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Better memory. Improved focus. Lower odds of developing dementia. Brain health is big business. A 2019 report by the Global Counsel on Brain Health projected that by 2023, people will spend more than $5 billion a year globally on brain health supplements.

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But can popping a pill really boost your brainpower? The research in this area is in its infancy, says dietitian Maxine Smith, RDN, LD. We dont yet have the data we need to make a recommendation about whether brain supplements work. And there are some safety concerns.

Heres what you should know before you buy supplements for your brain.

Many of the ingredients in brain health supplements have been tied to brain health in some way. But much of the evidence comes from research on food and diet, not supplements, Smith says.

There are more than 25,000 bioactive substances in food, which work together to protect your body including your brain and processes that affect your brain, Smith says. Taking just one or two of those vitamins or chemicals isnt going to be a cure-all.

Still, you might be wondering about the link between common brain booster ingredients and brain health. Heres what the science says.

Omega-3s are a type of healthy fats that are important for several body functions. Theyre found in fatty fish, shellfish and plant sources like walnuts and flaxseed. Omega-3 fatty acids are important for heart health, and scientists are studying whether they may also benefit the brain.

But theres not enough research to say that a supplement has the same benefits as omega-3 fatty acids from foods, Smith says. Its probably a better bet to just order the salmon.

Researchers have explored the link between cognition and vitamins B6, B9 and B12. But so far, there isnt evidence that B vitamins improve cognition or prevent dementia. Most people get plenty of B vitamins from their diet, Smith says.

Some older adults are deficient in B12, however. In that case, a supplement could benefit overall health, including brain health. If you are taking a daily multivitamin, its likely providing enough B-12, but its always best to discuss supplements with your physician before taking, she says.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects your cells from damage. In people who already have dementia, a daily supplement of vitamin E may slow the rate of decline.

And theres some evidence that people who eat a diet rich in vitamin E may be less likely to develop dementia. But its not clear whether supplements would have the same benefit.

Whats more, too much vitamin E can be harmful. High doses of vitamin E supplements are associated with an increased risk of death, Smith says. Instead of supplements, she recommends a vitamin E-rich diet, with foods like nuts, seeds, dark green leafy vegetables and vegetable oils like sunflower and corn oil.

Vitamins A, C and D are often included in products that claim to benefit the brain. But while these vitamins are important for overall health, theres no evidence that they boost memory, cognition or brain health. That being said, vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin and many of us arent getting enough. Vitamin D is a good one to discuss with your physician.

Ginkgo is an herb thats long been popular as a supplement for cognitive health. But a large study of more than 3,000 participants found that ginkgo was no better than a placebo at preventing dementia in older adults. And in people who already had dementia, ginkgo didnt do anything to slow the rate of cognitive decline.

Plus, ginkgo could interact negatively with other medications. In other words, you should probably skip this herb.

What about all those over-the-counter brain supplements that claim theyre proven to benefit your brain? Take those claims with a grain of salt, Smith says.

Supplements are loosely regulated in the U.S., so theres no guarantee they do what they claim to do. The studies done by manufacturers arent always well-designed, Smith says. And some supplements might contain ingredients at doses that could be harmful. They might even be tainted with contaminants like heavy metals that can be dangerous, she adds.

Someday researchers might identify a blend of ingredients that does wonders for your gray matter. But in the meantime, there are more effective ways to keep your brain healthy:

As were living longer and our population is aging, more people are concerned with protecting cognition, Smith says. Theres no magic pill, but healthy lifestyle choices can do a lot to benefit your brain.

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Do Brain Supplements Actually Work? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

When youre struggling to lose weight, it might be tempting to want to try every pill and potion on the internet that promises to blast, burn or melt the pounds away in a matter of weeks. The thing is, those concoctions could make things worse instead of better. So whats the skinny on herbal weight loss supplements? Obesity medicine physician Shweta Diwakar, MD, helps us understand how they work and why its better to stick with a supervised weight loss program.

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According to Dr. Diwakar, there is a lack of high-quality evidence to suggest how herbal weight loss supplements work.

Herbal supplements claim to cause weight loss through:

Most herbal supplements have limited or no consistent data to support long-term weight loss efficacy and safety. They also have the potential for adverse interactions between supplements and prescription medications. Supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure diseases, and therefore claims such as reduces pain or treats heart disease arent substantiated. Claims like these can only legitimately be made for drugs that go through scientific rigor, a process thats not routinely followed for dietary supplements, says Dr. Diwakar.

One mistake that people make is thinking that herbal supplements are good for them because the ingredients arent synthetic. Dr. Diwakar points out that herbs are not always safe just because theyre natural. In fact, increased herbal and dietary supplement (HDS) use is directly proportional to increased HDS-induced liver injuries.

HDS-induced liver injuries account for about 20% of the cases of liver damage in the U.S. The major implicated ingredients for these cases include anabolic steroids and green tea extract. Many weight loss supplements that are considered unsafe can be found online. Its important to recognize that these products can come with associated risks.

If youre getting an herbal product from a retail chain, keep in mind that the salesperson might have limited knowledge about how the product works. They also might not be aware of reported problems or how the herbs might interact with medications that you may be taking. Many herbal manufacturers also make false claims about the health benefits of these products. For all of these reasons and the lack of proven health benefits, its best to avoid herbal weight loss supplements or to talk to your healthcare provider about other options.

Other things to keep in mind should you still decide to try an herbal weight loss supplement:

Here are some key points about common herbal weight loss products and some insights as to their effectiveness as weight loss agents.

Ephedrine: Ephedrine is a common ingredient in herbal dietary supplements used for weight loss. Its also an ingredient found in asthma medicine. In addition, ephedrine is used to make methamphetamine or speed.

Ephedrine can slightly decrease your appetite, but no studies have shown it to be effective in weight loss. Ephedrine can be dangerous. It can cause high blood pressure, changes in heart rate, trouble sleeping, nervousness, tremors, seizures, heart attacks, strokes and even death. Ephedrine can also interact with many prescription and over-the-counter medications. In the US, ephedra-containing dietary supplements are no longer available.

St. Johns wort: St. Johns wort, also called hypericum, is a plant that has been used for centuries to treat mental disorders, nerve pain, malaria, insect bites, wounds, burns and other conditions. More recently, St. Johns wort has been studied to treat depression, but studies have shown that it was no more effective than a placebo.

There arent too many studies that examine the use of St. Johns wort as a weight-loss agent. However, keep in mind that it shouldnt be combined with anything that contains tyramine aged cheeses, cured or processed meats, wine, pickled or fermented vegetables and citrus or tropical fruit to name a few.

It also shouldnt be combined with:

Overall, using St. Johns wort for weight loss isnt a good idea because its potentially very dangerous.

5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is found in some over-the-counter weight loss formulas. This extract from a West African plant seed contains an ingredient that is linked to a rare and potentially deadly blood disorder. It has not been proven to be an effective weight-loss agent. Until more is known, 5-HTP products should be avoided.

Chitosan: This dietary supplement is made from chitin, a starch found in the skeleton of shrimp, crab, and other shellfish. Chitosan binds with fat in fatty food, moves it through the digestive tract and then, the fat is passed out of the body in bowel movements. Some research suggests that combining chitosan with a calorie-restricted diet might result in a small amount of weight loss. But taking chitosan without reducing caloric intake doesnt appear to cause weight loss. People with shellfish allergies might be allergic to chitosan as well.

Pyruvate: Pyruvate is formed when the body digests carbohydrates and proteins. Some research suggests that it may promote slight weight loss. Found in the form of pyruvic acid, pyruvate is in many different types of foods, including red apples, cheese, and red wine. Pyruvate appears to be safe, but its claims of boosting metabolism, decreasing appetite and aiding in weight loss need further study.

Aloe: Aloe, or aloe vera, is a plant that is related to cacti. Oral forms of aloe are added to herbal weight-loss products. Oral aloe causes bowel movements and many aloe weight-loss products are marketed as internal cleansers. Aloe supplements have not been proven to promote permanent weight loss. Taking oral aloe can lead to side effects such as abdominal cramping, diarrhea, electrolyte disturbances, and decreases in potassium. Therefore, taking oral aloe is likely unsafe, especially at high doses.

Cascara: Cascara is only marketed as a dietary supplement. It is a common ingredient in weight loss products and is mostly used as a laxative for constipation. Misuse of this herb can cause disturbances in electrolytes (such as potassium and sodium). Electrolytes help your body maintain normal functioning. Do not take if you are pregnant or lactating (can be passed into breast milk). Cascara may interact with medications such as digoxin and diuretics.

Dandelion: Dandelion is a natural diuretic (a substance that makes you urinate more often). This is how it causes weight loss. Dandelion has been known to cause allergic reactions. People who are allergic to ragweed and related plants (daisies, chrysanthemums, marigolds) are likely to be allergic to dandelion.

Glucomannan: Glucomannan is a sugar made from the root of the konjac plant (Amorphophallus konjac). It is available in powder, capsules, and tablet forms. Glucomannan might work in the stomach and intestines by absorbing water to form a bulky fiber that treats constipation. It may also slow the absorption of sugar and cholesterol from the gut. Glucomannan tablets are not considered safe as they can sometimes cause blockages of the throat or intestines. Glucomannan may interfere with blood sugar control. Blood sugar should be closely monitored if you have diabetes and use glucomannan.

Guarana: Made from the seeds of a plant native to Brazil, guarana is an effective central nervous system stimulant. It is used as a weight loss product due to its stimulant and diuretic effects. Guarana contains caffeine and may cause high blood pressure. Some of the extracts have been known to interact with anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin [Coumadin]) and lengthen the bleeding time in the event of a health emergency. Many advertisements state that guarana is free from side effects; however, this statement is not true. Side effects may include nausea, dizziness, and anxiety.

Yerba mate: Also known as Paraguay tea, yerba mate is a strong central nervous system stimulant (the doses typically used mimic that of 100 to 200 milligrams of caffeine). The main reported side effects excessive central nervous system stimulation (speeding up the bodys mental and physical activity) and high blood pressure. Yerba mate has not been proven as a weight-loss aid. A few cases of poisoning, which led to hospitalization, have been reported with the use of this product. When taken in large amounts or for long periods, yerba mate increases the risk of mouth, esophageal, laryngeal, kidney, bladder and lung cancers. This risk is especially high for people who smoke or drink alcohol.

Guar gum: Also known as guar, guar flour, and jaguar gum, guar gum is a dietary fiber obtained from the Indian cluster bean. Guar gum is often used as a thickening agent for foods and drugs. It has been studied for decreasing cholesterol, managing diabetes and weight loss. As a weight-loss product, it helps move foods through the digestive tract and firms up stool. It can decrease appetite by providing a feeling of fullness. However, like glucomannan, guar gum and guar gum preparations have been linked to causing blockages in the esophagus. The water-retaining ability of the gum permits it to swell to 10- to 20-fold and has led to gastrointestinal blockages. Guar gum can also cause large swings in blood glucose (sugar) levels. Diabetic patients should avoid this ingredient.

Herbal diuretics: Many herbal diuretics are commonly found in over-the-counter (OTC) weight-loss products and herbal weight-loss products. Most of the diuretics used OTC come from xanthine alkaloids (like caffeine or theobromine). Avoid anything that contains juniper seeds (capable of causing renal damage), equistine (neurotoxic and can cause brain damage) and horsetail/shave grass (contain several dangerous ingredients that can lead to convulsions or hyperactivity).

Herbal diuretics can interact with certain drugs like lithium, digoxin, or conventional diuretics such as furosemide or hydrochlorothiazide. They also do not provide enough water loss to be considered effective weight loss aids.

While many products out there suggest that they can help you lose weight fast, they can also come with a slew of health concerns. If you need help with starting your weight loss journey, talk to your provider. They can steer you in the right direction and help you find a program that is safe and effective.

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Is It Safe To Use Herbal Weight Loss Supplements? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

Metabolic syndrome is a serious condition. Its a cluster of factors that put you at risk of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes.

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But you can turn it around by making some changes to your eating habits, says dietitian Melissa Matteo, MS, RD, LD, CDE. Changing how you eat can make a real difference in controlling metabolic syndrome.

According to the American Heart Association, a person has metabolic syndrome if they have three or more of these factors:

The good news: Adopting healthier eating habits can influence each of those factors.

Overhauling your diet might sound intimidating. But you dont have to go extreme. As a first step, Matteo recommends focusing on what unhelpful foods you can phase out. These include:

Once youve deep-sixed the processed stuff, you can start building meals around heart-healthy alternatives. Theres no specific metabolic syndrome diet, Matteo says. Focus on whole, plant-based foods.

She suggests checking out the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, seafood and olive oil. Research has linked this eating style to weight loss and a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes and Type 2 diabetes.

A healthy balanced diet should include:

Add more veggies especially non-starchy vegetables like salad greens, broccoli and peppers, Matteo says. When you do choose starchy vegetables, opt for those that are higher in fiber, such as beans, lentils and chickpeas.

Fruits are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Yes, they also have sugar, but those natural sugars are offset by the fiber found in whole fresh or frozen fruit. Because of the fiber, you digest the sugars in fruit more slowly, Matteo says. Tasty high-fiber fruits include raspberries, blackberries and pears.

Unlike processed grains that have been stripped of nutrients, whole grains are good for heart health. Foods like whole-wheat breads, barley and oats can help you avoid weight gain and lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Omega-3 fatty acids can help increase HDL (good cholesterol) and lower LDL (bad cholesterol), Matteo says. Youll find them in nuts, seeds and fatty fish like salmon and mackerel.

Some people wonder if the trending keto diet can help treat metabolic syndrome. The answer? It depends.

The keto diet is a low-carb diet that focuses on eating fats at every meal. But research about its weight-loss effectiveness is mixed. Matteo says a big drawback is that most people find it hard to keep up this way of eating for the long haul.

Do you see yourself still eating this way in a year, five or 10? If the answer is no, I dont encourage this method, she says. If you do plan to eat this way for the rest of your life, Id still recommend avoiding saturated fats and cured meats.

Cutting out sugar-sweetened beverages is a really important step if you have metabolic syndrome. But what about diet soda?

Some research has linked sugar substitutes in diet soda to weight gain and a variety of health problems. But the connection isnt entirely clear.

Diet soda gets a lot of bad press in the media, but its not so black and white, Matteo says. I definitely dont recommend drinking a lot of it. But if it helps you wean yourself off of sugar-sweetened drinks, I think its ok to drink in moderation but water is still the beverage of choice.

Changing your eating habits can be challenging, but you dont have to do it overnight. Start with baby steps, Matteo says. Identify one small positive change you can make first.

She offers these tips for getting started:

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Metabolic Syndrome Diet: What to Eat and What to Avoid - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

Choosing to go on a diet isn't a 100% healthy endeavor. After all, if you're cutting yourself off from certain nutritious foods or entire food groups, drastically limiting your calorie intake overall, fasting for prolonged periods of time, or signing up for a fad-like program that promises extreme results in short order, there's a good chance you're actually embarking on a path that your body may not actually respond favorably to. Whether you're trying the Ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting, going low carb or low fat, below are some common side effects of going on a super-strict dieting regimen you should be aware of. And for more healthy weight loss tips, don't miss this list of Sneaky Weight Loss Tricks That Totally Work, According to Experts.

If you're considering intermittent fasting, in which you restrict your food consumption for long stretches on certain days of the week, you'd be wise to consider some of the consequences. "Depending on the length of the fasting period," write the health experts at Harvard Medical School, "people may experience headaches, lethargy, crankiness, and constipation. To decrease some of these unwanted side effects, you may want to switch from alternate-day fasting to periodic fasting or a time-restricted eating plan that allows you to eat every day within a certain time period."

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A simple fact: If you eat less food (also known as fuel), your body will have less energy to burn and you'll ultimately feel sluggish. One study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that cutting carbohydrates from your diet was associated with a greater risk of fatigue. Another study, which focused entirely on the Ketogenic diet and was published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, found that "low-carbohydrate diets enhance fatigability and can reduce the desire to exercises in free-living individuals."

Cutting carbs completely from your diet isn't your only path to lower energy levels. Other studies have linked diets that restrict nutrients such as vitamin B12, folate, and iron with fatigue, as well as anemia. For more weight loss tips, make sure you're aware of the 12 Foods That Drive the Most Weight Loss of All, Say Experts.

A now-famous study published in the journal Obesity that analyzed the weight-loss efforts of contestants of NBC's wildly popular series The Biggest Loser, which was conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, found that people who go on an extreme crash diet hobbled their metabolisms so profoundly that they never fully recovered. The chief reason, according to the researchers, was the influence of leptin, the body's hormone that tells you you're satiated, or no longer hungry. Over the course of the crash diet, the contestants' leptin levels essentially flatlined. The researchers also tracked their ghrelin levelsthe hormone that tells you when you're hungryand it had actually risen. In effect, the dieters had reprogrammed their bodies to be fat-storing, low-energy machines.

According to a study published in the journal Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, embarking on a low-calorie diet is associated with hair loss, as the lack of nutrients disrupts your hair follicles to function as intended. "Nutritional deficiency may impact both hair structure and hair growth," write the researchers. "Effects on hair growth include acute telogen effluvium (TE), a well-known effect of sudden weight loss or decreased protein intake, as well as the diffuse alopecia seen in niacin deficiency."

For a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from the University of Kiel in Germany took 32 non-obese males and slashed their calories by an average of 1,300 for a three-week period. On the whole, the subjects emerged from the experience having gained weight while seeing a dramatic decrease in muscle massroughly 5% across the board.

RELATED: 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work

"A lack of proper nutrition due to a fad diet can actually strain your organs and muscles," says Ashlee Van Buskirk, a nurse, health and wellness coach with a BS in Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Studies, and the founder of Whole Intent. "For instance, a high-protein diet can actually lead to dehydration, which may place a significant strain on your kidneys as you may be more prone to developing kidney stones."

"Most diets fail most of the time [and] repeated diet failure is a negative predictor for successful long term weight loss," writes Anna Guerdjikova, Ph.D., LISW, CCRC, director of administrative services at the Harold C. Schott Foundation Eating Disorders Program at the University of Cincinnati. "Chronic dieters consistently report guilt and self-blame, irritability, anxiety and depression, difficulty concentrating and fatigue. Their self-esteem is decreased by continuous feelings of failure related to 'messing my diet up again,' leading to feelings of lack of control over one's food choices and further life in general. Dieting can be particularly problematic in adolescents."

RELATED: This Diet Mistake Can Make Your Depression Worse, Science Says

"Fad diets are not always terrible, but people should understand the food groups and should try to ingest foods from all of them to keep vitamin and mineral balance," says Stephen Newhart, Ph.D., owner of Vigor Active. "Grains provide energy, fiber, iron, and help with constipation, dairy provides calcium and iron, fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals and protein supports muscle mass. Always try and eat something from all the food groups to sustain health, just be sure to eliminate the sugars."

If you're older and you're trying intermittent fasting, you could be at risk of losing too much weight. "If you're already marginal as far as body weight goes, I'd be concerned that you'd lose too much weight, which can affect your bones, overall immune system, and energy level," Kathy McManus, RD, director of the Department of Nutrition at Brigham and Women's Hospital, told Harvard Medical School.

According to the International Journal of Eating Disorders, 35% of "normal dieters" may become pathological dieters, and 20 to 25% of those are prone to develop an eating disorder. "The onset of eating disorders has commonly been associated with following restrictive diets, as they become a way for individuals to exercise control, counting calories and fat grams, limiting types and amounts of food, and obsessing about a number on the scale," write the experts at Behavioral Nutrition.

As the Cleveland Clinic notes, many health experts believe that "80 to 95% of dieters gain weight back that they've worked so hard to lose." If that's an experience you're aware of, don't miss these tips for Losing Weight and Keeping it Off for Good.

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Dangerous Side Effects of Going on a Diet, According to Science | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

DEAR DOCS: You keep saying we should eat a plant-based diet, but what does that mean exactly if I still eat meat?

DEAR JOSE: Great question! A plant-based diet is one in which most of your nutrients come from a wide variety of colorful plants that add up to around seven to nine servings a day. Animal-based foods are complements to that and are limited to animal proteins that are lean or contain healthy fats, like salmon, sea trout and skinless poultry.

We want you to understand you can get high-quality protein from plant sources such as legumes (beans), nuts, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, and 100% whole grains.

But, and there is always a but, if the plants you eat are fried, sugared, breaded or cream-sauced, theyre missing the mark. They become as damaging to your heart, brain and body as red and processed meats.

An example of a healthy plant-based diet would be a half cup of berries on oatmeal with soy/oat/almond milk in the morning, a mid-morning snack of an orange and a handful of walnuts, a lunch that includes a salad (maybe arugula, half an avocado, cherry tomatoes and sliced carrots with a lemon/lime and olive oil dressing) and a 6-ounce salmon burger along with a cup of quinoa, teff or brown rice.

Then dinner is lighter fare (before 7 oclock), with 3 ounces of broiled chicken breast with a lemon/caper/olive oil marinade and a side of 3 cups (raw) steamed spinach or baby kale with onions, garlic, mushrooms and olive oil and a cup of black beans.

Dessert is a 1/2 cup of strawberries with 1 ounce of dark chocolate. That delivers 1.5 servings of fruit, around seven servings of veggies, plus two servings of whole grains and around 34g of protein from salmon, 26g from chicken breast, 16g from beans. The nuts, veggies, dark chocolate and plant milks add in healthy fats, more protein, fiber, essential nutrients and yum!

DEAR DOCS: Im worried about my mom, who is only 66. She seems like shes becoming a grumpy old lady, pessimistic, uninterested in new ideas. What can I do to help her have a younger outlook on her life?

JayCee M., Memphis, Tenn.

DEAR JAYCEE: Just as you can have a RealAge that is older or younger than your chronological age, depending on your physical fitness and overall health, you can have a psychological RealAge that is older or younger than what is commonly associated with healthy mental and emotional norms for your age.

And just as an older RealAge is a sign that you are at risk for decreased longevity, premature physical challenges and chronic diseases, an older psychological RealAge sets you up for diminished happiness, interest and interaction, which studies show also lead to poorer health and decreased longevity. Attitude, just like blood pressure, is a true marker of overall health.

First, if you think this is significant depression, help your mom find an in-person or online therapist to help her sort out her feelings. Therapy can boost the effectiveness of the self-help tools that can significantly lower her psychological RealAge daily physical activity, community involvement, contacting friends, writing gratitude notes or keeping a gratitude journal, engaging in learning new things, helping others and upgrading nutrition by eliminating red and processed meats, added sugars and empty calories.

Your mom might like to take a new quiz that measures psychological age at https://app.young.ai/psychoage. It was developed using social and behavioral data from the Midlife in the United States study by researchers from California and China. But whatever it says, we can tell you that if she signs up for online classes, Zooms with her friends frequently, makes sure she is getting exercise and tries the healthful, super-tasty recipes from Dr. Mikes What to Eat When cookbook, youll see her mood and tude become younger, along with her health.

Mehmet Oz, M.D., is host of The Dr. Oz Show, and Mike Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen at youdocsdaily@sharecare.com.

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What is a plant-based diet; how to have a younger RealAge - The Union Leader