Discover the benefits of Onnit Alpha Brain Black Label in our full review. Explore the ingredients, side effects, and how (or if) this brain supplement works.
I’ve crossed paths with the Onnit brand on a number of occasions in my adult life. Sometimes it’s been intentional, as you might imagine, I’m pretty obsessed with nootropics and test almost every brand, so it comes with the territory. Other times Onnit kind of just, well, gets in my face with its social media efforts.
Alpha Brain is a popular nootropic supplement. I think a good proportion of this is to do with its celebrity backing in the form of Joe Rogan, but I’ve also tested the Original version for myself and can say it is effective. It did make it onto my top nootropics list, though it was a few shades behind the top spots – the likes of Noocube and Mind Vitality are pretty difficult to compete with.
Today though, I’m talking about the Black Label version. It sounds revved up, and is indeed pitched as the ‘premium’ upgrade to the Alpha Brain OG.
If this is true, then Black Label could be really good – the improved version I’d hoped for in my first review. I studied the ingredients and trialed it myself, to weigh up whether it’s worth the investment. Here’s what I found.
Alpha Brain Black Label: Quick Verdict
Alpha Brain Black Label by Onnit is a nootropic supplement designed to enhance cognitive function, focus, and memory. It aims to induce a “flow state” of mental clarity and focus.
This Alpha Brain formula is different to their original version. Alpha Brain Black Label promises better attention span, learning and memory, and I saw this in my own trial, albeit not on quite as huge a scale as they shout about. Side effects are minimal thanks to its natural content – I only had mild jitters, though you can reduce the dosage to suit.
Alpha Brain Black Label includes a Keep-It™ guarantee if it’s your first time using their supplement and you’re not happy with the results, which gives us all peace of mind and reassurance. I was pleasantly surprised with this nootropic and would very happily recommend it.
What Is Black Label For Onnit Alpha Brain?
Alpha Brain is a nootropic supplement designed by Onnit Labs. Now, these guys have a broad range of lifestyle products in their range, including multivitamins and joint support, physical performance and goal-focused aids, sleep supplements, gut health, immunity, and of course nootropics.
That’s really quite broad – a lot of nootropics I review tend to focus on their baby – their golden child nootropic, with perhaps a sidekick. But clearly, Onnit are on it – they’re going the full hog.
And with a backing from big characters like Joe Rogan and Aubrey Marcus, it’s inevitable their brain health supplements are going to have a huge platform to shout from and gain attention. It’s not all talk, though – there are some double-blind placebo-controlled trials performed on its formula that contribute to the efficacy study of Alpha Black Label.
It’s designed to help with mental focus and enhance memory, and tries to help the brain enter a ‘flow state’, which is where concentration and cognitive processing are at their peak performance.
There are some new ingredients in here which I’ll go through in a moment, but collectively they’re in there to support attention span, cognitive performance, and long-term memory without causing stress and anxiety from too much stimulation. At least, that’s the idea situation in a nootropic – I was interested to see if the results would reflect the theory.
Benefits Of Alpha Brain Black Label
Cognitive function is all about alpha brain waves and neurons, and how nootropics help them function optimally. Here is what Alpha Brain Black Label claim they can do for you:
✔️ Promotes Flow State. Helps the brain enter a state of deep focus and enhanced cognitive processing.
✔️ Supports Cognitive Performance. Aims to enhance attention span, learning, and long-term memory.
✔️ Maintains Neurotransmitter Levels. Helps regulate chemicals that relay signals to and from the brain.
✔️ Provides Relaxed Alertness. Promotes a calm mental energy without jitters.
✔️ Supports Eye and Brain Health: Assists in managing stress from extended screen time.
This supplement contains a number of ingredients to apparently achieve all the above, however it is also dairy free, gluten free, and soy free, which is a huge benefit to many.
Alpha Brain Ingredients – Black Label
The biggest contributor in the original Alpha Brain is the Onnit Flow Blend; however, as noted in my Alpha Brain review, I didn’t love analyzing it as it is a proprietary blend – which basically means they don’t tell us how much of each ingredient we have.
Onnit’s Alpha Brain Black Label is an entirely different formula of natural ingredients aimed at enhancing brain skills, functions and health. With this pumped-up version, we know exactly what’s in it, and how much.
Velvet Bean – L-Dopa
Velvet beans have some really helpful neuroprotective abilities. However, the problem is we don’t have any supporting evidence of how or if it effectively enhances our cognitive function and healthy learning. It also seems it only has noticeable effects in healthy adults – it won’t have positive cognitive effects on those who are already on the decline.
Lions Mane Mushroom
Lion’s Mane Mushroom is a brilliant nootropic ingredient. In fact, it annoyed me when I didn’t see it in the original version – it has stronger effects than most, and seems mad to not include it.
It’s used to reduce our stress levels and also improve cognitive performance, especially for the younger adults amongst us (again, it’s prevention over cure here). Even before science got involved, this gem has been used for centuries for its quick working time for our memory, attentiveness, and reaction speed.
These mushrooms seem to show promise regarding mental agility and mood, even though most of the data has yet to be researched.
Unfortunately though, it has only 500 mg of Lion’s Mane and uses the fruit and mycelium. Typically, you want to avoid mycelium as the active compounds are in the main mushroom.
Citicoline
Citicoline is another classic nootropic ingredient that’s loved for its acute effects on our memory. Studies show that taking 500 mg daily may help with episodic memory or remembering certain experiences and events, especially in older, healthy adults, which suggests it may improve cognitive function.
The composition of Alpha Brain Black Label contains 250 mg of citicoline. This amount falls short of what research says we need to effectively support brain health and cognitive speeds.
Caffeine Anhydrous
The effects of caffeine can vary between us. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, this addition will be bad news for you (NooCube is stimulant free, and certainly a good one to consider as an alternative). However, caffeine does have its place in nootropics – it’s what gives the instant mood and brain function boosting benefits.
Even though it’s only 25 mg of caffeine, when paired with L-theanine (see below), there is a synergistic effect for one of the most effective nootropics.
The beneficial effects of L-theanine and caffeine stacked together will mean improvements in both physical and cognitive performance. We’re talking improved reaction time, visual processing speed, working memory, alertness, and reduced tiredness and mental fatigue.
It’s really where this BlackLabel version outperforms the original formula. Just make sure you avoid taking it at night close to bed time or your quality of sleep will suffer.
Toothed Clubmoss – Huperzine A
This is great one for athletes in high-impact sports, as it’s believed to give us immediate cognitive and physical benefits. Again though, there is not yet solid evidence on this; we definitely need more research to validate it.
On perhaps a much more serious note, it’s believed that this ingredient, with a suggested dose of 1mg/kg of body weight every day, could potentially help recovery from traumatic brain injuries.
Also, we only have 20 mg here no matter the user’s weight, which makes benefits even more questionable here.
Lutemax2020
Lutemax2020 has been incorporated into Alpha Brain’s Black Label formulation with little research to back its cognitive enhancement claims – they say it will support eye function, and ‘help both the brain and eyes’. Hmmm….
Right now, the evidence to support its inclusion in a nootropic supplement isn’t available. Really we need a systematic review and meta-analysis.
L-Theanine
I’ve mentioned this already with caffeine – you’ll often see them paired up together in a blend of ingredients. Onnit offers this amino acid to encourage relaxation by lowering stress and anxiety, which is very complementary with the caffeine.
L-Theanine is a really effective ingredient with a lot of backing in how it improves working memory and attention, especially if you already have a deficit (particularly those of us with ADHD).
Phosphatidylserine
This is here to improve brain health. Phosphatidylserine is a fat we need for healthy cell membranes throughout our entire body, but the brain is where it really makes a difference. It’s all to do with the outer coating of a nerve called the myelin sheath, and this helps it send information quickly, encouraging a healthy brain and function.
We have piles of research on this too, which suggests that phosphatidylserine supplements clan easily be absorbed through the blood-brain barrier, improving many cognitive properties easily, especially in older adults experiencing cognitive decline.
Alpha Brain contains 200 mg in Black Label, which is OK – on average, people see a difference when taking anywhere from 100-800mg of phosphatidylserine daily. A little more would’ve been nice, though it’s not alone here.
Overall, it’s not a bad blend of nootropic ingredients here. There are several ingredients that need a lot more evidence to back their claims in enhancing brain function or health, but there are also specific ingredients that are commonly used for their solid efficacy.
How Much Is Alpha Brain Black Label?
Alpha Brain Black Label is priced at the premium end, I’m afraid. For a supply that lasts for 20 days, you’d need to part with $124.95. Quite a steep demand.
They do offer some great deals though, especially as a bundle. Personally, I always buy the bundles as one month is never enough to see real benefits. They do offer a KeepIt® Guarantee to protect you if it’s your first time using it and it just doesn’t seem to be having the desired effect. You can’t be much fairer than that, really.
How To Take Alpha Brain Black Label
Using Alpha Brain should be simple:
✔️ Four capsules every day, or as needed, ideally with a light meal.
❌ Do not take more than 4 capsules in 24 hours, and not in addition to another nootropic.
Potential Side Effects Of Alpha Brain Black Label
Generally, Alpha Brain is safe. When I review any supplement, I look at any reported side effects of a nootropic to ensure there aren’t any acute and chronic effects we might want to avoid.
There are no scientifically reported side effects of this Alpha Brain supplement and the included ingredients. However, some people have reported feeling nauseous and experiencing headaches.
Side effects such as headaches can be normal, especially at first if you’re new to nootropics, or if you’re sensitive to stimulants in it. Side effects like nausea are also common in general for new users.
You must pay close attention to your own response to any new supplement, and always seek professional advice first, especially if you have any medical conditions, medications, or concerns. They will assess ingredients and side effects in conjunction with your own unique medical history.
My Experience With Alpha Brain Black Label
Finally, the moment I was waiting for – I was really keen to get going with this. It’s been out for a while now, and now it’s 2024 – it’s about time I found out if I could consider Alpha Brain to be a strong contender amongst others with this so-called premium version.
First off though, I didn’t love that the supply of Alpha Brain comes in four capsules every single day, ideally with food. That is a lot, especially if you’re someone who doesn’t love swallowing capsules. Plus I’m not big on breakfast, yet it’s the most convenient time to ensure I take them. I did get used to it, but some days it was the last thing I wanted.
They say you can take them as you like so long as you don’t exceed four, a day however I wanted to steer well away from late afternoon or I’d put sleep quality at risk. Plus, well, the day gets busy and I know I’ll forget to take them…
Anyway, back to it. I did actually have a heightened sense of focus not long after taking it, I’d say around 40 minutes. It’s a bit like having a cup of coffee, really. However, this mental energy stuck around for a while, which I was impressed with. It did feel as though I was much more immersed in my work, and wasn’t easily distracted either. That was worth the four capsules – so far so good!
However, I did have mild jitters. I’m OK with caffeine, so if you’re not, I’d steer clear – this side effect of the caffeine content could cause some problems. This occasional jitteriness didn’t impair my functionality, I just avoided my afternoon coffee, which I kinda missed enjoying.
Having said that, I didn’t get the crash that comes with coffee. Those are worse than the jitters, in my opinion.
What about my memory? Well, I did notice an improvement in my recall of detailed information over the weeks. It wasn’t a dramatic cognitive shift, but as I’m assessing this review, I did notice that I could report on an improvement there.
As for overall brain health – I guess we’ll have to wait and see. That’s always a difficult one to assess in such a short time. More scientific data would prove this.
I didn’t experience any adverse effects, which I was pleased about; however, I am used to nootropics. Always take it steady if you’re a beginner.
Overall, my trial was moderately positive. I saw some decent improvement in my cognitive performance and mental clarity, which is ultimately what I wanted, and with minimal side effects.
They’ve given me plenty of room to be picky here though. If I were to put Alpha Brain vs something more potent (Noocube for example), NooCube would always excel – it has an excellent formula that never fails me, and it’s caffeine free.
But I guess that’s kind of harsh – after all, I’m here to review Black Label, and overall it performed well. It’s very similar to its Onnit Focus Blend, but has a slightly greater potential to enhance our cognition thanks to the doses and continued use.
Watch my video review of Alpha Brain Black Label below:
Does Alpha Brain Work? My Verdict On Black Label
I really quite liked this nootropic. I could pick it to pieces and compare its ingredients to others, but it did work – it did achieve what it set out to do.
With Onnit Alpha Brain Black Label, I had a noticeable uplift in focus, mental energy, and alertness, especially during work hours. I was prioritizing tasks better, and my memory was subtly more effective. I noticed some increase in recall speed, though not quite as ramped up as they shout about. Still, it achieved it.
Maybe they should rethink their caffeine content. I like a drop of caffeine, but I prefer it in a mug like most people. Many others prefer to completely avoid it – it’s kind of becoming an old dinosaur in nootropics, who are replacing it with other quality nootropic ingredients.
The cost of approximately $6.25 per day is also really quite steep. But again, it works, and I always recommend you opt for quality over penny pinching.
While it did boost my cognitive function, the results were not as dramatic as I’ve seen with other supplements. Alpha Brain may have done a very good job though with their Black Label version. If I were them, I’d scrap the original and just have this version – it really works, and is worth giving a try.
Sources:
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jfbc.12292
- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/22/4842
- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/24/5018
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33978188
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/147683008X301513
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5841233_The_Effects_of_L-theanine_Caffeine_and_their_Combination_on_Cognition_and_Mood
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11011-017-0075-4
