What Nootropic Supplements I Use Everyday

Readers of Nootropics Expert^®, and those who’ve watched many of my YouTube videos often ask what I take as nootropic supplements.

This post is a detailed response to that question.

But unlike most of the articles and reviews on this site, in this case I’ll explain the specific reason why I am using a nootropic. Instead of providing details and clinical studies for each of these supplements.

You can find more detail on where each supplement comes from, why people use it as a nootropic, clinical research, dosage recommendations, side effects and where to buy by clicking through to each full review.

First, I’ll give you the list of what’s in my daily stack. And then I’ll explain in more detail below why I use that supplement.

My hope is this will give you a fresh way of looking at and evaluating what you are using. And some ideas on what you can do to update your own stack.

These are the nootropic supplements I’m currently using. And note that this list is updated whenever I make changes to my nootropic stack:

Why I’m using each nootropic supplement

CDP-Choline

CDP-Choline is a precursor for the synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh). I’ve found for whatever reason my Adult ADD brain is desperate for more ACh. I use 300 mg twice per day.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Lipoic Acid boosts the production of acetylcholine (ACh) and increases glucose uptake in brain cells. Resulting in more mental energy and less fatigue. My doctor prescribed Alpha Lipoic Acid because it counters insulin resistance as well. I get 150 mg of R-Lipoic Acid from each dose of Performance Lab^® Energy which I use twice per day.

Aniracetam

Aniracetam is a derivative of the original nootropic, Piracetam. I’ve found it to be one of the best antidepressants I’ve ever used. It seems to work by activating dopamine D2 and D3 receptors. I use 750 mg twice per day.

Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR)

ALCAR is a derivative of the amino acids lysine and methionine. It’s a required precursor for the synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh). It increases Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), boosts mental energy, and promotes cerebral blood circulation.

My Adult ADD brain needs the acetylcholine (ACh), mental energy, and BDNF helps repair any damage that may be caused by the Ritalin I use daily. Performance Lab^® Energy provides my morning and noon dose of ALCAR. I eliminated the 500 mg late afternoon dose I was using because I found it was causing problems with sleep.

Berberine

Berberine increases adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). AMPK is the master metabolic switch in each of your cells. It regulates blood glucose and insulin sensitivity. It also increases levels of all the major neurotransmitters.

I use Berberine because my lab tests showed I was insulin resistant and bordering on pre-diabetic. I take 500 mg of Berberine 3-times per day. The caprylic acid in unrefined coconut oil helps absorption of Berberine. And I take Milk Thistle with each dose to prevent possible DNA damage from long-term use of Berberine. And my last labs showed I was no longer insulin resistant nor pre-diabetic.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is 90% saturated fat. Nearly 60% of the fats are medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). I use a tablespoon of unrefined Coconut Oil or MCT Oil each time I take my nootropic stack to assist absorption of fat-soluble nootropics in my stack.

But Coconut Oil is a nootropic in its own right. The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) caprylic acid C-8 and capric acid C-10 in coconut oil bypasses your normal digestive system and goes directly to your liver where it’s converted to ketones.

Ketones are carried throughout your body including your brain for use in the citric acid cycle to produce Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) within your mitochondria. Improving alertness, cognition, memory, and mood.

My preferred healthy fat is now a tablespoon of the new organic, non-GMO Performance Lab^® MCT Oil.

Curcumin

Curcumin boosts neurogenesis and helps repair neurons in my brain caused by using ADHD stimulants. It also boosts levels of serotonin and dopamine which affects my mood and cognition.

And Curcumin is a potent antioxidant and helps protect your brain from inflammation. I use 650 mg of BCM-95^® Curcugreen™ 3-times per day because it also contains the volatile oils found in Turmeric which assist in brain cell repair. Most other Turmeric or Curcumin supplements do not include these volatile oils in their extract.

DHA

I now use Performance Lab^® Omega-3 to get my DHA because 3 gelcaps contain 900 mg DHA and half that as EPA. DHA makes up a large portion of brain gray matter and is a main component in brain cell synapses. And this Omega-3 supplement uses Algal Oil from life’s™ OMEGA 60 which is a far superior source of DHA than fish oil and most other Omega-3 supplements.

DHA is essential for maintaining brain health, memory and learning functions. DHA reduces brain inflammation, stimulates new nerve cell growth, and assists in brain cell repair.

N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC)

N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) as a nootropic supplement replenishes intracellular levels of the master antioxidant glutathione. As a result, NAC prevents oxidative stress on brain cells and eliminates free radicals.

But I use NAC primarily because it has the unique ability to enable dopamine neurons to recover their function. Important for me because I’ve been using methylphenidate for years to control symptoms of Adult ADD. Which can take a toll on dopamine receptors.

I use 500 mg of NAC 3-times per day. NAC is difficult to find now because of a recent FDA ruling so click through to my review to see where I now get my NAC from.

L-Tyrosine

L-Tyrosine is a precursor to the formation of the catecholamines dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.

L-Tyrosine potentiates extracellular increases in dopamine which my brain needs for the Ritalin I use to treat Adult ADD.

I’m also hypothyroid and L-Tyrosine contributes to the production of thyroid hormones T₃ and T₄.

I take 500 mg of L-Tyrosine 3-times per day. The last dose in late afternoon to prevent a stimulant crash.

Performance Lab^® NutriGenesis Multi

I use the Performance Lab^® NutriGenesis Multi for men every day. It makes a profound difference in the way I feel.

And when I did the research on how each of the 13 vitamins and 13 minerals affect my brain. I realized I wouldn’t get the full benefit of my nootropic stack without adequate levels of these vitamins and minerals.

Quercetin

Quercetin is flavanol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols found in many plants. I started using Quercetin late 2020 on a tip from my doctor who was using it to cure his patients of COVID-19.

Curious, I did the research and found several clinical studies verifying his findings on COVID-19. I also found that it quickly cured a case of Shingles earlier in 2021. Because of its potent anti-viral capabilities.

Quercetin also helps eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can lead to inflammation. It protects my brain from Alzheimer’s by inhibiting Aβ aggregation, and tau phosphorylation and is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor which means it boosts acetylcholine for better learning and memory. 

And Quercetin has the unique ability to increase claudin-4 which seals Tight Junctions and healing a leaky gut or leaky blood-brain barrier.

NOTE: I am not currently using Quercetin. But when I was using it, I temporarily stopped using Quercetin a couple of weeks before each dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Because I had a feeling that this powerful supplement could potentially negate the effects of why I was getting the coronavirus vaccine in the first place. To protect me from  COVID-19.

There have been no clinical studies proving this theory that Quercetin could stop the vaccine from doing its job. But one study published in the FASEB Journal using Quercetin with elderly subjects getting a flu vaccine showed that this supplement prevented the full efficacy of getting the vaccine.  Not worth the chance in my opinion. But I’ve received my fourth dose of vaccine so began supplementing with Quercetin again a couple of weeks after my last dose.

Mind Lab Pro^®

Mind Lab Pro^® is the base of my nootropic stack. And I’ve been using it daily for the last 6 years. This is after experimenting with various pre-formulated nootropic stacks starting back around 2008.

I love this stack because it works. The ingredients are pure and of the highest quality. Mind Lab Pro^® is a sister company to Performance Lab^®.

Mind Lab Pro^® contains Citicoline (CDP-Choline), Bacopa Monnieri, Lion’s Mane, Phosphatidylserine (PS), N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NALT), L-Theanine, Rhodiola Rosea, Pine Bark Extract, Vitamin B₆, Vitamin B₉, and Vitamin B₁₂.

Mind Lab Pro^® is designed to be used by anyone from athletes to students to the elderly.

Performance Lab^® Energy

I chose Performance Lab^® Energy because I’m always looking for a way to save money on supplements. In this case, I was able to consolidate ALCAR, R-Lipoic Acid, Coenzyme Q10, and PQQ in one formula. Nootropic supplements I was using every day.

ALCAR has been part of my Adult ADD stack for years, and my doctor prescribed Alpha Lipoic Acid and PQQ for health issues I’ve been dealing with.

Performance Lab^® Vision

This one area of my health I’ve been neglecting. Which is silly when I think about it. Because I’ve been wearing contacts and glasses for years. It just never occurred to me I could have better vision by using supplements. Duh!

But the eyes are directly connected to the brain I’ve been researching and writing about. And if nootropic supplements can have such a life-changing, profound effect on the brain …

The very first day I tried Performance Lab^® Vision I noticed that things around me looked like they were in hi-definition and glare was reduced.

And because I spend long hours looking at and writing on a large monitor, I now experience far less eye fatigue. The bonus is continued use of Performance Lab^® Vision means it’s less likely I’ll experience macular degeneration as I get older.

Performance Lab^® Prebiotic

I’ve been using a Probiotic supplement for years. But they’re more expensive than most of the other supplements I use. And knowing exactly what my gut microbiome needs is a bit of mystery.

Then I heard about prebiotics and how they feed the microflora already present in my gut. The right prebiotic simply supports the beneficial bacteria already present in my gut.

Performance Lab^® makes a Prebiotic sourced from chicory root called Orafti^® Synergy1. And I felt its effects the very next day. I felt better, no constipation, sugar cravings vanished, I had more energy and thinking was clearer.

Performance Lab^® Sleep

I absolutely need a good night’s sleep every single day to perform at the level I do. And over the years I put together a sleep formula that helps me go to sleep fast and stay asleep. Feeling refreshed in the morning.

My sleep formula also includes additional L-Tryptophan, and magnesium, and I’ve added 200 mg Lemon Balm, 200 mg L-Theanine, and 3,000 mg L-Glycine.

Performance Lab^® Sleep is identical to what I was buying as separate supplements for my sleep stack. So it’s convenient that this formula contains the same ingredients I was using before. Using this pre-formulated stack  is cheaper. And easy to modify simply by adding additional supplements if needed.

Sulbutiamine

A derivative of Vitamin B₁ (thiamine), Sulbutiamine is one of the original nootropics in my stack. And one of my favorites.

Sulbutiamine is directly involved in the citric acid cycle that produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP) within your mitochondria. ATP is your main source of cellular energy. It also plays a role in maintaining optimal levels of GABA in your brain which improves mood.

And Thiamine is essential for producing acetylcholine (ACh) which is critical for brain signaling involved in cognition, learning and memory.

When I combine Sulbutiamine with Aniracetam I can work effortlessly for hours on end. And this combo is better than any prescription antidepressant I’ve ever tried.

Vinpocetine

Vinpocetine is a semi-synthetic derivative of vincamine, an alkaloid derived from the lesser periwinkle plant (Vinca Minor L.).

I use Vinpocetine is boost blood flow in my brain. It also boosts neuroplasticity for better cognition and memory.

This is one of the nootropics in my stack that if I run out I can feel the difference within a couple of days. For me, the effect is that profound.

I use 10 mg of Vinpocetine 3-times per day.