Have you been looking for a good nootropic but can’t make up your mind? Are you getting bamboozled by the sheer number of ‘5-star’ brain supplements on the internet? Not sure which blog you can trust?
Do you just want someone to tell you which nootropics are legit and why?
Then look no further!
I’ve tried dozens of pre-made nootropic stacks over the years. I have experimented with study drugs, stimulants, and exotic extracts in an attempt to get more out of my brain. Over the years, I’ve learned what works, and what doesn’t, by using myself as a guinea pig.
Now, I’m going to use that wealth of knowledge to help you find safe, effective, powerful nootropics that will help you get ahead.
Below you will find my list of the top nootropic supplements on sale today currently on the market (it’s 2020).
I’ve tried all of these products and I can honestly say that they deliver on their promises. They each have their own unique combination of benefits to offer. They all have their own strengths, and their individual weaknesses. But they are all solid products capable of enhancing your cognitive function in numerous different ways.
Before I get into the list, I’ll tell you how I chose these products, what my specific goals are, and how I approach cognitive enhancement generally.
How I Select Nootropics
When you’re choosing a nootropic stack, you first need to establish what your goals actually are – what is it you want to achieve? What are your priorities? Which aspects of mental performance do you struggle with most, and which can you realistically enhance through diet and training?
For example, my top priority is focus.
I work for myself. I get out of my business what I put in, so I really need to stay focused and motivated all day long. But working for yourself is hard; the temptation to take a break and put on YouTube is always there.
To make matters worse, I naturally have quite a short attention span. I can work solidly for a couple of hours, but after that I just crash – I can’t read any more, and I certainly can’t think critically. So I really need to maximize the amount of time I spend in ‘the flow’; instead of putting in sheer man hours, I need to get the most out of the hours I do put in.
So any nootropic I use really needs to put me into a state of heightened focus and concentration. Ideally, I need a supplement that is going to sharpen my attention to detail, keep me motivated, and help me process a lot of information in a short space of time.
Of course, I have other criteria when selecting nootropics. Any brain supplement I use regularly needs to have these properties:
- Safe
- Natural
- Side effect-free
- Full spectrum
- Scientifically-proven ingredients
- Powerful
- Both short and long-term benefits
- Reasonably priced
The final consideration isn’t a big factor for me. I’m quite happy to pay good money for a great supplement; it’s better than paying poor money for a terrible stack!
Your needs will be different though. You might not need long-term benefits at all. If you’re a programmer, an architect, a designer, or a contractor, you might only need short bursts of intense focus and energy.
That said, there are objectively better nootropics than others. I believe that I have identified a handful of supplements that are genuinely excellent for every user, regardless of specific needs. Here they are, ranked from best to…well…not best, but still solid.
My Favorite Nootropics
#1 Mind Lab Pro – The All-Rounder
Mind Lab Pro comes up time and again in rankings of nootropic supplements. The other stacks pushed by sites vary (usually according to the commission they get paid to sell it). But they just can’t ignore Mind Lab Pro for the simple fact that it is the most focused, effective, comprehensive nootropic on the market.
I personally take Mind Lab Pro every single day – it is my stack of choice. I’ve taken a couple of breaks to bring my tolerance down, but apart from a couple of weeks here and there I’ve been using it non-stop for about 18 months.
I can honestly say that in that time I have gotten more out of this nootropic than any other stack I’ve ever tried.
The effects of Mind Lab Pro are subtle at first. You get a noticeable bump in attention, reduced stress, and far less brain fog in the mornings.
But the real benefits kick in after a couple of months – and they are PROFOUND.
Opti-Nutra have got some amazing testimonials for their nootropic, including one from clinical psychologist Dr. Paul Nussbaum:
The biggest differences you’ll see using Mind Lab Pro for a couple of months include:
- Significantly faster memory recall
- Better memory retention
- Reduced anxiety
- Far better focus in stressful situations
- Faster information processing
The best thing about Mind Lab Pro is the fact that it makes these changes permanent.
It provides sizable doses of Lion’s Mane Mushroom and Phosphatidylserine. These ingredients promote brain development and adaptation over time. So the benefits you get from Mind Lab Pro slowly crystallize into a more powerful, effective brain.
I can’t ask for more than that!
Read my full review of Mind Lab Pro to get more details, see the formula, and hear about my own personal experiences in more detail.
To do your own research, check out the Mind Lab Pro website.
#2 – Performance Lab Mind – The Minimalist
Performance Lab Mind is a brand new full-spectrum nootropic. It was launched in mid-2018. Despite only being on the market for a short time, this supplement has already become one of the most talked-about nootropics on the market.
Its rapidly growing popularity is definitely deserved – this is one of the most interesting and effective brain supplements in existence.
I used Performance Lab Mind for 3 months and I was mightily impressed. I noticed a rapid improvement in focus, attention, and motivation. I felt better able to multitask. I was more productive in work. On top of that, I felt much calmer than baseline as I approached some important deadlines. All-in-all, a great nootropic stack for a very reasonable price.
I think anybody using Performance Lab Mind will enjoy the following benefits:
- Heightened focus
- Better working memory function
- Faster recall
- Enhanced mental performance under pressure
- Better brain health over the long-term
Performance Lab is a fascinating brand. They are changing the way the supplement industry works with their tailor-made stack approach and their commitment to simple, straight-forward supplements with formulas selected for scientific validity and potency.
Performance Lab Mind is a perfect example of this – a minimalist, simple, yet extremely powerful nootropic.
I strongly recommend this stack to anybody who wants a professional quality brain supplement designed to enhance memory, focus, performance under pressure, and long-term brain health.
If you want to hear what I thought of Performance Lab Mind personally, check out my full review.
To get more details on how Performance Lab Mind works, you might want to go straight to the website.
BONUS – Stack Advice
I got a lot out of Performance Lab Mind by itself. However, the results I got when I stacked it with Performance Lab Energy were pretty remarkable.
These products were purpose-designed to work well by themselves and when taken together. In my opinion, Energy significantly enhances the effects of Mind, making them more pronounced. It basically gives Mind more of a ‘punch’. It’s an ideal combo for those of you who tend to work late hours, or in intense bursts. Take a look at the stack recommendations on the Performance Lab website for more details.
You can check out my experiences with Performance Lab products here. I ran their most popular supplements for 3 months to see how they worked for me. They honestly blew me away.
#3 – Qualia Focus – The Crowd Pleaser
Part of the reason I have included Qualia Focus in this list is – admittedly – to please the crowd. I do genuinely think this is a good supplement. The sheer number of proven nootropic ingredients you get from this stack makes it head and shoulders above the vast majority of brain supplements out there. The doses are great in the right places, and it is definitely an interesting, unique formula.
But if this wasn’t such a popular nootropic, it might not have made it. I have some reservations about the formula and the price tag. I can say one thing with certainty though: Qualia Focus worked pretty well for me!
I used Qualia Focus for a couple of months and I definitely noticed a big difference in my cognitive performance.
The biggest difference was in my early morning attention levels. I was climbing straight out of bed at 6am, doing my morning stretch routine, making a coffee, taking Qualia Focus and getting straight into work. I was able to dive right in and blast through 3 hours of solid work without a break. That’s really something for me.
I would sum up the main benefits of using Qualia Focus as:
- More mental clarity/less brain fog in the morning and at night
- Greater attention span
- Better memory retention
- Enhanced working memory function
The only thing I’d say against Qualia Focus is that it has an extremely bloated formula. A number of the ingredients in here just aren’t necessary – they don’t add anything to the formula really, so they could be dropped.
There’s also not much in here for maximizing long-term brain development. Encouraging permanent brain adaptations is important to me, so this is a serious limitation of Qualia Focus. So while I’m aware that so many people love the Neurohacker Collective’s products, this isn’t the right nootropic for me.
But it could be perfect for you!
If you want to learn more about the ingredients in Qualia Focus, or you want to find out about the brand behind the product, I advise you to check out the Neurohacker Collective official website.
If you want to hear about my personal experiences with Qualia Focus, then check out my detailed Qualia Focus review.