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Ingredient & advertising guide

This page has two jobs. First, it explains every one of the sixty-five lines printed across the two panels of the box we sell, formula by formula, what each is, and what the research does and does not say about it, including who was in each trial, at what dose and who paid for it. Second, and this is the part most advertising pages leave out, it lists the headlines we run, tells you which ones are exaggerated, and separates the small number of things that are genuinely supported by evidence from the many that are not.

1. Our headlines, and what is actually true

These are the headlines we have run, grouped by the claim they make. The right-hand column is our own plain assessment. We have marked each family of headlines as Exaggerated, Partly true, Withdrawn or Broadly supported.

The headline as you saw it	What is actually behind it
"Mental Decline Begins When Seniors Can't Spell These 3 Words. Test Now""Top Doctors Say Mental Decline Begins When Seniors Can't Pronounce These 3 Phrases. Can You?""MDs Say Mental Decline Begins When Seniors Can't Pronounce These 3 Phrases. Can You?""Memory Decline Begins When Seniors Say These 3 Phrases (See The List)""Declining Memory Begins When Seniors Say These 7 Phrases. See Which Ones"	Exaggerated There is no set of three words, three phrases or seven phrases whose spelling or pronunciation marks the beginning of mental decline. Nothing "begins" at a word. Word-finding and naming tasks do appear inside real cognitive screening tools, but those tools are administered and interpreted by a clinician alongside your history, your medications and a physical exam. Failing a word online means nothing on its own: plenty of people with perfectly healthy brains stumble over a word when they are tired, anxious, or being timed. "Top doctors" and "MDs" refer to no specific doctor. See section 5.
"Japan's Oldest Doctors Say Memory Loss Isn't Age: Just Avoid Drinking These 3 Beverages""Japan's Greatest Doctors Say Memory Loss Isn't Age: Just Avoid Drinking These 3 Beverages""Japan's Oldest Doctors Say Memory Loss Isn't Age: Just Avoid Eating These 3 Foods""Japan's Oldest Doctors Say Memory Loss Isn't Age: Just Stop Eating These 3 Foods"	Exaggerated No group of Japanese doctors issued this statement. There is no such panel, no such list, and no source we can point you to. Japan appears in the headline because it is widely associated with long life, which makes the claim feel credible. That is a marketing decision, not a citation. The second half is also wrong in an important way. Memory loss is strongly related to age. Age is the single largest risk factor for dementia, and no diet removes it. What is true is narrower: certain long-term drinking and eating patterns are associated with faster cognitive decline in large population studies. Association is not proof of cause, and "just avoid these three" is not how any of it works.
"Nobel Prize's Doctors Say Memory Loss Isn't Age: Just Stop Eating These 3 Foods"	Withdrawn We retract this one outright. No Nobel laureate has endorsed this page, this product, or any list of three foods on our behalf. Attaching the Nobel Prize to an advertisement implies an authority that does not exist and we should not have run it.
"The Overlooked Boxed Cereal Now Tied to 8 Out of 10 Memory Cases"	Our headline was wrong There is no such statistic. No study ties any cereal to eight out of ten cases of anything, "memory cases" is not a category any researcher uses, and no cereal has been "overlooked" by anyone: the sugar figure is printed on the side of every box. The number was invented for the headline and we withdraw it. The grain of truth is the same as for the other cereal headlines below: sugary cereals are mostly refined starch and added sugar, and diets heavy in both are associated in population studies with poorer memory scores [1] and with faster cognitive decline over years. [2] That is a modest association across thousands of people, not eight in ten of anyone. See section 3.
"Brain Experts Now Say These 3 Cereals Age the Brain Faster Than Time""Scientists Now Say This 1 Cereal Ages the Brain Faster Than Time"	Exaggerated No food ages the brain "faster than time." That phrase was written for effect and it is not a finding from any study. It is also internally inconsistent: in one version it is three cereals, in another it is one, because the number is something we test for click-through, not something we measured. The grain of truth: diets high in added sugar and refined starch are associated with poorer memory scores and greater cardiovascular risk over years. That is a modest effect across a population, not a fate sealed by a bowl of cereal. See section 3.
"Doctors Now Say This Popular Evening Drink Is Behind Memory Loss""Doctors Now Say This Popular Evening Drink Is Behind Brain Health Decline"	Partly true The "evening drink" is alcohol, and of everything our ads point at, this is where the evidence is strongest. Heavy and even moderate regular drinking has been linked in long-running studies to worse brain outcomes, including shrinkage of the hippocampus, the region most involved in forming memories. Excessive alcohol is one of the risk factors named in the 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia. [3] [4] What is overstated is the word "behind." Alcohol is one contributing risk factor among many, not the cause of memory loss. Cutting back is a genuinely good idea. It is not a cure, and it will not undo damage already done. It is also worth saying plainly: the box we sell contains no alcohol and, by the seller's word, no caffeine; its only line that could argue is a green tea extract inside a blend that prints no split.
"Doctors Name 5 Popular Drinks Now Tied To Memory Decline. Coffee Tops The List""Seniors: These 4 Drinks May Be Aging Your Brain Faster""The 4 Drinks Brain Doctors Want Seniors to Quit""Neurologists Say Cognitive Decline Isn't Age: Just Stop Drinking These 2 Popular Drinks""Doctors: 3 Popular Drinks Now Tied to Memory Loss in Seniors"	Exaggerated Notice that the count changes: two drinks, three, four, five. It changes because it is an advertising variable we rotate, not a number that came out of a study. No neurologist is named in any version, because none was consulted. "Coffee tops the list" is the clearest thing we have got wrong. Large reviews of coffee and cognition have generally not found ordinary coffee drinking to be a risk factor for dementia; several report a neutral or modestly favorable association. If you drink coffee and enjoy it, this headline gave you a reason to worry that the evidence does not support. Our own article about this box says keep your coffee: the seller says the box is caffeine-free and stimulant-free, and sixteen capsules do not change what is in your cup. See section 2.
"Brain Doctors: Quit These 4 Drinks Before It's Too Late"	Exaggerated No brain doctor was consulted for this headline, and there is no "too late." The deadline was invented to make you click. The four drinks are the ones in section 2: alcohol, sugar-sweetened soft drinks, energy drinks and sweetened coffee-shop drinks. Cutting back on them is sensible for your heart, your sleep and your weight, and long-running population studies link heavy use of the first two to poorer cognitive outcomes over years. There is no evidence that quitting them on any particular day changes anything about your memory, and there is no age after which the change stops being worth making. See section 2.
"Memory Slipping? Check These 4 Everyday Drinks First"	Partly true Half right, in the wrong order. If your memory is slipping, the first thing to check is not a drink; it is your doctor, because several treatable causes listed in section 6 look exactly like memory loss and none of them is fixed by changing what you pour. The four drinks are the everyday ones in section 2: alcohol, sugary soft drinks, energy drinks and sweetened coffee drinks. Reviewing them is a reasonable second step, mostly for sleep and for your heart. Not enough plain water belongs on the list too. See sections 2 and 6.
"America's Top Experts Say Mental Decline Isn't Aging: Just Avoid These 5 Kitchen Drinks"	Exaggerated The same construction as the "Japan's doctors" headline above, with the country changed. No panel of American experts issued this statement, and we cannot point you to one. Mental decline is strongly tied to age, and no drink removes that. The five kitchen drinks are alcohol, sugar-sweetened sodas, diet sodas, energy drinks and sweetened coffee-shop drinks, all in section 2, where the honest version of each is written out. "Just avoid" overstates what any of that evidence shows. See section 2.
"Still Sharp at 90? Seniors Are Rethinking These 3 Everyday Foods"	Partly true The gentlest of our headlines, and still an overstatement. Nobody knows what keeps a particular person sharp at 90. The largest studies point to blood pressure, hearing, physical activity, social contact and education far more than to any food; see section 7. The three everyday foods are sugary breakfast cereals, processed meats and packaged baked goods, all in section 3. Eating less of them is associated in population studies with better long-term brain and heart outcomes. That is a modest, slow effect across a population, and no food is a guarantee at any age. See sections 3 and 7.
"Drink one cup a day and watch your memory change"	Exaggerated There is no cup; the product is two foil packets a day, sixteen capsules and softgels, swallowed with water. The one capsule in the box that carries a memory claim, Alpha BRAIN, has one six-week trial in 63 adults aged 18 to 35, paid for by Onnit, in which the paper does not state the dose, [5] and the box gives one capsule where the formula's own bottle says two. The krill softgels give 240 milligrams of omega-3 a day, a quarter of the maker-funded brain-scan trial in men aged 61 to 72 [6] and a fraction of the fish-oil trials, which found nothing in healthy adults over 65 at 2.3 grams a day. [7] Nothing has been tested as this box, and "watch your memory change" should not have been written. See section 8.
"Sixteen capsules a day in two foil packets, ten formulas at reduced doses, and one capsule sold for the mind: a reading of a $138 box, packet by packet, beside the only trial of its key capsule, which was run in people under 35"	Broadly supported This is the reading our article is built on, and it is on the box. The two panels list ten formulas and sixty-five lines: thirty with an amount of their own and thirty-five inside eight proprietary blends that print a total and no split. The Alpha BRAIN capsule appears once per day packet, and the separate Alpha BRAIN bottle's serving is two capsules; the seller's own help center says the doses in this box are lower than in its bottles. The formula's one trial gave a single daily dose to 63 adults aged 18 to 35 for six weeks after a two-week placebo run-in, and the Alpha BRAIN group did better on delayed verbal recall and executive function than placebo; the study was sponsored by Onnit, a company author is on the paper, and the number of capsules per dose is not stated. [5] The bacopa inside the capsule is an unstated share of a 120-milligram blend, so it cannot reach the 300 milligrams a day of the trials in adults over 55. [8] [9] The headline is meant to state a count and its qualifiers, not to raise expectations. It is not a claim that the box works.
"Neurologists Name 5 Popular Prescriptions Now Tied to Memory Decline"	Partly true, and the most dangerous to act on This one is closest to real research. Several widely prescribed drug classes have been linked in large studies to higher dementia risk, and prescribing guidelines already flag some of them as poor choices for older adults. [10] [11] [12] But an advertisement is the worst possible reason to change a prescription. Stopping some of these medicines suddenly can cause seizures, dangerous rebound anxiety, or a return of the condition being treated. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine because of something you read in an ad, including ours. Read section 4 before you do anything.

2. Every drink our ads point at

Our headlines have referred, in different versions, to "3 beverages", "4 drinks", "5 popular drinks", "2 popular drinks" and "this popular evening drink" without ever naming them. Here is the complete list of what we were pointing at, and what the research actually supports for each one. Where a study is cited, it is observational unless stated otherwise: it can show that two things travel together in a population, not that one causes the other.

3. Every food our ads point at

The food headlines referred to "3 foods" and to "cereals": one cereal in some versions, three in others. Again, the number was ours, not a finding. Here is what was meant, and what stands behind it.

4. The "5 prescriptions" headline

Our headline said "5 popular prescriptions now tied to memory decline." It named none of them. These are the drug classes that research has actually flagged. "Tied to" means associated in observational studies, not proven to cause.

What this section is not. It is not a claim that these medicines cause dementia, not medical advice, and not a suggestion that a packet of capsules is an alternative to any of them. It is a prompt to have one specific conversation with a professional who knows your history. This box has more to name in that conversation than most: the L-tryptophan and 5-HTP in the night capsule, because the government's own page says L-tryptophan supplements can cause dangerous serotonin toxicity when used with medicines that affect serotonin, and that the data on both is very limited; ^[17] the valerian in the same capsule, which may add to the effect of sedatives; ^[18] the krill oil, worth naming if you take anything that affects clotting; the kelp iodine in the mineral capsules, worth naming if anyone is watching your thyroid; and the B vitamins, which you would be doubling if you already take a multivitamin, with B6 at 15 milligrams a day against a ceiling of 100. ^[19]

5. The "3 words" and "7 phrases" tests

Several of our headlines invite you to test yourself on words or phrases: spell these three words, pronounce these three phrases, see whether you say these seven phrases. There is no such validated test, and we cannot give you a real one, because a real one does not work that way.

What actual cognitive screening looks like. Clinicians use short structured tools. The Mini-Cog, the MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) and the MMSE are the common ones. They do include word tasks: recalling three unrelated words after a delay, naming animals, repeating a sentence. But three things make them different from an online quiz:

• They are administered in person, in a standard way, by someone trained to do it.
• The score is interpreted against your age and education, not against a fixed pass mark.
• A low score is a reason for further evaluation (bloodwork, medication review, history from a family member, sometimes imaging), never a diagnosis by itself.

Screening tools also produce false alarms. Anxiety, poor sleep, hearing loss, depression, pain and simply being nervous all lower scores in people whose brains are fine. This is precisely why an online word quiz is meaningless: it has none of the context that makes the real instrument useful.

6. Real warning signs, and the causes worth ruling out

The genuinely useful list is not about spelling. It is about whether memory or thinking has changed enough to interfere with everyday life. Signs that deserve a medical appointment include:

• Memory loss that disrupts daily life: repeatedly asking for the same information, relying on notes and family for things you used to handle yourself.
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks: a routine recipe, a regular route, paying the usual bills.
• New trouble following or joining a conversation, stopping mid-sentence, or calling things by the wrong name.
• Confusion about time or place: losing track of dates or seasons, or how you got somewhere.
• Trouble judging distance, or reading. Worth checking, since it can also be vision.
• Putting things in unusual places and being unable to retrace steps, sometimes with a sense that others are to blame.
• Noticeably poorer judgement, especially about money.
• Withdrawing from work, hobbies or social life; changes in mood, personality, suspicion or apathy.

Ordinary aging looks different: occasionally forgetting a name and recalling it later, misplacing your glasses and finding them, needing help with an unfamiliar device, taking a moment to find a word, rereading a paragraph after lunch and getting it on the second pass. That is normal and common at every age.

7. What actually has the best evidence

If we only had one section to be useful in, this would be it. The 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission on dementia concluded that nearly half of dementia cases worldwide, around 45%, could potentially be prevented or delayed by addressing fourteen modifiable risk factors across the life course. ^[3] Not one of them is a supplement, a box of capsules, or a list of three foods.

• Treat hearing loss. Use hearing aids if you need them.
• Control blood pressure from mid-life onward. Take the medication as prescribed.
• Treat high LDL cholesterol and manage diabetes.
• Do not smoke.
• Stay physically active. Regular walking counts, and it is free.
• Limit alcohol.
• Treat depression, and take it seriously in older adults.
• Stay socially connected. Isolation is a measured risk factor, not a soft one.
• Correct vision loss: get cataracts treated, keep the prescription current.
• Protect your head from injury; reduce fall risk at home.
• Sleep properly. Persistently short sleep in mid-life has been associated with higher dementia incidence. ^[14]
• Keep learning: education and continued mental engagement across life.
• Maintain a healthy weight and reduce exposure to air pollution where you can.

These are unglamorous. They cannot be delivered in a headline, they take years, and none of them can be sold to you by us. They are also, by a wide margin, the best-supported things on this entire page.

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8. Ingredient guide: what is actually in the box we sell

What each of the lines printed across the two panels of Onnit Total Human is, formula by formula, what it is traditionally used for, and what the cited research says, including who was in each trial, at what dose and who paid for it. The day packet holds one capsule each of StronBONE, Alpha BRAIN, Total Human B Complex, Shroom TECH Sport and a second Shroom TECH mushroom formula, two capsules of Spirulina & Chlorella and one Krill Oil softgel; the night packet holds one capsule of a formula whose name we do not print, one of ViruTech, the second Shroom TECH formula again, two of Key Minerals, two of Spirulina & Chlorella and one Krill Oil softgel. Thirty lines carry an amount of their own and thirty-five sit inside eight proprietary blends with a total and no split; the cards below note which packet and which formula each line belongs to.

Vitamin E (as d-alpha tocopherol acetate)

A fat-soluble vitamin that works as an antioxidant in cell membranes. The label form, d-alpha tocopherol acetate, is the natural form of the vitamin with an acetate group attached to make it stable in a liquid. Nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, spinach and avocado are the usual food sources.

What the research says. In the Women's Health Study, 6,377 generally healthy women aged 65 or older took 600 IU of vitamin E on alternate days for up to 9.6 years and gained no cognitive benefit over placebo.^[21] That amount is many times the 7.5 mg in this product, so the trial says nothing in favour of the label amount either.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 22 mg (33.3 IU), 150% DV (Day Pack, StronBONE™ capsule (1 capsule))

Good to know. At high supplemental doses vitamin E can interfere with vitamin K and raise the risk of bleeding, which matters if you take anything that thins the blood; the amount here is modest. The upper limit for adults is 1,000 mg a day. Talk to your doctor before use if you are under a doctor's care.

Vitamin K2 (menatetrenone, MK-4)

One of the two families of vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin the body uses to make clotting proteins and certain bone proteins. K1 comes from leafy greens; K2 is made by bacteria and found in fermented foods such as natto and aged cheese, in egg yolk and in meat. Menatetrenone (MK-4) is the short-chain form.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use as a supplement; natto and cheese are its traditional food sources.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 30 mcg, 25% DV (Day Pack, StronBONE™ capsule)

Good to know. Vitamin K works against blood thinners of the warfarin type; anyone on one should keep their intake steady and ask a clinician before adding any vitamin K product. No upper limit has been set for people not taking such medicines.

Copper (copper bisglycinate chelate, TRAACS®)

A trace mineral needed by enzymes that handle iron, energy production and connective tissue; shellfish, seeds, nuts, organ meats, whole grains and dark chocolate are the richest foods. Bisglycinate chelate is copper bound to two molecules of the amino acid glycine.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Most US adults get enough from food; 667 mcg is about 70 % of the Daily Value (900 mcg).

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 667 mcg, 70% DV (Day Pack, StronBONE™ capsule)

Good to know. The upper limit for adults is 10,000 mcg a day, far above this amount. People who have been told to limit copper, and anyone taking high-dose zinc, which lowers copper absorption, should ask a clinician.

Manganese (manganese bisglycinate chelate, TRAACS®)

A trace mineral that is part of enzymes involved in bone formation and in handling carbohydrates and amino acids. Whole grains, nuts, legumes, leafy greens, tea and mussels are rich in it; a cup of brewed tea holds about half a milligram.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Shortage is rare in people who eat a varied diet.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 667 mcg, 30% DV (Day Pack, StronBONE™ capsule)

Good to know. The upper limit for adults is 11 mg a day from all sources; this amount is well under it. Manganese leaves the body through bile, so people with a liver condition are told to keep supplemental manganese low and to ask a clinician.

Potassium (as potassium citrate)

A mineral the body needs for kidney and heart function, muscle contraction and nerve signaling, here in the citrate form, a salt of potassium and citric acid. One squeeze carries 10 mg, under 1% of the daily value; a banana carries about 400 mg.

Traditional and everyday use. Potassium comes from fruit, vegetables, beans, dairy and fish; adult men are advised to get about 3,400 mg a day, mostly from food.

What the research says. No study has tested this amount of potassium for anything; at 10 mg it is a rounding error against the daily value.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 26 mg, 1% DV (Day Pack, StronBONE™ capsule)

Good to know. Potassium from food is not harmful for healthy people; people with kidney problems or on some blood-pressure medicines can build up too much potassium and should ask their doctor before adding any potassium supplement, even a small one.

Strontium (form not printed)

A soft, silvery metal in the same column of the periodic table as calcium, which is why the body handles the two alike and stores most strontium in bone. Small amounts occur in seafood, whole grains, root vegetables and drinking water; the average diet supplies 1 to 3 mg a day. It is not an essential nutrient and has no Daily Value.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Strontium is not an essential nutrient, and the label makes no claim for it.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 226 mg (Day Pack, StronBONE™ capsule; no Daily Value established; form not printed)

Good to know. 226 mg is about a hundred times what food supplies. Strontium is taken up by bone in place of calcium and can distort a bone-density scan, so tell the clinician you take it before one. People with kidney problems should ask a clinician first, and it is best taken apart from calcium, which competes with it for absorption.

Black pepper (Piper nigrum), fruit extract (BioPerine®)

The dried unripe fruit of a climbing vine native to the Malabar coast of India, ground on nearly every table in the world. BioPerine is an extract standardized to 95 % piperine, the alkaloid that gives pepper its bite; a level teaspoon of ground pepper holds well over 100 mg of piperine, dozens of times the amount in this capsule.

Traditional and everyday use. Traded along the spice routes for two thousand years. The extract is added to supplements because piperine slows the breakdown of some other compounds in the gut and liver, so more of them reaches the blood.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 1.67 mg (Day Pack, StronBONE™ capsule; also inside the 202 mg Nutri-Immune blend of the Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs))

Good to know. The same property that makes it a "bioavailability enhancer" means piperine can raise blood levels of certain daily medicines; ask the pharmacist if you take anything daily. Amounts in food have no known concern.

Boron (boron citrate; boron glycinate, Bororganic Glycine, Albion®)

A trace element found in fruit, leafy vegetables, nuts, legumes, coffee and wine; a typical US diet supplies about 1 mg a day. It is not classed as an essential nutrient for humans and has no Daily Value, though plants cannot grow without it.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 50 mcg (Day Pack, StronBONE™ capsule; the Night Pack's Key Minerals™ adds 2 mg as Bororganic Glycine [Albion®])

Good to know. The upper limit for adults is 20 mg a day; this product supplies a tenth of that. Boron leaves through the kidneys, so people with kidney problems should ask a clinician.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine HCl)

A water-soluble vitamin present in many foods that the body uses in more than 100 enzyme reactions involved in metabolism. Adults over 50 are advised to get 1.7 mg (men) or 1.5 mg (women) a day; one squeeze carries 0.5 mg (30% of the daily value).

Traditional and everyday use. Comes from poultry, fish, potatoes, chickpeas, bananas and fortified cereals.

What the research says. A Cochrane review of 14 trials in 27,882 cognitively healthy adults concluded that B-vitamin supplements (folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 or combinations) probably have little or no effect on global cognitive function.^[22] The National Institutes of Health notes that people with higher blood levels of B6 tend to have better memory, but that supplements have not been shown to improve cognition in older adults.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 5 mg, 290% DV (day) + 10 mg, 590% DV (night) (Day Pack, Alpha BRAIN® capsule 5 mg; Night Pack, tranquility capsule 10 mg; 15 mg a day between the two packets)

Good to know. Very high doses from supplements over long periods (1,000 mg a day and more; the upper limit for adults is 100 mg a day) can cause nerve damage in the arms and legs; five squeezes give 2.5 mg, far below that.

L-tyrosine

An amino acid found in protein foods such as cheese, meat, fish, eggs, beans and nuts; the body also makes it from another amino acid, phenylalanine. It is the starting material for the messenger chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine.

What the research says. A 2015 review concluded that tyrosine seems to help cognitive performance mainly in short-term stressful or demanding situations, and only when the body's messenger chemicals are temporarily depleted; its usefulness beyond those situations seemed limited.^[23] Most of those studies were in young adults.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 325 mg Onnit Flow Blend™ (Day Pack, Alpha BRAIN® capsule (1 capsule; the standalone product's serving is 2); split not printed)

Good to know. Tyrosine is also a building block of thyroid hormone. Talk to your doctor before use if you have a thyroid condition or are under a doctor's care.

L-theanine

An amino acid found almost exclusively in tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) and in a few mushrooms. A cup of brewed green tea contains roughly 25 to 60 mg of it. It is what gives green tea its savoury, brothy taste.

Traditional and everyday use. Consumed for centuries as part of everyday tea drinking in China and Japan; isolated and named in Japan in 1949.

What the research says. In a placebo-controlled study in men and women aged 50 to 69, a single dose of l-theanine was associated with a faster reaction time on an attention task and with more correct answers and fewer omission errors on a working-memory task.^[24] The published summary of that study does not state the dose used, so no comparison with any product amount can be made from it.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 325 mg Onnit Flow Blend™ (Day Pack, Alpha BRAIN® capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. Generally well tolerated. If you are pregnant, nursing, or under a doctor's care, talk to your doctor before adding any supplement.

Oatstraw (Avena sativa), green stalk and leaf

The green stalk and leaf of the common oat, the same cereal grass whose seed is the breakfast grain, cut and dried as an herb rather than threshed for the grain. It is a different preparation from the milky green oat seed extract used in the trials, and from rolled oats.

Traditional and everyday use. A traditional "nerve tonic" in European herbalism, drunk as a tea; the grain has been a staple food for millennia.

What the research says. The trials of oat as an herb used concentrated extracts of the green seed in capsules, with mixed results on thinking in healthy adults, ^{[25] [26]} not oatstraw in glycerin, and none looked at the ears or hearing. The seller cites none. This product prints no amount.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 325 mg Onnit Flow Blend™ (Day Pack, Alpha BRAIN® capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. No specific safety warnings were found in the NIH herb references for oat herb; the listing says the product is gluten-free. As with any daily herb, talk to your doctor first if you have a health condition or take anything daily.

Phosphatidylserine (from non-GMO soy)

A phospholipid, one of the fatty building blocks of cell membranes, present in high concentration in brain tissue. Supplement phosphatidylserine is made from soy or sunflower lecithin; this product uses soy.

What the research says. In a six-month double-blind trial of 78 Japanese adults aged 50 to 69 with memory complaints, soy phosphatidylserine at 100 or 300 mg a day was safe, and test scores rose similarly in every group including placebo; only the subgroup that started with low scores improved from its own baseline, mostly in delayed word recall.^[27] The main comparison with placebo, in other words, was null.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 325 mg Onnit Flow Blend™ (Day Pack, Alpha BRAIN® capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. Made from soy, so relevant to anyone with a soy allergy: note that the store's own product tags say "Soy Free" while the panel says "from Non-GMO soy". Talk to your doctor before use if you take anything that affects clotting or are under a doctor's care.

Cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa), bark extract

A woody vine of the Amazon rainforest of Peru and neighboring countries, named for the curved thorns at the base of its leaves. The inner bark and root are dried for tea and extracts; a Chinese vine of the same genus is a different plant.

Traditional and everyday use. Used by indigenous peoples of the Peruvian Amazon for centuries as a bark tea; the seller lists it here as part of the Alpha BRAIN formula.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says there is too little evidence to know whether cat's claw has any effect in people. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 175 mg (Day Pack, Alpha BRAIN® capsule)

Good to know. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes reports of dizziness, nausea and diarrhea, advises against it in pregnancy, and notes it may interact with medicines that act on the immune system and with certain other daily medicines; ask the pharmacist if you take anything daily.

Alpha GPC (L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine)

A compound made of choline joined to a glycerophosphate group. The body makes small amounts of it when it breaks down phosphatidylcholine, and it occurs naturally in milk and organ meats. In a supplement it is a concentrated source of choline that is also sold, in some countries, as a medicine for uses that have nothing to do with a healthy adult's memory.

What the research says. Trials in healthy adults are small and short, and none in healthy older adults could be found, so we make no claim for it here.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 120 mg Onnit Focus Blend™ (Day Pack, Alpha BRAIN® capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. Can cause headache, heartburn or dizziness in some people. Talk to your doctor before use if you are under a doctor's care.

Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri, water hyssop), whole plant

A creeping perennial of wet ground and pond edges across India, with small oblong leaves and white to pale purple flowers. In some parts of India the name "brahmi" is also given to gotu kola, which is a different plant; some products list both.

Traditional and everyday use. One of the best-known plants of Ayurvedic practice, traditionally associated with memory, calm and sleep.

What the research says. This is the one ingredient on the tin with trials in the right age group. In 54 healthy adults aged 65 and older, 300 mg a day of a standardized extract for 12 weeks was associated with better delayed word recall and better performance on a task of ignoring distractions than placebo, with no effect on divided attention or working memory.^[8] In 98 healthy adults over 55, the same daily amount for 12 weeks was associated with better verbal learning and delayed recall, while other measures did not differ.^[9] A meta-analysis of nine such trials found faster performance on two attention-speed tests, by milliseconds, and called for a large well-designed trial.^[28] All of that used standardized extracts in tablets for at least three months. A pinch of dried plant steeped in a twelve-ingredient tea blend, or a fraction of a milligram of glycosides in a spray, is not the same thing, and nobody has tested either.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 120 mg Onnit Focus Blend™ (Day Pack, Alpha BRAIN® capsule; split and standardization not printed)

Good to know. The trials reported more stomach upset, looser stools, cramps and nausea than placebo.^[9] Reference texts advise caution or avoidance in people with a thyroid condition or taking thyroid hormone, note it may slow the heart rate, and note it can affect how the liver processes some medicines. Talk to your doctor before taking it daily if you take anything daily.

Huperzine A (from the club moss Huperzia serrata; the label prints "Club serrata")

A purified alkaloid isolated from a Chinese club moss. It slows the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, so it acts on the nervous system in a way most botanical ingredients do not, and it is the one ingredient on this label that behaves more like a medicine than like a food.

Traditional and everyday use. The moss has a history of use in Chinese herbal practice; the purified compound is a twentieth-century isolate.

What the research says. The research on huperzine A has been done in people with a diagnosed condition, not in healthy adults, so none of it can be cited in support of this product and we make no claim for it.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 120 mg Onnit Focus Blend™ (Day Pack, Alpha BRAIN® capsule; the label prints the plant extract, not a huperzine A amount)

Good to know. Because it acts on acetylcholine it can cause nausea, sweating, a slow heartbeat or muscle twitching, and it can add to the effect of anything else that acts on the same system. Not for pregnancy or breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor before use if you take anything for your heart, your breathing or your nervous system.

L-leucine

One of the nine essential amino acids and one of the three branched-chain amino acids, making up about 8 % of the protein in most foods. Meat, fish, eggs, dairy, soy and beans all supply it; an egg holds about 500 mg and a chicken breast several grams.

Traditional and everyday use. None apart from food; sold on its own mainly to people who lift weights.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 30 mg Onnit Fuel Blend™ (Day Pack, Alpha BRAIN® capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. An ordinary food amino acid with no known concern at this level.

Pterostilbene

A small molecule related to resveratrol, found in tiny amounts in blueberries and in the heartwood of the Indian kino tree (Pterocarpus marsupium), from which supplements are usually extracted or synthesized.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use on its own; the kino tree has a history in Ayurveda.

What the research says. We found no randomized trial of pterostilbene on memory or attention in healthy adults in our PubMed search of 2026-09-09; the human trials we saw studied muscle, liver or metabolic markers. Thorne pairs it with caffeine in a co-crystal (PurEnergy) and describes it as a sustained-release form of caffeine; the caffeine is the part with a track record.^[29]

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 30 mg Onnit Fuel Blend™ (Day Pack, Alpha BRAIN® capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. Short human studies at 50-250 mg a day reported no serious effects; some reported a rise in LDL cholesterol at higher doses. Ask a pharmacist if you take daily medicine.

Krill oil (Euphausia superba), softgel

Oil pressed from Antarctic krill, small shrimp-like crustaceans harvested in the Southern Ocean. Its omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are carried partly as phospholipids rather than the triglycerides of fish oil, and the oil is red because it contains the pigment astaxanthin.

Traditional and everyday use. Krill are eaten dried or as a paste in Japan and Russia; the oil as a supplement dates from the 2000s.

What the research says. The omega-3 trials on file sit in the omega-3 entry: a Cochrane review of three trials in 3,536 adults aged 60 and older found no difference between omega-3 supplements and placebo on a standard mental-status score or on word learning.^[30] No trial of krill oil itself on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file, and this product's 240 mg of EPA plus DHA a day is well below the doses those trials used.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 500 mg per softgel, one softgel in each pack (1,000 mg a day) (Krill Oil softgel (both packs); with 225 mg phospholipids and 100 mcg astaxanthin per softgel; gelatin softgel; contains shellfish (krill))

Good to know. Contains shellfish (krill): anyone allergic to shrimp or crab should not take it. Omega-3 oils can add to the effect of blood thinners; ask a clinician if you take one. Fishy burps are the usual complaint.

Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) from fish oil or herring roe

The two long-chain omega-3 fats of oily fish (salmon, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, herring). DHA is a building block of nerve-cell membranes; EPA is a precursor of signaling molecules. Supplements come as fish oil, krill oil, algal oil or, in RELEVATE, herring roe phospholipids.

Traditional and everyday use. Fish has been eaten for brain and heart for as long as there have been fishermen; fish-oil supplements date from the 1980s.

What the research says. The randomized trials in healthy older adults are mostly null: a 2012 Cochrane review of three trials in 3,536 people over 60 found no difference from placebo on mental-status scores or on word learning, digit span and verbal fluency;^[30] an 18-month trial of 390 adults aged 65 to 90 taking 2.3 g a day of DHA-rich fish oil found no benefit and a small negative effect on psychomotor speed;^[7] and the three-year DO-HEALTH trial found no effect of 1 g a day on a cognitive screening score.^[31] A 2015 meta-analysis did find that DHA, alone or with EPA, improved episodic memory in adults with mild memory complaints, and that doses above 1 g a day helped episodic memory regardless of baseline.^[32] One 24-month trial of 60 adults over 65 combining 1 g of fish oil with carotenoids and vitamin E found fewer working-memory errors.^[33] A 2018 review of 51 trials concluded the question is still open.^[34]

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 120 mg per softgel (240 mg a day) (Krill Oil softgel (both packs))

Good to know. Fishy burps and loose stools are the common complaints. Doses above about 3 g a day can affect bleeding: ask a pharmacist if you take blood thinners or have an operation planned. Fish allergy excludes fish-derived products.

Astaxanthin (from krill oil)

A red-orange carotenoid pigment made by microalgae and passed up the food chain, which is what colors salmon, shrimp, lobster shells and flamingo feathers. In this product it arrives inside the krill oil, not as an added extract; a serving of wild salmon holds a few milligrams, more than ten times the amount here.

Traditional and everyday use. None; a food pigment.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 100 mcg per softgel (200 mcg a day) (Krill Oil softgel (both packs))

Good to know. At food amounts it has no known concern; at high supplement doses (tens of milligrams) it can tint the skin slightly orange.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine)

A water-soluble vitamin the body cannot store in quantity, so it has to come from food every few days. It is found in whole grains, pork, fish, beans and fortified breads and cereals.

What the research says. A Cochrane review of 14 trials in 27,882 cognitively healthy adults concluded that B-vitamin supplements probably have little or no effect on global cognitive function up to five years.^[22] In the European Union, thiamine carries an authorised claim that it contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 1.5 mg, 130% DV (Day Pack, Total Human B Complex™ capsule (1 capsule))

Good to know. Very well tolerated from food and supplements; no upper limit has been set.

Riboflavin (vitamin B2)

A water-soluble B vitamin found in milk, eggs, lean meat, almonds and fortified cereals. It is the part of the coenzymes the body uses to turn food into energy and gives a bright yellow color to urine when taken in excess.

What the research says. The Daily Value printed on US labels is 1.3 mg.^[35] We registered no trial of riboflavin on memory or attention in healthy adults.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 1.7 mg, 130% DV (Day Pack, Total Human B Complex™ capsule)

Good to know. Very well tolerated; excess leaves in the urine.

Folate (as 5-formyltetrahydrofolate from calcium folinate)

A water-soluble B vitamin, also called vitamin B9, found in leafy greens, beans, lentils, asparagus and fortified grains. The label form is calcium folinate, also known as folinic acid or leucovorin, a reduced folate that the body can use without the enzyme step that ordinary folic acid needs.

What the research says. A Cochrane review of 14 trials in 27,882 cognitively healthy adults concluded that B-vitamin supplements, including folic acid, probably have little or no effect on global cognitive function up to five years.^[22] That review says nothing about people who are actually short of folate.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 400 mcg DFE, 100% DV (Day Pack, Total Human B Complex™ capsule)

Good to know. The upper limit for folic acid from supplements and fortified food is 1,000 mcg a day; large amounts of supplemental folate can hide a shortage of vitamin B12 on a blood test. Talk to your doctor before use if you are under a doctor's care.

Biotin (vitamin B7, D-biotin)

A water-soluble B vitamin that helps enzymes handle fats, carbohydrates and amino acids. Egg yolk, liver, salmon, pork, sunflower seeds, sweet potato and almonds supply it, and gut bacteria make some; most people get 35 to 70 mcg a day from food.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use; sold on its own mainly for hair and nails.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 300 mcg, 1000% DV (Day Pack, Total Human B Complex™ capsule)

Good to know. No upper limit has been set and excess leaves in the urine. The one well-documented issue is that biotin at doses like this can distort certain laboratory blood tests, including thyroid and heart-marker tests; tell the clinician or the lab you take it before blood work, or pause it a couple of days before.

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)

A water-soluble vitamin that helps turn food into energy and is involved in making and breaking down fats. Adults are advised to get about 5 mg a day: the US Daily Value printed on labels is 5 mg, ^[36] and the European reference value is 6 mg. ^[37]

Traditional and everyday use. Present in almost all foods: meat, eggs, milk, mushrooms, avocados, whole grains. Deficiency is very rare.

What the research says. No study has tested pantothenic acid for memory or attention in healthy adults; there is nothing to cite. The European Union does authorise the sentence "pantothenic acid contributes to normal mental performance" (and "to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue") on labels of foods that are at least a source of the vitamin, ^[38] on the basis of the vitamin's established role in the body, not on a trial of any product or of extra vitamin in people who already get enough. "Normal" is the operative word: the sentence describes what the vitamin does in everyone, not an improvement.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 10 mg, 200% DV (Day Pack, Total Human B Complex™ capsule)

Good to know. Safe even at high doses; very high supplement doses (such as 10,000 mg a day) can cause stomach upset and diarrhea.

Benfotiamine (a fat-soluble derivative of vitamin B1)

A synthetic form of thiamine (vitamin B1) with a benzoyl group attached, first made in Japan in the 1950s, that dissolves in fat and is absorbed differently from the water-soluble vitamin. In the body it is converted back to thiamine. It does not occur in food; thiamine itself comes from whole grains, pork, beans and fortified cereal.

Traditional and everyday use. None; a laboratory compound.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. The Daily Value for thiamine itself is 1.2 mg;^[35] benfotiamine has no Daily Value, and 150 mg is more than a hundred times that figure.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 150 mg (Day Pack, Total Human B Complex™ capsule; no Daily Value established)

Good to know. Side effects reported with it are mild, mainly stomach upset and rash. The long-term effects of daily high doses in healthy people have not been established; ask a clinician if you have a kidney condition or take anything daily.

Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin)

A vitamin found naturally only in animal foods — meat, fish, eggs and dairy — and in fortified products. The body absorbs it through a two-step process in the stomach and small intestine that becomes less efficient with age, which is why supplement doses are often many times the daily requirement: only a small percentage of a large oral dose is taken up.

What the research says. A Cochrane review of 14 trials in 27,882 cognitively healthy adults concluded that B-vitamin supplements, including vitamin B12, probably have little or no effect on global cognitive function up to five years.^[22] That review says nothing about people who are actually short of B12; in the European Union the vitamin carries authorised claims that it contributes to normal psychological function, to normal functioning of the nervous system and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 187 mcg, 7,790% DV (Day Pack, Shroom TECH™ Sport capsule (1 capsule))

Good to know. No upper limit has been set, because unabsorbed vitamin B12 is not stored. A blood test is the only way to know whether you are short of it; ask your doctor rather than guessing.

Chromium (chromium picolinate)

A trace mineral present in tiny amounts in meat, whole grains, broccoli, grape juice and brewer's yeast. Picolinate is chromium bound to picolinic acid, a common supplement form. The National Institutes of Health notes that chromium's role in the body is not fully settled and that a shortage is hard to identify.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 50 mcg, 140% DV (Day Pack, Shroom TECH™ Sport capsule)

Good to know. No upper limit has been set; a few reports of kidney and liver problems exist with high doses of chromium picolinate. People with kidney or liver conditions, and people who take certain daily medicines for glucose, should ask a clinician or the pharmacist.

Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris), fruiting body extract

An orange club-shaped fungus grown commercially on grain or in liquid culture, sold as a stand-in for the wild caterpillar fungus of Tibet, which is far too rare and expensive for a supplement.

Traditional and everyday use. The wild fungus has a long history in Chinese practice as a tonic; the cultivated species is a modern substitute.

What the research says. We did not register a randomized trial of cordyceps on memory or attention in healthy adults for this page; the human studies we saw were about exercise performance and were small or mixed.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 532 mg Onnit Performance Blend™ (Day Pack, Shroom TECH™ Sport capsule; split not printed; organic cordyceps (whole) is also in the 500 mg Myco-Immune blend of the Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs))

Good to know. Generally well tolerated as a food; ask a pharmacist if you take anything that affects the immune system or clotting.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), root extract

A short shrub of the nightshade family that grows in India, the Middle East and parts of Africa. The root is dried and extracted; the plant is also called Indian ginseng or winter cherry.

Traditional and everyday use. Used in Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, for more than 3,000 years, usually as a root powder taken with milk or ghee.

What the research says. In a placebo-controlled trial of 125 healthy adults aged 20 to 55 who reported stress, 300 mg per day of a sustained-release root extract for 90 days was associated with better memory and focus scores, better sleep and lower stress ratings than placebo.^[39]

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 532 mg Onnit Performance Blend™ (Day Pack, Shroom TECH™ Sport capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. Rare reports of liver injury have been described with ashwagandha products. Not for use in pregnancy. Talk to your doctor before taking it if you have a thyroid or liver condition or are under a doctor's care.

Organic green tea (Camellia sinensis), leaf

The leaves of the tea plant, dried without the oxidation that turns the same leaves into black tea. Green, black and oolong teas all come from this one plant; only the processing differs.^[40] It is the first ingredient printed on this tin, so it is very likely the bulk of the blend.

Traditional and everyday use. Drunk daily across Asia for centuries, and the base of most flavored tea blends sold today.

What the research says. Green tea carries caffeine and a small amount of the amino acid L-theanine. In one study in adults aged 50 to 69, a single dose of L-theanine was associated with a faster reaction time on an attention task and fewer errors on a working-memory task.^[24] The summary of that study does not state the dose, and the tin does not state how much green tea is in a teaspoon. The National Institutes of Health notes that green tea contains caffeine, that liver injury has been reported mainly with green tea extracts in tablet or capsule form rather than with the drink, and that green tea may reduce the effectiveness of some medicines.^[40]

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 532 mg Onnit Performance Blend™ (Day Pack, Shroom TECH™ Sport capsule; the seller says the product has no caffeine or stimulants; caffeine content of the extract not printed)

Good to know. It contains caffeine, so it is a daytime cup, not a bedtime one, and worth limiting if caffeine unsettles your heart or your stomach. Green tea may reduce the effectiveness of some medicines (the NIH names nadolol, atorvastatin and raloxifene).^[40] Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before drinking it daily if you take anything daily, or if you are pregnant or nursing.

Rhodiola rosea root extract

A plant known as arctic root, golden root or rose root that grows in cold regions and at high altitude in Europe, Asia and North America. The root is the part used.

Traditional and everyday use. A long history of use in Russia, Scandinavia and other parts of Europe for fatigue and work performance.

What the research says. In a double-blind crossover study of 56 healthy young physicians on night duty, one tablet a day of a standardized extract was associated with better scores on tests of mental fatigue during the first two weeks.^[41] The National Institutes of Health states there is not enough reliable evidence to say whether rhodiola is useful for any health-related purpose.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 532 mg Onnit Performance Blend™ (Day Pack, Shroom TECH™ Sport capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. Possibly safe for up to 12 weeks; side effects reported include dizziness, headache, trouble sleeping and dry mouth. Little is known about safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor before use if you are under a doctor's care.

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus), root extract

A perennial legume native to northern China and Mongolia whose long, fibrous root is dried and sliced. The slices are simmered in soups and broths in Chinese home cooking and sold as a powder or an extract in supplements; neither label prints the species.

Traditional and everyday use. Called huang qi in Chinese practice, where it has been added to broths for centuries as a tonic root.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 532 mg Onnit Performance Blend™ and of the 500 mg Onnit Myco-Immune Blend™ (Day Pack, Shroom TECH™ Sport capsule; Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs); split not printed)

Good to know. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that astragalus may interact with medicines that suppress the immune system; people taking one, and anyone pregnant or nursing, should ask a clinician first. Some other species of the genus are toxic to livestock, which is why the species on a label matters; these labels do not print it.

Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), whole, organic

A blue-green cyanobacterium grown in alkaline ponds, harvested, dried and pressed into powder or tablets. Dry spirulina is about 60 % protein and carries iron, B vitamins and the blue pigment phycocyanin; a gram of powder is roughly a quarter teaspoon.

Traditional and everyday use. Harvested from Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs and from Lake Chad in Africa, where it is still dried into cakes and eaten.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 500 mg per 2 capsules, in each pack (1,000 mg a day) (Spirulina & Chlorella capsules (2 in the Day Pack, 2 in the Night Pack))

Good to know. Spirulina grown in uncontrolled water can carry microcystins (toxins from other blue-green algae) and heavy metals, so the source matters; this label prints "organic" but no testing. It contains phenylalanine, which people who must limit it (PKU) should avoid, and it can act on the immune system, so anyone taking a medicine for an autoimmune condition should ask a clinician.

Chlorella (Chlorella vulgaris / C. pyrenoidosa), whole, broken cell wall, organic

A single-celled green freshwater alga grown in tanks, dried and milled. Its tough cell wall cannot be digested, which is why supplements "break" it mechanically first. Dry chlorella is roughly half protein, deep green from chlorophyll, and carries some iron and vitamin B12 analogues. The label does not print the species.

Traditional and everyday use. Eaten as a food supplement in Japan since the 1960s, more than anywhere else.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 500 mg per 2 capsules, in each pack (1,000 mg a day) (Spirulina & Chlorella capsules (both packs))

Good to know. Can cause green stools, gas and nausea in the first days, and skin sensitivity to sunlight has been reported. It contains vitamin K, which works against warfarin-type blood thinners, and it can act on the immune system; ask a clinician if you take either kind of medicine. Products grown in water can carry heavy metals, so the source matters.

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), whole, organic

A fungus that grows as a black, cracked mass on the trunks of living birch trees in the cold forests of Russia, northern Europe, Canada and the northern United States. What is harvested is not a mushroom but a sclerotium, a dense knot of fungal tissue and birch wood, dried and ground or simmered as a tea.

Traditional and everyday use. Drunk as a tea in Russia and Siberia for centuries, partly as a coffee substitute.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 500 mg Onnit Myco-Immune Blend™ (two capsules a day, one in each pack) (Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs); eight fungi and herbs in the blend, split not printed)

Good to know. Chaga is high in oxalate, and kidney injury from oxalate has been reported after heavy daily use of chaga powder; people with kidney stones or kidney problems should avoid it. It may add to the effect of blood thinners and of certain other daily medicines; ask the pharmacist.

Agaricus blazei (Agaricus subrufescens, almond mushroom), whole, organic

An edible mushroom with a light-brown cap and an almond scent, a close relative of the white button mushroom, first grown commercially in Brazil and now farmed in Japan, China and Brazil. The trade name "Agaricus blazei Murill" is applied loosely to what most mycologists call Agaricus subrufescens.

Traditional and everyday use. Eaten as a food in the Piedade region of Brazil, where it was collected in the 1960s; sold in Japan as himematsutake.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 500 mg Onnit Myco-Immune Blend™ (Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs); split not printed)

Good to know. Liver injury has been reported in a few people taking agaricus extracts; people with a liver condition should ask a clinician, and anyone allergic to mushrooms should avoid it.

Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor, also Coriolus versicolor), whole, organic

A thin, fan-shaped bracket fungus with concentric bands of brown, gray and blue that grows on dead logs on every continent except Antarctica; the bands look like a turkey's tail fan. Too tough to eat as food, it is simmered as a tea or ground into powder.

Traditional and everyday use. Called yun zhi in China and kawaratake in Japan, where it has been brewed as a tea for centuries.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 500 mg Onnit Myco-Immune Blend™ (Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs); the mushroom also called turkey tail; split not printed)

Good to know. Generally well tolerated; dark stools, darkened nails and mild stomach upset have been reported. Avoid if allergic to mushrooms; ask a clinician if you take anything that acts on the immune system.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum / G. lingzhi), whole, organic

A glossy, kidney-shaped, red-brown bracket fungus that grows on hardwood stumps in warm forests and is now grown on logs and sawdust. It is woody and bitter, not a table mushroom: it is sliced and simmered, or dried and ground.

Traditional and everyday use. Lingzhi in Chinese and mannentake in Japanese, used in East Asia for some two thousand years and painted in imperial art.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 500 mg Onnit Myco-Immune Blend™ (Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs); split not printed)

Good to know. Dry mouth, itching, stomach upset and nosebleeds have been reported with months of use, and liver injury with some powdered products. It may add to the effect of blood thinners; ask a clinician if you take one or have a liver condition, and avoid it if allergic to mushrooms.

Maitake (Grifola frondosa, hen of the woods), whole, organic

A large edible mushroom that grows in overlapping gray-brown fronds at the base of oaks in Japan, China and the eastern United States, where foragers call it hen of the woods. It is sold fresh in grocery stores and cooked like any mushroom; the name means "dancing mushroom" in Japanese.

Traditional and everyday use. A prized wild food in Japan for centuries, now farmed on sawdust.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 500 mg Onnit Myco-Immune Blend™ (Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs); split not printed)

Good to know. Eaten as food with no known concern; concentrated extracts may add to the effect of certain daily medicines, so ask the pharmacist if you take anything daily. Avoid if allergic to mushrooms.

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes), whole, organic

The second most widely grown mushroom in the world, with a brown umbrella cap and a meaty, smoky taste, grown on oak logs and sawdust across East Asia and now in the United States. Fresh or dried, it is a staple of Japanese and Chinese cooking; a few dried caps flavor a whole pot of broth.

Traditional and everyday use. Cultivated in China for about a thousand years and in Japan for centuries as a food.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 500 mg Onnit Myco-Immune Blend™ (Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs); split not printed)

Good to know. Raw or undercooked shiitake can cause a streaky skin rash in some people; cooked, it is an ordinary food. Avoid if allergic to mushrooms.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa), rhizome

A plant of the ginger family grown across India and Southeast Asia, whose orange-yellow underground stem is dried and ground into the spice that colors curry. Curcumin is the compound that gives it its color. In this blend it appears as small dried pieces.

Traditional and everyday use. A cooking spice and a dye for thousands of years, and a fixture of Ayurvedic practice.

What the research says. In an 18-month trial of 40 adults aged 51 to 84, a highly bioavailable form of curcumin (90 mg twice daily) was associated with better verbal memory, visual memory and attention scores than placebo.^[42] That was a patented, concentrated preparation taken as a supplement, not turmeric steeped in water, and the National Institutes of Health states both that we don't know enough to conclude whether turmeric is beneficial for any health purpose and that liver damage has been reported in some people who took highly bioavailable curcumin formulations.^[43] A pinch of turmeric in a cup of tea is the culinary kind, not the studied kind.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 202 mg Onnit Nutri-Immune Blend™ (two capsules a day) (Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs); five extracts in the blend, split not printed)

Good to know. Culinary amounts are widely used. Turmeric can cause nausea, reflux and stomach upset; concentrated bioavailable formulations have been linked to liver damage.^[43] It may add to the effect of anything that thins the blood. Talk to your doctor before use if you take anything daily.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale), root

The knobbly underground stem of a tropical plant native to the warm parts of Asia, now grown across South America, Africa and the Middle East, and one of the most familiar spices in the world. In this blend it appears as dried pieces of root.

Traditional and everyday use. Used in folk medicine since ancient times, mostly for the stomach, and the warming spice in Indian chai.

What the research says. The research on ginger concerns nausea and joint comfort, not memory or attention. We make no claim for it here.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 202 mg Onnit Nutri-Immune Blend™ (Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs); split not printed)

Good to know. Can cause abdominal discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea and mouth or throat irritation. Talk to your doctor before drinking it daily if you take anything that thins the blood or anything daily.

Oregano (Origanum vulgare), leaf extract

A perennial herb of the mint family native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, dried and crumbled onto pizza, tomato sauce and grilled meat. Its scent comes from carvacrol and thymol, the same oils that give thyme its smell; a teaspoon of dried oregano weighs about a gram.

Traditional and everyday use. A kitchen herb of Greek, Italian, Turkish and Mexican cooking for centuries.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 202 mg Onnit Nutri-Immune Blend™ (Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs); split not printed)

Good to know. A food herb; concentrated oregano oil can upset the stomach and may add to the effect of blood thinners. People allergic to plants of the mint family (basil, mint, sage, lavender) may react to it.

Lemon (Citrus limon), peel extract

The outer rind of the lemon, the part grated as zest, which holds the fruit's fragrant oil (mostly limonene) and the flavonoids hesperidin and eriocitrin. Extracts are made from the dried peel; the zest of one lemon weighs a few grams.

Traditional and everyday use. Zest and candied peel in cooking and baking across the Mediterranean for centuries; limoncello is made from the peel alone.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 202 mg Onnit Nutri-Immune Blend™ (Shroom TECH™ Immune capsule (both packs); split not printed)

Good to know. A food; no known concern at this amount. Unlike grapefruit, lemon peel is not known to interfere with medicines.

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)

The 'sunshine vitamin': the skin makes it from sunlight, and it is added to milk and found in fatty fish and egg yolk. It regulates calcium and bone. Many older adults in northern latitudes have low blood levels in winter.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use; identified in the 1920s.

What the research says. In the three-year DO-HEALTH trial of 2,157 adults aged 70 and older, 2,000 IU a day of vitamin D3 produced no statistically significant benefit on a cognitive screening score, alone or combined with omega-3s and exercise.^[31] Correcting a real deficiency is a matter for a blood test and a doctor, not for a memory page.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 12.5 mcg (500 IU), 60% DV (Night Pack, tranquility capsule (1 capsule))

Good to know. Safe at label doses; the tolerable upper level for adults is 100 mcg (4,000 IU) a day. Too much over time raises blood calcium.

Vitamin B3 (niacinamide)

One of the two common forms of vitamin B3, also called nicotinamide. Unlike the other form, nicotinic acid, it does not cause the skin flush that high doses of niacin can produce. It occurs in meat, fish, nuts, legumes and enriched grains.

What the research says. A Cochrane review of 14 trials in 27,882 cognitively healthy adults concluded that B-vitamin supplements probably have little or no effect on global cognitive function up to five years.^[22] In the European Union, niacin carries authorised claims that it contributes to normal psychological function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 15 mg NE, 90% DV (Night Pack, tranquility capsule; the wiki entry covers niacinamide, this label uses inositol hexanicotinate)

Good to know. Well tolerated at the amounts found in supplements of this size. Talk to your doctor before taking it if you are under a doctor's care.

Magnesium (bisglycinate chelate)

A mineral involved in hundreds of enzyme reactions, nerve signaling and muscle function; found in nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains and leafy greens. Bisglycinate is magnesium bound to the amino acid glycine.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use.

What the research says. We did not register a memory trial of magnesium for this page. Fifty milligrams is about 12 % of the Daily Value, roughly what a small handful of almonds provides.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 20 mg, 5% DV + 125 mg, 30% DV (145 mg a day) (Night Pack: tranquility capsule 20 mg; Key Minerals™ (2 capsules) 125 mg)

Good to know. Safe at this amount; large doses of magnesium supplements cause loose stools. People with kidney problems should ask their doctor before taking magnesium.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), root extract

A tall perennial with clusters of pink-white flowers native to Europe and Asia and now growing wild in North America; the root and rhizome are dried for tea and extracts and have a strong, earthy smell that cats are drawn to.

Traditional and everyday use. Taken in the evening as a root tea in European households since the days of Hippocrates and Galen; the seller lists it in the night pack.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file; the seller makes no memory claim for it. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 225 mg Onnit Tranquility Blend™ (Night Pack, tranquility capsule; four herbs in the blend, split not printed)

Good to know. Headache, dizziness, stomach upset and next-morning grogginess have been reported. It can add to the effect of alcohol and of certain daily medicines; ask the pharmacist, and do not combine it with alcohol in the evening. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health advises against it in pregnancy.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), flower extract

A small daisy-like annual of the aster family native to Europe and western Asia whose dried flower heads are brewed as one of the world's most common herbal teas, with an apple-like scent. German chamomile (Matricaria) is the kind in most tea bags; Roman chamomile is a different plant; this label prints only "chamomile".

Traditional and everyday use. Taken in the evening as a tea across Europe for centuries, and given to children; the seller lists it in the night pack.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 225 mg Onnit Tranquility Blend™ (Night Pack, tranquility capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. People allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies may react to chamomile. It may add to the effect of blood thinners; ask a clinician if you take one.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), aerial parts

A lemon-scented member of the mint family, native to southern Europe and grown in herb gardens everywhere; the leaves are used for tea and to flavor food.

Traditional and everyday use. Used in European herbal tradition since antiquity as a calming tea and for digestion; part of many 'melissa' preparations.

What the research says. In a placebo-controlled crossover study of 20 healthy young adults, single doses of a standardized lemon balm extract were associated with better accuracy of attention after 600 mg, but with lower scores on secondary and working memory at some doses and times, and with reduced self-rated alertness after 900 mg.^[44] No trial in healthy older adults was found in our search. Nootropic Focus lists organic lemon balm inside an 800 mg blend with spearmint, without a split.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 225 mg Onnit Tranquility Blend™ (Night Pack, tranquility capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. Generally regarded as safe as a food and tea. Because it is traditionally used as a mild sedative, it may add to the effect of other sedating substances; ask a pharmacist if you take daily medicine.

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba), seed extract

The jujube or Chinese date is a small thorny tree whose sweet red fruit is eaten fresh or dried across China and the Middle East. This label uses the seed inside the stone, called suan zao ren in Chinese, which is dried and crushed; it is not the fruit.

Traditional and everyday use. The seed has been taken in the evening in Chinese practice for centuries; the seller lists it in the night pack.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 225 mg Onnit Tranquility Blend™ (Night Pack, tranquility capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. The fruit is a food; the seed extract has little safety data in Western sources. Ask a clinician before taking it daily if you take anything in the evening that makes you drowsy, or if you are pregnant or nursing.

L-tryptophan

One of the nine essential amino acids, the scarcest in most proteins; the body uses it to build proteins and turns a small share into niacin, serotonin and melatonin. Turkey, chicken, milk, cheese, eggs, pumpkin seeds and oats supply it; an ordinary diet gives 800 to 1,500 mg a day.

Traditional and everyday use. None apart from food; sold on its own since the 1980s, and pulled from the US market for a decade after a 1989 outbreak traced to a contaminated batch from one manufacturer.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 200 mg (Night Pack, tranquility capsule; no Daily Value established)

Good to know. Drowsiness, nausea and headache are the usual complaints. It should not be combined with certain daily medicines; ask the pharmacist before taking it if you take anything daily, and note that this capsule pairs it with 5-HTP, which acts on the same pathway.

5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan)

An amino acid the body makes from tryptophan as the step before serotonin. It is not present in food in useful amounts; supplements extract it from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia, a West African climbing shrub.

Traditional and everyday use. None; sold as a supplement since the 1990s. The Griffonia seed is used in West African folk practice.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 75 mg (Night Pack, tranquility capsule; no Daily Value established)

Good to know. Nausea, stomach upset, drowsiness and heartburn are the usual complaints. It should not be combined with certain daily medicines; ask the pharmacist before taking it if you take anything daily. This capsule pairs it with L-tryptophan, which the body converts along the same pathway.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

A water-soluble vitamin found in citrus, peppers, berries and leafy greens. The body cannot make it and does not store much of it, so it has to come in with the food every day.

Traditional and everyday use. Citrus and fresh greens have been eaten against scurvy since the days of sailing ships.

What the research says. The Daily Value printed on US labels is 90 mg.^[35] We registered no trial of vitamin C alone on memory or attention in healthy adults, so the entry stays descriptive.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 250 mg, 280% DV (Night Pack, ViruTech® capsule (1 capsule))

Good to know. Amounts above about 2,000 mg a day can upset the stomach; people with a history of kidney stones should ask their doctor before taking large doses.

Zinc (zinc bisglycinate chelate, TRAACS®)

A trace mineral found in every cell and needed by hundreds of enzymes; oysters are by far the richest food, followed by beef, crab, pork, beans, nuts and fortified cereals. Bisglycinate chelate is zinc bound to two molecules of the amino acid glycine.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. The only zinc trials on file concern ringing in the ears, where a Cochrane review of three trials in 209 adults found no evidence that zinc helps.^[45] Six milligrams, which the label counts as 50 % of the Daily Value, is about what three ounces of beef provide.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 6 mg, 50% DV (Night Pack, ViruTech® capsule)

Good to know. The upper limit for adults is 40 mg a day; this amount is well under it, but count it with any other zinc product, because long-term excess lowers copper. Zinc can bind certain daily medicines if taken at the same hour; ask the pharmacist about spacing.

Selenium (selenium glycinate complex, Albion®)

A trace mineral that is part of a family of proteins involved in thyroid function and in handling oxidation; Brazil nuts are famously rich in it (one nut can hold 70 to 90 mcg), followed by seafood, meat, eggs and grains grown on selenium-rich soil.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 75 mcg, 140% DV (Night Pack, ViruTech® capsule)

Good to know. The margin is narrower than with most minerals: the upper limit is 400 mcg a day, and chronic excess causes brittle nails, hair loss, a garlic odor on the breath and nausea. Count it together with Brazil nuts and any multivitamin.

L-lysine

One of the nine essential amino acids and the one grains are poorest in, which is why beans and rice are eaten together. Meat, fish, dairy, eggs, soy and legumes are rich in it; an ordinary diet supplies several grams a day.

Traditional and everyday use. None apart from food; sold on its own as a single amino acid since the 1980s.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 445 mg Onnit Vitality Blend™ (Night Pack, ViruTech® capsule; three ingredients in the blend, split not printed)

Good to know. A food amino acid with no known concern at this level; very large doses (several grams) can upset the stomach. People with kidney problems should ask a clinician before any amino acid supplement.

Quercetin (quercetin dihydrate)

A yellow flavonoid pigment found in onions (especially the outer layers), capers, apples, kale, berries, red grapes and tea; a typical diet supplies 10 to 100 mg a day. Dihydrate is the crystalline form with two molecules of water, the usual supplement form, and it is poorly absorbed.

Traditional and everyday use. None apart from food.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 445 mg Onnit Vitality Blend™ (Night Pack, ViruTech® capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. Headache and tingling in the limbs have been reported at doses of a gram a day; this blend is far below that. Quercetin can slow the breakdown of certain daily medicines; ask the pharmacist if you take anything daily, and ask a clinician if you have a kidney condition.

Alpha lipoic acid

A sulphur-containing compound, also called thioctic acid, that the body makes in small amounts and uses as a helper for several enzyme complexes in the mitochondria. It occurs in food bound to protein, in spinach, broccoli and organ meats; supplements contain the free form. It is a direct antioxidant, although any effect on free radicals in the body is likely brief.

What the research says. No trial of alpha lipoic acid on memory or attention in healthy adults could be found, and we make no claim for it here.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). part of the 445 mg Onnit Vitality Blend™ (Night Pack, ViruTech® capsule; split not printed)

Good to know. At supplement doses it can enhance the uptake of glucose by cells, which matters to anyone who manages their blood sugar. Talk to your doctor before use if you are under a doctor's care.

Calcium (dicalcium malate, DimaCal®, and calcium bisglycinate chelate, TRAACS®)

The most abundant mineral in the body, almost all of it in bone and teeth, with a small share running muscle and nerve signaling. Dairy, canned sardines and salmon with bones, tofu set with calcium, kale, bok choy and fortified juice supply it; a cup of milk holds about 300 mg. Malate and bisglycinate are calcium bound to malic acid and to glycine.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use as a supplement; dairy is the classic source.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 250 mg, 20% DV (Night Pack, Key Minerals™ capsules (2 capsules))

Good to know. The upper limit for adults over 50 is 2,000 mg a day from all sources. Calcium supplements can cause gas and constipation and are taken apart from certain daily medicines and from iron and zinc, which they compete with; ask the pharmacist about spacing. People with kidney stones or kidney problems should ask a clinician.

Iodine (from organic kelp, stipe and fronds)

A trace element the thyroid gland needs; the body holds only 15 to 20 mg of it. Seaweed is the richest source by far, followed by cod, dairy, eggs and iodized salt (a quarter teaspoon of iodized salt holds about 70 mcg). Kelp is a large brown seaweed, and its iodine content varies enormously from batch to batch.

Traditional and everyday use. Seaweed has been eaten in Japan, Korea and coastal Europe for millennia; salt has been iodized in the United States since 1924.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 25 mcg, 15% DV (Night Pack, Key Minerals™ capsules; the label says the kelp may contain fish (cod, herring) and shellfish (krill, lobster, shrimp))

Good to know. 25 mcg is modest, but kelp products are known for delivering more iodine than the label says, and both too little and too much iodine affect the thyroid. Anyone with a thyroid condition, or taking something for the thyroid daily, should ask a clinician before any kelp product. People allergic to fish or shellfish should note that fish and shellfish statement on the label.

Molybdenum (molybdenum glycinate chelate, TRAACS®)

A trace mineral that a handful of enzymes need to process sulfur-containing amino acids and purines. Legumes are the richest source, then grains, nuts and organ meats; the average US diet supplies about 100 mcg a day, twice the Daily Value, and a shortage has never been seen in healthy people eating ordinary food.

Traditional and everyday use. No traditional use.

What the research says. No trial of this ingredient on memory or attention in healthy older adults is on file. Descriptive only.

Amount per serving in Total Human® (30 Day Supply). 150 mcg, 330% DV (Night Pack, Key Minerals™ capsules)

Good to know. The upper limit for adults is 2,000 mcg a day, more than ten times this amount. High intakes can raise uric acid; people who have been told to watch their uric acid, and people with kidney problems, should ask a clinician.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information does not constitute medical advice and it should not be relied upon as such. This product is not a substitute for medication or other treatment prescribed by a physician or health care provider. Consult your doctor before starting any dietary supplement.

9. What we can and cannot promise

Set against the headlines that brought you here, this is the complete and honest position.

Things we cannot promise, and that nobody selling you a supplement can:

• That this box will improve your memory, your attention or your concentration.
• That it will prevent, delay, slow or reverse dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
• That it offsets alcohol, sugar, processed food, or any drink or food named on this page.
• That it can replace a prescribed medicine, or make a medication review unnecessary.
• That any doctor in Japan, any Nobel laureate, any neurologist or any "brain expert" recommends it. None has.
• That a word or phrase quiz can tell you anything about your brain.
• That the trial of its memory capsule settles anything about the box. Alpha BRAIN has one six-week trial in 63 adults aged 18 to 35, sponsored by Onnit, at a dose the paper does not state, ^[5] and this box gives one capsule where the formula's own bottle says two. The krill softgels give 240 milligrams of omega-3 a day against two grams in the one maker-funded trial in men aged 61 to 72 ^[6] and 2.3 grams in an eighteen-month trial of 390 healthy adults over 65 that found no difference from placebo; ^[7] the astaxanthin's eleven pooled trials found no significant effect on thinking. ^[46] Nobody has tested this box.
• That the phrases on the listing, the line under one of its formulas that says its ingredients have been studied, the benefits the seller gives each packet, or the 2,531 reviews describe a proven benefit. The listing names no study, only five of the reviews carry the seller's buyer mark because the rest were carried over from an older system, the value score under the stars is three out of five, and the same panels carry the FDA disclaimer.

Things we can say honestly:

• It is a box of thirty day packets and thirty night packets, sixteen capsules and softgels a day across ten formulas, sold by Onnit Labs, Inc. of Austin, Texas, a company with a street address, a toll-free number that answers on weekdays and an email, and a help center that says in plain words that the doses in this box are lower than in its separate bottles. Every line printed on the two panels is listed above.
• It contains shellfish (krill) in both packets and the night packet may carry fish and shellfish from kelp; the krill softgel is gelatin. By the seller's word it contains no caffeine or stimulants; a green tea extract sits inside one blend with no split. Thirty lines have a printed amount and thirty-five do not.
• The label's direction is one day packet in the morning or early afternoon and one night packet in the evening, each with a light meal or snack, and it says to consult a clinician before taking it if you have a condition or take anything daily. A box is thirty days.
• The price (a hundred and thirty-seven dollars and ninety-five cents for one box the day we read it, four dollars and sixty cents a day; the seller's page offers a monthly plan at fifteen percent off), the shipping terms (at no charge on orders of a hundred dollars or more in the forty-eight contiguous states, which one box clears; Alaska, Hawaii and the territories pay shipping; the seller's website says it serves United States customers only) and the refund terms (the help center promises a refund of the product cost within thirty days of a first purchase of any product, no return required and no price limit, claimed through the contact page with the order number, shipping not refunded; the seller's separate refund-policy page limits that promise to select products under forty dollars, and the two pages do not agree) are exactly what is written on the seller's pages the day we read them, and they can change.
• The customer reviews we quote are real and public on the seller's site; we quote them word for word, we mark "Verified Buyer" only where the seller's review system does, none of the five was paid for, and we left out reviews that made claims we cannot check. Individual experiences are not evidence.
• We earn a commission if you buy. That is our interest in this, stated plainly.
• Nothing here is medical advice, and none of it replaces your doctor.

10. Questions people ask us

Did a Japanese doctor, a Nobel laureate or a neurologist really say this?

No. Those attributions are advertising language. No named or identifiable expert made those statements, and none has endorsed this product.

So is coffee bad for my memory or not?

Ordinary coffee is not an established risk factor for cognitive decline, and reviews generally find neutral to modestly favorable associations. Our "Coffee Tops The List" headline overstated it. What is worth watching is added sugar in coffee drinks, and caffeine late enough in the day to spoil your sleep. The box we sell is caffeine-free by the seller's word, which is why our article says keep your coffee.

Should I stop my sleeping tablet or my anxiety medication?

Not on your own, and not because of an advertisement. Some of these drugs cause seizures or severe rebound symptoms if stopped abruptly. Take your full medication list to your doctor or pharmacist and ask whether anything on it is a poor fit for your age. See section 4.

Is this product a treatment for Alzheimer's or dementia?

No. It is not a treatment for any disease. If you or a family member is facing a diagnosis, the people to talk to are your doctor and a support organization such as the Alzheimer's Association helpline listed above.

How much of the memory capsule is in a packet, and how does that compare with the study?

One capsule of Alpha BRAIN per day packet, where the formula's own bottle says to take two; the seller's help center says the doses in the box are lower than in its bottles. The capsule prints 5 milligrams of vitamin B6, 175 milligrams of cat's claw and three blends of 325, 120 and 30 milligrams with no split among their nine names. The one trial gave a single daily dose to 63 adults aged 18 to 35 for six weeks and did not state how many capsules that was, ^[5] so nobody can say whether this box's capsule matches it. The same panels carry the statement that the box's claims have not been evaluated by the FDA.

Does it contain caffeine, shellfish or gelatin?

No caffeine or stimulants, by the seller's word; a green tea extract sits inside one blend with no printed split. Shellfish, yes: krill oil in both packets, and the night panel says the kelp in the mineral capsules may carry fish and shellfish. The krill softgel is gelatin; the nine capsule formulas are vegetable capsules.

Which of the sixty-five lines does something?

The B12, if a blood test says you are short of it, which is more common after 65 because the stomach absorbs less of it from food; ^[20] the largest review found B vitamins do little or nothing for the thinking of people who are not short. ^[22] The krill oil is real fish oil at a quarter of the smallest dose that has shown anything, in a maker-funded brain-scan trial. ^[6] The Alpha BRAIN capsule has one company-paid trial in people under 35 and sits here at half its own bottle's dose. ^[5] The article goes through the packets one by one, and section 8 has the card for each line.

How many capsules a day is it, and can I call the company?

Sixteen: seven capsules and one softgel in the morning packet, the same in the evening packet, for thirty days. The company prints a toll-free number, 1-855-666-4899, that answers on weekdays, an email, help@onnit.com, and a street address in Austin, Texas.

What if it arrives and I don't like it?

The seller's help center says: within thirty days of your first purchase of a product, message the company through its contact page with your order number for a refund of the product cost, with no return required and no price limit; shipping charges are not refunded. The seller's separate refund-policy page limits the keep-it promise to select products under forty dollars, which this box is not, so ask by email which page governs before you buy and keep the reply.

Are the reviews real?

They are public on the seller's page, 2,531 of them, and only five carry its buyer mark, because the rest were carried over from an older review system without that mark. None of the five we quote was paid for; two carry the mark and three do not, and we say so beside each. The two scores under the stars, quality four and value three out of five, are the honest summary.

Why does this page talk about medicines if the product is not one?

Because one of our headlines pointed at "5 prescriptions", and you deserve to know what was behind it. Nothing in section 4 is advice to change a medicine, and the product is not an alternative to any of them.

If your own headlines are exaggerated, why should I believe this page?

A fair question. Do not take our word for it. The references below are real, published sources you can look up yourself, and nothing in sections 5, 6 and 7 requires you to buy anything or trust us. If this page and our headlines disagree, believe this page.

Does this page cost anything?

No. It is free, there is nothing to sign up for, and you are welcome to read it, close the tab and never come back.

Can I check these claims myself?

Yes, and you should. Every numbered reference below can be found by searching its title. For general information, the National Institute on Aging (nia.nih.gov) and the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org) publish plain-language material and sell nothing.

References

These are the sources behind the claims marked with a number above. Most are observational studies, which can show association but not cause. The Alpha BRAIN trial was sponsored by the company that sells it and run in adults aged 18 to 35; the krill trial was funded by the oil's maker and measured brain scans, not memory scores; the fact sheets are the government's own; none of them tested this box. We have deliberately not cited anything for the claims we describe as exaggerated, because there is nothing to cite.

1. Pase M.P. et al. (2017). Alzheimer's & Dementia 13(9):955-964 doi.org
2. Gonçalves N.G. et al. (2023). JAMA Neurology 80(2):142-150 doi.org
3. Livingston G. et al. (2024). The Lancet 404(10452):572-628 doi.org
4. Topiwala A. et al. (2017). BMJ 357:j2353 doi.org
5. Solomon T.M. et al. (2016). Human Psychopharmacology 31(2):135-143 doi.org
6. Konagai C. et al. (2013). Clinical Interventions in Aging 8:1247-1257 doi.org
7. Danthiir V. et al. (2018). American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 107(5):754-762 doi.org
8. Calabrese C. et al. (2008). Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 14(6):707-713 doi.org
9. Morgan A., Stevens J. (2010). Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 16(7):753-759 doi.org
10. Gray S.L. et al. (2015). JAMA Internal Medicine 175(3):401-407 doi.org
11. Coupland C.A.C. et al. (2019). JAMA Internal Medicine 179(8):1084-1093 doi.org
12. American Geriatrics Society 2023 Beers Criteria Update Expert Panel (2023). Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 71(7):2052-2081 doi.org
13. Pase M.P. et al. (2017). Stroke 48(5):1139-1146 doi.org
14. Sabia S. et al. (2021). Nature Communications 12:2289 doi.org
15. Poly C. et al. (2011). American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 94(6):1584-1591 doi.org
16. Morris M.C. et al. (2015). Alzheimer's & Dementia 11(9):1015-1022 doi.org
17. NIH NCCIH. "Sleep Disorders and Complementary Health Approaches: Usefulness and Safety" (May 2024) nccih.nih.gov
18. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. "Valerian: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals" (updated March 15, 2013) ods.od.nih.gov
19. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. "Vitamin B6: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals" (updated June 16, 2023) ods.od.nih.gov
20. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. "Vitamin B12: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals" (updated July 2, 2025) ods.od.nih.gov
21. Kang J.H. et al. (2006). Archives of Internal Medicine 166(22):2462-2468 doi.org
22. Rutjes A.W.S. et al. (2018). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CD011906 doi.org
23. Jongkees B.J. et al. (2015). Journal of Psychiatric Research 70:50-57 doi.org
24. Baba Y. et al. (2021). Journal of Medicinal Food 24(4):333-341 doi.org
25. Kennedy D.O. et al. (2020). Nutrients 12(6):1598 doi.org
26. Wong R.H. et al. (2012). Nutrients 4(5):331-342 doi.org
27. Kato-Kataoka A. et al. (2010). Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition 47(3):246-255 doi.org
28. Kongkeaw C. et al. (2014). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 151(1):528-535 doi.org
29. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (2015). Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine. EFSA Journal 13(5):4102 doi.org
30. Sydenham E. et al. (2012). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012(6):CD005379 doi.org
31. Bischoff-Ferrari H.A. et al. (2020). JAMA 324(18):1855-1868 doi.org
32. Yurko-Mauro K. et al. (2015). PLoS One 10(3):e0120391 doi.org
33. Power R. et al. (2022). Clinical Nutrition 41(2):405-414 doi.org
34. Rangel-Huerta O.D. & Gil A. (2018). Nutrition Reviews 76(1):1-20 doi.org
35. US Food and Drug Administration. "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels" (content current as of 2024-03-05) fda.gov
36. US Food and Drug Administration. "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels" (content current as of 2024-03-05) fda.gov
37. European Parliament and Council (2011). Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII Part A (points 1 and 2) eur-lex.europa.eu
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Citing a study does not mean the study is about this product. The trials above tested one formula or one ingredient, in other people, at doses this box does not match, not the box itself; none of the research tested Onnit Total Human, and none of it supports it.

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