Disclosure: MemoPryl is the product published by this site, and we may earn a commission if you buy through our links. That does not change the facts below: every claim about Prevagen and Neuriva is drawn from public labels, published studies and regulatory records, which we cite. We did not run our own lab or efficacy tests.
Quick Answer
None of these three supplements is clinically proven to improve memory or prevent cognitive decline. They differ mainly in formula breadth, transparency, regulatory record, guarantee and price:
- Prevagen — a single jellyfish-protein ingredient; a U.S. federal court ordered its maker in December 2024 to stop claiming it improves memory.
- Neuriva — two low-dose ingredients; its parent company faced a class-action over “clinically proven” marketing.
- MemoPryl — a broader six-ingredient blend with a full disclosed label, a clean regulatory record and a 60-day money-back guarantee, though its finished formula has not been clinically tested either.
At-a-glance comparison
| Factor | MemoPryl | Prevagen | Neuriva |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active ingredients | 6 (Bacopa, Ginkgo, Lion’s Mane, L-Theanine, Phosphatidylserine, Rhodiola) | 1 (apoaequorin) | 2 (coffee fruit extract + phosphatidylserine) |
| Full label disclosed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Finished-product clinical trial | No (states this openly) | One company-funded trial that missed its primary endpoints | One small company-funded 42-day trial |
| Independent evidence of benefit | Limited — ingredient-level only | Weak — no independent replication | Limited — ingredient-level only |
| Regulatory / legal record | No FTC or AG action on record | Federal court ordered claims stopped (Dec 2024) | Class-action over “clinically proven” marketing |
| Money-back guarantee | 60 days | Varies by retailer | Retailer return policy |
| Where to buy | Online (official site) | Pharmacies, Amazon, official site | Walmart, Target, Amazon, pharmacies |
| Notable cautions | Ginkgo Biloba may interact with blood thinners | Apoaequorin digested like any protein; reaching the brain unproven | Very low ingredient doses; decaffeinated |
How we compared them
Our ranking is based on three things anyone can verify: the published ingredient label, the peer-reviewed research on those ingredients, and the public regulatory record (FTC actions, attorney-general rulings and class-action filings). We deliberately do not assign efficacy “scores” out of 100, because no one — including the manufacturers — has the clinical data to justify them. Where a product has a documented legal or regulatory problem, we say so and link to the source.
Prevagen: one ingredient, a failed trial and a court order
Prevagen, made by Quincy Bioscience, is built around apoaequorin, a protein originally found in glowing jellyfish. The company's single human study, the 2016 Madison Memory Study, did not show a statistically significant improvement over placebo across its nine cognitive tasks; the favorable results came from post-hoc subgroup analysis that critics called p-hacking. The FTC and the New York Attorney General sued in 2017, and in December 2024 a federal court ordered the company to stop claiming Prevagen improves memory or is “clinically proven.” Scientists in the case also noted apoaequorin is digested in the stomach like any dietary protein, with no evidence it reaches the brain.
Honest takeaway: heavily marketed to older adults, but it carries the weakest evidence of the three and the only finding of deceptive claims by a court.
Neuriva: two low-dose actives and a marketing lawsuit
Neuriva (Schiff, owned by Reckitt) uses two active ingredients: about 100 mg of coffee fruit extract (marketed as Neurofactor) and about 100 mg of phosphatidylserine. Phosphatidylserine has some legitimate research for memory in older adults; coffee fruit extract has far less independent support. The finished product was tested in one small, company-funded 42-day trial with mixed results, and in 2021 the parent company faced a class-action over its “clinically proven” advertising, after which it softened that language.
Honest takeaway: cheap, widely available and safe at these doses, but the formula is thin and the evidence is limited.
MemoPryl: broader formula, full label, clean record — but still unproven
MemoPryl uses a six-ingredient blend: Bacopa Monnieri, Ginkgo Biloba, Lion’s Mane, L-Theanine, Phosphatidylserine and Rhodiola Rosea. Several of these have modest, mixed individual research for memory and focus (Bacopa and phosphatidylserine are the best supported). It is made in an FDA-registered, GMP-compliant facility, publishes its full label, has no FTC or attorney-general action on record, and comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
To be fair and clear: the finished MemoPryl formula has not been put through its own clinical trial, and ingredient research is not the same as proof of the product. MemoPryl is sold online rather than in stores, and its marketing leans on time-limited discounts. Because it contains Ginkgo Biloba, it can interact with blood thinners and some medications — clear this with your doctor first.
Honest takeaway: the broadest disclosed formula and the cleanest regulatory record of the three, with a real refund window — which is why, for readers who want to try a comprehensive blend with a way out, it is our pick of these three. It is still not a proven memory cure.
Want to try the broadest formula with a refund window?
MemoPryl combines six disclosed ingredients in one daily capsule, made in an FDA-registered, GMP-compliant U.S. facility, backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee so you can judge the effect for yourself.
Check MemoPryl Availability & Today’s Price →Dietary supplement. Not a treatment for any disease. Individual results vary.
The honest verdict
If you are choosing strictly among these three: MemoPryl offers the most complete disclosed formula, the cleanest regulatory history and a genuine 60-day guarantee; Neuriva is the budget, in-store option with a minimal formula; and Prevagen is the one we would steer away from, given its failed trial and the 2024 court order against its memory claims. But the most important sentence in this article is this one: no over-the-counter supplement is proven to prevent or reverse memory loss. If your memory changes are sudden, worsening or affecting daily life, the highest-value step is not a supplement — it is an appointment with your doctor.
Frequently asked questions
Is MemoPryl, Prevagen, or Neuriva clinically proven to improve memory?
No. None of the three finished products has robust, independent clinical evidence that it improves memory or prevents cognitive decline. Prevagen's maker was ordered by a federal court in December 2024 to stop claiming the product improves memory, and Neuriva's parent company faced a class-action over its “clinically proven” marketing. MemoPryl is honest that its finished formula has not been clinically tested. Some individual ingredients have modest research, but ingredient studies are not the same as proof of the product.
What is the main difference between the three?
Formula breadth and track record. Prevagen is built around a single jellyfish protein (apoaequorin). Neuriva uses two actives (coffee fruit extract and phosphatidylserine). MemoPryl uses a broader six-ingredient blend and publishes its full label, has no adverse FTC or attorney-general ruling against it, and offers a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Why did the FTC take action against Prevagen?
In 2017 the FTC and the New York Attorney General sued Prevagen's maker, Quincy Bioscience, alleging false memory claims. The company's own human trial (the 2016 Madison Memory Study) failed to show a statistically significant benefit across its nine cognitive tasks. In December 2024 a federal court ordered the company to stop claiming Prevagen improves memory or is “clinically proven.”
Is MemoPryl safe to take?
MemoPryl is made in an FDA-registered, GMP-compliant facility and is generally well tolerated, but it is not risk-free. Ginkgo Biloba can interact with blood thinners, antiplatelet drugs and some medications. Talk to your doctor before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescriptions, are pregnant or nursing, or have surgery scheduled.
Which is the best value?
Neuriva is the cheapest per day and is sold in retail stores, but it has the narrowest formula. MemoPryl costs more per bottle but includes more researched ingredients and a 60-day guarantee, so you can trial it for a full cycle and request a refund if you see no benefit. Prevagen is typically the most expensive relative to its single-ingredient formula.
Should I take a supplement for memory loss at all?
If your memory concerns are mild and age-related, a supplement is a low-stakes experiment — but keep expectations realistic, since none is proven. If memory loss is sudden, worsening, or interfering with daily life, that is a medical issue: see a doctor rather than relying on any supplement. No over-the-counter product treats or prevents Alzheimer's or dementia.
Related comparisons & guides
Sources & References
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission. “Statement on FTC's Win in Lawsuit Against the Makers of Dietary Supplement Prevagen” (Dec 2024). ftc.gov
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission. “Prevagen complaint suggests mindfulness about memory claims” (2017). ftc.gov
- ConsumerLab. “Does Neuriva improve memory or cognitive function?” consumerlab.com
- Truth in Advertising. “Neuriva's ‘Clinically Proven’ Ingredients Claims.” truthinadvertising.org
- Pase MP, et al. (2012). “The cognitive-enhancing effects of Bacopa monnieri: a systematic review of randomized, controlled human clinical trials.” J Altern Complement Med, 18(7). PubMed
- Glade MJ, Smith K. (2015). “Phosphatidylserine and the human brain.” Nutrition, 31(6). PubMed