Laurence Lee

February 5, 2023 in Supplements

If you find yourself regularly battling brain fog, mind fatigue, attention problems, stress, challenges with memory recall, low motivation and similar difficulties revolving around brain function, nootropics can help. Still, nootropics is a broad term often used liberally to define hundreds of distinct brands each having its own distinct mix of ingredients. They will not all work equally well or be suitable for everyone. 

Finding the right one is not easy. Cortigon is an emerging nootropic. Before you choose it as the cognitive enhancer you require, take a look at this comprehensive review we have done of the product that shines a spotlight on its strengths and weaknesses.

What is Cortigon?

Cortigon is a brain supplement that promises to balance hormones, fight off stress, suppress anxiety, improve your mood, enhance concentration, support memory retention and lift mental clarity.

It is a cognitive enhancer that tries to compete against more established and widely successful products such as Mind Lab Pro and NooCube.

It is a product of UMZU, a company based in Boulder, Colorado that primarily manufactures a wide range of hormonal balancers. UMZU was founded on the experiences and research of a neuroscience student who sought to find a suitable hormonal solution to battle the effects of his pituitary gland tumor diagnosis. 

Other than hormonal solutions, UMZU’s range of supplements addresses multiple other health challenges including digestion, muscle, fitness, immunity, bone, skin, energy, mood and cognition.

So how does Cortigon perform in comparison to more established products such as NooCube and Mind Lab Pro? Read on.

Benefits

Cortigon promises multiple benefits. In case these benefits do not address the brain performance challenges you are grappling with, consider checking out the reviews we have done for NooCube, Mind Lab Pro, Alpha Brain, Thesis or Vyvamind.

Fights Off Stress and Improves Mood

Stress inhibits your ability to function at your best. Cortigon lowers the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. This thus reduces overall stress levels. Phosphatidylserine is the ingredient that gives Cortigon this capability. The drop in stress is accompanied by a rise in energy levels and an overarching enthusiasm for life.

Suppresses Anxiety

You can have low stress but high anxiety. And persistently high anxiety will eventually cause your stress levels to go up. Cortigon therefore separately tackles anxiety as well. Get that calmness of mind that you need to make rational decisions in high pressure situations. 

Enhances Concentration

A lack of concentration makes it harder to get things done especially when you are working on complex projects. Cortigon’s ingredients are formulated to improve your ability to focus on the task at hand without hampering your capacity to multitask effectively. Tune out from the distractions around you.

Lifts Mental Clarity

Brain fog can paralyze you and make it difficult to accomplish even otherwise routine tasks. Cortigon targets brain fog in order to deliver a mental clarity that places you in the right mind frame to make the most of each day.

Top Alternatives

There are hundreds of nootropic products out there that could serve as alternatives to Cortigon. These include Alpha Brain, Thesis and Vyvamind. However, we think NooCube and Mind Lab Pro have certain strengths that give them an edge. 

Noocube

  • Enhances memory and supports cognitive function.
  • Boosts mind energy.
  • Improves concentration.

Mind Lab Pro

  • Accelerates memory recall and enlarges retention capacity.
  • Increases motivation.
  • Boosts multitasking.

What Makes These Alternatives a Better Choice

The sophistication of ingredient composition gives NooCube and Mind Lab Pro the edge. We delve into this ingredient distinction further down in this article. However, in a nutshell, while the phosphatidylserine, ginkgo biloba and vitamins B in Cortigon are important for brain health, NooCube and Mind Lab Pro do seem to go further and incorporate other natural nootropics as well. 

These natural nootropics include brahmi herb, l-tyrosine and l-theanine. The complex ingredient mix in the top supplements helps address both short term and long term brain wellbeing while providing a vital headstart to surmounting barriers of goal achievement.

Cortigon Ingredients

The following is Cortigon’s ingredient composition including the quantity of each ingredient per daily serving.

  • Phosphatidylserine – 300 mg: A natural compound derived from soy lecithin but that also occurs in human cell membranes, phosphatidylserine slows cognitive deterioration, boosts memory, enhances clarity of thought and elevates your overall mood. It suppresses the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Its strengths is why it is widely used in brain supplements.
  • Ginkgo Biloba – 100 mg: A fixture of traditional Chinese medicine for more than a millennium, ginkgo biloba’s leaf has an abundance of antioxidants including terpenoids and flavonoids. It helps shield the body’s cells from harm that would otherwise be caused by exposure to free radicals. Ginkgo biloba has also been shown to boost memory recall, knowledge retention, neural resilience, mental focus and blood flow. It is regularly used for the treatment of brain conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia and ADHD.
  • L-leucine – 100 mg: L-leucine is an amino acid known to support protein production, boost metabolism, drive tissue regeneration, regulate blood sugar as well as increase physical and mental energy. L-leucine is a popular ingredient in weight loss and muscle building supplements. There is however not much research that demonstrates its role as a cognitive enhancer.
  • Vitamin B1 – 100 mg:  Vitamin B6 (as thiamine mononitrate) improves blood circulation, supports heart function, slows down mental aging and decelerates cognitive decline. It is also known to improve mental energy, mood and memory.
  • Vitamin B6 – 15 mg: Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine hydrochloride) improves metabolism, enhances blood circulation, helps formation of red blood cells, supports neurotransmitter production and decelerates cognitive decline. It is also known to elevate mental energy, mood and memory.
  • Vitamin B12 – 1,000 mcg: Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin) improves blood circulation, helps formation of red blood cells, slows down mental aging and decelerates cognitive decline. It is also known to improve mental energy, mood and memory.

Key Nootropic Agents We Didn’t Find in Cortigon

Cortigon has a substantially weaker ingredient composition when compared to leading cognitive enhancers. We’ll look at some effective nootropic agents missing in Cortigon, any of which could have made it a better brain supplement. Many of these are found in smart drugs such as NooCube, Mind Lab Pro and Alpha Brain.

  • Brahmi herb: Also known as bacopa monnieri, it suppresses anxiety, enhances mind performance and reduces forgetfulness.
  • Cat’s claw vine: Also known as uncaria tomentosa, it enhances cognitive capability, heightens concentration and lifts mind health.
  • Chinese club moss: Also known as huperzia serrata, it contains the natural compound huperzine A that bumps up memory, accelerates thought processing, improves idea clarity and heightens task focus.
  • L-theanine: An amino acid that suppresses stress and accelerates mind processing.
  • L-tyrosine: An amino acid that supports multitasking, accelerates thought processing, heightens concentration and improves cognition.
  • Wild green or common oat: Also known as avena sativa, its straw has been shown to enhance cognitive capability, uplift mood and heighten concentration.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Does not contain any proprietary blends. No obfuscation of ingredients or ingredient amounts.
  • Fights off stress, suppresses anxiety and improves mood.
  • Enhances concentration and mental clarity.
  • Manufactured in GMP-compliant, US-based facility.

Cons

  • Weak ingredient mix when compared to leading nootropics.
  • Unsuitable for vegans. Capsule contains gelatin.
  • Unclear how long you should wait to see results.
  • Cortigon must be combined with healthy lifestyle habits such as adequate rest, regular exercise and good diet.
  • Results vary depending on the unique brain chemistry of each individual.

Potential Side Effects

Cortigon may not be the best nootropic out there but it has at least gone to great lengths to ensure it is a product that has no known side effects. Part of this is perhaps accidental given the small number of ingredients it contains when compared to other cognitive enhancers. It is also made from naturally occurring and clinically tested compounds.

That being said, the human brain is a highly complex organ, arguably the most complex known object in the universe. No two individuals have an identical composition of brain chemicals. This implies reactions to Cortigon may vary from individual to individual. 

You also have to take into account any underlying medical conditions such as psychiatric or neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, kidney problems and cancer that may inhibit the supplement’s efficacy. As always, liaise with your doctor before you start to use Cortigon or any nootropic if you are nursing, pregnant, on medication or under 18.

Price and Offers

Each bottle costs $45.94. There are no discounts on multi-bottle orders. Subscribing to Cortigon deliveries does however come with a price cut. 

Each order enjoys a 60-day money back guarantee. Unlike other leading nootropics’ money back guarantees however, Cortigon’s has multiple caveats that significantly limit eligibility. These caveats include a refund on only one bottle if you purchased multiple bottles of the product.

There is free shipping for orders exceeding $99 that are destined to the US. Cortigon does not ship outside the US with the exception of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.

Conclusion

Cortigon is worth giving a shot if you are looking for a cognitive enhancer supplement that can do the bare minimum. It does seem to fall short of the abilities of leading nootropics such as NooCube, Alpha Brain and Mind Lab Pro. The ingredients address a much narrower set of brain performance challenges when compared to the more comprehensive formulation of many other cognitive enhancers. And there isn’t too large a difference in cost. So Cortigon should be the product you go for as a last resort. Otherwise, you are better off choosing a more established product.

Top Alternatives

Noocube

  • Enhances memory and supports cognitive function.
  • Boosts mind energy.
  • Improves concentration.

Mind Lab Pro

  • Accelerates memory recall and enlarges retention capacity.
  • Increases motivation.
  • Boosts multitasking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Cortigon work for me?

Cortigon will work for some people but it does have a relatively weak mix of ingredients for a brain supplement. There are never guarantees when it comes to supplements but Cortigon comes across as much lower on the ranking ladder for cognitive enhancer efficacy.

Is Cortigon safe for me?

Cortigon is made from naturally occurring and clinically tested ingredients. It is safe as long as it is used as per the recommended dose.

How long will it take to see results?

Cortigon’s money back guarantee kicks in after you have used the product for at least two weeks. So one would assume that this is how long the manufacturer believes it will take before you start to see results. This is only an assumption however since there is no explicit indication on the product’s website over how long you should wait before you see the promised results. Compare this to, for instance, NooCube’s bold claim that you will start to feel changes in as little as 45 minutes after taking the first pill. 

Are there any side effects from taking Cortigon?

Cortigon has no known side effects. That being said, the human brain is a highly complex organ — no two individuals have an identical composition of brain chemicals. This implies reactions to Cortigon may vary from individual to individual. Liaise with your doctor before you start to use this or any other nootropic.

Can I take Cortigon with other nootropics?

You should not mix Cortigon with other nootropics. Cortigon’s safety has only been tested for its own ingredient mix. There is no assurance such safety will hold when mixed with other cognitive enhancers. Also, if Cortigon has certain ingredients in common with a nootropic it is combined with, this may inadvertently exceed that ingredient’s daily value which could have an adverse effect. 

Another thing is that using more than one nootropic at a go makes it difficult to know which one is the cause of your negative or positive experiences.

About the author 

Laurence Lee

Lee is a neuroscientist who has dedicated his career to understanding the inner workings of the brain. He has seen firsthand the power of these supplements in improving cognitive function and believes that more people should be aware of their benefits. In his articles, Lee shares his extensive knowledge on the subject and provides unbiased reviews of different products.

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