Neurologist Warns: Certain Supplement Combinations May Accelerate Brain Aging
Preserving and protecting brain health is one of the most crucial things you can do, not just for longevity, but also to maintain your quality of life—but some of the measures many of us take to stay sharp may actually have the opposite effect.
Chances are you’ve seen commercials for vitamins, supplements and other products that promise to keep your noggin working properly, but buyer beware: Many of them aren’t very effective, and some of them may potentially accelerate brain aging, increasing your risk of cognitive decline.
“The general principle emerging from the literature is that indiscriminate supplementation, particularly with isolated nutrients at high doses or in unbalanced combinations, may be more problematic than beneficial,” Dr. Jerold Fleishman, MD, emeritus chief of neurology at MedStar Franklin Square and associate neurology professor at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., tells Parade. “The safest approach remains obtaining nutrients through dietary patterns rather than supplements, with supplementation reserved for documented deficiencies under medical supervision.”
What’s more, certain combinations of supplements that may otherwise be pretty harmless may pose a risk of hurting your brain health when taken together.
“There is limited evidence specifically documenting harmful combinations of supplements for brain health, as most trials rarely reported adverse events in detail,” Dr. Fleishman says. “However, certain combinations and individual supplements warrant caution based on available data.”
A broader concern, he adds, involves product quality and labeling accuracy. “Analysis of dietary supplements marketed for brain health revealed that 67% of tested products had at least one ingredient listed on the label that was not detected through analysis, and 83% contained compounds not reported on the label,” he explains. “This adulteration and misbranding pose potential risks, as consumers may unknowingly ingest undisclosed ingredients or fail to receive purported active compounds.”
Dr. Fleishman advises that one of the biggest dangers to your brain health is using supplements instead of actually getting medical help if you need it, so be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any supplementation at all.
Uh, yikes! If you’re worried about your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, read on to find out which supplements should be avoided entirely and which types shouldn’t be taken together.
Maria Korneeva/Getty Images
(Maria Korneeva/Getty Images)
3 Supplement Combinations That May Accelerate Brain Aging
“Anything that repeatedly disrupts sleep, raises blood pressure or stresses the liver can indirectly harm brain health over time,” Dr. Rab Nawaz Khan, MD, board-certified neurologist, tells Parade. “Stimulant weight loss and pre-workout products are high on that list because they can worsen sleep and vascular risk. I also avoid supplements with known liver toxicity potential, like high-dose green tea extract or kava, because liver injury can lead to confusion and dangerous drug interactions.”
With that in mind, these are the specific combinations of supplements neurologists say to avoid if you want to protect your cognitive health.
1. Fish oil with gingko, garlic or turmeric
Dr. Khan warns that combining fish oil supplements (which are often regarded as pretty good for you) with certain others can be problematic, especially if you take certain medications as well.
“The worst combinations are the ones that raise bleeding risk or trigger dangerous stimulation,” Dr. Khan says. “A common risky stack is high dose fish oil plus ginkgo plus garlic or turmeric, especially if the person also takes aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin or apixaban, because it can increase bruising and bleeding risk.”
2. Multiple stimulants
“Another bad mix is multiple stimulants, like high caffeine with yohimbine, synephrine or high dose green tea extract, because it can worsen anxiety, insomnia, palpitations and migraines,” Dr. Khan advises.
Lack of sleep is associated with brain aging, so when it comes to supplements, you’ll want to be extra careful if you have a daily cup of morning matcha, coffee or tea.
3. Psychoactive substances
Just because it won’t get you arrested doesn’t mean it’s not harmful—and could be more harmful when taken with other psychoactive substances.
“Some novel psychoactive substances (including ‘legal highs’) are also marketed as unregulated ‘supplements,’ ‘herbal incense’ and ‘aromatherapy,’ may be dangerous to the brain,” Dr. Burgin warns. These may include (but aren’t limited to) kratom, kava, salvia, khat, ayahuasca, betel nut, kanna, wild lettuce, morning glory seeds, mandrake and jimson weed.
Basically, if you’re not sure if something is safe, assume that it’s not until your doctor tells you otherwise.
Related: This Is Hands-Down the Biggest Daily Supplement Mistake Doctors See People Make
3 Supplements That May Pose Other Health Risks
Your brain health isn’t the only risk when it comes to using certain supplements. These supplements and combinations thereof may all pose risks to your health in other ways.
1. Vitamin E
One large trial study showed a correlation of vitamin E supplementation with a statistically significant increase in prostate cancer diagnoses among men, Dr. Fleishman says, adding, “This raises concerns about long-term high-dose vitamin E supplementation, particularly in men.”
2. Zinc and copper
Dr. Fleishman says that studies haven’t shown any real impact of taking zinc and copper together in positive or negative ways, but notes, “While not specifically harmful, the lack of benefit combined with potential for mineral imbalances suggests caution with this combination.”
3. Vague “botanicals”
“Some common botanicals purported to ‘improve health’ may be harmful to the liver,” Dr. William Scott Burgin, MD, professor of neurology and stroke division chief at the University of South Florida and medical adviser for NeuroEM, says.
These could be almost any “natural” health supplement on the market, with Dr. Burgin singling out turmeric, green tea, ashwagandha, Garcinia cambogia, red yeast rice, and black cohosh products as particularly harmful.
Related: This One Nutrition Label Red Flag Is Linked With Accelerated Brain Aging
Do Any Supplements Actually Help Prevent or Slow Brain Aging?
In short: Probably not. “The evidence for supplements in maintaining cognitive function in healthy adults is limited and generally does not support routine supplementation for brain health,” Dr. Fleishman says. “Most high-quality trials show little to no benefit from vitamin and mineral supplements in preventing cognitive decline or dementia in cognitively healthy individuals.”
In terms of specific supplements marketed towards improving brain health, Dr. Fleishman explains that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) shows promise for brain health in theory, but that “actual clinical evidence in humans remains mixed and inconclusive, particularly for cognitive function in healthy older adults.”
Fleishman adds that another commonly advertised supplement, Prevagen, has no real credible scientific evidence for improving brain health or cognitive function at all.
What’s more, “The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and New York State Attorney General filed charges against the manufacturer in 2017 for making false and unsubstantiated claims about Prevagen’s ability to improve memory, provide cognitive benefits and support brain health. The company’s own clinical trial—the Madison Memory Study—showed no statistically significant improvement in the primary cognitive outcome measures when analyzed according to the pre-specified protocol.”
That said, there can be a place for them, but you’ll have to talk to your physician first and potentially get a blood panel.
“If someone is deficient, correcting B12, vitamin D or iron can meaningfully improve fatigue, concentration and nerve function,” Dr. Khan says. “Omega-3s may help some people with triglycerides and vascular risk, which is relevant for brain aging, but it is not a dementia cure. For migraine prevention, magnesium and riboflavin can be helpful for some patients, which supports brain stability rather than aging itself.”
Dr. Khan says, “Treat supplements like real drugs. Bring the full list to your doctor and pharmacist, especially if you take blood thinners, seizure medicines, antidepressants or blood pressure drugs. Avoid stacking products with overlapping ingredients and avoid high doses, because more is not better.”
Related: Why Women’s Hearts Age Differently—and How To Protect Yours
What Are the Best Ways To Prevent or Slow Brain Aging?
Pretty much nothing that comes from a bottle is going to help you prevent dementia (except water if you’re dehydrated).
“The most effective strategies for protecting brain health involve healthy dietary patterns, cardiovascular risk factor control, physical activity and cognitive engagement, with the Mediterranean, DASH and MIND diets showing the strongest evidence for slowing cognitive decline and reducing dementia risk,” Dr. Fleishman says.
Dr. Khan agrees. “The most reliable strategies are boring but powerful: Control blood pressure, do regular aerobic and strength exercise, protect sleep and do not smoke,” he explains. “Keep alcohol modest, treat hearing loss and stay socially connected, because isolation and depression accelerate cognitive decline. Eat a high-fiber, minimally processed diet with enough protein, hydrate and prioritize management of diabetes and cholesterol. Vascular health is brain health. Supplements are optional at best and should never replace the fundamentals.”
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This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Wellness section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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