While experts agree a healthy diet and lifestyle are the most important components of supporting brain health, research suggests the supplements below can help fill important nutrient gaps in a person&#;s diet&#;and potentially support cognitive health and mood.
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Of all the supplements recommended by experts for brain health, omega-3 fatty acids top the list. &#;Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly the long-chain fatty acids DHA and EPA present in fatty fish, are essential for the development of the brain and the eyes and have a significant influence on mental health at all ages,&#; notes Eva De Angelis, licensed dietitian nutritionist and chef based in Argentina.
These fatty acids help reduce inflammation in the body and the brain and are associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline, Alzheimer&#;s disease and dementia, adds Delk.
Omega-3s play important roles in the membranes of nerve cells, and people with neurodegenerative disorders tend to have lower levels of EPA and DHA. Furthermore, research suggests omega-3s may help protect against neurodegeneration and reduce risk of cognitive decline.
The recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids for all adults is between 1.1 and 1.6 grams. A typical fish oil supplement provides about 1,000 milligrams (or about 1 gram) of fish oil, with about 300 milligrams of omega-3s specifically. Dosage varies widely, so check product labels carefully before choosing a supplement.
Creatine supplementation is often used for building muscle and improving athletic performance, but recent research suggests creatine may help improve brain function as well.
According to a research review in the journal Nutrients, creatine may aid recovery from concussion and mild traumatic brain injury, ease symptoms of depression, improve cognition and help protect against neurodegenerative diseases. In one study referenced in the review, creatine supplementation helped improve memory in older adults .
Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in muscle tissue and the brain. It&#;s important for energy production, especially during times of increased metabolic demand, such as sleep deprivation.
According to the Internal Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), consuming up to 30 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for five years is safe for healthy individuals. If you choose to supplement with creatine, the ISSN recommends starting with a daily dose of around 0.3 grams of creatine per kilogram of body weight (for example, 20 grams of creatine for a 150-pound person) for five to seven days, followed by 3 to 5 grams daily thereafter. It&#;s important to stick to the recommended dosages, as ingesting too much creatine at once can cause damage to the liver or kidneys.
Research confirms what coffee lovers around the world suspect&#;caffeine improves cognitive performance. A research review in the journal Practical Neurology suggests caffeine can increase alertness and feelings of well-being, improve concentration and mood and help alleviate depression symptoms. It&#;s even associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer&#;s disease .
&#;Caffeine is very popular for cognitive function, as it has demonstrated neuroprotective benefits,&#; notes Susan Hewlings Ph.D., vice president of research affairs at Radicle Science.
Just don&#;t overdo it. Experts recommend limiting caffeine intake to no more than 400 milligrams (about five cups of coffee, depending on the brew strength) a day and no more than 200 milligrams per sitting. Excessive caffeine consumption can be associated with restlessness, insomnia and heart palpitations.
L-theanine is an amino acid found naturally in some mushrooms, as well as green and black teas. &#;It&#;s linked to an improvement in mental performance and focus in numerous studies,&#; notes Chicago-based registered dietitian Leah Johnston.
In one small study in the journal Neuropharmacology, participants who took 100 milligrams of L-theanine before a monitored two-hour task period made fewer errors during that time than those who received a placebo .
While there isn&#;t an established dose recommendation or upper limit for L-theanine supplementation, studies examining its effects on cognitive function often use daily doses between 100 and 250 milligrams. A cup of green tea provides between 8 to 30 milligrams of L-theanine.
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Though called the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is actually a hormone, notes U.K.-based specialist dietitian Sascha Landskron. &#;Vitamin D has hundreds of important functions [in the body] and is essential for good brain health,&#; she adds.
Research shows vitamin D is important for early brain development, and deficiency is linked to conditions including dementia, depression, autism and schizophrenia. One study in Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research suggests vitamin D helps maintain cognitive function in older adults .
While the best source of vitamin D is sun exposure, you may need a supplement during the winter months or if you work indoors, wear sunscreen, cover your skin, have darker skin or have obesity, advises Landskron. Good food sources of vitamin D include cod liver oil, fatty fish like salmon and trout, mushrooms and fortified cereals and milk.
For most adults, the ideal daily dose for vitamin D is 600 to 800 IU. However, people supplementing with vitamin D over the long term can experience adverse health effects over time, such as high calcium levels in the blood, which can block blood vessels or cause kidney stones. Consider getting your vitamin D levels checked and consulting with your health care provider to determine the correct vitamin D supplementation dose for your body&#;s needs.
&#;Found naturally in eggs, choline is an essential nutrient that helps your brain make acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter needed for memory and general cognition,&#; explains Jacques Jospitre, Jr., M.D., board-certified psychiatrist and co-founder of SohoMD in New York.
In one study of over 2,000 older adults, those who consumed high amounts of choline tended to have lower risk of cognitive decline . While more human clinical trials are needed, animal-based research shows some promise in regards to choline&#;s role in reducing amyloid plaques and Alzheimer&#;s disease risk, adds Dr. Jospitre.
Resveratrol, an antioxidant polyphenol abundant in grapes and red wine, may help protect cells from damage, improve blood flow to the brain and slow cognitive decline. &#;Taking resveratrol supplements could prevent the deterioration of the hippocampus, an important part of the brain associated with memory,&#; notes Adash Bajaj, M.D., an anti-aging and longevity specialist in Los Angeles.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supplementing with up to 1,500 milligrams of resveratrol daily for up to three months is considered safe. Higher doses up to 3,000 milligrams are also safe but more likely to cause stomach upset. Resveratrol can also slow blood clotting, so it should be avoided in people preparing for surgery or who take blood thinner medications.
&#;Lion&#;s mane mushrooms (Hericium erinaceus) are tied to a host of health benefits, including reducing inflammation, treating anxiety or depression and enhancing cognitive function,&#; notes Johnston.
According to New York-based prebiotic and gut health expert Kara Landau, lion&#;s mane mushrooms support oxygen flow to the brain and can enhance memory, focus and concentration. &#;I find incorporating [lion&#;s mane mushrooms] on a daily basis helps one have a clearer mind and be able to take on the day without the negative side effects of increasing caffeine [intake],&#; she says.
Landau recommends starting with 250 to 500 milligrams of lion&#;s mane mushrooms daily to gauge your body&#;s tolerance, working up to around 1 gram daily. Note that, similar to resveratrol, lion&#;s mane mushrooms can interfere with the body&#;s blood clotting abilities. It can also cause a rash for some people.
The eight B vitamins play essential roles in brain health. &#;The vitamin B complex is crucial for supporting healthy brain function and may protect against memory loss, cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases,&#; says De Angelis.
Vitamins B6, B9 (folate) and B12 specifically are necessary for the metabolism of homocysteine, a molecule created in methionine metabolism, notes De Angelis. &#;Chances of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline increase with high blood homocysteine levels because it can cause oxidative stress and DNA damage,&#; she explains.
Most people can meet their B vitamin needs through a nutritious, well-balanced diet. However, older adults, people who follow plant-based diets and those with certain medical conditions may need a supplement to meet their needs. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin B6 for adults is between 1.2 and 2 milligrams daily, the RDA for folate for adults is between 400 and 600 micrograms daily, and the RDA for vitamin B12 for adults is between 2.4 and 2.8 micrograms daily. Most B vitamins are safe, but consuming excessive amounts of vitamin B6 can lead to nerve damage.
Theobromine is a natural stimulant found in chocolate that helps people feel more alert without the jittery feeling often associated with caffeine-containing foods and beverages, explains Landau. While animal and in vitro studies suggest theobromine may be effective at enhancing cognitive performance by improving blood flow to the brain, more studies in humans are needed.
Landau recommends a daily cup of brewed cacao as a delicious, rich source of theobromine.
Gut health is another important factor for optimal cognitive function, according to Hewlings. &#;Probiotics can benefit cognition via the gut-brain axis,&#; she says, which connects the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system through bidirectional neural, hormonal and immune signaling pathways.
In a study in the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 12 weeks of supplementation with a probiotic combination of Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4 and Bifidobacterium longum BORI specifically appeared to improve brain function and decrease perceived stress in healthy older adults .
Prebiotics&#;non-digestible fibers in fruits, vegetables and grains&#;also support gut health by providing food for healthy gut bacteria. Landau recommends prebiotics called galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) for both gut health and mood support. &#;GOS is a specific prebiotic that&#;s proven to support mental health,&#; she says. According to Landau, as little as 5.5 grams of GOS daily may help relieve anxiety.
In addition to probiotic and prebiotic supplements, you can support healthy gut flora by eating a wide range of fruits, vegetables and grains rich in prebiotic fiber, as well as fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt and sauerkraut that naturally contain probiotic bacteria.
While magnesium has many important physiological functions, its effect on brain health and cognition is only starting to come into focus. Magnesium supports normal neural function by protecting brain and nervous system cells from degeneration. Multiple studies suggest low magnesium consumption is associated with higher risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.
A study of over 2,500 people ages 60 and older found those who consumed the highest amounts of magnesium through food and supplements had higher scores on cognitive tests compared to those who consumed the least amounts of magnesium . Another long-term study found low magnesium levels during middle age to be associated with increased risk of dementia but not cognitive decline . However, in both studies, it&#;s unclear whether low levels of magnesium increase the risk of dementia or if people with dementia have low levels of magnesium for some other reason.
Magnesium is widely available in many plant- and animal-based foods, including leafy green vegetables like spinach, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. The RDA for magnesium is between 310 and 420 milligrams for adult men and women.
Healthy people don&#;t need to worry about getting too much magnesium from food&#;the kidneys filter out magnesium the body doesn&#;t need. But high doses of magnesium supplements can lead to gastrointestinal issues like nausea and diarrhea or even toxicity when taken in excess.
Ashwagandha is a shrub used in the traditional Ayurvedic system of medicine to help enhance memory and reduce stress. Emerging research suggests ashwagandha may help improve cognitive function.
In one small but well-designed study in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, 50 adults with mild cognitive impairment received either 300 milligrams of ashwagandha root extract twice daily or a placebo for eight weeks. Those taking ashwagandha experienced significant improvements in memory, executive function, attention and information-processing speed compared to those who took a placebo .
In another study in Evidence-Based Complementary Alternative Medicine, healthy but stressed adults who took 300 milligrams of sustained-release ashwagandha extract daily for 90 days experienced significantly improved memory and focus, as well as psychological well-being, sleep quality and reduced stress compared to those who took a placebo .
Ashwagandha is commonly used in doses up to 1,000 milligrams daily for up to 12 weeks. While ashwagandha may be used safely in the short term, its long-term safety isn&#;t known, and large doses may lead to gastrointestinal upset or, rarely, liver problems.
According to the NIH, ashwagandha may interact with certain prescription medications, including antidiabetes drugs, antihypertensive drugs, immunosuppressants, benzodiazepines, certain sedative medications and thyroid hormones.
Consult your health care provider before taking ashwagandha to determine a proper dose for your needs and ensure it&#;s safe for you and medications you take. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid taking ashwagandha.
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a class of phospholipids naturally found in brain tissue membranes. PS plays a critical role in communication throughout the nervous system by activating important signaling pathways and affecting the release of chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters. Studies suggest supplementing with PS can help protect brain health, lower risk of central nervous system diseases like Alzheimer&#;s and Parkinson&#;s disease, and improve cognitive function by reducing inflammation in the brain.
Observing the effect of phosphatidylserine on cognitive function in older adults, a review and meta-analysis in the Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology found PS supplementation at a level of 300 milligrams daily may improve cognitive function and memory without side effects .
However, many of the available studies on PS are dated, small and of relatively short duration. While more studies are needed to know whether supplementing with PS can improve brain health and cognition, the existing research seems promising.
There&#;s currently no recommended dose of PS, but studies suggest doses between 300 and 500 milligrams per day are safe and free of side effects.
One of the simplest ways to support brain health is to stay hydrated. About 73% of the brain and central nervous system is composed of water.
&#;Hydration is key for allowing nutrients into the brain and for toxins to get out of the brain,&#; explains Dr. Jospitre. &#;It sounds simple, but ensuring adequate water intake is very important to ideal brain health, and most people typically don&#;t get enough.
The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommends adult women consume about 11 cups and men about 15 cups of water daily, including fluid from fruits, vegetables and other water-rich foods you eat.
However, even water can be toxic in very large quantities. If you drink excessive amounts of water faster than your kidneys can process it, it can deplete the sodium levels in your blood to dangerously low levels, resulting in psychosis, coma and potentially death.
I get asked frequently the best nootropics you can buy on Amazon to improve cognitive function. Especially by people new to nootropics.
Because the term &#;nootropics&#; is starting to go mainstream. More and more people are finding you can heal and improve brain function with certain dietary supplements.
And supplement manufacturers are noticing the increased interest in brain performance and cognitive health. New products and nootropic stacks are introduced nearly every week.
You can find a large and growing selection of individual nootropic supplements and pre-formulated nootropic stacks by established supplement companies on Amazon.
I&#;ll share with you names of the nootropic companies selling product on Amazon in this post.
For the serious neurohacker, Amazon is likely part of your monthly shopping for nootropics.
This post will help guide you in using Amazon for finding nootropic supplements to support cognitive function. And what you won&#;t find on Amazon but need to shop elsewhere.
NOTE: &#;As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.&#;
Nootropics Going MainstreamWhen you walk into a natural health food or vitamin store today, you&#;ll likely find a row of shelves labeled &#;brain health&#; or &#;cognitive support&#;. That section wasn&#;t labeled 3 or 4 years ago.
And go to the website of any major supplement manufacturer and you&#;ll find a section in their menu for &#;brain health&#; or &#;mood support&#;.
Companies like Thorne Research, Solgar, Natrol, Nature&#;s Bounty, NOW Foods, Doctor&#;s Best, and Irwin Naturals. But search their website for &#;nootropics&#; and you get a blank return.
But a few supplement companies are picking up on the trend. And it&#;s only happened recently.
Type the word &#;nootropics&#; in the search bar for Gaia Herbs, Puritan&#;s Pride, Life Extension, Swanson Vitamins, or the Vitamin Shoppe and you&#;ll get their version of nootropics or pre-formulated nootropic stacks.
The term nootropics is not yet part of our everyday vocabulary. But interest in brain health and cognition has now taken the lead over other health concerns in the alternative and natural health market.
More and more people are proactively taking charge of their own brain health. And discovering nootropic supplements to support alertness, mental clarity, depression, mood, memory and even longevity.
The good news is you can now find individual, and some pre-formulated nootropic stacks in the Amazon marketplace for improving cognitive performance.
Amazon Buyer&#;s Guide to NootropicsFounded in Seattle in , Amazon began as an online seller of books. The company has since expanded into selling electronics, software, games, clothing, furniture, food, toys, jewelry, and dietary supplements.
Amazon offers most of the nootropics reviewed on the Nootropics Expert List. A much wider selection that you&#;ll find at stores like Walgreen&#;s, Walmart or even your local vitamin store.
But you will not find supplements that the American FDA has not officially declared &#;safe&#; ingredients. Including nootropics like Picamilon, Phenibut, and lately Vinpocetine.
And you certainly will not find controlled &#;smart drugs&#; that normally require a doctor&#;s prescription. Drugs like Adderall or Modafinil.
Another important thing to be aware of is Amazon is not the only seller of supplements in the Amazon marketplace.
Many of the individual supplement manufacturers like Puritan&#;s Pride and NOW Foods have their own stores on Amazon.
And finally, be aware of whom you are buying from. Sometimes you&#;ll come across a 3rd party storefront or seller you&#;re not familiar with who are selling supplements from one of the major brands.
Here you must be cautious because counterfeit supplements have been found on the Amazon marketplace.[ii] Including major label counterfeits that are labeled &#;fulfilled by Amazon&#;. Meaning they are shipped from an Amazon fulfillment center.
It&#;s safer to purchase directly from the manufacturer&#;s storefront on Amazon. To ensure you are getting what you are paying for.
&#;Amazon Elements&#; Nootropic SupplementsAmazon has introduced their own private label Amazon Elements line of nootropic supplements.
Limited to only a couple dozen supplements when this post was published, the line includes products like Amazon Elements Coenzyme Q10 and chelated magnesium. (Amazon)
Amazon Elements tests every batch of supplement for potency, verifying ingredient identity and non-GMO, and for microbes and heavy metals.
Amazon also details the company of origin for each ingredient in the product listing. And how each ingredient is produced.
You can also use the Amazon app on your to scan the code on the bottle and view test results for that bottle of supplements.
Amazon uses Arizona Nutritional Supplements located in Chandler, Arizona as their supplement manufacturer.
&#;Amazon&#;s Choice&#; Nootropic SupplementsSearch for the keyword phrase &#;nootropic supplements&#; on Amazon, and you&#;ll get a list of pre-formulated nootropic stacks for memory and cognitive function. Some from companies you may have heard of and many you&#;ve never seen before.
But one of these listings will include the black badge &#;Amazon&#;s Choice&#;. The Amazon&#;s Choice product designation began in as a way for the company to support Alexa voice-operated devices.
This purely algorithmic based decision appears to be based on the following factors:
The Amazon&#;s Choice result I got when writing this post was for Neuro-Peak by Zhou Nutrition. The product is advertised as supporting &#;memory, focus and clarity&#;. The stack contains Bacopa Monnieri, Ginkgo Biloba, Rhodiola Rosea, DMAE and Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin).
Like many other pre-formulated stacks on the market this product may help some people. But I suggest finding out the quality of the ingredients used in this stack from Zhou Nutrition. And pay close attention to the user reviews. When it comes to your mental performance and cognitive abilities you want to make your choices wisely.
&#;Best Seller&#; Nootropic SupplementsDo a search for the keyword phrase &#;nootropic supplements&#; on Amazon, and several products will have an orange &#;Best Seller&#; badge.
The Amazon Best Seller&#;s rank, also known as the &#;Amazon Sales Rank&#; is a score that Amazon assigns a specific product based on sales and historical sales data which fluctuates hourly.
But this score doesn&#;t tell us much if you are looking for a well-rounded pre-formulated nootropic stack.
For example, my search returned a list of supplements which included neuroIGNITE by Havasu Nutrition which was tagged as a &#;Best Seller&#; in my search results. Look more closely and you realize it&#;s a &#;#1 Best Seller&#; in &#;Gingko Biloba Herbal Supplements&#;.
The next nootropic stack in my search results tagged as a &#;Best Seller&#; was &#;Vital Brain Booster&#;. Look more closely and it&#;s a &#;#1 Best Seller&#; in &#;Kava Kava Herbal Supplements&#;. This product has nearly the same ingredient list as Neuro-Peak mentioned above. And contains zero Kava Kava.
The only way Amazon&#;s Best Seller rank may help you in your search for a nootropic stack is it generally flags a product with a lot of reviews.
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I&#;ve found verified user reviews on products to be very helpful as one part of my buying decision.
Amazon &#;Sponsored&#; products help nootropic supplement manufacturers promote their stack on the first page of Amazon&#;s search results. The manufacturers pay an advertising fee to Amazon to be featured.
&#;Sponsored&#; products appear at the top of the first row of your search result.
Sponsored nootropic stacks do not reflect the quality of the product. Only that the company paid Amazon for it to appear at the top of your search results.
Amazon Customer ReviewsIn a perfect world, customer reviews should give you a good indication on what buyers of that product genuinely thought of the product&#;s quality.
While many customer reviews are genuine, again this is a case of &#;buyer beware&#;. Because you don&#;t need to purchase a product to leave a review. Anyone can leave a review including competitors wanting to do harm to a company&#;s reputation.
Amazon attempts to make this review process legitimate by including a &#;verified buyer&#; tag alongside the name of a reviewer if they bought the product.
But there is no way to verify the legitimacy of the review. Because the review process can easily be abused by competitors&#; marketing teams.
Use discretion on how much weight you put on customer reviews when making your buying decision. With practice, and reading a lot of reviews, you get better at identifying real customers with legitimate praise or concerns.
Why Buy Nootropics on Amazon?The most obvious reason for buying nootropics on Amazon is convenience. And you can often find nootropics on the Amazon marketplace that you can&#;t find in your local store.
If you pay for a yearly Amazon Prime account, it includes free one-day or two-day shipping.
I&#;ve also found many individual nootropic supplements manufactured by companies I trust are priced lower on Amazon compared to my local store.
You also have access to customer reviews and a simple, quick way to research a product. Which is not easy to do in your local vitamin store.
Amazon also makes returning a product fairly easy if you are not happy with a purchase.
But the downside is it&#;s so easy to hit the buy button. Leaving it entirely up to you and your research ability to choose the best nootropic supplements.
Fortunately, you have Nootropics Expert® to help you do your research before making your buying decision.
Use the Nootropics Expert Guide and scroll through the post titles to find topics that relate to your cognitive health issues. Each post provides several nootropic supplement options for you to try.
And make sure you read &#;How to Determine a Nootropic Company Reputation&#; before deciding which company to buy from.
So what are the best nootropic supplements to buy on Amazon? We&#;ll cover that next.
Best Nootropics on Amazon that are Pre-Formulated StacksDo a search for &#;nootropic supplements&#; on Amazon and you&#;ll get several pages of pre-formulated nootropic stacks.
Three or four brands stand out with a couple thousand user reviews. While the rest have less than 100 reviews.
Pricing ranges from less than $20 USD to over $60 USD. But pricing doesn&#;t seem to reflect number or quality of ingredients. And several stacks by different manufacturers seem to have very similar or the same ingredients.
And most companies offer their product in capsules while two major sellers with several different formulations offers tubs or bags of powder.
Some of the most popular pre-formulated nootropic stacks on Amazon include:
The Genius BrandThe Genius Brand comes in several different formulations offered as a tub of powder or capsules. The company details exact amounts of each ingredient in the bottle.
Nootropic products include Genius Joy, Genius Consciousness, Genius Burn, and even individual powders such as Creatine and L-Arginine.
The Genius Brand uses patented ingredients when they can and are price competitive with other quality nootropic stacks.
HVMN Rise + Sprint + YawnFormerly Nootrobox, HVMN offers three nootropic supplement stacks; Rise, Sprint, and Yawn. As well as an Omega-3 called Kado.
Each nootropic stack generally addresses the time of day that the company suggests you take them; Rise in the morning, Sprint for the afternoon, and Yawn as a sleep aid.
See my full review of HVMN&#;s nootropic products.
Neuro-PeakNeuro-Peak by Zhou Nutrition is considered an &#;Amazon Choice&#; on the day I&#;m writing this post. The company has several different supplements that are also sold in local supermarkets and vitamin shops.
The Neuro-Peak supplement that appears on the first page of my search result is a slimmed down nootropic stack for memory, focus, and clarity. It contains Bacopa Monnieri, Phosphatidylserine (PS), Ginkgo Biloba, Rhodiola Rosea, DMAE and Vitamin B12.
Brain PlusBrain Plus by Arazo Nutrition has a higher number of user reviews than most other nootropic stacks in my search. And is cheaper than most other stacks which is clearly reflected on their ingredients label.
This stack is primarily a multivitamin with a loaded but very weak &#;proprietary formula&#; of various nootropics which I&#;ve reviewed individually here on Nootropics Expert.
There are several nootropic stacks like this one on Amazon. All with the same or very similar ingredient list.
It&#;s the kind of pre-formulated nootropic stack that I would NOT recommend and only include it here because of its prominence on Amazon.
Natural Stacks CILTEPIntroduced by its founder in a Longecity.org thread, the CILTEP® formula by Natural Stacks has been around since . Which attests to the longevity of this stack.
The founder Abelard Lindsey was going back to graduate school. And was looking for a way to make it easier for him to learn new material.
Thus, began his study of long-term potentiation and how it works in your brain to encode long-term memory.
Lindsey found that the enzyme PDE4 breaks down cAMP molecules which are messenger systems that relay brain signals. If you inhibit PDE4 you increase cAMP which in turn boosts long-term memory, wakefulness, cognition and neuroprotection.
Artichoke Extract is the safest and most effective PDE4 inhibitor. And Forskolin is the only nootropic known to naturally increase cAMP levels.
CILTEP contains Artichoke Extract, Forskolin, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, L-Phenylalanine, and Vitamin B6.
Alpha BrainAlpha Brain by Onnit is one of the more well-known nootropic stacks. Made with &#;Earth Grown Ingredients&#;, Alpha Brain contains low doses in 3 &#;proprietary blends&#;.
Alpha Brain includes L-Theanine, Oat Straw, Phosphatidylserine (PS), L-Tyrosine, L-Theanine, Cat&#;s Claw, Alpha GPC, Bacopa Monnieri, Huperzia Serrata, and Huperzine-A. All in very small doses.
The dosages of each ingredient are far too low for cognitive enhancement. And it&#;s reflected in its 3/5 average user reviews.
Qualia Mind + FocusQualia is made by the Neurohacker Collective and the combination of these two stacks (Qualia Mind + Qualia Focus) contains nearly every nootropic I&#;ve reviewed here on Nootropics Expert.
Qualia Focus is 7 capsules first thing in the morning. And Qualia Mind is another 7 capsules in the morning. A total of 14 capsules for both stacks.
The company uses quality ingredients at dosages that work. But to get the benefit of both stacks will cost you about $200 USD.
One interesting thing to note is Qualia Mind is an &#;Amazon&#;s Choice&#; under the category &#;Qualia Mind&#;.
I didn&#;t realize that was considered a &#;category&#; unless the Neurohacker Collective has a special marketing arrangement with Amazon.
Bulk SupplementsBulk Supplements is a leading manufacturer of dietary supplements that sell direct to consumer on Amazon as well as bulk shipments to other supplement companies.
The company is Hard Eight Nutrition LLC dba BulkSupplements.com and based in Henderson, Nevada with a large manufacturing facility.
They do inhouse testing of their supplements. And will even send you a Certificate of Analysis (COS) upon request for specific batch numbers of product.
The company ships primarily bulk powders in zip-lock bags and is competitively priced. I&#;ve been buying bulk powders from them for years and have found their product consistently good quality.
Individual Nootropic Supplements on Amazon that Boost Cognitive PerformanceOne of the primary reasons to buy nootropics on Amazon is it&#;s often one of the only, and certainly the easiest way, to find many individual nootropic supplements.
Nearly any nootropic that I&#;ve reviewed and that&#;s on the Nootropics List is available from any of several sellers on Amazon.
A few supplements are sold by Amazon under their Amazon Elements brand which I mentioned earlier in this post. Bulk Supplements sells nearly every nootropic I&#;ve reviewed here on Nootropics Expert.
And other major supplement manufacturers sell everything from amino acids to adaptogens to vitamins and minerals. And even some of the racetams.
Here&#;s a tip: when it&#;s hard to find a nootropic like Saffron in the correct dosage. Or you question it&#;s the purity and quality of an ingredient. Look for that nootropic in a pre-made formula from a reputable company.
For example, Gaia Herbs® has introduced a new nootropic line of supplements. Including a product called Gaia Herbs Nootropic Focus which contains Lemon Balm, Spearmint, Ginkgo Biloba and the correct daily dosage of Saffron (32 mg).
Another tip: please study and become familiar with my post &#;How to Determine a Nootropic Company Reputation&#; before making a buying decision.
There is a lot of low quality and even fraudulent product sold on Amazon. Learn how to assess the reputation of a company and its products before buying from them.
Nootropic Supplements NOT Sold on AmazonUnlike every one of its major competitors, Mind Lab Pro® and Performance Lab® has chosen not to sell Amazon.
As they explain in their FAQ&#;s, &#;We choose to not sell Mind Lab Pro® on Amazon for a few reasons. Amazon is not always discerning about which nootropics can be featured on its site, and we do not want Mind Lab Pro® to appear alongside (and therefore be associated with) low-quality junk products. Amazon is also a &#;Wild West&#; environment in ways, where reviews are easily manipulated by jealous competitors.&#;
If you find Mind Lab Pro® or any of the Performance Lab® supplements on Amazon, DO NOT buy them. Because these are unauthorized sellers and are likely a fraudulent product.
For detailed reviews of each of these pre-made nootropic stacks, please see my reviews:
Mind Lab Pro® Review &#; Why it&#;s my preferred nootropic stack
Performance Lab® Review
ConclusionThe nootropic supplement marketplace has exploded since I founded Nootropics Expert®.
Dozens of new companies trying to grab their share of this rapidly growing market.
And older, well-established dietary supplement companies have recognized an opportunity as well.
Even companies like Gaia Herbs has introduced a new nootropic line of supplements.
So now more than ever before it&#;s &#;buyer beware&#;. While quality companies like Gaia Herbs is a welcome competitor to the nootropic supplement marketplace, a lot of junk as shown up as well.
One of the largest online marketplaces in the world, Amazon does their best to only allow legitimate companies to sell. But it&#;s still up to you to carefully vet each vendor.
Ensure each bottle contains what it says on the label. Read the verified &#;user reviews&#; and see what others are saying about a product. And ask for proof or a Certificate of Analysis (COS) if you are still not 100% sure.
Use the reviews here on Nootropics Expert® as a guide on what to buy including the correct forms of each nootropic.
Amazon is a great place to search for and buy individual nootropic supplements. But it doesn&#;t carry everything. For Mind Lab Pro and Performance Lab products, use these links on Nootropics Expert.
Never before in human history has it been easier to help heal ourselves. And optimize our brain and our health with the help of nootropic supplements.
Amazon is one more way to find nootropic supplements to help you get better.
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