Enhancer

The 10 Best Nootropics for Studying, Focus, and Memory

Published

2 years ago

January 4, 2023

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Medically reviewed by Jessica Pyhtila, PharmD, BCGP, BCPS and Ari Magill, MD.

Nutritionally reviewed by Diana Lee, RD.

The rise in popularity of supplements – and specifically nootropic (cognition-enhancing) supplements – has created an increase in demand among students of all ages for nootropics for studying, focus, and memory. Stimulants like caffeine and the prescription drug Adderall (off-label use) have long been the go-to remedies for long nights in the library, but nowadays there are compounds with much more nuanced effects that are arguably more effective, and that don’t have the famous caffeine “crash” or negative side effects of amphetamine salts. Here we’ll examine the mechanisms, effects, and research behind some of the best nootropics for studying, focus, and memory.

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are referral links. At no additional cost to you, if you choose to make a purchase after clicking through those links, I will receive a small commission. This allows me to continue producing high-quality, ad-free content on this site and pays for the occasional cup of coffee. I have first-hand experience with every product or service I recommend, and I recommend them because I genuinely believe they are useful, not because of the commission I get if you decide to purchase through my links. Read more here.

In a hurry? Here’s the list:

1. Panax Ginseng
2. TeaCrine®
3. Dynamine®
4. ALCAR
5. Phosphatidylserine
6. Oxiracetam
7. Fasoracetam
8. CDP-Choline
9. Sulbutiamine
10. Bacopa

Introduction – The Neuroscience of Studying, Focus, and Memory

The primary neurotransmitters involved in focus and attention are acetylcholine, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Acetylcholine enhances focus and inhibits distraction by directly increasing the neural “signal” in sensory regions like the prefrontal cortex. Dopamine is responsible for motivation and telling the brain what to focus on, and is elevated when solving a problem or learning something new. Norepinephrine – or noradrenaline – acts alongside dopamine to promote wakefulness, motivation, and vigilance, regulate cognitive function and reaction time, and mediate attention¹.

For the most part, science still doesn’t know the role of specific neurotransmitters in memory formation, and memory formation itself seems to be an extremely complex process that is not yet fully understood². Thankfully, we do seem to know the regions of the brain involved in memory and information retrieval, we know that faster communication between neurotransmitters and neurons improves processing speed and information retrieval, and we can simply look at research on nootropics and drugs that show promising results in terms of the downstream effects of improved focus, memory, and learning, without necessarily knowing or needing to know the specific mechanism(s) involved. This may actually be a better way of backing into a better neuroscientific understanding of memory formation, in that we can investigate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of efficacious drugs to arrive at hypotheses about the neurological processes at play.

We do also know that the destruction of acetylcholine neurons plays a key role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, a disease that targets short-term memory formation early on, and that NMDA receptors, a special type of glutamate receptor, are the molecular substrate for neurons to develop enhanced connectivity with each other, which underlies memory formation. Most of the things on the list below act on acetylcholine and NMDA receptors.

The Best Nootropics for Studying, Focus, and Memory

Thus, in terms of our selection criteria for the best nootropics for studying, focus, and memory, we’re aiming for enhancing acetylcholine, dopamine, and noradrenaline, and the following specific effects:

Anti-fatigue
Energy-promoting
Enhanced memory and learning
Better recall
Improved attentiveness
Faster neurotransmission
Quicker cognitive processing
Mental clarity

Here are some nootropics that can do just that. For all of these, whenever possible, I’m aiming for Double Wood, Pure Nootropics, Jarrow, Nutricost, and NOW Foods as vendors of choice. They all have a proven track record of providing the highest-quality research-backed ingredients with analytical testing. For a while now, these brands have been the antidote to the issues that have plagued the supplement industry and given it a bad reputation – label inaccuracy, questionable purity and safety, and lack of efficacy. In short, make sure you’re buying from a trusted seller and make sure you know what you’re getting.

1. Panax Ginseng

Panax Ginseng is a plant that has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is also referred to as Korean ginseng, Asian ginseng, red ginseng, and “true” ginseng. Extracts of both the leaves and the root are used therapeutically.

The word “Panax” comes from the Greek words for “all-healing.”³ This seems appropriate, as Panax ginseng has evidence of specifically enhancing learning, memory, focus, energy, well-being, libido, and calmness. Most of these are the precise effects we’re looking for in a nootropic supplement to help with studying. Panax ginseng also appears to have ameliorative effects on depression, inflammation, fatigue, obesity, cancer, and cognitive decline due to aging^4–12. A study in 2011 looked specifically at Panax ginseng’s effects on ADHD in children and saw significant improvements in attentiveness and a reduction in hyperactivity^13,14.

Studies on Panax ginseng’s cognitive benefits have used about a 400mg daily dose. Note that the leaf extracts seem to be more stimulatory, while root extracts seem to be more calming, but many ginseng supplements simply combine the two. Be sure to look for a Panax ginseng supplement that is standardized for ginsenoside content, the bioactive compound in ginseng.

2. TeaCrine® (Theacrine)

I’ve reviewed the details of TeaCrine® in another post. It’s a patented version of theacrine, a purine alkoloid found naturally in the kucha tea leaf. TeaCrine® is essentially a milder, “cleaner,” longer-acting, arguably healthier caffeine. It exerts its effects via modulation of dopamine and adenosine receptors. It does not affect the cardiovascular system and does not seem to possess the withdrawals, “crash,” and tolerance issues usually seen with caffeine.

TeaCrine® provides a mild boost in energy, mood, and focus that lasts for about 6-8 hours, which is great if you’re planning for an all-day study session. Because of its long half-life, it’s probably best to take TeaCrine® early in the day.

3. Dynamine® (Methylliberine)

Similar to TeaCrine®, Dynamine®, is another cousin of caffeine without caffeine’s negative side effects. Dynamine® is basically a shorter-acting, harder-hitting theacrine. Its effects only last for a couple hours. As such, it may be perfect for an evening study session where you still want to be able to fall asleep easily afterward.

4. Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)

Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR) is simply the amino acid carnitine with an acetyl group attached. ALCAR enhances acetylcholine, a primary neurotransmitter involved in focus, memory, and learning.

Many studies have shown ALCAR has the ability to improve memory, learning, mental clarity, and processing speed^15–26. Note though that these effects may only apply in cases of cognitive impairment, brain injury, or cognitive decline due to aging. The jury is still out on ALCAR’s neuromodulatory effects on cognitively-healthy individuals. Two studies have shown specific improvements in attention and reductions in hyperactivity in children with ADHD^27,28.

5. Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine is a fat-soluble compound found naturally in the brain. It is required for cognitive function and healthy nerve cell membranes. Specifically, phosphatidylserine is necessary for neuron cell membranes to be able to release neurotransmitters into the brain, a process known as exocytosis²⁹.

Recent research on phosphatidylserine has shown it possesses neuroprotective, neuropotentiating, and antineurodegenerative properties, and that supplementation of exogenous phosphatidylserine reliably improves memory, mood, learning, cognition, focus, processing speed, and overall cognitive function^29–34. One study looked specifically at phosphatidylserine’s effects on children with ADHD and found that it significantly improved inattention, impulsivity, and short-term memory³⁵.

6. Oxiracetam

Oxiracetam, part of the racetam family, is a more potent version of the base Piracetam. Oxiracetam is structurally similar to Aniracetam, but is said to be more stimulatory. Oxiracetam doesn’t seem to affect mood, but anecdotal evidence abounds for it improving mental processing speed and analytical thinking, making it great for studying.

Oxiracetam has clinical evidence of enhancing learning, memory, and cognition, primarily by augmenting cholinergic and glutamatergic pathways^36–42. It also seems to possess neuroprotective and antineurodegenerative properties, particularly in cases of dementia^43–45. Its half-life of 6 hours should give you plenty of time to complete your task(s)⁴⁶.

7. Fasoracetam

Fasoracetam is one of the newest racetams on the scene. It specifically activates the metabotropic glutamate receptor (MGluR) and enhances the uptake of acetylcholine and GABA, improving cognition and symptoms of anxiety^47–49. A study in 2018 showed significant improvement by Fasoracetam for participants with ADHD⁵⁰.

8. CDP-Choline (Citicoline)

Again, choline is natural and necessary in the brain, and is a precursor of acetylcholine. CDP-choline (also called citicoline) converts to both choline and cytidine. Alpha-GPC is another cognition-promoting form of choline, and should be interchangeable with CDP-choline. Like phosphatidylserine, it appears to be potently neuroprotective and antineurodegenerative.

Supplementation of CDP-choline has been shown to improve focus, memory, learning, visual acuity, and cognition in both healthy and cognitively-impaired humans^51–61. CDP-choline may also upregulate dopamine and acetylcholine receptors⁶². It’s also usually recommended to supplement choline alongside racetams, as racetams are cholinergic.

9. Sulbutiamine

Sulbutiamine is two thiamine molecules and a sulfur group. Sulbutiamine has evidence of enhancing synaptic transmission and improving learning, memory, and vigilance^63,64. Research also suggests that sulbutiamine modulates the dopaminergic, cholinergic, and gluatmatergic transmission systems⁶⁵.

Anecdotal evidence abounds for sulbutiamine being anti-fatigue and enhancing focus, cognition, energy, memory, and learning.

10. Bacopa

Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri) is an herb used extensively in Ayurveda. Bacopa is an adaptogen, meaning it attenuates the effects of mental and physical stress on the body. In terms of boosting memory, its primary mechanism appears to be enhancing the communication between neurons. It modulates acetylcholine as well⁶⁶.

Bacopa has been shown to potently enhance memory and promote neuronal dendrite growth, but only after at least 4 weeks of supplementation^67–74. As such, Bacopa may not offer acute benefits, but it deserves a spot on the list for its clear benefits after chronic supplementation, and because anecdotal evidence abounds praising its efficacy.

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Medical Disclaimer: While I love diving into and extracting useful information from clinical research related to health, fitness, supplements, and more, I am in no way a medical expert. The content on this website is for informational purposes only; it is not professional medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional medical advice. None of the statements on this website have been evaluated by the FDA. Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Read my lengthier medical disclaimer here.

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DynaMAX Enhanced Caffeine Nootropic Energy Supplement Review

Published

2 years ago

February 14, 2023

fitinstyle

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Last Updated: January 10, 2022 No Comments – 3 min. read

DynaMAX Enhanced Caffeine is a nootropic supplement from Natrium Health, the sister company of Nootropics Depot. It uses the popular caffeine+theanine stack, a novel purine alkaloid called Dynamine, and delayed and extended release caffeine to produce a smooth, all-day energy and focus. Here we’ll examine its ingredients, properties, effects, and applications.

In a hurry? Here are the highlights:

DynaMAX Enhanced Caffeine is a nootropic supplement from Natrium Health, the sister company of Nootropics Depot.
DynaMAX utilizes Dynamine®, theanine, and instant-release, delayed-release, and extended-release caffeine
DynaMAX produces a smooth, all-day energy and focus that lasts up to 8 hours, with no crash.
DynaMAX is made in the USA and is natural, gluten-free, and non-GMO.

Find DynaMAX at Nootropics Depot here.

What is DynaMAX Enhanced Caffeine?

DynaMAX Enhanced Caffeine is a unique, specialized caffeine supplement from Natrium Health, the sister company of Nootropics Depot. It is designed to provide all-day energy, motivation, and focus without the crash usually associated with caffeine. Here’s the nutrition label:

DynaMAX Timeline of Effects

About DynaMAX’s Ingredients

Let’s dive into each of DynaMAX’s ingredients.

Dynamine® (Methylliberine)

I’ve delved into Dynamine® already in a separate post. It is a patented version of an isolated purine alkaloid called methylliberine found naturally in the kucha tea leaf. Dynamine® is essentially a shorter-acting TeaCrine®. It does not have the cardiovascular, tolerance, and withdrawal effects usually seen with caffeine. A significant factor at play is the fact that Dynamine® is synergistic with caffeine, increasing its exposure and half-life approximately two-fold.

ZümXR® Delayed Release Caffeine

DynaMAX employs a delayed-release caffeine from ZümXR®. This caffeine has an onset around the 70 minute mark.

ZümXR® Extended Release Caffeine

DynaMAX also contains an extended-release caffeine from ZümXR®. This patented caffeine has a sustained release profile of about 5 hours.

“Normal” Anhydrous Caffeine

This is the “normal,” instant-release caffeine we’re familiar with. Nothing interesting here.

Theanine

L-theanine is a calming amino acid that augments both dopamine and serotonin levels, among other things. It has recently become popular as a perfect pairing with caffeine to “smooth” and balance it out and to help eliminate the jitters that usually accompany high doses of caffeine.

DynaMAX Dosage and Timing

The suggested dosage for DynaMAX is 1 capsule 1-2 times daily. Because of the nature of its effects, I’d only take it early in the morning, unless you plan to use rutaecarpine later in the day to flush caffeine from your system.

Do not combine DynaMAX with other caffeine sources.

Do not take more than 2 capsules per day.

DynaMAX Enhanced Caffeine Reviews

Here are some reviews of DynaMAX from Natrium’s website and Amazon:

Where to Buy DynaMAX Enhanced Caffeine

You can find DynaMAX Enhanced Caffeine capsules on the Nootropics Depot website here.

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LucidiSPORE™ is a supercritical CO2 extracted Red Reishi spore oil supplement from Natrium Health, the sister company of Nootropics Depot. Here we’ll examine its properties and benefits.

In a hurry? Here are the highlights:

LucidiSPORE™ is a supercritical CO2 extracted Red Reishi spore oil supplement from Natrium Health, the sister company of Nootropics Depot.
LucidiSPORE™ Red Reishi spore oil has been analytically tested and verified to contain 30% triterpenoids.
LucidiSPORE™ Red Reishi spore oil should possess the same properties that have been clinically proven of Reishi mushrooms: free radical reduction, immunomodulatory, and GABAergic^1–11.

Find LucidiSPORE™ Red Reishi spore oil softgels at Nootropics Depot here.

What are Mushroom Spores?

Mushroom spores are essentially seeds produced by whole fruiting body mushrooms that will grow into new mushrooms. The interest in harvesting mushroom spores for the purpose of supplementation is the spores’ high concentration of polysaccharides and triterpenoids, the bioactive compounds in mushrooms responsible for their myriad health benefits.

What is Reishi Spore Oil?

The problem with mushroom spores is that they are well shielded, so simply consuming raw spores wouldn’t really do much, since the body can’t access the compounds inside. To get around that, the oil inside the spores is extracted.
This oil contains high concentrations of the aforementioned bioactive compounds.

Sometimes harsh chemicals are used for that extraction process. Natrium Health has instead chosen to go with a solventless extracting process called supercritical CO2. This process extracts the spore oil in a clean, efficient, healthy way.

The Reishi spore oil in LucidiSPORE™ has been analytically tested and verified to contain 30% triterpenoids, which is huge compared to most mushroom supplements.

LucidiSPORE™ Red Reishi Spore Oil Benefits

Red Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is referred to as “the mushroom of immortality.” It has mounds of scientific evidence for its ability to reduce free radicals and its immunomodulatory and GABAergic effects^1–11. As such, supplementation of Red Reishi spore oil may:

Improve immune function
Improve sleep
Reduce oxidative free radicals

LucidiSPORE™ Red Reishi Spore Oil Reviews

Here are some reviews of LucidiSPORE™ Red Reishi spore oil from Natrium’s website:

Where to Buy LucidiSPORE™ Red Reishi Spore Oil

You can find LucidiSPORE™ Red Reishi Spore Oil softgels on Nootropics Depot’s website here.

You can get LucidiSPORE™ Red Reishi Spore Oil in solution form on Nootropics Depot’s website here.

References

1.

Suarez-Arroyo IJ, Rosario-Acevedo R, Aguilar-Perez A, et al. Anti-Tumor Effects of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) in Inflammatory Breast Cancer in In Vivo and In Vitro Models. Gallyas F, ed. PLoS ONE. February 2013:e57431. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057431
2.

Barbieri A, Quagliariello V, Del Vecchio V, et al. Anticancer and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Ganoderma lucidum Extract Effects on Melanoma and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment. Nutrients. February 2017:210. doi:10.3390/nu9030210
3.

Geng P, Siu K-C, Wang Z, Wu J-Y. Antifatigue Functions and Mechanisms of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms. BioMed Research International. 2017:1-16. doi:10.1155/2017/9648496
4.

Chen C, Li P, Li Y, Yao G, Xu J. Antitumor effects and mechanisms of Ganoderma extracts and spores oil. Oncol Lett. 2016;12(5):3571-3578. doi:10.3892/ol.2016.5059
5.

Cui X-Y, Cui S-Y, Zhang J, et al. Extract of Ganoderma lucidum prolongs sleep time in rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. February 2012:796-800. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2011.12.020
6.

Martínez-Montemayor MM, Acevedo RR, Otero-Franqui E, Cubano LuisA, Dharmawardhane SF. Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) Inhibits Cancer Cell Growth and Expression of Key Molecules in Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Nutrition and Cancer. October 2011:1085-1094. doi:10.1080/01635581.2011.601845
7.

Zhang Q-H, Hu Q-X, Xie D, et al. Ganoderma lucidum Exerts an Anticancer Effect on Human Osteosarcoma Cells via Suppressing the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway. Integr Cancer Ther. January 2019:153473541989091. doi:10.1177/1534735419890917
9.

Sanodiya B, Thakur G, Baghel R, Prasad G, Bisen P. Ganoderma lucidum: A Potent Pharmacological Macrofungus. CPB. December 2009:717-742. doi:10.2174/138920109789978757
10.

Mallard B, Leach DN, Wohlmuth H, Tiralongo J. Synergistic immuno-modulatory activity in human macrophages of a medicinal mushroom formulation consisting of Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake. Yu J, ed. PLoS ONE. November 2019:e0224740. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0224740
11.

Zhao R, Chen Q, He Y. The effect of Ganoderma lucidum extract on immunological function and identify its anti-tumor immunostimulatory activity based on the biological network. Sci Rep. August 2018. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-30881-0