TruBrain
Pros
- Noopept is definitely effective for increasing working memory and focus
Cons
- Uses synthetic nootropics so not suitable for daily use
- Centrophenoxine is likely to cause side effects
- No long-term nootropics in stack
- No good cholinergic
TruBrain Review Summary
TruBrain is becoming one of the biggest nootropic brands on the market. However, after reviewing both TruBrain capsules and TruBrain Think Drinks, we can’t say we’re overly impressed! To its credit, TruBrain is likely a very potent nootropic supplement; it contains more than one synthetic nootropic known to have significant effects on cognitive performance. However, using these synthetic nootropic compounds every day comes with risks, and side effects are almost inevitable with long-term use. TruBrain also uses a questionable combination of synthetic nootropics, as Noopept will not necessarily work well with Centrophenoxine. For the money TruBrain charges, better, safer, more reliable nootropics are available.
TruBrain Review: What is TruBrain?
TruBrain is a popular nootropic supplements brand. TruBrain makes a range of biohacking supplements, from nootropic drinks and the TruBrain Active Nootropic capsules to a sleep aid everything in between. In this review we’re going to focus on the TruBrain pills rather than the TruBrain drinks, but we will discuss the nootropoics drinks range in the review as well.
According to the official website, TruBrain capsules can:
- Boost working memory
- Reduce brain nfog
- Boost mental “output”
- Lower stress
This sounds like a good daily nootropic. We always look for nootropics which target multiple different aspects of cognitive performance. This is crucial, since all the mental stamina and focus in the world will be wasted if you are so full of anxiety that you can’t harness it into productive work. So TruBrain sounds like exactly the sort of brain supplement we look for.
If it works that is!
Does TruBrain really work? Will this nootropic enhance brain health and functionality? Is TruBrain safe or will it cause side effects? What is a better alternative to TruBrain for the same price or less? What about TruBrain Think Drinks? Read our detailed TruBrain review below to find out!
TruBrain Ingredients
What is in TruBrain? This is the first thin that a TruBrain review needs to look at, as this determines how it works as a nootropic.
Here is the TruBrain ingredients list as it is show on the website:
In case that isn’t clear, here is a list of the TruBrain ingredients along with doses:
- Noopept – 20mg
- Uridine Monophosphate – 500mg
- Acetyl-L-Carnitine – 500mg
- Centrophenoxine – 250mg
- Magnesium – 50% RDI
- L-Theanine – 200mg
Below is a detailed overview of each TruBrain ingredient. In each case we have epxlained what the ingredient does and what the scientific evdience has to say about it. Please post your questons about TruBrain’s ingedients in the comments at the end.
Noopept – 20mg
Noopept is a synthetic nootropic derived from Piracetam. It is widely used due to its far greater potency than Piracetam; the 20mg dose in TruBrain will produce similar effects to 2,000mg of Piracetam. Noopept enhances focus, improves working memory, and reduces anxiety. It is also thought to promote long-term brain health by increasing the release of Brain Derived Growth Factor in the brain.
However, we don’t think it’s a good idea to take such a significant dose of Noopept every single day. Noopept’s side effects have not been studied over a long period of time, and chronic use may cause unexpected problems. A daily nootropic like TruBrain should not contain a synthetic nootropic like Noopept.
Uridine Monophsophate – 500mg
Uridine moonophosphate is one of the most interesting nootropics in the world right now. Uridine is a basic building block of RNA, a nucelic acid essential for the coding, decoding and expression of genes. Studies show that increasing uridine levels increases the rate of brain cell maintenance and growth, which means enhanced cognitive function over the long term. Uridine monophosphate in particular has been found to be effective for boosting learning, focus and memory function measured over several months.
TruBrain delivers a 500mg dose of uridine monophosphate per serving, which i more than the doses used in the clinical trials showing statistically significant benefits.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine – 500mg
Acetyl-L-Carnitine, also known as ALCAR, is a common ingredient in sports supplements due to its effcts on energy levels. In simple terms, ALCAR increases the rate at which your cells can release energy from food (it basically makes your mitochondria more active). ALCAR is sometimes used in nootropis like TruBrain as it is thought it increases mental energy in te same way it boosts phyical energy. However, as with physical energy, the difference ALCAR makes is so small as to be barely noticeable.
TruBrain’s 500mg of ALCAR is a very low dose compared to the amount of ALCAR usually taken to boost sports performance. This, or any dose of ALCAR, is not going to noticeably increase mental energy or cognitive performance.
Centrophenoxine – 250mg
Centrophenoxine is an unusual nootropic; you will not see this used in many pre-made nootropic stacks like TruBrain. More typically you will see Centrophenoxine discussed on nooropics forums, where it is gnerally treated as an unusual, experimental nootropic compound.
Centrophenoxine is an ester of DMAE and a bioavailability-enhancing compound; in other words, it is like a more bioavailable form of DMAE. As a cholinergic, DMAE is less than ideal. It is nowhere near as effective as citicolin or Alpha-GPC, and it is much more likely to cause side effects. TruBrain would be a far better nootropic if it delivered 250mg of Cognizin Citicolin instead of Centrophenoxine!
Magnesium – 50% RDI
Magnesium is an essential mineral. It has numerous functions in the body, but for nootropic purposes we’re really only interested in one; nerve activity regulation. Magnesium reduces nerve activity, which helps calm the mind, relieve muscular tension, and reduce anxiety. A 50% RDI dose of magnesium like e get from TruBrain should help ease feelings of stress and anxiety, helping you stay calm, clear headed, and focused.
L-Theanine – 200mg
Theanine is an amino acid found in great abundance in black tea. Theanine has some intresting nootropic properties of its own; it is an anxiolytic, which means it naturally reduces anxiety and promotes a calm, clear head. But more importantly, theanine has major benefits when combined with caffeine. Theanine has a synergistic effect on caffeine – it increases its benefits while suppressing its side effects. Incredibly, theanine does not cause side effects of its own, and it lessens the side effects of stimulants.
TruBrain contains 200mg of theanine. This is an ideal dose to take with your morning coffee first thing in the morning. It will poduce sharper focus and moe mental energy without jitters, anxiety or a sudden crash!
TruBrain Formula Analysis: is it a good brain supplement?
Does TruBrain really work?
Yes, TruBrain will really work. There is no doubt that taking TruBrain will at least partially boost focus, memory function and learning capacity.
But is TruBrain the best nootropic on the market today?
Not even close.
The main problem with TruBrain is that it uses substandard ingredients. In more than one case, the makers of TruBrain have chosen cheaper, more side effect prone, less bioavailable, less effective ingredients even though better options are available. For instance, TruBrain uses Centrophenoxine rather than Citicoline or Alpha-GPC. This synthetic derivative of DMAE is much less effective than these other cholinergics and much more likely to cause side effects.
TruBrain also contains synthetic nootropic drugs, which is highly unusual for a daily nootropic stack. The main ingredient in TruBrain is Noopept. This compound is an extremely popular nootropic, but it is much too powerful for most users, and it has not been studied for use on a daily basis over long periods of time. We’ll discuss this more in the TruBrain side effects section.
There is also a lot missing from TruBrain; ingredients we look for in every top nootropic supplement. There’s nothing to boost brain cell growth, no potent antioxidants, nothing to encourage blood flow in the brain, and nothing to increase dopamine. Ultimately, because TruBrain lacks these standard ingredients in high quality nootropics, we doubt it can really “increase your verbal fluency, avoid distractions and boost mental output” as the manufacturer promises.
If you want a supplement to enhance focus, memory, learning and mental energy on a daily basis, then there are better nootropics out there than TruBrain. Other nootropics use a more comprehensive ingredient stack which boosts both short-term cognitive performance and long-term brain health.
TruBrain Think Drinks Review: How do they compare to capsules?
TruBrain Think Drinks, or just TruBrain Drinks as they are sometimes marketed, are a range of nootropic drinks sold by TruBrain in single-serve pouches.
The different TruBrain drinks have slightly different ingredients, their formulas having been created to suit different needs and produce slightly different benefits.
Here are the different TruBrain drinks ingredients lists:
As you can see, TruBrain drinks all have the same rough base formula, with Noopept, Centrophenoxine, Theanine, Magnesium and Uridine. Some of the TruBrain drinks formulas contain caffeine; 100mg of caffeine to be exact, which is a significant dose of this incredibly powerful natural sitmulant.
You will notice that some TruBrain drinks have some unusal ingredients thrown in too on top ofn the base formula. For example, TruBrain Extra contains 150mg of Adrafinil, which is an extremely powerful pharmaceutical drug related to Modafinil. This drug was invented to cure narcolepsy, and is known to keep you awake and alert for as much as 24 hours at a time – not necessarily something you expect to get from a simple nootropic drink like TruBrain! We do not recommend mixing Noopept with any compounds related to Modafinil, and we certainly don’t recommend mixing nootropics like Adrafinil with caffeine!
TruBrain Sleep has a very different formula of course, one designed more with improving sleep quality in mind. This formula is far from perfect however. GABA is not effective at all when consumed orally. Nor is 5-HTP.
On the whole, we are not overly impressed with TruBrain drinks. Most of these fomrulas are full of caffeine, one contains a nootropic drug that is far too powerful for a supplement like TruBrain, and some of the added ingredients don’t work at all.
Where to buy TruBrain
Where can you buy TruBrain?
TruBrain Active Nootropics is currently only available from the official merchant website operated by the manufacturer. Some TruBrain products, such as TruBrain drinks, are currently sold on Amazon. But TruBrain nootropic capsules with the formula discussed above can – to our knowledge – only be bought direct from the manufacturer.
It is always best to buy direct from the supplier whenever you can. Not only does it protect you from shady resellers, but you often get the best deals when going straight to the manufacturer; they can typically give you discounts because they are not wasting money on resellers and third parties.
TruBrain Free Trial
Is there a TruBrain free trial?
No, there is no free trial for TruBrain nootropic capsules. In order to take TruBrain, you need to pay full price for every order. TruBrain drinks are available for a free trial, in which you get 10 drinks to try for a reduced price. But not the nootropic stack!
Similarly, there are no TruBrain coupon codes or discount codes out there. If a site tells you they have a TruBrain coupon or discount code and they ask you to sign up or click to receive the coupon or discount code, it is most likely a scam.
How much does TruBrain cost?
TruBrain is extremely expensive for what it is.
TruBrain is priced at $125 per month.
That’s right – $125 per month.
This means taking TruBrain every day works out at around $4.16 per day. This would bhe outrageously expensive if we were dealing with the most powerful, safest, most robustly proven nootropic stack on the market. But as discussed in our ingredients analysis, TruBrain’s ingredients are in general cheap and substandard.
The best nootropics on sale today cost somewhere around $1-2 per day. They offer far more benefits and a better side effect profile than TruBrain.
So why is TruBrain twice the cost?
Clearly, you’re better off buying a nmootropic offering significantly greater value for money, of which there are dozens currently on the market!
TruBrain vs Alpha Brain
Which is better, TruBrain or Alpha Brain?
When comparing these two nootropics directly, it is very difficult to pick a winner. Despite both Alpha Brain and TruBrain being extremely popular nootropics, their formulas are deeply flawed, and neither brain supplement can be said to be one of the best nootropics available today.
Alpha Brain is free of synthetic, potentially dangerous nootropics like Noopept and Aniracetam. It contains more varied nootropics which enhance cognitive function in a more comprehensive, broader way than TruBrain.
However, Alpha Brain also contains several completely useless ingredients which have never been shown to improve focus, memory or learning in a meaningful way.
Worst of all, Alpha Brain uses a proprietary blend. Those of you who have read our detailed Alpha Brain review will know that we are totally unimpressed with the way Onnit have hidden the Alpha Brain ingredients doses.
TruBrain by contrast has a totally transparent formula. TruBrain’s ingredients and dosages are all listed clearly on the website and bottle, so you at leats know how you’re being ripped off with this nootropic.
TruBrain Side Effects: Is it safe?
Is TruBrain safe? Will it cause side effects?
These are very important questions for any TruBrain review to answer. The most powerful nootropic in the world is no good to you if it causes serious side effects or long-term neurological damage!
The ingredients in TruBrain have all been tested in clinical trials and have been deemed generally safe for short-term, infrequent use. However, these same ingredients have not all been properly tested for long-term, daily use, which is how TruBrain is designed to be used.
Noopept seems to be relatively safe and side effect free when used on occassion, but no studies exist attesting to its safety when used daily for periods longer than about 14 days.
The same goes for Centrophenoxine. As a completely synthetic form of DMAE (containing an obscure compound banned in the EU), Centrophenoxine is significantly more likely to cause side effects than higher quality cholinergics.
The most likely TruBrain side effects are:
- Headaches
- Confusion
- Loss of focus
- Brain fog
- Low mood
- Low motivation
- Muscle cramps
These TruBrain side effects are much more likely if using the nootropic on a daily basis for periods of more than 14 days. The other ingredients in TruBrain are highly unlikely to cause any side effects whatsoever, even when used long-term.
TruBrain Review Conclusion: Does it work?
TruBrain is a very popular nootropic supplement. Not only are TruBrain drinks becoming more and more popular, but TruBrain nootropic capsules are also growing in popularity.
However, we don’t think this popularity is deserved. TruBrain is a poor nootropic supplement no matter how you look at it.
The main problem with TruBrain is that it uses lower quality ingredients than we expect from a premium supplement with a premium price tag.
TruBrain’s use of synthetic nootropics also makes it unsuitable for long-term daily use. This is probably why the makers haven’t bothered including any ingredients which focus on long-term brain cell health or brain cell development like Lion’s Mane Mushroom or Bacopa monnieri.
Ultimately, if you want a nootropic stack which dramatically enhances your focus, learning, memory and mental energy, there are better supplements on the market right now than TruBrain.
Looking For Something That Really Works?
See Our Current #1 Rated Cognitive Enhancer: Nooceptin
Nooceptin is our current top rated nootropic. We tried Nooceptin ourselves and found that it works exactly as advertised. Taken together, the ingredients rapidly increase focus, accelerate mental processing speeds, and enhance working memory.
Nooceptin is a truly comprehensive nootropic, providing both immediate and long-term benefits. It does not cause side effects and is considerably better value than other nootropic stacks on the market today.
Nooceptin has been found to effectively:
- ✔️ Boost Overall Cognitive Function
- ✔️ Improve Memory
- ✔️ Enable Better Communication
- ✔️ Enhance Concentration
- ✔️ Improve Multi-tasking
- ✔️ Boost Mental Energy
The really special thing about Nooceptin, however, is its long-term effects. When taken daily for prolonged periods, Nooceptin stimulates neuron growth and improves overall brain cell health. This means it enhances cognition in a deep, meaningful way that keeps giving you benefits after you stop using it.
Simply put, Nooceptin is the ideal brain supplement for people who need to mentally perform at 100% capacity for hours on end. At $69.99 per course, we think it's hard to find a more effective and cost-effective nootropic right now.
Brian Johnson is current Editor of Vagarights.com and a long-time writer for VAGA. A former psychologist, Brian is passionate about improving mental health and finding ways to stave off cognitive decline. He is an expert on nootropics, cognitive enhancement and biohacking more broadly. You can see his work on Google scholar.
What Nootropics do you recommend?