Adam’s Journal
Here’s a question from a reader:
Does Prevagen truly help memory retention, or is this just hype?
Sue Bozeman
Oklahoma City
Dr. Scofield Prescribes
I’m probably the perfect demographic, but it seems like Prevagen ads come on every time I turn on the TV. Maybe you’ve seen the commercials, too: “After taking Prevagen, I’m a lot sharper than I used to be,” says a woman in one of them. “My memory is a lot better. It has made a huge difference in my life.”
Prevagen is a supplement, which means it’s not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and is available without a prescription. Its bottle says it “improves memory” and “supports: healthy brain function, sharper mind, clearer function.”
Sounds like we should all be taking it, right? Uh, not so fast.
The main ingredient is a synthetic version of a protein – apoaequorin – originally found in glow-in-the-dark jellyfish. Apoaequorin has no known role in human memory. (And as a snarky aside, I might note that jellyfish are not known for their mental acuity.)
Research has failed to show that apoaequorin improves memory, thinking or cognitive function. There have been a pair of small clinical trials of Prevagen, but neither has borne out its maker’s marketing claims.
One, sponsored by the supplement’s manufacturer, reported improvements in memory among a subset of those who took it. However, it failed to compare the results with a control group, which is essential for any trial.
In the other trial, those who took the supplement showed no better results than those who received a placebo.
These results hardly come as a shock. Memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are among the most daunting medical challenges we face. At the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, my colleagues Drs. Heather Rice, Mike Beckstead, Bill Freeman and Sarah Ocañas are all investigating different aspects of this multi-faceted problem. And the same is true at other research institutes, universities and biopharmaceutical companies around the world, where teams of scientists are likewise seeking solutions.
Amidst this landscape, is it possible that an over-the-counter supplement derived from a relatively simple organism offers a solution? Sure. But it’s not probable. And as of now, the scientific data do not support its use.
Indeed, the Federal Trade Commission and the New York State Attorney General were so unconvinced that they charged the supplement with false advertising. Earlier this year, a jury agreed with them, finding that many of Prevagen’s claims weren’t supported by reliable evidence and that some were materially misleading.
Prevagen is not alone; other supplements make similar claims. Still, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Scientists will continue to study this complicated problem. In the meantime, our best hope of preserving memory and cognitive function as we age rests with simple, common-sensical approaches: eating right, managing our health, socializing, keeping our brains active, and getting enough sleep.
And the best thing you can do is to exercise, as several long-term studies have shown that staying physically active corresponds with lower levels of dementia. While vigorous exercise seems to be best, activities like gardening and household chores also reduce dementia risk.
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Adam Cohen is OMRF’s senior vice president and general counsel. Dr. Hal Scofield is a physician-scientist at OMRF, and he also serves as Associate Chief of Staff for Research at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center. Send your health questions to contact@omrf.org.
