Your brain health should always be a priority, and it becomes especially important to consider as you age and your risk of cognitive decline increases. One major factor of your brain health that you may work to preserve is your memory. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to keep your memory sharp over the years, including prioritizing essential nutrients and loading your meals with antioxidant-rich foods. You may also want to consider adding a brain health supplement to your daily regimen. However, not all supplements that claim to boost your memory are as effective as they may seem. In fact, there are a few options that experts warn you’re better off leaving on the shelf due to their ineffectiveness.
To discover one potentially useless supplement for memory, we spoke to nutritionist Mary Sabat. She told us that Ginkgo biloba may not deliver on its promises when it comes to your brain health. Read on to learn more about why this supplement may not be worth your month.
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Why Ginkgo biloba may be ineffective
Wouldn't it be great if you could take a pill that would give you instantly perfect memory for the rest of your life? Unfortunately, of course, that pill doesn't exist. Instead, there are many supplements on the market that claim to offer up a range of benefits for your brain health. While some of them may have a slight impact, it's important to remember that there is little evidence to back many of these claims up. This is especially true when it comes to Ginkgo biloba.
"Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of Ginkgo biloba on memory, particularly in older adults and those with cognitive impairments," Sabat notes. "However, the results have been largely inconsistent and inconclusive. Some studies have shown mild improvements in memory and cognitive function, while others have found no significant effects compared to a placebo." Overall, she says, most evidence suggests that Ginkgo biloba is not a reliable or potent memory-boosting supplement.
There are a few reasons Ginkgo biloba may not be able to improve your memory. For starters, Sabat points out that "memory is a complex cognitive function influenced by various biological and environmental factors, and it is unlikely that a single supplement can have a significant impact." This means that it isn't just Ginkgo biloba that could be ineffective—they may all be ineffective.
Then, there's the quality and standardization, which is also an issue for most supplements (which is why evidence of the effectiveness of many supplements seems to be slim). "The quality and standardization of Ginkgo biloba products on the market may vary, leading to inconsistent results across studies," Sabat says.
But what about the studies that have garnered results? It might just be placebo. "Individual variations in response to the supplement and placebo effects could also play a role," she says.
Does this mean all of our memories and cognitive functions are hopeless? Certainly not! There are many healthy habits you can implement into your daily life that can actually make a difference in the health of your brain. Sabat recommends regular exercises, a balanced diet full of brain-healthy foods, ample mental stimulation, sufficient sleep, and stress management.
Ultimately, she concludes, "Instead of relying on potentially ineffective supplements, individuals can incorporate evidence-based strategies into their lifestyle to support memory and cognitive function." Got it!
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