Have any supplements been studied for focus & attention?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    Numerous supplements have been studied for their effects on focus and attention. For most supplements, rigorous trials testing efficacy in large numbers of participants is lacking. Caffeine[1] and the amino acid L-theanine[2] are notable exceptions, with a large body of high-quality evidence demonstrating their efficacy for enhancing focus and attention, particularly when taken together.[3]

    The following additional supplements have been studied for their effects on focus & attention:[4]

    • L-Tyrosine: this amino acid has been shown to have positive effects on attention[5] and cognitive function under stressful conditions.[6]
    • Omega-3 fatty acids: although omega-3 fats such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are essential for, and present at high levels in, the brain, studies on the effects of omega 3 supplements on attention have reported mixed results.[7][8]
    • B vitamins[9]
    • Nitrates[10]
    • Flavonoids and flavones[4]
    • Ginkgo biloba[11]
    • Ginseng[12]
    • Prebiotics[13]

    References

    1. ^Einöther SJ, Giesbrecht TCaffeine as an attention enhancer: reviewing existing assumptions.Psychopharmacology (Berl).(2013-Jan)
    2. ^Dassanayake TL, Kahathuduwa CN, Weerasinghe VSL-theanine improves neurophysiological measures of attention in a dose-dependent manner: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.Nutr Neurosci.(2022-Apr)
    3. ^Chanaka N Kahathuduwa, Tharaka L Dassanayake, A M Tissa Amarakoon, Vajira S WeerasingheAcute effects of theanine, caffeine and theanine-caffeine combination on attentionNutr Neurosci.(2017 Jul)
    4. ^Diane E Pomeroy, Katie L Tooley, Bianka Probert, Alexandra Wilson, Eva KempsA Systematic Review of the Effect of Dietary Supplements on Cognitive Performance in Healthy Young Adults and Military PersonnelNutrients.(2020 Feb 20)
    5. ^Kishore K, Ray K, Anand JP, Thakur L, Kumar S, Panjwani UTyrosine ameliorates heat induced delay in event related potential P300 and contingent negative variation.Brain Cogn.(2013-Dec)
    6. ^Colzato LS, Jongkees BJ, Sellaro R, Hommel BWorking memory reloaded: tyrosine repletes updating in the N-back task.Front Behav Neurosci.(2013)
    7. ^Teo L, Crawford C, Yehuda R, Jaghab D, Bingham JJ, Chittum HK, Gallon MD, O'Connell ML, Arzola SM, Berry KOmega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to optimize cognitive function for military mission-readiness: a systematic review and recommendations for the field.Nutr Rev.(2017-Jun-01)
    8. ^Isabelle Bauer, Matthew Hughes, Renee Rowsell, Robyn Cockerell, Andrew Pipingas, Sheila Crewther, David CrewtherOmega-3 supplementation improves cognition and modifies brain activation in young adultsHum Psychopharmacol.(2014 Mar)
    9. ^Bryan J, Calvaresi E, Hughes DShort-term folate, vitamin B-12 or vitamin B-6 supplementation slightly affects memory performance but not mood in women of various ages.J Nutr.(2002-Jun)
    10. ^Kevin G Thompson, Louise Turner, Jonathon Prichard, Fiona Dodd, David O Kennedy, Crystal Haskell, James R Blackwell, Andrew M JonesInfluence of dietary nitrate supplementation on physiological and cognitive responses to incremental cycle exerciseRespir Physiol Neurobiol.(2014 Mar 1)
    11. ^Kennedy DO, Scholey AB, Wesnes KAModulation of cognition and mood following administration of single doses of Ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and a ginkgo/ginseng combination to healthy young adultsPhysiol Behav.(2002 Apr 15)
    12. ^Hye-Bin Yeo, Ho-Kyoung Yoon, Heon-Jeong Lee, Seung-Gul Kang, Ki-Young Jung, Leen KimEffects of Korean Red Ginseng on Cognitive and Motor Function: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled TrialJ Ginseng Res.(2012 Apr)
    13. ^Smith AP, Sutherland D, Hewlett PAn Investigation of the Acute Effects of Oligofructose-Enriched Inulin on Subjective Wellbeing, Mood and Cognitive Performance.Nutrients.(2015-Oct-28)