What Are Nootropics?

A lot of supplements can come and go, but some have withstood the test of time. Years ago no one was sure if creatine worked, now it’s hard to find a supplement brand that doesn’t carry it. 

Nootropics are another type of supplement whose popularity only seems to be increasing. Whether we’ve heard about it from a friend, colleague, or family member, it can seem like everyone knows someone who’s used them.

We did some research into nootropics to find out what the fuss was all about. Here we’ll share what we found about what nootropics are, what they’re made of, and if they work.

What Nootropics Actually Are

Nootropics began as medications for people with degenerative brain diseases, like dementia or Parkinson’s. They used to be only available with a prescription, and had to contain certain compounds.

But as research improved and more and more people started to look for an edge in their cognitive function, manufacturers started to study other non-prescription alternatives. Now the whole field of memory, focus, and mental energy supplements are called nootropics. 

In general, nootropics are not approved by the FDA, so you should do your research before buying the first one you see. Below we’ll get into what’s actually in nootropics so you can know what to look for.

What’s in Nootropics

There are a lot of ingredients that claim to improve your memory, clarity, brain function, or focus. But not all of them are worth the label they're printed on. We did a deep dive and found the key ingredients that seem to be in most of the effective nootropics on the market.

There are other well-researched ingredients, too, but those five are usually among the most studied nootropics, and all work independently and in concert to improve brain function.

Do Nootropics Actually Work?

The short answer is yes, they do. There is some argument in the scientific community as to why they work, or to what degree, but multiple studies have been done on the effectiveness of nootropics. 

Some doctors believe that positive results are from placebo effect or psychosomatic (in other words, all in our heads, no pun intended). Other scientists and doctors, however, are convinced that there’s real evidence to support the effects of nootropics, specifically the those with the ingredients we listed above.

The three most common reasons for nootropic effectiveness are: increased blood and oxygen in the brain; better ACT synapse response; and more level hormones. If any of those functions seem like they would benefit your cognitive function, then nootropics may be for you.

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