The amount of vinpocetine used in clinical trials varied from 20mg to 50mg a day, and was ideally spread across three doses. Taking 2-3 capsules of Vinpocetine 15mg (30-45mg) a day is therefore fully consistent with the doses examined.

It’s worth noting that vinpocetine is absorbed best by the body when taken with food(16).

This supplement is for anyone who wants to protect themselves against hearing problems, particularly those related to age (presbycusis).

It is also designed for those who have existing hearing problems:

• Age-related hearing loss (increasing difficulty hearing, interpreting and understanding sounds in their environment).
• Hearing loss that occurs following trauma (chronic or acute).
• Hyperacusis (hypersensitivity to sounds and noise).
• tinnitus (whistling and buzzing in the ear).

Vinpocetine plays a role in inhibiting blood platelets.

It is therefore not recommended for those suffering from bleeding disorders or who have had surgery.
Neither should it be taken alongside drugs or supplements which also affect platelet activity, such as high-dose garlic, ginkgo biloba or vitamin E supplements.

Vinpocetine has been used in many countries for over 30 years, particularly for treating neurological issues relating to cerebrovascular problems such as stroke and ischaemia. No serious side-effects have been found from taking it at therapeutic doses, including long-term use.

Vinpocetine is photosensitive and should therefore be stored away from light.

Magnesium (180mg a day)

Magnesium (in the form of magnesium aspartate) is the formulation’s most important compound. It increases the production rate of superoxide dismutase (a major antioxidant), promotes vasodilation and prevents too much calcium from being released into ear cells following acoustic trauma.

A two-month double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial has demonstrated the benefits of a daily 170mg dose of magnesium for reducing damage to the auditory system in soldiers exposed to high levels of noise.

A superior Ginkgo biloba extract (standardised to 24% ginkgo flavonglycosides and 6% terpene lactones)

Ginkgo biloba acts in two ways against hearing problems.

The flavonoids it contains, grouped under the name ginkgo flavonglycosides, work primarily on all aspects of the circulatory system (13). Once absorbed by the body, they help relax capillary resistance, increase blood flow to the inner ear, and combat platelet activating factor which promotes blood viscosity and inflammation of blood vessels (14-15). They also act as ‘flak-jackets’ against the oxidants that cause our hearing to deteriorate, and improve blood flow (16-17). For their part, terpene lactones (particularly bilobalides) help to consolidate the neural circuits involved in hearing. They help increase mitochondrial energy production in neurons and prevent oxidative elements from escaping.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial (18), ginkgo biloba supplementation (240mg a day) helped subjects with partial hearing loss to recover auditory capability.

Alpha-lipoic acid and glutathione

The body produces an extremely efficient antioxidant for protecting against free radical-induced damage to the ear called glutathione. Unfortunately, however, production of this antioxidant is reduced by a number of pathological and environmental factors (oxidative stress, diabetes, cataracts, atherosclerosis, pollution, smoking …) (19)

Glutathione has low bioavailability when taken orally, which is why SuperSmart has added one compound that help the body produce more of it: alpha-lipoic acid.

Quercetin and acetyl-L-carnitine

In its acetylated form, carnitine helps improve nerve deterioration (20) [this property is also used to combat Alzheimer’s disease (21)].

Vitamins D, E, B9 and B12

These four vitamins are increasingly rare in modern Western diets, yet they are essential for good hearing and for preserving the integrity of the auditory system. They are also involved in a great many physiological processes, especially in the brain. Deficiency in vitamin D (which is very common during winter) can result in cochlear dysfunction in particular.