9 Natural Supplements for Cognitive Impairment

October 30, 2017

Helen Lavretsky, MD, MS

Which vitamins and supplements have shown promise in treating dementia and preventing cognitive decline?

Which vitamins and supplements have shown promise in the treatment and prevention of dementia and cognitive decline? Scroll through the slides to read what studies tell us about nine of them.

Ginko biloba: Some research shows it does not improve cognition without cognitive impairment does not prevent dementia; may improve cognitive function with Alzheimer disease (AD) or vascular dementia (VaD). The data on ginkgo biloba for improving cognition in patients with dementia are more extensive than the data on prevention of cognitive impairment.

Omega 3 fatty acids: Some research shows eating fish reduces incidence of AD; omega 3 supplementation does not prevent AD; improved attention & processing speed with mild dementia (MD); does not improve cognition in AD.

Ginseng: Some improvement in cognition in AD. For more on this topic, see Ginkgo, ginseng, and royal jelly combination improves memory in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Vitamin B12, B9: Some improvement in cognition in cognitively intact individuals but not those with dementia. Note that supplementation does not improve dementia in those with normal levels of Vitamin B, but if Vitamin B12 deficiency exists, supplementation can improve memory. For related content, see: Mild Cognitive Impairment: Impact of Exercise.

Huperzine: Modest improvement in cognition in AD. For more on this topic, see Vitamin Supplements for Neurological Disorders.

Vitamin D: Increased dementia with deficiency. For more on this topic, see Study Confirms Vitamin D, Dementia Risk Link.

Curcumin: No impact on cognition, but data are limited. For more on curcumin, see Curcumin: New Use for an Old Spice?

Coconut oil/caprylidene: Improved cognition in persons with AD who are not APOE-4 allele carriers.

Resveratrol: No changes in cognition in persons with AD but reduced biomarker AB levels.

For more on this topic, see Natural Supplements and Vitamins for Treatment and Prevention of Dementia and Cognitive Decline, on which this slideshow is based.