Update 8/29/19. Procera Protect (formally called Ceraplex) is said to provide the brain with natural antioxidants to support detoxification pathways for the maintenance of good brain health. Sounds good, but does Procera Protect work? In this review, I'll reveal the ingredients and science behind this supplement to help you understand if it's right for you.
What Is Procera Protect?
The supplement is supposed to help support healthy memory. It's said to do this by helping to detoxify the brain, by using natural ingredients. This is supposed to help the brain to work better.
CeraPlex vs. SeroPlex
For former name for this supplement was Ceraplex. Could this be a play on words given that SeroPlex is a prescription SSRI antidepressant medication? SeroPlex and Ceraplex are not the same thing. Could this similarity have played a role in the company changing the name to Procera Protect? This is unknown. Just remember that Seroplex (the drug) is not the same thing as Ceraplex (the supplement).
Who Makes Procera Protect (Ceraplex)?
Ceraplex is a product of Key View Labs. They also sell the memory supplement, Procera AVH. The company is located at 5737 Benjamin Center Dr Tampa, FL 33634-5293. The company website is ProceraHealth.com. As the name suggests Procera is the flagship product of this company.
For more insights see the Procera AVH review.
Procera Protect Research
No research could be located to support the Ceraplex supplement. So, to understand this supplement, we need to look at the ingredients. Lets do that next.
Procera Protect Ingredients
Two capsules contain the following ingredients:
| Amount Per Serving | Percent Daily Value | |
| Vitamin B12 | 667 mcg | 11,117% DV |
| Procera Protect Blend consisting of | 720 mg | n/a |
| NAC | n/a | |
| Alpha-lipoic acid | n/a | |
| Turmeric extract | n/a | |
| Quercetin | n/a | |
| Japanese knotweed extract | n/a |
In the table above “NA” means no daily value established.
Let's look at each of these ingredients closer
Vitamin B12
Procera Protect provides a LOT of vitamin B12 – over 11,000% of the RDA. The type of B12 used is methylcobalamin. While they don't say why the supplement contains so much, possible reasons include
- B12 helps lower homocysteine, a compound related to heart disease
- Older folks may not absorb B12 very well
- Older folks may be deficient in B12
- Some speculate B12 may be related to depression
- Some medications -like diabetes meds – lower B12 levels
Or it could be because B12 is a sexy vitamin, with hopes it may improve energy levels. If you are not deficient, it won't do this. That said, one study from 2011 did not show that methylcobalamin reduced dementia symptoms in older adults with dementia.
Likewise, another study also noted no significant effect of vitamins B12, B6, or folic acid in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
Side note. Does Vitamin B12 help weight loss? Read the review.
N-Acetyl-Cysteine
N-Acetyl-Cysteine helps us make a very powerful antioxidant called glutathione. It also appears to reduce homocysteine, a compound, which seems to play a role in heart disease.
One review noted NAC might help with Alzheimer's disease. More research is needed though to understand this.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
This is an antioxidant compound. When used long-term, alpha-lipoic acid seems to help some people with Alzheimer's disease according to a very small study (43 people) who were given 600 mg/day for 2 years.
But, in a review of alpha-lipoic acid and dementia researchers found no good proof that it worked due of the lack of quality research.
Likewise, a study lasting 16 weeks also didn't show it helped Alzheimer's. The amount used in this study was 900 mg per day.
Here's alpha-lipoic acid on Amazon
Turmeric Extract
The extract of turmeric used is curcumin. Both turmeric and curcumin have anti-inflammatory qualities. Procera Protect uses specific, patented curcumin called BCM-95. Research suggests curcumin may help depression But, At least one preliminary study noted 6 months of curcumin use did not help Alzheimer's disease.
For what it's worth, Research shows that regular exercise reduces inflammation in the brain.
Quercetin
Quercetin is an antioxidant and is found in red wine, grapes, peanuts as well as several foods. In one study, researchers speculated quercetin might protect brain cells. Other research finds quercetin can lower blood pressure in humans.
Reducing blood pressure would lead to less stress on blood vessels, which might reduce blood vessel damage in the brain and elsewhere. This might play a role in reducing or delaying dementia symptoms.
Obviously, the effects of quercetin are likely to be much more complicated than this. To achieve the blood pressure-lowering effect, about 700 mg of quercetin per day has been used. That is more than is in Procera Protect.
Japanese Knotweed Extract
The extract used is resveratrol. Resveratrol is the classic anti-aging supplement. Like a lot of the other ingredients in Procera Protect, resveratrol is an antioxidant. Another name for Japanese knotweed is Polygonum Cuspidatum.
Resveratrol reduces blood vessel aging by reducing free radical damage. That’s good. Other research suggests resveratrol helps clear the plaques —that clog up nerve pathways —that are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. That's good too.
Procera Protect Side Effects
Here are some things to think about when taking this supplement. This list is not complete:
- Start with less than recommended for the first week to see how you respond
- If you take blood thinner medications, speak to your doctor and pharmacist. Some of the ingredients in this supplement may interact with blood thinner meds.
- Speak to your doctor if you take ANY medications including those for heart disease, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, diabetes or thyroid problems.
- Stop taking the supplement at least 2 weeks before having surgery.
- Consult your doctor if you are pregnant/breastfeeding.
- If you have any health issues, speak to your doctor first.
Ceraplex Vs. Procera AVH
The ingredients in Procera Protect are different than in Procera AVH. Also, both supplements are supposed to work differently. Procera Protect is touted to be a broad-spectrum antioxidant. Whether both supplements work better together will require more study.
See the Procera AVH review for more info.
Buy Procera Protect
Ceraplex can be obtained directly from the company or at local stores like Vitamin Shoppe, GNC, CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid.
Procera Protect Cost
The product website listed a price of $29.95.
Does Procera Protect Work?
Without studies, it's difficult to know if Procera Protect (Ceraplex) works or not. When it comes to a general antioxidant supplement, the ingredients in the supplement seem logical but that doesn't mean people with memory problems will notice a difference. For people who don't have memory problems and looking to reduce their chances of getting dementia, there is much more evidence for regular exercise. Something to think about.
Any Comments or Questions?