Procera Review
Procera is a cognition-boosting supplement which promises to reverse the effects of aging. Procera advertisements frequently mention the fact that we lose one third of our brain power by the age of 40, and 50% by the age of 50.
Do you actually need Procera? What are the ingredients? Will it truly reverse the effects of aging?
Find out today in our Procera review.
What is Procera?
Procera, also known as Procera AVH, is a cognitive health supplement which promises to restore your ability to form memories. Specifically, Procera promises to “restore up to 15 years of lost memory power in as little as 30 days.”
As mentioned above, our brain’s ability to form memories declines as we age. The older we get, the more difficult it is to store information and recall that information at a later date.
Procera aims to rejuvenate brain cells which have grown tired with age. It does that using three “brain energy nutrients” which “light up aging brains like a Christmas tree.”
Procera does not call itself a drug: it calls itself a dietary supplement. If Procera called itself a drug, it would be subject to regulation from the FDA. Dietary supplements are totally unregulated by the FDA and other governing bodies in the United States.
Procera is manufactured by a company called Brain Research Labs. That company is located at 325 Smith Street in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. However, looking at that address on Google Maps will reveal a residential neighborhood. Other listed addresses for Brain Research Labs include 15820 Euclid Ave in Chino, California – although Google claims that this address belongs to another company called Priority Business Services.
According to the Better Business Bureau, Brain Research Labs may go by another name: Key View Labs. That company also manufactures a supplement called Brain Booster Ceraplex.
In May 2014, Brain Research Labs had an “F” rating on the Better Business Bureau. Today, that page has disappeared and BBB simply redirects searchers to Key View Labs, which claims to be headquartered at 5737 Benjamin Center Drive in Tampa, Florida.
You can learn more about Procera at the official website, ProceraHealth.com
Procera Products
Procera AVH is the company’s flagship product: it’s the one best known and most-advertised. However, Procera and its affiliated brands sell a number of other supplements which target brain activity. Those supplements include:
— Procera XTF (enhances focus)
— Triomega DHA (promotes overall brain health)
— Ceraplex (detoxifies the brain)
— Procera GBA (encourages healthy sleep cycles)
How Does Procera Work?
Procera AVH uses a unique blend of ingredients to target the brain. Each capsule contains a proprietary blend called Provera AVH. One serving is three capsules, and three capsules contain a total of 1,515mg of formula.
Procera doesn’t list the exact amount of each ingredient included in its formula. Since there are no other ingredients in Procera, we know very little about the formula aside from the actual names of the ingredients.
Here are all of the ingredients included in a capsule of Procera:
— Acetyl-L Carnitine HCL
— Vinpocetine
— Huperzine A
That’s the main formula. Those three ingredients make up the “AVH” in Procera AVH. All three ingredients have been studied for decades for their beneficial effects on the brain, and they’re commonly found in many other nootropic supplements.
Additional ingredients include: Vegetable cellulose capsule, microcrystalline cellulose, silicon dioxide, stearic acid-vegetable source, magnesium stearate vegetable, and titanium dioxide.
Scientific Evidence for Procera
Procera itself has only been studied once, and that study was published in a journal called the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association (JANA). That journal is not listed on in the National Library of Medicine.
However, the results of the study are worth mentioning.
The study was published in JANA in 2009. The study lasted 30 days and involved 90 people, although only 74 of those people completed the study.
Participants were randomly separated into two groups. One group took 1515mg of Procera per day, while the other group took 1515mg of a placebo per day.
The average age of the Procera group was 48, while the average age of the placebo group was 47. All participants were between the ages of 22 and 66.
Here are the notable results of the study:
— Participants In The Procera Group Reported A “Significant Reduction In Anger And Hostility” Compared To The Placebo Group
— There Was A Significant Change In Mood In Those Taking Procera Compared To The Placebo
— Word Recognition Was Significantly Improved In Those Taking Procera
The study does not mention any additional benefits about memory formation or cognitive performance. Instead, Procera AVH was simply observed to boost word recognition and improve mood.
You can view the full study here.
There are a few problems with this study: it was 50% funded by Brain Research Labs. If you’ve been paying attention, then you know that Brain Research Labs is also the manufacturer of Procera AVH. According to reports, Brain Research Labs donated all the Procera AVH used in the study.
Another problem is that the study excluded people who were already taking medications. Many elderly people who suffer from memory problems take medications of some form or another, so it may have been beneficial to measure the effects of Procera’s interactions with different medications.
One final problem is that participants were between the ages of 22 and 66, with the average age being 47 or 48. Despite what the manufacturers of Procera claim, most people don’t suffer memory problems until later in life, which means that Procera wasn’t exactly testing the supplement on its target audience.
To date, this is the only published study on Procera AVH. However, you can find other studies assessing the individual benefits of the three ingredients inside Procera, including Huperzine A, Vinpocetine, and Acetyl-L Carnitine HCL.
Huperzine A, for example, was shown to improve memory and boost test scores in a Chinese study, although other studies have not drawn the same conclusions.
In one study on 12 healthy volunteers, Vinpocetine was observed to boost memory after a single 40mg dose. Studies on adults with dementia have been inconclusive.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine hasn’t been studied as much as the other two ingredients: the only studies performed so far have been clinical studies in regards to Alzheimer’s, which have drawn mixed conclusions.
In summary, more studies need to be performed on Procera and its listed ingredients before any reasonable conclusions can be drawn about the cognitive-boosting effects.
Buying Procera Online
You can purchase Procera AVH at the official website, ProceraHealth.com. From there, the supplement costs $49.95 for a one month supply.
Each package contains 90 capsules, and you take three capsules per day.
Procera is also available at Amazon.com, where a single box of 60 capsules (a 20 day supply) costs $37.49.
Aside from Amazon and the official online store, you may be able to buy Procera AVH at GNC retail outlets and the online store. The online member price for GNC is $35.99 for a 60 tablet pack, with non-members paying $39.99.
How to Use Procera
The manufacturers of Procera recommend taking three capsules per day. They also claim you should not take Procera AVH on an empty stomach, and that you should take all three capsules at the same time.
Some of the ingredients are fat-soluble, so the manufacturer recommends eating Procera with a “snack that preferably contains some fat (like nuts)”. This will boost digestion and absorption.
Conclusion: Who Should Use Procera AVH?
Procera AVH, as the name suggests, includes three ingredients: Acetyl-L Carnitine, Vinpocetine, and Huperzine-A. That’s why it’s called Procera AVH. Get it?
These ingredients can be found in a diverse range of nootropic supplements. In fact, the same three ingredients are found in virtually identical amounts in a supplement called Focus Factor.
If you think your memory needs a boost, then Procera AVH may be the right nootropic supplement for you.
