Best Alpha Brain Alternatives | 7 Potent Nootropics

Curious about the best Alpha Brain alternatives?

Then you’ve come to the perfect place.

Like many smart drugs, Alpha Brain really works. That’s not just one Alpha Brain review — it’s backed by some solid evidence, too [1, 2].

The stuff works damn well, and was one of the first nootropics many bio-hackers have ever tried. Which is one of the reason many individuals began testing and trying many of the best nootropics on the market.

While Alpha Brain works well, the smart drug isn’t perfect. The nootropic isn’t as powerful as Modafinil, nor is it as cheap as other products.

But there’s a little more to choosing the best nootropic for you than just strength and price…

That’s why we wanted to throw together this list of Alpha Brain alternatives. If you’ve tried out Alpha Brain and now want to dive deeper into the wide world of nootropics, you’ll find the information below quite useful.

Let’s find the perfect smart drug for you.

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What is Alpha Brain?

Before we dive too deep into Alpha Brain alternatives, let’s talk about what the smart drug is and why it’s become so darn popular.

Alpha Brain is a nootropic developed by Onnit Labs in 2011. The smart drug was created to be one of the premier over-the-counter (OTC) cognitive enhancers in the world.

Overall, Onnit Labs Alpha Brain achieved its goal.

They created one of the best OTC smart drugs around. This nootropic works quite well [1, 2]. Not only that, but Alpha Brain also has numerous celebrity endorsers and has been scientifically proven to be one of the best brain supplements around [1].

One study found that the users of Alpha Brain experience vast improvements in measures of memory (verbal recall) and executive cognitive functioning. There were significant differences found between those using Alpha Brain and those in a placebo control group [1].

So there are definitely effects of the Alpha Brain ingredients. Users report a ton of other great benefits, including:

• Better Focus
• Improved Memory and Retention
• Enhanced Mood
• Better Sleep Quality
• Increased Cognition Function

So, overall, Alpha Brain works for most individuals. If you take this product, you’re going to find cognitive enhancement and improved focus.

But it’s not Modafinil. This nootropic won’t take you from slacker to genius simply by popping a magic pill. Ok, Modafinil isn’t magic either, but it’s pretty damn close.

Still, Alpha Brain is beneficial and overall, a safe nootropic to use. Many beginners to the wide world of smart drugs will love it.

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Alpha Brain Side Effects and Safety

Speaking of safety, let’s just do a quick re-cap about Alpha Brain side effects and safety.

So…is Alpha Brain safe?

Basically, yes [1]. Alpha Brain is safe and well-tolerated by the vast majority of people that use it. In the randomized control study of its use, 91% of participants reported having no alpha brain side effects [1]. Of the 9% that did report some side effects, none of them reported severe side effects.

There are still some things you should know about it though. Alpha Brain side effects include:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Sleeplessness
• Jitters

While these mild side effects do occasionally affect people, overall, Alpha Brain is considered well-tolerated.

Can you take Alpha Brain every day? Well, you probably shouldn’t. But Alpha Brain ingredients are safe if you take it in moderation and not every day.

Still, you might decide that Alpha Brain isn’t for you anymore. Or perhaps you just want to expand your horizons into the wide world of nootropics.

There are a ton of Alpha Brain alternatives that you should put on your “to try” list.

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Best Alpha Brain Alternatives | 7 Potent Nootropics

Alright, enough with all the ado, we’re here to talk about Alpha Brain alternatives. Let’s dive in and take a look at alternatives to Alpha Brain that are sure to offer massive cognitive benefits.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Modafinil

It’s no secret we’re fans of Modafinil. The smart drug just works so darn well.

If you pop 100-200mg of Modafinil in the early morning, you’ll be locked in and focused for a solid 10-15+ hours.

Modafinil works by increasing a bunch of neurotransmitters in your brain that are responsible for sending and receiving neural networks. In particular, it seems to increase the production of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. These are responsible for both your focus and concentration as well as your mood.

That’s why Modafinil users report feeling great as well as productive.

You’ll even hear people refer to feeling “invincible” when taking it.

And it’s almost guaranteed [3, 4] — unless you’re one of the rare non-responders.

Overall, Modafinil is the world’s most popular and famous smart drug not named coffee.

It’s not just the Ivy League college students that are taking it to get that “A” on their paper, but also the tech CEOs of Silicon Valley and even military elites. It “ups” your game, especially for those who want to power through. And for those who might be a little sleep-deprived.

If you’re looking to feel limitless, then this is the nootropic for you.

You’ll feel like you have great energy, you’ll be focused on your task, you’ll process information more quickly, and your mood will be better.

To learn a little more about Modafinil, check out a few of these pieces:

• Alpha Brain vs. Modafinil
• How Much Does Modafinil Cost?
• What’s the Best Generic Modafinil Brand?

If you’re ready to buy one of the most powerful smart drugs in the world, then Modafinil is for you. Just understand that technically, at least in the United States, Modafinil is a prescription drug used to treat narcolepsy and other sleep disorders.

Using Modafinil as a smart drug is an off-the-label use. But that’s why it works and gives you an edge over the competition.

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• Mind Lab Pro

For our second Alpha Brain alternative after Modafinil, we’ve selected Mind Lab Pro.

Mind Lab Pro is an over-the-counter blend of nootropics that most users find super powerful. It’s not quite as potent as Modafinil, but it definitely works.

With Mind Lab Pro you’ll get a ton of cognitive benefits. The brain starts to fire on all cylinders, get focused, and you’ll even feel more creative.

How does it work?

Mind Lab Pro ingredients are all-powerful nootropics themselves. For example, it contains:

• B vitamins, including B6, B9, and B12, which are shown to play a role in preventing cognitive decline and boosting cognitive performance [5]
• Bacopa, a plant that has been found to have several powerful nootropic properties [6] including boosting memory and focus [7] and even reducing anxiety [8].
• Lion’s Mane Mushroom, a plant associated with significant nootropic and relaxing effects [9]
• And a bunch of other great ingredients!

So this is another great one if you don’t want to try out Modafinil.

Mind Lab Pro is probably the best over-the-counter nootropic right now.

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• Armodafinil

If Modafinil is Batman, then Armodafinil is Robin. Yeah, that’s about right. See, Armodafinil works damn well, too.

Armodafinil, like Modafinil, is a substance that was designed to keep people awake and address sleep disorder issues [10]. The nootropic is just a little weaker than Modafinil.

What do we mean exactly? Well, let’s explain.

Armodafinil lasts about 8-12+ hours when it’s fully kicked in. Modafinil tends to last 10-12+ hours fully kicked in.

As such, the half-life of Armodafinil is a little shorter than Modafinil. This is not a great thing for some people. For others, this is ideal.

Why?

Because you can take Armodafinil in the morning or early afternoon and still have a reasonable chance of getting to sleep before midnight. With Modafinil, that’s somewhat unlikely.

Chemically, Armodafinil and Modafinil are exceptionally similar. Armodafinil features a one-enantiomer structure, aka only Armodafinil. Meanwhile, Modafinil has two-enantiomers – both Modafinil and the R-enantiomer, Armodafinil [11].

Learn more about Armodafinil here:

• Armodafinil Review
• Armodafinil vs. Adderall

Overall, Armodafinil is pretty dope, too. If you’re just looking to work for 8-10+ hours straight instead of pulling all-nighters, it may be the best Alpha Brain alternative around.

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• Gorilla Mind Rush

Gorilla Mind Rush is like Alpha Brain and Mind Lab Pro…in that it’s basically a blend of other substances that are nootropics and are safe + well-tolerated.

Like the other two, it’s highly effective.

One of our favorite things about it is that it’s not just a bunch of caffeine. A bunch of nootropic companies do that: they fill up their product with caffeine because it’s cheap to produce.

Gorilla Mind Rush doesn’t do that. Instead, they use legitimate ingredients that get you focused without just a bunch of stimulants. The result is great productivity, focus, and concentration without feeling like bouncing off the walls.

Many find it even gives a great creative burst in addition to focus.

This may be because of the particular chemicals included in it: L-theanine and DMAE

• L-theanine is a compound extracted from tea leaves. It’s what makes tea so relaxing [12]. But in addition to its relaxing and anti-anxiety effects, L-theanine has a bunch of effects on your cognitive performance as well [13]. And it’s safe. So basically, it’s an ideal nootropic.
• DMAE is another great compound. It’s short for Dimethylethanolamine and is an organic compound that has been shown to both have relaxing and anti-anxiety effects [14]. Not only that, but it’s also been found to enhance cognitive process and improve focus [15].

Because of the relaxing and anti-anxiety effects of its compounds, Gorilla Mind Rush gives a great nootropic effect without getting your overstimulated. So you can work hard but not feel anxious.

Plus…Gorilla Mind Rush is cheap!

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• Phenibut

If you’re looking to boost creativity, then Phenibut might be tight. For real, this is one of the best nootropics for creatives.

Seriously, there’s not a better nootropic for creativity around. The stuff will have ideas flowing and your mood enhanced. You’ll feel alive, again⁠—and ready to socialize or create something sweet.

For some reason, Phenibut tends to lower inhibitions and allows individuals to accept ideas they’d normally reject for being too different. Lots of people also use it for lowering anxiety.

You can still get some stuff done while taking Phenibut, but it’s not as ideal for focus as Alpha Brain or Modafinil. It’s best to only take this stuff when working on a project filled with personality or when striving to come up with outside-the-box ideas.

Phenibut is only used for creative purposes, and for that, it’s an incredible nootropic!

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• Flmodafinil

Flmodafinil is another substance a lot like Modafinil chemically [16], but it’s much newer so there’s not as much research that has been done on it.

While we may not know as much about it, there are some things that may make it a better Alpha Brain alternative than Modafinil.

The first is that it’s potent.

Users are reporting that it can have strong focus effects, much like Modafinil. They also say there’s a euphoric effect, there’s a boost in social skills, and it’s easy to zone into work.

One user from Reddit said,

“Wow. It didn’t disappoint.

Took it just before lunchtime today and I’ve had the most productive day ever. Smashed through my work, did some house chores, went to the gym. Literally felt invincible! Wish I stumbled across it sooner!”

The second reason it’s so great is that it’s legal without a prescription.

While Modafinil is only legally sold in some countries as a prescription medication, Flmodafinil can be purchased much more easily.

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• Adrafinil

Adrafinil is another legal Alpha Brain alternative. It’s stronger than most things on this list sans Modafinil and Armodafinil.

In fact, many like to compare Adrafinil to Modafinil like this…

If Armodafinil is Modafinil’s little brother, then Adrafinil is Modafinil’s little nephew. See, Adrafinil essentially converts to Modafinil after ingestion [17].

So, you’ll find Modafinil-like effects when taking Adrafinil. But it will never be as strong or last as long as the real stuff.

Overall, we believe the benefits of Adrafinil stem from the legalities of the smart drug and it’s shorter half-life.

Although Adrafinil is not currently sold on Amazon, it is 100% legal. As well, the smart drug tends to last 6-8+ hours and offer minimal side effects. Many people grinding in a nine-to-five job will find the benefits of Adrafinil absolutely ideal.

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Alpha Brain Alternatives | Verdict

So…what did we learn? While Alpha Brain is a great nootropic, it’s not the best one.

It’s fantastic to start on nootropics because it’s easy to get, it’s legal, and it’s safe.

Alpha Brain will serve most people pretty well.

But if you’re really into optimizing your life, you might soon find that you’re looking for a better alternative to Alpha Brain: something that’s stronger, cheaper, more relaxing, or just better.

Modafinil is the world’s most popular nootropic for a reason.

But each of the nootropics above have their own strengths and weaknesses. You’ll find impressive cognitive benefits from each one, although the strength and uses of each nootropic listed vary.

If you’re looking to step up from the minors and start slugging in the majors, then I strongly recommend giving Modafinil a try.

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