11 Best Nootropics & Smart Drugs on the Market in 2024

I recall the first time that I started experimenting with nootropics—I was 18 years old and was looking to get an edge in trading the stock market.

I heard that execs from silicon valley and Harvard Law students were popping smart pills to get the best of their competitors.

It wasn’t long until I realize that not all nootropics are created equal, however. As I embarked on my endless quest to find the best nootropics out there, I invariably encountered some of the worst.

I spent literally thousands of dollars trying out different supplements claiming to increase my intelligence, and I’ve compiled a list of the best nootropics (in my experience) for you down below. I hope you enjoy.

What Are Nootropics?

ATTENTION: If you’re just looking for the strongest, best overall nootropic for laser focus and productivity, it’s Limitless Focus—click here to buy it online. Just one pill is more than enough!

Smart drugs, often times referred to as “nootropics,” are just that—drugs that make you smarter. They improve focus, memory, and more.

The right nootropics can help you focus for longer periods of time, get more done, be more productive, and even be more creative.

In fact, many entrepreneurs are now taking nootropics as a way to earn more money, and compete with an ever-changing business world.

As an entrepreneur myself, I’m always looking for the best nootropics to boost cognitive performance, support my brain, and give me an edge.

If you’re an entrepreneur (or just a person), using nootropic supplements is one of the easiest ways to boost your brain and mental performance.

Here’s some benefits of taking nootropics:

• Support Brain Health
• Improve Cognitive Performance
• Boost Mental Energy & Focus
• …and much, much more

The thing to understand though, is each nootropic supplement acts differently on the brain, thus having different effects on the brain.

Adderall, for example, alters your dopamine receptors, which leads to greater focus, more mental energy, and more motivation.

Other nootropics act on different pathways. This means that, depending on your own brain chemistry, some nootropics might work better for you.

The only way to really know if a nootropic works for you, is to try it for yourself and see how you feel… so, with that in mind, here’s what to try.

Announcing Limitless Nootropics

If you’re looking for an “all in one” nootropic that will give you long-lasting focus, tons of energy, a great boost in your mood, and overall improved cognition, look no further than Limitless Nootropics.

Limitless Nootropics is my flagship nootropics company, that I am a co-founder of. I wanted to start a supplement company I could be proud of, and I’m happy to announce, it’s finally here.

The reviews are already starting to rack up –

• Limitless Nootropics Review #1 (Gym Bros Blog)
• Limitless Nootropics Review #2 (Hardgainer Bodybuilding Blog)

I’m going to write a full article on Limitless Focus eventually, but for now, go check out those.

Eventually we plan on launching multiple supplement lines with different nootropics focused on mood, energy, one for sleep, and more. Until then though, go check out Limitless Focus, our flagship nootropic.

Nootropics For Memory

Everyone wants to get a better memory. Whether you’re a young kid trying to study better, or an old man suffering from memory loss.

Thankfully, the right nootropics can not only help prevent memory loss, but actually improve your brain, mind, and memory, at the same time.

Here’s the best nootropics for memory:

• Bacopa Monnieri (Buy it Here)
• Lion’s Mane Mushroom (Buy it Here)
• Gingko Biloba (Buy it Here)
• Alpha GPC (Buy it Here)

Each of these can be stacked with one another as well, so if you’re suffering from an impaired memory, consider taking these nootropics.

Water Hyssop

This nootropic, more commonly known as Bacopa Monnieri, is a natural Indian Ayurvedic medicine, which is typically used to boost memory.

…and although it’s been around for thousands of years, scientists are just starting to discover the brain boosting effects of this nootropic supplement.

In fact, research even shows that it might help protect your brain from age related cognitive diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or Dementia. [R]

The dosage for this natural nootropic is typically between 300 mg and 600 mg, with some people even taking up to 1,000 mg per day.

Bacopa Monnieri is no doubt one of the best nootropics for memory, so if you’re having memory problems, consider taking 600 mg per day.

For Bacopa Monnieri, I recommend this brand right here.

Lion’s Mane

Hericium erinaceus, otherwise known as Lion Mane Mushroom, is another one of the best nootropics for natural brain power and memory.

Similar to Bacopa, this natural nootropic has also been shown to help prevent cognitive, brain related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. [R]

Dosages for Lion Mane Mushroom are typically between 1,000 mg and 2,000 mg per day, with some people taking up to 5,000 mg per day.

All in all, this natural nootropic is one of my favorite nootropic supplements for boosting brain power, and for its memory enhancing effects.

For Lion’s Mane Mushroom, I recommend this brand here.

Gingko Biloba

Gingko Biloba, a natural plant extract from the Maidenhair Tree, is one of the best nootropics for memory, anxiety, and overall brain health.

Numerous studies have shown that this powerful, natural plant extract can help improve memory, particularly in the memory impaired.

In fact, one study found that this supplement could be used as an effective treatment for those suffering from brain disorders, like Dementia.  [R]

The Gingko Biloba dosage is typically around 120 mg per day, and while some people might take more, this is not recommended. Side effects can begin to negatively effect your performance beyond this.

Either way, Gingko is a powerful and natural nootropic supplement that will help improve memory, boost brain power, and enhance cognitive focus…and only a little bit is needed. Just 120 mg per day is enough.

For Ginkgo Biloba, I recommend this brand here.

Alpha GPC

Alpha GPC is probably the best nootropic for memory out there. The effects of this nootropic supplement are literally mental (no pun intended).

In fact, this supplement is so strong that in Europe, it’s sold as a prescription medication to treat Alzheimer’s disease. That’s how strong it is.

Studies have even shown that it can help athletes improve their overall physical strength, in addition to improving memory and cognition. [R]

For dosages, it’s recommended you take between 120 mg and 300 mg of Alpha GPC per day. Nothing more than 300 mg per day, though.

This nootropic supplement is a natural compound found in the brain, which acts on the choline system, improving not just memory, but focus, too.

So, not only is this supplement 100% natural, but its cognitive enhancing benefits and brain boosting powers come with almost no side effects.

Nootropics For Anxiety

Admittedly, a lot of people have anxiety these days. Unfortunately, this is part and parcel of living in a modern civilization, in modern times.

Thankfully however, we’ve got some of the best nootropics for anxiety here, which will put you on Cloud 9 in no time at all.

Here are the best nootropics for anxiety:

• GABA (Buy it Here)
• Ashwagandha (Buy it Here)
• L-Theanine (Buy it Here)
• Kratom (Buy it Here)

Each of these can be stacked quite nicely, and out of all of these nootropics, kratom is probably the strongest for anxiety. Use with care, though.

GABA

Any neuroscientist worth his salt knows that GABA is one of the most important natural neurotransmitters in your brain out there.

In fact, it’s so important that your brain couldn’t function without it. Unfortunately however, some people have low GABA levels.

Simply taking 500 mg or more of GABA can drastically help with anxiety levels. In fact, GABA is a nootropic that I always have in stock.

Whenever I’m feeling a bit anxious, sometimes I’ll take 750 mg of GABA, and I’ll feel better within just 15 minutes or so. I highly recommend it.

Just one pill of this stuff each day and you’ll notice a HUGE difference.

Ashwagandha

In addition to being one of the best nootropics for anxiety, Ashwagandha is also a great way to boost testosterone levels through the roof.

In fact, it’s one of the few clinically researched ways to boost testosterone, and it’s though that it does this indirectly, by reducing anxiety.

Clinical studies have shown that taking between 2,000 mg and 3,000 mg of Ashwagandha per day can drastically help decrease anxiety.

Personally, I take this stuff all the time. I take 2,600 mg every day to help with anxiety, and also boost my testosterone at the same time.

For Ashwagandha, I recommend this brand here. It’s very high quality, and I notice a difference in my overall anxiety levels when I take it daily.

L-Theanine

Naturally found in green tea, L-Theanine is one of the best nootropics for anxiety on the planet. In fact, t’s what makes green tea calm you down.

Taking an L-Theanine extract is a great way to reduce anxiety levels, and it can even be stacked with caffeine to help you get better focus, too.

L-Theanine dosages are typically between 100 mg and 200 mg, and for stacking with caffeine, take 100 mg per cup of coffee.

Overall, L-Theanine is one of my favorite nootropics out there. It’s very versatile and can stack well with stimulants, too.

For L-Theanine, I recommend this brand here.

Kratom

Ah, where to begin. I first discovered kratom several years ago, and ever since then, I’ve been a big fan of it for the mood boosting effects.

Note that kratom can sometimes be addictive to the right person, so you want to be careful here. That being said, I’ve never had a problem.

In addition to helping with anxiety, kratom is also great at helping people last longer in bed. Using kratom, I can now last 30 minutes.

For dosing, it’s recommended that you take two grams to start, and work your way up from there. It takes about 30 minutes to kick in, so be patient.

Nootropics For Focus

ATTENTION: If you’re just looking for the strongest, best overall nootropic for laser focus and productivity, it’s Limitless Focus—click here to buy it online. Just one pill is more than enough!

Everyone wants to be able to focus better nowadays; especially students, business owners, and other entrepreneurs.

Thankfully for you, I’m an entrepreneur myself, and I’ve experimented with some of the best nootropics for focus on the market.

Here are the best nootropics for focus:

• Caffeine (Buy it Here)
• Modafinil (Requires Prescription)
• L-Tyrosine (Buy it Here)
• Alpha GPC (Buy it Here)

I personally take each of these supplements everyday, in addition to the stacks I’m going to recommend down below. Here they are.

Caffeine

Ah, good old caffeine. As every person on the planet knows, simply drinking a cup of coffee can drastically help improve your focus.

The benefits of caffeine don’t stop there, though. Caffeine has also been shown to help prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

In fact, studies even show that caffeine helps cure depression naturally. Who would’ve thought that coffee had that many benefits?

The maximum recommended dosage for caffeine is 300 mg per day, which is roughly equivalent to 2-3 strong cups of coffee. I take more, though.

Usually I just take coffee or an energy drink for caffeine, but if you want to just take caffeine pills, I recommend you go through this brand here.

Modafinil

In my opinion, modafinil is the best nootropic for focus, hands down. In fact, it’s so strong that Silicon Valley executives are even taking it.

This nootropic is a prescription medication, but thanks to the internet, you can easily if you find a good source.

One great thing about modafinil, is that you can stack it with other nootropics, such as caffeine, L-Theanine, and more.

Personally, I stack 200 mg of modafinil each day with a few cups of coffee for incredible focus, plus some L-Theanine to help level me out.

If you do decide to buy modafinil online, I recommend you get it from a teledoc online for ease.

Alpha GPC

What’s this nootropic doing here again? Well, in addition to being a great nootropic for anxiety, it’s also one of the best nootropics for focus.

Again, for dosing, it’s recommended that you take between 120 mg and 300 mg of Alpha GPC per day. More than this and side effects may occur.

Like I said, this stuff is literally a prescription medication in Europe, which means that it’s EXTREMELY powerful. Just 300 mg per day will do.

When it comes to Alpha GPC, I highly recommend this brand.

Nootropics Stacks

Now, if you want to drastically increase your focus, memory, productivity, and reduce overall anxiety levels, these nootropics will do wonders.

But, there’s something called a “nootropics stack,” which is where you actually take multiple nootropics at the same time.

This is one of the best ways to DRASTICALLY enhance your focus, and give you ridiculously high energy levels, plus a nice IQ boost.

There’s no best nootropics stack for everyone, because depending on what you want to improve, the best stack will change for you.

That being said, I think that these are some of the best nootropic stacks out there. I’ve organized them by their effect, for your own convenience.

Best Overall Stack

The best stack of nootropics, in my opinion, consists of modafinil, caffeine, some L-Theanine, and a general nootropic such as Alpha Brain.

In my Alpha Brain Review, I outline why I think it’s a great nootropic that can easily be stacked with other nootropics, such as Adderall.

Here’s a great overall nootropics stack:

• Modafinil (200 mg)
• Caffeine (300 mg)
• L-Theanine (200 mg)
• Alpha Brain (2 Pills)

I take this first thing in the morning, and holy SHIT am I focused. I get more done on this stack in one day, than I do without it in a fucking week.

For the caffeine, I usually get it in the form of coffee. This means I’m sipping on 2-3 cups of coffee throughout the work day, for a steady dose of caffeine.

In addition to this stack, however, there’s a few others you can take to boost cognitive performance, brain power, mental focus and more.

Memory-Enhancing

When you take any of the nootropics I listed previously to improve memory, you’ll notice a big difference in just a month, or even a couple weeks.

If you follow a stack however, you can literally double your ability to remember new things, words, peoples’ names, and more.

Here’s a great stack for memory:

• Bacopa Monnieri (600 mg)
• Lion’s Mane Mushroom (2,000 mg)
• Gingko Biloba (120 mg)
• Alpha GPC (200 mg)

Just one of these nootropics will drastically enhance your memory, but when you take them altogether? It’s like the real life NZT 48.

Anxiety-Reducing

Like I said before, anxiety is a big problem these days. Virtually everyone has some form of it, from social anxiety to approach anxiety.

So, if you want to crush your anxiety, kick it in the face, and ensure it never ever returns again, consider the following nootropics stack.

Here’s a great stack for anxiety:

• GABA (500 mg)
• Ashwagandha (2,000 mg)
• L-Theanine (200 mg)
• Kratom (2 Grams)

Just one of these will destroy anxiety, but when you take all of them together? You’ll feel like a million bucks, and even more.

Final Thoughts

In general, modafinil is the strongest nootropic I’ve found to date. So, consider it, if you possibly can.

If you can’t, it’s not a big deal—you can still buy it online. Aside from modafinil, consider the nootropics stacks I listed before.

I personally love taking modafinil, Alpha Brain, caffeine, and L-Theanine each day. It’s the best nootropic stack out there right now.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to let me know down below—and as always, I’ll see you next time, my friend!