The verdict is in on Prevagen, and it's not good

Anyone who watches commercial TV has seen numerous ads for the memory supplement Prevagen. Lately, it seems they are running more frequently, indicating sales must be pretty good.

The format for each one is the same: a mid-life or senior-aged person talks about how they noticed they were becoming forgetful and feeling less sharp and focused. Then a friend or family member told them about Prevagen, and now they're enjoying improved brain function and feeling better than ever.

However, the adage “If it sounds too good to be true…” applies to Prevagen. Quincy Bioscience, the maker of Prevagen, cites three clinical studies that supposedly support the product’s benefits. It turns out that two of the three studies haven’t been published in a peer-reviewed journal, nor were they blinded or placebo-controlled, making their validity in the scientific community weak, at best.

The third study was placebo-controlled, double-blinded, and published in a peer-reviewed journal in 2016. So far, so good, but…The results were less than impressive for Prevagen, as no overall benefit was found in the subjects after three months of supplementation. The study was authored entirely by Quincy Bioscience and concerns about its quality were raised by the Federal Trade Commission in 2017 and charged the company with making unsubstantiated claims.

Fast forward to March of 2024. The jury in a case brought against Prevagen by the state of New York found that all eight statements challenged in the suit, including "Prevagen improves memory" and "Prevagen improves memory within 90 days," lacked support by "competent and reliable scientific evidence." The jury also found two statements to be deceptive or materially misleading, including "Prevagen is clinically shown to reduce memory problems associated with aging."

How great it would be if taking a pill could preserve and even boost cognitive function with no side effects. Who wouldn’t wait in line for that? Science isn’t there yet, so in the meantime, let’s keep exercising, eating healthy, learning new things, and laughing often, all proven to benefit brain health.