Focus Factor Review

Focus Factor is a US based brand that has been creating brain boosting supplements for over two decades. They focus completely on nootropics but do have quite a wide range of products on offer – we shall discuss most of these today as part of this Focus Factor review.

Focus Factor’s main offering is their pill based ‘Original’ nootropic supplement – designed to improve concentration, focus and memory. They also have an ‘Extra Strength’ version and now a new ‘Max Strength’ version.

In addition to this, they have gummies, drinks, pre-workouts and even a range aimed at children.

We tested Focus Factor Original (and may bring a further test of Focus Factor Extra Strength at a later date) for this review and will be delivering our full verdict, discussing the impact it had on our testers and comparing it to some of the best nootropics on the market.

The Focus Factor Range

As discussed, Focus Factor have developed a wide range of nootropic supplements – some of which are just stronger versions of the original – and some that target more specific needs.

This is pretty unusual for a nootropic supplement brand to do. Most focus on perfecting one product and giving a broad range of benefits, whereas Focus Factor seem to attempt to target particular use cases with each of their different supplements.

For example, they have a range aimed at gamers and one aimed at gym goers.

There are not many companies that offer a children’s range either – so this could be commendable. We will not be delving too deeply in to the kid’s range today though.

They also have a range of nootropic drinks, which are designed to give focus and energy.

Focus Factor Benefits

Focus Factor (as the name suggests) is very much aimed at improving focus and concentration. They also claim it helps improve memory.

This is all well and good, but even if it is successful in this, it still leaves out mood, anxiety and stress as areas to target. They do have other products (namely their gummies range) that do help with anxiety and mood, but why not create a formula that does everything?

Now it is important to note that like most nootropics, the claims made by Focus Factor are not evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

They don’t need to be.

However, it does mean that we very much have to take their word for the claims they make. That being said, they have conducted a double blind, placebo controlled study that found Focus Factor did indeed improve memory, concentration and focus.

This study was completed in 2011 by the Cognitive Research Corporation (and was funded by Focus Factor). It concluded that Focus Factor did indeed improve memory, concentration and focus and that it was well tolerated by users – in other words, there were very few (if any) side effects.

This was a pretty limited data set though, with just 96 participants in total, 49 taking the placebo and 47 taking Focus Factor. Some of the participant data was removed due to lack of follow up and non-compliance with the study. The results look promising, it’s just a shame that this couldn’t be rolled out to a greater number of participants to further solidify the claims.

Focus Factor Ingredients

Let’s take a look at the ingredients found in each serving of Focus Factor Original. The first thing to note is that each serving is 4 capsules. So a single bottle will last around 6 weeks.

4 capsules per day is quite a lot. They also suggest you can go up as high as 8 per day, so the doses shown below could be doubled if you feel you need to take more. For our testing, we stuck to 4 capsules per day.

Focus Factor actually has a very comprehensive list of natural ingredients – and if nothing else, it makes for a pretty impressive multivitamin supplement.

You get a pretty well rounded vitamin B complex (which you would expect in a good nootropic), as well as vitamins A, C, D and E. It also has a good mineral compound with Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Chromium all included.

So far so good – but nothing incredible from a nootropic standpoint other than the energy giving vitamin B complex.

The nootropic impact comes more from the proprietary blend (totaling 640mg) that we get with each serving. Generally, proprietary blends are a warning sign – as we don’t know exactly how much of each ingredient is included. However, to have just 640mg of the following ingredients is not ideal.

First off, we see DMAE bitartrate. This is a very welcome addition as it is well known to support memory functions. We also see Bacopa Monnieri extract – which is another well know nootropic that helps with memory.

There are some questionable inclusions such as L-Glutamine, grape skin and vanadium – but other than that, most of the ingredients (including phosphatidylserine, docosahexaenoic acid concentrate, N-acetyl tyrosine and gamma-aminobutyric acid) are all worthy of inclusion.

The trouble is, we don’t know how much of each there is.

Due to the iron content, Focus Factor Original is not suitable for children. Some of the ingredients also include Fish and Soy – so it’s not vegan or vegetarian friendly.

Judging it against other nootropics, Focus Factor has a decent ingredient profile with some solid ingredients known for their cognitive benefits. We’d like to see more to help with mood and anxiety, and we’d also prefer to know the quantities of the actual nootropic ingredients rather than just the vitamins and minerals – however I guess it’s a case of protecting their patented formula.

Of course, if you do take Focus Factor and feel little improvement then you could opt for one of the stronger options – although you will pay more for these.

Taking Focus Factor

There were two of us testing Focus Factor Original. We both took the supplement for a period of 6 weeks, getting through two 180 capsule bottles each.

Taking the supplement is pretty easy, you can take the capsules all in one go or spread them out through the course of the day. We both decided to take two in the morning and two with lunch.

There are no stimulants in Focus Factor which is great for those who are averse to caffeine. However, I must admit that I prefer nootropics that give an instant energy boost in addition to long lasting energy sources – and Focus Factor does neither.

Both me and the other tester write a fair amount each day. We both found that our focus was better than usual in the afternoon and although this is completely anecdotal evidence, we both felt it for sure. As for memory, this was harder to quantify and neither of us had any noticeable change in this regard.

One of the best things going for Focus Factor is the lack of side effects associated with it.

When testing, both of our testers experienced no negative side effects whatsoever, and the study data also backs this up – with the placebo group actually reporting the same or more side effects than the control group- with the exception of headaches which was around double with those taking Focus Factor than those taking the placebo.

Does Focus Factor Work?

It’s hard to say for sure how effective Focus Factor is. Even the independent study that was carried out saw the placebo group improve in the cognitive tests they carried out. That being said, those taking Focus Factor did improve more.

Both myself and the other tester both felt more focused when taking Focus Factor. The impact wasn’t immediate, but after a few days of taking it, we both felt positive effects – particularly during the afternoon writing sessions.

This may be because of how we split the serving, with 2 capsules in the morning and 2 at lunch time – helping us get through the oftentimes brain foggy afternoon’s – but I think the compound effect of taking it each day definitely improved over the course of the 6 weeks.

However, I can get largely similar results by drinking coffee after lunch. The result may not be quite so long lasting and I’m of course mindful of not drinking caffeine too late in the day, but it is a much cheaper alternative.

I also prefer the feeling I get from other nootropics such as NooCube and VyvaMind.

What Focus Factor really has going for it though is its vitamin and mineral complex. This is almost second to none compared to other nootropics. It’s not necessarily needed in a nootropic, but if you don’t want to worry about crossovers with other multi-vitamin supplements, and would prefer an all in one solution then Focus Factor is ideal in this regard.

But… there are better nootropic supplements available.

Alternatives To Focus Factor

Thankfully, we now live in a world where research in to nootropics is much more fast paced and readily available than every before. This has not always been the case – but as consumer demand for cognitive enhancement continues, the industry of course responds.

That means there are some truly wonderful options out there.

Our number one preferred alternative to Focus Factor is NooCube. It is the most complete nootropic we have tested, is made from all natural ingredients and is suitable for pretty much all cognitive improvement goals.

Like Focus Factor, it doesn’t contain stimulants, but unlike FF, it does target mood, stress and anxiety as well as helping to improve energy levels.

Verdict

Focus Factor has a high quality compound of vitamins and minerals. It also contains some truly great brain enhancing ingredients. The trouble is, that most of them are not in high enough quantities and only half of the usual nootropic benefits are tackled.

We’d prefer to see more focus on the anxiety and mood boosting elements that we see in many other brands. However, if memory and concentration are your main aim, then Focus Factor should see you good.

Start off with the Original version and if you feel you need more then try the extra strength and max strength options. Or just go straight for something like NooCube and get that full nootropic benefit right from the off.