PlainVitamins

Brain Essentials

by Swanson · capsule · 60 veggie capsules

  • On the market (NIH)
  • UPC 0 87614 07094 0
  • DSLD label 308484
  • Serving 1 veggie capsule
  • 60 servings

Brain Essentials by Swanson lists 12 ingredients, 12 with an amount per serving of 1 veggie capsule, such as 25 mg of vitamin B6, 250 mcg of vitamin B12, 25 mg of pantothenic acid and 150 mg of gotu kola aerial parts extract. Its current label entered the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database on February 22, 2024.

What is in Brain Essentials?

Each row as the label prints it, per serving of 1 veggie capsule. The capsule beside an amount places it among every product in the NIH database that lists the same ingredient: the bar is the middle half of their amounts, the line in it the median, the whiskers the 10th and 90th percentiles; the green tick is the FDA Daily Value and the red dashed tick the adult upper limit (IOM).

Brain Essentials: Supplement Facts rows against the market (DSLD label 308484, January 2026 release)
IngredientAmount% DVAmong products listing it
Vitamin B6as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride25 mg1,471%Vitamin B6 in Brain Essentials against 15,277 products25 mg per serving; the middle half of products list 2 mg to 20 mg, the median 6 mg.DV 1.7 mgUL 100 mg25 mg

Higher than 76% of 15,277 products listing vitamin B6 (median 6 mg).

Vitamin B12as Cyanocobalamin250 mcg10,417%Vitamin B12 in Brain Essentials against 14,425 products250 mcg per serving; the middle half of products list 6 mcg to 200 mcg, the median 36 mcg.DV 2.4 mcg250 mcg

Higher than 77% of 14,425 products listing vitamin B12 (median 36 mcg).

Pantothenic Acidas D-Calcium Pantothenate25 mg500%Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) in Brain Essentials against 10,060 products25 mg per serving; the middle half of products list 6 mg to 50 mg, the median 12 mg.DV 5 mg25 mg

Higher than 61% of 10,060 products listing pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) (median 12 mg).

Gotu Kola Aerial Parts Extractas Asiaticosides10% asiaticosides150 mgGotu Kola in Brain Essentials against 393 products150 mg per serving; the middle half of products list 50 mg to 225 mg, the median 100 mg.150 mg

Higher than 63% of 393 products listing gotu kola (median 100 mg).

L-Glutamine100 mgGlutamine in Brain Essentials against 1,850 products0.1 g per serving; the middle half of products list 0.356 g to 3 g, the median 1 g.0.1 g

88% of 1,850 products listing glutamine give more (median 1 g).

L-Tyrosine100 mgTyrosine in Brain Essentials against 1,680 products100 mg per serving; the middle half of products list 150 mg to 989 mg, the median 500 mg.100 mg

78% of 1,680 products listing tyrosine give more (median 500 mg).

Soy Lecithinas Phosphatidylcholine26% phosphatidylcholine100 mgLecithin in Brain Essentials against 804 products100 mg per serving; the middle half of products list 50 mg to 1,200 mg, the median 200 mg.100 mg

58% of 804 products listing lecithin give more (median 200 mg).

Ginkgo biloba Leaf Extractas Flavone Glycosides, Terpene Lactonesstandardized to 24% flavone glycosides, 6% terpene lactones60 mgGinkgo in Brain Essentials against 1,339 products60 mg per serving; the middle half of products list 30 mg to 120 mg, the median 60 mg.60 mg

45% of 1,339 products listing ginkgo give more (median 60 mg).

Docosahexaenoic Acid30 mgDHA in Brain Essentials against 3,627 products30 mg per serving; the middle half of products list 104 mg to 400 mg, the median 232 mg.30 mg

95% of 3,627 products listing DHA give more (median 232 mg).

Alpha-Lipoic Acid25 mgAlpha Lipoic Acid in Brain Essentials against 2,407 products25 mg per serving; the middle half of products list 25 mg to 150 mg, the median 50 mg.25 mg

68% of 2,407 products listing alpha lipoic acid give more (median 50 mg).

Dimethylaminoethanol Bitartrate25 mgDeanol in Brain Essentials against 365 products25 mg per serving; the middle half of products list 50 mg to 150 mg, the median 100 mg.25 mg

83% of 365 products listing deanol give more (median 100 mg).

Phosphatidylserine1 mgPhosphatidylserine in Brain Essentials against 641 products1 mg per serving; the middle half of products list 50 mg to 150 mg, the median 100 mg.1 mg

99% of 641 products listing phosphatidylserine give more (median 100 mg).

Source: NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database, label 308484 (entered February 22, 2024), version 9.4.0. See the label on DSLD or its label image (PDF). Amounts are what the maker printed; DSLD does not test products. Daily Values: the FDA's Daily Value page.

Is that a lot?

The rows in the top or bottom tenth of the products that list the same ingredient, and any above the adult upper limit at the most servings a day the directions give:

  • 88% of the 1,850 products that print an amount of glutamine list more than its 0.1 g of L-glutamine (filed by NIH under glutamine) (median 1 g).
  • 95% of the 3,627 products that print an amount of DHA list more than its 30 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (filed by NIH under DHA) (median 232 mg).
  • 99% of the 641 products that print an amount of phosphatidylserine list more than its 1 mg of phosphatidylserine (median 100 mg).

The NIH database records one serving a day from the label's directions; its % Daily Values are for adults and children 4 or more years of age. The directions as printed are further down this page.

The Tolerable Upper Intake Level is the most of a nutrient per day, from food, water and supplements together, that is likely to pose no risk for almost all adults (Institute of Medicine, 2011). It does not apply under medical supervision. This page compares labels; it is not medical advice.

Sources: amounts from the DSLD label; Daily Values from 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv); adult upper limits from the Institute of Medicine's DRI summary tables (2011). How positions are computed.

Which products have the closest formulas?

1 product lists the very same ingredients; the nearest amounts come first.

Source: ingredient lists of every product's current label in DSLD (version 9.4.0); similarity weights each shared ingredient by how rare it is.

What does the label say about taking it?

Quoted from the label as DSLD transcribed it: the maker's words, including any claim about what the product does, which the FDA has not evaluated and PlainVitamins does not endorse.

Directions
Suggested use: As a dietary supplement, take one veggie capsule per day with food and water.
Warnings
Warning: For adults only. Keep out of the reach of children.
Contains ginkgo; consult your healthcare provider before use if you are taking a blood-thinning medication. Do not take this product if you are pregnant, nursing or have a medical condition.
Do not use if seal is broken.
Contains soy.
Storage
Store in a cool, dry place.

Source: label statements in DSLD label 308484.

What else is on the label?

Other ingredients: Hypromellose, Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin, Calcium Carbonate, Silica, Calcium Palmitate, Ethylcellulose.

How many labels does Brain Essentials have?

2 labels are on file under this name since February 25, 2019: other sizes, label designs and reformulations. The current one leads this page.

  1. Label 308484 (current) Entered February 22, 2024 · on the market · 60 veggie capsules · UPC 0 87614 07094 0
  2. Label 188643 Entered February 25, 2019 · off the market August 29, 2024 · 60 veggie capsules · UPC 0 87614 07094 0

DSLD also links this label to: Brain Essentials (image difference, same product), Brain Essentials (image difference, same product).

Source: DSLD label entry and market events, version 9.4.0 (labels entered through September 25, 2025).

Who makes it?

The label names Swanson Health Products (distributor), Fargo, ND. All Swanson products.

Where next?