Amazon.co.uk Widgets
Longevity 120 is a community-supported website. We may earn a small commission on purchases made through our links. Learn more.

Your brain is your body’s most crucial system. If it is not working optimally, your body could easily lose the rest of its functionality. Sometimes, your brain will need a bit of a boost to sustain optimal performance levels, depending on your professional and personal needs. This need is where the best nootropics for memory come in.

Nootropics are substances that operate as cognitive enhancers, helping to improve various mental functions such as attention span and memory.

Due to the increasingly demanding nature of the modern world, there has been a growing need for nootropics. This ever-increasing demand has led to the creation of numerous products, all promising to offer you the results you desire. With so many options, it can be challenging to know which one to pick.

We understand how important your mental performance is and believe that you shouldn’t gamble on such a product. With this in mind, we felt it necessary to provide you with a list of the best nootropics to help you with memory, focus, energy, and anxiety.

The Best Nootropic Supplements On The Market

When it comes to mental performance, everyone is looking for a way to get an edge. Though nootropics promise to give you that edge, you need to know which products are suitable and safe for you. We took a closer look at the best nootropics currently on the market, analyzing how they work, their benefits, and their disadvantages.

1. Mind Lab Pro: Best Nootropic For Memory

Mind Lab Pro is one of the best nootropics you can get your hands on today. The product contains 11 extensively-researched ingredients designed to cover six brain pathways and four distinct mental focus areas.

Mind Lab Pro is only made from natural ingredients like Lion’s Mane Mushroom, which stimulates brain growth and activity, and Bacopa Monnieri, which is ideal for promoting focus and relaxation.

As we know, the older we grow, the more prone we become to certain brain issues such as dementia, which lead to memory loss and reduced cognitive function. With Mind Lab Pro, you can boost your mental activity. It is also designed to support your immune system, helping you build strong defenses against brain diseases.

Compared to other nootropic options, Mind Lab Pro provides you with an excellent, well-rounded set of benefits. If you are new to the world of cognitive enhancers, Mind Lab Pro is the best place to start.

PROS

  • Natural Ingredients
  • Boosts brain activity & work performance.
  • Achieve better critical-thinking.
  • Supports your immune system
  • Provides additional memory support.
  • Helps to relieve stress.

CONS

  • Long-term benefits studies not available

<Click Here For A More In-Depth Mind Lab Pro Review>


2. Qualia Mind: Best Nootropic For Focus

Qualia Mind is one of the most well-known and trusted nootropics on the market. This product’s formula incorporates a unique blend of 28 ingredients, including herbal extracts, vitamins, and amino acids. No other nootropic product uses as many ingredients as Qualia Mind does.

Qualia Mind’s unique blend is designed to help promote energy, focus, mental clarity, and creativity and improve your mood. In a nutshell, the product’s main aim is to make you more productive and calmer, with studies showing that the product can boost concentration levels by up to 85%.

PROS

  • Improves your concentration.
  • Significant energy boost.
  • All-natural ingredients.
  • Trusted, reputable brand
  • 100-day money-back guarantee.

CONS

  • Expensive.
  • Short guarantee

Though Qualia Mind’s price is on the higher side, its stellar reputation and good customer reviews point to the product being a practical option for those looking for cognitive enhancement.

<Click Here For A More In-Depth Qualia Mind Review>


3. Organixx – Ageless Brain

Although your brain’s functionality tends to deteriorate over time, with Organixx, your brain has the help it needs to remain at its prime for longer. As the name suggests, Organixx – Ageless Brain makes use of several organic, all-natural ingredients sourced from the Amazon rainforest.

The product’s formula utilizes several botanical boosters, including dragon’s blood, camu-camu, bacopa, cacao, cat’s claw, guayusa, and cinnamon. Through these and more ingredients, Organixx helps promote your brain’s optimal health, boost brain signaling, and prevent memory loss.

PROS

  • Supports blood flow & healthy neurons.
  • 8 all-natural ingredients
  • Addresses age-related memory decline
  • Contains antioxidants
  • Affordable
  • 1-year money-back guarantee.

CONS

  • Takes time to kick-in.

Though Organixx – Ageless Brain does not offer immediate results, the protection against age-related memory loss and the lasting optimal brain functionality it promises to help you achieve is a significant plus.

<Click Here For A More In-Depth Ageless Brain Review>


4. Performance Lab Pro

Performance Lab Pro is a nootropic product aimed at enhancing your cognitive functions and overall brain health. It is extensively-tested, allergen-free, and quality controlled. While some products might utilize a formula that incorporates several numerous ingredients, Performance Lab Pro is different.

The product uses few but specialized ingredients meant to enhance various aspects of your mental health, from improved peak performance to stress relief. Some of these ingredients include citicoline, maritime pine bark extract, L-tyrosine, and soy-free phosphatidylserine.

PROS

  • Free of any known allergens
  • Complete formula transparency.
  • Improves your brain’s long-term health.
  • Relieves the mind from intense exertion
  • No risk of megadosing

CONS

  • Only available from manufacturer’s website.
  • No money-back guarantee.

Performance Lab Pro offers you a clinically-effective cognitive enhancement and brain supplement option, promising you noticeable improvements in learning performance, concentration, memory, retention, processing, and brain energy.

<Click Here For A More In-Depth Performance Lab Pro Review>


5. Genius Mindfulness + Genius Joy (Best Cheap Nootropic Stack)

Instead of getting one nootropic product, you could combine two or more products into something called a stack. This way, you could get a more rounded supplement experience. When it comes to nootropic stacks, few come close to the offerings of the Genius Mindfulness + Genius Joy stack.

Genius Mindfulness on its own is a supplement that enhances cognitive function, memory, and focus. It contains ingredients such as sesnoril and aurora blue. On the other hand, Genius Joy is a product that helps you reduce anxiety and stress. Combine the two, and you get a sense of the numerous benefits you could enjoy.

PROS

  • Boost brain’s cognitive function
  • Boost overall mood
  • Unique formulations
  • Affordable

CONS

  • Contains caffeine
  • Some side effects

Getting your hands on the Genius Mindfulness + Genius Joy stack is one of the best and cheapest ways to get more complete results from your nootropics.

<Click Here For A More In-Depth Genius Joy Review>


6. Nitrovit

While no supplement can completely stop your brain from naturally deteriorating, Nitrovit does its best to help. The nootropic product is formulated using tested ingredients, such as Alpha Lipoic Acid, vitamin B6, Huperzine A, and vitamin B12. All these ingredients work to improve serotonin and norepinephrine regulation and prevent age-related deterioration.

PROS

  • Suitable for people of all ages
  • Boosts brain energy
  • Improves learning ability
  • Affordable
  • 1-year money-back guarantee
  • Comprehensive guide included

CONS

  • Velvet Bean dopamine depletion
  • Contains caffeine

There are a lot of advantages that Nitrovit offers, making it the ideal brain supplement product for adults looking to prevent age-related brain damage. However, it would be best to take extra caution because the product contains several ingredients that might make it unsuitable for you.

<Click Here For A More In-Depth Nitrovit Review>


7. Neuro Peak

Neuro Peak is a nootropic designed to help people over the age of 18 optimize their focus, clarity, and memory by ensuring proper oxygenation and circulation in their brain so that their brain cells and neurons operate at their best. Its formula also promises to help alleviate anxiety and stress and elevate mood.

One of the key ingredients the product uses is DMAE, a naturally-occurring chemical that enhances learning capacity and memory, improves sleep quality, increases physical energy, and elevates your mood.

Some of the other ingredients the supplement uses include ginkgo Biloba, silicon dioxide, vegetable magnesium stearate, bacopa monnieri extract, microcrystalline cellulose, Rhodiola rosea extract, and vitamin B12, among others.

PROS

  • Perfect ingredient balance
  • Caffeine free
  • Low impact product
  • Customers love it

CONS

  • Some side effects (low numbers)
  • 60-day money-back guarantee.

Even though the money-back guarantee isn’t as long as other products, you shouldn’t need to worry about returning this nootropic as it has an ideal balance of ingredients and rave reviews online.

<Click Here For A More In-Depth Neuro Peak Review>


The Top 19 Natural & Synthetic Supplements

Besides the nootropic products we have touched on above, you could opt for natural and synthetic supplements to offer your brain the cognitive enhancement you feel it deserves. Though natural and synthetic supplements are not FDA-regulated, many have been in use for hundreds if not thousands of years.

Below is a list of the top 19 natural and synthetic supplements you might want to try out.

1. Caffeine

Caffeine is the most commonly used nootropic and is one of the best examples of natural nootropics’ effectiveness. According to studies, caffeine can improve focus and alertness by blocking the chemical messenger that makes you feel tired.

This chemical messenger is known as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). When it is absent, your brain releases several stimulating neurotransmitters and hormones that increase the feeling of alertness.

2. L-Theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid derived from tea leaves. This natural nootropic improves focus by enhancing the brain waves that promote feelings of relaxed alertness and increased creativity.

Studies have shown that it can also be used to help control anxiety and stress and lower the high blood pressure often triggered by stress. You could enhance the impact L-theanine has on the brain by mixing it with caffeine.

3. Creatine

Creatine is an amino acid that binds with the phosphate present in your brain to help fuel cells and improve reasoning and short-term memory. According to studies, creatine can be beneficial for people who lead highly stressful lives. Bodybuilders and gym-goers also use the nootropic because it makes proteins used for muscle growth.

4. Bacopa Monnieri

Bacopa Monnieri is an ancient herb that, over the years, has been used to enhance brain function. According to multiple studies, this herb can improve your memory, speed up information processing, and give you quicker reaction times.

Unlike other natural nootropics we have on this list, however, the effects of Bacopa Monnieri are not immediate. You will have to use it for at least a couple of months before you can start experiencing its benefits.

5. Rhodiola Rosea

Rhodiola rosea is a naturally occurring herb known for its brain-boosting characteristics and fatigue-fighting and de-stressing properties. It can increase your attention span and problem-solving skills and help you accomplish more tasks in a shorter period. The natural herb also helps calm your nerves, giving you a relaxing effect.

6. Panax Ginseng

Panax ginseng is an ancient medicinal plant root used to enhance brain function. It can reduce brain fatigue, significantly improving your problem-solving skills. Though it is still unclear exactly how panax ginseng works, some studies point to the root’s anti-inflammatory effects that enhance your brain’s function by protecting it from oxidative stress.

Refer also to our article on Rhodiola vs Ginseng.

7. Ginkgo Biloba

Sometimes referred to as the maidenhair tree, Ginkgo biloba is a well-known plant that has been cultivated for thousands of years and has several herb-like properties. The plant can calm your nerves and reduce stress by lowering your blood pressure and heart rate. It has also been used to enhance memory, cognitive processing ability, and alertness, helping you become more aware of your surroundings.

8. Nicotine

Nicotine is a natural chemical found in several plants like tobacco. It is one of the reasons why cigarettes are as addictive as they are. Studies have shown that the chemical can also have nootropic effects like enhanced attention and alertness. It has also been known to boost motor function.

Nicotine is, however, highly addictive and can be lethal in high doses. You should, therefore, take extra caution when using it.

9. Noopept

Noopept is the name of a nootropic that has attracted attention because of its potent psychoactive properties and its potential ability to handle the effects of traumatic brain injuries. Besides that, the nootropic can also protect the brain and slow cognitive decline.

However, its effects are only noticeable in individuals who have active brain damage, with there being no evidence that Noopept is helpful in people with healthy functioning brains. Its legal status is another reason for confusion, with some countries requiring you to have a prescription before using it.

10. Modafinil

While Modafinil is a drug mainly used to tackle sleep-related disorders like obstructive sleep apnoea and narcolepsy, it can also enhance the brain’s cognitive function. The research on this is, however, inconclusive.

When looking for a way to tackle sleep deprivation, certain armed forces view Modafinil as an alternative to amphetamines. ISS astronauts also use it to tackle the fatigue effects caused by circadian disruption.

However, Modafinil does come with several side effects, ranging from headaches and nausea to rashes and skin lesions.

11. Lion’s Mane Mushroom

Lion’s mane mushroom has a rich history as an alternative medicine option. The mushroom contains two compounds, erinacines and hericenones, that stimulate the growth of brain cells. While human studies on the use of lion’s mane mushrooms to treat cognitive function are limited, one study found that regular use did boost cognitive function in older adults.

12. Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral in the human diet that plays a crucial role in every cell in your body, helping you achieve healthy psychological function. Magnesium deficiency can have detrimental effects on your brain’s health, causing illnesses like depression, insomnia, and ADHD.

13. Ashwagandha

Also called Withania somnifera, ashwagandha is a plant that is popular in traditional medicine. The plant is viewed as an adaptogenic herb that can help you mitigate the impacts of stress on your body because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here's a guide on when to take Ashwagandha.

14. Cannabidiol (CBD)

Cannabidiol is a compound derived from the marijuana plant. CBD directly modifies communication with the brain by impacting the endocannabinoid system. Many people believe that you can improve mood and reduce pain and stress by modifying the endocannabinoid system.

15. Citicoline (Choline)

Citicoline is usually grouped with B vitamins because of its role in regulating brain development, muscle movements, metabolism, and liver function. Though your body makes choline or citicoline in small amounts, you could also opt to take it as a supplement.

16. Vitamin B12

While all the B vitamins are vital if you want to have an optimally functioning brain, vitamin B12 has the most impact. Taking vitamin B12 supplements can go a long way in ensuring optimal brain function, increased energy, and a healthy nervous system.

17. Maritime Pine Bark Extract

Maritime pine bark extract has antioxidant proanthocyanidins essential for reducing age-accelerating effects, helping your brain by supporting optimal blood flow, and delivering critical micronutrients.

18. Grape Seed Extract

Grape seed extract can improve your problem-solving skills, long- and short-term memory, concentration, and mood. The nootropic can also help you deal with anxiety.

19. Amphetamines (Adderall)

Though you might be new to nootropics, there is a high chance that you have heard of Adderall before. This amphetamine-based prescription drug has become a household name, often used to treat conditions such as narcolepsy and ADHD. What you might not know is that Adderall is a stimulant that modifies certain neurotransmitters in your brain, speeding up their activity.


Reviews

Real Reviews From Real Mind Lab Pro Customers.

Product has helped my focus, short term memory, had bad headaches the 1st couple of weeks then got better. Probably not take them on the weekends now.

Mike H. –07/17/20

Ever since I first tried it I haven’t stopped taking it every single day for the last 8 months.  Worth every penny.

Devin S. – 07/17/20

This is a really smart, safe, helpful stack.

Amara H. – Verified Buyer, 07/18/20

Click Here To Read More Testimonials


FAQ

Are Nootropics Legit?

Yes, nootropics are legit. This statement, however, depends on the ingredients, quality, and doses. While numerous studies have confirmed the several positive effects nootropics have on the brain and body, we still recommend caution whenever shopping for them.

Take the time to research the various products available. Make sure you know all the ingredients a particular supplement contains and how those ingredients work.

How Do Nootropics Work?

Though every nootropic boosts brain function, each nootropic product has a specific way it operates. For instance, natural nootropics generally work by changing the existing neurotransmitters’ concentration levels in your brain, leading to an overall cognitive function increase.

When you introduce a natural nootropic into your body, the blood circulation to your brain will increase. This circulation ultimately increases the amount of oxygen and energy flowing to your brain.

What Is A Nootropics Stack?

A nootropics stack is the combination of one or more nootropics (see one example here). Several nootropic supplements can be viewed as stacks because they combine several ingredients to provide you with the perfect cognitive enhancement level.

Stacking is one of the methods of using nootropics. It involves combining a mix of nootropics, stacking their effects together. For example, you could pair caffeine with L-theanine or take multiple adaptogens together.

Do Nootropics Have Side Effects?

Just like any other drug, it is possible to experience certain side effects when you take nootropics. For natural nootropics, however, the side effects are often subtle and rare. On the other hand, synthetic nootropics or smart drugs have a higher potential for causing side effects.

Some of the side effects you might experience include delusions, poor mood regulation, and depression. You should take extra caution if you have a medical condition for which you are already taking medication.

Will Nootropics Help Beat Brain Fog?

Brain fog is a condition that inhibits focus and motivation and clouds your thoughts. Depending on the cause, there are some nootropics that can help you beat it. For instance, if the reason for your brain fog is sleep deprivation, then ingesting caffeine might help relieve it.

How Long Does It Take Nootropics To Start Working?

Usually, nootropics only need anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours before they kick in, depending on their quality, ingredient makeup, the dosage you took, and your metabolic state. For instance, Mind Lab Pro often takes between one to two hours to kick in.

How Often Should I Take Nootropics?

You can take nootropics as often as you need, depending on which ones you are taking. Generally, many experts recommend taking your nootropic supplement every morning with a meal. This schedule will allow you to enjoy the benefits the supplement offers you during the day. Taking them at night might be a waste because you won’t need high levels of focus and mental clarity while sleeping.

Will Nootropics Make Me Lose Sleep?

This effect depends on the nootropic you are taking. For instance, caffeine is a stimulant that helps boost alertness. However, other nootropics can help you achieve a good night’s sleep.

L-theanine elevates the levels of Gamma-aminobutyric (GABA), an amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter. When GABA levels are optimal, the neurotransmitter can dampen nerve activity, which will increase feelings of relaxation and calmness, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep.

Will Nootropics Increase My IQ?

Unfortunately, no, nootropics will not increase your IQ. They only work to optimize various cognitive processes. The results will differ depending on the dosage, ingredients, and quality. Your intentions will also determine the kind of results you will see.

Nootropics can lead to improved problem-solving, fluid intelligence, learning and memory, multitasking, and productivity, making them beneficial for entrepreneurs and students. They are, however, not a magic fix for IQ levels.

Can Nootropics Be Addictive?

This answer is somewhat complicated. According to the definition of nootropics, they are not addictive. Yet, there are some prescription drugs that can be classified as nootropics. An example of such a drug is Adderall, which can be addictive. There are also a few natural nootropics, such as nicotine and caffeine, that have addictive properties.

Fortunately, there are several other natural nootropic options you could try out safely, without worrying about becoming addicted. Consider options such as lion’s mane mushroom, Rhodiola rosea, Ginkgo biloba, or bacopa monnieri.

Should I even be taking nootropics at all? It's a great question and this resource goes into this topic in depth.


Best Nootropics For Memory Summing Up

If you are one of the millions of people looking to improve their memory and alertness and increase their productivity, then you might benefit from trying one of the several nootropic options we have touched on here.

We should mention that the world of nootropics is still in its infancy, with further research continually being carried out. The early signs, however, are favorable.

Remember that even if you do get your hands on some of the best nootropics on the market, they might not be the quick fix you expect them to be. Consider making a few lifestyle changes like regular exercise, brain exercises, healthy sleep, and a nutritious diet as a way of enhancing the effects of the nootropics you will be taking.

Mind Lab Pro

Our #1 Recommendation

  • Achieve better critical-thinking.
  • Relieves stress.
  • Provides additional memory support.

Rosemary Richards