For Family Month May, consumers are increasingly focusing on their parents’ health, sparking growing interest in dietary supplements claiming to boost cognition and memory, often marketed as brain nutrients.
However, medical experts warn that overreliance on these supplements could lead people to miss crucial windows for dementia prevention and treatment. Dementia typically doesn’t appear overnight; it often progresses gradually through stages of cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment.
Experts stress the importance of seeking prompt medical evaluation if you or your parents notice changes in memory or subtle abnormalities in daily life, rather than depending on dietary supplements.
Industry reports from May 16 indicate that sales of memory-enhancing dietary supplements reached approximately 1 trillion 426 billion KRW (about 952.5 million USD) in 2024. Notably, sales of phosphatidylserine products surged from 77 billion KRW (about 51.4 million USD) in 2022 to 495 billion KRW (about 330.7 million USD) in 2024, a six-fold increase in just two years.
The concern arises when consumers mistakenly view these supplements as treatments for medical conditions. While dietary supplements aim to maintain health and provide nutritional support, prescription medications undergo rigorous clinical trials and regulatory approval to treat specific diseases and alleviate symptoms.
Medical professionals are particularly worried about individuals dismissing memory decline as a normal part of aging or relying on supplements instead of seeking timely medical diagnosis. Dementia typically progresses slowly over several years, beginning with memory decline and mild cognitive impairment, making early diagnosis and management crucial.
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is characterized by noticeable cognitive decline beyond ordinary forgetfulness but does not meet the criteria for a dementia diagnosis. While some individuals with MCI may recover normal cognitive function, others may progress to dementia, underscoring the importance of early evaluation and ongoing monitoring.
A neurologist emphasized that if you start noticing memory decline, it may indicate a need for professional evaluation rather than just being ordinary forgetfulness. The real issue isn’t the supplements themselves, but the delay in seeking proper medical diagnosis due to overreliance on them.
Furthermore, dementia and MCI are complex chronic conditions that progress at varying rates and are influenced by multiple factors such as age, coexisting health conditions, and lifestyle choices. Consequently, short-term clinical trials alone may not fully capture the treatment implications in real-world settings, highlighting the need to consider data from long-term cohort studies.
Currently, prescription options for MCI are limited, with cholinergic agents being the primary exception. These medications have been used in clinical practice for over two decades, supported by recent studies like the ASCOMALVA trial and large-scale cohort studies from institutions such as Yonsei Severance Christian Hospital, which provide valuable real-world clinical data.
It’s worth noting that cognitive and memory-related dietary supplements often come with hefty price tags, potentially adding to the financial strain on patients and their families. The Ministry of Health and Welfare estimates the annual socioeconomic cost per dementia patient at around 17.33 million KRW (about 11,500 USD), with lifetime cumulative costs reaching approximately 200 million KRW (about 133,590 USD).
A university hospital professor stated that the foundation of dementia prevention isn’t dietary supplements, but accurate diagnosis. If you suspect memory changes, it’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider for necessary evaluations and treatments rather than relying on supplements.