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Product Review of Ortho Mind

Updated on 9th March 2009 by Dr Charles Tweed

AOR’s Ortho Mind is a well designed product for cognitive enhancement and neuroprotection.

To learn more about why this is so important, please see our review on Brain Health and the significance of age-related cognitive decline.

Here follows a brief summary of the main ingredients:

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) and Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR)
For a more in depth assessment of Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) and Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR), please see our assessments of
- Acetyl L-Carnitine
- Alpha Lipoic Acid
To summarise, there is excellent animal data to support their use in the prevention of age-related cognitive decline and very promising human studies have been started. The scientific reasoning is robust and laboratory studies show that the introduction of these nutrients prevents the changes associated with age-related cognitive decline. In a nutshell, these supplements prevent the loss in mitochondrial function and number that is the presumed cause of age related cognitive decline. It is likely that the addition of CoQ10 would increase their efficacy, but sadly no data exists on this as yet.
Huperzine A
Huperzine A was derived from a traditional Chinese therapy for the treatment of dementia and cognitive decline. There is robust evidence to support the efficacy of Huperzine A as a neuroprotective agent and also in preventing cognitive defects in a wide range of animal models. It has remarkable effects on decreasing both the formation of, and the subsequent damage that amyloid plaques can wreak on the brain. Beta amyloid plaques are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s diasease. The Cochrane database (the gold-standard for evidence based medicine) states: “From the available evidence, Huperzine A seems to have some beneficial effects on improvement of general cognitive function, global clinical status, behavioural disturbance and functional performance, with no obvious serious adverse events for patients with AD”. As such, Huperzine A is now the starting point for a number of designer drugs that are being tested against Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, which account for ~90% of the causes for cognitive decline.
Vinpocetine
Vinpocetine is a synthetic ethyl ester of apovincamine, a vinca alkaloid obtained from the leaves of the Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor) and discovered in the late 1960s. Its basic pharmacology suggests significant neuroprotective and microcirculation modifying effects that should prevent or minimise cerebral damage in the event of an insult. There are only poorly conducted studies performed on humans to date and no clear recommendation can be made at this time, although there is a trend to improved cognitive function and independence in dementia cases. It appears safe and well tolerated in doses up to 60mg per day.
Bacopa Monniera
Bacopa has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine for cognitive enhancement, as well as anti-inflammatory and other uses. To date there have been three decent studies that support its use for improving memory and cognition. The best and most recent was done last year in Melbourne, Australia. They performed a double blind, placebo controlled randomized trial using highly regarded neuropsycholgical testing tool and found statistically improved performances in a number of different categories. It is likely the effects increase over time of exposure to Bacopa, certainly to 12 weeks. Chronic (years) administration has not been studied. It appears very well tolerated over the time period of the studies.
Gingko Biloba
Much has been written about the use of Gingko in the treatment and prevention of cognitive impairment and dementia. It remains one of the most commonly taken extracts taken, and is used for a wide range of indications. However, it is our opinion that the evidence for its use for cognitive decline is minimal, and it cannot be recommended for this indication currently. Unfortunately, almost no supplement designed for cognitive function excludes it. Despite this failing, we recommend Ortho Mind for all the other ingredients included. Here is an extract from the most recent Cochrane database on Gingko Boloba: “Of the four most recent trials to report results, three found no difference between Ginkgo biloba and placebo, and one found very large treatment effects in favour of Ginkgo biloba. There are no significant differences between Ginkgo biloba and placebo in the proportion of participants experiencing adverse events. A subgroup analysis including only patients diagnosed with Alzhiemer's disease (925 patients from nine trials) also showed no consistent pattern of any benefit associated with Ginkgo biloba. AUTHOR'S CONCLUSIONS: Ginkgo biloba appears to be safe in use with no excess side effects compared with placebo. Many of the early trials used unsatisfactory methods, were small, and publication bias cannot be excluded. The evidence that Ginkgo biloba has predictable and clinically significant benefit for people with dementia or cognitive impairment is inconsistent and unreliable.”
Cytidine Diphosphate Choline
Cytidine Diphosphate Choline is a precursor that is essential for the manufacture of structural phospholipids that make up cell membranes. It has excellent bioavailability via the oral route and is rapidly taken up into the brain. There is robust evidence in animal models of its effectiveness in decreasing cognitive dysfunction and attenuating injury from hypoxic and free radical insults. It is widely used in continental Europe for a range of cognitive impairments. The data from human studies is not particularly good due to poor study design and variable dosing regimes but is generally encouraging, with some well designed studies reporting good outcomes across a range of pathologies. It is primarily used for the treatment and prevention of vascular dementia but is also used in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It is safe, and we would recommend its use primarily in the treatment and prevention of mild vascular dementia – a process that will occur in all of us given time.
L-Pyroglutamic Acid
L-Pyroglutamic Acid is an amino acid and is included because it is from this general structure that the nootropic drugs piracetam and its analogues are derived from. There is little evidence to support its use but there is one small study supporting its use in improving age related cognitive decline. Surprisingly, this has not been followed up. It is harmless. The dose used in the study has been increased slightly for this supplement.

To conclude, Ortho Mind is a well designed combination product that has some excellent evidence to support its use in both cognitive enhancement and as a neuroproctectant to delay the onset of age-related cognitive decline and help ameliorate cognitive impairment.

We are pleased to be able to bring you AOR Ortho Mind, for what we believe is the best price in the UK and Europe if you are buying a 3 month supply. AOR are planning on discontinuing the supply of Ortho Mind to Europe – we believe it would be a shame to see this excellent product withdrawn from the European market. Please let us know if you feel the same and will vigourously represent our customer’s views to AOR and try to overturn this decision.

Regarding dosage, we recommend you take Ortho Mind in the morning and start with a small dose and build the dose slowly to the recommended 6 capsules per day or an appropriate lower dose for you as an individual. Dosing is highly personal with cognitive enhancers... If you find yourself having trouble sleeping or otherwise fizzing, it is time to wind the dose down or at least take it earlier in the day.

You can buy Ortho Mind from this page:

http://aging-management.com/allprods.php?fl=O