Can a New Memory Pill Save Your Brain?
Aging affects every part of our bodies — and the brain is no exception. That’s why as we get older, it can become more difficult to stay focused, juggle multiple projects, learn new things and remember names or where you left your keys. Changes like these are normal, but the Alzheimer’s Association estimates up to 20% of adults over 65 have more pronounced memory loss and cognitive decline, a condition known as mild cognitive impairment.
“For most people, the memory-related brain areas start shrinking at a rate of 1% to 2% a year after they turn 50,” says William D. S. Killgore, Ph.D, the lead author of a Harvard study that found a link between exercising and the amount of brain tissue adults have in zones involved in memory. Another report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests gray matter of the human frontal lobe (responsible for problem solving, memory, language and more) shrinks about 14% between the age of 30 and 80, and the gray matter of the hippocampus (key to storing long-term memories) shrinks about 13% over the same period.
It’s no surprise then that some scientists and researchers are obsessed with unlocking the secret to combating brain shrinkage, or atrophy, which is widely considered to be a significant contributor to age-related memory loss, cognitive decline and the potential progression to Alzheimer’s Disease. Can a specially formulated supplement help?
What the Research Reveals
Over 10 years ago, a group of scientists at Oxford University led by then professor of pharmacology A. David Smith, Ph.D, set out to explore the effect a specific high-dose blend of three B vitamins (B6, B12 and folic acid) could have on memory function and the rate of brain shrinkage in people over 70 with mild cognitive impairment.
The two-year, randomized, placebo-controlled study was called VITACOG, and it was one of four big studies undertaken by the Oxford Project to Investigate Memory and Ageing, which ran from 1988 to 2015. “Theorizing that nutritional factors were an important part in the prevention of brain atrophy, we began the VITACOG trial to see if we could slow brain atrophy by lowering homocysteine [an amino acid the body produces] with B-vitamin treatment,” says Smith, now a University of Oxford professor emeritus of pharmacology. At high levels, homocysteine is linked to greater brain atrophy and low levels of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid.
After two years, the study showed that the high dose B-vitamin blend slowed brain atrophy rates associated with memory decline in aging by as much as 30%. “The results were more strikingly positive than we could have dreamt,” says Smith. They also found that these benefits depended on the presence of omega-3 fatty acids.
New Innovations
Those results have led to the development of a new brain health supplement called Matter, which starts at $40 per month and is now available for pre-order. Created by Elysium Health, a life sciences company that was recognized by Good Housekeeping for innovation in the Wellness industry — and in partnership with the University of Oxford — Matter contains the same high-dose mix of B vitamins that was used during the VITACOG trial. “Matter is the first product for maintaining brain health that is backed by rigorous human trials conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford,” says Leonard Guarente, Ph.D., Elysium Health’s chief scientist and director of the Glenn Center for Aging Research at MIT. “As a scientist, it is my opinion that there is no other brain health product that meets the rigorous human testing that underpins Matter.”
“Even for healthy people, age-related brain atrophy and the associated cognitive decline is a reality that we all must face,” says Elysium Health CEO Eric Marcotulli. “What excites me about the products that Elysium Health develops is that by targeting fundamental processes of aging — like brain atrophy — we empower people to regain some control and be more proactive about their health.”
If you have questions about how this B-vitamin complex works in people under 70, without cognitive impairment, Guarente adds: “In the wider population, the B-vitamin complex will support normal brain structure and function in adults of all ages.” It’s worth noting that a recent meta-analysis of data suggests taking vitamin B supplements isn’t a significant factor in preventing cognitive decline for healthy cognitively unimpaired adults. But its results also found no evidence that vitamin B supplementation causes harm to cognitive function and acknowledged “the connection between vitamin B, homocysteine and cognition is a much studied and promising field and should be further addressed in future high-quality trials.”
In addition to the B-vitamin complex, Matter contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are widely believed to play an important role in supporting normal brain, heart, eye and joint function. The company says their unique powdered formulation is 3-5 times more bioavailable than standard omega-3 fish oils. Plus anyone who uses the product won’t experience those dreaded “fishy burps” that are common when taking fish oils. Since 8 out of 10 adults are not meeting the recommended of two servings of fish per week by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Matter can also help people achieve the recommended levels of omega-3s for overall health. The last ingredient is an anthocyanin-rich bilberry extract, which Elysium suggests will provide additional complementary cognitive benefits.
“Matter combines two classes of nutrients that individually support a healthy brain, B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids,” says Smith, who has also joined the Elysium Health Scientific Advisory Board. “What is important is that these two types of nutrients interact to amplify the beneficial effects of each other. The combination is a safe and novel way to slow brain atrophy.”
Find out more about Matter, including how to buy, at elysiumhealth.com/matter. Exclusively for Good Housekeeping readers: Receive 15% off semi-annual and annual subscriptions with the code EHPERKS.
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