Update 5/7/20. For the longest time, I thought Neora (formally Nerium International) was a skincare company. I had no idea Neora had supplements too – until I became aware of a brain formula supplement called EHT. This supplement is VERY different from other memory supplements I've seen and reviewed here. In this unbiased review (I don't work for the company), we will look at the science, research, and ingredients of Neora EHT. Does it improve memory and help concussions reduce the odds of getting dementia? These are some of the questions I'll address. Does it really work? Is it the real deal or a scam? Let's see what we can discover. Also see the Neora Fit Review
What Is Neora EHT?
From the website of the company that makes this supplement, we learn EHT for the brain it is “a mixture of bioactive molecules isolated from coffee that helps strengthen neural connections and promote optimal brain health.”
What does that mean?
That description is pretty vague but it sounds like Nerium EHT is supposed to help the brain work better. They used to call this a “mind enhancement formula” although that wording has since been removed from the company website. Anything that could help the brain work better might – in theory – lead to several health benefits ranging from improved memory to protection against dementia.
We'll address some of these issues in the sections below.
Nerium EHT Ingredients
According to the product website (Nerium.com) a box contains a 30-day supply. Taking 1 tablet of Nerium EHT has the following ingredients:
| Nutrient | Amount Per Serving | Percent Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) | 2000 IU | 500% DV |
| Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine HCL) | 1.6 mg | 80% DV |
| Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) | 10 mcg | 167% DV |
| Magnesium (from 100 mg mag citrate) | 16 mg | 4% DV |
| Selenium (selenomethionine) | 70 mcg | 100% DV |
| Huperzine-A | 50 mcg | N/A |
| Alpha lipoic acid | 50 mg | N/A |
| EHT (proprietary coffee blend) | 35 mg | N/A |
In the table above, “N/A” means there is no daily value for that particular nutrient.
While the product website says the product also contains sodium hyaluronate, this ingredient is not listed on the Supplement Facts label.
While vitamin B12 was originally present as cyanocobalamin, this has been changed to methylcobalamin. This is a trendy ingredient, but I don't see an advantage to it for most people.
Other Ingredients
Nerium EHT also has the following “other ingredients” listed. I’ve put them in order as they appear on the label:
- Dicalcium phosphate
- Microcrystalline cellulose
The tablet coating of the product is composed of :
- Polyvinyl alcohol
- Titanium dioxide (color)
- Macrogol
- Vanillin (extract of a vanilla bean)
- Talc
- Croscarmellose sodium
- Stearic acid
- Magnesium stearate
- Silica
These other ingredients likely play no role in any benefits from the product.
Now, let's see if the EHT brain formula supplement has any memory research. After that, we'll look at the research on its ingredients.
Neora EHT Research
Does Nerium EHT have any proof that it really improves memory?
Searching clinical databases for studies revealed none.
No relevant investigations showed up.
- Likewise, the company website shows no studies either.
All this tells this reporter that no clinical evidence exists for this supplement.
Summary of Search Results:
- Pubmed.gov: no studies located
- ClinicalTrials.gov: no studies located
- Google search: no studies located
- Neora.com: no studies located
If there are clinical research studies on Nerium EHT and memory, they cannot be found.
That doesn't necessarily mean the product doesn't work. Rather, it just means nobody has tested it – yet. And that includes the Nerium company too. When those studies are conducted and published, I will update this review as I become aware of them.
To be clear, there is research on EHT – which is the namesake ingredient in this supplement. The research on EHT will be summarized below.
Let's look at the research on the ingredients in the Nerium EHT.
Neora EHT Ingredient Research
From the Ingredients list above, we can see that 1 tablet of Nerium EHT contains:
- Vitamin D 2000IU
- Vitamin B6 1.6 mg
- Vitamin B12 10 mcg
- Magnesium 16 mg
- Selenium 70 mcg
While these are all fine nutrients for healthy people, I'm not convinced they contribute anything significant to helping memory, dementia or the immune system etc., beyond what we might get in the diet naturally or in a regular multivitamin.
Of course, those who are not so healthy might benefit from these nutrients, but for the most part, a multivitamin and vitamin D supplement will cover these bases. As such, I won't cover the vitamins or minerals in this review.
If Nerium EHT really works, I think the answer lies with its other ingredients.
Let's look at those now.
Huperzine A
Each tablet of Nerium EHT has 50 mcg of Huperzine. The scientific name for this herb is Huperzia Serrata. It is sometimes also called Chinese club moss or “Hup A.” Another name for Huperzine A is Selagine.
There have been several studies noting that Huperzine A may be of benefit to people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. It might do this because Huperzine A appears to prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine (say, uh-see-tul-co-lean) a chemical involved in memory. It does this by inhibiting an enzyme (called acetylcholinesterase) that is involved in the breakdown of acetylcholine.
In other words, by knocking out the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, the levels of acetylcholine in the brain rise and the chemical stays around longer. Theoretically, this might help boost memory.
Nerium EHT does appear to contain an amount of huperzine A (50 micrograms) that has been used in clinical trials. That is encouraging. Studies show that it may take 2-8 weeks before differences are noticed. This is a general rule, and I'm sure this would vary according to how bad the memory problems were, the medications people take, and other factors.
Do All Studies Say Huperzine Works?
No. Some research says huperzine may not work. This may be due to issues involved in purifying the Huperzine A compound and extracting it from the plant. Remember, plants contain thousands of different chemicals. Huperzine is only one of them.
Several of the studies appear to come from China. While they do appear to show Huperzine A may work, at least one study notes that because of problems with how some of the studies were conducted, caution and more research is needed.
Sometimes Huperzine A is touted to improve memory in healthy people without memory problems. But, I can only find one study. For me, one study is not enough evidence – yet – to say healthy people need it.
Huperzine A has been in other memory supplements, too such as:
See those reviews for more information.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Alpha-lipoic acid may be in some diabetes and weight loss supplements. There does appear to be a connection between diabetes/insulin resistance and getting dementia. I've even seen Alzheimer's disease called “Type III diabetes” to drive this message home.
Thus, adding this alpha lipoic acid to a memory supplement does, in theory, make some sense. If we can reduce blood sugar levels, we might also reduce dementia.
But does alpha lipoic acid improve memory? More research is needed. One review of alpha lipoic acid dementia research found no good proof it helped people with memory issues.
One study has noted alpha lipoic helped memory, but this study seems to have problems with how it was conducted. Also, that study used 600 mg. Nerium EHT only has 50 mg.
Alpha-lipoic acid is also in the memory supplement Procera AVH. See that review for more information.
Here's alpha-lipoic acid on Amazon
EHT
The EHT molecule is an ingredient in the Nerium EHT supplement. The EHT molecule is derived from coffee and is a mixture of several different compounds. What does EHT stand for?
EHT stands for “Eicosanoyl-5-HydroxyTryptamide.”
Now, you know why they call it EHT.
It's said researchers at Signum Biosciences noticed that people with severe memory decline had a disruption of a regulator protein called PP2A. The PP2A protein regulator is said to help keep the connections between brain cells “robust and healthy.”
Theoretically, anything that could help increase the PP2A, might let brain cells talk to each other better. This might help memory and other things that PP2A helps regulate.
This does sound interesting. So, is there any research on EHT? Yes, there is.
Let's look at that research next.
EHT Research
Sigmun Biosciences had an EHT supplement called ME Sports, which was marketed to athletes. That product website – MeSports.me – redirects people to NeriumEHT.com.
They say that “ME™ sports has been shown to be beneficial in vivo models of cognition, memory and motor function.” The phrase “in vivo” basically means conducted in animals/not in a test tube. While that's good, it's not the same thing as human studies.
On the website of Signum Biosciences, several clinical studies are listed. I will link to the studies below so you can see it as you conduct your own research. This research is complicated. Even the titles of the studies sound complicated.
Research Summary
Instead of getting bogged down in explaining the research, I'll just list the study name and give a quick breakdown as to whether it involved people, lab animals or was test tube research (which I define as research not occurring in living animals).
By breaking the research down this way, you can get a better idea of how far along with the current research on EHT.
Here are the studies listed in support of the EHT compound.
| Study Title | Type of Study |
|---|---|
| EHT™ coffee extract: A neuroprotective agent and modulator of PP2A methylation with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties (S16.006) (2015) | Test tube study |
| Therapeutic benefits of a component of coffee in a rat model of Alzheimer disease. (2014) | Rat study |
| Neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties of a coffee component in the MPTP model of Parkinson's diseasedisease. (2013) | Mouse study |
| Enhanced phosphatase activity attenuates α-synucleinopathy in a mouse model. (2011) | Mouse study |
| The structural basis for tight control of PP2A methylation and function by LCMT-1 (2011) | Test tube study |
| Phosphoprotein phosphatase 2A: a novel druggable target for Alzheimer’s disease (2011) | Review paper of previous research |
| Protein carboxyl methylation and the biochemistry of memory. (2009) | Study involving isolated cells. |
| Mechanisms of tau-induced neurodegeneration. (2009) | Review paper of previous research |
| From promiscuity to precision: protein phosphatases get a makeover. (2009) | Test tube study |
| Protein carboxyl methylation and the biochemistry of memory. (2009) | Test tube study. |
| Structural mechanism of demethylation and inactivation of protein phosphatase 2A. (2008) | Test tube study |
| Tau hyperphosphorylation correlates with reduced methylation of protein phosphatase 2A.(2008) | Test tube study of mouse and human cells |
| Structure of a protein phosphatase 2A holoenzyme: insights into B55-mediated Tau dephosphorylation. (2008) | Test tube study |
| Protein Phosphatase 2A Methyltransferase Links Homocysteine Metabolism with Tau and Amyloid Precursor Protein Regulation (2007) | Mouse study |
| Downregulation of protein phosphatase 2A carboxyl methylation and methyltransferase may contribute to Alzheimer disease pathogenesis.(2004) | Test tube study |
| Altered expression levels of the protein phosphatase 2A ABalphaC enzyme are associated with Alzheimer disease pathology. (2004) | Test tube study. Appears similar to previous study. Same authors. |
| Protein phosphatase 2A methylation: a link between elevated plasma homocysteine and Alzheimer's Disease. (2002) | Test tube study. |
As can be seen from the table above, there is a need for human research.
What About The Princeton University Study?
Some may have also heard of a study at Princeton University. This investigation was an undergraduate senior thesis on EHT. The title of the thesis is “The Neuroprotective Effects of Eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide in an in vitro Model for Parkinson’s Disease.”
This is not a human study.
Essentially, human cells were treated with Signum EHT to see what happened. This investigation showed the EHT molecule has a cell-protective effect. While the investigator used human cells, isolated cells -even from humans – are not the same as testing EHT in humans.
Let me be clear: I listed the studies like this not to slam the product or deprecate any company. Rather, the goal was to make it easier for you to understand this very complicated research better. As this reporter becomes aware of more evidence,f this section will be updated.
EHT vs. EHT 0202
EHT0202 is an Alzheimer's drug. It is not the same thing as EHT, the supplement.
The reasons for this are because:
- EHT is a product of Signum Biosciences located in New Jersey. The EHT 0202 drug was developed by a French company called Diaxonhit (formally called Exonhit).
- Performing online searches for “Signum Biosciences and Exonhit” (or Diaxonhit) does not reveal anything showing these compounds are the same.
Because of this, Brand Partners should not confuse research on EHT0202 with Neora EHT. Their names are very similar so it's easy to confuse them.
Does Neora EHT Have Caffeine?
I think the answer is yes and no. The EHT brain formula is decaffeinated, but I've also seen it said it has a small amount of caffeine. They say the amount of caffeine is less than is in a decaffeinated cup of coffee.
That's very little caffeine. I don't think most people would notice it. Some people have left comments below saying they had trouble sleeping. Whether or not this is related to caffeine, I can't say.
Neora and Dementia
Can the EHT brain supplement reduce risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s or improve memory if it were taken long-term? It's a tantalizing idea to be sure. Currently, there is just not enough evidence to say yes or no to this question.
For those who have dementia or are thinking about EHT for their family members who already have cognitive insufficiency problems, the best advice is to show the ingredients this supplement to their doctor.
Food for thought: Evidence suggests regular exercise can preserve brain health.
Neora EHT and Concussions
In the past, the Sigmun Biosciences website used to contain an EHT supplement called “Me Sports” where “Me” stands for “Mind Enhancement.” They used to say that Me Sports “provides the best protection for your brain.” References to Me Sports no longer appear on the Sigmun website. It has been replaced by Neora EHT and may be discontinued.
Does Nerium EHT help with concussions? Currently, there is a lack of proof showing the supplement helps recovery from concussions or traumatic brain injuries or reduces their risk either.
Neither Neora or the Sigmond Biosciences websites make any claims the product helps concussions.
Can EHT Help Parkinson's
Can EHT help Parkinson's disease? For now, the proof is lacking.
There are references to Nerium EHT being endorsed by the Michael J. Fox Foundation. But, according to the website Truth in Advertising, this is not true. While the Michael J. Fox Foundation does seek a cure for Parkinson's, they do not endorse any specifics treatments.
The Michael J Fox Foundation has awarded grants to Signum Biosciences to investigate PP2A as it relates to Parkinson's. Stay tuned for the results of those studies.
Neora EHT and ADHD
Does EHT help people with ADD or ADHD? Evidence is lacking. It may or may not. There is not enough research on Attention Deficient Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to provide a verdict either way.
Neora EHT and Exercise
The company which invented the EHT molecule has a paper titled ” EHT® Age-Defying Supplement: Scientific Rationale for Boosting Workout and Post-Workout Recovery.” This paper (which can be found by doing an online search) is not a peer-reviewed clinical study. Rather, it discusses how the ingredients in EHT might reduce inflammation that occurs after intense exercise and improve recovery.
No doubt, there is human research on the vitamins/ minerals in the product. The EHT molecule also might-in theory- hold promise too.
But, whether or not Nerium EHT would benefit people who do CrossFit, Zumba, Tabata or any other exercise program is speculation until the research is published.
Is Neora EHT FDA Approved?
The FDA doesn't technically “approve” supplements. This is part of the US law that regulates supplements, called DSHEA, which is short for the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. In the US, supplement companies do not have to tell the FDA that they are making a new supplement or get FDAs approval before a supplement is marketed to the public.
Who Makes EHT?
There are two different companies involved with this dietary supplement:
- Neora
- Signum Biosciences
Let's look briefly look at each company separately.
The Neora Company
According to the company website (Neora.com), the company is a “relationship marketing company.” That means they offer a variety of products that are sold via distributors, called “Brand Partners.” In other words, Neora is a multi-level marketing company. Nothing wrong with that. It's how they do business.
The company address is 4006 Belt Line Road Addison, TX 75001. The address listed with the Better Business Bureau is a bit different than this, but in the same office building: 4004 Belt Line Rd STE 112, Addison, TX 75001-4356.
Each address corresponds to the same business center. If you Google the address, you can see what it looks like.
The company did have an A rating with the Better Business Bureau but this was revoked. See the BBB file for updates and more information.
Signum Biosciences
Signum Biosciences is the company that discovered the EHT molecule. They are a privately held biotechnology company founded in 2002. The company is located at 11 Deerpark Dr Monmouth Jct, NJ 08852.
The former company address was 133 Wall Street Princeton, NJ 08540.
Their contact phone number: 732.329.6344.
See their BBB file for updates and more information.
Contact Neora
The company can be reached at these phone numbers:
- USA: 855-463-7486
- Canada: 888-304-6046
Buy Neora EHT
The supplement is not sold in stores like Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Costco, RiteAid, Sames Club, Kroger or Food Lion. To purchase Nerium, most people go through a Nerium Brand Ambassador. Another option is to purchase directly from Nerium.com.
When doing this, you have the option to give the name of the ambassador who referred you, but this is not mandatory. In other words, you don't need an ambassador when purchasing from their website. This means the company may be in competition with ambassadors for sales.
The company tells me products purchased through Amazon/eBay are endorsed and the warranty does not apply. That said, Amazon and eBay are pretty good with returns. I've returned things in the past and never had any issues.
How Much Does It Cost?
When I checked the company website, for a 1 month's supply (non-returning customer), the cost was $89.95, and for auto-shipments, it was $69.95. These amounts include $9.95 shipping. When I checked, it was less expensive on Amazon.
Binding Arbitration
Supplement companies often have an arbitration clause when purchasing products from their site. This is to protect them from class-action lawsuits. This makes sense. It looks like this might be the cause of Nerium.com also. The Terms and Conditions page of Nerium.com states
“The arbitration shall be conducted before a single arbitrator, and shall not be conducted on a class-wide, class-action, or multiple-complaining-party basis. The prevailing party shall recover its attorneys’ fee and costs from the losing party.”
While I'm not a lawyer this looks like people waive certain rights -like jury trial- when purchasing products from their website. Nobody wants to be sued so I understand companies trying to shield themselves from what can sometimes be frivolous legal battles. I bring this up in case it matters to anyone.
How To Take Neora EHT
The company website says to take 1 tablet per day with food in the morning, preferably with some food that has healthy fats. This is likely to increase absorption. A box contains 30 tablets, so this will last a month.
Neora EHT Side Effects
I believe the EHT Brain Formula supplement is safe in healthy people. I’m not aware of any side effects from the product at the time this review was created. There is also a lack of human research on this product as well. That said, here are a few things worth mentioning. Speak to your doctor if you think any of this applies to you. This list is not complete:
- Start with less than suggested for the first week to see how you respond
- Stop taking the supplement at least 2 weeks before surgery
- Speak to your doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
- If you take ANY medications, speak to your doctor or pharmacist first
- Huperzine A might slow down the heart rate. This may be a problem for people taking some medications, such as those for heart disease and/or high blood pressure.
- If the product contains a little bit of caffeine, this might interfere with sleep if taken close to bedtime especially in those very sensitive to caffeine. A few people in the comments below have said they had trouble sleeping after starting the product.
Neora EHT Pro and Con
Here is a quick rundown of what I liked and didn't like about this supplement. These are my opinions. Take them for what they are.
| Pro | Con |
|---|---|
| Been around a long time | Expensive |
| Company is respected | No human clinical proof |
Does Neora EHT Work?
While preliminary research hints the compound EHT, might have benefits, I think it's too soon to tell. This supplement has been out for a few years now and the company has not published clinical studies to back up its claims. While of the ingredients in Nerium EHT appear to make sense on paper, to know for sure, it needs to be tested in people in clinical studies published in medical journals. So, is it a scam? Many people say it's not. Many have said it's the real deal. Stay tuned for more research.
Here it is on Amazon
Any Questions or Comments?