Chapter 6

Memory Supplements/Drugs and Your Brain — What You Need to Know

You are never a lab rat and you should not let anyone use your body to test their doubtful claims.

One of the ways people have employed to better their memory is to use memory supplements. People have spent thousands of dollars to purchase these supplements. In fact, according to Allied Market Research, memory supplement has become a multi-billion dollars business.^[1]

Memory supplements (also known as cognitive enhancers, smart drugs, nootropics, or memory drugs) are the rave of the moment, and this guide cannot be complete without discussing them. That is why we have dedicated a whole chapter to talk about them and other memory drugs.

So, memory supplements, what are they? And do they really work?

What Are Memory Supplements?

Memory supplements are any substances (that are not pharmaceutical drugs) taken by people in order to improve their memory directly or indirectly.

Today, “memory supplement”, “nootropics”, “smart drugs” and “memory drugs” all mean the same thing. Whichever of the words you come across is mainly due to the whims of their producers, which are usually dictated by the kind of market they are targeting.

They might call them drugs, supplements, or even elixirs, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that they are trying to sell you substances that will purportedly improve your brainpower (creativity, memory, focus, etc.). So even if calling it a witches’ brew is what will make it sell, well, that’s it.

Actually, all these terms are just different manifestations of the same concept, under one umbrella term: nootropics. The concept is that a better, more efficient, more super you lie somewhere in your brain, and all it takes is for you to ingest some brain-boosting substance to bring that person out.

This concept, or rather similar concepts, is probably as old as modern history, but we think people are not learning from history.

Past generations of healthy human beings that have strived to improve their brains by the use of any drugs or brain concoctions have mostly destroyed that brain, or the body holding the brain in the end, or at the mildest; have got little or nothing to show for it at the end.

The people of the 21st century – especially the people of the United States, where a large market for memory supplements currently exists – going for smart drugs have their own reasons too. One is an attempt to unnaturally make themselves relevant in an “increasingly knowledge-based society that values mental quickness and agility above all else.” ^[2]

Another is the relaxation of some laws surrounding drug use and marketing in the United States, specifically some legal loopholes that allow manufacturers to sell substances (that are not drug) without FDA oversight so long as it is not called a “drug” and doesn’t make health claims like diagnosing or treating disease.

But Do Memory Supplements Really Work?

According to a research work presented by The Guardian, sales of “memory supplements” in the US “doubled between 2006 and 2015, reaching a value of $643 million.” ^[3] The same source also noted that a quarter of US adults over the age of 50 regularly take these supplements to improve the health of their brain.

The figure above shows that sellers of memory supplements are clearly smiling to the bank selling “brain boosters” to people with healthy brains. But, are their supplements boosting any brain, or are the buyers just victims of a society (and advertisements) that pressures them to achieve mental soundness using a dicey means?

In a Guardian article titled “Save Your Money, No Evidence Brain Supplements Work”, Guardian stated that there is no convincing evidence to recommend dietary supplements for brain health in healthy older adults.^[3]

The Guardian is just one out of hundreds (if not thousands) of reputable news sources, publications, academic personalities and/or institutions that have been sounding a note of warning to people who think taking memory supplements is what is going to boost their brainpower.

Like the Guardian, most of them have discovered literally no evidence unequivocally backing the efficacy of such supplements helping just the human memory, let alone helping the entire human brain function.

A writer for Vox, Kaitlyn Tiffany conducted an investigative journalism into memory drugs by getting some samples and trying it on herself. When a list of the active ingredients in the nootropic samples she received was shown to Hedy Kober, an associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at Yale University, he (Hedy) said that there are no data suggesting that healthy people would benefit from taking the supplements.^[4]

Memory drugs/supplements are carefully advertised and packaged to hide or play down their lack of rigorous scientific backing, and it is the reason the majority of their consumers are people who have only been moved by advertisements (or similar media) and not by any sincere research into what they are buying.

Sites like Consumer Reports are following this problem closely and are concerned about consumer gullibility. Marvin M. Lipman, M.D and Chief Medical Adviser to Consumer Reports, said people should not be “misled by hype,” he said that these supplements “are not only a waste of money, but some can also be harmful.^[5]

Harmful? He is not the only researcher on that one. There are many like him who are suspicious of the safety of these supplements too.

Barry Gordon, MD, Ph.D., is the director of the cognitive neurology/neuropsychology division at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Interestingly, he is heading a branch of medicine/psychology that studies the part of the human body and mind that memory supplements are claiming to treat. Barry Gordon found their notion of improving the brain hilarious.

Describing how the brain works, he said: “The circuits that are involved in human cognition are very complicated and not fully understood.” ^[6] He thinks memory supplements are simply making a grandiose claim upon a premise their makers don’t understand or have ignored.

Referring to the circuits in the human cognition he referred to earlier, he said, “You can’t just ‘turn up the dial that easily” by the use of smart drugs.

On the usefulness and safety of memory supplements, Barry Gordon was unequivocal, he said: It’s not clear that they work and not clear that they’re safe.” ^[6]

Questionable and grandiose: Those are the two words that can perfectly paraphrase the opinion of scholars on many memory supplements.

Many top scientists have spoken against the use of nootropics or memory supplements among healthy individuals and or the general populace. It will be quite challenging to include all their statements in this chapter. However, we will mention some.

Among some of the notable ones are:

“There is no current evidence provided by rigorous double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials that any of these substances can improve memory in the aging brain” ^[7] – Dr. Sid Gilman, professor, and chair of the department of neurology at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Sid Gilman was interviewed by ABC News

In 2016, the American Medical Association adopted a policy to discourage prescriptions of nootropics for healthy people on the basis that the effects of prescription stimulants “appear to be variable among individuals, dose-dependent, and modest at best in healthy individual”. ^[8]

In the words of KIM Urban, a Philadelphia Neurophysiologist who has worked on Nootropics, “you’re dealing with unregulated substances that have no oversight.^[9] Urban even went ahead to compare memory supplements to weight-loss supplements, admitting that we just don’t know enough about these supplements.

This statement of Kim Urban was made available by Scientific American.

In 2019, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) warned some manufacturers of nootropics about use of false advertising and making fraudulent claims concerning nootropic supplement products. ^[10]

To further drive home our point, we will mention some expert statements on some of the active ingredients used in memory supplements (nootropics). This includes well-known nootropics that are sourced from plants and herb materials.

a) Ginseng: This is one of the common ingredients used in the so-called memory supplements. There has been some research work showing that this plant may be beneficial to human memory. However, we need more controlled studies to establish if the ginseng root is truly good for the memory in both healthy and unhealthy individuals.

We still need to know the dose at which this substance work best.  When talking about ginseng root and bacopa, Dr Guillaume Fond, a psychiatrist with France’s Aix-Marseille University Medica School, said that “data are still lacking to definitely confirm their efficacy.” ^[11] Dr Guillaume Fond has researched about smart drugs.

In a nutshell, as at the time of writing this chapter, we can say that the memory-enhancing property of the  ginseng supplement in healthy individuals remains doubtful.

b) Bacopa Monnieri: This is another ingredient in many memory supplements. Similar to Ginseng, some research works have shown that bacopa monnieri has memory-enhancing ability. However, we need double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials to truly establish whether this substance truly prevents cognitive decline or dementia. In addition we need to know if this substance is of any use in healthy individuals.

c) Gingko Biloba: This another ingredient used in many memory supplements. There is no convincing evidence that this substance prevents cognitive decline or dementia.^[12][13]

d) Fish oil: Fish oil is good when it is part of balanced diet. However, there is no good evidence that fish oil prevents cognitive or dementia when used in supplements.^[13]

In addition, a research carried out by Scott et al. (2015), it was found that “omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and vitamin E supplementation did not affect cognition in non-demented middle-aged and older adults.” ^[14]

Final Notes on Memory Supplements

Although some research works that suggested that substance like ginseng root has memory-enhancing properties, it is a clever choice to save your money and avoid spending it on memory supplements.

We are not going to say that there is no benefit in taking the supplements. However,
we are going to say that if you truly want a superb memory, a memory supplement is not your thing.

Memory supplements make you think that you can easily improve your memory just by taking some pills (in the form of supplements). Popping memory pills is a sedentary activity that deceives us into thinking we are improving ourselves by improving our brain.

We must always remember that the brain is just one organ in our body that relies on the well-being of other organs for it to function well. If you treat your body right, your brain will function well.

Sincerely, to truly improve your memory and excel others, you need to put in some efforts into your memory. The only memory you get when you take memory supplements is a lazy memory. Unfortunately, no one has won the world memory championship with a lazy memory or by taking memory supplements.

It will not be surprising if the manufacturer’s of the so-called memory supplements have poor memory themselves. Memory supplements can never be a substitute for hard work. For you to have a superb memory you quest for, you need to work hard on your memory using clever and proven means.

The best way to improve your memory is to use a multifaceted approach. This includes eating a healthy and balanced diet, getting adequate exercise and sleep, limiting stress in your life, taking mental exercise, avoiding drinking alcohol or smoking, paying attention to details,and using memory techniques.

When it comes to improving your memory, instead of taking unreliable supplements, you are better off applying the principles presented in this guide.

Common Drugs that Affect Your Memory

In the preceding section, we treated memory supplements; it is now time to discuss the effect of common prescription and non-prescription drugs on the human memory.

The essence of this section is for you to know about some common prescription and non-prescription drugs that may have an effect on cognitive functioning. If you have a memory issue and you take any kind of drugs mentioned in this section, we recommend you consult your doctor to know if the drug is the one causing or contributing to your memory issues.

Antidepressants and Your Brain

Some research works have suggested that antidepressants can negatively affect the brain.

For example, one article on the issue said that SSRI antidepressants (a type of antidepressant) increase the levels of serotonin, while suppressing levels of dopamine. This will make the feeling of happiness to remain but the feeling of romantic love to subside.^[15]

Another report suggested that antidepressants can cause cognitive impairment^[16].

Anyway, we would like more research to be done so as to make an informed conclusion.

Anesthetics and Your Brain

More research works need to be done to clearly establish the detrimental effect of anesthetics on human memory.

That said, there are pieces of evidence that suggest that anesthetic drugs may be toxic to the brain and may even increase the risk of having postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients^[17].

Furthermore, trichloroethylene (An anesthetic agent) has been reported to cause short term memory loss after chronic exposure.^[18]

Steroid and Human Memory

More double-blind studies need to be done to clearly establish if steroids have a detrimental effect on human memory.

That said, there are research works suggesting that the memory may be negatively affected when it is continuously exposed to a steroid.

For example, Newcomer et al. (1994), found that dexamethasone (a steroid) induces a decrease in declarative memory after extended usage.^[19]

In addition, Kirschbaum et al. (1996), found that treatment with cortisol (hydrocortisone) is associated with impaired declarative memory in healthy adults.^[20]

Furthermore, according to a publication by drugaware.com.au, steroids can cause mental health problems like “anxiety, depression, paranoia and psychosis in those people who have a vulnerability to mental health problems.”^[21]

Going by these research works, there appears to be a relation between the long use of steroids and a bad memory. We recommend you only take steroids when the benefits clearly outweigh the risk. In addition, only take a steroid after it is recommended by a qualified health practitioner.

Marijuana (Weed) and Human Memory

Marijuana can throw many aspects of human life out of balance, and as much as you can, you should not take it.

Some of the effects of taking marijuana (weed) are mentioned below:

1. Research has shown that teens taking marijuana are at the risk of developing schizophrenia or psychosis later in their life.^[22]

2. Marijuana can cause memory problems.^[23]

3. Marijuana can cause addiction.^[24] Addiction practically makes you a slave to marijuana.

Marijuana use across the world has risen over the years, and many more people are exposed to this drug every day.  You should do everything needed to avoid taking this drug if you have not started and if you are already using it, please consider seeking help to stop it.

Medications That Can Cause Memory Problems

There are many examples of medications or substances that can cause memory problems, and we have already mentioned some of them in the preceding sections. But we will like to mention more.

Some of these medications or substances are listed below:

1. Alcohol;
2. Antidepressants like amitriptyline;
3. Antianxiety medications, e.g., benzodiazepines;
4. Sleeping pills like diazepam;
5. Tobacco;
6. Narcotic painkillers like fentanyl.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that what you put in your mouth may affect your memory for years to come. Therefore, it is important you only take those things that have been rigorously tested to improve or enhance your memory.

If you take any memory supplements or drugs, please spend time reading about them to determine how they affect your brain or health in general.

Your body should never be a laboratory to test substances from wealth-seeking individuals. You have only gotten one life and one memory; we can not overemphasize how important it is to take care of them.

References:

1. “Brain Health Supplements Market Size, Share And Growth Factor | 2023”. Allied Market Research, 2020, https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/brain-health-supplements-market. Accessed 7 Oct 2020.
2. Tweaking brains with smart drugs to get ahead in Silicon Valley – https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/tweaking-brains-with-smart-drugs-to-get-ahead-in-silicon-valley/2017/06/09/5bc9c064-0b35-11e7-93dc-00f9bdd74ed1_story.html Accessed 7 Oct 2020.
3. Davis, Nicola. “‘Save Your Money’: No Evidence Brain Health Supplements Work, Say Experts”. The Guardian, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jun/29/save-your-money-no-evidence-brain-health-supplements-work-say-experts. Accessed 8 Oct 2020.
4. “You Can’T Buy A Better Brain. Brands Are Still Lining Up To Sell You One.”. Vox, 2019, https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/7/8/18772467/nootropics-silicon-valley-brain-fitness-goop-smart-drugs. Accessed 8 Oct 2020.
5. “Do Memory Supplements Really Work?”. Consumer Reports, 2020, https://www.consumerreports.org/dietary-supplements/do-memory-supplements-really-work/. Accessed 8 Oct 2020.
6. “What Are Nootropics Or “Smart Drugs” Or Cognitive Enhancers?”. Webmd, 2020, https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/features/nootropics-smart-drugs-overview#1. Accessed 8 Oct 2020.
7. News, ABC. “Do Memory Enhancing Supplements Work?”. ABC News, 2020, https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Health/story?id=117094&page=1. Accessed 8 Oct 2020.
8. “AMA Confronts The Rise Of Nootropics”. American Medical Association, 2020, https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-confronts-rise-nootropics. Accessed 12 Oct 2020.
9. John M. Glionna, STAT. “Brain Hackers Seeking Peak Performance Use Risky Chemical Cocktails”. Scientific American, 2017, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/brain-hackers-seeking-peak-performance-use-risky-chemical-cocktails/. Accessed 12 Oct 2020.
10. “FTC And FDA Send Warning Letters To Companies Selling Dietary Supplements Claiming To Treat Alzheimer’S Disease And Remediate Or Cure Other Serious Illnesses Such As Parkinson’S, Heart Disease, And Cancer”. Federal Trade Commission, 2019, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/02/ftc-fda-send-warning-letters-companies-selling-dietary. Accessed 12 Oct 2020.
11. “Nootropics, Or ‘Smart Drugs,’ Are Gaining Popularity. But Should You Take Them?”. Time, 2020, https://time.com/5509993/nootropics-smart-drugs-brain/. Accessed 12 Oct 2020.
12. “Do Memory Supplements Really Work?”. Consumer Reports, 2020, https://www.consumerreports.org/dietary-supplements/do-memory-supplements-really-work/. Accessed 12 Oct 2020.
13. Publishing, Harvard. “Mind And Memory Supplement Scorecard – Harvard Health”. Harvard Health, 2020, https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/mind-and-memory-supplement-scorecard. Accessed 12 Oct 2020.
14. Effect of Nutrients, Dietary Supplements and Vitamins on Cognition: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4696451/. Accessed 12 Oct 2020.
15. “Fresh Writing”. Freshwriting.Nd.Edu, 2020, https://freshwriting.nd.edu/volumes/2017/essays/the-unrecognized-marriage-killing-effects-of-ssri-antidepressants. Accessed 13 Oct 2020.
16. Joanna Moncrieff, and David Cohen. “Do Antidepressants Cure or Create Abnormal Brain States?”. Florida International University Digital Commons. Accessed 4 Nov 2020.
17. Hudson, A.E., and H.C. Hemmings. “Are Anaesthetics Toxic To The Brain?”. British Journal Of Anaesthesia, vol 107, no. 1, 2011, pp. 30-37. Elsevier BV, doi:10.1093/bja/aer122. Accessed 13 Oct 2020.
18. “Trichloroethylene (TCE) Toxicity: What Are The Physiological Effects Of Trichloroethylene? | ATSDR – Environmental Medicine & Environmental Health Education – CSEM”. Atsdr.Cdc.Gov, 2020, https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=15&po=10. Accessed 13 Oct 2020.
19. Newcomer, JW et al. “Glucocorticoid-Induced Impairment In Declarative Memory Performance In Adult Humans”. The Journal Of Neuroscience, vol 14, no. 4, 1994, pp. 2047-2053. Society For Neuroscience, doi:10.1523/jneurosci.14-04-02047.1994. Accessed 13 Oct 2020.
20. Kirschbaum et al “Stress- and treatment-induced elevations of cortisol levels associated with impaired declarative memory in healthy adults” “APA Psycnet”. Psycnet.Apa.Org, 2020, https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1996-03456-005. Accessed 13 Oct 2020.
21. Wa.Gov.Au, 2020, https://www.mhc.wa.gov.au/media/1240/steroids-the-facts-booklet.pdf. Accessed 13 Oct 2020.
22. MacDonald, Ann. “Teens Who Smoke Pot At Risk For Later Schizophrenia, Psychosis – Harvard Health Blog”. Harvard Health Blog, 2011, https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/teens-who-smoke-pot-at-risk-for-later-schizophrenia-psychosis-201103071676. Accessed 13 Oct 2020.
23. Publishing, Harvard. “The Effects Of Marijuana On Your Memory – Harvard Health”. Harvard Health, 2020, https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/the-effects-of-marijuana-on-your-memory. Accessed 13 Oct 2020.
24. “Is Marijuana Addictive? | National Institute On Drug Abuse”. National Institute On Drug Abuse, 2020, https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/marijuana-addictive. Accessed 13 Oct 2020.