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Journal of Holistic Nursing, Vol. 23, No. 4, 415-433 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/0898010105280097

Utility of Nutraceutical Products Marketed for Cognitive and Memory Enhancement

Graham J. McDougall, Jr., Ph.D., R.N., A.P.R.N., B.C., F.A.A.N.

Vonnette Austin-Wells, Ph.D.

Teena Zimmerman, Psy.D.

The University of Texas at Austin

This article identifies a convenience sample of 14 memory-enhancing herbal products that were found to be available commercially, examines their active ingredients, states their claims, and evaluates the available evidence to determine their efficacy. The analyses identified four problematic areas. First, a majority of the products use cognitive terminology, which leads consumers to anticipate an intended cognitive benefit. Second, some ingredients are completely homeopathic and contain components not known outside of the homeopathic field. Third, the evidence of treatment efficacy is often contradictory, because products are recommended for purposes other than cognitive or memory loss. Finally, the manufacturers of the product have usually conducted the research on individual products. Until more research is available, it is suggested that holistic nursing professionals exercise caution in recommending nutraceuticals to their patients/clients for theuse of cognitive improvement or memory enhancement.

Key Words: nutraceutical products • cognitive function • memory enhancement • evidence • treatment efficacy


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