The Kasivit Clarion is a dietary supplement. Per serving (2 capsules; 30 servings per container) the Supplement Facts label lists 22 vitamins and minerals plus a 609 mg proprietary blend of 18 ingredients: DMAE bitartrate, L-glutamine HCl, glutamic acid, green tea extract, Bacopa monnieri extract, inositol, bilberry fruit extract, GABA, grape seed extract, grapefruit seed extract, olive leaf, cassia bark extract, licorice root extract, DHA (14%), boron, vanadium (as vanadyl sulfate), phosphatidylserine (from soy) and huperzine A (1%). The label does not give the amount of each blend ingredient; across 18 ingredients they average about 34 mg each. In trials, Bacopa extract on its own showed modest effects on memory test scores at 300 to 450 mg a day, and phosphatidylserine and huperzine A were studied mainly in older adults with memory problems, at amounts that this blend is unlikely to reach. No study of this formula is cited, and evidence for most of the other blend ingredients on thinking or memory is limited or was not reviewed.*
Per serving the label also lists vitamin C 125 mg, vitamin E 40 mg, vitamin B6 12 mg, folate 680 mcg DFE (400 mcg folic acid), zinc 10 mg and iron 2.6 mg. It contains soy and fish (tuna) and is not vegan. Several ingredients carry specific precautions, including huperzine A, green tea extract, licorice root extract, DMAE, grapefruit seed extract, vanadium and iron, and the vitamin B6 amount equals the upper intake level for adults set by the European Food Safety Authority (12 mg a day). Check the precautions under Who should avoid and ask a doctor or pharmacist first if you take medicines or have a medical condition.
Evidence Rating★★★★★Limited evidence · Bacopa showed modest effects on memory in trials of 300 to 450 mg of extract alone, an amount this formula's 609 mg blend of 18 ingredients may not reach; evidence for most other ingredients is limited or was not reviewed; no study of this formula is cited
✓ Third-party tested · GMP-certified manufacturing facility (NSF International) · See testing standards ›
Ingredients (per the Supplement Facts label): Vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin D (cholecalciferol), vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, biotin, pantothenic acid, choline (bitartrate), calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, potassium; proprietary blend of 609 mg (DMAE bitartrate, L-glutamine HCl, glutamic acid, green tea extract, Bacopa monnieri extract, inositol, bilberry fruit extract, GABA, grape seed extract, grapefruit seed extract, olive leaf, cassia bark extract, licorice root extract, DHA 14%, boron citrate, vanadyl sulfate, phosphatidylserine (soy), huperzine A 1%). Other ingredients: rice flour, hypromellose (vegetable capsule), magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide.
Contains: Soy & Fish (Tuna Fish).
Science behind this product
Bacopa: modest effects on memory in trials of the extract alone, at amounts this blend may not reach
A systematic review of six randomized trials in adults without dementia (all 12 weeks, 300 to 450 mg of extract per day) found better memory free recall on 9 of 17 tests and little evidence of effects in other thinking skills. A meta-analysis of nine trials of at least 12 weeks found a shorter Trail B time and a shorter choice reaction time, and its authors said a larger head-to-head trial was needed. The label does not state the Bacopa amount. Bacopa extract is listed fifth among the 18 ingredients of a 609 mg blend; if the blend is listed in descending order of weight, as US labeling rules for proprietary blends require, it provides at most about 120 mg per serving, below the 300 to 450 mg used in these trials. Source Source
DHA: no benefit in healthy older adults in a Cochrane review, and a much smaller amount here
A Cochrane review of three trials in cognitively healthy adults aged 60 and over found no difference between omega-3 and placebo in Mini-Mental State Examination scores after 24 or 40 months in two of them, and no benefit on other cognitive tests in two. A separate meta-analysis found better episodic memory with DHA or DHA plus EPA in adults with mild memory complaints, and with more than 1 g a day of DHA/EPA regardless of baseline status. The label lists DHA 14% as the 14th of 18 blend ingredients, so by weight order it provides at most about 6 mg of DHA per serving, far below 1 g a day. The DHA is from tuna, which is why the label states fish. Source Source
Huperzine A and phosphatidylserine: studied in older adults with memory problems, at higher amounts
A meta-analysis of four randomized trials of huperzine A (300 to 500 micrograms a day for 8 to 24 weeks) in people with Alzheimer's disease reported better Mini-Mental State Examination scores and daily-living scores, with mostly cholinergic side effects. In a phase II trial in 210 people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, 200 micrograms twice daily did not change the main cognitive score at 16 weeks, and a secondary analysis of 400 micrograms twice daily showed an improvement at 11 weeks that was no longer statistically significant at 16 weeks. In a trial of 494 older adults with moderate to severe cognitive decline, phosphatidylserine 300 mg a day for 6 months was associated with better scores than placebo, while in a trial of 78 adults with memory complaints scores rose in all groups including placebo and the difference was seen only in those with lower scores at the start. Huperzine A (1%) is the last of 18 blend ingredients, so by weight order it is at most about 340 micrograms of huperzine A per serving and probably less; phosphatidylserine is listed 17th, at most about 36 mg per serving, against 100 to 300 mg a day in the trials. Results in these groups may not apply to healthy adults. Source Source Source Source
DMAE: no cognitive effect in a small trial in older adults, and an animal caution for pregnancy
DMAE bitartrate is the first ingredient listed in the blend, so it is the largest by weight, but the amount is not stated. In a trial in elderly people, deanol (DMAE) 900 mg a day for 21 days had no effect on learning a word list or on reaction-time tests, and the authors called it an ineffective treatment for normal slowing of thinking in the elderly. In a US National Toxicology Program study in pregnant rats given DMAE bitartrate (250 to 1,000 mg per kg of body weight a day), the program reported equivocal evidence of developmental toxicity, based on skeletal variations, in the absence of overt maternal toxicity. Source Source
Nutrient amounts and other ingredients that call for care
The label lists vitamin B6 at 12 mg per serving. The European Food Safety Authority set an upper intake level of 12 mg a day for adults, based on peripheral neuropathy, and the limit applies to vitamin B6 from all supplements together. Vitamin A is listed as beta-carotene; the same authority advises that smokers avoid food supplements containing beta-carotene. The amount of vanadium (as vanadyl sulfate) is not stated; a toxicology review noted that vanadyl sulfate has been used by athletes at doses up to 60 mg a day and that its toxicity is generally low, while in a small trial of 8 people with non-insulin-dependent diabetes, 50 mg twice daily lowered fasting glucose by about 20% and caused stomach side effects in six of eight patients in the first week. Grapefruit seed extract: an analysis of three commercial grapefruit seed extract liquid products found the synthetic preservative benzethonium chloride and no authentic extract, the preservative inhibited the liver enzymes CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 in the laboratory, and a patient on warfarin who took one of the products had an INR of 7.9; the label does not say whether the extract in these capsules contains a preservative. Source Source Source Source Source
Manufacturer Country: USA | Product Amount: 60 caps | Gross Weight: 0.25lb (133g)
Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, take two (2) veggie capsules once a day. For best results, take 20-30 min before a meal with an 8oz. glass of water or as directed by your healthcare professional.
Iron Warning: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Call a doctor or poison control center immediately in case of accidental overdose.
Warning: Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if the safety seal is damaged or missing. Store in a cool, dry place. The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
