The Centrum of Nootropics

Quantified Self Learning & Cognition
1

I’ve been getting really sick lately of having to take so many different supplements in order to maximize productivity and performance when working on difficult projects. So, I’ve been thinking about combining some of the most common OTC nootropics into a single supplement in order to make it easier. This would probably also make it easier for newbies to jump in vs. having to buy a bunch of different things and then worry about getting the correct dosage ratios. To do this, I would do a custom formulary, and combine things like caffeine, theanine, cassia cinnamon, Piracetam, choline, Huperzine A, panax ginseng, etc. Would you all find something like this helpful? If so, what would it have to include to make it useful for you?

Here’s some of the problems I’m hoping to solve vs. some the current powders like Focus XT out on the market:

While the ingredients are listed, the quantities are not, so you don’t know how much of each nootropic you’re actually getting. There’s no information on the label that tells you how much nootropics you’re getting. The other products may skimp on the nootropics, which is why many people only report feeling the effect of the caffeine and nothing else.

Some of the ingredients are garbage: they contain things like artificial dyes and sucralose.

The products are marketed toward increasing energy and reducing stress in ways that are completely tangential to brain power, and contain things that speed you up. My custom powder will focus entirely on improving cognition. If you need more energy, drink a Red Bull or get some coffee.
The ingredients are often low-quality and have low absorption. This will be 100% free of all allergens, such as eggs, soy, nuts, wheat, dairy, gluten and yeast. It will contain no corn, no animal products, no artificial colors or flavors, no preservatives, MSG or synthetic chemicals, no lactose, sucrose, dextrose, no egg, no cholesterol, no yeast, or added salt. It will use only certified organic ingredients where relevant.

Some products compensate for low bioavailability by adding a very high dose of psychoactive ingredients. My powder will focus on maximizing bioavailability at the minimally effective dose as shown in research studies by pairing the nootropic with ingredients such as Vitamin C, B complex, and cinnamon that synergistically improve absorption while reducing the risk from taking too high of a dose.

2

I might try that. How much would it cost? Are there interaction effects between these different nootropics, or issues with some needing to be taken on an empty stomach and others with food?

3

I haven’t started thinking about pricing yet, but I’m assuming that the product will cost less than buying all of the supplements separately, but will cost more than the current combined nootropics on the market because it will have higher quality ingredients. Would you be willing to pay $50 for a month supply?

There shouldn’t be negative interaction effects based on the stacks that I’m planning on selecting. I hadn’t thought about separating between those that should be taken on an empty stomach or not, but we could likely segment the powder into before- and after-meal dosages.

Have you used a combined nootropic like Focus XT or Neuro1 before? The problems I’m trying to solve are low-quality ingredients, no quantifiable contents information, and wrong nootropics/too much stuff that isn’t nootropics. How painful are these problems for you, and how would you prioritize them?

4

I think it sounds like a great idea. Been wanting to try piracetam for some time. I like the idea of just buying one product.

5

kurtedelbrock, sorry I missed your reply until now. I would pay $50, sure. I probably wouldn’t pay much less than that, since I wouldn’t trust it if it were too cheap. If it were $100+/mo expensive, I would assume it was a scam.

The number one reason I would buy your combined nootropic would be the same reason that I would hear about it in the first place: if one of my nootropic-savvy friends recommended it. I hate researching this stuff and want something I can trust. So I can’t answer your questions about those three pain points–it would depend on whether the product attracted those guys. It seems like they would like it, but it’s also possible that they might be more into making their own stacks instead.

6

I would be interested in something like this. I’m still working out my stack, so I don’t know exactly what I’ll want. But I don’t really want to deal with powders, and since I travel a lot it would be nice to cut down the total number of pills I’d have to carry, without packing them myself.

Have you heard of Brain Stack from Maven Labs? I haven’t tried it, but it sounds similar to what you’re describing – Alpha GPC choline, huperzine-A, bacopa, B-vitamins, vinpocetine, and a few other things. No racetams, but I don’t think you can include them in the U.S. anyway.

The full ingredient list, including amounts:

http://www.mavenlabs.com/ingredients/

Costs about $60 for a month’s supply.