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Best Price on Alpha Brain Best Price on OptiMind

Alpha Brain

As Onnit’s flagship product, Alpha Brain immediately rose to success after various endorsements by big names in the entertainment and athletic worlds (most notably, Joe Rogan and other podcasters). Does this mean that Alpha Brain is all marketing hype? Definitely not. We thoroughly tested Alpha Brain to see what its effects are in terms of increasing cognitive abilities such as focus and concentration — all of which were improved.

An added benefit to taking Alpha Brain was that it induced lucid dreams. If you aren’t familiar with lucid dreams, they are dreams in which you are aware that you are dreaming and can control what you do. Imagine being able to explore your mind, fly across cities, and do anything you want in your dreams.

Onnit also backs up Alpha Brain with a really great money back guarantee (they nicknamed the “Keep It” money back guarantee). If you’re new to the world on nootropics and you aren’t sure if one will work for you, you should look for a nootropic that has a 100% satisfaction guarantee such as Alpha Brain.

Ingredients

So that we can properly compare Alpha Brain with OptiMind, let’s look at all of its ingredients.

• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCI)
• L-Tyrosine
• L-Theanine
• Oat Straw Extract (Avena Sativa)
• Phosphatidylserine
• AC-11 (Uncaria tomentosa Extract)
• L-Alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine (Alpha GPC)
• Bacopa Monniera Extract
• Huperzia Serrata Extract
• L-Leucine
• Vinpocetine
• Pterostilbene

Many of the above ingredients are standard nootropics that I really love (Bacopa Monniera being one of my favorites).

Reviews

As mentioned above, our Brain Wiz testers loved using Alpha Brain. One even went as far as saying, “Alpha Brain is one of the best nootropics I have tried.” Now that is a good review. We really liked that Onnit didn’t stuff this nootropic full of caffeine to give users a big rush and crash.

In addition to our positive experience, many other people on the internet have had similar experiences. You’ll often hear the people who promote Alpha Brain on their podcasts talk about how they take it and how it really helps them perform. Beyond that, people of all walks of life have had success using Alpha Brain in their personal and professional lives. I recommend checking out what some of the customer reviews are on the Alpha Brain product page.

Price and Value

When purchased through Onnit, Alpha Brain comes to $29.71 (if you subscribe to get it monthly). If you choose not to subscribe, Alpha Brain is only $34.95. In total that only comes out to around $1.16 per serving for a 30 day bottle. Of course, if you decide to get the bigger bottle, you will save even more money.

OptiMind

OptiMind was once called “Alleradd” before their big rebrand. Beyond being popular by nootropic lovers, OptiMind has been mentioned in big websites such as Vice and Elite Daily. There is definitely a lot of hype around OptiMind, similar to Alpha Brain. To see is all of this hype is warranted, we tested OptiMind here at Brain Wiz and had very favorable results.

Like Alpha Brain, OptiMind offers a great money back guarantee. If you don’t like OptiMind or it doesn’t work for you, just send back the bottle within 30 days and you will receive a full refund. Just to reitterate, you want to make sure you go with a nootropic that has this type of guarantee because it proves that they believe in their product and you can get back your money if it doesn’t work.

Ingredients

To ensure that we properly compare OptiMind to Alpha Brain, let’s look at its ingredients.

• Vitamin D
• Vitamin B12
• L-Tyrosine
• Taurine
• Phosphatidylserine
• Bacopa Extract
• GABA
• Alpha Lipoic Acid
• Vinpocetine
• Sulbutiamine
• Huperzia Serrata
• Caffeine

You’ll notice that OptiMind has caffeine. If you are a big caffeine drinker already, you may want to use Alpha Brain instead. Taking too much caffeine can lead to a big crash later in the day (e.g. fatigue and irritability).

Reviews

As mentioned above, we had a great success using OptiMind. I skipped my normal daily coffee when testing it but the caffeine didn’t give me any jitters or make me crash later in the day, which is a huge plus. The focus and concentration was sustained for the majority of the day.

Other reviewers also had favorable things to say about OptiMind. I recommend watching some testimonials from the video below. You’ll notice that a lot of different people take it — engineers, teachers, interior designers, and more.

Price and Value

OptiMind can actually be shipped to you for free. That’s not a joke. They currently offer 10 capsules for free and free shipping. All you have to do is input your contact information. If you want to purchase a full bottle, it only comes out to $43.31 (plus free shipping). That equals around $1.44 per serving for one months supply of OptiMind.

Alpha Brain vs OptiMind: Ingredients

Alpha Brain vs OptiMind: Final Thoughts

Overall I really like both of these nootropics. However, they are meant for different types of people. Having caffeine in it, OptiMind is for the person who doesn’t drink a lot of coffee, tea, or energy drinks during the day (more than 2-3 servings per day). Adding in another caffeine source could cause some unpleasant side effects. I would say that Alpha Brain is for the new nootropic user who drinks coffee or tea regularly but wants to take their mind to the next level in terms of focus and concentration.

OptiMind reminded me a lot of drinking an energy drink or a big cup of green tea. I had a lot of focus but there was definitely a lot of energy behind that focus too. Alpha Brain was more of a calm focus, the way you feel when you wake up completely rested and you just feel “in the zone”.

So, in conclusion, if you drink a lot of coffee or tea regularly, try Alpha Brain first. If you aren’t too susceptible to caffeine and you want focus and energy, try OptiMind.

The post Alpha Brain vs OptiMind: Which One Wins When Compared? appeared first on Brain Wiz.

This is an incredibly important question to answer when considering using any supplement, not just a nootropic. Everybody is different and reacts differently to specific supplements. It is important to speak with a medical professional before trying any new supplement. Today we will be looking at each individual ingredient that makes up Alpha Brain and whether or not they cause side effects (based on research).

• AC-11: Also more commonly known as “Cat’s Claw”, AC-11 can possibly cause headaches, vomiting, and dizziness in some people. I have found that I only feel these side effects if I take a supplement or vitamin without eating. This is because it has a negative effect with my stomach lining. There are other very special cases where people with an auto-immune disease (such as multiple sclerosis) caused the disease to become more active.
• Alpha GPC: This ingredient has been rated as safe when used appropriately. Some side effects could include heartburn, headache, insomnia, dizziness, rashes on the skin, and confusion.
• Bacopa Monnieri: One study on animals found that there were no adverse side effects when using this nootropic.
• Huperzine A: This ingredient can sometimes cause nausea, diarrhea, sweating, blurred vision, restlessness, loss of appetite, some muscle cramping/twitching, and other mild side effects. It can also possibly slow the heart rate and cause some gastrointestinal tract blockage.
• L-Leucine: The most common side effects recorded are fatigue and loss of coordination.
• L-Theanine: There have been very few adverse reactions recorded in people using L-Theanine. The most common are headache, dizziness, and GI symptoms. L-theanine is drank regularly by green tea lovers.
• L-Tyrosine: This ingredient has been rated as “likely safe” when taken orally. Some side effects recorded are nausea, headache, fatigue, heartburn, and joint pain.
• Oat Straw: There are no recorded side effects of oat straw. However, if you are allergic to oat flour, you may want to avoid oat straw.
• Phosphatidylserine: The most common side effects of this ingredient are only seen in high doses (300mg and up). They include insomnia and stomach upset.
• Pterostilbene: In a study, researchers found that there were no real side effects when compared to the placebo.
• Vinpocetine: Many of the side effects that have been recorded using this ingredient are similar to the above — stomach pain, nausea, sleep disturbances, headache, nervousness, and flushing of the face.

While there are some rare side effects listed above, I can honestly say I have only experienced a handful of them (headache and upset stomach). This is because, in my personal opinion, I took the nootropics on an empty stomach and they had an adverse reaction with my stomach lining. I also never took more than the recommended dose of Alpha Brain. In doing so, you greatly risk seeing some of the adverse side effects listed above.

Again, I am not a doctor, nor do I pretend to be one. If you have any questions about Alpha Brain, definitely reach out to a medical professional for answers.

To end on a funny/positive note, here is a video of comedians’ Joey Diaz side effects stories…

The post Alpha Brain Side Effects: An Honest Breakdown Of Each Ingredient appeared first on Brain Wiz.

However, while great in their own ways, they are both different in ingredients and how they effect the mental state of the user. Today we are going to compare Mind Lab Pro and Alpha Brain to help you make the right purchase.

Let’s get into it!

Check Mind Lab Pro Price Check Alpha Brain Price

Mind Lab Pro

Created by the Opti-Nutri team in London, Mind Lab Pro claims to help your brain “fire on all cylinders”. And based on our review, it really does. We extensively tested this nootropic to make sure all of its claims are actually true. We used it at work, studying, and even at the gym. Every tester felt more clear headed and able to focus at a higher level (when compared to not using Mind Lab Pro).

Beyond being a potent nootropic, Mind Lab Pro is also non-GMO, soy free, allergen free, gluten free, and vegan friendly. They are also very serious about their product working for every single person who tries it. In fact, if it doesn’t work for you, they will let you return the empty bottle within 60 days for a full refund. Not many other nootropic companies offer such an amazing refund policy.

Ingredients

One of the best things about Mind Lab Pro is that it has a clean label. This means no artificial colors and no additives. These are things that many supplement companies add to cut corners so they can keep costs down and make more money.

Now let’s take a look at the ingredients in Mind Lab Pro so we can properly compare it to Alpha Brain…

• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12
• Citicoline/Cognizin
• Bacopa Monnieri
• Lion’s Mane Mushroom
• Phosphatidylserine
• Pterostilbene
• N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine
• L-Theanine/Suntheanine
• Rhodiola Rosea
• Vinpocetine

One thing you may notice is that there is no caffeine in Mind Lab Pro. This makes it easier for all of the coffee and tea drinkers out there to better regulate their caffeine intake when taking it.

Reviews

As mentioned above, our testers really enjoyed taking Mind Lab Pro. It gave them a heightened sense of focus and even increased their productivity. Other reviewers commented on how it provides a more sustained focus and energy level than other nootropics or even caffeine does.

Price and Value

Mind Lab Pro comes in different packages. The more you order, the less you pay per serving. If you order just one bottle, the cost is $65. That comes out to about $2.16 per serving. As someone who has a coffee addiction (like many people in corporate America) I spend about $5 per day on coffee. When using Mind Lab Pro, I didn’t drink any coffee and I actually felt even more focused then I do when drinking coffee. What that means is I could easily replace my $5 per day coffee habit with one serving of Mind Lab Pro and still save money in the long run.

Alpha Brain

After gaining a lot of popularity due to endorsements from people like Joe Rogan, Alpha Brain by Onnit skyrocketed to becoming the most popular nootropic on the internet. However, a lot of people were skeptical. Does Alpha Brain really stand up when it comes to improving mental performance? We thoroughly tested Alpha Brain and were quite impressed with the results.

Not only does Alpha Brain work as a nootropic, but it also induces lucid dreams. These are the dreams where you are aware that you’re dreaming and have full control of them.

What we love about Alpha Brain is that, like Mind Lab Pro, is comes with a really great return policy. They have a special “Keep It” money back guarantee. This means that you can literally finish the entire bottle, request a refund without sending it back, and Onnit will send you a full refund.

Ingredients

Now let’s take a look at the ingredients in Alpha Brain so we can properly compare them with Mind Lab Pro.

• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCI)
• L-Tyrosine
• L-Theanine
• Oat Straw Extract (Avena Sativa)
• Phosphatidylserine
• AC-11 (Uncaria tomentosa Extract)
• L-Alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine (Alpha GPC)
• Bacopa Monniera Extract
• Huperzia Serrata Extract
• L-Leucine
• Vinpocetine
• Pterostilbene

Reviews

Alpha Brain, as mentioned above and many other times on Brain Wiz, is an incredibly popular nootropic. This is partially due to its great marketing and branding and partially due to it working very well for many people who have taken. Across the board, Alpha Brain has been rated highly for it’s ability to help increase focus. Like Mind Lab Pro, it doesn’t have caffeine. Many people have noted this as a plus because you wont have the “jitters” and crash caused by too much caffeine.

Price and Value

If purchased through Onnit, Alpha Brain comes to  $29.71 with a subscription or $34.95 without a subscription. This comes out to around $1.16 per serving for a 30 day bottle.

Mind Lab Pro vs Alpha Brain: Ingredients Comparison

Mind Lab Pro vs Alpha Brain: Final Thoughts

One of the biggest differences between Alpha Brain is cost. Mind Lab Pro is $2.16 per serving and Alpha Brain is $1.16 per serving. Why is there such a big difference? Doesn’t Alpha Brain technically have more ingredients and cost less? Well, let’s go over at the details…

While it looks like Alpha Brain has more ingredients, you actually aren’t getting the quality ingredients that Mind Lab Pro offers. First, Alpha Brain is missing Lion’s Mane Mushroom (also called Hericium erinaceus). This ingredient has been proven to improve mild cognitive impairment in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Alpha Brain is also missing Citicoline, when compared to Mind Lab Pro. Citicoline has been proven to raise levels of acetylcholine and dopamine. This means it can improve your cognitive state and make you feel happier (through releasing  more dopamine).

While they both offer amazing return policies and have great ingredients that have worked wonders for our nootropic testers, we recommend Mind Lab Pro. It was a hard choice but Mind Lab Pro, in our opinion, has a slightly better list of ingredients. They focus on quality over quantity when it comes to ingredients and that is very important when it comes to nootropics.

If you’ve tried either Mind Lab Pro and/or Alpha Brain, let us know what your experiences were like in the comments below!

The post Mind Lab Pro vs Alpha Brain: A Head-to-Head Comparison of Two Great Nootropics appeared first on Brain Wiz.

In a head-to-head matchup between Brain Force vs Alpha Brain, we recommend choosing Alpha Brain.

To learn why, keep reading…

Check Alpha Brain Price

Brain Force

Created by the man behind Infowars, Alex Jones, Brain Force claims to “Flip the switch and supercharge your state of mind”. It rose in popularity due to being featured and talked about on Infowars media channels. While it is possible to purchase Brain Force on the Infowars website, you can also purchase it on Amazon Prime.

Based on what we found on their website and their Amazon page, there is no money back guarantee for Brain Force. This is a little disheartening seeing as how much their marketing pushes it’s amazing benefits.

Ingredients

Let’s take a look at the ingredients in Brain Force so that we can properly compare it with Alpha Brain.

• Bacopa Herb Extract: Also called “bacopa monnieri”, this nootropic supplement is one of the most popular because of its wide range of cognetive enhancing abilities.
• Alpha-GPC: The full name of this nootropic is “Alpha-glycerophosphocholine” but Alpha-GPC is much easier to say. It has been usedto help those with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s.
• Yerba Mate Leaf Powder: Yerba Mate has been used in tea for centuries by the Chinese for everything from building up their immune system to increasing energy and focus.
• Phosphatidylserine: This nootropic has successfully been used to patients with early signs of dementia.
• L-Theanine: Another very popular nootropic, L-Theanine gives users a significantly higher state of mental alertness.
• Vitamin B12: An all around essential vitamin, B12 also works as an effective nootropic.
• Black Pepper Fruit Extract: This is a supplement that is not often found in general nootropics. However, it does still have a variety of benefits.

Reviews

If you head over to the Brain Force Amazon page, you will see very polarizing reviews. Some people love it and rated it five stars, while other people hated it and gave it 1 star. There are a very little amount of people who gave it 4, 3, or even 2 stars.

Some of the positive reviews claimed that it helped give the users more energy and even remember old memories. Some of the negative reviewers claimed that they didn’t experience any results at all.

Price and Value

Brain Force is sold for $33 on Amazon Prime (free shipping). With a 30 day supply, that comes out to $1.10 per dose. Overall, that isn’t the cheapest option when it comes to nootropics. However, it is strange that they are charging more than we regularly see for such a small amount of nootropic ingredients.

Alpha Brain

Alpha Brain is one of the most popular nootropics on the web today. It was created by Onnit as a nootropic to help people perform at the top of their mental game. It gained popularity because of its extensive celebrity endorsements, most notable Joe Rogan. Joe often features Alpha Brain on his wildly popular podcast.

In addition to helping elevate your cognitive abilities, Alpha Brain also promotes lucid dreams. These are the type of dreams where you are in control (e.g. you can make yourself fly). Unlike Brain Force, Alpha Brain offers one of the best return policy and money back guarantees in the supplement industry. If you don’t see any effects after taking Alpha Brain, you can keep the bottle and they will still send your money back.

Ingredients

Below are the ingredients in Alpha Brain so that we can properly compare it with Brain Force.

• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCI): An important vitamin for helping elevate brain function in the elderly.
• L-Tyrosine: Has been used to alleviate neurological decline.
• L-Theanine: As mentioned above, L-Theanine is a very popular nootropic. It can give users a significantly higher state of mental alertness.
• Oat Straw Extract (Avena Sativa): Has been used to reduce stress, giving cleaner energy when combined with other nootropics.
• Phosphatidylserine: As mentioned above, this nootropic has successfully been used to patients with early signs of dementia.
• AC-11 (Uncaria tomentosa Extract): Used to reduce inflammation, one of the main causes of brain fog.
• L-Alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine (Alpha GPC): As mentioned above, Alpha GPC has been used to help those with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s.
• Bacopa Monniera Extract: As mentioned above, this supplement is one of the more popular in the world of nootropics because of its wide range of cognetive enhancing abilities.
• Huperzia Serrata Extract: Double-blind, placebo controlled studies have shown that Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia patients exhibit significant improvements in memory function.
• L-Leucine: An important amino acid, which play a vital role in how the brain works.
• Vinpocetine: A vasodialator which helps to increase blood flow to your brain.
• Pterostilbene: A powerful antioxidant that helps to reduce inflammation.

Reviews

People all over the internet love Alpha Brain. Everywhere we look, whether it was on blogs or supplement review sites or videos, people were expressing their love for Alpha Brain. At first we thought that the popularity of Alpha Brain might be a marketing gimmick because of the celebrity endorsements. However, after testing Alpha Brain ourselves, we found it to be a wonderful nootropic. It is perfect for people who are just starting out in the world of nootropics and are looking for a nice “brain boost” without the jitters that supplements with a lot of caffeine bring.

Price and Value

When purchased through Onnit, you can buy Alpha Brain for $29.71 (with a subscription). If you choose not to subscribe, the price slightly rises to $34.95. The bottle comes with a months supply (30 pills). That comes out to about $1.16 per dose.

Brain Force vs Alpha Brain: Ingredients Comparison

Brain Force vs Alpha Brain: Final Thoughts

After thoroughly comparing both of these nootropics, we had to go with Alpha Brain. While Brain Force is slightly cheaper (by around $2) Alpha Brain contained much more quality ingredients. Just take a look at the variety of ingredients in Alpha Brain versus Brain Force. You will immediately see why Alpha Brain is ever so slightly more expensive. And while it is more expensive, you’re getting what you pay for — quality.

Not only are you getting quality with Alpha Brain, you are also getting a great money back guarantee. Unfortunately, Brain Force doesn’t offer any return policy (that we were able to find). Because of this, many reviewers were stuck with new bottles of Brain Force that just didn’t work for them. However, because Alpha Brain has one of the best money back guarantees around, you can get your money back if it doesn’t work and still keep the bottle.

The post Brain Force vs Alpha Brain: Which Proves to be the Better Nootropic? appeared first on Brain Wiz.

In a head-to-head comparison, we chose Alpha Brain over Neuro Peak.

Want to learn why? Read below to find out…

CHECK ALPHA BRAIN PRICES

Alpha Brain

Alpha Brain is the flagship product by the popular website, Onnit. It rose in popularity due to the increase in interest in biohacking as well as their impressive roster of celebrity endorsements. In addition to its brain boosting ingredients, Alpha Brain also works to help increase lucid dreams. These are the dreams that you have where you are in control and fully aware that you are dreaming.

What makes Alpha Brain an impressive supplement, in my eyes, is the fact that they offer one of the best satisfaction guarantees on the market when it comes to nootropics. If you don’t like Alpha Brain, you can keep the bottle and they will still send you your money back. I respect Onnit for standing up for their products like that.

Ingredients

Now let’s take a look at the ingredients in Alpha Brain so that we can properly compare it with Neuro Peak.

• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCI)
• L-Tyrosine
• L-Theanine
• Oat Straw Extract (Avena Sativa)
• Phosphatidylserine
• AC-11 (Uncaria tomentosa Extract)
• L-Alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine (Alpha GPC)
• Bacopa Monniera Extract
• Huperzia Serrata Extract
• L-Leucine
• Vinpocetine
• Pterostilbene

Reviews

Look almost anywhere and you’ll see that Alpha Brain is one of the most popular nootropics on the internet. Our testers really enjoyed using Alpha Brain because of the ways it helped improve their cognitive abilities as well as how it induced lucid dreams. Other reviewers have successfully used Alpha Brain in a variety of different settings — work, school, and even the gym.

One of the main benefits of Alpha Brain is the fact that it doesn’t contain massive amounts of caffeine, like other nootropics on the market. In fact, Alpha Brain doesn’t have any caffeine in it. This is important because caffeine is a stimulant that, when overused, will cause a crash. Not including caffeine in this supplement means you can still sip on your favorite coffee or tea and control the amount of caffeine that works for you (without causing a big crash).

Alpha Brain is a great starter nootropic. It is one that, in my opinion, is very beginner friendly. You don’t need to know a lot about the world of nootropics to pick up a bottle of it and start feeling its effects.

Price and Value

You can currently purchase Alpha Brain for $29.71 (when you subscribe) to it via Onnit. If you do not subscribe, you can purchase it at the slightly higher price of $34.95. This will give you 1 months supply of 30 pills. That comes out to around $1.16 per pill.

To get regular, clean energy and focus at $1.16 per dose, I would say Alpha Brain is a great deal. Compare it to any coffee shop that is going to charge upwards of $2 per cup and you’ll see how much you’re saving.

Neuro Peak

Created by Zhou Nutrition, Neuro Peak is a physician-formulated nootropic that claims to improve memory, clarity, and focus. It also markets itself as a stress and anxiety reliever. You can find Neuro Peak sold on the manufacturers website as well as Amazon.

Neuro Peak does offer an impressive 60-day money back guarantee. However, it does not beat Alpha Brain’s much more impressive guarantee.

Ingredients

Now let’s take a look at the ingredients in Neuro Peak so that we can properly compare it with Alpha Brain.

• Vitamin B-12
• Bacopa Monnieri
• Phosphatidylserine
• Ginkgo Biloba
• Rhodiola Rosea Extract
• DMAE

Reviews

Like Alpha Brain, Neuro Peak is also very well reviewed. If you go on Amazon, you will see a lot of people raving about how it has helped them focus without making them jittery like coffee or an energy drink would. Some reviewers left 1 or 2 stars, claiming that they felt no effects. But for the most part, Neuro Peak receive mostly 4 and 5 star reviews.

Price and Value

Neuro Peak comes in at $19.99 via Amazon. In the bottle there are 30 pills. That brings the cost to around 66 cents per pill. As you can see, the cost per pill is much less than what you get with Alpha Brain. However, you also have to consider that you are receiving less in each pill with Neuro Peak. Neuro Peak contains 6 main ingredients whereas Alpha Brain contains 12. Those added ingredients also have added benefits when it comes to improving cognitive abilities such as mental clarity and focus.

Neuro Peak vs Alpha Brain: Ingredients

Neuro Peak vs Alpha Brain: Final Thoughts

Overall, both of these nootropics are very good for people who want to dip their tow in the water when it comes to brain-boosting supplements. They both include Bacopa Monniera, which is, in my opinion, a great supplement for increasing mental cognition and clarity.

If you are looking for the best, when it comes to Neuro Peak versus Alpha Brain, I recommend Alpha Brain. This is for a few reasons. First, you get more with Alpha Brain. Just look at the ingredients list of both nootropics and you can see it. With Alpha Brain you get great brain boosters such as: Vinpocetine and L-Theanine. Both of these supplements have been proven to help your brain work in more ways than one.

Another reason why I think new users should go with Alpha Brain is because of their stellar money back guarantee. In fact, I have never heard of another nootropic company that lets you keep the product, even if you ask for your money back. You can literally try Alpha Brain without having to risk your money.

Lastly, I like that Alpha Brain induces lucid dreams. It may not be the main reason why you would buy it but it certainly is a fun added bonus.

Yes, Neuro Peak is slightly cheaper than Alpha Brain but when it comes to nootropics, you should be looking for quality over price. Alpha Brain gives you the quality formula you need to achieve elevated levels of focus and mental clarity.

If you are new to the world of nootropics and are looking to take your mind to the next level, I recommend trying Alpha Brain.

The post Neuro Peak vs Alpha Brain: An Unbiased Look At Both Nootropics appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Beyond the screen, Tait’s passion project revolves around helping people take control of their lifestyles through his successful podcast, Pirate Life Radio, and Caveman Coffee, a company specializing in extremely high-quality, single-estate coffees, along with MCT oil and other supplementary products.

We sat down with Tait to talk about mental performance, nutrition, nootropics, and what it means to Pirate your lifestyle.

Tell us a little about how Caveman Coffee came about?

It goes way back. Whenever I get into something, I talk about it a lot. I find stuff out, and I pass it along, and that turns me on to new things. Back in my days as a professional fighter, I was always really nervous about diet, because I had to cut weight AND come in in appropriate condition. I had to preserve the strength and endurance to operate well.

That didn’t allow a lot of variance in my diet. That career ended, but now I’m a professional actor and stuntman, so my body is still a professional tool, and I still want to keep moving beautifully as well as long as I can.

That all led to curiosity to explore a lot of different diets: ketogenic, let’s try that out and be disciplined about it for six months. What does a Paleo diet look like? What effect does insulin suppression have on my body and my emotions?

You were biohacking!

Definitely. I always joke, all you biohackers, understand we see your WHOLE life. You see a lot of these guys talk about a strict ketogenic diet, then they’ll have 15 beers over the weekend! For me, I have to be all in, find out what the result is, and then go from there. I went deep into it, I go into the blood work as well. If I’m feeling great and my outsides are great, maybe there’s something to adjust there. And a lot of folks are asking me about my routine and what I’m doing. That leads to a lot of conversations that are meaty, not just blabber. I got to speak with all these beautiful people who were dialing things in and working to get a handle on it.

I became interested in coffee, interested in mycotoxins, different strains of mold, the ways coffee is procured. I realized a lot of major chains tasted the same, whether I was in South Africa or Boston. And I started learning that’s because the coffee is all burnt to the same degree! They’re not having one roaster, they’re procuring beans that are years old some times, and they just shuffle them together to make blends. That allows them to work the commodity market of coffee greatly.

If you really want to get high quality nutritious coffee, see, I’d never thought about coffee as nutritious before. Coffee is a fruit that’s roasted into a bean, and there are different parts of the roast that affect that. The darker the roast, the more robust the flavor, but a lot of the caffeine and antioxidants are going to be burned out of the bean.

I started talking to my business partner Keith Jardine about this, and then another partner, Lacie Mackey, who’s a high level trainer and athlete. We got on this road of coffee and nutrition together, then I started having discussions on twitter about people’s favorite single origin roasters, and I started trading bags with people, sort of like an informal coffee club.

Then Keith introduced me to a guy named David, he and his brother Juan immigrated from Colombia and have a coffee roaster in Albuquerque. They have the roaster here and a family plantation in Colombia, they get the beans from the plantation there and roast them in New Mexico.

Single origin is from the same region, single estate is even better than that, it’s all off the same farm. All the beans we do are hand picked, cold washed, come from the same estate and same family. They’re the highest quality coffee beans in the world. And I realized I needed and wanted to share that with people. We thought up a brand around that, and we went from there.

Our parent company is Pirate Life, and the whole idea is to educate ourselves about our own wellness. The conversation a lot of times is that we get sick, and we need some pills to get us back on the track to wellness. We’re all victims of our lifestyle, whether you’re a hang glider or a rodeo rider or professional chef.

But I want to empower people to Pirate their Lifestyle, help people find out what consumption does to them. The only vote that counts for me is to vote with my dollars. My good friend Joe Rogan says voting in the national elections is like pro wrestling. It might make you feel better, but it doesn’t affect the outcome. So where I spend my dollars makes the difference, which is why I spend my money on small based community companies. Maybe that costs a little more, but real food costs more in this day and age, crazy enough.

Caveman Coffee rose out of that, as did my Pirate Life podcast and a few other things we have in the works. We didn’t want a business, we wanted a movement to empower people.

Caveman sells high quality coffee, and you also sell MCT oil. Is that something you incorporate into your own routine?

I travel a lot, and I’m always warding off fatigue. Wherever I end up, I need to be on and 100% present. My nutrition is super important for me.

MCT is a nice healthy fat that you can derive from coconuts or palm oil. But with palm oil, you have destruction of rainforest and great ape habitat, so we try to be careful of how we source, and we do it from coconuts. I use it in my coffee to keep my fats high. I keep my fats high because I feel better that way. I spoke a little bit on the ketogenic diet; personally, I’ve found that keeping my carbohydrate count to 50 or 30 grams a day or less, I feel great. But in order to do that, I have to eat a ton of fat. Then my body creates ketones, and my body is fueled off adipose tissue.

MCT oil supplants the use of cream in my coffee. I have a little whip that I blend it up with, it’s nice and creamy and delicious. That and fish oil I take religiously.

What are some some tips to fighting fatigue and staying your best on the road?

For me, it’s diet, so much of it is diet. I used to have really bad mood swings when I was a sugar burner. When I burn sugar as fuel, I crash, and then I’m on this roller coaster all day long, and it played with my emotions, I got surly. I’m a slave to food in this way.

That’s one of the reasons I went on the ketogenic diet, fats don’t do that to me. If I need to take a little cat nap, I can wake up good and present. And I take Alpha BRAIN at night before I go to bed, which is a great product that Onnit puts out, your readers are probably familiar with it. I sleep deeper.

That’s just me, a lot of people take it throughout the day for mental clarity, I don’t do that, I take like four or five of them at night. And of course, it’s probably against the recommended dosage on the bottle, but I’m 240 pounds and I’m used to taking a lot of things. I get into REM sleep a lot quicker than I normally would, and even shorter duration sleep I’m getting more benefits out of. But that’s what biohacking is all about, getting the most out of what you’re doing.

We get a lot of questions from folks on supplement dosage, especially when it comes to Alpha BRAIN. We’ve noticed a huge amount of variation about how it will work for some people.

I just spent the weekend with [Onnit CEO] Aubrey, and he was talking about how different people are affected differently by it. Experience is the best information we have, and my experience is going to be deviated from yours.

And one more supplement I take daily is ZMA. I find the zinc, magnesium, and B6 highly useful for my rest and recovery.

How I work out these days is different than how I worked out as a professional combative athlete. Now I do higher volume in a shorter duration. I try not to have any metabolic conditioning workouts that last more than 8 to twelve minutes.

Where can people find out more about you, and what’s the best way for people to get in touch?

I try to answer all my messages. I’m on Twitter and Instagram, Taitimus Maximus is my Snapchat, and I’m responsible to all of those. You can find out more about our coffee and MCT on Caveman Coffee’s website. And of course Pirate Life Radio, I’m honored to be able to have the conversations I’ve had with some really fantastic people. I get to talk to people I really admire who are living high octane lives and have found fantastic success and serenity by walking an alternate route than what they were given as kids generally.

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1. I want something with caffeine (Alpha BRAIN is caffeine free, and while this is also something a lot of people cite as a benefit, preferences of course differ)
2. I want a simpler formula
3. I want a more transparent formula (Alpha BRAIN doesn’t publicly release the exact makeup of their proprietary blends, but they have generally been revealed in one research source)
4. Alpha BRAIN is too expensive
5. I just want to try something different

To make it easier to find some of the best Alpha BRAIN alternatives, we’ve highlighted these reasons and some of our favorite solutions below.

Have another Alpha BRAIN alternative you love? Let us know in the comments!

You Want Something Simpler

Alpha BRAIN is a broad-spectrum nootropic, meaning it contains a high number of ingredients that, while potentially synergistic, have numerous different effects on the brain and body. It has 12 active ingredients, many of which might not carry a potent effect for everyone.

Learn what our testers think about Alpha BRAIN in our review.

One of our current favorite Alpha BRAIN alternatives with a very straightforward formulation is RISE by Nootrobox. It has just three active ingredients: rhodiola rosea, bacopa monnieri, and Alpha-GPC. And unlike Onnit, Nootrobox is very upfront with how much of which ingredients are in its supplements.

Learn more about RISE in our full review.

Like Alpha BRAIN, RISE is caffeine-free and is designed for daily use. Both supplements contain notable adaptogens, though only RISE contains rhodiola, which our testers have anecdotally found to give a mental as well as physical boost. Both supplements contain Alpha-GPC, the highest-quality form of choline you’ll find in nootropics (and the form most able to cross the blood-brain barrier). Learn more about Alpha-GPC here.

It’s worth noting that Bacopa and Alpha-GPC are both found in Alpha BRAIN, though in significantly smaller quantities than RISE; Alpha BRAIN contains 240 mg of their Focus Blend, which includes both ingredients, while RISE contains 300 mg of each.

You Want Something More Powerful With Caffeine

Alpha BRAIN’s caffeine-free formula is famous and pairs well with coffee. However, some people want a powerful, fast-acting nootropic formula that gives them a more perceptible energy boost. In that case, our testers prefer Lumonol.

Lumonol is another broad-spectrum nootropic stack that includes a choline source, but it’s paired with guarana (a potent caffeine source) and noopept, a fast-metabolizing compound that can provide a cognitive boost shortly after ingestion (similar to, but potentially more potent than, piracetam).

Lumonol is one of our highest-rated nootropics and one of the fastest-acting, highest-energy blends we’ve tried. Find out more about Lumonol and who it may be best for in our review.

truBrain is another fast-acting nootropic our testers generally had good experiences with, and it’s one with a transparent list of ingredients plus the backing of an impressive team of neuroscientists. We found their liquid shots, which come in caffeinated and non-caffeinated forms, tasty and convenient.

You Want Something Cheaper

Onnit isn’t known for bargain-basement prices, though they occasionally release coupons and discounts. (Find out how to get the cheapest Alpha BRAIN at our coupons portal.)

If you’re looking for a broad-spectrum nootropic at a cheaper price, especially one that’s accessible to beginners, our testers recommend looking at Cognitex. It has a pretty different ingredient profile than Alpha BRAIN, but we overall enjoyed it, and it paired very well with coffee and other sources of caffeine like Smart Caffeine. If you take into account the price per serving, Cognitex is about half the price of Alpha BRAIN (assuming a 2-capsule serving of Alpha BRAIN).

Read our full Cognitex review here. 

Another cheaper option per serving is Choline Force by Bulletproof (also known as Upgraded Self). Find out about our experience with Choline Force in our review.

You Want Something More Transparent

Again, Onnit isn’t always the most forthcoming with their exact formulations. Of the options listed above, RISE, Cognitex, and Choline Force are all very transparent in their formulations, in fact, transparent ingredient amounts is one of the founding principles of a company like Nootrobox. As far as a stimulant-free stack with a quality, no-gimmicks formula our testers enjoyed, RISE is currently our preferred alternative to Alpha BRAIN.

Still looking for that perfect stack? Check out our Ultimate Beginner’s Guide for rankings of the best nootropics.

Quick note: Some in the biohacking community enjoy creating their own blends and mixing raw ingredients. We primarily review consumer-ready supplements and don’t put out recommendations for at-home or self-packed supplements made from raw ingredients meant for research purposes, which can carry its own set of risks. When starting any new supplement regimen, please use common sense and don’t be afraid to consult with your healthcare provider.

The post What’s the Best Alpha BRAIN Alternative? appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Onnit claims Shroom TECH Sport was formulated to boost athletic performance by aiding/enabling energy pathways in the body. However, many of its primary ingredients, including Rhodiola rosea, cordyceps mushroom, and ashwagandha, are popular nootropic ingredients in their own right.

We set out to see if this pre-workout formula gave our testers a mental edge as well. Read on to see what our testers thought.

Ingredients

Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin), 3mg

An essential nutrient, B12 plays an important role in numerous bodily functions, including neurological function and development. The particular form of B12 is the coenzyme form most often used to reduce brain fog and promote mental energy due to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. This form of B12 can also directly participate in homocysteine metabolism.

Chromium (from Chromium Picolinate), 200mcg

This is an essential mineral and element that impacts glucose sensitivity and insulin in the body. Onnit includes chromium in ShroomTECH Sport to theoretically help balance and maintain blood sugar levels during activity.

Shroom Tech O2 Blend, 1500mg

A proprietary blend of ingredients from Onnit.

Organic Cordyceps (whole) Extract, Organic Cordyceps (whole)

This is Onnit’s headlining ingredient in ShroomTECH Sport, and it’s one we’re seeing more commonly in nootropic supplements. The cordyceps mushroom is an adaptogen that has been used in Chinese and Tibetan medicine as a treatment for numerous ailments, though its exact effects on the body still need to be determined through extensive clinical research. There’s also some early but promising clinical research indicating cordyceps extract has significant anti-fatigue properties.

Onnit claims it can boost ATP generation and oxygen utilization and aerobic capacity in the body, and some preliminary research backs their claims.

Shroom Tech Adaptogen Blend, 875mg

A proprietary blend of ingredients from Onnit.

Green Tea (leaf) Extract

Shroom Tech Sport gets some (unspecified) quantities of polyphenols, caffeine, and l-theanine from the addition of green tea. An amino acid that’s becoming an increasingly common ingredient in nootropics, l-theanine promotes relaxation without being a sedative. Research suggests it also helps the brain deal with stress. Often paired with caffeine, l-theanine effects appear complementary to the world’s most popular stimulant. It may also increase brain activity and memory.

Rhodiola (root) Extract

A noted adaptogen with few (if any) noted side effects, rhodiola is an herbal extract shown to boost physical and mental endurance while reducing the perceived symptoms of stress. Rhodiola fights fatigue, and there’s some anecdotal evidence it boost the effects of stimulants like coffee. Generally, a very large amount of rhodiola (over 600 mg) does not seem to boost the ingredient’s effects and may actually reduce them; with rhodiola, less may in fact be more for some users, and some clinical studies have seen effectiveness at doses under 100mg.

Onnit’s website cites some research suggesting a synergistic effect when combining rhodiola and cordyceps extracts. Rhodiola is also a headlining ingredient in stimulant-free stacks like RISE by Nootrobox (which our testers enjoyed).

Ashwagandha (root) Extract

The extract of Ashwagandha roots and leaves have been used in Ayurveda, the traditional Hindu medicine philosophy, as a mood stabilizer, and to combat stress and anxiety. The extract is said to work as a nervous system depressant, bringing about tranquility and relaxation, and making it easier to fall asleep.

Astragalus (root) Extract

One of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s fifty fundamental herbs, Astragalus has been shown to benefit the kidneys and is also linked to some general properties as they relate to anti-inflammatory effects and longevity. It may be adaptogenic in its effects, protecting against the effects of stress and neural decline.

The majority of human research, though, focuses on astragalus’ properties as they relate to the kidneys, though there’s some promising research suggesting it could improve exercise endurance. It generally has poor oral bioavailability (better via injections) and may interfere with some pharmaceuticals because it inhibits the enzyme CYP3A4. Onnit claims the inclusion of astragalus in ShroomTECH Sport positively influences the potency of cordyceps.

Other ingredients: Vegetarian Capsule (Cellulose, Water), Maltodextrin.

Usage Guidelines

• Designed to help the body with cellular energy and cardiovascular endurance.
• Take a serving of the greater of 3 capsules or 1 capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight, 45 minutes prior to physical exertion or competition, preferably on an empty stomach.
• When not engaging in planned physical exertion, take a serving of 1-2 capsules in the afternoon on an empty stomach to maintain daily energy.
• Do not exceed more than 6 capsules in any 24 hour period unless otherwise directed by a healthcare practitioner.

What Our Testers Say

“I’m always curious about the physical energy I get (or don’t get) from rhodiola, it all depends on what I’m taking it with. In this case, I felt sustained mental and physical energy. I took Shroom Tech Sport before workouts, as suggested on the label. It doesn’t seem to contain much caffeine, but it gave me at least the same boost, if not more, than some of the high-stimulant pre-workouts I’ve used in the past. It definitely stimulated me mentally, though I noticed the biggest impact on physical performance.”

“Adaptogenic formulas like Shroom Tech Sport often make me feel calm, and this was no exception. I took it in the morning and afternoon, and overall I prefer it to start my day with coffee or breakfast. On days I expected to be otherwise jittery or nervous, like when a quarterly report draft was due, I feel like Shroom Tech helped me stay level headed through it. I’m not sure it helped with my focus, but I felt less fatigued and less nervous than I might feel without it.”

“Like Alexandra, I also enjoyed taking this with coffee, though I liked it more in the afternoon when I’m facing a post-lunch slump. Cordyceps on its own has never been the most potent thing for me, but in this formulation and with these ingredients, I felt pretty good. I’m not sure I’d take it every day, but I’ll keep it handy if I need something to fight a sluggish afternoon.”

“This didn’t help me feel ”˜sharp’ like Alpha BRAIN, which was a little disappointing. However, I never felt tired on days when I took Shroom Tech. I’m going to think of it as more of a hedge against stress and tiredness than a focus or energy enhancer on its own.”

BrainWiz Tips

• Shroom Tech Sport contains some caffeine from green tea, so be aware of that when combining with other stimulants like coffee.
• This is a fairly robust adaptogenic formula, especially when starting, we recommend taking on its own instead of stacking with other nootropics.
• Don’t take too close to bedtime, as it may cause some mild difficulty sleeping when taken right before bed.
• Take before a workout to get more out of your session.

Supplement Summary

Unlike Alpha BRAIN or Alpha BRAIN Instant, Shroom Tech Sport didn’t impart a remarkable sense of sharpness or focus. It DID, however, prove popular among our testers for fighting fatigue and taking the edge off stressful situations. We’re not convinced this is an everyday nootropic, but for times when particularly challenging physical or mental tasks are right in front of you, it may certainly make those situations more tolerable, and less exhausting.

Interested in learning more? Check out our reviews of Onnit products Alpha BRAIN and Alpha BRAIN Instant.

The post Kiss Fatigue Goodbye? Reviewing Shroom TECH Sport by Onnit appeared first on Brain Wiz.

10% Off Alpha BRAIN and Alpha BRAIN Instant in 2016

As of writing this article, Onnit is offering Alpha BRAIN and Alpha BRAIN Instant for 10% off specials. Find the Alpha BRAIN 10% off special here and the Alpha BRAIN Instant 10% off special here.

Cheaper Alpha BRAIN and Alpha BRAIN Instant

Onnit often offers seasonal and special holiday discounts for specific products like Alpha BRAIN and Alpha BRAIN Instant. These can be as high as 20% off a product. Check back on this page for those, which we’ll regularly update as Onnit announces them.

For discounts that can be applied throughout the year, customers have a few options. First, Onnit offers discounts for larger orders at checkout regardless of season. The standard is generally 5% savings for orders over $150, and 10% for orders over $250 when buying off their website.

Recurring Order Discounts

In addition, the company offers “Stay Onnit,” a recurring orders program that sends you a given supplement at regular intervals of 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, or 90 days. If you choose to go with Stay Onnit, the company will give you 20% off your first order. Stay Onnit also applies any special or larger discounts in a given month to your recurring order.

Military Discounts

Onnit also offers a military discount, which can be found on the footer of their home page here. It’s 15% off for anyone getting product shipped to a military base or for customers who verify active service by using a military email address and providing proof of military ID.

Check back on this page for regularly updated Onnit discounts and coupon codes for Alpha BRAIN and Alpha BRAIN Instant.

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The Evolution of Alpha BRAIN

With the announcement of Alpha BRAIN Instant in late 2015, the manufacturer has introduced a new form of their favorite supplement. At first glance, Alpha BRAIN Instant is just Alpha BRAIN in a powdered form, as opposed to the standard capsule, with some flavorings to make it a pleasant drink. But while each form of Alpha BRAIN contains the Onnit Flow, Focus, and Fuel blends, the proportions are actually different between the two varieties.

Find out which flavor of Alpha BRAIN Instant we preferred in our full review.

So What’s Different?

Onnit claims Alpha BRAIN Instant has one big advantage: “The advantage of the powdered drink mix over original Alpha BRAIN is that you save the time it takes for the body to dissolve the capsule. The nutrients get delivered right away to your stomach, expediting absorption and how quickly they can cross the blood-brain barrier.”

But there’s another major difference, namely in the ingredients themselves.

The difference is in the amount of Onnit’s Flow and Fuel blends in each version of the supplement (the amount of vitamin B6 and Focus blend are the same in both). One serving of Alpha BRAIN Instant has 1,150 mg of their Flow blend, which contains l-tyrosine, the calming l-theanine, oat straw extract, and phosphatidylserine. A serving of Alpha BRAIN original has only 650 mg of that proprietary blend.

Alpha BRAIN Instant also contains more of the Fuel Blend per serving, at 71 mg versus normal Alpha BRAIN’s 65 mg. That particular blend contains l-leucine, vinpocetine, BioPerine black pepper extract (for increased absorption), and pterostilbene.

What Does This Mean for Me?

Our testers enjoyed both Alpha BRAIN and Alpha BRAIN Instant, and they’re among our favorite nootropic blends, especially when it comes to stimulant/caffeine-free stacks. In fact, several of us have been taking Alpha BRAIN fairly consistently for upwards of 5 months with consistent effects. (A few of us, however, get a better experience by cycling off the supplement occasionally, as tolerance may build with some of the ingredients.)

Alpha BRAIN Instant may take the edge in that it actually is a bit faster-acting; if you don’t like swallowing pills or are looking for a tasty morning beverage, it may also be worth a try. Alpha BRAIN’s original formula, as a capsule, is easier to pair with your morning coffee. We’ve found both to be similar in the length of their effects.

Individual experience may vary; the choice may truly come down to taste, routine, and whether you want to wait an additional few minutes for the earth-grown formula to kick in.

Looking for the Best Price on Alpha BRAIN?

Onnit isn’t known for releasing a lot of huge discounts on their products, but they are pushing hard on getting people to try Alpha BRAIN Instant. For the latest discounts, check out our piece on Alpha BRAIN coupons to get the best and most up-to-date deals on their nootropic formula and other supplements.

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