WASHINGTON - The reported cases of dementia and Alzheimer's disease among aging baby boomers is on the rise. As a result, there has been a confounding array of products on the market promising to boost brain performance. Many now are wondering if these alternative drugs really work or if they're just money-making gimmicks.

Karen Zimmerman makes a lot of lists. Otherwise, she can't always remember anymore. At age 51, Zimmerman was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

At first Zimmerman thought her loss of memory was due to Menopause, but soon realized her problem was more serious. "My friends were saying, 'I told you that, I told you that, I told you that, I told you that,'" she said.

While Zimmerman's case may be an extreme example, millions of Americans worry about mental fitness. There's now a booming industry of products not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration because they're classified as "supplements" rather than food or drugs. And many people are willing to sample these supplements if it means it will help boost brain activity, including 87-year-old Mannie Aragon.

"I'd like to do anything I can to keep it sharp," Aragon said.

Still, many question if these new brain boosters even work. Dr. Molly Wagster of the National Institute on Aging said that with the exception of Ginkgo Biloba, humans trials of these supplements have been limited.

"[Ginkgo Biloba] is currently being investigated in a clinical trial to see whether or not it may impact age-related cognitive decline or the development of Alzheimer's disease," she said.

Omega 3 fatty acid in fish oil and antioxidants in certain produce also seem to work, but customers should be careful. The Apothecary store in Bethesda has a thick textbook listing the potential problems with these supplements. For example, Ginkgo and Vitamin E thin the blood. People taking blood thinners like Coumadin shouldn't use them.

While there are a lot of options to consider, for Zimmerman who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, there's no magic pill yet.

Researchers also say overusing cold remedies like antihistamines and Benadryl can hurt memory function because they dampen the effect of a brain-boosting chemical known as acetylcholine. The bottom line is that customers should tell their doctors everything, including supplements, that they're taking.