Souvenaid - Memory Drink for Old People (Tasty Snake Oil?)

CrankyCarrot on 04/12/2018 - 15:24

Whoah boy,

I have multiple elderly relatives with short term memory issues and I'm curious if anyone in a similar situation has heard of or tried this "all natural," drink to remedy them (the issues).

The medical studies I've Googled seem to say that it miiiight do something, maybe. Hardly all that convincing IMO, but still perhaps worth a shot.

The stuff has been suggested by a geriatrician and a neurologist, but neither seemed any more persuasive than the stuff I Googled. I guess I'm after thoughts and anecdotal experience from people out in the wild (of the net).

Also, if anyone knows how to get it at the best price, that'd be useful too. So far the best I can see is to get it from the official Souvenaid people with a referral at $3.66 per unit (you drink 1 a day and they come in cartons of 24, min 2 cartons for free delivery and the trial period we're shooting for is 3 months, so 96 drinks; (4 x (24 x $3.66)) = $351.36 total.

Other online vendors looked like they were charging $4.50 or so per drink, so this is the last price/best price as they say unless someone out there knows better.

TLDR
  1. Have you heard of/tried/had a friend or relative try Souvenaid and was it effective in improving memory?
  2. If yes, where do you get it cheap?

Cheers,

CC

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • garetz on 04/12/2018 - 15:53

    Sounds like a scam, once you have short term memory issues, its already too late, you cannot repair that, a good mind is like a good body, it requires maintenance. Once you lose it, its already too late.

    • CrankyCarrot on 04/12/2018 - 18:35

      You might be right, but I really, really hope you're wrong.

      • garetz on 04/12/2018 - 18:38
        +1

        If i was wrong then they would already have a cure for Alzheimer's, which they do not. The best thing you can do for memory is memory excercises, which helps prevent memory degradation, however will not cure degradation after the fact.

        • EightImmortals on 04/12/2018 - 18:51

          he didn't say they had alzheimers though, only memory issues. I am aware of one doctor who had some really good results treating her husbands Alzheimer's with keto/MCT oil. Apparently he was doing well for a few years until he fell off a ladder and smashed his head. You can read the details here.

          https://healthunlocked.com/parkinsonsmovement/posts/13111297…

          It has been more than 6 years since Steve improved with coconut oil. He improved very significantly the first year and remained stable for 2 years. . He began having seizures in summer 2013 starting with a head injury from a fall and has not fully recovered.

          I want to thank everyone who has sent me testimonials for your loved ones who have tried coconut oil and or MCT oil. I have received over 400, and while some people have no response, the vast majority has reported improvements in cognitive functions and overall quality of life. I am overjoyed that so many people have benefited from this food-based intervention as my husband Steve has!

          These testimonials have helped to get grants for research at the University of South Florida (USF) Byrd Alzheimer Institute, where humane animal studies have been completed and a clinical trial of coconut oil in 65 people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease is currently in progress as of June 2013, funded by an anonymous foundation. This is a pilot study that will look at whether there is symptomatic improvement and also if this treatment will delay progression to Alzheimer’s disease.

          There are several other large studies of MCT oil for Alzheimer’s that are currently in progress as well. Ketones as an alternative fuel are also under study at USF in the lab under direction of Dominic D’Agostino, Ph.D. for treatment of cancer, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), wound healing, oxygen toxicity, epilepsy, and status epilepticus, using ketogenic diets that contain medium chain triglycerides and also ketone esters. The cancer studies are looking at combinations of ketogenic diets with hyperbaric oxygen and glucose lowering substances to further enhance the effect on killing cancer cells, which thrive on glucose but cannot use ketones, while preserving normal cells. Results of several of these studies have now been published and others are forthcoming.

          Studies of ketone esters for Alzheimer’s disease urgently need to be undertaken but funding for mass production of the ester and clinical testing has not yet materialized. For now you can provide ketones to the brain as an alternative fuel by consuming foods that contain medium chain triglycerides to produce ketones. What do you have to lose?

        • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2018 - 21:23

          Memory loss is only one of the symptoms of Alzheimer's.

          Alzheimer's isn't cured by preventing memory loss.

          • CrankyCarrot on 05/12/2018 - 12:56

            @[Deactivated]: To clarify, one has suspected Alzheimer's. The other has short term memory loss most likely associated with Parkison's.

  • coxjon on 04/12/2018 - 15:55

    My skeptic mind tells me that any positive experiences would be down to the placebo effect more than the drink anyway! (not a neurologist)

    • CrankyCarrot on 04/12/2018 - 18:35

      Could well be. I'd suspect that also.

  • savage bargain on 04/12/2018 - 17:08

    I've had a scan through the very limited research. It's preliminary only, limited replication, and so far one source of funding (the company making it) which increases my doubts. Even the the trends aren't that high.

    I would want to see more replication and at least one study funded from another source before spending money on it.

    That being said the ingredients are like a liquid multi-vitamin with common deficiencies in elderly selected, so if someone isn't eating a well rounded diet, it may help. Maybe ask the geriatrian and neurologist why it was recommended - maybe they think a deficiency is affecting it and it's been an effective way to get the nutrients? (E.g. I'm on an iron liquid that isn't the cheapest or strongest, but due to being easier to digest it was recommended).

    • CrankyCarrot on 04/12/2018 - 18:40

      Unfortunately this neurologist isn't exactly what I'd call "helpful." He ran around attending to other things during our (paid) appointment, got flustered and mad (when asked the very question you mention) while he was going back to his chair after walking out on us for 5 minutes without explanation - "Can I sit down first?! Is that ok?!" Just a real pr—- in general. Not someone I'd have dealings with given the choice.

      I may try calling and asking again, but I wouldn't be surprised if told to "make another appointment," in order to get the time of day.

      • savage bargain on 04/12/2018 - 21:52

        That's frustrating. It could be a simple explanation if he just took half a minute to listen… Unfortunately there's someone like that in every occupation.

        Another idea is to ask the GP of your relatives? They would have access to more information about drug and supplement developments in general, often get case notes forwarded to them that has details of treatments/recommendations, and could also phone on the behalf of the patient and might get a better/nore detailed response.

        I understand you wanting an answer to this considering the ongoing cost and it's not too clear how it helps based on the information you've been able to find.

        • CrankyCarrot on 04/12/2018 - 23:15
          +1

          I've spoken to one of their GP's today and she was of the opinion that it was unlikely to make a big/any difference, but might be worth a try for just 3 months. She'd heard of the stuff in passing, but that's it.

          I think it's going to function as a dietary supplement that has little to no benefit to the short term memory issues.

          • savage bargain on 05/12/2018 - 08:54

            @CrankyCarrot: That makes sense. At least the GP took the time that the neurologist should have taken in explaining that to you.

            • CrankyCarrot on 05/12/2018 - 12:54

              @savage bargain: Yup. Though she's also the one that referred him to us. Her opinion is that all neurologists are "a bit off," and this one happens to be conveniently located, so best of a bad bunch I guess?

              • savage bargain on 05/12/2018 - 14:42

                @CrankyCarrot: I have heard in the past they're reputation is on par with us engineers in social skills, so that does make sense hahaha

  • Findo on 04/12/2018 - 17:27

    Amphetamine can help old people improve their short-term memory. Why bother with anything else?

    https://www.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/en/media/2015/06/does-dopamin…

    D-amphetamine greatly increased brain signal variability in older adults, and this increase co-occurred with heightened working memory performance.

    • CrankyCarrot on 04/12/2018 - 18:42

      Will look into it.

      • Findo on 04/12/2018 - 20:06

        Best bet is to get a script for narcolepsy or failing that, getting it prescribed off-label. DYOR, this does not constitute any medical advice whatsoever - it is merely an opinion.

        • CrankyCarrot on 04/12/2018 - 23:15

          More grist for the research mill ;)

  • EightImmortals on 04/12/2018 - 17:52

    OK a quick look at the ingredients show it has a couple of common nootropic supplements (choline, UDP) (Uridine capsules support the formation of brain synapses and neuronal membranes, as well as increased dopamine levels resulting in elevated mood. )

    EPA and DHA (from fish oil) and some vitamins. Te vitamin doses are VERY low and in the case of Vit E for example it's probably useless. Proper Vit E has about 8 different 'compounds' (tocopherols and tocotrionols) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tocotrienol

    So nothing in there that would do any harm unless there are specific allergies involved. Personally I would start them on MCT oil, a teaspoon a day to start then work up to 1 or 2 TBLs per day in their coffee/tea. Or just organic virgin coconut oil on their brekky.

    https://au.iherb.com/pr/Now-Foods-Sports-MCT-Oil-Pure-16-fl-…

    Some R-ALA/NAC and ALCAR (made by the body but decreases with age)

    https://www.bulknutrients.com.au/products/r-alpha-lipoic-aci…
    https://www.iherb.com/pr/Jarrow-Formulas-N-A-C-Sustain-N-Ace…
    https://www.bulknutrients.com.au/products/acetyl-carnitine-a…

    Oh and don't forget CoQ10 (plain ubiquinone is fine, I've found ubiquinol to be a bit of a marketing thing and the body converts between the two as needed)

    If all that is too much hassle then I have decent results with MRM Neuro-MaxII

    https://www.iherb.com/pr/MRM-Neuro-Max-II-60-Vegan-Capsules/…

    You can do some further research on proper nootropics if you like but I've found things like the racetams are OK for short periods but not so good when taken long term. The stuff I've listed above are all natural and have never caused me any issues. (I am not a doctor, this is not medical advice DYOR :))

    You could probably get decent amounts of those ingredients cheaper.

    Also getting as much sugar out of their diet as possible will also help.

    • CrankyCarrot on 04/12/2018 - 18:43

      Lots to go on. Will try and make time to follow up on it all. Cheers.

  • CrankyCarrot on 04/12/2018 - 23:17

    If anyone's interested, this is the products main website (Oooh! Including a Channel 9 News Piece!):

    http://www.souvenaid.com.au/

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