Login | August 18, 2026
Brain Supplementation
PETE GLADDEN
Published: August 18, 2026
Most of us over-40s take some sort of supplement as an adjunct to our regular diet, sometimes out of health concerns, sometimes because our health care providers feel we need additional supplementation to address a particular deficiency.
And among the myriad of general over-the-counter supplements such as C, D, B, zinc, magnesium etc, etc, there’s also those supplements that reside on the fringes, the ones whose bold claims have not yet been substantiated, supplements like Glucosamine and Chondroitin, collagen and this week’s topic, brain supplements.
So let’s see if there’s any research about these brain supplements in order to determine if the manufacturers’ claims are actually backed up by authentic scientific research.
But first, a few basic facts about supplements in general.
Supplement makers can legally make somewhat misleading claims that might not be based upon solid scientific research because supplements are not regulated by the FDA.
Thus, the burden of proof as to a supplement’s claims falls on the manufacturer and third-party verifiers like USP Dietary Supplements Verification Program, NSF International and ConsumerLab.com.
So in the case of brain supplements there has been third-party verification tests that vouch for the products’ quality, BUT zero verification concerning whether or not these supplements actually do their manufacturers say they can do.
So the next step is to check so see if any peer-reviewed studies have determined whether or not brain supplements - and/or anything else for that matter - have actually been shown to improve brain cognition.
Now there’s one metadata study, “Improving cognitive impairment through chronic consumption of natural compounds/extracts: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials,” which was published in the January 30, 2025 issue of “Frontier in Aging Neuroscience,” (a leading, multidisciplinary journal that publishes peer-reviewed research on central nervous system aging) where it’s researchers concluded that the, “Findings support the potential cognitive benefits of extended (≥6 weeks) supplementation with natural compounds or extracts [Saffron, Ginkgo biloba, Lemon balm, Olive oil, Docosahexaenoic acid, Huperzine A and Galantamine] in individuals with MCI or AD [mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease]. Further research is warranted to confirm these results and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.”
This study’s researchers culled through a pool of 6,687 articles, where 45 were deemed relevant for further analysis, and of those some 37 demonstrated cognitive improvements/positive trends with respect to the use of natural compounds or extract supplementation.
Then there’s another meta analysis, this one done by researchers from Mass General Brigham in Boston, where the researchers looked at over 5,000 non-overlapping participants across three separate cognition studies - the COSMOS trial where participants took daily 500 mg doses of cocoa flavanols (naturally occurring plant-based antioxidants found in cocoa beans) and Centrum Silver vitamins.
Their analysis revealed a statistically significant benefit in cognition for participants taking the multi-vitamin-cocoa flavonoid combo compared to a placebo, which might suggest that something as simple as a multi-vitamin with dark chocolate could help prevent memory loss and slow cognitive aging among older adults.
Now with regard to brain supplements in particular, there’s a recent opinion piece published by “Harvard Health Publishing,” the consumer health education and media division of Harvard Medical School.
The piece, “Don't buy into brain health supplements,” was published February 20, 2026, and it states that there exists no solid evidence that pre-packaged brain supplements (pills) can improve brain health.
It also went on to say that many of the pre-packaged brain supplements contain ingredients such as lutein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, various B vitamins or various combinations, ingredients which are plentiful and easily obtained when on Mediterranean, DASH and MIND diet programs…diets that do happen to show strong evidence for improving cognitive brain function.
But as it stands today with regard to those pre-packaged brain supplements, and just as the Harvard Health Publishing piece indicated, there just aren’t any large clinical trials that support the efficacy of these “brain boosters” nor is there any high-quality evidence to suggest that these products are beneficial in promoting increased cognitive function, this despite all the marketing hype.
So maybe rather than purchase slickly advertised cognitive brain supplements, we’d be further ahead by exercising regularly and settling into a healthy diet that includes plants, whole foods, lean proteins (like fish and poultry), healthy fats, maybe even a daily multi-vitamin, and then steering away from red meats, sugars, and highly processed foods.