ineffective and unnecessary.
The report of the World Council on Brain Health (GCBH) summarizes the opinions of experts gathered to determine whether supplements can affect a person's cognitive functions as they age.
The group concluded that supplements claiming to boost memory or cognition may be ineffective.
"The problem is that people often waste their money on products that may offer only a temporary placebo effect," Gary Small, MD, director of the geriatric psychiatry division of Small Health, told Small Health UCLA and one of the experts consulted for the report.
"People often think that if a product is natural, it is safe. However, dietary supplements can have side effects and can interact with other drugs to reduce or increase the effects, "he said.
The report says sales of supplements claiming to boost memory nearly doubled from 2006 to 2015. In 2016, sales of supplements for brain health totaled $ 3 billion. This is expected to increase to $ 5.8 billion by 2023.
"Given the great interest that people have in maintaining and improving the health of their brains as they get older, the GCBH has no doubts about the fact that they are getting older." The use of supplements for brain health for an increasingly aging population in the world is increasing and a large number of people are already taking it "wrote the report's authors.
Jacob Hall, MD, an badociate clinical professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University in California, says the findings of the report correspond to what he sees in his own clinical practice.
"A lot of my patients took supplements with the hope of a cognitive benefit. Even more information about the advertisements they encounter, "he told Healthline.
"Lack of memory and the lack of effective medications to prevent or slow memory loss cause a lot of fear and despair. The supplement manufacturers are aware of this chasm and are eager to fill it.
"Although more and more research is still needed, no supplement has been proven to be effective in treating or preventing cognitive decline. Except in specific medical conditions, they are a waste of money and, in some cases, a potential hazard, "said Hall.
The makers of Quincy Bioscience and Reckitt Benckiser, two supplement manufacturers, did not respond to Healthline's interview requests for this article.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements in the same way as prescription drugs to ensure they are effective before they are placed on the market.
"Companies can introduce new dietary supplement products to the market without obtaining FDA approval. In fact, companies can often legally legally introduce dietary supplements into the market without even informing the FDA, "said a spokesman for the agency at Healthline.
"The FDA does not approve dietary supplements for any purpose. Unlike drugs, supplements are not meant to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure diseases, "said the FDA spokesman.
In February, the FDA took action against
Hall says taking supplements can be risky.
"When they take a supplement, people can not be sure what they're getting or what the product does what it claims." The content, purity and potential toxicity of the supplements are not carefully regulated. Unlike prescription drugs, a company can put a supplement on the market without proving its safety or effectiveness. These companies often make manipulative and unproven statements, "he said.
According to experts, manufacturers of supplements for brain health often make vague claims that could mislead consumers.
A product on the market, Prevagen, is presented as a supplement containing an ingredient originally derived from jellyfish that supports brain function.
A report published on the Quincy Bioscience website indicates that clinical trials have shown that a protein included in their product "could potentially improve memory and cognitive function in humans".
However, the validity of this report has been questioned by the US Council on Science and Health.
Small agrees that there may not be sufficient evidence to support the application.
"To my knowledge, data from a well-designed, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Prevagen is not available," he told Healthline.
Hall says that despite the potential risks involved in taking supplements, people continue to do so for a variety of reasons.
"Some believe that the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry have harmful goals and that taking supplements is natural and unequivocally better and safer," he said.
"Others have very little awareness of the difference between the FDA approval process and that of the supplements. It is badumed here that the supplements must be safe and do what they claim.
"Most of the families I work with understand that supplements are unlikely to make a big difference, but also feel that the risk of harm is low. In any case, the loss of memory and the desire to do everything that is understandable are very disturbing, "said Hall.
For some people with nutritional deficiencies, supplements taken in the opinion of a doctor may present certain benefits.
But for most people, the best way to improve brain health is through lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise.
"There is growing evidence that lifestyle interventions are effective at stimulating cognition and delaying cognitive decline. While it's not new ideas, it's low-risk, low-cost strategies that are increasingly proven to make a difference, "he says. said Small.
"Regular aerobic exercise, followed by a healthy and balanced diet like the Mediterranean diet, does not smoke and does not drink excessively are some of the most important things for brain health," he said.
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