If you are looking to speed up your mental processing, increase your concentration and sharpen up your focus then Onnit’s Alpha Brain may be the answer.
Onnit is another company that promotes natural health using what they label as “Earth Grown Nutrients”. They make a point of being caffeine, gluten, and GMO-free (Alpha Brain does contain soy).
Founder and CEO, Aubrey Marcus, believes that nootropics “are the most elegant solution to helping the body improve memory and cognitive performance.”
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What is Alpha Brain?
Alpha Brain is a nootropic supplement designed to improve cognitive functioning.
It contains all natural ingredients which are delivered in the form of capsules. Two capsules per day is said to help you experience a boost in brain power and memory.
Ingredients
Onnit have combined the ingredients of Alpha Brain into three proprietary blends.
This mean that they do not have to disclose the exact amount of each ingredient. The three blends are:
- Onnit Flow Blend
- Onnit Focus Blend
- Onnit Fuel Blend
Onnit Flow Blend
This blend is designed as a stress fighter. It contains the following four ingredients which provide a total of 650 mg:
- L-Theanine
- L-Tyrosine
- Oatstraw
- Phosphatidylserine
The amino acid L-Theanine has been shown in clinical studies to increase levels of brain dopamine and serotonin. This leads to a more relaxed, calm state (1).
L-Tyrosine is another amino acid which has research to show that it can help relax the mind (2).
Phosphatidylserine is derived from soy free sunflower lecithin, and helps support normal neurotransmitter function and healthy nerve cell membranes.
Onnit Focus Blend
This blend makes up 240 mg of the supplement. It is comprised of:
- Bacopa monnieri
- Huperzine A
- Alpha GPC
Bacopa monnieri is a powerful antioxidant. It protects brain cells from free radical damage and improves memory (3).
Huperzine A is a precursor of acetylcholine. It helps to maintain the levels of this neurotransmitter. This improves focus, memory and reasoning (4).
Alpha GPC works in tandem with Huperzine A to maintain optimum levels of acetylcholine in the brain.
Onnit Fuel Blend
Making up 65 mg of the product, this blend is comprised of Pterostilbene, Vinpocetine and L-Leucine.
Pterostilbene and Vinpocetine are well recognized as anti-oxidants and vasodilators. They have the ability to promote new neural pathways and increase the blood flow to the brain (5).
There is no evidence to show that the amino acid L-Leucine has any nootropic effects.
Research
Onnit contracted an independent clinical team from The Boston Center for Memory to do a thorough analysis of Alpha Brain.
They conducted two double blind clinical studies where 83 participants took either Alpha Brain or a placebo.
The main trial lasted for six weeks. Test subjects were given a verbal memory test at the start and finish of the trial. Their brain wave activity and level of concentration were also tested.
Results showed that the Alpha Brain group had a better ability to recall information. Brain wave activity and focus were also greater in the Alpha Brain group, which indicates it really works (6).
Cat’s Claw
Alpha Brain also contains AC-11® proprietary form of the herb Cat’s Claw.
Onnit claim that this herb can repair the damage caused to DNA by aging, leading to cognitive benefits. To date, there have been no clinical studies to support this claim.
Examine.com states that based on current evidence, Cat’s Claw is very unreliable and cannot be recommended at this time.
Effectiveness
The effectiveness of Alpha Brain depends on the overall lifestyle of the user.
If you are getting 8-10 hours of sleep each night, regularly exercising and eating a well balanced diet that contains fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and protein, then you will see little effect from this product.
Those who don’t are the most likely to see results with Alpha Brain. Improvements in motivation and focus will be the most noticeable effect. Verbal memory will also be improved.
Dosage
The recommended dosage for Alpha Brain is two capsules per day.
Taking it with a light meal helps speed up absorption. The official website recommends taking 2 capsules 4-6 hours before bed time in order to promote ‘an enhanced dream-like state.’
Who Takes It?
Alpha Brain is designed for anyone who is wanting to sharpen their mental faculties. It will work best on people who are not getting enough sleep, not exercising and not eating healthily.
Side Effects
Alpha Brain contains only natural ingredients and is likely safe to take.
Every compound that goes into this product has been certified as safe by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Problem is that Onnit use proprietary blends in this product. That means that we do not know exactly how much of each ingredient is in it.
We’re confident they have adhered to the RDA levels though considering the overall blend doses.
Pros
- Backed by an independent clinical trial
- Contains scientifically proven nootropics
- Caffeine free
- Gluten free
Cons
- Cat’s Claw and several other ingredients lacking any solid scientific evidence
- Proprietary blends don’t reveal exact ingredient dosages
- Expensive
Purchasing Information
Alpha Brain can only be purchased from the official website. The purchasing options are:
- One bottle (30 capsules) = $34.95 US / $46.09 AU / $50.97 NZ
- Two bottles (60 capsules) = $59.41 US / $72.41 AU / $86.65 NZ
- Three bottles (90 capsules) = $79.95 US / $105.44 AU / $116.61 NZ
Shipping is not included in the price. Shipping rates are not listed on the website. Onnit use FedEx to ship to Australia and New Zealand.
The Onnit website mentions that they are working on establishing distribution in Australia and New Zealand.
Overall
Alpha Brain is a good product aimed at those who want to enhance their mental processing capabilities and performance.
What’s more, Onnit have some research to stand behind many of their big claims.
It’s also great to see a company sensitive to the needs of those who are allergic to gluten, but it’d be nice to see ingredient doses as well as some research supporting some of the less well-known ingredients.
All things considered though, Mind Lab Pro actually has the edge over Alpha Brain because all its ingredients are scientifically backed, and they are transparent about the dose of all of them.