NOW Foods Brain Elevate Review: Is It Worth It?

NOW Foods Brain Elevate is a herbal brain supplement for cognitive support. The formula contains L-Glutamine, Ginkgo Biloba, Gotu Kola, and Choline as core ingredients. It’s designed to support memory, enhance focus & attention, relieve stress, reduce anxiety, and improve overall brain health.

Our NOW Foods Brain Elevate review below will analyze the most critical elements of this herbal dietary supplement, starting with a quick overview and finishing with relevant information such as: claimed benefits, cost per serving, customer testimonials, potential side effects, pros & cons, and more.

Background

NOW Foods Brain Elevate is scientifically formulated to support healthy cerebral functions. It features Ginkgo Biloba and RoseOx, two plant extracts known for their free radical scavenging properties. 

This product is also formulated with more “traditional” ingredients (such as PhosphatidylSerine, L-Glutamine, and Choline) as critical brain nutrients to promote optimal results.

NOW Foods Brain Elevate is very affordable at just under $22.00 for a 120 veggie capsule bottle (120 servings). 

Please read our entire Brain Elevate review below for an in-depth analysis of all the key features of this herbal brain supplement. 

Our NOW Foods Brain Elevate review will give you all the valuable insights on the company behind the product, claimed benefits, who is intended to help, core active ingredients, value per serving, potential adverse effects, customers’ take on the product, where to buy it from at discounted price, and our take on whether you should consider trying the product or not.

About NOW Foods

NOW Foods (also known as NOW Health Group, Inc.) is perceived as a pioneering supplement manufacturer that makes top-quality dietary supplements and healthy foods, all at value prices.

The company has over 500 employees in Nevada and 1,200 overall. The business owns a modern warehouse with softgel, capsule, tablet, and powder manufacturing lines and an advanced analytical laboratory suite that provides rapid and comprehensive testing of incoming ingredients and outgoing finished products.

Some NOW Foods best-selling supplements include Vitamin D3 5000 IU, D-Mannose 500 mg, NAC 600 mg, GABA 500 mg + B6, Relora, and Psyllium Husk Powder.

How to contact NOW Foods company:

• Address: 244 Knollwood Drive, Bloomingdale, IL 60108
• Phone: 888-669-3663
• Website: nowfoods.com

Evaluation of ingredients

NOW Foods Brain Elevate contains the following active ingredients:

• Choline (from Choline Bitartrate) 50 mg
• Ginkgo Biloba leaf extract (min. 24% Ginkgo Flavonglycosides and 6% Ginkgolides) 60 mg
• RoseOx (standardized Rosemary leaf extract) (Rosmarinus officinalis) (min. 6% Carnosic Acid) 25 mg
• Phosphatidyl Serine 15 mg
• Huperzine complex (Huperzia Serrata) (moss) 25 mcg
• L-Glutamine (free-form) 125 mg
• Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica) (4:1 leaf extract) 125 mg

Other inactive ingredients include hypromellose (cellulose capsule), rice flour, magnesium stearate (vegetable source), and silicon dioxide.

It contains soy (PhosphatidylSerine from soy lecithin).

Free of gluten, wheat, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, or tree nuts.

Are the ingredients effective?

This next part of our NOW Foods Brain Elevate review will discuss some of the core ingredients in the formulation, analyzing how these ingredients can benefit your cognitive health.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba is an antioxidant-rich herb utilized to support cognitive health and treat various health conditions. In fact, Ginkgo Biloba seeds have been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine for their healing properties. 

Ginkgo’s leaves and fruits were used to treat brain and circulatory problems, cough, toothaches, respiratory conditions, fever, diarrhea, and even gonorrhea.

However, most brain supplements typically use extracts of the plant’s leaves.

Generally, Ginkgo is used to support memory and help the recovery process after a stroke. However, limited clinical studies also show some effectiveness in the treatment or prevention of several health problems, including:

• Fatigue
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Dementia
• Depression
• Anxiety

Ginkgo is a plant rich in antioxidants that cancel out free radicals (molecules that can damage cells). Free radicals form when your body uses food for energy and when you exercise. Cigarette smoke, pollution, an unhealthy diet, and sunlight can also create free radicals.

As you get older, your body will not be as efficient as fighting back these free radicals. They attack your brain cells, which can lead to memory loss.

Because Ginkgo Biloba is a powerful antioxidant, extracts of this plant may help against age-related cognitive decline. A review of studies using EGb 761 (a standardized Ginkgo Biloba extract) discovered that the extract was more effective in cases of vascular or mixed dementia and Alzheimer’s disease compared to a placebo.

Another extensive review of research on this relationship concluded that supplementing with Ginkgo did not result in any noticeable improvements in attention capacity, memory, and executive function.

L-Glutamine

L-Glutamine is an essential ingredient for overall cognitive health and a precursor to the neurotransmitter glutamate. A disruption of the glutamate-glutamine cycle can lead to serious health concerns and mental health deficiencies, including conditions such as epilepsy, Reye’s Syndrome, bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, and alcohol addiction.

L-Glutamine can also help stall brain aging. Mitochondrial dysfunction causes abnormal increases in the neurotransmitter glutamate and puts the brain at risk for developing the above problems.

Research conducted at the New York University School of Medicine revealed that even mild traumatic brain injury caused brain atrophy. Most of this damage was due to an abnormal increase in glutamate levels and the glutamate-glutamine cycle disruption.

Gotu Kola

Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica) is a type of leafy plant traditionally used in Asian cuisines with a long history of Ayurvedic medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. 

It is a perennial plant indigenous to Southeast Asia’s tropical wetlands, commonly used as a juice, tea, or green leafy vegetables.

 Alternative practitioners believe Gotu Kola to have memory-enhancing, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antidepressant properties[15]. Gotu Kola is a common ingredient in many brain supplements, and it is available in capsule, powder, tincture, and tablet formulations.

Gotu Kola has long been used as an herbal tonic to enhance memory and treat mood disorders and. Although data from research and clinical studies are mixed, there is evidence of some direct and indirect benefits.

For example, a 2017 review of studies published in Scientific Reports discovered that Gotu Kola extracts may directly improve cognition and memory. However, it appeared to increase alertness and relieve anxiety only within an hour of consumption.

Gotu Kola appears to reduce anxiety by regulating neurotransmitters’ activity known as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Asiatic acid is the primary compound in Gotu Kola believed to trigger this effect.

By influencing how the brain absorbs GABA, Gotu Kola may relieve anxiety without the sedative effect of traditional GABA agonist meds. It may also play a role in treating chronic fatigue, insomnia, and depression.

Price

One bottle of NOW Foods Brain Elevate (120 capsules / 120 servings) costs $21.45.

Where to buy it from?

You can purchase NOW Foods supplements locally at supermarkets, health food establishments, grocery stores, or local drug stores close to you.

You can also order NOW Foods Brain Elevate online by visiting the official NOW Foods website or retailers like GNC, Amazon, eBay, and Walmart.

Advantages & disadvantages

User testimonials

This does work. Not a miracle, but I notice more clarity and ability to focus with this supplement. Definitely a difference in the days I take it. Read full review

This is just my honest opinion. I’M NO DOCTOR. Always ask your physician if the product you consider is right for you. Once I started using Brain Elevate, I noticed a sufficient difference; I was more sharp and alert. I take 1 in the morning and 1 in the after. I would recommend this product. Read full review

I love the clarity I feel when taking this. When taking it for a while, you take it for granted, but once off and you start again, wow! Mental clarity at its finest here, clear and precise thoughts.  Read full review

Safety and side effects

Given the ingredients available in this herbal supplement, some individuals may experience mild to moderate adverse effects, typically responding to how their bodies adjust to the supplement.

NOW Foods Brain Elevate side effects may include:

• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Skin rashes
• Irritability
• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Cramping
• Drowsiness
• Headaches

This herbal supplement contains Ginkgo Biloba, Huperzine A, and several other herbal extracts. The available research suggests that herbs are more likely to cause adverse effects and interactions with prescriptions or other dietary supplements when continuously taken for more than 30 days. 

Therefore, we recommend cycling the supplement regularly, taking one week off every three weeks as a minimum. Longer breaks are advised after repeated cycles.

NOW Foods Brain Elevate contains Huperzine A, a highly purified substance extracted from the Chinese club moss plant. Typically, the purification process requires a lot of laboratory manipulation. 

The result is a highly refined substance, very different from standard herbal extracts containing hundreds of chemical ingredients. 

As a result, many people consider that Huperzine A should be classified as a prescription, arguing that it stretches the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) guidelines.

NOW Foods Brain Elevate also contains ingredients that may interact or alter the way some prescription medication works.

Recommended dosages

As a dietary supplement, take one (1) capsule per day. As always, we strongly recommend reading and understanding the label before taking any nutritional supplements or medications.

How Brain Elevate compares to alternatives

Before we conclude our Brain Elevate review, let’s take a quick look over several other herbal brain supplements that may represent good alternatives for those not convinced by this formulation’s benefits.

Neuro-Peak produced by Zhou Nutrition – With over 12,000 positive reviews and testimonials on Amazon alone, Neuro-Peak’s formulation includes Ginkgo Biloba, Bacopa Monnieri, DMAE, and a small amount of Vitamin B12 to support memory, focus, attention, and cognitive function. 

According to Zhou Nutrition, this nootropic supplement is ideal for gamers, athletes, business professionals, and anyone looking for that extra mental edge. One bottle of Neuro-Peak costs $21.04 (30 capsules / 30 servings).

Ginkgo Biloba, made by Nature’s Bounty, is another potent Ginkgo Biloba-based dietary supplement designed to support brain function and mental alertness. Nature’s Bounty is one of the highest-rated supplement manufacturers in the United States. 

The company’s dedication to quality, consistency, and scientific research has resulted in vitamins and supplements of unrivaled excellence. Nature’s Bounty Ginkgo Biloba supplement received over 5,000 reviews on Amazon, averaging a rating of 4.6 out of a 5.0 rating.

Brain Booster made by Vital Vitamins – This brain supplement is one of the highest-rated and best-selling dietary supplements available. The formula can be used by both men and women and contains proven ingredients such as Bacopa Monnieri, DMAE, Vitamin B12, and Ginkgo Biloba.

Brain Booster claimed benefits include:

• Improves mood and logical processing
• Reduce fatigue and mental fogginess
• Lab-verified formulation
• Premium-quality ingredients
• Non-GMO

The takeaway

NOW Foods Brain Elevate is made by a reputable American brand known for producing high-quality dietary supplements. NOW Foods’ popularity online is further supported by the many thousands of positive reviews and testimonials the company received over the years from happy customers.

Overall, Brain Elevate formula contains ingredients with proven benefits for brain health, except for Huperzine A – a highly lab-purified substance extracted from the Chinese club moss plant.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

At OneBrainReviews, we only use primary references for our articles, including peer-reviewed medical journals or well-respected academic institutions.