Neuriva vs. Prevagen

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…

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 finding ways to improve our ability and health. 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? It can be a very complicated matter, so we thought it would be a good idea to compare Neuriva vs. Prevagen. We will walk you through what each of them offers, consider any potential side effects, and how you can choose between them.

Neuriva Explained

The brain health nootropic Neuriva is made by Salt Lake City company, 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 a priority.

After all, many of us take supplements to help us out physically, so it makes sense to do the same for our brains.

Understandably so, people can be wary of anything chemical or artificial when it comes to their brains, 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 these symptoms will be alleviated. 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, enabling 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.

(Edit: Neuriva have since added Folate at 680 mcg to their formula – July 2024.)

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 is quite unique to Prevagen. 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 improve your memory, and both formulae 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, and advice must be taken from a healthcare provider first if you have any medical conditions or concerns.

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, or simply find it inconvenient, so it is good to know that only one a day is required.

Other Forms 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, and Prevagen contains dairy too, deeming it unsuitable for vegans.

More Independent Research Required

This applies 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, we’ve 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

An obvious one, but the difference is huge – 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 the vast majority of its kind.

Cost

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, it can add up – and nootropics work best when taken longer-term.

The Time It Takes To Feel Results

According to Neuriva, you can expect to feel some impact within 30 days of first use. 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 marketing stance 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, who are increasingly concerned about memory loss and other brain issues related to the aging process.

Side Effects of Prevagen Vs 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 include anxiety and dizziness.

If you experience any of these side effects, the best solution is to stop taking them and consult a medical professional for advice.

Verdict

Now we come to the crunch – we have provided a solid outline of these two nootropics, but 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, if brain aging is your biggest concern, Prevagen focuses more heavily 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 NooCube or Hunter Focus.