Alex Whybrow examines two popular nootropic supplements in our Neuriva vs Prevagen comparison. Find out how both compare against each other and the rest of the market below…
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Written by Alex Whybrow – fact checked by Jason M & the editorial team
Alex is a full time writer. He is a creative soul who loves to express himself through his written word. When focus or concentration becomes an issue he turns to nootropics. Aside from the world of nootropic supplementation and writing, Alex is a huge fan of coffee and can regularly be found consuming it and writing about it.
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Neuriva vs. Prevagen – An Introduction
There has been a welcome focus on the health and performance of our brains in recent years. Rather than using phrases like “I’m just forgetful” and “I can never concentrate for long”, we are looking to take action. The ever-expanding nootropic industry has provided a great opportunity for people to boost the health of their brains.
Two of the main players in this new wave of brain-boosting nootropic supplements are Neuriva and Prevagen. Each of them promises to help your brain in various ways, but they employ very different ingredients in order to do that.
So how do you decide which one is the best for you and your brain needs? It can be a very complicated matter, so we thought it would be a good idea to compare Neuriva vs. Prevagen to help you out. We will walk you through what each of them offers, consider any potential side effects, the costs of each and how you can choose between them.
Let’s kick things off with a quick comparison.
Neuriva vs. Prevagen: Comparison Table
| Neuriva | Prevagen | |
| Dose | One capsule daily | One capsule daily |
| Main Ingredients | Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine hydrochloride), Folate, Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin), Coffee Fruit Extract (Coffee Arabica), Phosphatidylserine | Vitamin D3, Apoaequorin |
| Extra Ingredients | Capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, titanium dioxide, carrageenan, pectin), microcrystalline cellulose, rice bran, silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate | Microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable capsule, maltodextrin, lactose, magnesium stearate, modified corn starch, salt, soy peptones, sugar |
| Potential Benefits | Memory boost, Concentration, Learning, Accuracy & Reasoning | Help to prevent memory loss, Clearer thinking, Sharper mind |
| Rough Cost per dose | $1.16 | $1.33 |
The above table highlights how each product has similar aims – to improve brain function (particularly memory) and yet they have a very different approach to achieving this. The list of ingredients shows no crossover whatsoever. In order to find out why this is, let’s take a look at each one individually, starting with Neuriva.
Quick Verdict
Both Neuriva and Prevagen have somewhat unique approaches to nootropics. However, we do feel there are better alternatives out there that are well backed through clinical studies relating to the ingredients they use.
VyvaMind is one of the best performing nootropics in our testing and our writers use it personally on an ongoing basis. It has a wider range of ingredients compared to both Prevagen and Neuriva and is similarly priced.
Read our full Vyvamind review here
Neuriva Explained
The brain health nootropic Neuriva is made by a company out of Salt Lake City by the name of Schiff Nutrition Limited. They have a wide range of brands including Airborne, Move Free, Megared and Schiff Nutrition. They were acquired by the Reckitt Benckiser Group, a British consumer goods behemoth, in 2012.
The whole point of Neuriva is to make the health of your brain one of your priorities. After all, many of us take supplements to help us out physically, so it makes sense to do the same for our brains.
People can be wary of anything chemical or artificial when it comes to their brains, understandably so, which is why Neuriva really hammers home the fact that all of the ingredients that they use, as you would expect from a nootropic, are completely natural. “Nature made it. Science proves it.” – so goes the slogan.
Let’s take a quick look at the main four ingredients in Neuriva, and why they are included:
Vitamin B6
If you have a deficiency in Vitamin B6, it could leave you irritable, confused and depressed – by including it in Neuriva, the idea is that this will be prevented. As a consequence, your mood and focus will be improved.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 works in a similar way but is more focused on the nervous system, including your brain. Again, a deficiency here can cause depression, memory loss and erratic behavior, so taking Neuriva should help to prevent that.
Coffee Fruit Extract
Coffee Fruit Extract is packed full of antioxidants which work to keep you healthy. It can also help to create new pathways within your brain which enables you to think more clearly. It can also help to reduce anxiety.
Phosphatidylserine
Phosphatidylserine has been used to combat Alzheimer’s disease, and there is some scientific evidence to suggest that it can improve some of the symptoms. It is also thought that it can improve general brain power, as subjects that took it scored better on short-term memory tests, as well as reporting an improved mood.
Prevagen Explained
Prevagen – an “over-the-counter supplement for healthy brain function and memory improvement” – is made by a company called Quincy Bioscience. This company is based in Madison, Wisconsin, and it has the goal of creating and discovering novel technologies to fight against the cognitive issues associated with aging.
It’s an admirable objective, and Prevagen is their flagship product. It was developed in partnership with Dr James R. Moyer Jr of the University of Wisconsin – a leading expert in the field of memory and cognitive function. They have also published a trial and some of their research as evidence of the effectiveness of Prevagen.
Paevagen has been voted as the number 1 Pharmacist Recommended Memory Support Brand in 2022, for the third year running – a pretty bold endorsement of this supplement.
Let’s take a quick look at the main ingredients included in Prevagen to get a sense of why it has been so popular.
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin which has been found to help your body absorb phosphorous and calcium. The main result of this is that you get much stronger bones, teeth and muscles, but it is also thought that vitamin D can help improve your mood.
We know that low levels of vitamin D can cause depression, so it goes to follow that taking vitamin D supplements can help prevent this. The theory is that by including Vitamin D3 in Prevagen, your mood will be improved.
Apoaequorin
A very different ingredient now, and the one that really sets Prevagen apart from most of the competition. Apoaequorin is a protein that is found in jellyfish. For use in Prevagen, it is made in a laboratory, so it is still a vegetarian product.
The attribute of apoaequorin that we are most interested in here is the ‘calcium binding’ nature of it. Calcium has long been linked to memory and brain health, so the theory behind its inclusion here is that it will help balance the calcium in your brain to improve the overall health of your brain.
While the team behind Prevagen have conducted their own research, it is generally thought in the world of medicine that more scientific studies need to be conducted before we can be sure of the impact that apoaequorin can have on your brain.
For more read our full Prevagen review.
Neuriva vs Prevagen – The Similarities
You will have seen above that the two products, Neuriva and Prevagen, have very different ingredients, but they also have some similarities. Let’s look at a few of them now in more detail.
Memory boost: We’ll start with the most obvious one. Both of these products want to help to improve your memory, and all of the individual set of ingredients are geared towards achieving that.
They are both safe: Both of these products are made without synthetic ingredients and without chemicals – there are no ingredients here that could cause major harm to humans. They have both been found to be safe by independent bodies. Some people may experience side effects, of course, but that is the case for any nootropic or supplement.
Dose: It might be quite reassuring for you to know that both of these products have the recommended dose of just one capsule a day. Some people can have a problem swallowing more than one capsule or experience nausea, so it is good to know that only one a day is required. In addition, having to take multiple capsules throughout the day can be inconvenient.
Other forms are available: Both of these products are available in other forms, whether they are chewables/gummies or in higher strengths.
Two main ingredients: Both of these products rely on two main ingredients – Coffee fruit extract and Phosphatidylserine for Neuriva, Apoaequorin and Vitamin D3 for Prevagen. This is quite notable, because usually when a product promises the sort of benefits that these two promise, there is a whole host of ingredients packed into it. That is not the case for either of these two.
Both contain common allergens: Both of these products contain allergens, which may cause concern for some people. They both have soy, whereas Prevagen contains dairy as well, which also makes it unsuitable for vegans.
More independent research is required: We should say at the start of this, that this could apply to almost any nootropic that is available on the market. Not enough independent research has been conducted in order to verify the claims made by these companies. While they both go to great lengths to research the various ingredients, and they do conduct trials themselves to measure their effectiveness, these are not verified by independent bodies and so, therefore, have to be taken with a pinch of salt.
In particular, the effectiveness of apoaequorin in Prevagen is open to a lot of debate as a relatively unused ingredient.
Neuriva vs Prevagen – The Differences
So as you have seen, there is plenty that these two brain-boosting products have in common, but let’s now take a closer look at what separates them:
Ingredients: There is no similarity at all between the list of ingredients for Neuriva compared to Prevagen. They take completely different routes to try and get to the same destination.
Prevagen is, as far as I am aware, the only nootropic that uses apoaequorin in its list of ingredients, which doesn’t only separate it from Neuriva, but from every other product of its kind.
Cost: As you will have seen from our table above, Prevagen is slightly more expensive, per dose, than Neuriva. While this may seem like a small difference, when you are taking one of these every day, the difference quickly becomes noticeable.
The time it takes to feel results: According to the Neuriva ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ you can expect to feel some impact within 30 days of starting to take their supplement. Prevagen, on the other hand, says that signs of cognitive improvement were discovered after 90 days during the trial that they conducted.
The target market: While neither company is explicit in specifying their target audience, it seems from a quick look at their marketing materials that Prevagen is aimed at older customers, whereas Neuriva is aimed at all adults.
Prevagen seems to be looking at the sort of people of retirement age, that are becoming worried about memory loss and other brain issues related to the aging process.
Our No.1 Rated Nootropic
VyvaMind is one of our top rated nootropics when testing a wide range of supplements. It has a far wider range of ingredients compared to both Prevagen and Neuriva and we’d recommend it over both.
It is fast acting, completely natural and had a significant impact on our testers. So much so, that our reviewers still use VyvaMind today.
Side Effects of Prevagen and Neuriva
As we touched on in the previous section, both of these products are safe to use for most adults – unless they are pregnant or breastfeeding.
However, there are still some side effects that can be experienced in certain cases. Let’s take a quick look at them in more detail now.
Nausea: This is a side effect that has been reported by users of Prevagen and Neuriva. Often it is the case that people have been taking their supplements on an empty stomach, so it is sometimes helpful to make sure you have eaten before taking them.
Headaches: Similarly to nausea, headaches can often occur when you take a supplement on an empty stomach.
Insomnia: One of the main ingredients in Neuriva, phosphatidylserine, has been known to cause insomnia in some people, as well as stomach upset. Again, if you experience this, it may be wise to ensure you have a full stomach before you take one.
Other, less common, side effects that have been reported from people that have been using these nootropics are anxiety and dizziness.
If you experience any of these side effects, the best solution is to stop taking them and consult a medical professional before starting again.
Costs of Prevagen and Neuriva
We have mentioned the costs of these supplements earlier in the article, but let’s take a little bit more of an in-depth look to show you how we have decided which one is cheaper.
Neuriva is currently available for $34.99 for a box of 30, which works out at $1.16 for one dose. This makes it one of the more expensive products of its kind on the market, but not the most expensive.
If you are going to take one every day, Neuriva would cost you around $425 a year.
Prevagen, on the other hand, is slightly more expensive per dose. You can buy a box of 30 for these for $39.95, which world out at $1.33 a day. This really is a premium option when it comes to price for this industry.
Prevagen would cost you $486 a year if you were to take one a day.
This is as the prices currently stand, and the best thing about these supplements is that they are available in different places, so it is possible that you can get a special offer and pick them up for a bit cheaper – the price of Neuriva has changed while this article has been written, so it is certainly worth your while to keep an eye out for price reductions.
How To Choose Between Them
Now we come to the crunch – we have provided a solid outline of these two nootropics, how do you decide between the two?
It all comes down to what is important to you. They both broadly promise the same kind of benefits, so there isn’t much to choose between the two there – although maybe if you were worried about brain-aging, Prevagen seems to have more of an emphasis on that front.
You may be concerned about the science behind these products, which is completely understandable – when you are taking something that will effectively have an impact on your brain, you want to be sure that it is safe. While both of these products are safe, there is more independent scientific research to support the ingredients of Neuriva.
Some people will be intrigued by the use of Apoaequorin in Prevagen – an ingredient that is unique to that product. This could be the thing that swings it for them.
Many people will simply prefer to pick the cheaper option, and so Neuriva would make more sense for them.
Both should provide decent results. However we do have concerns over the lack of more scientifically validated ingredients that are found in some of the most potent nootropics we have tested. If you are choosing between these two supplements then go for the one that resonates the most with your needs, if you are open to another option though then we would highly recommend VyvaMind, NooCube or Hunter Focus.
Verdict
A nootropic that promises to boost your cognitive capacity could be life-changing. Being able to remember more, focus better, or think more clearly can have huge benefits for most of us.
It is so important, therefore, that before you opt for one of these products you do your research and decide exactly what it is that you want to get out of it. We hope that this article has given you a head-start in that search for your perfect nootropic.
A word of caution, though. These products both require more independent research to verify the promises that they make. At the moment we have to accept that this sort of product may produce varying results for different people. Also, these will always work best when coupled with a healthy diet and lifestyle – so make sure you put as much effort into living well as finding your next nootropic.
With that in mind, have a look at our findings, and others across this site, and see what looks the most appealing to you.
If you want the best option currently on the market (in our opinion) then I’d suggest seriously considering NooCube.
Our No.1 Rated Nootropic
VyvaMind is one of our top rated nootropics when testing a wide range of supplements. It has a far wider range of ingredients compared to both Prevagen and Neuriva and we’d recommend it over both.
It is fast acting, completely natural and had a significant impact on our testers. So much so, that our reviewers still use VyvaMind today.