Onnit Alpha Brain is one of the world’s most popular nootropic ‘smart drugs’.
Alpha Brain was originally developed in 2010, and is now used by millions of men and women across the world to improve cognitive function.
In fact, Alpha Brain is one of the only nootropic smart drugs that has been subject to clinical trial. In 2015, Boston University study found that Alpha Brain increased verbal recall and faster completion time versus a placebo.
Our ONNIT Alpha Brain review takes a close look at this popular nootropic. We’ll run you through exact what Alpha Brain does, it’s brain boosting benefits, ingredients, and side effects.
Who is ONNIT?
ONNIT was founded in 2010 by fitness junkie, and ‘human optimizer’, Aubrey Marcus.
Starting from humble beginnings, ONNIT have exploded in the past ten years, and are now one of the leading lifestyle and supplement brands in the US.
ONNIT focus on ‘total human optimization’ and offer tonnes of beneficial health supplements, from popular nootropics, through to digestive health supplements, MCT oils, whey protein, and sleep enhancers.
All of ONNIT’s health supplements, including Alpha Brain are made from 100% natural ingredients, they are also non-GMO, GMP-Certified, FDA-approved, and allergen-free.
What is ONNIT Alpha Brain?
ONNIT Alpha Brain is a nootropic supplement, or smart drug that helps to improve cognitive function. Specifically, memory recall, motivation and mood, creativity, and overall executive functions in the brain and body.
Alpha Brain is BSCG Certified Drug-Free, and free from caffeine, gluten, nuts, and dairy. It can be taken as part of a keto or paleo diet, and is also suitable for vegans.
Taking ONNIT Alpha Brain specifically offers the following brain boosting benefits:
- Enhanced verbal recall (12% vs placebo control group)
- Improve executive function (21% faster than placebo control group)
- Significantly enhance verbal memory
- Place you into ‘flow state’ which is that feeling of being ‘in the zone’
We’ll talk more about the benefits later in our Alpha Brain review, but people taking the nootropic claim to be better at:
- Remembering names and places
- Focusing during complex tasks
- Benefiting from crystal clear thinking under stress
- Accelerated reaction times
Essentially, ONNIT Alpha Brain helps to give you an edge during the day. Meaning you are more effective, and more productive when it is needed most.
Alpha Brain Ingredients
The best nootropic stacks blend ingredients to help optimize brain performance and boost the rate in which neurotransmitters transfer messages.
ONNIT Alpha Brain contains three unique blends which include a total of nine brain boosting, natural nootropics.
Let’s take a look at how each one helps improve cognitive function.
ONNIT Flow Blend (650mg)
The ONNIT Flow Blend promotes alpha brain wave production.
The objective of promoting alpha brain wave production is to help the brain improve it’s organizational capability so that you feel calm and balanced throughout the day.
- L-Theanine – this amino acid helps to stimulate the release or serotonin and dopamine, which are important neurotransmitters that play a vital role in regulating and boosting mood, cognition, reward, learning, memory, and numerous physiological processes (1)
- L-Tyrosine – another important amino acid (2) that stimulates the release dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters help to boost motivation, while promoting a feeling of clam
- Phosphatidylserine – this fatty acid is found in a number of leading nootropics. It is the protective layer that coats and protects cells in the brain, accelerating the transfer of messages between cells. Phosphatidylserine helps to keep your mind sharp (3)
- Oat Straw Extract – derived from the Avena stevia plant , Oat Straw extract has been shown to improve brain function and cognitive performance in adults
ONNIT Focus Blend (240mg)
The second blend found in ONNIT Alpha Brain is the Focus Blend.
The Alpha Brain Focus Blend helps to optimize acetylcholine levels in the brain. Acetylcholine is one of the most popular ingredients found in nootropics, thanks to its ability to regulate and control muscle cells, hormone glands, and the central nervous system.
- Alpha-GPC – this chemical compound is the precursor to acetylcholine. Acetylcholine supplementation reduces exercise-induced reductions in choline (4), and helps to improve improved learning and memory
- Huperzia Serrata – this Chinese medicinal herb (huperzine a) improves brain function and focus by protecting nerve cells, and reducing the breakdown of acetylcholine (5)
- Bacopa Monnieri – this perennial herb has shown to improve nerve signal reception and alter neurotransmitter (dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin) levels in the brain (6)
ONNIT Fuel Blend (60mg) & Cat’s Claw (350mg)
Finally, ONNIT Alpha Brain includes their fuel blend, as well as Cat’s Claw.
The Fuel Blend is designed to optimize nervous system communication, while creating a healthy brain environment, and neural communication.
- Cat’s Claw – derived from the bark of an Amazon rainforest vine, Cat’s Claw has wide ranging health benefits and is used to treat dementia and Alzheimers (7). Cat’s Claw helps and maintains cellular integrity
- Pterostilbene – like Cat’s Claw, pterostilbene improves cellular integrity, and helps to protect the brain and central nervous system
- L-Leucine – this BCAA (branched-chain amino acid) helps the body to synthesize protein (8)
Ingredient Analysis
ONNIT Alpha Brain contains adequate doses of L-Theanine, Vitamin B6, and Alpha-GPC. Which are all important in improving cognitive function.
In fact, it is estimated that up to 40% of the United States population do not consume enough Vitamin B6 in their diets. Something that Alpha Brain helps to solve by containing 10mg of Vitamin B6 per serving – which is 588% of your RDA.
Likewise, many American’s lack adequate choline levels due to restrictive or poor diets. Choline is found in meats, and protein rich foods like animal organs. With a larger percentage of American’s now opting to lead vegan diets, average choline levels in adults have fallen.
Choline is the dietary precursor to acetylcholine, which is the chief neurotransmitter responsible for regulating autonomic nervous system. Alpha Brain supplementation helps to increase choline levels thanks to the included dosage of Alpha-GPC.
Alpha Brain also contains 200mg of L-Theanine, which is deemed effective by scientific literature and studies.
Despite this, some of the dosages of ingredients like Bacopa and Cats Claw are included in lower doses. Therefore it is questionable whether you will be able to increase levels of these compounds in the body through Alpha Brain supplementation alone.
Alpha Brain Benefits
In carrying out our Alpha Brain review, we extensively tested the product. But we also listened to feedback from the wider health and fitness community.
Celebrities like Joe Rogan have commented that Alpha Brain helps to fire up his brain to a heightened RPM level – which helps him form better sentences, and improve verbal communication and recall.
And this seems to be backed up by wide ranging reviews, and scientific evidence.
In a 2015 study at Boston University, scientists carried out a study that involved 63 different participants (aged between 18-35). They were all given a placebo drug for a period of two weeks, followed by either a further placebo, or Alpha Brain for a prevailing six week period (9).
The results were fascinating, and showed that Alpha Brain creates brain boosting benefits:
- Those taking Alpha Brain saw a 12% increase in executive functioning and recall compared to the control group
- The Alpha Brain group were 21% faster at completing executive function tests than the placebo group
- Across both groups, neither saw any unwanted side effects
This study shows that Alpha Brain is a nootropic supplement that improves cognitive function and mental processing speed. Ensuring that your brain is better equipped to complete complex tasks, faster puts you at an edge in any competitive setting.
Here is a couple more ways that our Alpha Brain review found Alpha Brain to benefit your cognitive performance.
- Place you into ‘flow state’ which is that feeling of being ‘in the zone’
- Remembering names and places
- Focusing during complex tasks
- Benefiting from mental clarity under stress
- Accelerated mental speed and reaction times
ONNIT talk a lot about ‘flow state’. Flow state is essentially that dialled in feeling of being ‘in the zone’. It is particularly useful if you need to complete a complex piece of work, or completing an exam, or have a presentation that you need to be on top form for.
ONNIT Alpha Brain Side Effects
There are no significant known side effects associated with ONNIT Alpha Brain.
In fact, during the Boston University study into 63 participants, the reaction to Alpha Brain Instant versus a control group was identical.
With that said, you should always be mindful of side effects whenever you take dietary supplements. Especially if you have a preexisting medical condition, or are elderly, pregnant, or nursing a newborn baby.
On top of this, make sure that you stick to the recommended daily dosage of Alpha Brain. That means taking two capsules per day, with water or another soft drink/energy drink.
Our Alpha Brain review found that if you do increase dosage then you run the risk of suffering from these unwanted side effects.
- Headaches – increasing your dosage or failing to drink enough water alongside your Alpha Brain supplement can lead to headaches and eye strain
- Jitters/Jitteriness – thankfully, Alpha Brain does not contain any caffeine, which is one of the main culprits of jitters in nootropic supplements. However, feeling ‘in the zone’ for sustained periods can lead to anxiety and shakiness
- Lucid dreams – Joe Rogan commented that he experiences lucid dreams when taking Alpha Brain. This isn’t necessarily a bad side effects but it can be disturbing to some people. We suspect that this is caused by Bacopa which can onset deeper sleep
- Nausea – to avoid feelings of nausea, we’d advize that you take Alpha Brain with a light meal. This will help to regulate the absorption of the nootropic
- Anxiety & jaw pain – like jitters, the feeling of being in the zone can lead to sustained periods of heightened focus, leading to feelings of anxiety and a want to clench your jaw. The L-Tyrosine blend helps to reduce feelings of anxiety, maintaining calm
- Disturbed sleep patterns – Alpha Brain gets your energized to take on complex tasks. And this buzz can last for up to and beyond six hours. We’d advize taking Alpha Brain early in the day to avoid disturbing normal sleep patterns
Who Should Take ONNIT Alpha Brain
Nootropic supplements are an excellent dietary supplement for busy professionals, anyone engaged in regular competition (like competitive sports), and those who are learning new skills and knowledge.
If you repeatedly find that you are feeling mentally sluggish (due to brain fog), or that you require additional brain power enhancement to perform under pressure, then ONNIT Alpha Brain can help.
ONNIT Alpha Brain comes with a money-back guarantee, and is suitable for keto-dieters, paleo-dieters, and vegans. It is also free of allergens, including dairy, gluten, nuts, and caffeine.
We’d advise anyone interested in trying the best nootropic supplements to try Alpha Brain. It is packed full of natural nootropic ingredients like choline, Vitamin B12, and L-Theanine, that help to boost brain power.
If you are currently pregnant, or are suffering from a pre-existing medical condition, then we’d advize speaking with a medical practitioner before supplementing with Alpha Brain.
ONNIT Alpha Brain Review Bottom Line
Our Alpha Brain review has walked you through all of the essential information you need before buying this natural nootropic.
Not only is Alpha Brain widely regarded as the most popular nootropic supplement on the planet, it has also been shown in scientific research to be effective in boosting cognitive function. Specifically helping to improve recall and faster executive functioning.
Alpha Brain includes optimal levels of some of the most popular natural nootropic ingredients, amino acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. What’s more, it is considered safe to use by medical practitioners.
Head over to the ONNIT Alpha Brain website to purchase Alpha Brain now. Otherwise, check out more reviews on the best health supplements online at BigBlueTest.
References
- Hidese S, Ogawa S, Ota M, et al. Effects of L-Theanine Administration on Stress-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2362. Published 2019 Oct 3. doi:10.3390/nu11102362
- Jongkees BJ. Baseline-dependent effect of dopamine’s precursor L-tyrosine on working memory gating but not updating. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2020;20(3):521-535. doi:10.3758/s13415-020-00783-8
- Tyurin VA, Balasubramanian K, Winnica D, et al. Oxidatively modified phosphatidylserines on the surface of apoptotic cells are essential phagocytic ‘eat-me’ signals: cleavage and inhibition of phagocytosis by Lp-PLA2. Cell Death Differ. 2014;21(5):825-835. doi:10.1038/cdd.2014.1
- Blusztajn JK, Slack BE, Mellott TJ. Neuroprotective Actions of Dietary Choline. Nutrients. 2017;9(8):815. Published 2017 Jul 28. doi:10.3390/nu9080815
- Guo B, Ren JY, He MN, et al. Development of polymorphic simple sequence repeat markers in Huperzia serrata (Lycopodiaceae). Appl Plant Sci. 2019;7(7):e11273. Published 2019 Jul 12. doi:10.1002/aps3.11273
- Nemetchek MD, Stierle AA, Stierle DB, Lurie DI. The Ayurvedic plant Bacopa monnieri inhibits inflammatory pathways in the brain. J Ethnopharmacol. 2017;197:92-100. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2016.07.073
- Snow AD, Castillo GM, Nguyen BP, et al. The Amazon rain forest plant Uncaria tomentosa (cat’s claw) and its specific proanthocyanidin constituents are potent inhibitors and reducers of both brain plaques and tangles. Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):561. Published 2019 Feb 6. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-38645-0
- Zhang S, Zeng X, Ren M, Mao X, Qiao S. Novel metabolic and physiological functions of branched chain amino acids: a review. J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2017;8:10. Published 2017 Jan 23. doi:10.1186/s40104-016-0139-z
- Solomon TM, Leech J, deBros GB, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel group, efficacy study of alpha BRAIN® administered orally. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2016;31(2):135-143. doi:10.1002/hup.2520
