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5 Supplements for Enhancing Focus & Memory and Combatting Brain Fog

Nearly 11.1% of adults experience age-related cognitive decline. How can you find a supplement that works?

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a working man with brain fog sitting at a computer

As we age, our minds' ability to keep up with the pace of life diminishes. Moments like forgetting your keys or making obvious mistakes can leave people feeling uneasy, overwhelmed, and even lost.

Thankfully, scientists have been studying a number of promising ingredients for the past few decades. As a result, there are now more than 80,000 “brain boosting” supplements on the market today. However, only a few have been recognized to improve your cognitive function.

That’s why Smarter Reviews compiled years of research on brain health supplements, laying out what to look for, what to avoid, and 2024’s Top five supplements in this quick guide.

illustration of a person connecting the cord from a giant light bulb into a giant head

5 Benefits of a Quality Brain Health Supplement

Short & Long-Term Memory

A high-quality brain health supplement can help maintain cognitive function and promote short-term & long-term memory, attention, and processing speed. These brain nutrients also help increase memory and learning.

Focus, Sharpness & Alertness

If you've ever wondered how people in their 70s and 80s are still sharp as a tack with laser-like focus, it's probably because they've invested in brain-healthy nutrients.

Learning & Accuracy

Once you meet the nutrient demands of your brain, learning can feel easier. Afterall, quality brain health supplements can help promote attention, memory, and retention.

Better Mood & Mental Clarity

A highly rated brain health supplement can help balance “neurotransmitters,” which can lead to feeling more stable, focused, mentally clear, and full of "brain power.”

Brain Defense & Confidence

Effective brain ingredients can reduce age-related oxidative stress and promote the growth of new brain cells.

While there are dozens of ingredients that can support your brain health, the list below shows cutting-edge and time-tested ingredients found in quality brain health supplements with stellar customer results.

These powerful nutrients can help with everything from memory and focus to overall cognitive enhancement, including lifting some of that fogginess.

What Ingredients Make a Good Brain Health Supplement?

Phosphatidylserine — Focus & Attentiveness

Sometimes referred to as "the messenger," this phospholipid is a fatty substance produced in the body that helps transmit messages between nerve cells in the brain.

Bacopa Monnieri — Memory & Learning Acuity

Bacopa monnieri has been described as a calming cognitive enhancer. Clinical studies demonstrate the role of this important nutrient in supporting verbal learning, word recall, memory retrieval, and stress reduction.

Folate — Mood Support

A growing body of evidence suggests that folate is critical for proper brain function and plays an important role in mental and emotional health. That’s because it aids in the production of neurotransmitters.

 B Vitamins — Overall Brain Health

B vitamins perform essential roles in cellular functioning and promote numerous aspects of brain function, including the synthesis of neurochemicals and signaling molecules.

What to Avoid

“Other” Ingredients

Even when a brain supplement contains great ingredients, it’s also important to check the “other ingredients” within a formula. These add-ons can include sweeteners, colors, preservatives, and other unnecessary additives that provide zero nutritional value.

Unapproved Drugs

We wish it wasn’t true, but many brain supplements contain unapproved drugs — and sometimes they’re not even listed on the label! So make sure to research the ingredients and the company behind any brain health formula you are considering.

Top 5 Brain Health Supplements of 2024

We've compiled a list of what we've found to be the top five products in this category on the market today.

1. MindMD®

Owned by the Smarter Reviews Group of Companies

hat
packaged goods

Total Ranking

9.6/10

A+

Overall Grade

PROS


  • Phosphatidylserine 
  • Bacopa monnieri extract
  • Folate (vitamin B9)
  • Clinically studied ingredients
  • Vegan
  • Endorsed by a Neurologist
  • Non-GMO
  • Good Manufacturing Practices 
  • 90-day Free & Easy Returns

CONS

  • Only sold in the U.S. and Canada 
The Bottom Line

1MD Nutrition’s MindMD contains significant amounts of folic acid, COGNIGRAPE red grape extract, phosphatidylserine, bacopa monnieri, vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine HCl), green tea leaf extract for better focus, attention, alertness, clarity, short and long term memory, sharp thinking, and cognitive function support.

Our product, MindMD, is recommended by board-certified neurologist Dr. Alexander Zubkov as a broad-spectrum brain health supplement designed to support attentiveness, energy, concentration, accuracy, and learning and reduce age-related cognitive decline.


All 1MD Nutrition products are backed by a 90-day money-back guarantee in case you don’t love them.

*Results are based on users' personal experiences collected on this page and do not necessarily reflect typical results of using these products. Please see product website for more information.

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2. Alpha Brain®*

graphical user interface, text, application
packaged goods

Total Ranking

9.2/10

B+

Overall Grade

PROS

  • Phosphatidylserine
  • Bacopa monnieri extract

  • Vitamin B6

  • Clinically studied ingredients

  • Non-GMO 
  • Good Manufacturing Practices
  • 90-day returns 

CONS

  • Proprietary blends
The Bottom Line

Onnit’s Alpha Brain Daily Cognitive Support contains three different nutrient blends inside one formula, including three proprietary blends: Onnit Flow Blend, Onnit Focus Blend, and Onnit Fuel Blend.

Alpha Brain is made with phosphatidylserine and vitamin B6 — a critical nutrient for communication between nerve cells in the brain. It also includes L-theanine, L-tyrosine, and Cat’s Claw extract to support everyday cognitive function.


Despite its impressive catalog of ingredients, the company doesn’t disclose how much of those ingredients you’re actually getting, as they are listed as part of a proprietary blend.


Onnit offers a 90-day money-back guarantee, however, opened items must be at least half full to qualify for a full refund.

*Results are based on users' personal experiences collected on this page and do not necessarily reflect typical results of using these products. Please see product website for more information.

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3. Prevagen®*

graphical user interface, application
bottled and jarred packaged goods

Total Ranking

8.4/10

B

Overall Grade

PROS

  • Apoaequorin 

  • Vitamin D
  • Clinically studied ingredients

  • Non-GMO
  • Good Manufacturing Practices

CONS

    • Only 45-day returns
The Bottom Line

Prevagen’s claim to fame is 20 mg of Apoaequorin, the unique ingredient contained in its formula.


Apoaequorin is a protein found in glow-in-the-dark jellyfish called Aequorea victoria. The lab-made version found in Prevagen may improve memory concerns linked to aging and has undergone extensive safety testing for allergenicity and toxicity.


Prevagen also contains 50 mcg of vitamin D, which is known for its role in regulating and protecting the nervous system and for its antioxidant properties.


While Prevagen does not contain many of the healthy brain function ingredients cited throughout this buying guide, the formula is so exceptional that we simply had to include it on our list.


Prevagen gets positive reviews from its customers and comes recommended by a survey of pharmacists.

At over $100 for a 2-month supply, Prevagen is moderately priced. If you’re not satisfied with your results, returns are accepted up to 45 days after purchase.

*Results are based on users' personal experiences collected on this page and do not necessarily reflect typical results of using these products. Please see product website for more information.

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4. Memoractiv™*

hat
bottle

Total Ranking

7.7/10

C+

Overall Grade

PROS

  • Phosphatidylserine

  • Bacopa monnieri extract
  • Ashwagandha extract 

  • Acetyl-L-Carnitine
  • Lutein

  • Clinically studied ingredients
  • Non-GMO

  • Good Manufacturing Practices  

CONS

  • 60-day returns
The Bottom Line

Thorne’s Memoractiv is a well-known nootropic brain supplement that has been clinically studied for memory effectiveness, processes, and speed.


An interesting perk of Memoractiv is that in addition to its cognitive function benefits, it contains properties meant to spur creativity and motivation.


The ingredients behind this brain health solution include Ashwagandha extract, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Ginkgo phytosome, Bacopa monnieri, PUREENERGY (caffeine pterostilbene complex), Lutein, and Zeaxanthin Isomers.


The Memoractiv formula may enhance reaction times for mental tasks, fight brain fog, help manage the effects of stress, and moderate balanced cortisol levels to promote positive moods.


Memoractiv is backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee.

*Results are based on users' personal experiences collected on this page and do not necessarily reflect typical results of using these products. Please see product website for more information.

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5. Focus Factor®*

number
blue bottle

Total Ranking

6.5/10

C-

Overall Grade


PROS

  • Phosphatidylserine

  • Folate (vitamin B9)
    Vitamins B3, B6 and B12
  • Bacopa monnieri extract

  • Clinically studied ingredients
  • Vegan
  • Non-GMO 

  • Good Manufacturing Practices  

CONS

    • 4-8 tablets per serving

    • No money-back guarantee 
The Bottom Line

If you’re in the market for a clinically tested brain health supplement with a multi-year track record, you may have found what you’ve been looking for with Synergy’s Focus Factor.


Like our previous recommendations, this formula contains critical brain health nutrients like folate (400 mcg folic acid), calcium (50mg), vitamin B6 (15 mg), and more.


However, Focus Factor includes so many components (a total of 24 ingredients plus an additional proprietary blend!) that the minimum amount per serving is 4 tablets. Depending on your body weight, activity level and stress level, they recommend that you may need up to 8 tablets per day!


In addition to being free of fillers, preservatives, gluten, wheat, Synergy’s Focus Factor formula is non-GMO, and contains no yeast, egg, sweeteners, or starches.


Please note that there are no returns or refunds unless the product is considered faulty or tampered with. Return shipping is the responsibility of the customer.

*Results are based on users' personal experiences collected on this page and do not necessarily reflect typical results of using these products. Please see product website for more information.

Learn More

CITATIONS

  1. Kim, Hee-Yong, et al., U.S. National Library of Medicine, Oct. 2014. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258547
  2. Baba, Yoshitake, et al. Journal of Medicinal Food, vol. 24, no. 4, 1 Apr. 2021, pp. 333–341, https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2020.4803.
  3. Attipoe, Selasi, et al. Military Medicine, vol. 180, no. 7, July 2015, pp. 754–765, https://doi.org/10.7205/milmed-d-14-00594.
  4. Liwinski, Timur, and Undine E. Lang. Nutrients, vol. 15, no. 17, 1 Jan. 2023, p. 3859, www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/17/3859, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15173859.
  5. Kato-Kataoka, Akito, et al. Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Nov. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2966935/.
  6. Mount Sinai Health Library https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/vitamin-b9-folic-acid
  7. Kennedy, David O. Nutrients, vol. 8, no. 2 Feb. 2016, p. 68, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4772032/
  8. Walker, Eric A., and Mark V. Pellegrini. “Bacopa Monnieri.” PubMed, StatPearls Publishing, 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK589635/.
  9. Chan, Nicholas. Being Patient, 22 June 2023.
  10. NBC News, 23 Sept. 2020, 1240880. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.
  11. Pervin, Monira, et al. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 20, no. 15, 25 July 2019, p. 3630, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20153630.
  12. Singh, Neha Atulkumar, et al. Nutrition Journal, vol. 15, no. 1, Dec. 2015, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-016-0179-4.