Does Prevagen Actually Work?

Under is an approximation of this video’s audio content material. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, photos, and quotes to which Dr. Greger could also be referring, watch the above video.

Over the past twenty years or so, Huge Pharma has invested greater than a half trillion {dollars} into dementia therapy analysis, however thus far to little avail. In mild of this, many have turned to dietary supplements. An AARP commissioned survey discovered that 36 p.c of these 74 years and older take a complement for mind well being, to the tune of billions of {dollars} a 12 months. Probably the most generally marketed mind complement was one I’d frankly by no means heard of earlier than: Prevagen.

Prevagen comprises a protein derived from a luminescent jellyfish the corporate claims “has been clinically proven to enhance reminiscence.” In keeping with the corporate web site, “A landmark double-blind and placebo managed trial demonstrated Prevagen improved short-term reminiscence, studying, and delayed recall over 90 days.” However once you really pull up the research, not solely did Prevagen fail to enhance reminiscence, studying, or recall over placebo, it failed to indicate a big enchancment in any of the 9 measured cognitive duties examined. As an inquiry into Prevagen printed by the Heart for Science within the Public Curiosity was titled, “How Can This Reminiscence Complement Flunk Its One Trial and Nonetheless Be Marketed as Efficient?” And never simply as efficient, however the #1 pharmacist advisable model. Contemplating the shortage of sound medical proof, how is that doable? Presumably, they’re simply as blitzed with the identical form of promoting as everybody else.

It’s no shock the complement didn’t do something, for the reason that firm’s personal research confirmed the jellyfish protein was quickly digested by abdomen enzymes. After all, that didn’t cease them from raking in additional than $20 million a 12 months. Claiming the “entrepreneurs of Prevagen preyed on the fears of older customers experiencing age-related reminiscence loss,” the Federal Commerce Fee and New York State’s Lawyer Common filed a client safety criticism charging the corporate with making false and unsubstantiated claims. The AARP weighed in, accusing the corporate of “deceiving thousands and thousands of getting old Individuals.”

In a transfer straight out of the Huge Pharma aducanumab playbook, the corporate went again and performed greater than 30 put up hoc analyses of the info, and located a couple of constructive findings on a couple of duties for some subgroups. This cherry-picking of subgroups after the very fact is a basic instance of manipulation, generally known as “p-hacking” or “information dredging,” that may be described as “inserting a wager on a horse after watching the race.”

The makers of Prevagen settled a category motion lawsuit in 2020 with the FTC over misleading enterprise practices and false promoting. Remarkably, although, the settlement permits them to proceed to promote it, with the court-approved disclaimer that claims are “primarily based on a medical research of subgroups of people …” However with the quantity of slicing and dicing of information they did, the possibilities of discovering a minimum of one false constructive was estimated at 80 p.c.

Prevagen could also be greater than only a waste of cash. The producer was cited for failing to report greater than a thousand adversarial occasions associated by customers to the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA). Regulators can’t have it each methods, although. If the jellyfish protein is digested away, how can it pose a security threat? As a result of dietary dietary supplements are too typically adulterated with contaminants. FDA inspectors particularly cited Prevagen’s manufacturing amenities for “objectionable situations or practices.”

A 2019 survey by Pew discovered that greater than half believed that the Meals and Drug Administration requires dietary supplements be examined for security, however that isn’t true. One research of 24 dietary supplements bought as cognitive efficiency boosters discovered that almost all claimed an ingredient on the label that wasn’t really within the complement. And worse, 38 p.c contained substances not allowed in dietary supplements, like prohibited medication. One other research of a dozen so-called “mind well being dietary supplements” equally discovered 8 out of 12 had been misbranded (lacking an ingredient promised on the label), and 10 out of 12 had been deemed adulterated (containing unlisted compounds, for instance caffeine in a product that explicitly highlighted all-caps ‘‘DECAFFEINATED’’ on the label). Just one of 12 was certified to comprise what it stated it did. ​​The underside line for Prevagen—there isn’t a acceptable proof that it’s efficient, and sufferers ought to be suggested to not take it.

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