Vitaae – is it as good as it claims to be? This in-depth Vitaae review from nootropics and nutritionist James Dixon gives you the straight answer you need.
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James Dixon
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The nootropic sphere is expanding rapidly. It is innovating quickly. It is winning new converts daily. And it’s no wonder, really.
Nootropics promise to improve executive function, working memory, energy levels, mental wellbeing, and long-term cognitive health. It would all sound too good to be true, except that we know it isn’t. The data is in, and the theory is sound.
That is, in some cases.
There are some truly great nootropics out there. There are plenty of supplements that really can give you these benefits. NooCube, Mind Lab Pro, Alpha Brain, Nooceptin… the list of top shelf nootropics goes on.
I began looking at Vitaae, from SANE Laboratories, quite dubiously. It didn’t look like it would stack up. And, for many reasons, I was right – it doesn’t. There is undoubtedly an interesting methodology underpinning its formulation. But whether or not this methodology bears scientific scrutiny is another matter.
Quick Verdict
Vitaee is pretty much useless. It’s a waste of money. Though their methodology sounds novel, there is a reason that few if any other nootropic supplements are going down the same route as them.
It claims to clear inflammation in the brain, from where all sorts of benefits are then meant to spring. This is rubbish. There is no scientific evidence to support it. Save your money for something proven to work (see below).
What is Vitaae?
Vitaae is a nootropic supplement marketed by SANE Laboratories as a brain-boosting, age-defying formulation with the ability to bolster mental clarity. The supplement is primarily targeted at older adults who wish to boost cognitive function and decrease the risk of developing various diseases as they reach their golden years.
SANE claims that Vitaae contains eight anti-aging, brain-boosting super-nutrients that can help decrease brain inflammation and reduce the risk of mental problems as we get older. However, a bit of a look into the scientific evidence behind these claims shows that they are a little shaky.
While some of the ingredients in Vitaae, such as CoQ10 and PQQ, have been shown to have potential cognitive benefits in some studies, the evidence is not conclusive. Additionally, some of the other ingredients, such as grape seed extract and trans-resveratrol, have not been extensively studied for their cognitive benefits. It seems to be a classic case of marketing tactics over substance.
While there are some positive reviews of Vitaae online, there are also negative reviews from users who did not experience any cognitive benefits or side effects – which is all unsurprising, given SANE’s formula.
Do bear in mind that individual experiences may vary; do also bear in mind that far more research is needed to determine Vitaae’s efficacy.
Right now, however, Vitaee seems to be a lean supplement filled mostly with nothing of worth.
While the ingredients in Vitaae are generally considered safe, some users may experience side effects such as gastrointestinal discomfort or allergic reactions. Always make sure to consult with your healthcare provider before taking any new supplement, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking medication.
What does Vitaae do?
Vitaae is, in short, a form of nootropic supplement. As such, it is designed to aid brain health and cognitive function. It does this through what appears on the surface to be quite a novel way.
It is formulated to help in clearing up brain inflammation. This might be far more important than one would first imagine. Reducing inflammation has generally been proven a positive, so it should be the case here, right?
Except that it isn’t, really. Research has shown that an inflamed brain can be due to a range of factors, so it takes something of a spurious start for Vitaae to run with this and pretty much make things up as it goes along.
The supplement aims to improve focus, memory, and energy levels, as well as aid in weight management by reducing belly fat and preventing weight gain. Additionally, Vitaae believes it has been shown to reduce the rate of the cellular aging process, which can help to keep the brain and body healthy as we age.
One of the key benefits cited by Vitaae is that it lessens mental fog and aids focus. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals who struggle with concentration or who have difficulty staying focused for extended periods of time. The supplement is meant to achieve this by providing you with essential minerals and vitamins that are necessary for optimal brain function.
Another supposed benefit of Vitaae is that it helps to resolve sleep problems and regulate the sleep cycle. Which is important, because sleep is essential for overall health and wellbeing. When we don’t get enough sleep, it can lead to a variety of health problems, including inflammation of the brain. Vitaae believes it helps to ease the inflammation state, which can help to improve sleep quality and duration.
In addition to these benefits, Vitaae claims that it has also been shown to protect against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. These are two of the most common neurodegenerative diseases that affect older adults. By reducing inflammation in the brain, Vitaae reckons that it helps to protect against these diseases and promote healthy brain aging.
It can’t really do any of these things, or at least not very well. Granted, it should give you some mild nootropic benefits. But there are far better nootropics out there – once again, see below. The rest is all sort of nonsense. Or, at least, it sounds good in theory, but rests on little to no actual data, despite SANE’s claims to the contrary.
Vitaae touts itself as a powerful dietary supplement that has been specifically designed to clear inflammation in the brain. The manufacturers claim that it has been shown to improve cognitive performance, aid in weight management, reduce mental fog, regulate the sleep cycle, and protect against Alzheimer’s and dementia. It hasn’t, which is a shame.
It is worth noting that the company behind Vitaae provides a one-year money-back guarantee on all purchases. This means that if you are not satisfied with the supplement for any reason, you can return it for a full refund within one year of purchase.
This is a testament to the confidence that the company has in the effectiveness of their product. I argue that this confidence is misplaced – most buyers should claim their money back. However, it’s at least nice to see them sticking to their guns.
Vitaae ingredients
Though a few of the ingredients in Vitaae have potential cognitive benefits, the evidence is not conclusive, and some of the other ingredients have not been extensively studied for their cognitive effects.
Vitaae’s web page lists certain ingredients, while the Amazon listing for the same product has a slightly different label. This discrepancy is unacceptable and indicates a lack of quality control on the part of the brand. SANE need to do better in informing their current and potential user base.
It is imperative that the brand immediately fixes this issue by releasing a definitive formula across all platforms. Inaccurate information regarding ingredients or dosages can pose a serious safety risk to consumers.
However, neither of the formulae listed makes too much sense, so the issue is kind of academic.
The first active ingredient listed on the label is vitamin D, which is presently dosed at 125 micrograms (mcg), or a little over six times your recommended daily intake (RDA). Such a high intake can be unsafe unless you have a pre-existing vitamin D deficiency, and SANE Labs has not cited any medical studies linking nootropic benefits with high vitamin D intake.
You also get a good dose of folic acid, a B vitamin, in the form of magnafolate C. However, there is also a lack of clinical evidence linking folic acid with any kind of nootropic benefits, and the manufacturer makes no attempt to scientifically justify its inclusion.
Our next ingredient, citicoline, is a great choice, at least. It has been proven to improve several measures of cognition, especially in older populations. However, usable doses as shown in the scientific literature stand at around 500 milligrams daily, which is five times the amount present in Vitaae. There is no evidence to suggest that citicoline is workable in the amounts included in Vitaae.
Coenzyme Q-10 is another good one, with a raft of data showing that it can slow cognitive decline as we age. However, as with citicoline, it is underdosed. At 50 milligrams a go, you get around a quarter of what most clinical studies have shown is an effective dose.
The final active ingredients are slightly obscured behind SANE’s ‘Vitaee Mind Proprietary Blend’, which is, of course, a proprietary blend, which is always a red flag. I hate proprietary blends – essentially, they don’t tell you how much of anything is included in a product.
Given how underdosed some of their main ingredients are, this doesn’t fill me with hope. I doubt there are usable amounts of any of the proprietary ingredients included.
The first of these is acetyl l-carnitine, which is typically used in an athletic context to boost performance. There is no evidence at all that it has any kind of nootropic benefits to offer. Meanwhile, gymnema sylvestre leaf extract has been proven to boost the health and function of blood vessels in diabetic rats’ brains.
In theory, this could have a strong nootropic effect, giving your brain more nutrients and oxygen. However, we don’t know if these effects would be replicable in human users. Again, there simply isn’t the data to back up its use.
Omega 3 fatty acids are known to benefit brain health. However, again, we get underdosing here once more. The estimated 450 mg or so included in the blend is less than what a single can of sardines provides.
All told, it is unlikely that Vitaae provides any kind of notable nootropic benefit because not all ingredients have been backed by any kind of workable data, and those that work are dosed far, far too meanly.
SANE Labs have strayed close to usable territory, without ever quite managing to cross that line. You get plenty of rubbish and not enough of the good stuff.
Using Vitaae
The Vitaae website makes a number of incredibly dubious health claims that have been disputed by experts.
One of the most misleading claims is the graphic featured on the website that suggests that Vitaae offers cognitive enhancing ‘fountain of youth’ benefits. This is disingenuous in itself. It also seems to imply that the claim is based on genuine clinical research, which it really isn’t.
SANE Labs claims that its formula is ‘clinically proven’, which is an outright lie. There are no clinical trials that I can find that look at the supplement itself. They also claim that their formula helps to mitigate and reverse neurological inflammation. However, there is nothing to back this up, no evidence to support it. Neurological inflammation is a very specific disease that requires proper medical intervention to treat.
As for the safety of Vitaae, it is impossible to say for certain whether or not the supplement will cause side effects, as it has not been studied in any clinical trials. However, an educated guess can be made based on its ingredients. All of the active ingredients in Vitaae are safe and well-studied at their included doses, so it is unlikely that the supplement will cause serious side effects for the average consumer. However, as we have seen, there are a few minor side effects that some users have experienced, and you should watch out for that vitamin D.
Alternatives
NooCube is a popular nootropic supplement. It is highly regarded in the market due to its potent blend of some of the best nootropic ingredients available. I regard it very highly for the same, plus my own user experience. It’s terrific, dosed well, and does exactly what it should be doing.
As a nootropic, what it should be doing is working to enhance cognitive function, improve memory, and reduce anxiety. It does all of this admirably, with a wealth of data underpinning its near flawless formula.
That formula includes 250 mg of Bacopa monnieri extract, also known as water hyssop, per serving. Water hyssop is a plant found in wetlands across the globe, and it has been used in traditional forms of medicine for centuries due to its ability to improve memory and reduce anxiety. Modern research has documented these benefits, although the effects have mostly been studied in older adults.
NooCube also contains a couple of amino acids, l-tyrosine and l-theanine, ingredients that are essential for brain function. L-tyrosine is naturally created within the human body in part to create new chemicals within the brain. It plays a role in the production of melatonin and in regulating hormone output and function and has been shown to improve memory under stress.
Each serving of NooCube contains 250 mg of l-tyrosine. Meanwhile, L-theanine is found in black and green tea and has proven benefits for anxiety. It aids in serotonin production, which stabilizes mood and cheers you up. Each serving of NooCube contains 100 mg of l-theanine.
Cat’s Claw concentrate is another big-hitter in NooCube’s formula, dosed at a very workable 175 mg per serving. It’s an Amazonian botanical that has been used for over two millennia in South and Central America. It is used to treat a wide array of healthcare concerns, including arthritis, haemorrhoids, certain types of cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. It primarily works to improve immune health and has been shown to slow down the brain’s aging process.
Then there is oat straw, one of my favourites, dosed here at 150 mg per serving. Oat straw aids blood flow regulation to the brain, resulting in greater repair and heightened energy levels.
Choline also rears its head in NooCube, in the form of 50 mg of Alpha GPC, a precursor to acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a crucial neurotransmitter that supports improved memory and attention. In addition to benefiting overall brain function, it should also help to ward off certain neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. It is just about the only crossover NooCube shares with Vitaae. As one might expect, it does it better, with a greater weight of evidence backing up its methodology.
NooCube also contains several more conservatively dosed botanicals, including marigold extract, which is rich in both lutein and zeaxanthin. These may aid in boosting overall cognitive function and memory. It also offers antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, which in turn should protect the brain against stress and aging.
Resveratrol, included at 14.3 mg per serving, is rich in antioxidants and is typically found in the skins of mulberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, and peanuts. It should help to slow down the brain’s aging process, whilst also aiding clarity and focus.
Pterostilbene, sourced from blueberries, is another of NooCube’s heavy-hitting ingredient. It is a compound with anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. This should further shield you from neurodegenerative diseases.
Finally, NooCube contains a good hit of vitamin B7, or biotin, which helps to maintain a healthy nervous system and can been tied to better-quality sleep, more stable, higher energy levels, and reduced anxiety levels.
Overall, NooCube is one of the best nootropic supplements on the market, priced well and backed by a wealth of data. It is designed and made to an incredibly high standard. I frequently argue that it provides a solid benchmark for what modern nootropics can and should do.
It is backed by a great body of research and contains potent blends of some of the best nootropic ingredients available. You should begin to feel the benefits very quickly.
My final take
Don’t buy Vitaae. At best, it’s a waste of money. It’s snake oil, full of nonsense that doesn’t work. The ingredients that do work – or should work – don’t, as they are so profoundly underdosed. There is nothing coherent here, nothing worthwhile, and very little backed by any kind of quality of scientific data.
At worst, Vitaae may be outright dangerous. Its vitamin D levels may be problematic for many.
However, the middle ground will probably win out for most users. It won’t be actively harmful. It will, however, be more than a waste of money (though this alone should see it removed from all of our shopping baskets). It is an opportunity wasted, especially when we know that there are some genuinely fantastic nootropic supplements out there.
Don’t buy into their rubbish about clearing brain inflammation. Don’t be OK with the shoddy clinical evidence backing up their claims. Go with something that actually works, that is scientifically justified, well-dosed, and properly targeted to doing what it is meant to be doing.
There are some fantastic options out there. NooCube is one of them, though there are plenty. Go with one of these. Vitaae has no place in anybody’s supplement regime.