Question: My 69-year-old husband has been having some memory problems. He has been taking Prevagen, a brain cell protector, for about two months. Do you know anything about this product? Would you suggest any supplements for memory?
Dr. Hibberd's Answer:
Prevagen is marketed as a dietary supplement. Despite its claims, it does not protect the brain. It is not approved by the FDA for treatment or prevention of any medical condition. The "scientific proof" that I have seen fails to support its claims of improvement in memory within 30 days.
Its approval as a dietary supplement actually prevents it from making the advertising claims it has been pushing. I do not expect this product to last too long before it is asked to cease and desist with false and misleading advertising.
I recommend you have your husband properly evaluated for memory loss by his personal medical doctor, and seek professional guidance regarding appropriate treatments that may be effective for him. Internet advertising with false claims is rampant today, and the FDA is aggressively pursuing companies with false or misleading claims.
Many patients and consumers are throwing away millions of dollars to modern charlatans with unproven health claims unsupported by the literature. The only winners are the marketing and distribution companies.
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