VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS · GUIDE
Prevagen and "Memory Supplement" Claims: What Regulators and Studies Say
A claim check on Prevagen (apoaequorin): what the New York Attorney General and the FTC said, what a jury found about the marketer's claims, what a company-run trial reported, and how to test any memory claim.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Back to NootropicsThis page reports public statements by regulators and a court case, and one published trial. It is a claim check, not a verdict on whether any individual notices a difference. It does not recommend or rank products.
Evidence label for apoaequorin and memory: insufficient evidence; the product's memory claims are classed here as marketing claims because a jury found them unsubstantiated.
What apoaequorin is, and the "does it reach the brain" question
Apoaequorin is the protein the product is built around. [1] Whether a protein swallowed by mouth reaches the brain is central to the dispute. The New York Attorney General says the trial evidence included internal company documents and submissions to the FDA admitting that the product is quickly digested and unlikely to reach the brain. [1]The legal case, in plain terms
- Complaint, January 2017. The FTC's case page lists a complaint filed by the FTC and New York. The page says the marketers were charged with false and unsubstantiated claims, including that the product improves memory and is "clinically shown" to work. [3]
- Jury trial, 2024. The New York announcement says the claims at issue included improving memory, improving memory within 90 days and reducing memory problems associated with aging. The jury found some claims materially misleading and concluded that none had been substantiated with reliable scientific evidence. [1]
- Judgment, late 2024. The FTC case page lists a Memorandum and Judgment dated November 18, 2024, an Order dated December 6, 2024 and a December 10, 2024 FTC statement titled as a win in the lawsuit. [3] We could read the case page only through a web-fetch summary, which said it does not describe the terms of the judgment or any money awarded, and we did not read the court documents, so we do not describe their terms.
The New York announcement notes that the FTC's own claims were to be decided separately by the federal judge. [1] Courts assess advertising claims and evidence; they do not test whether a product works for each person.
The marketer's published trial
The Madison Memory Study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 218 community-dwelling adults aged 40 to 91 with self-reported memory concerns, lasting 90 days. Its authors reported statistically significant improvement in verbal learning and recall on two computerized tasks, and that the supplement was tolerated very well. [4] That result applies to those tasks in that group, not to everyday memory or to people with dementia. At the 2024 trial, experts testified about flaws in the planning, execution and analysis of the marketer's clinical trial. [1] Read both: a published paper exists, and its interpretation was contested in court.How to check any memory supplement claim
| Ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Who ran and paid for the study? | Company-run trials can have design problems; compare with independent reviews. |
| Placebo-controlled? How many people, how long? | Small, short trials are easily misleading. |
| Which outcome improved? | A computer task is not the same as remembering names or appointments. |
| Does the claim name a disease? | Disease claims are treated like drug claims; see safety and claim checks. |
| Do independent reviews agree? | One review found no compelling evidence for apoaequorin. [2] |
Safety and who should ask first
We found no regulator page we could read that lists safety findings for apoaequorin, and the Madison paper reported it was tolerated very well. [4] That is limited information, and "tolerated well in one trial" is not a safety guarantee. Dietary supplements are not approved by the FDA for safety or effectiveness before they go on the market. [2] Tell your pharmacist about everything you take (how interactions work), and read how to read supplement labels. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children: we found no information to show it has been studied, so ask a clinician. New or worsening memory problems deserve a medical visit: memory changes: when to get help. For the wider picture see what are nootropics.
Frequently asked questions
Does Prevagen work?
A 90-day company-run trial reported better verbal learning on two computer tasks, but a jury concluded the marketer had not substantiated its claims and a review found no compelling evidence for apoaequorin and memory. [4][1][2]
Is Prevagen approved by the FDA?
The FDA does not have authority to approve dietary supplements for safety, effectiveness or labeling before they are sold. [2]
Did the FTC win its case?
The FTC case page lists a November 2024 judgment and a December 2024 FTC statement titled as a win; we did not read the judgment itself. [3]
Is apoaequorin safe?
The published trial reported it was tolerated very well, but we found no independent safety review we could read. [4]
Can a memory supplement replace seeing a doctor about memory loss?
No. The National Institute on Aging advises checking with a doctor before trying a pill or supplement that promises to prevent Alzheimer's disease. [5]
References
- New York State Attorney General, Attorney General James Wins Trial Against Quincy Bioscience for Deceptive and Fraudulent Advertising of “Memory Improvement” Supplement Prevagen (May 8, 2024). Read 2026-10-23.
- Hersant H et al. CNS Drugs 2023. Over the Counter Supplements for Memory: A Review of Available Evidence. Read 2026-10-23.
- US Federal Trade Commission, Quincy Bioscience Holding Company (case page, FTC File No. 152 3206). Page read through a web-fetch summary tool because direct download returned an error; the court documents it links were not read. Read 2026-10-23.
- Moran DL et al. Adv Mind Body Med 2016. Effects of a Supplement Containing Apoaequorin on Verbal Learning in Older Adults in the Community. Read 2026-10-23.
- National Institute on Aging, Preventing Alzheimer's Disease: What Do We Know?. Read 2026-10-23.