Brain Health Memory Plus – Does It Work?

Answer:

Brain Health Memory Plus by Qunol purportedly "supports your brain health for a sharper mind as you age." However, this supplement has not been evaluated in clinical research for improving cognition or other clinical benefits, and evidence supporting the benefits of its two main ingredients, Magtein and Cognizin, is limited and modest, at best. As discussed below, Magtein does not appear to significantly improve memory or cognitive function. There is some evidence that Cognizin might improve memory and cognition among middle-aged and older people, and it may improve mood and thinking skills among people with Alzheimer's disease but at doses greater than in Brain Health.

What Are the Ingredients in Brain Health?

Brain Health Memory Plus contains two active ingredients: 1,000 mg of magnesium L-threonate (Magtein) providing 72 mg of elemental magnesium and 500 mg of citicoline (Cognizin).

Do the Ingredients in Brain Health Improve Cognition?

Magtein

Magnesium L-threonate has been promoted for memory and cognitive function, but clinical research has generally shown little to no benefit and doses used in clinical research have generally been about twice the amount included in Brain Health Memory Plus.

Memory and Cognition

A small company-funded study found that taking 1.5 to 2 grams of magnesium L-threonate daily for three months improved the speed of performance on an executive function task by about 10% among men and women with self-reported memory and concentration impairment, while those who took a placebo showed smaller improvement. However, magnesium L-threonate did not significantly improve working memory, episodic memory, attention, anxiety or sleep compared to placebo (Liu, J Alzheimer's Dis 2015). Another company-funded study found that taking 2 grams of Magtein daily for 6 weeks slightly improved scores on a test assessing general cognitive ability compared to placebo among otherwise healthy adults with self-reported poor sleep, but there were no between-group differences in measures of new problem-solving skills, learned knowledge, fluid intelligence (which is linked with skill such as comprehension, problem-solving, and learning), or sleep (Lopresti, Front Nutr 2026).

Dementia

A small, unpublished study showed that taking 1,800 mg of magnesium-L-threonate daily for two months did not improve cognitive function compared to baseline among adults with dementia, although, when retested four months later, there was no significant cognitive decline. However, the lack of a placebo group and small study size limits the value of these results (ClinicalTrials.gov, accessed 7/20/21).

For information about other possible health benefits of Magtein, see our article about the health effects and safety of Magtein.

Cognizin

Memory and Cognition

Taking 250 mg or 500 mg of Cognizin daily for one month modestly improved certain measures of attention compared to placebo among healthy middle-aged women (McGlade, Food Nutr Sci 2012). Interestingly, those taking the lower dose had slightly better results than those taking the higher dose — which is the amount in Brain Health. On the other hand, taking 500 mg of Cognizin daily for three months did not improve working memory or most measures of cognitive function, including attention, compared to placebo among healthy, middle-aged and older adults. However, those who took Cognizin showed modest improvements in visual memory and new learning and composite memory (Nakazaki, J Nutr 2021). Both of these studies were funded by the maker of Cognizin.

Alzheimer's Disease

Two preliminary studies found that 1,000 mg of CDP-choline (the form of choline in Cognizin) taken with prescription medications for Alzheimer's disease (e.g., donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), or galantamine (Razadyne)) for at least 6 months modestly improved cognition and may have slowed Alzheimer's progression compared to drug treatment alone (Gareri, J Alzheimers Dis 2016; Castagna, Clin Drug Investig 2016). However, the dose of CDP-choline used in these studies is twice the amount found in Brain Health, and there does not appear to be evidence that a lower dose is beneficial.

For information about other possible health benefits of choline, see our Choline Supplements Review, which includes our Top Picks.

Are the Ingredients in Brain Health Safe?

Magtein

Although large doses of magnesium can cause gastrointestinal issues, as well as possible drug interactions, Magtein contains only a modest amount of magnesium (72 mg), making it less likely to have such effects. For more details about these possible side effects and interactions of magnesium L-threonate, see our article about the health effects and safety of magnesium L-threonate.

Cognizin

Choline, including the form in Cognizin, is generally considered safe up to the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL) of 3,500 mg per day for adults, which is much more than in Brain Health (500 mg of citicoline provides about 107 mg of choline).

Choline may lead to a fishy body odor in people with a genetic defect (in the gene FM03) but this condition is rare, affecting only about 1% of people in the U.S. (Mitchell, Drug Metab Dispos 2001).

Choline may raise blood levels of TMAO, a compound that may advance atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) by reducing the normal clearing of cholesterol and may increase plaque instability (which can cause it to become dislodged) (Koay, Cardiovasc Res 2020), although there do not appear to be studies assessing the link between citicoline (the form of choline in Cognizin) and TMAO. However, studies have found that taking about 400 mg of choline as choline bitartrate (which is about 4Xs the amount of choline in Brain Health) increased blood levels of TMAO by about 71% (Wilcox, Am J Med 2021)

The Bottom Line on Brain Health Memory Plus — Is It Worth It?

We don't think Brain Health Memory Plus is the best option for improving memory or cognition, as its combination of ingredients has not been evaluated in clinical research and only one of its ingredients seems to be helpful when taken alone. We also don't think Brain Health is worth its price as the product is somewhat expensive — $44.99 for 30 2-capsule servings, which is about $1.50 per daily serving.

For people interested in the ingredients in Brain Health Memory Plus for boosting memory and cognitive function, we suggest consider taking just Cognizin, as there doesn't appear to be good evidence for Magtein. Our Top Pick for citicoline provides the same amount (500 mg) of Cognizin (citicoline) for only 55 cents – about 1/3 the daily cost of Brain Health Memory Plus.

For information about other supplements that may boost brain function, see our article about supplements, foods and lifestyle changes for cognition and memory.