Elderly
Memory concerns — elderly
Age-related memory changes are different from dementia. Normal aging affects processing speed and recall of names; dementia affects orientation, familiar routines, and personality. Herbal supports are for the former.
Key points
- ✓Ginkgo (EGb 761 standardized 120-240 mg/day) has modest evidence for mild cognitive decline
- ✓Bacopa has the strongest herbal cognitive evidence across ages
- ✓Lion's mane has animal and small human data for nerve-growth factor
- ✓B12, thyroid, and medication review matter more than any herb
- ✓Social engagement and complex cognitive tasks reduce dementia risk
Supportive herbs
Lifestyle & diet
Mediterranean diet, daily aerobic exercise, social connection, learning new skills (language, instrument, dance), managing hearing loss (hearing aids reduce dementia risk), sleep quality.
When to see a clinician
Concerns about dementia, progressive forgetting familiar routines, getting lost, personality change, medication-induced confusion — get a neurocognitive evaluation. Early treatment matters.