Two heavily promoted products not covered by health insurance are Prevagen and Neuriva. In a recent post on Schwitzer’s HealthNewsReview on Substack, he points out that the makers of Prevagen, who were prohibited by the Federal Trade Commission from stating that the supplement can improve brain function or memory, have a new 2025 campaign, “Prevagen — For Your Brain” which has drawn legal attention as well.
Neuriva has also come under scrutiny by the TruthinAdvertising.org website, which says that the manufacturer ”is allowed to continue claiming that Neuriva is backed by real science, when, in reality, none of the studies it cites reached reliable, statistically significant, conclusive results about the supplement ingredients’ impact on the various measures of cognitive functioning advertised by the company.”
4. Don’t fall for the promise of a quick fix.
While the allure of a pill or a powder to replace science-supported lifestyle changes is compelling, good brain health does not come in a bottle. The reality is, taking care of your brain, arguably your most important organ, takes some work. But it’s worth it.
To achieve better brain health, neurologists recommend ongoing exercise, a brain-healthy diet, restorative sleep, managing stress, learning new things or engaging your brain, and staying socially engaged (see The 6 pillars of brain health). A new report by AARP and others shows that almost half the cases of dementia are potentially preventable or delayable through lifestyle changes or public policies that promote brain health.
5. AI doesn’t always get it right. If you have concerns about your brain health, speak to your doctor.
A 2025 study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that participants looking at medical responses could not effectively distinguish between AI-generated responses and those from a doctor; they even rated AI-generated responses as significantly more valid, trustworthy and complete or satisfactory.
“We know that AI can hallucinate, giving us answers that don’t really make sense,” says cognitive specialist Dr. Arjun Masurkar, assistant professor of neurology and neuroscience at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “That’s why you should ask your doctor about the information [that AI] is suggesting,” he adds.
Your doctors can lead you to ”science that has a diverse and large population of people who are and are not getting the treatment and compares those two groups — what we call a randomized controlled trial, the gold standard for evaluating how well a particular medication or supplement works,” Niotis says.
Another reason to speak with your doctor is that medications and certain health conditions can affect your memory. “It’s important to get [your concerns] checked out. Supplements can also interact with your prescription medication or affect your blood test results,” Cohen explains.
“There are some supplements that can mimic a prescribed medication and effectively double your dose,” Masurkar warns. “Huperzine A [a supplement touted as supporting memory and focus] works similarly to the cholinesterase inhibitors sometimes prescribed for Alzheimer’s patients, so if you add it, you’ll have double the side effects,” he cautions.
Bottom line: Be wary of anyone who promises that their one solution will fix your problem. “There isn’t a magic pill or treatment you can take that’s going to improve or reverse your cognitive impairment or delay onset of dementia,” Niotis says.
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