Can supplements really improve your brain health? Here's what proponents and doctors have to say

Many people are looking for ways to improve their memory and concentration. Concern with the growing public health issue of cognitive dysfunction is prompting sales of supplements to boost brain health.

Can simply taking a tablet really work?

“Yes,” says 80-year-old Julia Disney, the former owner of Julia’s Health Food Store in Intercourse. “A supplement has been helping my memory from getting worse as I get older.”

Though she acknowledges most studies don't support supplement manufacturers' claims of improved memory and concentration, Disney says it's because those studies are from a medical standpoint, not a nutritional one. For her, taking a supplement is like eating food for the brain.

“Why should seniors try a supplement to boost memory ... Why should they not invest in their health?” she asks.

Disney’s daughter, Darla Anastasi, 53, who took over ownership of the health foods store in 2018 and renamed it Julia's Health & Nutrition LLC, shares her mother's support for supplements.

“We give our body good food for nutrition, exercise so it runs smoothly and also need to feed our brain. Supplements are the best brain food,” Anastasi says.

She says she disagrees with health experts who advocate eating well to avoid memory decline. With today's food being genetically modified, she says there's more need than ever to take supplements for better health. It isn't surprising, she says, that memory supplement sales are on the rise with more ads for more products with more research to back them. The store has always sold vitamins, omegas and gingko for brain health, she says.

Seniors make up the majority of customers purchasing supplements to improve memory, Anastasi says. Many are from the Plain and Amish communities, along with tourists from all over the state.

Anastasi is aware there's a lot of skepticism about supplements. Her husband, Vince, was the biggest skeptic. But, over a year ago, the 58-year-old territory manager for Lawn & Gulf Supply in Phoenixville became a believer.

“I began using a product which reduces brain fog, heightens my awareness and mental clarity,” he says, adding that he notices a difference when he doesn’t take the supplement.

No FDA testing

A survey by AARP released in June 2019 shows more than three-quarters of Americans over 74 take some sort of vitamin or dietary supplement, as do almost 70 percent of boomers (those between 55 and 73). These products can be purchased in retail stores and on the internet, with sales expected to reach $5.8 billion by 2023. The study revealed a misconception by consumers that the Food and Drug Administration regulates supplements for ingredients and claims.

Diane Boomsma, a compounding pharmacist and owner of Custom Prescriptions of Lancaster, says the FDA does no testing or checks on supplement ingredients. It only prevents health claims by manufacturers about specific treatment of specific diseases.

In terms of brain health, she says, a supplement manufacturer can claim a product helps with mental alertness or memory loss, but not that it protects against or improves dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

“A lot influences our brain and cognitive health doesn't depend on taking one supplement,” Boomsma says.

She counsels patients referred to her by health care providers on how to appropriately use supplements and if they are benefiting from them. Some of the most popular ones on the market for memory enhancement are ginkgo biloba, ginseng, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. No research to date demonstrates any of them actually work.

Prevagen has been one of the top brain booster supplements on the market for years. It can be purchased at retail stores. In 2012, the FDA sent a warning letter to Quincy Bioscience, manufacturer of Prevagen, for misleading the public stating the supplement was “clinically proven” to improve cognitive function. The lawsuit is ongoing. Today, the product packaging claims: “clinically shown to help with mild memory loss associated with aging.” But the average consumer never reads or would understand the lengthy clinical trials, Boomsma says.

“Claims about clinically tested ingredients in supplements are vague,” she says.

While many supplements have been proven to have no benefit, especially for brain health, the pharmacist supports evidence the placebo effect (someone believes it works) can influence people.

Her recommendation is for anyone having a cognitive issue to discuss it with their physician or pharmacist.

“A healthy brain begins with a healthy lifestyle,” Boomsma says.

Dr. Jon Bentz, a neuropsychologist, and Dr. Timothy Martin, a neurologist at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Physicians Alzheimer's & Memory Care, say there are no dietary supplements documented to prevent cognitive decline.

“Studies do not strongly support supplements improve memory, enhance focus, prevent or delay dementia,” Bentz says.

Both doctors agree the lack of FDA regulations to review supplement products for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed is a problem with over-the-counter and online supplements. Martin says controlled studies by the FDA to test supplement ingredients and show benefits or any potential harm would be beneficial for consumers.

“Individuals who profess significant improvement in cognitive health from supplements is an opposite conclusion from research studies,” Martin says.

However, there are FDA-approved prescription medications to help stabilize Alzheimer's disease and dementias, he says.

“A healthy diet, exercise, staying mentally active and engaging socially has a greater benefit for a person's brain health than a supplement,” Bentz says.

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