Anyone ever try Prevagan or Focus Factor

[Tink3815]

Have any of my fellow Dis baby boomers ever tried these to help with memory or to stay sharp?

 

[tvguy]

My wife and I were just talking about this. We can't find any evidence they work.

 

[_19disnA]

Doubt that any of these so-called dietary supplements do what they claim. Prevagen lost a lawsuit about this a few years ago and modified their claims about what it does. Anything with the legal disclaimer the "FDA has not approved this product and it isn't intended to cure/treat/prevent anything"................is legal mumbo jumbo basically saying they can't prove any of what they claim. Ads where they interview a few people who claim some sort of improvement isn't accepted as being scientifically valid and not how medical research works.

https://www.forbes.com/health/healthy-aging/prevagen-review/

 

[DLgal]

I wouldn't waste your money.

Do the old fashioned stuff for memory enhancement: puzzle games, read fiction and non fiction books and articles, socialize regularly with friends, eat lots of colorful fruits (especially berries) and veggies (especially leafy greens).

 

[longboard55]

A little OT but my 94 year old MOM signed up for Relaxium and had a very hard time cancelling. SO I would be careful

 

[Suger Mag]

Best things for keeping aging minds sharp is exercising them.... learning a new skill like a musical instrument, learning a language, and taking on tasks that mentally challenge like puzzles. It is not about becoming an excellent musician and starting a band (lol)... but like your skeletal muscles... your brain is not much different... use them or lose them.

 

[georgina]

No, not at all likely to try those things. DH and I laugh at those prevagen commercials - anecdotally people saying I think they make my memory better. Yeah, like that is proof? Some claim to help 'short-term' memory. That's not the area most older people need help with, IMO.

 

[_19disnA]

And I would never take any of these over the counter type supplements without first discussing it with your doctor. The ingredients in some of these products could interfere with prescription drugs you might be currently taking. I also suspect your doctor will advise you to save your money and avoid such products.

 

[momz]

Prevagen is a total scam. The body does not absorb that jelly fish stuff. The stomach acid destroys most of it. whatever is remaining is unable to cross the blood/brain barrier. It never makes it to the brain.

 

[DLgal]

And I would never take any of these over the counter type supplements without first discussing it with your doctor. The ingredients in some of these products could interfere with prescription drugs you might be currently taking. I also suspect your doctor will advise you to save your money and avoid such products.

My son and husband's doctor doesn't even advise taking multi vitamins. He's like "it's totally optional. You don't need it."

 

[kmill99]

I've read three different medical studies in the past 1-2 years regarding approaches to memory/cognition. All 3 studies showed a clear and decisive benefit due to the exact same thing: cardiovascular activity 4-5 days or more a week. It wasn't even close. No benefits seen in any OTC products / herbal products (Prevagen). The exercise significantly improved outcomes over prescription medicines like Aricept, and also over other long presumed benefits like "exercising your brain" with sudoku, puzzles, etc.

Also of interest is how cardiovascular exercise can help improve symptoms of Parkinsons.

 

[Frwinkley]

Sleep is also very important.

 

[thinkerbell]

Since my husband’s mother has dementia, we asked our doctor about taking one of the memory supplements advertised. She said there really isn’t anything out there to prevent memory loss or to help memory. My MIL does take a couple of meds (not supplements) that try to slow down the progression but how does anyone know that they are really helping.