Not Getting 100% Out Of Your Brain?
Stop Letting Your Potential Go To Waste!
Few of us are really using our brains to their full potential. We might think we are, but we know that the universe’s most complex machinery probably has a little more in the tank.
If you want to boost your mental performance, improve your memory, and give yourself added drive and focus, then nootropics really are the way to go.
Nootropics are not a new phenomenon.
Creative professional, researchers, students and executives all over the world have been using specially formulated brain supplements to gain the critical edge that they need to stay ahead of the pack for years.
More people are learning about the potential benefits of brain supplementation every day.
As more people make nootropics a part of their daily supplement regime, the industry is continually coming up with more effective and potent products to help with everything from mood to memory function.
But what about consumers? How are first time buyers supposed to know genuine supplements from duds?
This page should hopefully help everyone, from first time nootropics buyers to seasoned users, find the right pre-made nootropic stack for their needs.
Professionally designed brain supplements can:
- Improve your ability to think clearly, quickly, and creatively
- Significantly enhance your memory function
- Provide a lasting boost to mental energy
- Keep you focused and motivated for long periods of time
They do this in a number of ways:
- Increase the production of neurotransmitters
- Provide the brain with the vitamins and fuel it needs to be more active
- Support long-term brain growth and development
- Act on certain receptors in the nervous system to reduce stress
It’s all very well saying what a nootropic should do, but that doesn’t help you if you’re new to nootropics.
There is a huge industry out there, with hundreds of manufacturers all competing for your attention. They will all tell you that their products are the best, that their competitors are offering you total garbage, and that their products are not like any other on the market today.
But of course, not everyone can be telling the truth here.
So if you have only just recently started delving into the world of nootropics, it can be hard to figure out who you can trust.
It is absolutely vital that you do your own research, and that you don’t just rely on what a manufacturer tells you.
That’s why we’re here to help you figure out exactly what you should be looking for in a natural nootropic supplement.
We believe you need to properly evaluate what it is that you want, not what someone else thinks you want. You then need to let the science guide you to the best supplement for you.
There are a couple of things to look out for when looking at nootropic supplements today.
How To Spot A Genuinely Good Nootropic
Knowing that you can benefit from a nootropic is one thing. But there are hundreds of products out there today.
How can you tell good from bad?
How can you know which products really work and which don’t?
Any old pill can give you a bit of a kick-start in the morning.
Low quality nootropics tend to be loaded with caffeine and other stimulants, as this gives the impression of improving brain function immediately.
We all know that a few cups of strong coffee can make you feel like you’re working at 100mph, but chances are, you’re just a bit jittery and unable to concentrate properly.
Top nootropics do much more than that.
Effective brain supplements will take a bit longer to kick in, usually anywhere from 2 hours to 2 days. However, when they do, they really get to work.
Once a sufficient amount has built up in the system, you begin feeling like you are operating on another level 24 hours a day.
Synthetic brain drugs like Modafinil will force the brain into an unnatural and unsustainable over-worked state.
By comparison, advanced nootropics improve cognitive performance in a subtle, more useful way.
They increase the quality of your cognition rather than filling you full of sugar and caffeine.
They improve your ability to process information, to make novel connections, and to think quickly.
The very best nootropics will support long-term potentiation and neuroplasticity. This is where your brain makes lasting physical adaptations. Some substances increase the rate of neuron formation, while others promote axon repair and reduce brain cell inflammation.
This means that the best supplements will give you a plethora of both long-term and immediate benefits. Obviously this stands in sharp contrast to cheap brain pills that give you a sudden boost in mental energy and then leave you feeling groggy and tired. No such supplements will make it to our rankings; not now, not ever.
Below you will find our top picks from the nootropic market today.
Top 3 Nootropics For 2020
Here’s a full overview of the best nootropics on the market today. We try to update every serious nootropic stack we can, and we update our rankings after every review.
Listed here are what we believe to be the most effective, pre-made brain supplements available.
The list is exclusively made-up of comprehensive, daily nootropic stacks. That’s because we think this is the best way to approach cognitive enhancement. When you’re trying to do something as ambitious as improving your memory, focus, and mental acuity, you need to be consistent. You need to think long-term.
These products all have their own charms, but what they all have in common is quality ingredients, low side effect risks, and good value for money.
#1 MindLab Pro (Editor’s favorite)
I take Mind Lab Pro on a daily basis and experience:
- Enhanced memory retention and recall
- Increase in speed and lucidity of thought
- Significant increase in ability to stay focused
“This is now my daily nootropic stack of choice. I take it every morning with a DHA supplement and a hot cup of coffee. It has been incredibly effective for me, not to mention our entire review team, and the results keep getting better.” – Natural Nootropic Editor.
Ideal For: Executives, students and creative professionals who need to stay on top of their game for months on end.
Main Benefit: Works quickly and cognitive performance rapidly reaches a sustainable, lasting peak.
Main Downside: Only available from the manufacturer.
-Read Full Mind Lab Pro Review-
–Visit the Mind Lab Pro Website–
#2 – Performance Lab MIND
This is really like Mind Lab Pro striped back to the core essentials. Regular use of this pre-made nootropic will certainly deliver:
- Significantly improved focus
- Better mental performance under stress
- Long-term brain health
This is really like Mind Lab Pro striped back to the core essentials. Regular use of this pre-made nootropic will certainly deliver:
Performance Lab Mind is an unbelievably powerful nootropic for one that uses so few ingredients. The formula looks like a dialed down version of Mind Lab Pro, and it essentially is exactly that. Everything has been stripped back apart from the key, core essentials. Yet it still manages to touch upon multiple aspects of cognitive function.
The ingredients in this stack are of the highest possible quality, and the doses are great. Focus, clarity, performance under pressure, and long-term health are all supported here. A great supplement. Perfect for anyone looking for a more ‘minimalist’ daily nootropic.
Ideal For: Anyone looking for a simple, economical, highly effective daily stack.
Main Benefit: Powerful in all the most important places
Main Downside: Not as comprehensive as Mind Lab Pro
-Read Our Full Review-
-Visit The Performance Lab Mind Website-
#3 AKUA LIFE Neuro-Stack
- Short-term focus increase
- Improved mood
- Better memory function
- Long-term brain development
- Enhanced mental clarity
AKUA LIFE Neuro-Stack is a true full spectrum nootropic, no doubt about that. It provides a huge range of ingredients, and the doses are very good for the most part. Users can expect a variety of enhancements:
This is a comprehensive nootropic if we’ve ever seen one. One look at the formula will tell you that. The sheer range of ingredients used here is impressive. It packs a punch too – most people will see improvements in memory and focus within 6-8 weeks.
However, this stack has serious flaws too. The formula contains a lot of ingredients that do nothing for cognitive function or overall brain health. With such a big price tag, that’s a real problem. Some ingredients, like CDP-Choline, have been left under-dosed too. All in all though, this is a market-leading daily nootropic supplement. It has power and side effects should be rare.
Ideal For: Anyone looking for a serious and sustained lift in memory and focus.
Main Benefit: Sheer range of ingredients used.
Main Downside: Contains a lot of dead weight – not great value for money!
-Read Our Full Product Review-
Conclusion – Finding The Right Nootropic For You
So there you have it – those are, in our opinion, the three best nootropics on the market right now.
We are always actively looking for new pre-made nootropic stacks to review, and our rankings update automatically after every review.
Unfortunately, the majority of supplements that we review are total garbage.
As nootropics become more popular, and their usage becomes more commonplace, a growing number of second-rate products will find their way to market.
People with little knowledge of nootropics, how they work, what they’re capable of, or their pitfalls will bring poor quality supplements to market in an attempt to make a quick buck.
They wont care about providing value for money or results for their customers. They just want your money.
It is absolutely vital that you learn how to spot these supplements. It is crucial that you know what to look for, and what to watch out for, when choosing a pre-made brain supplement.
And that means knowing what your particular goals are.
What is it that you want to achieve?
There are some incredibly effective, high-quality natural brain supplements on the market today.
They all work to improve your cognitive function. Yet they all work in their own individual way. They will not necessarily deal with the same aspects of brain function, and they will not all provide exactly the same benefits.
Performance Lab Mind is a minimalist take on the daily nootropic stack. It focuses on parsimony and ingredient quality, and the end result is very impressive.
Mind Lab Pro is a comprehensive brain supplement which seeks to address every aspect of cognitive function for the long-term. It covers every base, and covers them well.
Which nootropic stack you choose depends entirely on what you want to achieve. Cognitive enhancement is not a one-size-fits-all practice. Decide on your goals and supplement accordingly.
Hey,
Nice article…
Nootropics are playing their role really well by giving effective results to many. Actually, almost everyone who has used Nootropics has experienced great results.
I really benefited through your writing. I thank you and keep these good articles coming.
Regards,
Andrew Wolosik
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for the kind words! Glad you find our articles useful. We do our best to give people good advice that they can actually use when making buying decisions – well, what we think is good advice anyway!
I see from your email address that you’re a manufacturer. Would you like one of us to do a review on your products?
Could i take all 3 products together as a stack….
Hi Alis,
I don’t think that would be a good idea at all really.
These three stacks contain many of the same key ingredients, and the manufacturers have dosed these ingredients quite precisely. Taking all of these products together means that you will be taking a lot more of these ingredients than is necessary, which will be a waste of money and increase the risk of you experiencing side effects.
To put it simply, when you’re taking any supplement, take it exactly as the manufacturer says you should take it, and don’t start mixing it with other products that may interact with it. Safety should always trump every other consideration when it comes to the supplements you use.
Hi there!Great reviews,I’am also taking Mind Lab Pro I just want to know what particular brand of fish oil do you take alongside with MLP.
Best regards,Mar
Hi Marlo,
I don’t think the exact brand matters when it comes to run-of-the-mill supplements like fish oil, but I can tell you that I now personally take algae oil. Algae is where the fish get their omega 3s from, so I prefer to just cut out the middle man. The algae oil that I take actually gives me more DHA and EPA than the cod liver oil I was taking previously, and I’m sure many brands will offer the same thing.
If you don’t like the sound of algae oil, look into krill oil. We’re just finishing our page on krill oil now as it happens. Lots of people take that stuff over fish oil because they believe that cod liver oil will contain many of the pollutants commonly found in bigger fish like cod, tuna and salmon. We’re not convinced this actually happens, but again, it’s something to do some research on.
Best regards,
Can you kindly mention the daily dose of DHA and EPA and what brand do you recommend?
thanks
Very nice list and review! I personally use Alpha Brain and find it to be amazing brand and product. I first started taking it two months ago when I read about it [on Supplement Science] and in the beginning I was a bit skeptical, but now I can say that it is great, and gives amazing results!
There is this brand complete essentials and they have a product call DNA evolve. Don’t know what you think. In addition I love your review, so much knowledge! I think I’m going to be ordering mind lab pro. Should I take a stimulant like coffee? I work overnight.
Thanks for commenting Sal.
Whether or not you should drink coffee to help you get through the night really depends on you and how you react to caffeine.
If I have to work very late then I do personally use caffeine as a prop (although it’s more usually green tea). I just find that I can get to sleep easier after a few cups of green tea than coffee, but it still keeps me awake for longer.
The best thing to do is to try it and see how you go. Start with a small cup at the start of your shift and drink more/less depending on how you react.
Hey, nice list. I just recently found out about Mind Lab Pro. What are your thoughts on this product?
Hi Garry,
Thanks for your comment.
Take a look at the page you’re commenting on. It is the best pre-made natural nootropic stack we have ever come across. It is our top rated supplement.
Thanks for the information and reviews you provided.
I would like to take MLP along with my body building supplement stack which contains Amino Acids, Whey Protein and Pre-workout.
Is that appropriate to take MLP along with these supplements??
Hey Hassan. Thanks for commenting.
First of all, let us say that none of us are qualified doctors, so this is not a professional medical opinion. It is just our opinion as long-term nootropic users ourselves.
There is absolutely no reason why MLP should interact negatively with whey protein and BCAAs. Whey protein powder is just an extremely expensive, processed food off-product (whey is the stuff they have left over from cheese processing – it is used as a supplement because it is cheap and readily available). Amino acids are found in literally every single whole food you consume. You already consume these things in your diet. As such, we don’t think you have anything to worry about here.
How it will interact with your pre-workout depends on the product in question. Pre-workout supplements vary a lot, both in their ingredient list and the doses used. Some of them are very safe, while others pose serious side effect risks. We therefore can’t say for sure how MLP will work with a pre-workout.
Generally speaking though, Mind Lab Pro is very safe and side effects are extremely rare. We’re sure lots of people use it along with whey protein supplements.
Thanks for the detailed reaponse.
I’d really appreciate that.
Will be ordering MLP next month 🙂
No problem Hassan. We try to provide as much help as possible!
That’s great. Please let us know how it works out for you in a few months time. The rest of our readers will be interested to hear it!
Thank you for your reviews. I have ordered MLP and MOD. After reading your review on MOD I do not plan on taking it daily, but rather a couple days a week when working in studio/gym. Would adding MOD for one or two days a week on top of the MLP daily dose be a risk or harmful? I currently have a very high tolerance for caffeine and plan diminishing my reliance on coffee and pre workout powders with these nootropic supplements. Thanks
Hey Sasha. Thanks for commenting.
Generally speaking we wouldn’t advise stacking two stacks on top of one another. There is plenty in both MLP and MOD to make a difference to your cognitive function. We haven’t thought a great deal about how they might work together, but our initial feeling is that the risk of side effects will go up significantly. After all, they are largely safe on their own but they are not designed to be used with one another.
Our advice would be to swap out MLP for MOD on the days when you think it is really necessary to have that extra kick. You are absolutely right not to take MOD on a daily basis; it’s not meant for that. Ideally, you’d use either MLP on a daily, long-term basis, or MOD infrequently, not both at the same time. Really, you need to choose your priorities here.
You may have a high caffeine tolerance when it comes to drinking a cup of coffee slowly, but taking caffeine in pill form is a different thing altogether. Please keep that in mind and don’t jump right in with the highest possible dose. As we said, these supplements are safe generally, but we do urge genuine caution. We want our readers to be as safe as possible. A chat with your doctor would be a great idea if you have the time.
Hi! I’m 55, can I take MLP or other nootropics while I take NAD+? Also, what nootropic would you suggest for a teenager student with ADD? Thanks.
Hi My 18 year old son has auditory processing disorder and ADD, should he try MLP
Hi Lisa. Mind Lab Pro isn’t designed to treat any medical conditions. It is designed to help people who struggle with focus, memory function, or anxiety but who are otherwise perfectly healthy. Things like auditory processing disorder require proper medical care, not natural supplements.
This review is spot on; most nootropics out there are total garbage, true. I tried many of them, but either the effects lasted just a few days, or they did nothing. I also tried different racetams, after reading about the positive effects many were reporting…well, they did not do it for me, not one of them, it was like I was taking candies…until I gave Mind Lab Pro a try, and never looked back. To me, MLP is the number one nootropic and the only one I am taking. It cost me a little bit of money and time to try out different other nootropics, I think I owed it to myself to try themn out, and now I know MLP will be my nootropic for a long, long time…
Hi,
I read this site’s review on Neura-Spark and noticed it got docked points for it’s “trivial” amount of Rhodiola Rosea (50mg). Here I see your top rated product, Mind Lab Pro, also only contains 50mg of Rhodiola Rosea — but no mention at all regarding the same amount of RR being trivial. Why is that?
Hey Justin,
Neura-Spark contains 25mg of Rhodiola rosea, and it is merely root powder rather than a standardized extract with plenty of rosavins and salidrosides like we get from MLP. There might not be any rosavins or salidrosides in Neura-Saprk’s RR for all we know – it could be mostly cellulose!
In any case, we can’t find one instance of the word “trivial” in the Neura-Spark review. All we say about RR in Neura-Spark is that we’d like to see at least twice as much of the stuff. Please don’t put words in quotation marks that we never said.
Many thanks!
My mistake! The word was, “feeble,” not “trivial.” (See!? That short-term memory loss is real! ♂️). Again, my apologies.
Also, what DHA/EPA supplement would you recommend?
No need for apologies Justin. It’s easily done! We recommend using an algae-derived one rather than a fish oil. You get none of the nasty pollutants and they’re generally a lot stronger. If you can’t find one of those, then Krill Oil is probably the next best thing.
Dear Natural Nootropic Team!
I’ve been taking the MLP for quite some time now (just bought it randomly from their Facebook ads) and have recently been looking for something to enhance the results, which led me to looking at Lumonol, which led to other websites researching this and that, and finally I came here. So, maybe you can tell me, is there’s anything on the market that is safe and useful to add to MPL?
P.S. I’ve taken some Gingko Biloba pills and they helped with focus and clarity, but not working or long-term memory.
Yours truly,
Leo
Hi Leo, thanks for getting in touch, and very good question!
You should check out our Lumonol review before you buy that stuff. In our opinion it’s not a great nootropic.
There are a few substances which would stack very well with MLP; what is right for you depends on your specific needs. You could try stacking it with a good quality DHA/EPA supplement. This will further support brain health and development over the long term, not to mention cardiovascular and digestive health. If you’re more in need of a short-term energy boost, you could check out some caffeine/theanine supplements to add in when necessary.
Basically, there’s a lot of variables in play here. If you tell us what you think you need help with specifically, we can give you more tailored advice. Feel free to do it in the comments here or you can email us directly if that’s easier for you!
Very interesting article but seems dated. I am wondering if you have changed your mind since the last one was published on Dec 2018. I am 76 years old and I have been experiencing a little bit of mind slippage and I don’t care for it. So I have started looking into brain supplements to see if there could be any help for us seniors? Before I found your article I bought some 1 Body Brain Support but I haven’t gotten started with it yet. I want and need to cover what bases I can but doing it safely is a top goal for me. What would you recommend for someone my age? I have been retired for approximately 2 years and it’s a total bore so I’m also looking for a job but I want these memory slips taken care of before I actually start a new job. Thanks for any help you can give on quality but also on cost. Being retired requires watching my bottom line.
Thanks
Bill Cuthbertson
Hi,
So this has sparked my interest in taking something like Mind Lab Pro. I still need to do more research but it sounds like this would cover all bases for cognitive enhancement.
I’m 23, so I know I’ve got solid neuroplasticity but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to perform on higher levels. So I’m wondering about what it gets stacked with; what I take already is a multi-vitamin, lions mane (brain fog and memory recall) st. johns wort (mood and depression) and vitamin e (blood flow).
Do you see any issues with adding it to what I’m taking or could any of what I’m taking be supplemented easily with Mind Lab Pro by itself? Also happy I read about the algae-I’d been taking fish oils on and off since high school and never thought to do that!
Thanks,
Peter
Hi great article I am very happy I found this page. My question is this. Mind lab pro seems to have so few ingredients and the dosage seems rather small. When you compare it to Qaulia Mind they have WAAAY more ingredients and the dosages are much higher. The only thing that stopped me from buying Qualia Mind is that they include Hupperzine-A in their formula, which we all know is something that should not be taken everyday. I do see that Mind Lab Pro ranks at some of the highest of all the Nootropics, Is there ingredients that Mind Lab Pro is missing? or not enough of something? Thank you so much for all this great info!