Are Nootropics aka “Smart Drugs” Legit?
Brain enhancement substances have exploded in popularity. But are they a scam? What does the science say?
It seems everyone is hawking some cognitive improvement product these days. Amazon is rife with products from companies like ONNIT, Gorilla Mind, The Genius Mind, among many others. Joe Rogan regularly promotes ONNIT’s Alpha BRAIN. Alex Jones pushes his Brain Force supplements. Stanford professor Andrew Huberman swears by Alpha GPC. Just a quick Google search reveals a seemingly never-ending list of companies, products, and advertisements touting the benefits of nootropics.
The purported benefits of these supplements are extensive. Just to name a few, nootropics allegedly boost concentration, improve sleep quality, increase memory retention, reduce stress, and enhance creativity. Andrew Huberman, who is a neuroscience professor, claims they are essential when he wants “to push a workout hard, or a work session, a writing session, or data analysis session.”
Because of the hype in the last few years, nootropics have become a billion dollar industry, with some estimates putting it at nearly $30 billion by 2028. But is this justified? Do they really work, or is it just more pseudoscience?
Nootropics Aren’t New
The word nootropic was first coined in 1972 by Romanian chemist Dr. Corneliu Giurgea. He formed the word from the Greek noos (mind) and trope (to bend or turn). Since the early 60’s he’d been trying to synthesize a sleeping drug but inadvertently created piracetam, which today is regarded as the first synthetic nootropic. After studying the effects of this new, “unusual” drug, Giurgea defined nootropics as anything that has “direct functional activation of the higher integrative brain mechanisms.”
However, nootropics occur naturally and have been used for millennia. The most widely consumed is caffeine, which is found in coffee beans, tea leaves, guarana, cocoa beans, and kola nuts. It works by blocking adenosine, one of the four building blocks of RNA and the buildup of which induces sleepiness. l-theanine is also popular because it is a common amino acid found in tea. It allegedly promotes feelings of calmness without drowsiness due to blocking excitatory brain chemicals, enhancing alpha brain waves, and boosting levels of serotonin and dopamine. Creatine is another common, natural nootropic. It’s found in seafood and red meat, and it’s thought to improve mental energy by providing “high energy phosphate bonds that are available for immediate ATP replenishment in energy demanding circumstances.” Other common, natural nootropics are the herbs bacopa monnieri and rhodiola rosea, panax ginseng, ginkgo biloba, and nicotine.
Ancient cultures are well-known to have regularly ingested these substances. Tea was first cultivated in China around 2750 BCE. Coffee cultivation is thought to have originated in the Arabian peninsula and East Africa as far back as the 15th century. The natives of Central Mexico are thought to have been cultivating tobacco stretching back to 5000 BCE. Ginseng was in use 5000 years ago up in the mountains of Manchuria, China. The Chinese were also cultivating ginkgo trees by as early as the 10th century. And rhodiola rosea and other rose roots were part of traditional European medicine going back at least 3 thousand years.
Today, since Dr. Giurgea opened the door over fifty years ago, this new field has produced several popular synthetic nootropics, such as Noopept, Piracetam, Phenotropil, Modafinil (sold under the name Provigil), Amphetamines (Adderall), and Methylphenidate (Ritalin).
It seems humanity has always—and will likely continue to—pour significant time and effort into producing substances that boost—or are thought to boost—brain power.
But What Does the Science Say?
Well, the results are mixed.
To begin with, the results for ginkgo biloba aren’t looking good. In small doses, such as those obtained naturally, the effects are not noticeable. Even in higher doses, such as those found in supplements, a meta-analysis of 28 randomised controlled trials found “no ascertainable positive effects on a range of targeted cognitive functions in healthy individuals.” This meta-analysis looked at 13 studies on the effects on memory (1132 participants), 7 on executive function (534 participants), and 8 on attention (910 participants). So, despite having been so popular for so long, maybe reconsidered before plunking down 20 bucks for ginkgo biloba supplements.
Furthermore, the results for panax ginseng seem to be all over the place. While some studies show positive results for participants that regularly took over 200mg, other studies dispute the quality of this research, with others finding that any benefits could be attributed to the placebo effect. One study reviewed 40 years of global clinical research on the mental benefits of panax ginseng and found that “Despite the persistent interest in ginseng clinical research, the medical effectiveness of ginseng is inconclusive.” This is not to say that it doesn’t work. We just can’t nail down if it does. In fact, we can’t even figure how it might work, with some scientists suggesting potential benefits could simply be due to its anti-inflammatory effects.
It’s looking good for l-theanine. In particular, some research suggests that moderate doses of l-theanine, such as those found in a few cups of tea, can increase alpha waves in the brain. Alpha waves or the alpha rhythm are a type of neural oscillations that are associated with creativity. A randomized control trial published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that “l-theanine, at realistic dietary levels, has a significant effect on the general state of mental alertness or arousal.” The authors of this study from Nutrients believe l-theanine can “promote mental health in the general population with stress-related ailments and cognitive impairments.” So maybe have that second or third cup of green tea.
The results for creatine, a substance commonly used by athletes to boost physical performance, are a mess but lean positive when it comes to its brain-boosting ability. This meta-analysis from the journal Experimental Gerontology looked at the results of six studies with a total of 281 participants that aimed to determine creatine’s effects on an array of cognitive domains, such as intelligence/reasoning, short-term memory, long-term memory, executive function, attention span, reaction time, word fluency, mental fatigue, among others. The only positive results were in intelligence/reasoning and short-term memory, though the effects were limited. For the other categories, the results were ambiguous. Interestingly, though, vegetarians experienced a boost in memory tasks compared to meat-eaters.
As far as the herb bacopa monnieri goes, a meta-analysis published in 2021 found that its touted effects were not all it’s cracked up to be. This herb is common in ayurvedic medicine and is regularly consumed for its supposed memory enhancement benefits. However, this meta-analysis from Nature looked at dozens of studies and found only minor improvements in the subjects’ scores in tests such as “Auditory Verbal Learning Task, digit span-reverse test, inspection time task and working memory.” Subjects with memory loss also saw minor improvement. The authors note that although some studies found positive effects in some areas, no two studies found the same benefits in the same areas, suggesting the positive results could be anomalies.
The herb rhodiola rosea seems legit. This meta-analysis looked at 36 studies on animals published in the last few decades. 28 of them showed that the herb helps reduce escape latency, which is the time it takes the animal to successfully navigate a maze. 23 studies showed that animals given rhodiola rosea could find safe, moving platforms faster than those given placebos, and 6 studies demonstrated the animals had an overall reduction in the number of errors in various tests. The authors believe this is evidence for the effectiveness of rhodiola rosea in learning and memory function in animals, including humans.
Nicotine (without harmful delivery devices like cigarettes) has positive results. The authors of this study from the journal Current Neuropharmacology did a review of the literature and found that nicotine had noticeable effects in “attention, working memory, fine motor skills and episodic memory functions.” In fact, Professor Huberman claims a Nobel Prize winning colleague of his regularly chews Nicorette gum for its memory enhancement effects.
Caffeine is a mixed bag. This study from the Journal of Alheimer’s Disease did an extensive review of the literature and found that caffeine usually does not boost performance in memory and learning tasks. In fact, some participants performed worse in these areas under the influence of both low and high doses. Some participants, though, experienced limited benefits in specific cases, such as when information was presented passively, in working memory tests, and when they were fatigued. Overall, the authors claim that it appears “caffeine cannot be considered a ‘pure’ cognitive enhancer.” On the other hand, the authors found that caffeine certainly boost mood, combats fatigue, and increases arousal, which could explain the benefits some people experience.
As far as prescription nootropics go, the evidence only shows modest effects in subjects who are not using them to treat a diagnosed condition. That is, drugs like Ritalin and Adderall are commonly used by university students and some working professionals to boost cognitive performance and not to treat conditions like ADHD. This study claims that “healthy students (i.e., those without any diagnosed mental disorders) are increasingly using drugs such as methylphenidate, a mixture of dextroamphetamine/amphetamine, and modafinil, for the purpose of increasing their alertness, concentration or memory.” For these people, the benefits are mild and tend to diminish over time, likely due to increasing tolerance. However, for people that actually need these drugs, the benefits are far more pronounced. These authors claim that prescription nootropics are likely to “improve performance when cognitive processes are below an optimal level.” It should be noted that both medical professionals and academics have expressed concern that the misuse of prescription nootropics can lead to addiction, a lack of proper diagnoses and care, and other health complications.
What About Celebrity Supplements?
Well, there’s a concerning lack of studies. Despite many of these companies claiming their products are scientifically proven to enhance cognitive function, only a handful of peer-reviewed studies exist to support these claims. The science they are referring to is usually done in-house, meaning the rest of the scientific community hasn’t yet had the opportunity to scrutinize it.
One of the few peer-reviewed studies that exist is a randomized, double-blind analysis on the effects of Alpha BRAIN. Published in 2016, 63 participants were given either Alpha BRAIN supplements or a placebo over several weeks and subjected to a random battery of neuropsychological tests. The authors found significant improvement in “delayed-verbal recall and executive functioning.” However, the authors express concern these results need further testing, as no other similar studies exist.
In 2018, another study on Alpha BRAIN was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Its purpose was to measure soldiers’ improvement in marksmanship in those given 1925 mg of Alpha BRAIN a day over 31 days vs. those given a placebo. 43 soldiers participated, with 20 being given the treatment and 23 being given the placebo. The authors periodically measured the soldiers’ performance in regards to how many times they hit a target, their initial and average reaction time, and how close they were to the center of the target. In the end, the authors found that there “was no statistically significant difference between Treatment and Placebo.”
Also on the short list of studies, this one from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition sought to measure the effects of Alpha-GPC on mood, cognitive function, and physiological performance. Alpha-GPC is a naturally occurring brain chemical, but it’s sold as stand-alone supplements or included in many of the pills and powders that have become so popular in recent years. In this study, 20 participants were given either Alpha-GPC supplements or a placebo and then subjected to tests on hand-eye coordination, the ability to count backwards by 7, changes in mood, etc. They found that “Alpha-GPC had no statistically significant beneficial effect on measures of mood, cognitive function, or physiological performance.”
Conclusion
So what can we glean from all this? First, the evidence for some nootropics suggests that they don’t produce noticeable cognitive enhancement, despite being so popular for so long. Second, some nootropics seem to actually provide the sought after benefits. And third, there is a shocking lack of scientific evidence for this new wave of celebrity-endorsed supplements. Besides a handful of peer-reviewed studies, the evidence consists of personal testimonials (many of which are trying to sell these supplements through an affiliate link) and studies produced by the companies making the supplements, both of which should be taken with a grain of salt.
But then why do so many people claim they work? Maybe they do work and the science hasn’t caught up yet. Maybe it depends on the person, in that some people’s particularly physiology is affected more than others. Or maybe it’s simply the placebo effect. That is, when some people are told by a credible authority that a pain reliever will work, for example, and when these people really want it to work, it often does, regardless of the fact the pill contains nothing with medical value. In fact, many general practitioners have prescribed a mix of real medication and placebos. One study found that “the percentage of GPs having used any form of placebo at least once in their career ranged from 29% to 97%.” Their reasoning is that the placebo effect is real, in that some patients with certain types of ailments get the same benefits as real medication. With this in mind, a person might experience the cognitive benefits of an alleged nootropic, despite none actually existing.
Therefore, if it works for you, then do it. If you experience the cognitive benefits of a substance, keep taking it, as long as you know it’s safe and you can afford it. However, there’s currently not much science backing it up and you could just be tricking yourself into believing it works.
If you feel like giving them a try, click the Alpha BRAIN image below. Its the only brand that’s actually been studied, although the results are mixed.
