Alpha Brain Side Effects | What You MUST Know

Tomas Thorne

Last Updated: February 19, 2023

Alpha Brain Side Effects

Curious about Alpha Brain side effects?

Then you’re in the perfect place. The reality of the situation:

Alpha Brain is one of the safest nootropics supplements on the market today.

As one of the premier over-the-counter smart drugs, Alpha Brain produces little to no side effects in the vast majority of users.

You shouldn’t have any worries when taking this smart drug, but for individuals looking for more detailed information…

Everything you’d ever want to know about Alpha Brain side effects can be found below.

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Alpha BRAIN

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What is Alpha Brain?

Well, that’s pretty simple. Alpha Brain is one of the premier over-the-counter smart drugs in the world today.

Alpha Brain first hit the market in 2011, and since then it has outperformed almost every other nootropics supplement for improving memory, concentration, and focus.

Created by Onnit Labs, this nootropic is insanely popular in many circles. It has received high praise and endorsements from Joe Rogan and many other high-profile celebrities.

But let’s not beat around the bush here… the real reason this smart drug is so popular is because it actually works.

Alpha Brain offers strong and useful benefits like:

  • Enhanced memory and retention
  • Increased focus
  • Improved productivity

…And much more!

So what is Alpha Brain exactly?

Alpha Brain is a proprietary formula featuring some of the most powerful nootropics ingredients in the world, including:

  • L-Theanine
  • B vitamins
  • Alpha-GPC
  • Phosphatidylserine
  • Bacopa monnieri

…Just to name a few!

To top it all off, Alpha Brain is one of a handful of nootropics that have been scientifically proven to work in humans [1, 2]. I’ve written a whole other article answering the question, “does Alpha Brain work?” — so check that out for more of the science.

The evidence is pretty clear: Alpha Brain works.

This nootropic blend is perfect if you are new to smart drugs, and are looking for something a little stronger than a cup of coffee.

Alpha Brain is ideal when you want to enhance the mind for 4-6+ hours.


Side Effects Alpha Brain


Alpha Brain Side Effects | What You MUST Know

Alpha Brain is one of the safest smart drugs in the world. However, users occasionally report minor side effects while using this product.

That’s just how life goes when using nootropics.

Luckily, you won’t see any serious issues with this one. And even the minor issues here only occur relatively rarely. In one study, only about 9% of people experienced any side effects, and 0% experienced severe side effects [1].

Here are seven common Alpha Brain side effects to look out for:

  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Jaw Pain
  • Body Odor
  • Vivid Dreams And Nightmares
  • Jitters And Anxiety
  • Sleeplessness

Let’s take a closer look at each of these side effects.

  • Nausea

This was one of the Alpha Brain side effects I personally dealt with.

The first time I used Alpha Brain I had minor nausea and stomach pain. Fortunately I only experienced these symptoms once, and they quickly went away after one trip to the bathroom.

This only occurred the first time I used the nootropic. After that, I was all good.

A few people experience nausea when taking Alpha Brain, but it’s never severe, and tends to go away once your body adjusts to the nootropic.

  • Headaches

Personally, I didn’t experience much in the way of headaches when taking this nootropic. However, some users may experience minor headaches while using Alpha Brain [1].

Based on extensive research, I believe this is due to not drinking enough water while taking the smart drug.

Many people get in a “zone” while taking nootropics supplements, and forget about their food and water intake.

When this happens, it’s easy to get dehydrated and end up with a minor headache.

Just grab a water bottle and squeeze a lime in it while taking Alpha Brain. This will keep you hydrated and is a great source of electrolytes.

  • Jaw Pain

Jaw pain can be a side effect of Alpha Brain. A few users experience this issue, often when the headaches first start to kick in.

Again, I believe this comes from being “in the zone” and tightening your jaw as you focus on a project for hours on end.

While I haven’t experienced this symptom, most users report the pain isn’t bad and goes away quickly.

  • Body Odor

This was one of the few Alpha Brain side effects that I did notice. On the days I took the nootropic my body odor was slightly different and stronger compared to normal.

While this isn’t a huge deal, you don’t want to be stinking up the coffee shop or co-working space!

As such, make sure to apply a little extra deodorant when taking Alpha Brain to mask any unusual odors.

  • Vivid Dreams and Nightmares

One of the more interesting side effects of Alpha Brain occurs at night. Some users report vivid dreams and nightmares on the days they use this product.

I never had this issue, but some users report crazy dreams, and occasionally a nightmare that wakes them from their slumber.

Some of the main ingredients in Alpha Brain are known to cause vivid dreams and nightmares in certain individuals, so if you do experience these symptoms while taking the nootropic, just know that this is perfectly normal.

Overall, this shouldn’t be a huge concern for most individuals— unless you already have vivid dreams every night.

  • Jitters and Anxiety

Nootropics are known to cause jitters and anxiety in some individuals. This shouldn’t come as a big surprise, since many nootropics products contain caffeine and other mild stimulants.

The stimulating effect is what makes your brain work better.

Personally, I never got anxiety from Alpha Brain. However, it’s normal to feel a little bit restless for the first 15-20 minutes after the smart drug kicks in.

Overall, there’s no need to worry about this, as the jitters and anxiety go away quickly, and before long you’ll be “in the zone.”

At the same time, it’s good to be aware of the fact that Alpha Brain may increase feelings of anxiety in some individuals. Those prone to anxiety should exercise caution when taking any nootropics.

  • Sleeplessness

Lasy, but not least: you could experience sleeplessness when taking Alpha Brain. However, this effect should not be pronounced unless you do one thing wrong…

Take Alpha Brain at night!

Unless you want to stay up late or pull an all-nighter, you should only take Alpha Brain in the mornings or early afternoons. It has a mild stimulant effect, which means that it can be difficult to fall asleep for the first few hours after taking the product.

The drug only kicks hard for 4-6+ hours, but you don’t want to take it at 7 pm and expect to be asleep before midnight.


Side Effects Alpha Brain


Is Alpha Brain Safe?

Because it’s a nootropic for beginners, lots of people wonder: is Alpha Brain safe to use?

The short answer is yes, Alpha Brain is perfectly safe for beginners.

The long answer is it depends who you ask. Some people have zero side effects, while others think that the side effects listed above can be uncomfortable.

Personally, I’ve found Alpha Brain to be one of the safest smart drugs on the market.

And that’s backed by research: in a study on Alpha Brain, only 9% of participants experienced alpha brain side effects, and none of those were severe. The study concluded that Alpha Brain is well-tolerated by most individuals [1].

Is Alpha Brain the best nootropic I’ve tried? No.

But I feel quite confident saying you can expect very few, if any, side effects while taking Alpha Brain.

And there’s legit zero chance you’ll have a serious medical concern after taking this nootropic. (Although, of course, I’m no doctor.)

Most users report very few side effects on Alpha Brain, and I’ve yet to find a source where users had significant issues.

Overall, I can’t find a single course of information that states any major medical issues from Alpha Brain.

No hospitalizations, no death, no overdose issues [1, 2]. Nothing.

TL:DR – Everyone reacts to things differently, but Alpha Brain is quite safe overall.


Can You Take Alpha Brain Every Day?

Yes, Alpha Brain is safe… so can you take it every day?

You probably could, but it’s not a great idea.

While I couldn’t find any studies saying that Alpha Brain is addictive, it’s usually not a good idea to take nootropics every day because there’s a chance your body will get dependent on it.

That’s the same for almost every substance, including caffeine, nicotine, and so on [3, 4].

What happens is that the substance helps your brain out by supplying extra chemicals… but if you use the nootropic every day, your body may develop a tolerance to it, and adapt by producing less of the chemicals on its own [5].

There’s no direct evidence suggesting you will develop a tolerance to Smart Brain if you take it every day. However, the smart bet is to take it only when you need it – such as on days where you need to be maximally focused for 6+ hours at a time.

That way you’ll get the benefits of Alpha Brain, without having to worry about the negative effects.


Alpha Brain Alternatives

Alpha Brain may not be the best nootropic on the market, but it’s still extremely effective. So what are the best nootropics products on the market?

In other words, are there any products that work even better than Alpha Brain?

Based on our research, here are two of the best Alpha Brain alternatives:

  • Modafinil

Modafinil is probably my favorite Alpha Brain alternative.

It’s just super effective for what it does. If you want 10-12 hours of clear, unbridled productivity to zoom through your work, Modafinil is for you [6].

Modafinil is a prescription medication in the US, and is used to many different disorders, including:

  • Narcolepsy [7]
  • Sleep apnea [8]
  • Shift work sleep disorder [9]
  • ADHD [10]

Overall, Modafinil is an extremely effective drug for improving memory, concentration, and focus.

Best of all, it’s extremely safe. Studies show that Modafinil has a very low incidence of side effects, with very low risk of abuse [11]. This means your odds of getting addicted to it are extremely low.

Modafinil is my favorite nootropic, and overall one of the best alternatives to Alpha Brain.

  • Mind Lab Pro

Mind Lab Pro is another of the best alternatives to Alpha Brain.

The two products are somewhat similar because they both have proprietary blends containing a bunch of different ingredients with cognitive-enhancing properties.

However, in my experience Mind Lab Pro is slightly stronger than Alpha Brain, and its effects last longer as well.

The other thing I like about Mind Lab Pro is that it also seems to boost my creativity.

This is a big difference: both Modafinil and Alpha Brain get me to focus and be productive, but I tend not to have as many good, novel, and creative ideas using them.

With Mind Lab Pro, I can blast through 6-12+ hours of work without sacrificing the quality and originality of my ideas.

Mind Lab Pro even improves your mood… who can argue with that?


Alpha Brain Side Effects | Verdict

Is Alpha Brain safe?

Based on extensive research and my own personal experience using the product, Alpha Brain is extremely safe and effective.

Alpha Brain’s proprietary blend includes a bunch of known, well-tolerated substances including tyrosine, alpha-GPC, and bacopa monnieri.

The bottom line: Alpha Brian is NOT a dangerous smart drug.

Alpha Brain side effects will not cause you many issues – especially if dosed properly, and taken in the morning after a fat-filled breakfast.

Alpha Brain is extremely safe, and one of the best beginner nootropics on the market today.

For Lowest Price on
Alpha BRAIN


References

  1. Solomon, T. M., Leech, J., deBros, G. B., Murphy, C. A., Budson, A. E., Vassey, E. A., & Solomon, P. R. (2016). A randomized, double‐blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, efficacy study of alpha BRAIN® administered orally. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 31(2), 135-143.
  2. Soloman, T. M., Budson, A. E., deBros, G. B., Murphy, C. A., Vassey, E., & Soloman, P. R. (n.d.). A Proof of Concept for a Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled, Parallel Group, Efficacy Study of Alpha Brain(TM) Administered Orally [poster]. https://www.onnit.com/files/Onnit_AlphaBrain_Clinical.pdf
  3. Pohler, H. (2010). Caffeine intoxication and addiction. The journal for nurse practitioners, 6(1), 49-52.
  4. Stolerman, I. P., & Jarvis, M. J. (1995). The scientific case that nicotine is addictive. Psychopharmacology, 117(1), 2-10.
  5. Wikipedia (n.d.). Substance dependence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substance_dependence
  6. Teodorini, R. D., Rycroft, N., & Smith-Spark, J. H. (2020). The off-prescription use of modafinil: An online survey of perceived risks and benefits. PloS one, 15(2), e0227818.
  7. Bastoji, H., & Jouvet, M. (1988). Successful treatment of idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy with modafinil. Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 12(5), 695-700.
  8. Ballard, R. D. (2008). Management of patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Journal of Family Practice, 57(8), S24-S24.
  9. Greenhill, L. L., Biederman, J., Boellner, S. W., Rugino, T. A., Sangal, R. B., Earl, C. Q., … & Raffin, M. J. (2006). Modafinil: a review of its use in excessive sleepness associated with obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome and shift work sleep disorder. CNS Drugs, 19, 785-803.
  10. Peñaloza, R. A., Sarkar, U., Claman, D. M., & Omachi, T. A. (2013). Trends in on-label and off-label modafinil use in a nationally representative sample. JAMA internal medicine, 173(8), 704-706.
  11. Schmitt, K. C., & Reith, M. E. (2011). The atypical stimulant and nootropic modafinil interacts with the dopamine transporter in a different manner than classical cocaine-like inhibitors. PloS one, 6(10), e25790.

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