Alpha BRAIN Review

We’ve all been there: tired, sluggish, drinking extra cups of coffee, and still feeling like you can’t get past a wall of fog. Difficulty with concentration, focus, and other cognitive tasks is growing more common,1 no matter the cause.2 3 In response to struggles like these, nootropics — substances designed to improve cognitive function — have been steadily increasing in popularity.4

Alpha BRAIN is a nootropic supplement created by Onnit, a health and wellness company based out of Austin, Texas. The supplement gained popularity when UFC commentator and ex-Fear Factor host Joe Rogan — who also owns shares in Onnit — advertised it on his podcast. Alpha BRAIN was designed to help sharpen your mind, improve memory, hone your word recall, and improve focus without using caffeine or other stimulants.

Sounds like a no-brainer to use, right? The answer to that might be more complex than it seems since nootropic supplements are still controversial in the scientific community. We looked into Alpha BRAIN to help you decide if it could be as good for you as it sounds.

Alpha BRAIN may have the potential to improve verbal memory; it has a clinically relevant ingredient list and two (self-funded) scientific studies, one of which was generally positive. However, proprietary blends obscure most ingredient dosages and make it difficult to truly estimate the chance of side effects from certain riskier nootropic ingredients.

Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions about staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles.

For this review of Onnit’s Alpha BRAIN nootropic, we analyzed over 50 scientific studies and journals on the various ingredients used in this supplement to determine whether it lives up to the company’s claims. We also drew from our hundreds of hours spent researching and trying nootropic supplements to judge Alpha BRAIN versus its closest competitors. In addition to thorough research, our testers purchased Alpha BRAIN, tried the supplement, and communicated at length with customer service representatives to bring you first-hand knowledge of the Onnit customer experience.

Additionally, like all health-related content on this website, this review was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy.

To help you determine whether or not Alpha BRAIN is right for you, we focused on four primary criteria: safety, efficacy (how well it works), cost, and convenience.

Ultimately, we think that Alpha BRAIN is reasonably priced for a nootropic, but it has some issues with its formulation and how it presents itself to consumers, which gives us pause. Specifically, many of its ingredients are listed as part of proprietary blends that obscure how much (or, really, how little) is in each serving, and some potential side effects aren’t mentioned by Onnit. And even though Onnit has sponsored clinical studies on Alpha BRAIN, self-funded research can be affected by bias; we’d prefer to see independent third-party studies.

Anecdotally, some consumers report experiencing better verbal memory while taking Alpha BRAIN (consistent with some of the research on its ingredients). It’s relatively convenient to take, but it peaks quickly and wears off fast, and you shouldn’t take it more than once in 24 hours to minimize the risk of side effects. Don’t expect this to be life-changing, but if you need a little boost (particularly in verbal memory), Alpha BRAIN might be able to help.

Read on to find out more about each criterion we analyzed.

Safety

Alpha BRAIN contains several acetylcholine-promoting ingredients. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that influences your memory, attention, and focus, so it makes sense that it’s part of this nootropic. However, acetylcholine can be dangerous when there’s too much of it or not enough of the enzyme that turns it off.5 There’s no indication on the website that this can be dangerous. And while it’s unlikely that any serious side effects would occur given what we know about its ingredients, the fact that it’s an unaddressed possibility is concerning. Alpha BRAIN has been the subject of two clinical studies, neither of which looked at the safety of long-term regular use.

Similar to some nootropics competitors, like Focus Factor, many of Alpha BRAIN’s ingredients are listed as part of proprietary blends. That’s a sneaky move supplement manufacturers use when they need to list all ingredients but don’t want to tell you exactly how much of each goes into a product; listing ingredients as part of a blend lets them list how much is there in total but not individually. This makes it more challenging to determine both efficacy and safety.

For example, the Onnit Flow Blend contains 650mg of L-tyrosine, L-theanine, oat straw extract, and phosphatidylserine. Oat straw extract has no known health benefits, but the other three ingredients do. We don’t know how much of the blend is oat straw extract, so it could — dramatically and unlikely — be as much as 647mg of oat straw extract and 1mg of other ingredients. Not every ingredient in Alpha BRAIN is part of a blend, so we know a little about the formula, but there’s still so much obscured that it’s challenging to determine what’s going on.

Onnit tests ingredients and the final blend in-house for quality, purity, potency, and contamination but doesn’t share any results publicly. In comparison, competitor Mind Lab Pro does in-house and third-party testing and then posts batch-specific results on its website for public viewing.

Additionally, it’s unclear where Onnit’s phosphatidylserine is sourced from, but since it’s often derived from soy, Alpha BRAIN may be unsafe for those with soy allergies.29

Efficacy

It’s difficult to judge Alpha BRAIN’s efficacy because Onnit obscures a majority of its ingredients in a proprietary blend; we don’t know how much of each ingredient is in the formula. This obfuscation means that we can’t determine if things that are clinically more likely to work (like L-tyrosine) are present in high enough doses to make a difference. That being said, Alpha BRAIN does contain several ingredients with a decent amount of research behind them, implying that there may be some merit to Onnit’s grand claims.

Alpha BRAIN is one of the few nootropics on the market to have studies investigating its efficacy; Focus Factor Original, Mind Lab Pro, and Qualia Mind are some of the other nootropic stacks subjected to similar research. Alpha BRAIN’s 2015 research study showed it improved verbal memory recall in young adults, but a separate study on “mood, stress, and marksmanship” in soldiers showed it made no difference in cognitive performance.6 7 Neither study looked at long-term use or its effects on older adults or people struggling with cognition.

In customer reviews, users are mixed as to whether or not they experienced any differences in their thinking; about one in three users report no effect.

Cost

Nootropics are expensive no matter who makes them, and Alpha BRAIN is no exception — a 45-day supply has a one-time purchase price of about $80.

However, Alpha BRAIN is relatively cheap as far as nootropics go. (Many nootropics can cost more than your monthly internet bill.) But before you make a decision, check the ingredients list: some more expensive nootropics can have over twice the amount of potentially beneficial ingredients with more promising research behind them than the less-expensive option, giving you more bang for your buck.

Here’s a quick cost comparison between Alpha BRAIN and five other nootropics. These costs represent the smallest bottle sizes each company sells (typically a 15- or 30-day supply) and have been rounded to the nearest dollar.

Convenience

A dose of Alpha BRAIN consists of two easy-to-swallow capsules; Onnit recommends taking them daily with a light meal. From our testers’ experiences with nootropics, they can take an hour or two to kick in (but your results may vary). If Alpha BRAIN is a nootropic that works for you, this timing may be something to keep in mind if you plan on taking it for a specific event or reason, like an exam.

You can purchase Alpha BRAIN in bottles with 15 (30-count) or 45 servings (90-count), which is relatively small for a supplement but somewhat average for a nootropic. Considering it takes anywhere from one day to over a week for orders to arrive, you’ll need to stay on top of how much Alpha BRAIN you have to ensure you don’t run out before you can reorder. On the other hand, you could join Onnit’s subscription program (which also grants you a 25% discount), and get a new bottle as frequently as once a week.

If you have questions about Alpha BRAIN, it can be hard to find an answer quickly on Onnit’s website. There’s an instant messaging service to ask for assistance, but it’s staffed exclusively by an AI, so don’t expect to get any answers you can’t find in the FAQ. You can contact customer service by phone or email if you need a specific question answered. Our testers received email responses to their questions in 24-48 hours, so you’ll have to pick up the phone for any immediate needs. However, once we did get an answer, we found that the customer service representatives were friendly and knowledgeable. Competitor Thesis’ customer service provided similarly robust and thoughtful assistance.

Alpha BRAIN is the flagship product from Onnit, a Texas-based health and wellness company launched in 2011. It’s a nootropic designed to support your everyday cognitive function, including memory, mental processing speed, and focus. Alpha BRAIN was inspired by celebrity Joe Rogan, who was interested in the potential of nootropics to enhance cognitive function. Rogan, who says he’s taken the supplement regularly since before the product’s launch in 2010, claims Alpha BRAIN improves his word recall, focus, and performance to such an extent that he “doesn’t want to do anything without it.” (It’s worth mentioning that Rogan has shares in Onnit, meaning that the potential for bias in that statement is pretty high.)

Alpha BRAIN is BSCG-certified, meaning it doesn’t contain any ingredients banned by international athletic associations, nor does it have contact with any during the manufacturing process. It’s made in a facility compliant with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations set by the FDA. These standards require that a company tests individual ingredients and product batches for:

• Purity
• Strength
• Composition
• Contamination

However, Onnit conducts all testing in-house at this facility and doesn’t share certificates of analysis (CoAs), which delineate testing results. In the future, we hope Onnit will consider being as transparent as competitor Mind Lab Pro and post CoAs for public viewing.

As a supplement, Alpha BRAIN isn’t held to the same FDA requirements as food or prescription medication.

Alpha BRAIN is a nootropic supplement that’s made of three proprietary blends:

• Onnit Flow Blend (650mg): L-tyrosine, L-theanine, oat straw extract, phosphatidylserine
• Onnit Focus Blend (240mg): Alpha-GPC, bacopa extract (100mg), toothed clubmoss extract (standardized to 1% huperzine A; 400mcg)
• Onnit Fuel Blend (60mg): L-leucine, pterostilbene

It also contains 10mg of vitamin B6 and 350mg of cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa) extract. You won’t find any caffeine in Alpha BRAIN’s formula, making it a good choice for those particularly sensitive to stimulants. Thesis and Mind Lab Pro can also be good options for people looking to avoid caffeine; the former gives you the option of getting or skipping the caffeine, while the latter is always caffeine-free.

On the Alpha BRAIN product page, Onnit specifically walks through each of the individual ingredients, what it’s thought to do, and how the company sees it helping Alpha BRAIN accomplish its intended goal for your cognition. Each blend targets a different mechanism within your brain to help it function at its peak. Onnit Flow Blend is designed for “promoting alpha brain wave production,” Focus Blend for acetylcholine levels, and Fuel Blend for nervous system communication.

Alpha waves and flow states

Inside these capsules are three proprietary blends of vitamins, herbs, and amino acids designed to improve your cognitive functioning and increase the amount of time you spend in “flow states.” When you feel “in the groove” on a project, run, or piece of art and look up to see hours have flown by without you realizing it, you’ve been in a flow state. These states are often considered the pinnacle of productivity without compromising mental health. Neuroscientists think that flow states might be an internalization of cognitive control — movement from consciously thinking about your intent to do something to unconsciously making those choices for the same reasons.8

These flow states occur when the brain is functioning with alpha waves. This state of neurological activity can be seen on an EEG scan and is mostly found in the occipital lobe — the visual processing center in the brain — during quiet rest and deep relaxation. Alpha waves tend to disappear when you exert concentration on a task (replaced instead by beta waves, a higher frequency). Typically, alpha waves are associated with a lack of thinking and consolidation in what is and isn’t “on” in the brain.9

We know alpha waves might be associated with visual processing and working memory.10 Some studies suggest that problems with alpha waves might be related to things like social withdrawal and depression.11 They’ve been linked to creativity and improved focus, but not consistently.12 13 Like most things in the brain, we don’t conclusively know much about alpha waves or flow states compared to other bodily processes.

One study from 2022 suggested that not having enough acetylcholine might decrease the frequency and quality of alpha waves, so it’s not a huge jump that Alpha BRAIN’s highly acetylcholinergic formula could improve your “flow states.”14 However, that likely isn’t the biggest benefit you’ll experience.

Dreams

One of the more interesting effects of Alpha BRAIN — which doesn’t always come up in the advertising — is that it sometimes creates intensely vivid, often lucid, dreams. This is because the product primarily influences acetylcholine.

Acetylcholine is an important neurotransmitter that works with the parasympathetic nervous system to calm the body after a fight-or-flight response. It also orchestrates some release of other neurotransmitters (like serotonin and dopamine) that influence mood, hunger, memory, and more. Interestingly, acetylcholine seems to affect the start of REM sleep at night and can influence your dreams.15 16 Some researchers think it might be involved in muscle movement during sleep paralysis and dreams (though others think that might be from other neurotransmitters at work).17 Higher levels of acetylcholine during sleep also mean that you’ll experience REM for longer, which creates longer dreams that you’ll have a higher likelihood of remembering.

Alpha BRAIN contains several products that boost acetylcholine at the start and prevent it from leaving your system quickly, increasing your overall levels of acetylcholine from both ends of the process. Even those who don’t get a lot of everyday effects from Alpha BRAIN often find that their dreams are weirder because the product relies on acetylcholine to impact the body. It’s worth noting that other nootropics and prescription medications to improve cognitive function also cause observable changes in dreaming, so this side effect isn’t specific to Alpha BRAIN. Later on, we’ll explore acetylcholine and what ingredients in Alpha BRAIN influence it.

Looking deeper into Alpha BRAIN’s ingredients reveals a clear problem with the supplement: not all of the ingredients have studies backing up Onnit’s claims. And those that do have positive research need to be present in large enough amounts to be effective. Since it isn’t clear how much of each ingredient is in Alpha BRAIN — and reaching out to the company doesn’t clear up that information — it’s difficult to say whether or not you can find most of the ingredients in levels high enough to make a difference.

The amount of vitamin B6, cat’s claw extract, and huperzine A (from the toothed clubmoss extract) are all appropriate based on clinical research, but they’re also three of only four ingredients with listed quantities per serving. (Bacopa extract appears to be short by about 200mg per serving.) Customers report mixed effects of Alpha BRAIN: some experience grand effects, and others experience none at all.

Onnit recommends taking two capsules daily with a light meal. It’s not uncommon to experience nausea, vomiting, and other GI problems when you first start taking Alpha BRAIN or any other nootropic, so be sure to take it with a meal to make it a bit easier on the stomach. However, if you experience other effects (such as muscle twitching or weakness, a sudden increase in tear or saliva production, or blurry vision), stop taking Alpha BRAIN and contact your doctor immediately. There is also a very low risk of kidney or liver damage, but if you have a history of kidney or liver disease, reach out to your doctor before trying Alpha BRAIN.

Insomnia may also be a sign that Alpha BRAIN isn’t right for you, but this side effect could also be caused by taking it too late in the afternoon. If you take Alpha BRAIN in the morning and still can’t sleep at night, you may find better luck with other nootropics. Thesis, for example, offers a nootropic blend called “Confidence” that includes ingredients to promote calm, like ashwagandha.18

Alpha BRAIN is not appropriate for pregnant or lactating people and anyone under the age of 18. And it may not be safe for those with soy allergies due to the unknown origins of the supplement’s phosphatidylserine (often made from soy).

The first — and largest — blend found in Onnit’s Alpha BRAIN is the “Onnit Flow Blend.” This 650mg blend includes L-tyrosine, L-theanine, oat straw extract, and phosphatidylserine. Let’s go over some of the research behind these ingredients.

L-tyrosine

Tyrosine (present in Alpha BRAIN in its bioavailable form, L-tyrosine) is a non-essential amino acid with a big role. It’s one of the precursors necessary for producing the critical neurotransmitters epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Not having enough tyrosine won’t ruin a workout, but it might stunt your cognition. Some studies have found that taking a tyrosine supplement helps to promote cognitive flexibility and improve short-term memory during stressful or cognitively demanding situations (which can deplete your natural norepinephrine and dopamine stores).19 20

Generally, researchers believe that tyrosine might not improve your everyday life, but it gives your brain the materials to keep you from floundering under pressure. Some people’s genetics may lead them to benefit more from supplemental tyrosine than others.21 More research is necessary to determine how it can help you long-term.22

Studies usually give participants about 2g of L-tyrosine. Unfortunately, 2g is more than double the amount of the entire Onnit Flow Blend, meaning there’s certainly not the same amount of L-tyrosine in Alpha BRAIN as found in successful studies. In comparison, Thesis’ Energy blend also doesn’t have anywhere near 2g, but it does include a definite 300mg, which is more than most other competitors on the market. (Mind Lab Pro has 175mg, while Qualia Mind and Noocube both have 250mg.)

L-theanine

If you’re familiar with the health benefits of green tea, you’re likely already familiar with L-theanine. This amino acid (also found in black tea and some mushrooms) promotes relaxation by lowering stress and anxiety while seemingly increasing cognitive capacity.23

L-Theanine appears to improve working memory and attention in people already at a deficit (particularly older adults and people with ADHD).24 25 Most studies look at L-theanine and caffeine together.26 However, Alpha BRAIN is stimulant-free and has no caffeine, so these possible benefits may not appear in the same ways. If you’re not sensitive to caffeine, then Thesis’ blends may be able to provide the synergetic potential of both caffeine and L-theanine if you opt for the caffeinated option. (Going “caffeine free” with Thesis removes both the caffeine and L-theanine content from the blends, unfortunately.)

Generally, participants in studies are given about 2.5mg/kg of L-theanine, meaning a person who weighs 150lb would take 170mg of L-theanine. In contrast to L-tyrosine, there could very well be around 170mg of L-theanine in the 650mg Onnit Flow Blend.

Oat straw extract

Oat straw (made from the stems and leaves of oats) is used in some nootropics for its supposed anti-anxiety features and theoretical ability to improve healthy cognitive functioning by increasing blood flow to the brain. However, no clinical research suggests it does any of these things.

Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine is a fat necessary for healthy cell membranes throughout your entire body, but it plays a vital role in the brain. It creates the outer coating of a nerve, called the myelin sheath, that helps it send information quickly (demyelinated neurons are the main cause of symptoms in multiple sclerosis and Guillain-Barre syndrome).

A large body of research suggests that phosphatidylserine supplements move effectively into the brain and can improve many cognitive properties, especially in older adults experiencing cognitive decline. On average, people find success taking anywhere from 100-800mg of phosphatidylserine daily, with a sweet spot of around 300mg.27 28

There are three main ingredients in the Onnit Focus Blend: alpha-GPC, bacopa extract, and toothed clubmoss extract.

Alpha-GPC

As one of the heavy hitters in nootropics, alpha-GPC is a precursor to acetylcholine, effectively increasing the amount circulating in the brain and nervous system. It’s related to choline and can be used interchangeably with the substance. Currently, medical researchers are studying its potential to reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. One study even suggested that long-term alpha-GPC consumption in mice kept aging-related cognitive decline to a minimum.52 However, more in-depth studies are needed on human subjects before this potential benefit can be considered legitimate or not.

Bacopa monnieri (100mg)

Bacopa monnieri is an aquatic plant related to ashwagandha that’s been used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. It’s used for its purported memory-enhancing properties, and recent studies have started investigating whether or not it could be a viable ingredient in managing neurological disorders.30 And bacopa appears to influence dopamine cell receptors in rats, but we don’t know if that carries over to humans.31

It might also improve visual processing speeds and how well the brain learns and consolidates memory for up to 12 weeks.32 However, this study used 300mg of intravenous bacopa extract, which is absorbed much faster (and more thoroughly) than orally administered bacopa. Alpha BRAIN has about 100mg of Bacopa monnieri extract, so you may not find these results apply.

Toothed clubmoss

Toothed clubmoss (Huperzia serrata) extract contains one of the most interesting compounds in Alpha BRAIN: huperzine A. Among other things, huperzine A blocks the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Unlike other neurotransmitters, which are reabsorbed into a neuron after a signal has finished sending, acetylcholine has its own enzyme (acetylcholinesterase) that sweeps out excess. In that regard, huperzine A acts almost like an SSRI (the most common antidepressant medication) but for acetylcholine. It’s another ingredient currently being studied to determine if it could be a suitable medication for mild Alzheimer’s disease.33 Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are found in both Alzheimer’s medications and common pesticides.34

Too much acetylcholine can become dangerous very quickly. Alpha BRAIN’s toothed clubmoss extract is standardized to 1% huperzine A or 400mcg. This is the same dose commonly used in clinical trials, so it may be (theoretically) safe for daily use. However, it’s critical that you speak with your doctor first and don’t take more than one serving of Alpha BRAIN in a 24-hour window to limit your risk of acetylcholine overload.

The Onnit Fuel Blend, coming in at only 60mg, is the smallest blend by weight and on the ingredient list: it contains only L-leucine and pterostilbene.

L-leucine

Leucine (available in Alpha BRAIN as L-leucine) is an essential amino acid necessary for protein synthesis. It’s one of three essential branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) that give skeletal muscles energy during exercise. Alpha BRAIN claims that L-leucine is included to improve nervous system communication, and research shows it can enhance axonal growth and regeneration.35

A 2021 study found that it also improved recovery in mice who suffered from a traumatic brain injury. However, the daily dose for the mice in this study was 100mg/kg. This would be equivalent to about 1,216mg per day for a 150lb human — over 20 times the size of the entire Onnit Fuel Blend.36

Pterostilbene

Pterostilbene is similar to resveratrol, a polyphenol you might’ve heard of commonly found in red wine. Scientists think that resveratrol (and pterostilbene by association) works in the body like an antioxidant, protecting against oxidative damage.

Oxidative stress is one of the biggest problems that affects the brain and central nervous system, considering the brain uses a tremendous amount of oxygen.37 However, not every brain is equally susceptible to oxidative stress; it’s mainly involved in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease.38 For those who struggle with neurodegenerative disease, pterostilbene appears to have positive outcomes thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.39

Other than the three blends, Alpha BRAIN contains two more active ingredients and a handful of inactive ones that make up its capsule and provide stabilization.

Vitamin B6 (10mg)

All B vitamins are important for nerve and brain health, but vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is one of the most critical in this arena. This essential vitamin helps your brain:53 54

• Create neurotransmitters, amino acids, and proteins
• Regulate energy use in the brain
• Maintain proper brain and immune system development and functioning

B6 deficiencies have been linked to cognitive impairment,40 seizures,41 migraine,42 anxiety,43 and depression (particularly in those taking oral contraceptives).44 45 Some experts theorize that vitamin B6 is so good for the brain because it’s one of the vitamins that helps the body break down homocysteine, an amino acid byproduct associated with dementia, heart disease, and stroke in high concentrations.55

You don’t make vitamin B6 naturally, so healthy adults need to get about 1.3mg of it daily.46 It isn’t clear if getting more than the recommended amount improves cognition beyond mitigating the effects of a deficiency.

If you’re concerned about a vitamin deficiency, we recommend speaking with your doctor to have tests done before supplementing.

Cat’s claw extract (350mg)

Uncaria tomentosa, also known as cat’s claw, is a woody vine found in and around the Amazon rainforest. South and Central American cultures have used it for centuries to treat ailments like:

• Stomach problems
• Arthritis
• Inflammation
• Fevers

While popular conceptions of the herb suggest that it might have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the research is still mixed.47

Still, cat’s claw is a common herbal ingredient in supplements for arthritis symptoms, and one study found it improved cognition, learning, and memory in middle-aged rats.48 The most effective dose for rats in the study was 30mg/kg, which would be about 365mg for a 150lb human, which is actually very close to the 350mg included in Alpha BRAIN. However, the research was done in rats, so more human studies are necessary to confirm this potential benefit.

Another study found 300mg (100mg three times a day) of cat’s claw improved the energy levels of terminal cancer patients without affecting their inflammation.49 Ultimately, there’s still a lot of research to be done to understand how cat’s claw extract works (or doesn’t).

Inactive ingredients

Each serving also contains an unknown amount of maltodextrin and rice hull concentrate, listed in the “other ingredients” section. Rice hull concentrate is a relatively effective prebiotic. While maltodextrin is 95% carbohydrate with a high glycemic index generally used for preserving the shelf life of a supplement, it’s also found in sports drinks to give your body a little extra carbohydrate boost. It may serve this purpose in Alpha BRAIN, too.

While we don’t know for sure if Alpha BRAIN works as advertised for everyone, researchers in a 2016 study found that after six weeks, people aged 18 to 35 who took Alpha BRAIN performed modestly (but significantly) better on neuropsychological tests measuring verbal memory and executive functioning than their peers who didn’t. They could recall words from their short-term working memory faster and longer than before, which is consistent with how the Onnit team discusses Alpha BRAIN.

The study attributes this success primarily to huperzine A but notes that most participants were already high-functioning healthy young adults (the average participant age was 23), so we don’t know how this might apply to people who are genuinely struggling with their cognition. It was published twice — in 2015 in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition and again in Human Psychopharmacology in 2016 with significant improvements. (Perhaps they’d started taking Alpha BRAIN between drafts.)

Another study from 2018 showed that Alpha BRAIN had no noticeable or statistically significant effects on soldiers’ mood, cognitive function, or marksmanship when taking the nootropic at a dose slightly higher than recommended (three capsules per day rather than two). This study was funded by Onnit, though the company didn’t work with the research team directly.

Because Onnit at least partially funded the research, the studies are at higher risk of bias. In the future, we hope to maybe see an independent study on Alpha BRAIN.

Alpha BRAIN is available in two sizes as a one-time purchase or as a recurring subscription. The supplement comes in 30- and 90-count bottles. However, a standard dose is two pills per day, so each bottle only contains a 15- or 45-day supply, respectively.

You can schedule your subscription refills to occur at the following rates:

• 7 days
• 15 days
• 20 days
• 30 days
• 45 days
• 60 days
• 90 days

Your card won’t be charged until each package ships, so you can cancel your subscription at any point without penalty.

Onnit used to offer bulk purchasing discounts for Alpha BRAIN, but this option has been discontinued since we last reviewed the product. Purchasing more bottles at once used to increase your subscription discount (up to 30% off for three bottles).

Thankfully, Onnit’s “Community Discount” remains in place for those in the military, first responders, medical professionals, and teachers. If you fall into one of these groups, Onnit will take 15% off any regular price one-time purchases you make on the website. This discount does not apply to sale items or subscriptions. You’ll need to verify your identity at checkout with ID.me to access the reward, but after you confirm, Onnit will retain that information and apply the discount at checkout every time (no need to reconfirm again later on).

Shipping and returns

Shipping prices vary depending on your location. Onnit uses:

• FedEx SmartPost Presorted Standard (4-9 business days)
• USPS Priority Mail (3-8 business days)
• FedEx Home Delivery (1-3 business days)

Our testers found that the shipping cost for these three services averaged between $7 and $11. Free shipping is available for orders over $100.

Onnit offers a free 15-day trial (a 30-count bottle). This trial isn’t 100% free; you’ll have to pay shipping and tax. However, Onnit doesn’t make it easy for you to get this discount, as it’s not available or noted on the Alpha BRAIN webpage itself. Instead, this limited-time discount has its own page.

You can return containers that are at least half-full within 90 days of purchase for a full refund. However, if you ordered a 30-count bottle of Alpha BRAIN for the first time and didn’t love it, your purchase is covered by Onnit’s “Keep-It” money-back guarantee. You can fill out a refund request form to let the company know you don’t like the Alpha BRAIN you ordered, and you’ll get a full refund without having to return the bottle itself. This guarantee only applies to the first order of a product in the smallest size, and — like a standard refund — this needs to happen within 90 days of purchase.

Other Alpha BRAIN products

The Alpha BRAIN we discuss in this article is the staple of its product line. However, Onnit has developed a few other Alpha BRAIN-based products to form its “Cognitive Performance” or “Focus + Brain” line:

• Alpha BRAIN Instant: a dietary powder in six flavors
• Alpha BRAIN Black Label: a pill with a distinct ingredients list (including small amounts of caffeine and L-theanine) at a higher price
• Alpha BRAIN Focus Shot: a liquid supplement in two flavors
• Alpha BRAIN Pre-Workout: a powder supplement intended for improving both focus and exercise performance

Interestingly, none of these other products are identical to Alpha BRAIN — they’re all different from the original supplement in some way.

Alpha BRAIN Instant is the closest alternative if you can’t swallow pills, but the flavors add ten calories. They are less expensive, though (30 servings cost $55.95, compared to the $69.90 for two bottles of Alpha BRAIN). The instant form also contains almost twice as much of the Onnit Flow Blend (1,150mg) and a few milligrams more of the Onnit Focus and Fuel Blends.

While the Black Label edition has 25mg of caffeine (about as much as a cup of green tea), it also has a completely different ingredient list with no proprietary blends and a much lower review rating on Onnit’s website. It contains:

• Mucuna pruriens (velvet bean) extract, 15% L-dopa: 1,000mg
• Lion’s mane mushroom: 500mg
• Citicoline: 250mg
• Phosphatidylserine: 200mg
• L-Theanine: 100mg
• Caffeine: 25mg
• Toothed clubmoss extract, 1% huperzine A (200mcg): 20mg
• Lutein: 20mg
• Zeaxanthin isomers: 4mg
• L-Leucine: unknown amount

Alpha BRAIN Black Label has more ingredients that don’t do much. It doesn’t list how much L-leucine it contains (instead banishing it to the “other ingredients” section behind microcrystalline cellulose, meaning there’s almost no leucine in the formula), and it contains smaller amounts of the ingredients that we’ve discussed may work effectively. Customers we spoke with agreed they felt more focused while using the original Alpha BRAIN formula than the (more expensive; $125 per bottle) Black Label update.

Alpha BRAIN Focus Shots (available in two flavors, Tropical and Peach) are another product with vastly different ingredients than the original supplement.

• Vitamin B12: 500mcg
• L-Tyrosine (as NALT): 1,000mg
• KSM-66 ashwagandha: 300mg
• Citicoline: 250mg
• Lion’s mane: 250mg
• L-Theanine: 100mg
• Caffeine (from green tea): 50mg
• Toothed clubmoss extract, 1% huperzine A: 10mg

According to the product page, the shots are supposed to aid with mental stress, which explains the addition of ashwagandha. The 300mg dose of ashwagandha in the Focus Shots is similar (if not the same dose) as used in successful studies on the adaptogen’s ability to relieve stress.18

And finally, the Alpha BRAIN Pre-Workout formula contains several ingredients that aren’t found in any of the other Alpha BRAIN supplements:

• Sodium citrate: 200mg
• Beta-alanine: 2.4g
• L-Citrulline: 2.4g
• African oil palm extract: 250mg
• Ashwagandha extract: 225mg
• Caffeine: 200mg
• Alpha-GPC: 125mg
• Theobromine: 100mg
• Methylliberine powder: 50mg

As with nearly all supplements, more research is needed to support their effectiveness. However, certain ingredients in this Pre-Workout may be helpful for some people. Beta-alanine, for example, appears to improve exercise performance in doses of 4-6g (double or more what’s in the supplement) for at least 2-4 weeks.50

With all of that being said, it’s important to be aware that, though all of these products are labeled as “Alpha BRAIN,” there are wildly different ingredients and dosing between different forms.

Onnit, the company that creates Alpha BRAIN, follows standard protocol for online marketplace privacy. They record any identifying information they’d need to process and fulfill your order and have minimal tracking as you interact with parts of their website for marketing and internal review purposes. However, they do not sell any of this information to third parties, nor do employees have access to it. All checkout pages use bank-level encryption to keep your information safe.

You can purchase Alpha BRAIN at many major retailers, both in-person and online, but if you want a subscription to save money, you’ll need to buy from the Onnit website. However, if you don’t think you’ll purchase $100 in one go, you can find Alpha BRAIN in person at the following authorized locations:

• CVS
• Walgreens
• Whole Foods Market
• HEB
• Walmart
• Sprouts
• Urban Float locations
• Local health food stores
• Local gyms

Ordering from Onnit’s website is easy:

1. Select your pill count, whether or not you’d like a subscription, and the pill quantity.
2. Add it to your cart. Your cart will show your individual items and their separate prices, any discounts, and your total overall cost.
3. Provide a delivery address and pick a shipping speed.
4. Input your payment information (any major credit card, PayPal, or gift card).
5. Wait 1-8 days for your package to arrive.

Taking Alpha BRAIN first thing in the morning with breakfast may work better. This makes it easier for your body to absorb the capsules and gives you plenty of time for the energy to set in, and taking it too late in the afternoon can induce insomnia. Generally, Alpha BRAIN takes 1-2 hours for the first effects to appear, and it typically wears off about 3-4 hours later. Don’t take it expecting a full day of enhanced productivity.

As always, we recommend speaking with your doctor before taking Alpha BRAIN or any new supplements.

There are dozens of different nootropics out there, and all of them promise fantastic results. However, because we don’t know how a majority of these ingredients work for cognitive enhancement by themselves — let alone how they work together — it’s much harder to determine whether or not a supplement will truly help.

Some nootropics are focused, meaning they only include ingredients that might help improve one aspect of cognition (such as memory, focus, or creativity). Others, called generalized nootropics, are less focused. However, generalized nootropics tend to be less effective because they’re trying to do everything at once.

Alpha BRAIN is generally considered a focused nootropic because it zeroes in on attention, memory, and focus. But, it also has some generalized features (such as the Onnit Fuel Blend for nerve health).

Focused nootropics

There are several different focused nootropics on the market, including brands like TruBrain and BrainMD. If you want something that’ll directly compare to Alpha BRAIN, Thesis has a Clarity formula that’s a close match. This nootropic contains:

• Alpha-GPC: 500mg
• Lion’s mane: 500mg
• Camellia Sinensis tea leaf: 278mg
• Dihydroxyflavone: 30mg
• Caffeine (optional): 100mg
• L-Theanine (optional): 200mg

So, while it has a more streamlined set of ingredients, the things Clarity does contain are available in mostly effective amounts. Thesis, our top pick for the best nootropic, also offers a starter kit that allows you to mix and match a set of four formulas out of the six available (Clarity, Creativity, Logic, Energy, Motivation, and Confidence). And if you’re sensitive to caffeine, Thesis also has the option to remove the caffeine (and L-theanine), so it’s not a deal-breaker if you find that combining a nootropic with your morning cup of coffee is too much. However, a monthly subscription costs $79 (and a one-time purchase costs $119), so it’s significantly more expensive than Alpha BRAIN.

Focus Factor is another option if you can’t swing Alpha BRAIN’s monthly cost. One 60-count (15-serving) bottle of this nootropic costs only $14.99. (We recommend this over the extra strength blend, which is more than twice the price for less than 200mg more of the proprietary nootropic blend.)

Focus Factor’s nootropic centers around DMAE, an antioxidant and free radical destroying ingredient, but the formula also includes some of the same herbs and extracts in Alpha BRAIN (such as B6, huperzine A, and Bacopa monnieri extract).

If you’re focused primarily on recouping aging-related memory loss, Prevagen contains a unique protein derived from bioluminescent jellyfish (apoaequorin) that is supposed to improve your memory and cognition. However, it falls prey to the same problems as Alpha BRAIN — clinical studies funded by Prevagen’s manufacturer don’t suggest as much benefit as its marketing does. There are few reported side effects associated with Prevagen, but people with multiple sclerosis (MS) should steer clear: anecdotal reports of hypotension, depression, and suicidal ideation appear in scientific literature exclusively for MS patients who take Prevagen.51

Generalized nootropics

Maybe it’s been a few years since you’ve been in school, and you want to keep a firm grasp on language while also maintaining adequate brain health, or maybe you’re an artist who can’t find the creativity or focus to maintain regular practice. A generalized nootropic may be a more financially viable way to improve multiple aspects of your cognition than Alpha BRAIN.

Some generalized nootropics also include a pre-workout, which often includes amino acids and cellular fuel designed to help you maintain energy levels throughout your workout. Popular generalized nootropics include Neuriva, Noocube, Qualia Mind, and Mind Lab Pro.

If you’re interested in Alpha BRAIN as a non-caffeinated nootropic but aren’t sold on its safety profile, Mind Lab Pro might be a good alternative. Like Alpha BRAIN, Mind Lab Pro boasts promising results from a self-funded clinical study (though this funding may lead to bias). It contains roughly the same ingredients (though there are more herbs and less vitamin B6), but the things it leaves out are those like oat straw extract, where there’s basically no research to back up its inclusion. The company also uses third-party testing to guarantee quality without bias and has very few allergens or inclusions that might exclude you from using it (once you speak with your doctor, of course).