Welcome! My name is David Tomen, and I am the author of NootropicsExpert.com, my books Head First 2nd Edition – The Complete Guide to Healing & Optimizing Your Brain with Nootropic Supplements and (FREE!) Secrets of the Optimized Brain, and my Nootropics Expert YouTube channel.
I started Nootropics Expert® in January 2016. You can learn more about my story and why I started Nootropics Expert over on my About Page.
You can quickly see the nootropic supplements that I personally use every day on this page: What I Take
And if you’re in a hurry, go to this page to Buy Nootropics.
I also do Personal Consultations if you could use some help choosing the best nootropic supplements for you. You’ll find my calendar here: Nootropics Expert Consultations
How Nootropics Can Help You
You can end your search now. Because here on Nootropics Expert you’ll find the help you have been searching for. No matter the brain health problem that is making your life miserable.
Here you’ll find information on this List of Nootropics which has dozens and dozens of links to nootropic supplement reviews that I’ve written, and update as soon as new science becomes available. In a language that is easy to understand.
You’ll learn where each supplement comes from, how it works, the benefits you can expect, how much you should use and how often, possible side effects, and how to select from dozens of options – which one to buy.
NOTE: Every single word on Nootropics Expert is written by me. It’s not an AI or a contract copywriter.
You will also discover that everything I write about a supplement is supported by peer-reviewed clinical studies. You will not find links to other websites or blogs.
Instead, you will find dozens of clickable links in each supplement review and article to supporting and relevant clinical studies.
So you have the option of reading the same research I found and used to write my reviews and articles.
My hope is that if you’re overwhelmed by the fragmented information for nootropics spread across several websites, you can end your search on what has become the best nootropics website.
Quickly find out how one nootropic may interact with another. Which ones are safe. And which nootropic supplements have side effects. I will cover all that here.
Use my Nootropics Guide to get more familiar with the top nootropics and different types of cognitive enhancers and what they do. Soon you’ll be able to safely build your own nootropic stack.
I’m happy you’re here. Because you should be able to find everything you need to know about nootropics on Nootropics Expert. No need to go anywhere else.
Armed with this knowledge you can choose the best nootropics for you, and finally start experiencing the benefits you’re working to achieve.
Where to Buy Nootropics
Once you’ve decided which nootropic supplements you’d like to try, how do you know which is the best supplement to buy?
I’ve done the homework for you and put together a list of nootropic brands and supplements. Most of which I personally use and highly recommend.
You’ll find the highest quality, purest nootropic supplements on this page.
The Definitive Guide to Nootropics
A nootropic is a substance that enhances cognition and memory and facilitates learning.
Neuro-hacking and the research behind brain modulation, nootropics, and biohacking in general is a constantly evolving and improving science.
We cover all that in The Definitive Guide to Nootropics.
The Big List of Nootropics
Nootropics cover a broad category of compounds with cognitive boosting properties.
They have minimal side-effects and are appropriate for long-term use.
The Big List is a quick reference guide for nootropics. Learn what it’s for, how it’s used, side effects, interactions and dosing suggestions.
The Best Nootropics
Achieving brain optimization comes with a lot of trial and error. Experimenting to see what works best for you. But spend enough time in the nootropics community, and you begin to see patterns develop.
After you try the latest edition to the racetam-family of nootropics. Most biohackers settle into the nootropic that works best for each category of; cognition & focus, memory, energy & motivation, anxiety & depression, and brain repair & maintenance.
The “Best Nootropics” page is a distillation of what I have found to be the best nootropics for each category of brain optimization. You’ll find a list of the best nootropic compounds for each category. And links through to more detailed articles for each category.
Join The Discussion - 1,827 comments
Ron
August 11, 2020
Hi David, What can you tell me about Monolaurin? It looks very interesting to me as it claims to help with inflamation. Is it a Nootropic?… if not should it be? I’m as always in a battle with inflamation and neuropathy. So far my best find has been Cats Claw. I stumbled upon monolaurin while reading about cats claw on a site and was wondering if they are related in any way and as always I value your opinion.
Thanks
Ron
David Tomen
August 11, 2020
Ron, I wouldn’t call it a nootropic. The lauric acid from coconut oil is converted into monolaurin but researchers are not sure how much coconut oil you’d need to ingest for a therapeutic amount. Apparently it had “profound antiviral and antibacterial activity”: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/act.2006.12.310
Other nootropics with anti-inflammatory activity include: Oyster Mushrooms, DHA, Vinpocetine, Black Seed Oil, Kratom, and Berberine. There are a few others as well. Use the search function top right for “anti-inflammatory” to find the rest of them. Likely the closest in activity for your use is Black Seed Oil and Kratom.
Victor Marques
August 5, 2020
I was following a channel where the guy took 1g daily, took wellbutrin, plus adrafinil, a few more. I took bupropine for a few days, at a dose of 150 mg, even because I wanted to stop smoking, and trying to follow his protocol. After a few days I had toothache and had to come in with antibiotics and anti-inflammory, besides dipyrone. Then I had to abandon the bup and the phenibut, I started to feel my liver with fat, pancreas also gave signs, I interrupted, I finished taking the pro-tooth medicines, still taking care of the liver. I’m an alcoholic, I’ve had liver and pancreas problems before, but it’s been a while since I felt anything. My problem is depression, I took 25mg of desvenlafaxine every two days, social anxiety. The bup and the phenibut were making me more active, sociable, but also a little more agitated, I do not know if it is because I use the bupropion and not the wellbutrin xr. Anyway I’ve stopped nootropics and I’m using silymarin, boldo tea, propolis, and others for liver health. But already wondering if I can take phenibut, or what I can do for social anxiety that doesn’t harm the liver too much, I should start a job soon and needed to adjust until then. Thanks, I always follow the news here, great channel.
Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
David Tomen
August 6, 2020
Victor, Bupropion is a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI). Did it work for you? Because if it did you likely have a problem with dopamine and/or norepinephrine. If that’s true then try raising dopamine with L-Tyrosine. It shouldn’t cause liver problems if you stay with a lower recommended dose. Like 500 mg once or twice per day.
And have you seen my latest post about anxiety? If L-Tyrosine doesn’t work this will give you some other ideas to try: https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-anxiety/
Alex
August 3, 2020
Hi David,
Could you please recommend any safe and natural supplements for anhedonia (feeling of extreme boredom/apathy)? I have tried L-Tyrosine but it doesn’t help. For me, tyrosine seems to give a caffeine-like effect (makes me feel more awake), but nothing more than that. Choline doesn’t have any effect on me at all.
These are some of the supplements I’ve tried for my anhedonia:
Multi-vitamin, multi-mineral, vitamin D (high dose), fish oil (high EPA, high DHA, salmon oil, krill oil, cod liver oil, etc.), flaxseed oil, biotin, B-complex, probiotic, vitamin C, phenylalanine, SAMe, PS/CDP/GPC choline, methyl B12, methyl folate, DMG, DMAE, rhodiola, methionine, lion’s mane (oriveda, ND, host defence), NAC, milk thistle, vitamin E (broad spectrum), uridine (TAU, UMP, happy stack), St. John’s Wort, tryptophan, protein powders, melatonin, PSerine, DLPA, 5-HTP, L-Tyrosine, astaxanthin, lithium orotate, kelp, ALCAR, magnesium (citrate, oxide, glycinate), microzinc, vitamin K (MK-7), polygala tenuifolia.
As you can imagine, I’ve spent quite a lot of money on supplements, but surprisingly/unfortunately still nothing seems to help 🙁
I do know from rare experiences, that sometimes when I eat fish the previous day, I wake up the next day feeling pretty amazing. This has happened multiple times. I thought it might be omega 3, but I’ve tested lots of omega 3 supplements without any luck. I don’t go out in the sun very much, and almost never exercise, and do tend to be stressed out a lot, so I wonder if that might give you any clues as to what might be happening inside my brain?
I appreciate your help,
Alex.
Alex
August 3, 2020
Oh, and I forgot to also mention, along with the anhedonia (most of the time) I also have very severe fatigue (physical and mental). Sometimes the anhedonia and fatigue is so bad that even breathing feels like a chore. If I have orgasms (especially multiple in one day), that almost always makes the anhedonia and fatigue much much worse, and lasts maybe a week. But either way, I always seem to feel pretty crap. As you can imagine, my motivation is pretty much zero. I feel like I have to force myself to do any work, which ends up feeling like torture, where every 5 minutes feels like 30 minutes.
David Tomen
August 3, 2020
Alex, see my previous response. You don’t say your age. And don’t mention your testosterone levels. Which you likely don’t want to share here. But your symptoms could be a neurotransmitter imbalance (i.e. low dopamine), low hormones, nutrient deficiencies, mitochondrial dysfunction, or a leaky gut barrier.
Those are options and most are covered on Nootropics Expert. Only other option I can suggest is a consultation with me: https://nootropicsexpert.com/personal-consultations/
David Tomen
August 3, 2020
Alex, are you on my newsletter email list? Because I did a bit on anhedonia this year on July 07 I think it was. The only thing that’s been proven to help anhedonia is Ketamine. Which is a NMDA receptor antagonist.
If you do a search of Nootropics Expert for “NMDA receptor antagonist” you’ll get L-Theanine, Huperzine-A, Lithium Orotate, and Cat’s Claw as verified NMDA receptor antagonists. Will they work as well as Ketamine? It’s unlikely but it’s a more affordable option.
What dose of Vitamin D are you using? Because excess Vitamin D can have very negative consequences. A safe dose is 4000 IU per day. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests optimal Vitamin D status is achieved with a serum (blood) 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration >75 nmol/L. So I suggest getting your levels checked.
A clue is how you feel when you eat fish. And yet you’ve tried various Omega-3 supplement with little success. Please see my “Available Forms” section of https://nootropicsexpert.com/dha/ for good “Omega-3” options. I’ve only found 3 that are worth using.
Cy
July 15, 2020
David
My moms blood calcium level has raised to high. Im really worried. Shes now at 10.3. I had her on vitamin d3 supplementation 10,000 iu daily. But i stopped giveing her that because it enhances calcium absorbtion.
Im also thinking about putting her on magnesium to keep that excess calcium out her arteries. I also already have her on vitamin k2 mk7. Do you know of any nootropics or natural herbs that lower calcium in the blood. Or anything over the counter?
David Tomen
July 16, 2020
Cy, have you checked for a parathyroid tumor? These tumors are benign but almost always cause hypercalcemia. This page is a good source for an explanation of what it is and how to easily get it checked: https://www.parathyroid.com/high-calcium.htm
CY
July 16, 2020
I havent checked yet for that but im positive she dont have that. Im pretty sure its from the vitamin D. Is there anything you know of that lowers calcium in the blood?
David Tomen
July 18, 2020
Cy, that was the predominant thing that came up in my research. There was nothing else other than someone supplementing with too much calcium.
Matt
July 19, 2020
I do have a question what supplements would you recommend for someone with adhd, severe anxiety, and memory problems? The problems I’m having is I’m a 2e student, but my disorder makes it extremely hard to show in a school setting because either I get to anxious and forget everything I learned, or I can’t pay attention, so most of my teachers can tell I’m very intelligent in person, but not on standardized tests which I usually have brain fog at the end, and which usually puts me at 10 points from being considered being above grade level. I take focalin, and prozac, but it doesn’t actually lower my symptoms enough to allow me to prove I’m gifted or to take standardized tests. I also take alpha gpc, citicoline, b complex, vitamin d, l-lysine, l-theanine, cherry extract, garlic, fish oil, but nothing seems to improve my memory, and anxiety enough. Is there any other things you would recommend to add that could really help with memory, stress, and adhd? It’s really hard to be gifted, but not being able to really prove it in school, it’s like people think your very intelligent, but I can’t really prove it in the forms of standardized tests and state tests because of my high anxiety, and which takes a hit on my memory. It also doesn’t help that I have adhd which makes everything even worse.
David Tomen
July 20, 2020
Matt, my protocol for ADD and ADHD which I’ve used for the last 12 years. And is now used by thousands around the world should help you. You’ll find that regimen here: https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-adhd-add/
BTW, Prozac is likely doing you more harm than good. I suggest you do some research on its side effects and compare those to the symptoms you are experiencing.
Darcy
July 10, 2020
David,
What do you know about Oxaloacetate? I took it several years ago and it seemed to have a slight impact but not not enough justify continuing it, at that time.
David Tomen
July 12, 2020
Darcy, Oxaloacetate is a four carbon molecule that receives an acetyl group from acetyl CoA to form citrate, which enters the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle) which I explain here: https://nootropicsexpert.com/nootropics-glossary/#krebs-cycle
Renos Kontos
July 9, 2020
Hi David. Your work help me change my life and many others. God bless you.
Can you please study about Glycine. It’s something that I love but you don’t have any thing about it.
David Tomen
July 9, 2020
Renos, it’s on my list “to do”. But thanks for the reminder. 🙂
Francesca
July 6, 2020
Hi, David, I like your channel. It is exciting. Please could you tell me why you don’t use ashwagandha in your supplements? Is Rhodiola Rosea better than ashwagandha?
Thank you.
David Tomen
July 6, 2020
Francesca, I don’t use Ashwagandha because my body doesn’t like it. But I’m OK with Rhodiola Rosea.
One is not “better” than the other. These are two very different nootropic supplements that work differently in your body and brain. And provide different benefits. Only you can figure out which one works best for you. And that’s by trying one and then the other. And see how you feel after each one.
Don’t forget that these adaptogens can take weeks of daily dosing to get their full benefit. The purpose of trying them one at a time first is to see if you have a negative reaction. Or not.
Darcy
June 23, 2020
David, I’m not doing too good this last 7 days or so. I had to take 2 naps yesterday and am trying not to take one right now. I can’t drink anymore caffeine today, it’s 2:20 pm, it would mess up my sleep cycle. As such, is there any supplements that you think would be worth taking more than your usually prescribed amount, that might pull me out of this? Over the next few days?
Here’s my current list (probably missing a few and too lazy to get dose amounts)
NADH subligual
Performance Lab (PL) Energy
PL multi
NAC
NALT
Aniracetam
Sulbutiamine
Pregnenolone
Pterostlbene
L-Carnosine
B complex
D with K2
Lugol’s idodine
Ascorbyl palmitate
potassium
magnesium (at night)
the extras like
rodeola
ginseng
moringa
matcha
mucua
niacin 500 – 1000 mgs (at night)
beef liver
gotu kola and more, don’t seem to affect me
I’m hoping I can mega dose something(s) just for 3 days, to get out of
this extra fatigue phase. I know you constantly remind us that more is not often better, but I hate being the walking dead my whole life.
BTW PL Stim doesn’t do anything for me, and I’m out of it.
David Tomen
June 24, 2020
Darcy, if this is what you’re using and you’re still dealing with chronic fatigue there’s something else going on. I cannot provide any more guidance here without knowing more. And this comment thread is not the place to do it. Both for privacy sake and a disproportionate amount of my time while ignoring the rest of the community.
I suggest you set up a time on my calendar if you’d like to work together and get to the bottom of this. It looks like it’s going to take some digging to find the cause. But it’s the only way I know of to get you back into the land of the living.:-)
Ron
June 27, 2020
Hi David. Just thought I’d mention for Darcy to consider sam-e if not already tried. I also suffer from fatigue and found that 1000mg once or twice a day really gave me a lift.