Soma Analytics founder Jason Mills delivers his verdict on the latest nootropic to hit the market in this Kaged Mindset review. Find out if it works as good as it tastes below…
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Written by Jason M – fact checked by the editorial team
Jason is the founder of SOMA Analytics and has full oversight of the content produced. He has a wealth of personal experience in natural supplementation and has used a wide range of nootropic supplements for his own personal use. Jason has completed a range of neuroscience and biohacking courses including ‘Biohacking Your Brain’s Health’ through Emory University, Atlanta.
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Kaged Mindset was the first premium brand nootropic to launch in 2023, and I was lucky enough to get my hands on a limited edition bundle box prior to its launch date. Having tested pretty much every nootropic that we review here at Soma Analytics, I feel pretty well positioned to bring you this impartial Kaged Mindset review – and I am writing it just 30 minutes after taking a dose of the caffeinated version of Mindset.
It’s been two weeks since I took delivery of the beautifully branded and crafted box set, and although the chances are you won’t be able to get your hands on the same bundle as it’s limited edition (I say, with smug delight), you can now order one of the two versions of Mindset that is available at launch – Mindset and Mindset + Caffeine.
Quick Verdict: Kaged Mindset
Kaged Mindset is going to be one of the big players on the nootropic scene with two impactful iterations – both the caffeinated and non-caffeinated versions worked well for us in terms of providing long lasting energy, focus and aiding concentration.
It’s available at an affordable price point made even more appealing thanks to our exclusive discount code below. We also love the way it mixes to create a lovely tasting orange mango drink.
About Kaged Mindset
Kaged pitch themselves as an elite supplement brand – and to be fair, they are.
Acknowledging the company’s ultra slick branding, there are few companies in the supplementation world that have products that stack up to their marketing – but Kaged do.
Most of their focus to date has been on physical fitness and aesthetic improvement of the body, so this shift into mental health and brain fitness is an interesting pivot – but is one that makes sense.
On the surface, it seems Kaged have applied the same approach to Mindset that they have to their other supplements – with a focus on using top-tier ingredients that are backed up by science, with effective dosages.
Not an easy task though when you consider the lack of research in the field of nootropics in comparison to supplements associated with bodybuilding, for example.
But a quick glance at the ingredients contained in both the caffeinated and non-caffeinated versions of Mindset will have you take note of how much research has gone in to creating a truly great nootropic that is at least equal to, and if not better than, anything that exists on the market currently.
We also applaud Kaged for creating stimulant and stimulant-free versions of Mindset right from the off, providing a quality option for everyone. Both versions are plant-based, GMO free and free from any banned substances – so are perfectly safe for athletes to take too.
One thing that sets Mindset apart from the competition is that it doesn’t come in pill format. Instead, it comes as a powder that you simply mix with water to create an orange and mango flavored drink. More on that in my personal experience section later in this Mindset review…
Kaged Mindset Benefits
Before I get on to my own personal experience of using Kaged Mindset, let’s take a look at the key benefits Kaged themselves promise, and how exactly you stand to improve mentally from taking the supplement.
There are five main brain boosting benefits that Kaged promote:
- Long-lasting energy
- Increased productivity
- Improved attention
- Boosted focus
- Sharpened memory
These are all pretty common benefits that you would associate with any kind of nootropic, and like most other nootropics, some of these benefits are immediate, whereas others will develop over time.
What cannot be argued is how vital these benefits will be to anyone wanting to function to their full capacity – and that can be applied across a range of areas including those in education, top-level professionals, writers, athletes, and so on.
I’ll be discussing my own experience and the benefits I enjoyed from taking Mindset right after we look at the ingredients it contains.
Our Kaged Video Review ⬇️
Mindset Ingredients
I really like the ingredient profile of Mindset. It is forward thinking, uses some big hitters, and includes some new patented ingredients. Everything is well dosed and the fact it comes in a powder format means it is easy to adjust the dose dependent on your tolerance level and experience with using nootropics.
Kaged suggest 1 scoop will give a strong effect, whereas 2 scoops is for the full effect.
This will vary from person to person, but as someone who has used nootropics a fair bit, I never felt the need to go past 1 scoop – although I did once just to test it.
The point here is that if you are new to nootropics, you might want to start off at a lower dose to test it out – and that’s easy to do with Mindset because of the delivery method.
I’ll comment on the doses at 1 scoop here, but the relatively low cost point of Mindset means that for those who do want to double up, you are getting a really potent dose of these ingredients at a reasonable price.
So, let’s take a look at what’s included in Mindset +Caffeine (the standard Mindset is the same, just without the caffeine):
Vitamin B Complex
All good nootropics include a good solid vitamin B complex, and Mindset is no different. You’ll find 10mg of vitamin B6, 250mcg of vitamin B12 and 15mg of Vitamin B3 (Niacin) in each serving. From these, you can expect a range of physical and cognitive benefits that include the repair of neurotransmitters.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a key antioxidant that helps prevent the brain from being negatively impacted by oxidative stress. It is also a key player in helping promote dopamine production.
We get 75mg per scoop in Mindset, and it also carries with it a range of other physical benefits.
Alpha-GPC
Alpha-Glyceryl Phosphoryl Choline is a key nootropic that is responsible for releasing acetylcholine in the brain – this is the most prominent neurotransmitter we have, and by increasing production we are increasing the ability of a range of cognitive functions in the brain.
Here, we see a very healthy dose of 600mg per serving.
L-Tyrosine
L-Tyrosine is an amino acid that helps us perform well in stressful situations. It helps us produce catecholamines, which in turn help us in ‘fight or flight’ situations and is thought to improve focus and motivation.
500mg is a really good daily dose.
Acetyl L-Carnitine
Another amino acid is L-Carnitine and this is an interesting addition, as it is an ingredient we often see in fat burning supplements rather than nootropics. That is because it is associated with increasing metabolism.
However, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that L-Carnitine can boost cognitive energy, and that’s why it is included here. 500mg per serving is included in Kaged Mindset.
Huperzine A
5mg of Huperzine A per serving is enough to provide a cognitive boost. Like Alpha-GPC, it is thought to prevent the reduction of acetylcholine in the brain, and thus it helps the brain to function at full capacity.
Not all nootropics include Huperzine A, but I always like to see it.
American Ginseng Extract
Ginseng has been used in the East for centuries and is another natural ingredient we see used in various supplements. It is thought to help with achieving a state of flow, and although this is very difficult to pin down scientifically, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to support its inclusion.
We get 100mg per scoop, which is a generous amount.
Phosphatidylserine
This phospholipid helps to maintain healthy nerve cell membranes, and is a key component in protecting against age related cognitive decline.
We can get Phosphatidylserine from many foods; however, it is almost impossible to consume enough of it to experience these benefits. So to 50mg we get from 50mg is a very helpful supplementation.
L-phenylalanine
Although Mindset is not too focused on mood regulation, the addition of L-phenylalanine can help regulate mood as it is linked to dopamine production. It helps in the natural creation of tyrosine in the brain, and 150mg per scoop is a more than adequate amount to supplement daily.
Mineral Complex
Another patented ingredient here is their Ioniplex® Fulvic Ionic Mineral Complex.
We don’t know the exact quantities of each individual mineral, but with 50mg in total of minerals including zinc, calcium, vanadium, copper, iron, boron, chromium and many more, this is a really crucial addition to the blend that sets Mindset apart from the competition.
These will have a wide range of physical benefits in the least, with some additional cognitive benefits too.
PurCaf® Caffeine
Caffeine is the world’s most popular nootropic. Taken by billions of people daily, the hit of energy you get within 30 minutes of consuming it is depended on as a lifeline for many. The problem is that you often get crashes after taking it.
This isn’t so much the case with Mindset + Caffeine thanks to its use of organic green coffee beans – which is the cleanest and most efficient form of caffeine you can get.
150mg is equivalent to around 2 cups of coffee, and will give you the instant energy hit you need.
Extended Release Caffeine
To help prevent the energy crash associated with standard caffeine, you also get ZümXR® Extended Release Caffeine. This is another patented ingredient that works in synergy with the PurCaf® fast-acting caffeine – it releases its caffeine into the bloodstream for hours, so you feel the benefits long after taking it.
Using Kaged Mindset
As someone who has used a lot of nootropics (usually in capsule format), it was quite refreshing to try Kaged Mindset which is essentially a nootropic drink once mixed with water. It was also great to see such a quality range of ingredients used – many of which can even replace your standard multivitamin supplementation, with so many essential minerals and vitamins included.
Upon receiving the bundle box I was blown away by the quality – and although not everyone will be able to get or indeed even want the box bundle, the quality of packaging and the bottle that was included was simply stunning.
I don’t often get excited by packaging, but I did in this instance.
Aesthetics aside, I started off by testing the standard Mindset (without caffeine) and was impressed by the almost instant impact it had.
I’m used to testing nootropics that take days or sometime weeks for me to feel a benefit. But with Mindset, the feeling was instant – or within 30 minutes at least.
On day two I tried the Mindset + Caffeine version and this was perhaps unsurprisingly even more effective.
With both versions, I felt a big initial focus and energy boost. With the non-caffeinated version, this lasted for around 90 minutes to 2 hours. The caffeine version though, lasted for around 3 to 4 hours of high-level alertness. I’ve never experienced anything like it before.
I put a lot of that down to the caffeine – especially the slow release caffeine, as I experienced no jitters or crashes whatsoever.
To be clear here, I don’t drink coffee. I have the odd pre-workout and drink some tea daily, but my daily caffeine intake is a lot less than 100mg usually – so I’m not used to taking 150mg or more of caffeine.
I wouldn’t say I’m sensitive to caffeine, but neither would I say my body is overly used to it. But ultimately, there were no negative side effects of taking these relatively high levels of caffeine for me.
Additionally, the other ingredients were clearly playing their part, as when I tested the standard Mindset mix, I felt similar benefits – just not quite for so long.
From my experience of taking other nootropics, some of the ingredients will take weeks to see the benefits, but they are likely all quietly ‘doing their thing’ in the background.
As someone who works from a home office the majority of the time, I found the mixing of the powder with water a great way to take Mindset. It is also great tasting with a palatable, well-mixed consistency.
The Orange Mango flavor was the only one available at the time of writing (Edit: This is still the case as of July 2024), but is delicious. Very fruity, and natural tasting. The key thing here is that it mixes well.
For those who are on the move or work away from home, it may be trickier to mix on the go, but of course you can pre-mix and drink on the go with relative ease.
For me, the standard 1 scoop is enough to power me up through the day.
The key benefits I felt were higher levels of concentration and focus, more energy that lasted longer than other nootropics, and definitely an increase in productivity.
It’s hard for me to assess whether I saw a memory boost, but my instinct tells me this is likely to be a longer-term benefit that will come about after taking Mindset for months rather than weeks.
It’s very fairly priced when compared to the competition, and with our discount code it is even more affordable.
Verdict
I really think Kaged have come up with a fantastic nootropic supplement with Mindset. I preferred the caffeinated version, but both worked for me. The long-lasting energy and focus it delivers will work wonders for professionals, students, gamers, writers, athletes, or anyone who needs to sharpen their cognition.
It’s relatively inexpensive for a month’s supply, and most of us will see significant benefits from the standard single dose – only needing the double scoop when we need to be hyper-focused.
All in all, Kaged Mindset is a triumph and will become a staple in my nootropic locker.
Latest Updates:
✎ July 22, 2024: Renewed product image and feature image. Resized other images. Checked flavors, ingredients, dosages and prices, making amendments where necessary (ingredients profile hasn’t changed). Offer, discount code and link checked.