Prevagen Review | Ingredients, Evidence and Limitations

In this Prevagen review, I will be looking at one of the most popular cognitive boosters or nootropics in the United States. With over 7.5k positive Prevagen reviews is hard to doubt about this product, is it? They also have tons of testimonials in their site reporting noticeable improvements on their memories.

However, the strength of the evidence needs closer examination. This review considers whether the studies discussed support the claimed memory benefits.

Furthermore, two of the three clinical studies that the company uses to support its claims are not published in peer-reviewed journals.

So, what’s the deal with this nootropic? Is Prevagen worth it? Does Prevagen actually work? Or should you look at other cognitive boosters instead?

Spoiler: This is not a product that I would recommend. In my research for the best nootropics I found much better products. Check out my favourites.

Our top nootropic recommendation

ThinkEase

ThinkEase is our top nootropic recommendation for everyday focus and memory support. It combines generous doses of well-studied nootropic ingredients, including 750 mg acetyl L-carnitine, 300 mg bacopa and 250 mg citicoline, alongside 550 mg lion’s mane per daily serving.

Premium extracts and ingredient forms include bacopa standardised to 50% bacosides, rhodiola at 3% rosavins and 1% salidroside, and active B vitamins. The caffeine-free, clean-label formula uses plant-based pullulan capsules and rice-based Nu-FLOW, with every ingredient and dose openly listed.

Customers reviewing ThinkEase on its website report better focus and productivity, making it an appealing option for anyone looking to get more from their working day.

Visit ThinkEase ↗

Complete ingredients & label facts

ThinkEase: complete active ingredient panel

Ingredient	Per 4 capsules	Form / standardisation
Vitamin B6	2.5 mg	pyridoxal 5-phosphate
Folate	167 mcg DFE	100 mcg L-5-methylfolate
Vitamin B12	7.5 mcg	methylcobalamin
Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl	750 mg	Not specified
Lion’s mane	550 mg	Hericium erinaceus fruiting body powder
Bacopa	300 mg	Bacopa monnieri leaf extract; 50% bacosides
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine	275 mg	Not specified
Citicoline	250 mg	Not specified
L-Theanine	200 mg	Not specified
Rhodiola	200 mg	Rhodiola rosea root extract; 3% rosavins and 1% salidroside
Phosphatidylserine	100 mg	from sunflower lecithin
Pine bark extract	75 mg	Pinus pinaster bark; 95% proanthocyanidins
Saffron extract	30 mg	Crocus sativus flower; 0.3% safranal
PQQ	10 mg	pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt
Lutein	10 mg	from marigold flower extract (Tagetes erecta)
Zeaxanthin	2 mg	from marigold flower extract (Tagetes erecta)

Other ingredients: vegetable pullulan capsule, Nu-flow rice hull concentrate.

Daily serving: 4 capsules. 120 capsules / 30 servings. Official ingredients and serving information.

Prevagen Review at a Glance

Prevagen: Pros & Cons

Prevagen Ingredients

When reviewing nootropics (Hunter Focus, Qualia Mind…), I often reinforce the idea that having multiple nootropics is a positive sign. For instance, I like to see caffeine, L-theanine, lion’s mane, rhodiola rosea, omega-3 and many more usually.

However, as you will discover in this Prevagen review, this is a different type of cognitive enhancer. In fact, it only has 2 ingredients, and most of the claims are due to one of them: apoaequorin. Prevagen is just the commercial name that Quincy Bioscience has given to it.

So what is so great about apoaequrin?

Take-away: Prevagen contains one single active ingredient, apoaequorin, which effectiveness is yet to be proven. This means that you won’t find effective nootropic agents like bacopa, caffeine, l-theanine, b-vitamins etc. that other formulas contain. These have actual positive effects in your brain.

What Is Apoaequorin?

Perhaps, the first thing we should ask ourselves for this Prevagen nootropic review is what the heck its main ingredient is.

It was first discovered in jelly fish, although it’s now produced artificially with genetically modified bacteria.

How Does Prevagen Work?

In theory, apoaequorin is able to bind calcium in your brain, therefore preventing calcium to be accumulated in excess. Excessive calcium can lead to the death of brain cells.

However, these claims are highly disputed, since there’s no evidence orally ingested apoaequorin to be effective at binding excess calcium in the brain nor reaching the brain itself.

Is Apoaequorin Safe to Consume?

No negative effects have been found yet. There’s a low chance of having an ill effect (nausea, constipation, etc).

Prevagen Benefits Reviewed

Previously, I’ve discussed the details of apoaequorin (the main ingredient found in Prevagen). However, the main question everyone is probably asking is does Apoaequorin really work? Is this some sort of magic ingredient that will sharpen your memory?

Let’s have a look.

Prevagen Review Benefits

According to the company here are the main benefits of taking Prevagen:

• Help with mild memory loss. Quincy Biosciences cites 3 studies backing this claim.
• Sharper mind.
• Clearer thinking.

They even go as far as claiming that they are the #1 pharmacist choice for memory support.

Without a doubt their strongest assets to back their claims are the 3 medical trials. However, there are some big issues with these studies:

• The first and the second study were not published in a peer-reviewed journal. This is, other scientist did not edit and evaluate the studies. Furthermore, the methodology used was not great, as they did not including a control group to analyze the results.
• The third study was published in a peer-reviewed journal. The researchers did not find a statistically significant improvement between the overall Prevagen and control groups in the analysis discussed here. Manufacturer involvement is a reason to look for independent replication, rather than proof of bias.

Key takeaway: The studies discussed here have limitations, including their design and independence. They did not persuade me that the claimed memory benefits were established.

Does Prevagen Work?

Ultimately, even if the science shows that there’s no significant evidence that shows Prevagen being effective against memory loss, the positive reviews are still there. Plus, as mentioned earlier, it’s also “the most recommended brand by pharmacists”.

So you might be tempted to think that, perhaps, it does still work or that could still benefit you.

Customer reviews and pharmacist recommendations alone do not establish effectiveness. My assessment focuses on the clinical evidence discussed above.

Furthermore, notice that this is a “dietary-supplement” and the FDA has not evaluated the claims. While this is common for most nootropic supplements, in 2012, the FDA also filed a warning to Quincy Bioscience for making false claims.

Price and Offers

If you are still interested in buying Prevagen, you might want to know how much it costs. The price of Prevagen will depend on where you buy and what the strength is. Consider that Prevagen is available in Amazon and your local pharmacies, as it is an over-the-counter item.

On Amazon the prices are as follows:

• Regular Strength – 10mg- (60 capsules) –> $108.99, $0.91/serving.
• Extra Strength – 20mg- (30 capsules) –> $87.92, $1.47/serving.
• Professional – 40mg- (30 capsules) –> $143.92, $2.40/serving

Is Prevagen Worth It?

Taking the price and the “benefits”, do I think is worth buying Prevagen?

In my opinion, the evidence discussed here does not justify the price. I would want stronger independent evidence before recommending it for memory support.

ThinkEase is our current top nootropic recommendation. See its complete ingredient and quantity table above.

More Prevagen Reviews

Other assessments of Prevagen also raise questions about the strength of the supporting evidence.

“Questionable”, “unproven”, “little clinical evidence”, as well as direct warnings are the trend among experts in the industry.

Prevagen Alternatives

So I’ve been very critical about Prevagen, but are there any alternatives to Prevagen that I deem worth?

Yes, I think that when you look at best nootropics you will find many that are more effective in different areas from boosting your energy levels to reducing your anxiety.

Besides these, you will find plenty of other nootropics, even CBD products that will help you more with key areas like sleep, memory, focus, energy levels or stress.

FAQ

Verdict: Prevagen Review – Evidence and Value

Looking at all the positive Prevagen reviews, I was hoping to find something new and exciting here. The supporting evidence discussed in this review did not meet my expectations.

I found the supporting evidence unconvincing. The studies discussed above have limitations, and manufacturer involvement makes independent replication particularly valuable.

Based on the evidence discussed in this review, Prevagen would not be my preferred option. ThinkEase is our current preferred nootropic alternative; ingredient evidence should be distinguished from evidence for a finished product.

Instead, I would look for a nootropic mix that contains more proven ingredients like DHA, B-vitamins, caffeine, L-theanine etc. I have reviewed a few products that I would consider significantly better at enhancing cognitive functions, like, Hunter Focus, Mind Lab Pro or Qualia Mind.

Otherwise, you can check our list of the best brain supplements for a sharper mind.