It is important to note that all over-the-counter supplements are largely unregulated. The FDA has no responsibility for overseeing product testing or ingredient accuracy, so they must keep an eye out for supplements that claim to be able to treat specific diseases or conditions. Regarding brain health, brain supplements manufacturers can claim their products help improve mental alertness or memory loss. Still, they cannot claim that they prevent or improve dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Therefore, manufacturers do not need to prove that their products are effective because these diets contain foods with high amounts of vitamins and minerals. As a result, manufacturers will not have to back up any claims that their products are effective. There are still questions about whether the combination of nutrients in these diets is beneficial, whether specific nutrients, certain amounts of them, or a combination of brain supplements. By testing the effects of these individual nutrients on cognitive health, researchers have attempted to answer these questions.
With a few exceptions, limited studies have not yet found any evidence that they are helpful. A high intake of fish has been associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline in studies that have found that it is a staple in the Mediterranean and MIND diets, among others, and omega-3 supplements don’t have the same effect. If you want to get the same benefits from fish oil supplements, you need to eat more fish.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the fan-shaped leaves of the ginkgo tree have been used for many centuries to treat diseases. In the United States, the leaf extract is available as a supplement commonly known as Ginkgo Biloba. One of the supplement’s main selling points is that it enhances memory. However, as with other brain health supplements, there is no scientific basis to back up these claims. The Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory study was one of the largest clinical trials that explored the possible link between Ginkgo and memory.
A total of 3,000 older adults, averaging 79, 54% of whom were male, were recruited by researchers and had a normal cognitive function or mild cognitive impairment. The subjects were given either 120 milligrams of Ginkgo or a placebo twice a day for almost six years. There is no evidence to support the claims of brain health supplements. The major reason is that people don’t want to change their lifestyles. A major reason is that pills are easier to take than making lasting lifestyle changes.