BrainPill Review

Writer and nootropic tester Alex Whybrow examines this nootropic supplement in our BrainPill review. Find out who it’s suitable for, whether it works and whether it’s a good option for you…

Canadian Company Leading Edge Health makes BrainPill – a nootropic supplement that claims it could be “your new secret weapon for peak mental performance”. A bold claim, I’m sure you will agree, but an attractive one. Who wouldn’t want to be operating at ‘peak mental performance’? We’ll assess whether we think that statement is accurate or not in this BrainPill review.

Here at Soma Analytics, we make it our mission to get the bottom of how effective nootropics can be for you. In this BrainPill review we are going to be looking at exactly what BrainPill is designed to do for your cognitive performance, before taking an in-depth look at the ingredients and why they have been included.

We will then put it to the test and detailing what we experienced before looking at some frequently asked questions and delivering our verdict.

First off, let’s see exactly what benefits BrainPill hopes to give you to answer the question – why should you take BrainPill?

BrainPill Benefits

Like most nootropic supplements, BrainPill is geared towards getting you to perform better mentally. The name is a bit of a giveaway there, really! They are very confident in their claims, suggesting you can unleash ‘unstoppable productivity’, but we want to cut through the hyperbole and break down what they are suggesting.

The main benefits of BrainPill can be split into 5 different sections. Let’s look at them one by one:

Speed

First up, we have speed – being able to use our brains more quickly, whether we are thinking of the correct word to write, trying to recall some important information or making quick decisions. Speed of thought is vital to a productive working day.

Stamina

Do you ever have it when you find yourselves staring into space after, say, an hour of work, your brain starts to get tired and, subconsciously, you give it a little break? Leading Edge Health are claiming that with BrainPill you will be able to work with more focus and endurance, so that you can power on through without these lapses in concentration.

Defense

Often overlooked in the marketing of nootropics, largely because the audience is more concerned by the difference it can make to the present, but defense is a very important attribute to look for.

We are learning more and more about neurological diseases, and the earlier we start to prevent them, the more chance we’ll have later in life.

Focus & Concentration

Similar to stamina, but this goes a bit deeper. Not only will you be able to concentrate for longer, but when you are working, you will find yourself truly immersed in the topic. You know that feeling when everything just clicks and you have a really productive session? Well, that, but much more often.

Memory

When we talk about memory, it’s not just a case of being able to recall certain dates and birthdays (which is pretty useful). Memory can help us all day at work – no more stopping to look up facts or details, it’s all there, at the front of our brain, so we can just keep going. Better memory also helps us learn and retain new information and skills.

So you can see from this list that they have high hopes for the BrainPill, but how do they hope to achieve this? Let’s take a close look at the ingredients.

The question is – is this all just clever marketing language, or does BrainPill actually achieve these benefits. We can learn a lot from the ingredients in each serving – and then we will look out our own real life experience with BrainPill.

BrainPill Ingredients

Before we look into the specific ingredients, we just wanted to state that BrainPill is manufactured here in the US, despite being from a Canadian company. They are quite transparent and have links to all of their scientific research on their website.

It is also worth noting, though, that they disclose that the Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated the statements about the benefits of BrainPill – although this is pretty standard in the world of nootropics.

Citicoline-Cognizin

This brain chemical is commonly used in nootropic supplements. It is frequently used as a treatment for age-related brain decline, such as Alzheimer’s Disease – originally it was a prescription drug in Japan.

There is more evidence to suggest that it can help fight against these kinds of disorders, rather than enhance healthy brains, but more research is required to fully establish this.

Here we see 250mg of citicoline which is a pretty optimal dose based on clinical evidence available.

Tyrosine

Tyrosine is an amino acid that has been proven to boost cognitive performance in healthy adults. It is a precursor to noradrenaline and dopamine which both work to improve mood and memory. It was found to be particularly effective during periods of high stress.

We get 175mg of it in BrainPill which is an optimal amount.

Phosphatidylserine

There have been independent studies that have suggested phosphatidylserine, a fatty substance which protects cells in your brain, can improve cognition.

People that took phosphatidylserine supplements performed much better in short-term memory tests, and it is thought to help prevent memory loss as you get older. Some studies have suggested it can boost your mood and concentration.

We see 100mg of it here in BrainPill.

Vitamin B12

A vitamin B12 deficiency is linked with cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative disease, so it has been included in the makeup of BrainPills to help prevent these. There is little evidence to suggest that it can boost the performance of healthy brains, but it is certainly important to ensure that you have enough.

50mcg is a good daily dose of vitamin B12 and will deliver a range of health benefits.

L-Theanine

L-Theanine is another amino acid, this time used to help with anxiety and stress. It could also help boost attention span and reaction time. We often see it in mood boosters and relaxation supplements and a 100mg dose as included here is a good daily dose.

Vitamin B6

Comprising pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxine, vitamin B6 is something else that we need to maintain normal levels of in order to prevent brain decline. Studies have shown that subjects that take vitamin B6 supplements perform better at cognitive tests. 5mg is a good amount to supplement with each day.

Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid, plays a key role in the production of amino acids, which in turn are key to normal brain functions through the maintenance of brain cells. It helps create energy within your cells, which means quicker thinking.

You get 30mg of Vitamin B5 in BrainPill.

Bacopa Monnieri

Herbal supplement bacopa monnieri can increase signaling molecules in your brain, and also protect your brain from chemicals involved in Alzheimer’s Disease. Some tests have shown that people that take bacopa monnieri supplements experience improved cognitive performance.

It is a common ingredient found in many nootropics and here we get a good 320mg dose included.

Huperzine A

Huperzine A is thought to increase the levels of acetylcholine in your brain, which is important to protect against diseases that affect memory and clear thinking. As such, Huperzine A has been included in BrainPills to enhance memory.

The 5mg dose included in BrainPill is in line with current clinical evidence to elicit results.

Folic Acid (vitamin B9)

Folic acid has been proven to have memory-enhancing properties, particularly in older people. Not only does it fight brain diseases, but it can help a healthy brain have a better and longer memory.

This rounds off the strong vitamin B complex found in BrainPill and we get 400mcg included.

Vinpocetine

Some studies have suggested that vinpocetine can help to increase blood flow to your brain, while also protecting neurons from injury. While more research needs to be done on its effectiveness on healthy brains, it has been used for over 20 years to people with cognitive impairment.

We get 5mg of it in BrainPill.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba has been shown to increase cognitive speed, as it helps blood flow into the brain. It has also been suggested that it can help improve memory, and help to prevent cognitive decline.

100mg as we see in each serving is a decent daily amount to supplement with.

DHA Complex

An Omega-3 fatty acid, DHA is a key part of phospholipids – a neural membrane that is important for your brain structure and function. DHA is essential for brain development in babies and infants, but it is thought it can also help adults with normal brain function to help improve the ability to learn and remember.

We get 100mg of it here.

At this point in this BrainPill review we’d like to emphasize that while each company undoubtedly puts in a lot of research into their products, there has not been enough independent research to validate a lot of claims that are made.

There are little scraps of evidence conducted by various organizations around the world, but very few clinical trials. The best way to find what works for you is to trail and test. Look for money back guarantees like the 60 day no quibble money back guarantee you get with BrainPill.

In most circumstances you should see or feel results within 30 days or so. If you don’t, then exercise your guarantee.

Taking BrainPill Supplements

The recommended dose for BrainPill is to take two capsules per day. It’s suggested that you take one in the morning and one in the afternoon and ideally with meals and water. You cant take up to 4 in any 24 hour period if you feel you need an extra boost.

On their website, they say that you should allow around 30-90 days before you see major results, and they offer a 60 day money back guarantee.

Using BrainPill

So, to put it to the test. We were quite excited about trying BrainPill – the website makes many bold claims about what we could expect to experience, and who wouldn’t want to have a better functioning brain?

As a writer with a young family, I know how important focus and general productivity is. My biggest enemy is procrastination – the wasted time during the day which causes me a lot of stress and anguish when the house is suddenly full of children that need attention, snacks, stimulation and dinner.

I have tried a few different nootropics and have written reviews on them – so I know what can be achieved with more focus. That’s what I wanted to experience with BrainPill.

I was impressed a lot quicker than I thought I would be. The change wasn’t massive, but usually with nootropics, it takes a little while for me to feel anything. With BrainPill, I was noticing an improvement within the first week.

As I said, it wasn’t a huge change, but I found that I was completing tasks a lot quicker than normal. I was finishing articles that would normally take me a full day, with hours to spare so that I could make a start on the next one.

So then, when the house starts filling up with children, I was able to fully switch off and engage with them.

No thoughts at the back of my mind about what I still needed to do after they had gone to bed, I was fully in the moment with them. And I was a much better father as a result, creating fun new games to play with them, and more ambitious when it came to making dinner.

These may sound like small things, and I guess they are, but they meant a lot to me. And my kids.

I think the impact of BrainPill plateaued pretty quickly, but I was happy with what I had. Marginal gains end up adding up to a lot, so by being a little bit more focused, with a slightly better memory and in a slightly better mood, I was becoming a much better professional and a much better dad.

I didn’t experience any negative side effects, and even though I have tried nootropics that have had a much stronger effect on me, the BrainPills seemed to get into my system much quicker than pretty much any other one I have tried.

With a small dose of just two capsules a day, I was pleasantly surprised. Many nootropics require you to take 3 or even more capsules for each dose, so it was nice to only have to swallow two small pills.

Pros and Cons of BrainPill

Taking into account my own experiences, plus the experiences of other users, we have have come up with the following pros and cons of using BrainPill:

Pros of BrainPill

Enhanced focus: many have reported that when they take BrainPill, they are able to focus more on tasks. That was certainly our experience too. I got more done in less time than before I started taking BrainPill.

Fast acting: While the producers of BrainPill, Leading Edge Health, encourage caution when it comes to when to expect to notice a change, one of the big pluses that we found was that it took hold pretty quickly – in under a week. That may not be the case for everyone, of course, but it was a big plus in our book.

Cons of BrainPill

Not suitable while pregnant or breastfeeding: The ingredient vinpocetine has been the subject of some concern when it comes to people that are pregnant, with the FDA revoking its ‘safe’ status in 2019. This won’t be an issue for many people, but if you are pregnant, or hoping to get pregnant, it is best to look elsewhere.

FAQs

Is BrainPill safe?

Yes. As all the ingredients are natural, there are no concerns about whether BrainPill is bad for your health, as long as you are not pregnant.

How old do you need to be to take BrainPill?

BrainPill is like all nootropics and supplements – not suitable for children. You must be at 18 years old or over to take BrainPill.

Will BrainPill work for me?

Unfortunately, we can’t answer that question definitively. While there has been plenty of research on the individual ingredients, much of it needs further testing to really gauge the findings. Our advice would be to take advantage of the 60 day money back guarantee if you are curious – all you risk is the money on postage and packaging.

Verdict

We had a positive experience using BrainPill. By their very nature, nootropics are difficult to draw any definitive conclusions about, but we can tell you what we have experienced, as well as what we have heard from others.

If you are looking to try a nootropic to enhance your cognitive performance, BrainPill is certainly a great option and one that should give you good results. There is little to lose thanks to their money back guarantee and they have some great bulk buy deals. We’d suggest a minimum 3 month supply to begin with – but the 6 month bundle is exceptional value for money if you can stretch to it.