{"id":153959,"date":"2025-09-22T22:20:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T22:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/153959\/"},"modified":"2025-09-22T22:20:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T22:20:10","slug":"which-trendy-brain-boosting-supplements-might-actually-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/153959\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Trendy Brain-Boosting Supplements Might Actually Work"},"content":{"rendered":"

Americans are now spending billions a year on brain-health boosters with names like Magic Mind, Alpha Brain, and Brain Guard+, and the good news is that some of these supplements, also known as nootropics, actually kind of work. The bad news is that most of them don\u2019t, and the key to telling them apart is knowing the science behind each supplement\u2019s active ingredient, says psychiatrist Gary Small, MD<\/a>, behavioral health physician-in-chief at Hackensack Meridian Health. Here are the ones with the most\u2014and least\u2014potential. <\/p>\n

PromisingOmega-3 fatty acids <\/p>\n

The omega-3s found in fatty fish\u2014DHA and EPA\u2014may help protect your brain from inflammation as you age, says Dr. Small. Getting them in food form is best, but omega-3 supplements might also be helpful. In some studies, large doses of DHA and EPA helped improve attention, memory, and learning in people who\u2019d been diagnosed with minor cognitive impairment. <\/p>\n

Curcumin <\/p>\n

This molecule, found in the spice turmeric, substantially improved working memory and moderately improved brain processing speed, according to a new study review<\/a> by researchers in China. The scientists suspect a two-way effect: Curcumin might help tamp down inflammation, and its antioxidant properties may help your brain\u2019s neurons do their thing.<\/p>\n

Phosphatidylserine <\/p>\n

In the membranes that surround and protect your brain cells, you have a fat known as phosphatidylserine, and it helps these cells communicate with other cells in your body. A 2025 study in the Journal of Affective Disorders<\/a> found that adults with mild cognitive impairment who took a phosphatidylserine supplement improved their short-term memory more than those who took a placebo.<\/p>\n

L-theanine <\/p>\n

Focus! Sleep! Anxiety! This amino acid\u2014from tea leaves\u2014might help your brain in more than one way. A 2025 study <\/a>found that sleep-deprived people ages 20 to 25 who took the supplement did better at a driving video game than people who drank water instead. It might also help you fall asleep faster, sleep better, and feel less groggy during the day, according to a new paper in Sleep Medicine Reviews<\/a>. In addition: L-theanine might help with anxiety and ADHD when used alongside medication, maybe by boosting neurotransmitters that reduce stress.<\/p>\n

Creatine <\/p>\n

Famous for building muscle, this compound is earning a reputation for strengthening your mind too. A 2024 meta-analysis<\/a> showed that creatine improved memory, likely by increasing levels of phosphocreatine, which supplies energy to brain cells. Other research<\/a> suggests that creatine supplements boost thinking abilities and processing speed after sleep deprivation, in part by reducing stress-induced cellular damage. Still, we need more studies to fully buy in. <\/p>\n

DebatableMagnesium <\/p>\n

So far, tests in rats with Alzheimer\u2019s disease suggest magnesium might reduce brain inflammation to help them think better. There\u2019s not a lot of other research into its effect on the brain. But multiple studies<\/a> suggest that magnesium supplements can improve sleep and quell anxiety, which certainly can help you feel smarter.<\/p>\n

Taurine <\/p>\n

You\u2019ll find this amino acid in meat and seafood\u2014and yes, okay, energy drinks. Dr. Small says that it can help boost focus. People who popped an energy shot with caffeine, taurine, ginseng, and vitamins improved their scores on short math tests more than those who took a placebo, according to a recent study in Frontiers in Nutrition<\/a>. But here\u2019s the thing: Because taurine is often paired with focus-boosting caffeine, it\u2019s hard to tell how much work the taurine alone is actually doing. <\/p>\n

Citicoline <\/p>\n

This one\u2019s complex. Citicoline is a compound that your brain uses to build phosphatidylserine, the fat in brain cell membranes mentioned earlier. By stabilizing brain cell membranes, citicoline might protect neurons from inflammation and damage. It\u2019s true that a study in the Journal of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease<\/a> found that citicoline supplements boosted scores on a test measuring recall, the ability to follow directions, and other basic thinking abilities in people with dementia when taken with meds. However, we need much more research.<\/p>\n

Ginkgo biloba <\/p>\n

This supplement became a blockbuster in the early aughts after small studies suggested it could improve memory. Since then, larger studies have shown mixed results for recall and other cognitive functions. And the side effects are not fun: headaches, dizziness, constipation, and a racing heart.<\/p>\n

Pass on TheseApoaequorin <\/p>\n

This jellyfish protein, found in the popular supplement Prevagen, supposedly binds to calcium in your brain to help your neurons send and receive information. If you saw commercials saying that Prevagen improves memory, you won\u2019t see them again\u2014in 2024, the Federal Trade Commission ruled<\/a> that the company can no longer make that claim. Clinical trials suggest it\u2019s no better than taking a placebo.<\/p>\n

Vitamin E <\/p>\n

Some early research found that high doses (2,000 IU) of vitamin E could slow the damage of Alzheimer\u2019s, but the evidence isn\u2019t strong enough to recommend it, says Dr. Small. Plus, it\u2019s a blood thinner, so high doses can increase the risk of bleeding and strokes in people with heart disease. Yikes.<\/p>\n

Nicotinamide <\/p>\n

This form of vitamin B3 has been shown to reduce cognitive impairment in aging mice. But that\u2019s mice. Small studies <\/a>in humans with early memory loss or Alzheimer\u2019s showed no improvement.<\/p>\n

Lion\u2019s mane or cordyceps <\/p>\n

The touted benefits of these fungi come in the form of reduced depression and anxiety. Research in humans shows mixed results that are unconvincing at best.<\/p>\n

Related Stories\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Julie Stewart<\/a> is a writer, editor and content strategist with over a decade of experience translating complex topics \u2014 health and medicine, science and engineering \u2014 into engaging, accessible stories. Her work has appeared in publications like Men\u2019s Health, Women\u2019s Health, AARP The Magazine, EatingWell and Prevention, and she has also led strategic communications for a top engineering college and a global oncology company.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Americans are now spending billions a year on brain-health boosters with names like Magic Mind, Alpha Brain, and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":153960,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[2785,70576,381,2788,102,380,6636,70575,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-153959","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-content-type-how-to-service","9":"tag-contentid-b2f884ce-ef9a-4e2d-a070-4369ce62bfcb","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-hasproduct-true","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-locale-us","14":"tag-nutrition","15":"tag-shorttitle-do-brain-boosting-supplements-actually-work","16":"tag-uk","17":"tag-united-kingdom","18":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153959","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=153959"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153959\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/153960"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=153959"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=153959"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=153959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}