Vinpocetine
Why You Need to Stock Up On This Product 

Brain and mood support supplements are becoming a huge industry. The FDA does not like this. They would rather you spend that money on medications. Hence, they are trying to remove this supplement and not allow you to purchase it on the health store shelves.  They are doing so under the guise of convincing you that they (the FDA) are doing so for your safety.

What is Vinpocetine?

Vinpocetine is used to support memory, focus, and mood

This supplement was first synthesized in the mid-1970s by a Hungarian researcher.  Vinpocetine is a synthetic compound derived from vincamine, an alkaloid found in the vina minor plant.  It is said to increase blood flow to the brain, hence its reason for being useful in brain support.

Why is There an Issue with the FDA?

The FDA stated back in 2016 that since vinpocetine is a synthetic botanical is doesn’t qualify as a dietary ingredient.  They state this because a synthetic compound, even if it is identical in all respects to their botanical originators, does not themselves arise from a plant and therefore does not meet the definition of a dietary ingredient.

This really means that they know they can turn this ingredient into a drug, and if it is legal as a supplement, there is no benefit to drug manufacturers. They are not doing this to protect you.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

If the FDA wants to ban it, it must be unsafe?

Now, as of 2020, the FDA is saying vinpocetine is potentially dangerous.  Hmm, wait until you see it as an ingredient in your medication-will it be considered by the FDA to be still dangerous?  I hope you can see the ploy that is going on here.

Currently, the FDA  is addressing  “smart pills”  and has said that “by consuming the recommended servings of these products, consumers could be exposed to pharmaceutical level dosages of drugs including 4.3 mg of vinpocetine (typical dose of 5-40 mg), the study team reports.”

Did you read that?

Reread it.  It said you might get 4.3 mg. of vinpocetine in a nootropic supplement.  That dose, I would have to say, is too low to provide any benefit, and yet, they admit the standard dose is 5-40 mg.  But they say the dose of 4.3 mg is unsafe. Can someone please explain the logic of the FDA?

A Word of Caution

Now I must admit, some of these supplements do contain additional ingredients, and in combination, I think it can be unsafe for some and contain some medications it has been found. This goes back to my main principles of buying reputable products from a reputable source.  There are a lot of sketchy “supplement” products on the market.

I like that we have the freedom to buy supplements independently, but I do wish more people would only seek these out via a health and nutrition professional’s guidance.  So while I disagree with vinpocetine being removed from the supplement market, I think you need to use caution with some of the “brain boosting” products with many ingredients listed.  If it cannot be purchased via a health professional and their reputable apothecary, I would say stay away from the product.  On its own, vinpocetine is a safe and useful product and should not be taken off store shelves!

There are many drugs your doctor will prescribe for you.  I have seen people on 10 plus drugs, and the doctor never discusses the safety of the interactions of all these drugs, all the side effects, or the nutrient depletion from these drugs.  They don’t discuss how the third leading cause of death is from medical error, including prescribed medications.  Yet they want to ban a useful health product.

There have been NO adverse events from the intake of vinpocetine.

By the way, no one dies from safe supplement intake from reputable companies.  But plenty of people die from their prescribed medications.

Who May Benefit from Taking Vinpocetine?

  • Dementia
  • Stroke
  • Epilepsy
  • Cognitive decline
  • To improve reaction time and memory
  • Possibility for hearing loss and headaches
  • Head injury, brain trauma
  • May be useful to athletes and those with fatigue (supports mitochondrial function)

How Much Should I Take?

Take Vinpocetine with food. In a fasted state, it was shown to decrease bioavailability by 60-100%. If you can get it in liposomal form, this has been shown to increase bioavailability as well.

The standard dose is 5 mg. two to three times per day; however, in some studies, the dosing was much higher, using 10-20 mg. three times per day. At the higher doses, heartburn and GI distress was noted in some of the subjects.  It is always best to start with a low dose and titrate up based on your needs and under a health professional’s guidance.  In my opinion, based on some of the research, it is a supplement that is best suited situationally, and not as a long term, on-going supplement.

In a clinical trial with over 200 patients with dementia, they gave 10-20 mg three times per day for 16 weeks, and results showed overall cognitive performance improvement.

It does cross the blood-brain barrier and can reach the brain quickly, in about 20 minutes.  For this reason, I suggest it to my student clients to take before taking a test or when studying to use it as a situational supplement, as needed. It also does not accumulate in the body.

Bottom Line

Vinpocetine can be useful for brain support but it may not be available on the health store shelf for much longer.  Before you know it, it will only be available as a medication.

References

https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2016/09/08/FDA-rules-vinpocetine-not-a-legal-dietary-ingredient-despite-successful-NDI-filings

https://selfhacked.com/blog/13-ways-vinpocetine-can-improve-health-brain-power/

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/938017

https://ntp.niehs.nig.gov/ntp/htdocs/chem_background/exsumpdf/vinpocetine091613_508.pdf