Prevagen Reviews – Prevagen is an over-the-counter (OTC) nootropic supplement that claims to enhance memory. It contains apoaequorin, a protein derived from jellyfish.
Apoaequorin comes in regular, extra and professional strength capsules; each contains 10 mg, 20 mg or 40 mg of the herb as well as vitamin D for added support.
Cost
Dietary supplements are a $40 billion industry, used by millions to enhance moods, energy levels and vitamin levels for overall wellness. Some products such as Prevagen claim to improve memory and delay dementia or Alzheimer’s symptoms.
Unfortunately, these products don’t go through scientific testing to confirm their safety or effectiveness before being sold. Manufacturers can make whatever claims they wish about dietary supplements without consumers knowing that this poses a risk.
The Federal Trade Commission and New York attorney general have accused Quincy Bioscience of making false advertising claims about their apoaequorin-based supplement, Prevagen. According to the charges, Prevagen hasn’t been proven effective in clinical studies.
According to AARP, the maker of Prevagen is deceiving millions of aging Americans who are trying to maintain their memory and cognitive abilities. The organization filed a brief in support of the FTC’s suit, asserting that Quincy Bioscience has made “unsubstantiated” and “misleading” claims about their product and should be held liable for deceiving consumers.
Side Effects
Prevagen is a dietary supplement manufactured by Quincy Bioscience that claims to boost memory. It contains apoaequorin, a calcium-binding protein found in jellyfish.
Alternative practitioners believe apoaequorin binds to calcium in the brain, improving electrical signals between nerve cells. This has been said to improve memory while decreasing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
However, there is currently no clinical proof for the benefits of apoaequorin. A study from Quincy Bioscience involved 218 volunteers who were randomly assigned to receive 10mg of apoaequorin daily for 90 days or a placebo.
The apoaequorin group saw statistically significant improvements on several cognitive tests, while no such effects were observed among the placebo group! Unfortunately, there is no proof that apoaequorin improved memory across all individuals; furthermore, the population tested was much smaller than typical drug testing populations, raising questions as to whether apoaequorin actually proved its effectiveness. This suggests there may have been limitations to this study and it may not have been as beneficial as claimed.
Ingredients
Prevagen is a dietary supplement that claims to promote healthy brain function and combat age-related memory loss. It mainly contains apoaequorin and vitamin D as its active ingredients.
Apoaequorin, a calcium-binding protein found in certain jellyfish species, functions similarly to our own calmodulin protein and helps control calcium levels in the brain.
Quincy Bioscience states that this ingredient has been clinically proven to improve memory and cognitive function in subgroups of people who were cognitively normal or mildly impaired.
Age-related memory loss is caused by lifestyle factors like diet, sleep patterns and physical inactivity. These can increase oxidative stress and inflammation within the body, which accelerate aging processes.
The Federal Trade Commission and New York state attorney general have issued warnings to Prevagen about making false advertising claims and engaging in predatory marketing practices. As a result, the company has issued refunds for its products.
Overall
Prevagen is a dietary supplement that claims to enhance memory. It contains the jellyfish protein apoaequorin and vitamin D.
Apoaequorin is a calcium-binding protein, meaning that it helps maintain healthy levels of calcium in brain nerve cells (neurons). Studies suggest that low amounts of calcium may lead to memory decline and other cognitive issues.
Apoaequorin may have cognitive benefits, but there isn’t any definitive scientific proof. To have any effect, the ingredient needs to survive digestion, cross the blood-brain barrier and bind with enough calcium in the hippocampus neuron region of the brain.
This poses a major problem, since oral supplements like Prevagen may not have any significant impact on memory even if they help you feel better overall. This could be especially true if you combine it with other drugs that could further impede its efficacy.
