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
Sam Singer
March 4, 2021
What is your take on natural micronized Zeolite as a nootropic for metal detoxification?
David Tomen
March 4, 2021
Sam, I am unfamiliar with Zeolite so can’t comment on its effectiveness.
Cont
March 2, 2021
Glycine will increase my insulin and kick me out of ketosis?
David Tomen
March 3, 2021
Supplementing with Glycine may increase insulin a little bit. But dramatically if consumed with glucose: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12450897/
Leo Dale
March 2, 2021
Hi there. I urgently need to talk to you. I’ve been suffering from what I believe is BBB dysfunction for several years. Noone believes me. I am totally dysfunctional. I’m taking a lot of the supplements you’ve recommended in your leaky brain video, but it’s not enough it seems. I recently took prednisone for about a month and i feel like my body hasn’t recovered fully, and i don’t know how to get it back. It feels like the effects of the prednisone have prevented a lot of the supplements from working properly. Please help.
David Tomen
March 2, 2021
Leo, no guarantees that I can help but you are more than welcome to set up a consultation with me: https://nootropicsexpert.com/personal-consultations/
Leo Dale
March 20, 2021
Thanks for the reply. I’m not very financially independent at the moment so we’ll have to see about the consultation, but i’m wondering if you could just answer some simple questions here. Would highly elevated cortisol levels prevent absorption of the nutritional supplements listed? I feel slowly the effects of the prednisone are going with time, but my body is readjusting and it takes a lot of time. I get the impression the less the prednisone effects are there, the more i can feel the supplements. Are there ways to speed up recovery from Prednisone? I’m taking loads of stuff which supposedly lowers cortisol but it’s taking a long time. Also, would taking an NSAID like Ibuprofen help with BBB integrity?
I would just like answers to these questions, if you know them. I’m hesitant about trying resveratrol or caffeine because it could potentially heighten cortisol, supposedly.
David Tomen
March 21, 2021
Leo, when any of your hormones are out of whack it will affect how your body and brain use supplements. I’m not a hormone specialists so can’t comment on that one.
NSAIDS will more than likely cause a leaky gut/brain barrier (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7426480/).
And resveratrol modulates cortisol production. Caffeine stimulates your adrenals to release more cortisol.
Michael Manetti
February 28, 2021
Hi David
Your videos are so informative and so easy to understand…thanks
Have a question regards Phenibut vs Pharma GABA..
.I got problems with anxiety from time to time because of an unfavorable childhood.
And with that going to sleep or staying asleep ..But lately both…I take low dose Ambien 2.5 mg , and Xanax .25 mg .for sleep …nothing during the day ..but still wake up 4 hours later…
Would you recommend Phenibut or Pharma GABA either one at 100 mg .for long term use ..
I also take Magnesium Threonate at bedtime ..L-theanine during the day twice …L.Tyrosine ..during the day twice .5HTP at bed time ..
Thanks
Michael
David Tomen
February 28, 2021
Michael, definitely NOT Phenibut if you are using Ambien and Xanax. You can try PharmaGABA.
Also consider Lemon Balm extract and if that doesn’t do it then 20 mg CBD Oil.
And 5-HTP may be causing you problems. I’d try switching to 500 L-Tryptophan instead. And see if that works better. 5-HTP works almost immediately and then leaves your system. Maybe that’s causing you to wake up.
michael
February 28, 2021
Hi David ..
Thanks for the quick response .
I took CBD oil .. but with very little effect . The whole tincture was 1500 mg . I will try Lemon Balm
Last night I used the Rife Frequency machine just before bedtime and used the Insomnia frequency ..for 30 min maybe that also was a problem .. lol
Thanks
David Tomen
February 28, 2021
The thing is our brain changes frequency throughout the night depending on what stage of sleep we’re in.
Bruce
February 25, 2021
Would you recommend adding TUDCA (tauroursodeoxycholic acid) for those instances where you recommend milk thistle as protection for the liver, such as milk thistle used with berberine?
David Tomen
February 25, 2021
Bruce, I would not recommend TUDCA instead of Milk Thistle in this case because I don’t have any evidence that it would provide the same benefit. The only clinical study I’ve seen about long-term Berberine use and safety was with Milk Thistle f(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21300790/).
If you find any evidence TUDCA does the same thing then please let us know.
Jeff
February 24, 2021
Searching for B1 (Thiamine) on your website brings a message stating it has been removed. Will it be restored?
David Tomen
February 25, 2021
Jeff, my thiamine review is here: https://nootropicsexpert.com/vitamin-b1-thiamine/.
I’ve been meaning to replace the search function on this website. And this has me moving it up the list of priorities. The search function on here sucks and it’s not fair to the 10’s of thousands of people who come here every month.
Thanks for the “kick in the pants” Jeff. Even if it was unintentional. 🙂
Jeff
February 26, 2021
David, clicking on the thiamine link in your reply brings up a 404 Error.
David Tomen
February 26, 2021
Jeff, what thiamine link? There must be dozens of them on Nootropics Expert. I need to know the exact link location so I can correct it.
Jeff
February 26, 2021
David, It’s the one you provided in your first reply:
https://nootropicsexpert.com/vitamin-b1-thiamine/
David Tomen
February 27, 2021
Jeff, I found the problem. For some reason that page was not published but scheduled to go live “5 days ago”. No idea what that means. But it appears that I fixed it.
Thanks for the heads up. I never would have seen that if you hadn’t said something. Much appreciated.
Bob
February 19, 2021
David, I just love your work! You are sure an inspiration to me and I hope I can pay it forward with your generosity, knowledge, and good works.
One quick question I hope would comment on. I haven’t seen Fasoracetam listed on your site or any of the materials I have received? I would sure love to get your take on it?
David Tomen
February 19, 2021
Bob, for now I consider Fasoracetam a “smart drug” because it has no clinical data demonstrating its effectiveness as a nootropic.
Several large and small pharmaceuticals have abandoned it as a drug because it didn’t show much efficacy in human clinical trials. Only some animal studies.
For example, the only use they found for it was in kids with ADHD. The problem, it only worked in those with mGluR mutations which accounts for around 10% of those with ADHD (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5770454/).
Bob
February 20, 2021
Wow David, it just … well it’s so rare for some who has such an excellent informative website like yours to reply to everyone with such clarity and direct answers to questions too. Please let me know the best way to repay you in kind what what I have benefited from using your site, product suggestions, and links.
One last question and I will be way good to go. I am a 74 yr old guy with just a pristine diet, good exercise and meditation habits, great supplement and noot stacks, do really well with occasional microdosing, and have had exceptional results with occasional low dose phenibut.
I have been “biohacking” for over 60 years now and that has brought me back to pretty close to great health again after suffering major chronic illnesses and injury in my younger years, which doctors felt it was unlikely that I would ever fully recover. I do well with phenylpiracetam but due to the quick tolerance reported I don’t take it very often. Have tried Fasoracetam and Noopept but they don’t seem to affect me at all.
There are two general things I would like to improve a little more if I could:
1 stronger short term memory, bacopa seems to help but not quite as much as I would like.
2. Overall energy. The two things that have helped them most with that are lite coffee; and the occasional microdosing, and especially phenibut always helps, but I want to remain infrequent on using these.
Also, please know I have tried many many popular nootropics, supplements, herbals, etc. I have been on a multi decade adventure of self-trial-error-testing-monotoring-adjusting and have become very good at fine tuning my health. I kind of had to in order to survive!
Okay my last question, is there anything else you might suggest I consider trying for my two objectives?
Nui mahalos for this … and I hope putting all that background in here was not too overdoing it but I wanted you to have a better picture in hope that might enable a better suggestion. Nui blessings too our honored pono friend!
David Tomen
February 20, 2021
Bob, read this article on aging and the human brain and you’ll see what you’ve missed: https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-the-aging-brain/
Bob
February 21, 2021
More huge thanks David!
I did read that article before and like everything else you have written, I thought is was excellent. I have tried most things listed and some have helped but still looking for a little more. So I think I will go ahead and try Aniracetam next.
Will keep spreading the word about your wonderful site, info and service too.
Bob
February 20, 2021
I should have also replied that your Faso suggestion is just great, makes total sense, and including the link too … well here’s another one from that is way beyond expected and greatly appreciated! More wows too!
Daisy
February 16, 2021
Sorry, I was also meant to add, I have Hypothyroidism too. I don’t know how such those 2 effect that. Thanks 🙂