This GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula Review can be summarized by that name alone: this is a nutritional supplement with an emphasis on preventive brain health care.
BOOM — what else do you need to know?
Oh, yes. You probably want to know if this supplement actually works at what it claims to do. (I suppose that’s a valid concern.)
Well, you won’t find any answers in this post’s introduction, so let’s read the GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula review to figure out what the funk this nutritional brain health stack is all about. (Also, this next line will be irrelevant in a day, but if you happen to catch this review today, the day I posted this bad boy, then: May the 4th be with you all, my precious Siths and Jedis.)
Page Contents
About GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula
- As part of GNC’s Preventive Nutrition series, Brain Health Formula is, well… a brain health formula supplement.
- Brain Function Support Blend: the first blend gives us a few decent nootropics and a few disappointing duds.
- Blood Flow & Circulation Support Complex: the second blend stacks circulation enhancers with antioxidants.
- Antioxidant Support Blend: the antioxidant blend sort of has antioxidants …at least one antioxidant.
GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula Ingredients |
|
| Ingredients | Amount Per Serving |
| Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid) | 50 mg (83% DV) |
| Vitamin D-3 (as Cholecalciferol) | 200 IU (50% DV) |
| Vitamin B-6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride & Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate) | 50 mg (2500% DV) |
| Folic Acid (as Folic Acid & 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate) | 100 mcg (25% DV) |
| Vitamin B-12 (as Cyanocobalamin) | 100 mcg (1666% DV) |
| Brain Function Support Blend | |
| L-Tyrosine | 500 mg |
| Choline (as Choline Bitartrate) | 100 mg |
| Acetyl L-Carnitine (as Acetyl L-Carnitine Hydrochloride) | 100 mg |
| Phosphatidylserine | 100 mg |
| DMAE (2-(Dimethylamino)ethanol) | 10 mg |
| Huperzine A | 100 mcg |
| Blood Flow & Circulation Support Complex | |
| Ginkgo biloba Leaf Extract (24% Ginkgo Flavonglycosides 28.8 mg, 6% Terpene Lactones 7.2 mg) | 120 mg |
| Turmeric Root Extract (Curcuma longa) (Curcumin 20% = 10 mg) | 50 mg |
| resVida® trans-Resveratrol | 30 mg |
| Astaxanthin | 1 mg |
| Antioxidant Support Blend | |
| Bacopa monnieri Leaf Extract | 100 mg |
| Ashwagandha Root Extract (Withania somnifera) | 50 mg |
| Ginger Root Powder (Zingiber officinalis) | 23 mg |
| Lutemax® 2020 Lutein | 7 mg |
Serving Size: Two Caplets
Servings Per Container: 30
Other Ingredients: Cellulose, Titanium Dioxide, Vegetable Acetoglycerides.
Directions: As a dietary supplement, take two caplets daily with food.
Altogether, GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula stacks 19 ingredients into its two caplet serving sizes. Is that enough cap space to handle that many ingredients? We’ll need to check out those ingredients first to answer that question. So, let’s do that!
GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula Review: Ingredients
With exception to the five vitamins (vitamins C, D3, B6, B9, and B12), GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula splits its ingredients into three non-proprietary blends: Brain Function Support Blend, Blood Flow & Circulation Support Complex, and Antioxidant Support Blend. Thanks to the non-proprietary status of these blends, we can view each ingredient’s dosage level. And, for the most part, the dosages are, ehm… well, they’re mostly pretty good; sometimes not so good. Check it:
Brain Function Support Blend
L-Tyrosine – When the brain is stressed or over-worked, the brain burns catecholamines. Tyrosine converts to catecholamines. Thus, supplementing tyrosine during conditions of high stress and activity may help preserve focus, mood, and mental performance. Although, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine would’ve been a better choice than L-Tyrosine. More on L-Tyrosine.
Choline (as Choline Bitartrate) – Yes, choline converts to acetylcholine and phosphatidylcholine. But no, choline bitartrate isn’t a valid cholinergic supplement option, given the compound’s inefficacy at crossing the blood-brain barrier. Citicoline or alpha-GPC would’ve been better. More on Choline.
Acetyl L-Carnitine – ALCAR crosses the blood-brain barrier, potentially enhancing the brain’s mitochondrial energy output. However, this nootropic seems to only benefit elderly cognition. The average, healthy user may not get much out of this ingredient. More on ALCAR.
Phosphatidylserine – As a key membrane phospholipid, phosphatidylserine is essential to neuron-to-neuron communication, as well as brain cell membrane strength and fluidity. An awesome nootropic. More on Phosphatidylserine.
DMAE – Often supplemented (applied) as an anti-aging beauty compound, DMAE might improve concentration and memory… maybe. The research isn’t too strong or promising on this one. More on DMAE.
Huperzine A – As an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, Hup-A helps maintain acetylcholine levels for better memory and cognitive longevity. What is acetylcholinesterase, you ask? Why, it’s the enzyme responsible for acetylcholine breakdown! So, yeah, inhibiting that bad boi isn’t the worst idea. More on Huperzine A.
Blood Flow & Circulation Support Complex
Ginkgo Biloba Extract – Ginkgo is an ancient nootropic herb, potentially dating back to the days of dinosaurs. However, in modern times, the plant is praised for its bloodflow and working memory benefits. More on Ginkgo Biloba.
Turmeric Root Extract – A potent extract of an awesome nootropic antioxidant herb. Unfortunately, turmeric is way ineffective without black pepper extract. (And GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula does not supply black pepper extract.) More on Turmeric.
resVida® trans-Resveratrol – A quality brand, supplying a hugely popular polyphenol antioxidant: resveratrol. Although, for nootropic purposes, I prefer resveratrol’s bio-actively enhanced analogue: pterostilbene. More on Pterostilbene.
Astaxanthin – Better known for its eye health benefits, astaxanthin’s antioxidant capacity may also possess neuroprotective advantages.
Antioxidant Support Blend
Bacopa monnieri Extract – Not too sure what the contents of this extract are, yet Bacopa monnieri is an awesome nootropic herb, particularly for memory and learning enhancement. More on Bacopa Monnieri.
Ashwagandha Root Extract – Bordering on sedation, Ashwagandha’s mental relaxation benefits may improve mood and anxiety levels, in addition to strength and testosterone. However, 50 mg is low, and GNC fails to detail the contents of this extract as well. More on Ashwagandha.
Lutemax® 2020 Lutein – Another “eye health” compound, lutein seems to help reduce oxidative stress damage, promoting general health and wellbeing across the brain and body.
GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula Review: Analysis
GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula only barely qualifies as a nootropic …and that’s okay, considering that this stack doesn’t necessarily advertise itself as a cognitive enhancer stack but as something more akin to a cognitive “multivitamin” stack.
GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula assists with brain health by nourishing the brain with enhanced circulation (via Ginkgo Biloba and B vitamins) and protecting it against stress and oxidation with herbal adaptogens (Bacopa, Ashwagandha) and antioxidants (Resveratrol, Astaxanthin, Lutein).
As a preventive nutritional brain health stack, this brain health formula does alright, at least in picking its ingredients. But only alright: GNC makes a few missteps with bunko ingredients, such as choline bitartrate, DMAE, and ginger powder. However, if GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula is targeting cognitive maintenance more so than cognitive enhancement, then this stack is likely appealing to an older supplementing using crowd. Which means that certain bunko ingredients — DMAE, ALCAR — may actually serve a beneficial purpose to this stack’s users.
Ingredients aside, this stack also does its users a service by keeping its blends proprietary-free and its quality generally high — with exception to, again, choline bitartrate and ginger powder. Yet, GNC drops the ball in the dosage department, likely due to the manufacturers attempt at cramming so many ingredients in such small caplet space.
Really, the only ingredient I have significant confidence in is L-Tyrosine at 500 mg. So, if you’re down for a hyped up L-tyrosine stack, then, hey, GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula has just that for you!
The Pros
- GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula stacks some genuinely brain healthy vitamins, antioxidants, and compounds for cognitive longevity.
- Props to GNC for keeping their blends transparent, opting away from the whole non-transparent proprietary blend trend.
- Affordable: GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula won’t break the bank to supplement on a daily basis.
The Cons
- Not the best quality all around. Some ingredients could either be improved or scrapped altogether from the formula.
- Not the best quantity all around. Too many ingredients in too small of serving sizes leads to too small ingredient dosages for certain ingredients.
- Sloppy blend design. Several of the ingredients don’t make sense for the blend they’ve been designated to — for example, ashwagandha in the Antioxidant Support Blend? Meh, maybe, but at the same time: not really.
Pricing
- $36.99 for 60 caplets, a 30-day supply
- $1.23 per serving
If you hit GNC’s “Auto-Deliver & Save” order option, you receive a 10% discount plus free shipping. GNC also allows you to set a delivery frequency from every 30 days to every 180 days.
Who Takes GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula?
Judging by the label design and the line: “help prevent the breakdown of key neurotransmitters” — GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula seems to be targeting an older demographic. Or at least a pre-old demographic, a demographic just on the cusp of oldness looking to take preventive nutritional care of their brain.
Where to Buy It
You can buy GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula at (you guessed it) GNC.
Conclusion: Does GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula Work?
Sort of a difficult supplement to reach a conclusion on. I want to dock this product for its weak cognitive enhancement boosts, but GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula doesn’t necessarily advertise itself as a cognitive enhancement tool. So, you know… okay, fair enough.
But at the same time: I want that enhancement, baby.
And if this Brain Health Formula doesn’t have it, then I don’t want this formula.
Having said that, GNC Preventive Nutrition Brain Health Formula may fulfill a purpose for certain users, particularly older nootropic enthusiasts looking to keep their brain in working order. Perhaps when I reach that age, I’ll amend this supplement review. But until then, I’m just giving it a meh, it’s aight pass.
Final Rating
| Formulation Strategy | |
| Brainpower Benefits | |
| Brain Health Benefits | |
| Transparency | |
| Quality | |
| Value | |
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Average
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