HAWKING BRAIN SUPPLEMENTS
Does famed physicist really endorse a pill to enhance mental capacity? No, it’s false information
Stephen Hawking is a brilliant theoretical physicist. But even brilliant scientists can be wrong, as Hawking was about his contention that the “Higgs boson,” an elementary particle whose existence had been theoretically predicted, would never be found. To his credit, after years of public debate with Peter Higgs, once the particle was discovered in 2012 Hawking quickly acknowledged that he had been wrong. He went on to say that Higgs should receive the Nobel Prize, which he did in 2013.
Hawking has strong views on climate change and has expressed outrage at current U.S. policies. He is also a great supporter of stem cell research, space exploration and potential human colonization of other planets. Rare for a scientist, professor Hawking has achieved a celebrity status that ensures his comments on issues ranging from universal health care and Brexit to Scottish independence and Middle East politics get media attention. So it comes as no surprise that a quote attributed to Hawking about the dietary supplement “Inteligen” has also received publicity. “This Pill Will Change Humanity” is certainly an alluring proclamation, but the fact is that Hawking never said it!
Unscrupulous marketers have seized upon Hawking’s fame to push “Inteligen.” The caption on what looks like a screen image captured from CNN reads “We can now access 100% of the brain,” and features a picture of Hawking. The story goes on to say that during an interview with Anderson Cooper (although strangely, the picture shows Wolf Blitzer), the famous physicist said that his brain is sharper than ever, more clear and focused, largely because he has been taking “Inteligen.” He is quoted as having claimed that “the brain is like a muscle, you got to work it out and use supplements just like body builders use, but for your brain, and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing to enhance my mental capabilities.” Hawking never said any such thing and was never interviewed by Anderson Cooper (or Wolf Blitzer). Furthermore, although he is in possession of a dazzling brain, Hawking has no expertise when it comes to drugs that claim to enhance brain function, so his comments wouldn’t carry much weight even if he had made them, which he didn’t.
The fake news story directs to websites where Inteligen can be purchased. Some of these appear to be fake as well, designed to snare people into providing their credit card information. Others offer information about the product, claiming to reduce mental fatigue, dispel brain fog and improve memory. There is no official website for the product, no patent for Inteligen has ever been filed, and no clinical trials have been registered. Curiously, the various websites that promote the supplement can’t agree on what the ingredients are, although most mention bacopa monnieri, vinpocetine, ginkgo biloba and acetylcarnitine. None provide any information about how much of these are present, which of course makes it impossible to evaluate just what the effectiveness of this brain supplement is, if it actually does exist.
Bacopa monnieri is a plant with a long history of linkage to cognitive function in traditional medicine. Like any plant, it contains numerous compounds, including “bacosides” that in animal models have been shown to protect nerve cells from oxidative damage by regulating antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and catalase. At least one recent study in human subjects indicated an improvement in some aspects of memory, but there were also reports of abdominal cramps and nausea. Nevertheless, that study was enough for Dr. Oz to jump on the bandwagon and recommend bacopa to enhance memory, improve focus and to make one smarter. Whether he takes it himself is not known.
The ginkgo biloba tree also has a long-standing connection with cognitive improvement that traces back to ancient China when nobles treated themselves with the nuts of the tree hoping to prevent senility. Today, various dietary supplements sourced from the tree are promoted with claims of slowing cognitive decline and enhancing memory. Numerous studies have failed to provide evidence that ginkgo has any significant effect on brain function or that it is helpful for any health condition.
Acetylcarnitine is a naturally occurring compound in the human body derived from amino acids in the diet. It has a purported ability to increase production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, a compound that does play a role in brain function. Some studies using supplements of acetyl-L-carnitine have shown some mild improvement in cognitive function, but only at doses of two grams a day, far more than can conceivably be present in Inteligen.
Now we come to vinpocetine, “a chemical from the periwinkle plant,” that is widely advertised to increase blood circulation to the brain and to act as “a cognitive protectant.” Animal studies have indeed shown that vinpocetine can reduce the loss of nerve cells due to decreased blood flow and a few placebocontrolled studies in the elderly have shown some improvement in concentration and memory. But here is the glitch. Vinpocetine does not actually occur in the periwinkle plant! However, a compound called vincamine that can be converted in the laboratory to vinpocetine, does. Saying that vinpocetine “comes from periwinkle” is an attempt to capitalize on the false but popular notion that natural substances are safer than synthetics. The fact is that vinpocetine is not a vitamin, mineral, amino acid or a botanical substance and therefore should not fall into the category of a dietary supplement. It is a synthetic compound for which health claims are made and should therefore be considered a drug.
When it comes to “Inteligen,” the intelligent questions to ask are: Do we know what the ingredients really are? Do we know how much of each ingredient is present? Have any clinical trials of the product been carried out? Is it being sold by a reputable company? And, did Stephen Hawking really endorse this supplement? The answer to all is “no.” I’m sure Hawking would agree.