They knew the pill was fake but their memory still improved

A fake pill—even one people knew was fake—gave older adults real boosts in memory, movement, and stress levels after just three weeks. Date: June 25, 2026 Source: Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Summary: Healthy older adults experienced measurable improvements in memory, physical performance, and stress after taking placebo pills for just three weeks. The most surprising finding was that the placebo often worked even when participants knew the pills were completely inactive. Share: Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email FULL STORY A three-week placebo treatment gave healthy older adults surprising boosts in memory, physical performance, and well-being. Credit: Shutterstock A placebo, or fake supplement, may offer real benefits for older adults, according to new research from psychologists at the Università Cattolica in Milan. After taking placebo pills for three weeks, participants showed improvements in both physical performance and cognitive function. Surprisingly, the benefits were seen even when participants knew the pills contained no active ingredients. The study, published in the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, was led , Alessandro Antonietti, and Francesco Pagnini. It was supported -IT project. "The study is part of an established line of research in which we analyze the role of the mind in aging processes, which is very important," says Pagnini, Full Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology of the Università Cattolica. Testing the Placebo Effect in Healthy Aging Until now, no research had investigated whether a traditional placebo could influence abilities that naturally decline with age. "Our goal," Professor Pagnini explains, "was to clarify whether an open-label placebo therapy (i. e., where the recipient is aware it is a placebo) or a fake supplement (people don't know it's a placebo) could influence psychological, cognitive, and physical functions in older adults living in the community." To explore that question, the researchers recruited 90 healthy older adults and randomly assigned them to one of three groups. One group received no treatment at all. A second group received placebo pills but was told the pills contained active ingredients designed to improve well-being and physical function. The third group received the same inactive pills but was openly informed that the pills were placebos that could still trigger beneficial mind-body responses. Before and after the three-week study, participants completed questionnaires (providing information on levels of perceived stress, psychological well-being, sleepiness, fatigue, optimism, self-efficacy, and stereotypes about aging). They also took objective tests measuring short-term memory, selective attention, and physical performance.