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Part of our Sonovive overview. Last checked October 19, 2026.
Sonovive ingredients, per the vendor's own label, are eight memory and mood compounds in one capsule, led by 250 mg of St. John's Wort, with every dose printed[1]. That makes it a nootropic-style stack sold as a hearing formula.
None of the eight has controlled human evidence for hearing or tinnitus, and the AAO-HNS guideline recommends against dietary supplements for persistent tinnitus[2].
Sonovive ingredients at a glance
All eight ingredients are disclosed with exact amounts, and most sit well below the doses used in research. The grades below use our scale: Moderate means consistent meta-analysis support for the studied use, Weak means little human evidence or a dose far below the studied one.
| Ingredient | Label dose | Amount disclosed? | Studied mainly for | Evidence grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. John's Wort | 250 mg | Yes | Mild to moderate depression | Moderate (mood); Weak (tinnitus) |
| L-Glutamine | 150 mg | Yes | Sports performance, immunity | Weak |
| Phosphatidylserine 4% complex | 125 mg | Yes, but the 4% is unexplained | Memory | Weak |
| Bacopa monnieri | 120 mg | Yes | Memory and attention | Weak at 120 mg |
| Ginkgo biloba | 50 mg | Yes | Tinnitus, dementia | Weak (tinnitus) |
| N-Acetyl L-Carnitine | 50 mg | Yes | Mild cognitive impairment | Weak |
| Vinpocetine | 2 mg | Yes | Dementia, hearing loss | Weak; avoid in pregnancy |
| Huperzine A | 10 mcg | Yes | Alzheimer disease | Weak (hearing) |
Other ingredients: gelatin (bovine), microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable magnesium stearate and silicon dioxide. The capsule contains soy (lecithin) and is not vegetarian[1].
What is in each ingredient, and what does research say?
Each ingredient has been studied for something, usually mood or memory, and usually at a much higher dose than Sonovive uses. Here is each one in label order.
St. John's Wort (250 mg)
St. John's Wort is a flowering herb. A meta-analysis of 27 trials found it comparable to SSRI antidepressants for mild to moderate depression over 4 to 12 weeks[3]. For tinnitus, a 46-person trial adding it to ginkgo for 12 weeks found no improvement[4].
Grade: Moderate for mood, Weak for hearing. It also carries the most interaction risk on the label[5].
L-Glutamine (150 mg)
L-Glutamine is an amino acid the body makes. Trials use 0.1 to 0.3 g per kg of body weight a day, or several grams, and a meta-analysis found no effect on athletic performance or immunity[6]. The label gives 150 mg, and we found no hearing study. Grade: Weak.
Phosphatidylserine 4% complex (125 mg)
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a fat found in cell membranes. Older memory trials that looked positive used PS from cow brain at 300 mg a day[7], while a 120-person trial of soy PS found no effect[8].
If 4% is the PS share, 125 mg holds about 5 mg of PS, roughly 1/60 of studied doses. Grade: Weak.
Bacopa monnieri (120 mg)
Bacopa is an Ayurvedic herb. A meta-analysis of 9 randomized trials found small gains in attention and memory, mostly at about 300 mg a day for 12 weeks[9]. Sonovive's 120 mg is 40% of that, and a PubMed search found no hearing trial. Grade: Moderate for memory at 300 mg, Weak at the label dose.
Ginkgo biloba (50 mg)
Ginkgo leaf extract is the most studied tinnitus herb. A 2022 Cochrane analysis found its benefit over placebo uncertain, with low to very low certainty evidence[10]. A trial of 3,069 older adults found no effect on dementia rates[11]. Studies use 120 to 240 mg a day; the label has 50 mg. Grade: Weak.
N-Acetyl L-Carnitine (50 mg)
This is acetyl-L-carnitine, a form of carnitine. Memory trials used 1.5 to 3.0 g a day, and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements cites a Cochrane finding that routine use is "not justified"[12]. In rats it did not change age-related hearing loss[13]. The label dose is 1/30 to 1/60 of trial doses. Grade: Weak.
Vinpocetine (2 mg)
The FDA says vinpocetine is synthetic, not a plant constituent[14]. One uncontrolled study gave 30 mg a day for 12 months to people with sensorineural hearing loss: hearing worsened for 6 months, then improved[15]. A Cochrane analysis called the dementia evidence inconclusive[16].
The FDA warns it may cause miscarriage or harm fetal development. Grade: Weak; avoid if pregnant or able to become pregnant.
Huperzine A (10 mcg)
Huperzine A is a cholinesterase inhibitor, the same action as some dementia medicines. A meta-analysis of 20 low-quality trials in Alzheimer disease was positive[17], but a US phase II trial missed its main goal[18]. Hearing data comes from rodents only[19]. Trials used 400 to 800 mcg a day, 40 to 80 times the label dose. Grade: Weak for hearing.
How transparent is the Sonovive formula?
The formula is fully disclosed. The label prints a dose for all eight ingredients, so there is no proprietary blend to divide up. Added together, one capsule holds about 747 mg of active ingredients.
Two gaps remain. The "4% complex" for phosphatidylserine is not explained, so the real PS amount is unknown. And the sales page describes a "dropper" of "plant extracts", while the label shows capsules that include amino acids and phosphatidylserine[20].
Some copycat pages online list a different set, such as oatstraw and mucuna. Trust the label on the bottle you receive, and compare it with the vendor label image we read on October 19, 2026[1].
Ingredient safety and interactions
St. John's Wort drives the safety picture. NCCIH says it can weaken birth control pills, warfarin, cyclosporine, digoxin, seizure drugs, HIV drugs, some cancer drugs and simvastatin, and can cause serotonin reactions with some antidepressants[5].
Ginkgo adds bleeding risk with blood thinners[21], vinpocetine carries an FDA pregnancy warning[14], and huperzine A may add to dementia medicines such as donepezil. The label warns about bleeding risk, anticoagulants, seizures and MAO inhibitors[1]. Our Sonovive side effects guide lists who should skip it.
Do these ingredients prove Sonovive works?
No. Ingredient research describes single compounds at their trial doses, mostly in people with depression or memory complaints. Sonovive combines eight of them at lower doses, and nobody has tested the mix. Our page on whether Sonovive works walks through each level of evidence.
If you decide to try it anyway, one bottle costs $69 (checked October 19, 2026). Read the 60-day refund rules on our Sonovive price page and clear it with a pharmacist first.
Back to the Sonovive overview.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main ingredient in Sonovive?
St. John's Wort, at 250 mg per capsule, is the largest dose on the label. It is an herb studied mainly for mild to moderate depression, and NCCIH says it weakens many prescription medicines, including birth control pills and warfarin.
Does Sonovive have a proprietary blend?
No. The vendor label prints a dose for all eight ingredients, about 747 mg of actives per capsule. The one gap is the phosphatidylserine 4% complex, where the label does not say what the 4% refers to.
Is Sonovive vegetarian?
No. The label lists bovine gelatin in the capsule, so it does not suit vegetarians or people who avoid beef products. The formula also contains soy lecithin, which matters for anyone with a soy allergy.
Does Sonovive contain ginkgo biloba?
Yes, 50 mg per capsule. Tinnitus studies used 120 to 240 mg a day, and a 2022 Cochrane analysis still rated ginkgo's tinnitus benefit as uncertain. The AAO-HNS guideline recommends against it for persistent tinnitus.
Why do some sites list oatstraw and mucuna in Sonovive?
Some copycat pages online list a different ingredient set. The vendor's own label, read October 19, 2026, shows eight ingredients and no oatstraw or mucuna. Trust the label printed on the bottle you receive.
Sources
- References and product label. SonoVive, read October 19, 2026.
- Clinical practice guideline: tinnitus (AAO-HNS, 2014), PMID 25273878. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- St. John's wort vs SSRIs in depression, meta-analysis of 27 trials, PMID 28064110. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- St. John's wort with ginkgo vs ginkgo alone in subjective tinnitus, randomized trial, PMID 37176699. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- St. John's Wort. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), read October 19, 2026.
- Glutamine supplementation in athletes, meta-analysis, PMID 29784526. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- Bovine phosphatidylserine and memory, randomized trial, PMID 2027477. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- Soy phosphatidylserine and memory in older adults, randomized trial, PMID 11842880. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- Bacopa monnieri and cognition, meta-analysis of 9 randomized trials, PMID 24252493. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- Ginkgo biloba for tinnitus, Cochrane analysis 2022, PMID 36383762. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) randomized trial, PMID 19017911. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- Carnitine: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (archived copy). NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, read October 19, 2026.
- Acetyl-L-carnitine and age-related hearing loss in rats, PMID 18620587. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- Vinpocetine in Dietary Supplements (archived copy). US Food and Drug Administration, read October 19, 2026.
- Vinpocetine in sensorineural hearing loss, phase II open-label study, PMID 33712282. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- Vinpocetine for cognitive impairment and dementia, Cochrane analysis, PMID 12535455. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- Huperzine A for Alzheimer disease, meta-analysis of 20 trials, PMID 24086396. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- Huperzine A in Alzheimer disease, US phase II randomized trial, PMID 21502597. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- Huperzine A and hearing, rodent study, PMID 31554431. PubMed, National Library of Medicine, read October 19, 2026.
- SonoVive Text Presentation (sales page). SonoVive, read October 19, 2026.
- Ginkgo. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), read October 19, 2026.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Dietary supplements are not reviewed by the FDA for safety or effectiveness before they are sold and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk to your doctor before taking any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, take medication or have a health condition.
