New Report Discourages Adults From Using Brain Health Supplements

Today, the Global Counsel on Brain Health (GCBH) in partnership with AARP released a report concluding that dietary supplements do not improve brain health or prevent cognitive decline, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA, yet 49 percent of older adults believe otherwise. Experts recommend other ways to keep your brain healthy, such as diet and exercise. This morning, the Global Counsel on Brain Health released a report concluding that dietary supplements do not improve brain health or prevent cognitive decline, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease. The report, released by the AARP, flatly recommends that most consumers do not take supplements for this purpose. “The GCBH reviewed the scientific evidence on various supplements and determined it could not endorse any ingredient, production, or formulation designed for brain health,” the AARP said in a press release. Brain health supplements netted $3 billion in sales in 2016 and is estimated to earn $5.8 billion by 2023. According to the Nutrition Business Journal , 69 percent of adults ages 50 and older are currently taking a dietary supplement at least three times a week and eight percent say they’re taking one to “reverse dementia.” This is impossible, according to the report. But many consumers are steered toward this false hope because of misleading information on the part of supplement marketing. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA, yet 49 percent of older adults in the U.S. believe the FDA approves dietary supplements as safe and effective before they’re sold, according to a 2019 study by AARP. Misleading Claims Under FDA law, it’s illegal for dietary supplement companies to make any claim that their product can treat, prevent, or cure a disease . If a supplement marketer wants to say their product can reduce the risk of a […]

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