Kabra SG of Medline however has a different perspective; “Manufacturers of "brain tonics" claim that tonics improve children's performance in examinations. Not only are the research findings debatable, but there are other considerations that do not support use of supplementation to increase reasoning performance. The tonics, which contain an excess of vitamins in the daily requirement, are excreted in the urine rather than being stored in the body. Vitamins are also costly and are available to only 30% of the India's population. Production of vitamins such as B-12, B-1, or B-2 are in excess of the amount required if there were vitamin deficiencies. The assured benefit of consuming extra vitamins and minerals is in lining the economic pockets of tonic manufacturers and traders with money.”

Agrees Dr.Zirak Marker, consultant child / adult psychiatrist and psychotherapist, “No medical research has proved that these brain tonics really work. Rather than getting into brain tonics it is necessary for parents to have a more positive and lighter approach towards their children’s exams. Instead of stressing on marks they should stress on the holistic overall development in the child’s personality, social skills and performance as an all rounder. Parents should not show their anxiety and stress with regards to the examination in front of the child. Prolonged use and high dosage of herbal brain tonics may have side effects. The herbal mood enhancer St.John’s Wort is known to increase clotting time in a person’s blood.”

There however are parents in Mumbai who don’t administer brain tonics to their children. Says Manjusree Roychowdhury, mother of a teenaged girl who took the HSC examination this year, “Advertisements of brain tonics have not prompted me to buy them as I have no assurance that these tonics are beneficial. I never had brain tonic as a student and will never give it to my daughter during her exams. To alleviate stress I chat with my daughter during study breaks and turn on soothing music for her.”