It’s basically coffee-flavored Soylent aimed at combining breakfast and coffee all in one convenient drink. And the company, founded by biohackers for biohackers, in many regards, has added nootropic compound l-theanine to enhance the effects of included caffeine while reducing the likelihood of jitters.

In that regard, they make be taking a page out of Nootrobox’s GO CUBES playbook by creating a new category of product that uses theanine to smooth out the caffeine kick. Of course, these two products are themselves very different: GO CUBES are edible, chewable coffee not designed to replace a meal, whereas Coffiest is basically a coffee-flavored breakfast shake + caffeine. Their use case scenarios will be different, and there’s a chance both will appeal to the same crowd, just for different times of day.

Why L-Theanine?

The caffeine + l-theanine stack is a potent nootropic combo on its own (in a ratio of about 1:2, so 100mg of caffeine and 200mg of l-theanine is fairly standard). Theanine naturally occurs in green tea and is an amino acid that can have calming, but not sedative, effects in mammals. It has few reported side effects, and when paired with coffee and other caffeine sources, studies suggest it can actually enhance caffeine’s focus-boosting properties while reducing the chance of jitters and feelings of over-stimulation. Basically, it “smooths out” the caffeinated kick so many people want.

Interestingly, Coffeist contains a ratio of 150mg of caffeine to just 75mg of l-theanine. That gives me the impression that the theanine seems to be more of a final addition to round off the product as opposed to a core focus.

Soylent already has a lot of traction among many in the biohacking space, and while their core products don’t contain nootropics, this could be a sign of new things to come.

The post Soylent Introduces “Coffiest” Meal Replacement that Includes Mild Nootropics appeared first on Brain Wiz.

What are some actionable ways to get better sleep each night?  Here are a few tips that should help you out.

Consistent Schedule

Your body likes getting used to a consistent schedule.  If you can try to go to bed around the same time and wake up in the morning around the same time, you will be much more likely to get good, consistent sleep.  This is a problem that many people have.  They may be able to do this during the week but then they go to sleep much later on Friday and Saturday night.  If there’s any way for you to try to get a more consistent schedule, you’ll be much more likely to get better sleep.

Avoiding Blue Light Before Bed

Do you ever watch TV right before bed?  Ever look at your smartphone right as you are about to drift off to sleep?  If so, then you are negatively affecting your ability to sleep well.  Science shows that blue light is great at helping you feel awake in the morning and during the day, but it is quite harmful for people trying to wind down and get to sleep.  Your TV and electronics emits blue light that can get in the way of you sleeping well, so do what you can to mitigate your use of these devices within an hour or two of trying to go to bed.

Don’t Read / Watch TV In Bed

You should aim to make your bedroom a place solely for sleep and not entertainment.  Your body will start to associate your bed/bedroom with sleep if you do so, and it will be much easier to get to sleep this way.  Take all the reading and TV watching out of your bedroom, and you should find it’s a bit easier to sleep each night.

Go For Walks

Stress is a big reason why people don’t sleep well.  If you simply go for a walk each day, then you will go a long way in reducing your stress.  It may seem like such a simple suggestion, but it really does work well for keeping your stress low and improving your ability to sleep.

Follow this advice and you should be on your way to getting better sleep.  Doing so will naturally make you more alert and productive during the day.

The post Don’t Forget About The Importance Of Sleep appeared first on Brain Wiz.

Read our full Neuro Elite review here.

Neuro Elite Pills

Neuro Elite Customer Support Number and Email

If you’re having trouble getting in touch with Neuro Elite about an order, there are a few ways to contact them. The first is their customer support email, listed clearly on the back of the bottle: support@iloveneuroelite.com.

The second is their customer support phone number listed under Contact on their website. It’s 1-800-229-6967.

Their product return address is listed on the same page:

Neuro Elite Fulfillment
7565 Commercial Way, Unit E
Henderson, NV 89011
USA

Canceling a Neuro Elite Subscription

At the bottom of Neuro Elite’s website is an “Easy Cancel” button that allows to you enter an email associated with a Neuro Elite account. This is the method we’ve used to cancel a subscription with Neuro Elite before, and it has always worked successfully for us.

If you’re on the fence about ordering Neuro Elite and are looking for other options, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Nootropics, which ranks all the nootropic stacks we’ve reviewed.

Have you had a good (or bad) experience with Neuro Elite? We want to hear about it. Let us know in the comments below!

The post Neuro Elite Customer Service: Responsive or Scam? appeared first on Brain Wiz.

(Interested in learning more about Driven Performance Labs products? Check out our review of their Max Capacity workout supplement and nootropic here.)

We sat down with DPL President Jason Phillips to talk about where his company is headed, the approach they take, and why fitness professionals need to pay special attention to the world of nootropics.

1. Driven Performance Labs is more than a supplement company. Tell us about what all you guys do and how that influences the products you develop.

DPL is more than a supplement company, it’s truly a lifestyle brand. In addition to supplements, we COACH individuals on their nutrition. I emphasize the word coach, as I truly feel we are the only one’s in the industry that work closely enough with our clients to GUARANTEE results. All of our clients are remote, but have full access to us 24/7 via text and email, its an unprecedented level of access.

As a company we consult with nearly 1000 individuals, and are able to begin recognizing trends in the industry, and gaps in the products available to our clients. This obviously shows us a need, which we subsequently fill with QUALITY formulas. Max Adrenal and Max Capacity are great examples of this.

2. How did you get involved in the nutritional space? How’d you get involved with Driven Performance Labs?

I have been consulting with people for 11 years now.  To make a long story short, I overcame an eating disorder and have done everything in my power to pay it forward and properly educate the world on proper nutrition.

As for DPL its pretty simple, I saw a need, and took action  As mentioned above, I take the results of my clients very seriously, so if that means building my own supplements then I’m ok with that.  It just so happened that A LOT of people really liked them

3. You guy just went through a pretty big rebrand. Why now?

The name Dynamic is one that my business partner has had for a long time. It was originally the name that he used as a parent company for his consulting, and was never meant to be the parent name of a large supplement company.  As we began seeing rapid growth, we knew we needed something that truly represented who we are and what we are about:

DRIVEN – the one word that truly describes who we are as people
PERFORMANCE – what we fuel
LABS – in science, results are created in the lab

4. A lot of companies will release a boatload of supplements in various versions all at once. Your product releases have been more gradual, and your catalog is still pretty narrow. Do you think you approach research and development different than other supplement companies? If so, how?

Plain and simple, I never want to be a “me too” brand. Our products are strategically designed to truly fill a gap, or meet the needs of an individual. Let’s also be honest: As a start up I don’t have the purchasing power to make a HIGH QUALITY protein without charging a fortune. I’ll let the big guys play that game, and I’ll continue to completely change the game.

5. Your target market has so far been CrossFitters and strength athletes. Do you see that changing? Why that focus?

I’m not sure this was ever the intent, but it sure has played out this way. As a savvy person, I would be crazy to say that I ever want to limit myself to one niche, but as a fan of CrossFit and someone that actively CrossFits several times weekly I have to continue to support it. The products that are currently in formulation are a bit more diverse, but will absolutely have an application in both the mixed modal and strength arenas.

6. What can athletes get out of nootropics that others can’t?

I’m not sure they truly get anything more, but they may use it more. Nootropics (or any CNS related product) will always help athletes that need to perform at a high level. CNS [Central Nervous System] recovery is the most overlooked part of nutrition, training, and supplementation, so when used properly, these products are game changing.

7. What’s next for Driven Performance Labs? Any new supplements in the pipeline?

Thats the million dollar question, isn’t it? While I won’t divulge too much information, I will say that our next product will revolutionize both the number of carbs an athlete can take in, and how they utilize them. Carbs are ESSENTIAL to performance and recovery, so this product will be game changing!

Interested in Driven Performance Labs products? Use our exclusive Driven Performance Labs Coupon listed here.

The post The Athlete’s Brain: Interviewing Jason Phillips of Driven Performance Labs 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.

The post The Pirate Biohacker: Interviewing Tait Fletcher of Caveman Coffee appeared first on Brain Wiz.

What follows in our beginner’s guide to nootropic stacks is a wealth of information regarding the world’s most popular brain boosters, constantly updated with new supplements, formulations, and our experiences. Our site also provides info on the best brain health supplement manufacturers for those looking to develop their own.

But we’re not just listing the most popular products available. We’re testing each and every one of them to give you a real-world take on the best nootropics.

What We Do

Many nootropic products are “broad spectrum” stacks, which we use to refer to supplements that combine ingredients impacting cognitive function in multiple, sometimes complimentary, sometimes completely standalone, ways.

That means there’s significant overlap between some formulas, even across manufacturers. That’s why we insist so heavily upon real-world use before we write our reviews. Supplements that appear to contain the same ingredients might include them in different amounts, concentrations, or forms, which ultimately affects the consumer experience. While it’s easy to make an initial judgement based on the label alone, the proof really is in the pudding. That’s true for taking these supplements as standalones and, as experienced nootropic users sometimes do, in combination.

Today, countless supplement companies produce nootropic supplements targeted at the consumer, and access to potent nootropics is no longer restricted to the kitchen chemist ordering bulk compounds. We purchase each and every supplement we review in order to replicate the average sales experience. No special treatment, no special tester formulas, no remixing, we’re purchasing and reviewing the exact same products available to the average consumer and nootropic enthusiast.

What We Review

It’s important to note that BrainWiz does not review prescription drugs or raw ingredients labeled for research use. Homemade combinations of raw ingredient powders were once the main outlet for biohackers harnessing nootropic ingredients; however, this practice carriers with it its own series of risks, including unverified sourcing and issues with self dosing.

We’ve dedicated our time and site to reviewing nootropic stacks and supplements readily available to the consumer. It’s still important to remember there is no one governing body overseeing nootropic supplements, and as with any supplement regimen, it’s a good idea to consult with a medical professional if you have preexisting conditions or currently take medication.

Nootropics for Productivity

Most people use nootropics to increase their productivity at work. It’s the same reason people drink coffee like there’s no tomorrow, and in fact, coffee and popular nootropic supplements often contain some of the same active ingredients! Caffeine is one of the most common and most researched nootropic ingredients, and it’s a powerful anti-fatigue agent that can boost focus and attention at work.

But caffeine can be more potent than people think, and in some nootropic stacks, it can actually be a hindrance for focus. Caffeine’s side effects can include jitters and shortened attention spans, which is why many nootropic makers pair it with compounds like l-theanine, which “smooths out” coffee’s boost and improves its effectiveness in concentration. If you’re looking at a nootropic stack that contains caffeine, consider all the ingredients beforehand. Some may enhance and accentuate stimulating effects, while others, including additional stimulants besides caffeine, may create an experience that means more jitters than focus.

For supplements that contain caffeine and other stimulants, start small or at a lower dosage to assess what it does to your work output, a half dose may be plenty to give you the edge you’re looking for. 

Other common nootropic ingredients for productivity include various forms of choline, an important neurotransmitter, and substances that enhance choline metabolism. Nootropic stacks often contain choline paired with these other compounds in one package. Taking an ingredient involved in choline metabolism, like piracetam, noopept, and other related and more advanced nootropic compounds, without adequate choline available to the brain has been known to result in headaches for some users.

Caffeine and cholinergics are two of the most common classes of compounds we see for beginner productivity stacks, and many of our favorite broad spectrum nootropics contain both groups.

Nootropics for Stress

It’s important to remember that nootropics aren’t meant to treat illnesses or medical conditions, and if you’re dealing with significant anxiety or signs of chronic stress, a brain supplement is rarely the answer. However, many nootropic ingredients can help users stay productive or focused in stressful situations.

These include adaptogens like bacopa monnieri and rhodiola rosea, two herbal extracts that help reduce some of the negative side effects associated with stressful events (like a deadline or mountains of work). In our experience, they tend not to “remove” stress altogether, but rather may take the edge off the fatigue stressful situations can accelerate.

Magnesium is also another supplement that our testers have found to have a relaxing or calming effect; magnesium compounds like magnesium threonate (branded as Magtein) may be more bioavailable to the brain and can also help improve sleep quality in some users. Many Americans don’t get enough magnesium in their diets, which can contribute to restlessness.

If you’re especially sensitive to caffeine or if stimulants contribute to anxiety, consider a stimulant-free nootropics stack. It’s worth noting that some adaptogens, notably rhodiola, may actually have mild stimulatory effects for some users.

Supplement Summaries

Without further delay, below is a frequently updated list of our reviewed supplements, listed from top rated to bottom rated by our testers. We’re constantly working to improve our reviews and test the latest nootropics on the market. We hope you enjoy this compilation of our recent reviews and that it helps you find the best nootropic stack for your needs!

Neurofuse

Manufacturer: Neurofuse

Our Take: Consistent energy and focus is what our testers got from Neurofuse’s blend. Neurofuse may not be the most innovative stack on the market, but after testing it out, we actually respect that. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel and falling flat, Neurofuse built a broad spectrium nootropic that delivers on its promise of both energy and focus. It’s not the fastest acting  nootropic we’ve tested (that’s likely Lumonol), but it’s probably all you need for a brain boost in a convenient delivery system (as opposed to combining multiple supplements or trying to time things precisely, generally beginner-friendly). Two of our testers felt diminishing effects after roughly a week of taking Neurofuse. After a few days off from the supplement, taking one or more capsules  of Neurorise once again produced a good wave of energy and concentration. We recommend cycling it every week or so for maximum effect. Read our full Neurofuse review here.

Stacks Well With: MagTech, BioCreatine

BrainWiz Rating: 4.7/5

Lumonol

Manufacturer: Avanse Nutraceuticals

Our Take: Lumonol is a broad spectrum nootropic stack with many of the most popular ingredients we see in this class of supplements. However, in addition to common ingredients in mainstream stacks, Lumonol also contains a few very potent ingredients that boosted it above the crowd in effectiveness and speed of action.

One of these additions is Noopept, a compound somewhat similar in effect Piracetam, a long-time preferred ingredient for nootropic/brain supplement pioneers. However, a much lower dosage of Noopept is needed to achieve the same cognitive boost, up to 1000 times less. Noopept metabolizes very quickly, within 25 minutes or less after oral ingestion, and it has a potentially cumulative effect, meaning it could get more effective after repeated use. Our testers felt its effects very quickly after taking Lumonol, possibly because of Noopept’s inclusion in the stack.

Lumonol was effective for our testers. However, this is a potent stack that contains stimulants such as caffeine from guarana in addition to a wide range of ingredients, and individual tolerance varied for us. We recommend starting with a half dosage to assess tolerance. Read our full Lumonol review here.

Stacks Well With: Lumonol Nova, MagTech, BioCreatine

BrainWiz Rating: 4.6/5

RISE

Manufacturer: Nootrobox

Our Take: Silicon Valley-based nootropics manufacturer Nootrobox has received significant press and a huge injection of cash from top venture capitalists to produce innovative nootropic formulas. RISE is one of their first supplements, a combination of adaptogens Bacopa and Rhodiola and choline source Alpha-GPC. With a relatively short, stimulant-free ingredient list, RISE contains clinically-backed ingredients in a form that pairs well with coffee/tea/caffeine. RISE is as straightforward combination of adaptogens and choline that can promote clear thinking and reduce the negative effects of stress. Read our full RISE review here.

Stacks Well With: Sprint, Lumonol Nova, Matcha Chai Latte, MagTech, BioCreatine

BrainWiz Rating: 4.6/5

Alpha BRAIN

Manufacturer: Onnit

Our Take: Alpha BRAIN is an effective caffeine-free and BSCG Certified nootropic stacked with a number of effective earth-grown ingredients. This BSCG certification signifies that Alpha Brain is drug-free and comprised only of naturally grown ingredients, making it somewhat unique in the nootropic space.

In addition to a cognitive boost, some users feel increased focus and stamina. When taken in the afternoon, Alpha BRAIN can induce vivid, lucid dreams at night. Though its perceived effects seem to diminish over time, taking a break from the supplement for a few days seems to be enough time for its effectiveness to return. Read our full Alpha BRAIN review here.

Stacks Well With: MagTech, New Mood, Smart Caffeine, Coffee

BrainWiz Rating: 4.5/5

truBrain Shots

Manufacturer: truBrain

Our Take: truBrain has innovative packaging and marketing behind it, but what impresses us most about the company is the team of trained neuroscientists and researchers who develop their products. Most of our testers enjoyed the product, and there’s more to truBrain’s shots than novelty. These shots contain oxiracetam, a member of the potent racetam class of compounds popular among biohackers, and consumer-facing nootropics manufacturers have only recently begun incorporating them in mainstream stacks. Our testers felt no jitters when taking truBrain shots, which is a rarity for supplements that include moderate to significant amounts of caffeine. The effects did build over time, so it takes a bit of patience in order to get the  maximum benefits of this supplement. Individuals taking MAO-inhibitors or who suffer from compromised renal function or hemophilia should not take truBrain.

If you drink smoothies or protein shakes, or are looking for a brain supplement that provides all-day clarity, truBrain’s shots are convenient and pleasant-tasting additions to a morning routine. Read our full truBrain review here.

Stacks Well With: BioCreatine

BrainWiz Rating: 4.5/5

Alpha BRAIN Instant

Manufacturer: Onnit

Our Take: Alpha BRAIN Instant is a powdered version of Onnit’s popular Alpha BRAIN supplement. Though similarly formulated, Alpha BRAIN Instant contains different amounts of active Onnit blends per serving than Alpha BRAIN in capsule form.

Read our full Alpha BRAIN Instant review here.

Stacks Well With: MagTech, New Mood, Smart Caffeine, Coffee

BrainWiz Rating: 4.5/5

MagTech

Manufacturer: Natural Stacks

Our Take: Magnesium is one of the minerals many Westerners are deficient in. It plays important roles in muscular health, sleep, and brain function. Magnesium comes in many different compounds and forms, of which MagTech contains three highly absorbable forms that are better able to cross the blood/brain barrier than most. Our testers appreciated the improved sleep quality and overall improvement in mood they experienced while taking it. The effects on focus and memory recall may take longer to feel than the nearly immediate improvement they felt in rest quality.

Overall, this is the top magnesium-based supplement we’ve tried. Because it’s a fairly straightforward magnesium supplement, MagTech is one of the few supplements we’ve had success pairing with almost all broad spectrum nootropic stacks. Read our full MagTech review here.

Stacks Well With: Pairs well with most broad spectrum stacks

BrainWiz Rating: 4.5/5

BioCreatine

Manufacturer: Natural Stacks

Our Take:Research-backed strength-builder creatine monohydrate, common for most high level athletes, generally safe to use, and not a banned performance enhancer, has some impressive nootropic properties, and brain supplement manufacturers are taking note.

BioCreatine is the best creatine supplement our testers have ever tried for both athletic performance and cognitive enhancement. It’s easy to take, seems to contain high-quality creatine monohydrate, and is generally cost-effective compared to a lot of other creatine supplements sold as nootropics. Our testers who have previously taken creatine preferred this over all other brands and supplements they’ve tried. Read our full BioCreatine review here.

Stacks Well With: Lumonol, Unfair Advantage, MagTech, Alpha BRAIN, truBrain

BrainWiz Rating: 4.5/5

Smart Caffeine

Manufacturer: Natural Stacks

Our Take: Smart Caffeine is a straightforward pairing of theanine and caffeine in a 2-to-1 ratio. Often paired with caffeine, l-theanine’s effects appear complementary to the world’s most popular stimulant. It may also increase brain activity and memory. L-theanine is commonly found in green tea, and a standard cup contains around 20 mg (so one pill of Smart Caffeine contains a high dosage relative to standard tea consumption). Though common, caffeine is still a stimulant, so start slowly if you’re sensitive to such substances. Read our full Smart Caffeine review here.

Stacks Well With: Caffeine/stimulant-free stacks such as Alpha BRAIN and Dopamine Brain Food, MCT Oil and capsules, Magnesium supplements

BrainWiz Rating: 4.4/5

SPRINT

Manufacturer: Nootrobox

Our Take: SPRINT by Nootrobox got us excited with some more rarely seen ingredients on top of a tried-and-true base pairing, and overall, it feels like a pretty standard caffeine-theanine pairing with just a little something extra. If you’re looking for a simple, beginner’s nootropic stack, SPRINT may be a good starting point that pairs well with Nootrobox’s RISE supplement. Read our full SPRINT review here.

Stacks Well With: Caffeine/stimulant-free stacks such as RISE, Alpha BRAIN, and Dopamine Brain Food, MCT Oil and capsules, Magnesium supplements

BrainWiz Rating: 4.4/5

Unfair Advantage

Manufacturer: Bulletproof
Our Take: Unfair Advantage is a combination of forms of PQQ and CoQ10, compounds tied to antioxidant effects and mitochondrial production. Our testers have had a lot of success stacking it with other popular nootropic supplements, as there’s rarely ingredient overlap with Unfair Advantage. This is one supplement where we’ve seen some significant variability in effects from person to person, especially when it comes to speed and duration of effects, so user experience may vary. Read our full Unfair Advantage review here.

Stacks Well With: Brain Octane Softgels, Choline Force, Neurorise

BrainWiz Rating: 4.3/5

GABAwave

Manufacturer: Bulletproof

Our Take: [Note: Currently, GABAwave is unavailable from the Bulletproof/Upgraded Self. Recently, we’ve seen many phenibut-containing supplements taken off the market.] GABAwave is Bulletproof’s form of phenibut, a nootropic compound that is known for its ability to easily transport GABA across the blood-brain barrier. It is linked to improved cognitive function, and many users also feel a release in stress and anxiety, as well as improved sleep. Read our full GABAwave review here.

Stacks Well With: Note: May cause increased sensitive and side effects when paired with stimulants or alcohol.

BrainWiz Rating: 4.3/5

Neuro Elite

Manufacturer: Neuro Elite

Our Take: Neuro Elite is a broad spectrum nootropic stack that our testers found consistent and dependable. It also contains caffeine and a research-supported blend of energy boosters, making it ideal for morning consumption (but not great for the evening). Neuro Elite was especially good and effective for use when facing stressful situations, likely due to its included adaptogens. Read our full Neuro Elite review here.

Stacks Well With: MagTech, BioCreatine

BrainWiz Rating: 4.3/5

Rhodiola Extract by Solaray

Manufacturer: Solaray

Our Take: Rhodiola rosea is one of the most well-researched and well-known nootropic ingredients derived from plants. This adaptogen is linked to increased feelings of physical and mental endurance while reducing the negative effects of stress, all with very few reported side effects. Solaray produces one of the most popular formulations. It’s straightforward without an unnecessarily high concentration; it’s unlikely that very high doses of Rhodiola Rosea are more effective at reducing fatigue and improving cognition over lower doses, and after a certain point (think north of 600 mg), high amounts might actually be ineffective. Rhodiola is often paired with other ingredients in nootropic stacks, and it’s also been effective for our testers on its own. Read our full Rhodiola by Solaray review here.

Stacks Well With: Coffee, Smart Caffeine, truBrain

BrainWiz Rating: 4.2/5

Dopamine Brain Food

Manufacturer: Natural Stacks

Our Take: Dopamine Brain Food is a caffeine-free stack designed to increase and support the production of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with motivation, creativity, and athletic ability. Our testers generally liked this product, and most of them have said that they will keep the product in their supplement rotation. Though its observed effects can  diminish over time, taking a break from the supplement for a couple of days was enough time for its effectiveness to return. Our testers had the most success with cycling this product as opposed to continuous use. Read our full Dopamine Brain Food review here.

Stacks Well With: Coffee, MagTech, BioCreatine, Smart Caffeine

BrainWiz Rating: 4.1/5

Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps

Manufacturer: Four Sigmatic

Our Take: Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps surprised us and, at least mildly, impressed even our biggest coffee fanatics. It may be a great option for people who do well on smaller amounts of caffeine but would still like the buzz and energy boost with a lower instance of jitters and no crash. The flavor of the coffee is good, albeit extremely mild, it will likely be too light for those accustomed to a stronger brew. Some of our bolder testers mixed it with both protein shakes and coffee with great success. Read our full Mushroom Coffee with Cordyceps review here.

Stacks Well With: Other adaptogenic blends like RISE

BrainWiz Rating: 4.1/5

Brain Octane Softgels

Manufacturer: Bulletproof

Our Take: Brain Octane Softgels are an ultra-portable version of Bulletproof’s popular Brain Octane Oil, a highly refined version of medium chain triglycerides (MCT). While the amount of fatty acids in a serving (or two) of softgels is significantly lower than in a tablespoon of the liquid oil, our testers found the capsules to be a handy option suited for the workplace or travel. These could be a welcome stimulant-free addition to a existing nootropic stacks. Read our full Brain Octane Softgels review here.

Stacks Well With: Coffee, Smart Caffeine, Alpha BRAIN, Neurorise, Lumonol, Neuro Elite, Unfair Advantage, Choline Force

BrainWiz Rating: 4/5

Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane

Manufacturer: Four Sigmatic
Our Take:Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane was generally well received by our testers, who appreciated its mild taste and calming effect. While we’re slightly skeptical this amount of Lion’s Mane can significantly boost cognition with one serving, we enjoyed the rhodiola-caffeine pairing for a stress-fighting combo. For its cost and ingredient profile, Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane provides solid value for its cost-per-serving in a travel-friendly and convenient delivery system. Read our full Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane review here.
Stacks Well With: Other adaptogenic blends like RISE
BrainWiz Rating: 4/5

Matcha Chai Latte (Onnit)

Manufacturer: Onnit

Our Take: Onnit Whole Spice Matcha Chai Latte Tea contains both caffeine and L-theanine, along with some other neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and energy-sustaining ingredients. It’s first and foremost a delicious coffee replacement, be it in the morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up, and secondly a mild nootropic in its own right. The Whole Spice Matcha Chai Latte is a mild nootropic when used on its on, and a great product to stack with caffeine-free supplements, like Alpha BRAIN. Our testers reported experiencing clarity, sharper focus, and a calm alertness even with a pretty mild caffeine content. Read our full Matcha Chai Latte review here.

Stacks Well With: Alpha BRAIN, Rhodiola, RISE

BrainWiz Rating: 4/5

Serotonin Brain Food

Manufacturer: Natural Stacks

Our Take: Like Dopamine Brain Food, Serotonin Brain Food is a caffeine-free stack designed to increase and support the production of a neurotransmitter, in this case serotonin. It contains magnesium glycinate, zinc, l-tryptophan, and rhodiola for a stack that seemed to enhance relaxation and calm more than focus. Read our full Serotonin Brain Food review here.

Stacks Well With: Coffee, MagTech, BioCreatine

BrainWiz Rating: 4/5

Choline Force

Manufacturer: Bulletproof

Our Take: Choline Force is a caffeine-free nootropic stack that’s may be best for those suffering from a choline deficiency. In addition to a cognitive boost and improved focus, some users feel increased physical energy. However, we have tested broad-spectrum nootropic stacks that worked more consistently across users. Though its perceived effects seem to diminish over time, taking a break from the supplement for a few days seems to be enough time for its effectiveness to return. Read our full Choline Force review here.

Stacks Well With: Coffee, Smart Caffeine, Unfair Advantage, MagTech

BrainWiz Rating: 3.9/5

Lumonol Nova

Manufacturer: Avanse Nutraceuticals

Our Take: Lumonol Nova is simple stack featuring L-Tyrosine, Caffeine, and L-Theanine as active ingredients. It gives a calm and clean energy boost, unlike the jitters some experience from caffeine on its own or in coffee. Our testers felt focused and energized, and the energy just mellowed out, rather than producing a crash. It tested similar to Smart Caffeine, and our testers were split as to which they preferred. For beginners in the world of nootropics, a simple two-ingredient stack like Smart Caffeine is usually a good starting point and may be a better option for the caffeine-theanine pairing.

Those who paired it with Lumonol felt that the effects of both supplements were heightened and complemented by each other. This may not be the best supplement for those not willing to give up their cup of coffee, but it is a convenient energy and mood booster. Read our full Lumonol Nova review here.

Stacks Well With: Lumonol, Rhodiola

BrainWiz Rating: 3.9/5

Neuro-Mag

Manufacturer: Life Extension

Our Take: Neuro-Mag is a straightforward way to supplement magnesium threonate, its only active ingredient. It can be taken on its own and stacks well with other supplements we’ve tested. Studies have linked supplementation of this form of magnesium with neuroprotective effects and improved brain health, especially in older subjects.

There are several other nootropic magnesium stacks on the market that include other forms of magnesium in addition to magnesium threonate. Our favorite of these is MagTech, which all our testers preferred to Neuro-Mag. Read our full Neuro-Mag review here.

Stacks Well With: Pairs well with most broad spectrum stacks

BrainWiz Rating: 3.9/5

brüd Coffee and truBrain Focus Sticks

Manufacturer: truBrain

Our Take: truBrain’s new coffee blend is a tasty light roast, though not the most flavorful or potent blend we’ve tried by any means. Their Focus Sticks contain a pairing of Alpha-GPC and Theanine, and when taken with their coffee in hot or cold forms, our testers enjoyed increased focus. However, they also found the Focus Stick delivery system and packaging to be awkward and paired with unnecessary sweetener. Read our full review of truBrain’s coffee and Focus Sticks here.
Stacks Well With: Coffee

BrainWiz Rating: 3.8/5

OptiMind

Manufacturer: AlternaScript

Our Take: OptiMind’s formula consists of a number of popular nootropic ingredients paired with energy boosters like caffeine and B vitamins. Our testers experienced a mental and physical boost, but the fact that the amount of caffeine per serving is not listed had some of our testers feeling like Goldilocks: It took awhile to find the right dosage for them.

OptiMind’s manufacturer has some mainstream traction, and their formula is a bit different than others we’ve encountered (for example, it doesn’t contain a direct form of choline, but it does have ingredients involved in choline production). If you’re interested in trying OptiMind, we recommend starting with a low dosage to assess tolerance. Read our full OptiMind review here.

Stacks Well With: Choline rich foods

BrainWiz Rating: 3.8/5

CogniYouth

Manufacturer: CogniYouth

Our Take: CogniYouth is a basic broad-spectrum stack of very common nootropic ingredients. It is also stimulant free. The manufacturer claims it was originally designed as a “brain vitamin” to aid in long-term brain health and cognition maintenance with age. It could be a good option for those looking to get the adaptogenic benefits of Rhodiola rosea and Bacopa monnieri  without a lot of excess ingredients. Read our full CogniYouth review here.

Stacks Well With: Coffee, Unfair Advantage, BioCreatine

BrainWiz Rating: 3.7/5

Cognitex

Manufacturer: Life Extension

Our Take: Cognitex is a mild cognitive enhancer with apparent cumulative effects, and it is a potential option for those just starting to explore nootropics. It contains a broad spectrum of common nootropic ingredients, including Alpha GPC, along with some lesser-seen, branded extracts. It is a caffeine and stimulant-free stack. Read our full Cognitex review here.

Stacks Well With: Smart Caffeine, MagTech, Unfair Advantage

BrainWiz Rating: 3.7/5 [Controversial]

SharpMind

Manufacturer: Solaray

Our Take: SharpMind is a caffeine-free nootropic stack best for those without a sensitivity to Ginkgo. Our testers found the effects to be mild, but generally consistent, with only one tester not feeling any effects. This is potentially a good starting stack for beginners. This supplement may pair well with coffee tea or guarana, for those who drink caffeine regularly. Read our full SharpMind review here.

Stacks Well With: Coffee, Smart Caffeine, Lumonol Nova

BrainWiz Rating: 3.7/5

Neuro Clarity

Manufacturer: Nutrition Essentials

Our Take: Neuro Clarity is a fairly basic stack of non-stimulatory ingredients. Many are involved in the metabolism of choline, though this supplement surprisingly contains no significant choline source, which seems to be a significant oversight. Pairing with a choline-rich food or supplement may increase the effects of Neuro Clarity. Read our full Neuro Clarity review here.

Stacks Well With: Choline rich foods

BrainWiz Rating: 3.4/5

Ginkgo Smart

Manufacturer: Irwin Naturals

Our Take: Ginkgo smart is another broad-spectrum nootropic stack that also contains omega-3 fatty acids and may double as a fish oil supplement. We found its effects quickly noticeable but not very long lasting, though we did experience some stomach cramps when taking it apart from food. Read our full Ginkgo Smart review here.

Stacks Well With: Smart Caffeine, MagTech, BioCreatine, RISE (half dosage)

BrainWiz Rating: 3.3/5

FOCUSfactor

Manufacturer: Synergy CHC Corp

Our Take: FOCUSfactor is a “brain health supplement” marketed as nutrition for the brain; the manufacturer claims it improves memory, concentration, and focus. What stands out about FOCUSfactor is that the 40-ingredient supplement reads a lot like a multivitamin up until the “Synergistic and Proprietary Formulation,” which blends a number of common nootropic ingredients. Overall, FOCUSfactor is a very mild caffeine-free nootropic stack and multivitamin, and the amounts for most of its nootropic ingredients are unlisted. Read our full FOCUSfactor review here.

Stacks Well With: Coffee

BrainWiz Rating: 3/5

Focus Fast

Manufacturer: Enyotics

Our Take: Focus Fast is another combo multivitamin/nootropic stack with undisclosed amounts of key ingredients (see FOCUSfast, above). Read our full Focus Fast review here.

Stacks Well With: Coffee

BrainWiz Rating: 2.9/5

CILTEP

Manufacturer: Natural Stacks

Our Take: CILTEP is one of the most talked-about and hyped nootropic stacks in recent memory. Somewhat unique among nootropics, CILTEP claims to operate by increasing long-term potentiation (LTP) within the brain; LTP is a consistent strengthening of synapses within the brain. It’s thought that memory formation and synaptic strength are heavily connected, and by inducing long-term potentiation, the makers of CILTEP claim its ingredients can boost memory, focus, and cognition. The science behind CILTEP is based on complex chemical interactions and ingredients that still have a long way to go as far as research-backed effectiveness; it’s possible CILTEP’s long-term potentiation mechanism isn’t actually occurring at a significant level. Positive effects on cognition may result from the action of individual ingredients as opposed to the proposed pathways outlined above. Read our full CILTEP review here.

Stacks Well With: Smart Caffeine, MagTech, Dopamine Brain Food

BrainWiz Rating: 2.5/5 [Controversial]

Nootroo

Manufacturer: Life Extension

Our Take: Nootroo is a relatively straightforward stack that comes in two forms: one contains gold flakes, and the other silver flakes, and they’re meant to be taken on alternating days. The formulas are essentially the same, except for the featured ingredient: noopept for gold and phenylpiracetam for silver. In addition, Nootroo contains choline (as Cognizin), theanine, and caffeine.

While the ingredients in these stacks are well-researched and known give a cognitive boost, as they have in other supplements we’ve tested, there is no information available on the amounts of each ingredient in Nootroo’s proprietary blends, and our testers felt significant jitters without a ton of upside when taking this supplement. Read our full Nootroo review here.

Stacks Well With: N/A

BrainWiz Rating: 2.4/5

Addium

Manufacturer: Precision Labs

Our Take: Addium felt much more like a quick stimulant rush with a resulting crash with its combo of stimulants and common nootropic ingredients (in unspecified amounts). The amount of caffeine in Addium is not listed, and most testers felt like it was the equivalent to about 2 shots of espresso.  If you are a coffee drinker, you may want to try Addium in the afternoon, instead of that second cup of coffee. This may not be the best supplement for those sensitive to niacin or stimulants in general. Read our full Addium review here.

Stacks Well With: N/A

BrainWiz Rating: 2/3.5

Glutathione Force

Manufacturer: Bulletproof

Our Take: Glutathione is an incredibly important molecule for human bodies, and an entire “glutathione system” based around its role as one of the body’s most important antioxidants. Glutathione acts through a complex system of enzymes and processes, and the theory behind glutathione supplementation is to provide cells with more of the molecules necessary for this entire system to run well. However, glutathione is generally fairly abundant in food, and there’s some debate over whether or not supplemented glutathione can actually make it to the body’s cells intact.

Our testers experienced very limited results from this supplement. Glutathione Force is an interesting idea in theory, but in practice there’s not a ton of evidence the body is able to utilize it as the manufacturer claims. For now, supplementing N-Acetylcysteine may be more effective to promote the antioxidant benefits of the glutathione system. Read our full Glutathione Force review here.

Stacks Well With: N/A

BrainWiz Rating: 2.1/5

Brain Awake

Manufacturer: Irwin Naturals

Our Take: Brain Awake had a similar effect to Bulletproof Coffee, but it wasn’t quite as pronounced, and the focus our testers felt wasn’t nearly as sharp as other supplements in recent memory. The inclusion of Holy Basil extract as the adaptogen of choice also has us scratching our heads a little bit, as there are similarly effective choices in existence without the same potential side effects.

If you like the effects of Bulletproof Coffee but aren’t a coffee drinker, Brain Awake is a zero-prep-required substitute. Overall, our testers reached for other supplements after their trial of Brain Awake was over. Read our full Brain Awake review here.

Stacks Well With: N/A

BrainWiz Rating: 2/5

Focus+

Manufacturer: Excelerol

Our Take: Focus+ by Excelerol is a liquid capsule nootropic stack. The list of ingredients in the Focus+ stack is familiar, featuring a significant number of well-researched nootropics, paired with an unknown (but observationally high) dose of stimulants and adaptogens. Focus+ may be a good alternative for non-coffee drinkers looking for a buzz, but for our testers, the benefits stopped there. Despite having an impressive list of ingredients, the fact that neither the quantities nor concentration of many ingredients listed makes us doubt there’s enough of them in the stack to really make a difference. Read our full Focus+ review here.

Stacks Well With: N/A

BrainWiz Rating: 1.9/5

Some Our Favorite Supplement Stacks

Some of the most common questions we get revolve around which nootropic combos we like for various purposes. This can be anything from fighting fatigue to improving conversational recall or staying our sharpest when traveling. Below are some of our testers’ favorite stacks for various situations and challenges. Click the links on each to learn more about how we’ve found success timing each stack for maximum effect.

• All-Day Productivity: Lumonol + MagTech (alternatively RISE + MagTech)
• Top Travel Stacks: Alpha BRAIN + Smart Caffeine/SPRINT and truBrain + Rhodiola rosea
• Convenient, Reliable, and Beginner-Friendly: RISE + SPRINT from Nootrobox
• Crushing a Stressful Deadline (note: the above two are also among our go-tos for this): Smart Caffeine + Rhodiola

The post The Beginner’s Guide to Popular Nootropic Supplements and Stacks appeared first on Brain Wiz.