A Brain Supplement Label Checklist: What to Check Before Buying (No Brand Rankings)

Read this first

This is a label-reading checklist, not a shopping guide. We do not rank, name or recommend products, and we cannot tell you whether any product is safe or useful for you. In the US the FDA says it does not have the authority to approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness, or to approve their labeling, before they are sold. [1] Rules differ by country; see supplement regulation by country.

If a product claims to treat, prevent or cure a disease such as dementia, the FDA says that generally makes it a drug, even if it is labeled a supplement. [1] Talk to a clinician about memory change instead of relying on a label.

The checklist

1. Find the Supplement Facts panel. The FDA says it must list the serving size, servings per container, and each dietary ingredient, with the amount per serving. [2]
2. Look for a "proprietary blend." The FDA says amounts per serving are required for ingredients except those that are part of a proprietary blend. So a blend can hide how much of each ingredient is inside. [2] See proprietary blends in brain supplements.
3. Read the "Other ingredients" list. The FDA says ingredients not in the panel must appear there, including sources, food additives and colors. [2]
4. Check the serving size and the amount, then add up every product. The FDA says no law limits the serving size or the amount of an ingredient in a serving; the manufacturer decides. [2] Duplicate ingredients across products are covered in amounts and duplicate ingredients.
5. For stimulants, find the total caffeine. The FDA says many packaged products and supplements voluntarily list caffeine, and some products do not declare it. [3] Compare with the caffeine reference table.
6. Look at the claims. The FDA describes health claims, structure/function claims and nutrient content claims; a structure/function claim must carry a disclaimer that the FDA has not evaluated it. [2] Claims like "memory booster" are checked in brain supplement marketing claims.
7. Note words such as "standardized", "verified" or "certified." NCCIH says these do not necessarily guarantee product quality or consistency. [4] What testing programs mean is on the quality testing page.
8. Check the manufacturer and the adverse-event contact. The FDA says labels must show the name and place of business and a domestic address or phone number for reporting serious adverse events. [2]
9. Be wary of hidden ingredients. The FDA says some products contain ingredients not listed on the label, often prescription drug ingredients, banned substances or harmful chemicals, and that a product missing from its database list is not necessarily safe. [5] NCCIH says the FDA found prescription drugs, including anticoagulants and anticonvulsants, in products sold as supplements. [4] See hidden and undeclared ingredients.
10. Check the ingredient's evidence. Look it up in the evidence summary table or the A to Z index.

Reading the label of a specific kind of ingredient

For ingredient forms, extract ratios and serving sizes, see reading a brain supplement label. For cost per serving, see comparing supplement labels. A label cannot tell you whether the stated amount matches what is in the bottle.

Talk to a professional

The FDA advises talking with a doctor, nurse, registered dietitian or pharmacist before buying or taking a supplement. [1] A question list is on questions to ask your clinician or pharmacist.