Numerous health claims have been authorised by the EU in this area. They fall into three major categories – psychological, cognitive and neurological claims. Many claims submitted for memory and its enhancement were rejected.
Health claim ‘contributes to’ | Vitamin | Mineral | |
---|---|---|---|
Psychological | Normal psychological function | Biotin, Folate, Niacin, Vitamin B1, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, vitamin C | Magnesium |
Cognitive* | Normal cognitive function | Iodine, Iron, Zinc | |
Cognitive development in children | Iron | ||
Mental performance | Pantothenic acid | ||
Neurological | Contributes to functioning of the nervous system | Vitamin B12, biotin, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C | Copper, Iodine, Magnesium, Potassium |
*A claim has also been authorised for water as it ‘contributes to physical and cognitive function’.. |
There also two important claims authorised for DHA (dodecahexanoic acid), a component of fish oil which can also be manufactured by fermentation. They are:-
- ‘contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function (general population)’
- ‘maternal intake (of DHA) contributes to normal brain development of the foetus and breastfed infants’.
A claim may be made for a single nutrient or several nutrients.
The EU Health Claims Register is dynamic in nature and should be checked for updates