Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about Lucidal™
Q: Will this product serve as a replacement for my multi-vitamin? Any reason I can't or shouldn't take both?
A: Short answer – yes, it can serve as either a replacement or an enhancement to your daily multi-vitamin.
More info – our supplement consists of a two part nutritional platform. The first component is a unique multi-vitamin. The second component is designed specifically to enhance mental function by building upon the basic actions of the multi-vitamin portion. High amounts of the brain-friendly B vitamin group are included. There is no vitamin K, a lipid soluble vitamin which may dramatically interact with blood thinning medications. It also avoids the toxicity of many multis because of their vitamin A formulation. It is such a safe formulation that, if desired, it may be taken in addition to your current multi.
Q: Why can't I get the same results from a standard, daily multivitamin?
A: Most mass market nutritional supplements - including multivitamins - have not been developed by physicians, nor have they been scientifically scrutinized in humans the way our supplement has been tested - both for safety and efficacy. Beneficial effects upon numerous cognitive and mood parameters have been demonstrated during the testing of our supplement. Also, since what is good for the brain is often good for the body, overall health might be improved. The vast majority of mass market supplements, in general, can’t make these claims. Therefore, you should expect more from our supplement, and you will experience the difference.
Q: Has this supplement been tested? If so, how?
A: Our patented formula was tested using what is commonly recognized as the "gold standard" for scientific research: a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled clinical study. This clinical study was conducted on humans by an independent, third party scientific organization that specializes in dietary supplement testing. Results from the study were positive: statistically significant results were demonstrated by the test (product) group relative to the control (placebo) group.
Q: How does your supplement affect the brain?
A: First of all, to improve brain function, any dietary supplement must first be digested, then be absorbed and made available in a form that can be taken up by the brain. Unfortunately, many dietary supplements don’t even dissolve, let alone pass into the brain cells. Special care has been taken to assure that optimal formulations of each of the individual ingredients have been chosen to maximize bio-availability of our supplement. This assures more ‘bang for the buck’ and enhances the range of benefits provided by our supplement.
More info - once within the brain, the mechanism of action of our supplement is unique. Unlike most pharmaceuticals which block certain specific, vital cellular processes in hope of compensating for functional loss in other pathways, our supplement provides an array of brain-specific ingredients which, in addition to the basic multi-vitamins already included, work together in a holistic fashion to gently enhance the innate function of each nerve cell. Hence, there is no blockade of one cellular process in an attempt to balance functional loss in another pathway. Once individual nerve function is optimized, other ingredients facilitate their ability to communicate with one another. This neuro-transmission constitutes the basis for the brain’s wonderful abilities.
Q: Does this supplement contain any stimulants?
A: No, there are NO stimulants in this product – and here’s why: stimulants are well known for causing a jittery, or wired, feeling. This feeling is not only unpleasant, it may also cause the brain’s neurons to fire excessively and actually to incur damage at the sub-cellular level. In addition, stimulant usage has been linked to seizures.
Q: Are there any known side effects associated with this product?
A: Our supplement was studied in a clinical trial with humans for two reasons. First, we wanted to have a scientific basis for knowing what mental functions it helped, and second, we wanted to discern the magnitude of each benefit. We also monitored the people taking the product in the clinical trial for any evidence of adverse reactions. Based upon this generally recognized approach, our supplement was found – with statistically significant results - to be both safe and effective.
Q: Will this supplement interfere with the prescription medications I may be taking?
A: We tested this product for safety and were pleased that there were no adverse reactions noted. Many of the participants of the clinical trial were older and on a broad array of medications. In those persons there were no problems noted. In addition, our supplement was formulated to AVOID such interactions. However, when starting any drug or nutritional supplement it is recommended that you consult with your health care provider.
Q: How will I know it is working? When can I expect to see/feel results?
A: The answers to these questions vary from person to person depending upon the individual circumstances and situations. Sometimes the most dramatic observation is that of improved mental energy. Instead of that dragged out feeling at the end of the day, people often describe enhanced well-being, tranquility, improved focus and an ability to get more out of life.
Others may note the ability to work for protracted periods of time, to study harder, to be more creative, or just to sit still for a longer period of time. Sometimes, often dramatic improvements in word recall, name recognition, or even the ability to tackle difficult problems becomes apparent. The most common observation is frequently some combination of these. Changes are often appreciable in several weeks with continued improvement over subsequent months or years. This is related to the mechanism of action of the various components. Some of these components produce changes more rapidly than others.
Q: What if I miss a serving?
A: Since this is not a drug, it is not problematic if you miss a serving. If you forget to take it in the morning, just take it later in the day when you remember. If you forget completely, just take the next day’s serving in the morning with breakfast. There is no need to ‘double-up’ in an attempt to catch up.
Q: Must it be taken with breakfast?
A: No, not at all. That is just how the product was administered during the clinical trial. It may be taken three times a day, or two pills at one time and one at another, or any combination thereof. Sometimes it is best taken an hour before a mentally taxing event, or when maximal effect is desired. It doesn’t even have to be taken with meals.
Q: How does it work?
A: Short answer - as described above, it enhances the function of individual nerve cells and also facilitates their inter-communication. This increases the speed with which neurons talk to each other. Such processes form the basis for all the brain’s functions. Think of it like upgrading your computer’s processor from a 486 to the latest Pentium® processor. The brain works better, faster and more efficiently.
Q: Can I take the product if I’m already using a prescription anti-anxiety/anti-depression medication?
A: Yes, you can take both.
Q: What is a "randomized, double-blind placebo controlled study”?
A: Short answer - randomized double blind, placebo controlled studies are the gold standard of scientific research.
Longer answer - One way to do research on a drug or a supplement is to give the substance to a number of subjects and see what happens. Although occasionally done as a preliminary experiment, this form of research is extremely unreliable because of bias affecting the judgment of both researchers and subjects. A method for removing some of this bias is to divide the study subjects into two groups and give one the drug or supplement and the other a placebo that looks, tastes, smells and feels like the real thing. If the researchers know which of the two groups gets the real substance even though the study subjects themselves don’t know who is getting the actual drug or supplement and who is getting the placebo, all kinds of bias can still enter the study. The researchers will have an impetus to look for improvements that might not actually be there in the group that is known to be getting the drug. This type of imperfect study is called a single blind, placebo controlled study. Single blind because of the two groups involved—the researchers and the subjects—one group, the study subjects in this case, is blinded as to who gets what. The study is called placebo controlled because the placebo is indistinguishable from the actual study drug or supplement. If there were no placebo or if the placebo were easily recognizable as such, the study subjects would know who was on what.
A randomized double blind, placebo controlled study is one in which NEITHER the researchers giving the drugs and placebo NOR the subjects being studied know who is on what. The double blind placebo controlled study removes bias from both the research side and the subject side of the study. Since the researchers don’t know which group is taking what they are careful to report meticulously on all findings. Once all the data is collected a third party breaks the code on the study (the drugs and placebos are coded) and tabulates the data. Any difference between the two groups can then be attributed to the drug or supplement being studied and not to bias from either researcher or subject.