Addressing Memory and Focus Across Multiple Generations

Keeping one’s mind sharp is appealing to consumers of all ages, but what that means can vary. It should be no surprise that consumers seeking to preserve memory trend older, but the brain health category is evolving be more nuanced. “The market is quickly growing to include younger demographics, transforming [memory support] from a niche anti-aging segment into a mainstream, multi-generational market,” says Maggie McNamara, vice president of global marketing at Saanroo. “While the main long-term drivers remain the aging population (ages 50-70) seeking to address age-related cognitive decline, younger adults—specifically Millennials and Gen Z—are increasingly buying these products for proactive daily performance, focus, and stress management.”

“The consumer base for ‘focus’ and ‘mental clarity’ has expanded significantly and now includes younger adults, working professionals, gamers, students, and biohackers who are looking for immediate cognitive performance benefits without stimulants,” adds Jacqueline Rizo, public relations lead for Stratum Nutrition. “From a dosing perspective, formulations targeting focus may prioritize clinically supported single doses for acute effects, while memory and healthy aging concepts may emphasize consistent daily intake to reinforce cumulative antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support over time.”

There are numerous mechanisms by which dietary supplements can support brain health outcomes such as memory or focus. For example, the important nutrient magnesium has a profound impact on long-term cognitive development and health, while also playing a role in our everyday functioning. Kathy Lund, vice president of marketing at AIDP explains that magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions and plays a fundamental role in “brain signaling, connectivity, and energy metabolism,” which support learning, memory, and focus.

“One mechanism in which magnesium contributes to neuroprotection is through the regulation of neuronal excitability,” elaborates Lund. “Magnesium sits as plug inside a receptor, called the NMDA-receptor, to prevent over-stimulation and activation by glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter. Another mechanism is through increasing synaptic density. Magnesium has been shown to increase the density of synapses in the hippocampus, the brain’s memory center, allowing for faster and more efficient communication between neurons.”

Without magnesium, our cognitive abilities suffer. “Magnesium supports neuronal energy metabolism by stabilizing ATP and optimizing mitochondrial function,” says Lund. “Without magnesium, the brain may be overstimulated, which could lead to slower cognitive performance, migraines, and difficulty concentrating.”

Herbs may also offer benefits that support long-term brain health and memory, as well as more acute desires such as focus. Ingredients like sage and Bacopa monnieri achieve this through a number of pathways but notably by supporting healthy inflammation and reducing oxidative stress.

“Among sage’s diverse phytochemicals, rosmarinic acid plays a central role in supporting cognitive performance due to its ability to modulate oxidative, inflammatory, and neurochemical pathways relevant to brain function,” explains Rizo.

Rizo goes on to say that a proprietary extract of sage, called sageXtra from Stratum Nutrition, has been shown in vitro to inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE).¹ Because the enzyme breaks down acetylcholine, the inhibition preserves acetylcholine levels in the brain to support attention, short-term memory, and task accuracy, she explains.“[The extract] also exhibits inflammation modulating activity by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines in neuronal and endothelial cell models, which helps support cognitive performance in healthy adults. In addition, its high content of phenolic compounds, particularly rosmarinic acid, helps neutralize oxidative stress and supports cognitive endurance.”

These mechanisms offer both acute and long-term support, making the sage extract a versatile ingredient for formulators. “Human studies show that sageXtra can deliver measurable improvements in accuracy of attention, working memory, and secondary memory within hours of a single dose, reflecting its rapid impact on neurotransmitter activity, particularly through inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and enhanced cholinergic signaling,” notes Rizo.²

Bacopa has similar mechanisms, notes Lund. “[Bacopa] boosts the availability of acetylcholine, a key ‘learning molecule,’ and spares useful dopamine and norepinephrine by inhibiting enzymes that break them down,” she explains. “Bacopa also provides neuroprotection by acting as a potent antioxidant and adaptogen, neutralizing reactive oxidative species (ROS) caused by stress. From a brain structure perspective, bacopa promotes dendritic branching, physically increasing the connections between neurons and the number of dendrites. This helps facilitate Long-Term Potentiation, the process by which the brain forms new memories.”

The herb also works well with other ingredients to further enhance memory and focus. “Bacopa can pair well with lion’s mane mushroom, aligning with the growing consumer interest in functional mushrooms, and citicoline,” says Lund. “While Bacopa strengthens neuronal and neurotransmitter pathways, lion’s mane can support the structural repair and growth of new neurons. Citicoline provides the building blocks to increase acetylcholine levels, which can then be utilized by Bacopa extract to support learning.”

She also points to L-theanine and ginkgo biloba as complementary ingredients. “L-Theanine offers a synergistic adaptogenic effect to reduce mental fatigue, while ginkgo biloba acts as a vasodilator to ensure optimal oxygen and nutrient delivery to the brain,” Lund explains.

Another ingredient that may have neuroprotective properties is Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). According to Ramasamy Venkatesh, managing director of Gencor and Saanroo, the ingredient has the potential to reduce neuroinflammation, modulate microglia, and promote neuroplasticity. “Studies suggest PEA can enhance memory, executive function, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels,” he explains. Our Levagen+ brand of bioavailable PEA has been shown in human clinical studies to increase BDNF levels and improve memory.”³

Complementing these benefits, curcumin may also be another viable herb for supporting memory and focus, since research shows that when combined with iron, there was an increase in BDNF levels that exceeded those who took iron alone, and even helped optimize iron status.⁴

It’s also worth considering the importance of carbohydrates as a form of energy to booth processes like memory and attention. “Glucose is the primary fuel for cognitive processes such as memory and attention,” explains Denisse Colindres, senior manager, nutrition communication, North America, at Beneo. “The mode of glucose release can make a big difference.”

Beneo’s proprietary carbohydrate called Palatinose, for example, provides slow, sustained energy release with a lower glycemic load. This “helps avoid the sharp blood sugar peaks and crashes seen with high GI carbohydrates,” says Colindres. “Research shows that this more stable post-meal glucose response is associated with better memory performance and sustained cognitive function several hours after eating. In simple terms, steadier energy to the body also means steadier energy to the brain.”

For example, a 2014 study found that in 155 middle aged and older adults, those eating a breakfast that included 40 grams of Palatinose experienced better glucose homeostasis as well as mood and memory function compared to those consuming the breakfast with a drink containing 40 grams of glucose or sucrose.⁵

Formulation Considerations

Benefits related to cognitive health are often related and interconnected, but the target benefit heavily informs how the products are formulated, says McNamara. “Differences in the end consumer for memory versus focus benefits—primarily driven by age-related needs and lifestyle demands—significantly dictate variations in formulation and dosage format,” she explains. “Memory-focused consumers (often older) tend to prefer long-term, restorative, and easily swallowed formats, while focus-seeking consumers (often younger) prioritize fast-acting, high-energy, and convenient formats.”

Lund agrees. “In general, younger generations look for non-traditional delivery formats such as shots, powders, gummies and now snack products.Older generations tend to stick with pill and tablet formats.”

Beyond format, picking the right ingredients is crucial for formulating effective products. For example, Rizo notes that the levels of rosmarinic acid in sage can vary dramatically depending on growing region, harvest timing, and processing conditions. Therefore standardization is important.

Bacopa also benefits from standardization. A branded full-spectrum extract from AIDP, called BacoMind, for example, is standardized to a signature profile of 9 bioactives. These include bacoside A3, bacopaside I & II, bacopasaponin C (and its isomer), bacosine, luteolin, apigenin, and beta-sitosterol.

“This multi-compound standardization ensures a consistent ‘fingerprint’ that provides synergistic benefits, including neuronal repair, oxidative stress reduction, Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) and microbiome modulation,” explains Lund. “Each bioactive plays a specialized role; for example, bacosides and beta-sitosterol are critical for longevity by maintaining neuronal membrane fluidity.”

In the case of magnesium, Lund points to forms such as magnesium L-threonate and magnesium acetyl taurate, which both cross the blood-brain barrier. Ramasamy also notes the importance of bioavailability in reaching the blood brain barrier with Saanroo’s branded PEA called Levagen and its bioavailable form of curcumin called HydroCurc. Brain health benefits like memory support and focus are highly desirable but consumers want to feel their effects. This is particularly true of acute effects such as focus. High quality, standardized ingredients can make a big difference in terms of effectiveness, while dosage format helps sell the product to the target consumer.

References

1. Sharma Y, Fagan J, Schaefer J. In vitro Screening for Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition and Antioxidant Potential in Different Extracts of Sage (Salvia officinalis L.) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) J Biol Act Prod Nat. 2020;10(2): 137-150. doi:10.1080/22311866.2020.1729239
2. Tildesley NTJ, Kennedy DO, Perry EK, et al. An extract of Salvia (sage) with anticholinesterase properties improves memory and attention in healthy older volunteers. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2008;198(1):127-139. doi:10.1007/s00213-008-1101-3
3. Kim N, Parolin B, Renshaw D, Deb SK, Zariwala MG. Formulated palmitoylethanolamide supplementation improves parameters of cognitive function and BDNF levels in young, healthy adults: A randomised cross-over trial. Nutrients. 2024;16(4):489. doi:10.3390/nu16040489
4. Lorinczova HT, Fitzsimmons O, Mursaleen L, Renshaw D, Begum G, Zariwala MG. Co-administration of iron and a bioavailable curcumin supplement increases serum BDNF levels in healthy adults. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020;9(8):645. doi:10.3390/antiox9080645
5. Benton D, Nabb S, Maconie A, Bhooshun N, Clayton DE. The glycaemic load of meals, cognition and mood in middle and older aged adults: The role of glucoregulation. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014;68(1):21-26. doi:10.1016/j.ejcn.2013.10.014