Now Foods True Focus

Now Foods True Focus Review

Now Foods True Focus is designed to help you have a better memory, improved focus, and less mental fatigue. It claims to help by increasing the levels of neurotransmitters called norepinephrine and dopamine. It certainly contains some popular ingredient, but unfortunately, the doses are a little too low to offer any benefits.

It contains l-tyrosine that is supposed to help increase the levels of neurotransmitters. Some studies suggest that it may increase the levels of dopamine in the brain. For instance:

• Relative to placebo, 100mg/kg L-Tyrosine was associated with significant improvements in mood, cognitive function, and side effects associated with acute stressors (cold and altitude) in military personnel. Heart rate and blood pressure were unaffected. Source

However, the limiting factor in this case is the dosage. You need to take a very large dose of L-tyrosine, as you can see from the above study, but you are going to get 800mg from each serving of Now Foods True Focus. Therefore, it is not going to help much. It is worth mentioning that even when you take a supplement with enough L-tyrosine, there is no guarantee it will always produce positive results. For instance:

• 2g of Tyrosine in a protein rich drink (taken five times daily to total 10g) was able to reduce blood pressure and preserve cognition (as measured by a matching assignment, where there was less of a decrease at posttest relative to pretest) during a week of combat training in cadets, relative to carbohydrate isocaloric placebo. There was no significant influence on mood state. Source

There is L-phenylalanine in Now Foods True Focus. Again, it helps by providing your body with tyrosine, but you do not really need it if you are already getting tyrosine from the supplement. You can also get it through dietary sources. Interesting, even if you are getting enough of l-phenylalanine, it may not offer desired results. You may notice a slight improvement in mood though.

• DLPA (or the D- or L- form alone) reduced depression in 31 of 40 people in a preliminary trial. Some doctors suggest a one-month trial with 3–4 grams per day of phenylalanine for people with depression, although some researchers have found that even very low amounts—75–200 mg per day—were helpful in preliminary trials. In one double-blind trial, depressed people were given 150–200 mg of DLPA per day experienced results comparable to that produced by an antidepressant drug. Source

Taurine is another ingredient found in Now Foods True Focus. You get only 100mg of taurine from each serving, but studies show that you need to take a much larger dose to see any effect. Again, it may not work for everyone. When it works, it helps reduce symptoms of social anxiety. But again, these effects are evident only when you take up to 500mg of taurine a day.

You will also find DMAE in Now Foods True Focus. Each serving contains 60mg of DMAE, which is supposed to increase memory and energy. It is supposed to help with Alzheimer’s disease, but studies are not available to support this claim.

• In 1981 a study titled Double-blind trial of 2-dimethylaminoethanol in Alzheimer’s disease, noted no effects of DMAE in those with Alzheimer’s disease. This was a small study of only 27 people This study noted that DMAE resulted in more confusion, “retardation,” drowsiness and a mild increase in blood pressure.

Some studies show that taking DMAE may actually be counterproductive and make your symptoms worse. Some people have noticed their symptoms (confusion, drowsiness, retardation, etc.) to become worse.

Ginkgo biloba in Now Foods True Focus is not going to make a huge difference either because you get only 40mg per serving. It is supposed to increase concentration by directing more blood towards your brain. It is likely to help people suffering from dementia, but it never produces any significant changes. Its regular intake may reduce depression symptoms a little, but it does nothing to prevent memory related problems in the elderly. For instance:

• In 2008, a well-designed study with more than 3,000 elderly people found that ginkgo was no better than placebo in preventing dementia or Alzheimer disease.

Keep in mind that even when the dose is high, ginkgo is not going to work for everyone. Many studies with larger doses have found contradictory results, which is another reason why we believe Now Foods True Focus is going to prove ineffective.

Now Foods True Focus contains 10mg of CoQ10, which is a molecule present in mitochondria. It works quite like other pseudo-vitamin compounds and helps increase energy production. It is supposed to reduce mental and physical fatigue, but you experience those benefits when you take up to 300mg a day. Now Foods True Focus is not going to help because it offers only 10mg a day.

• Using 90mg CoQ10 in 23 healthy individuals aged 19-44 in a double-blind manner; found no differences in exercise performance, oxygen uptake, or blood markers indicative of anti-oxidant effects. Source

Overall, Now Foods True Focus is a combination of ineffective, under-dosed ingredients. Some ingredients have some scientific research going in their favor, but they are available in such low doses that Now Foods True Focus becomes quite ineffective. Therefore, you should try a different supplement or use natural approaches to improve your memory and mental health.

What Does Now Foods True Focus Claim To Do?

Now Foods True Focus uses a combination of natural ingredients and B-vitamins to help you in many ways. Here are some of its claimed benefits:

• Improves your concentration
• Improves your overall mood
• Prevents sudden mood swings
• Increases memory recall
• Helps with energy production
• Promotes cognitive function

Does Now Foods True Focus Work?

Now Foods True Focus has some nice ingredients, but it still fails to make a difference to your mental health because of the use of insufficient doses. There is l-tyrosine in the blend that is supposed to raise the levels of dopamine, but you do not get as much as used in scientific studies. Similarly, l-taurine is not going to make much of a difference here. L-phenylalanine is another popular ingredient that your body uses to make tyrosine and use it to make dopamine, but again, the dose is too low. Similarly, DMAE is ineffective at such low doses found in Now Foods True Focus. Ginkgo biloba may reduce depression symptoms, but it is not going to prevent age-related memory loss. Overall, the use of ineffective, under-dosed ingredients makes Now Foods True Focus a less desirable nootropic supplement. You will be better off putting your money on something else!

What Are The Ingredients of Now Foods True Focus?

Now Foods True Focus contains a long list of ingredients, but unfortunately, the blend is not backed by scientific studies, and the presence of under-dosed ingredients makes it more ineffective. Here is what you find in each serving:

• Vitamin C (from Potassium Ascorbate) 36 mg
• Vitamin B-6 (from Pyridoxine HCl) 12 mg
• Potassium (from Potassium Ascorbate) 10 mg
• L-Tyrosine (Free-Form) 800 mg
• L-Phenylalanine (Free-Form) 300 mg
• Taurine (Free-Form) 100 mg
• Grape Seed Extract (Vitis vinifera) (Standardized for Polyphenols) 80 mg
• Potassium Ascorbate Powder 60mg
• DMAE (from Dimethylaminoethanol Bitartrate) 60 mg
• Ginkgo Extract (Ginkgo biloba) (Leaf) (50:1 Standardized Extract, min. 24% Ginkgoflavonglycosides and 6% Terpene Lactones) 40 mg
• CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) (as Ubiquinone) 10 mg

Does Now Foods True Focus Have Any Side Effects?

Now Foods True Focus is likely to cause side effects because of certain ingredients. For instance, you are likely to deal with drowsiness, itching, headache, depression, constipation, excitation when taking DMAE. It can also cause problems like vivid dreams and dry mouth.

L-tyrosine found in Now Foods True Focus may be responsible for causing fatigue, headache, and heartburn. L-taurine is added to help increase your energy, but it can cause problems related to the use of stimulants. Overall, Now Foods True Focus can cause quite a few problems for some people, and they have highlighted the point on their website too.

Are There Any Customer Reviews For Now Foods True Focus?

Now Foods True Focus is designed to improve your mental health, but reading the customer reviews, it feels as if Now Foods True Focus does nothing in this regards. For instance:

I have been taking Now Foods True Focus for over three weeks now and I have not experienced any benefits whatsoever. I seriously think I should try something else to get the desired results.

I no longer take it because it gave me a serious headache. I also developed gastrointestinal side effects. Not recommended at all!

Does Now Foods True Focus Offer a Money-Back Guarantee?

Depending on where you go to make a purchase, you may or may not get a money-back guarantee.

Where Can I Buy Now Foods True Focus?

Now Foods True Focus is available for purchase through several third-party retailers.