Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Coffee fruit (also known as coffee cherry) is the fleshy fruit surrounding the coffee bean. In recent years, extracts from coffee fruit have been marketed as cognitive enhancers, with particular claims about benefits for concentration and mental clarity. The primary scientific support for coffee fruit’s use in supporting concentration comes from a few small human studies. These studies suggest that coffee fruit extract may increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein associated with neuroplasticity and cognitive function.

For example, a 2013 double-blind, placebo-controlled study (Holt et al., 2013) found that a single dose of whole coffee fruit extract increased plasma BDNF levels in healthy adults. Another small study indicated potential improvements in reaction time and cognitive performance after supplementation, though these effects were modest and not always consistent across cognitive domains. Importantly, these studies generally used highly concentrated extracts and not the whole fruit, and the sample sizes were small.

Overall, while there is preliminary scientific evidence suggesting coffee fruit extract may have a positive effect on certain aspects of cognitive function, including concentration, the quality and quantity of evidence is still limited. More rigorous, large-scale studies are needed before definitive claims can be made. Thus, the evidence for using coffee fruit specifically to support or treat poor concentration is currently weak to moderate.

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