In search of the best brain juice possible you come across tons of premade stacks claiming to amp up your brain and deliver raw cognitive power. The supplement industry exploded when nootropics came onto the market with Alpha Brain leading the way as one of the original formulas. Since then, many have came and gone but only a handful work. Alpha Brain and Neuro Ignite are 2 premade stacks with solid ingredients. Both boast many of the same ingredients but what is the core difference?

In this post we explore both of these stacks and determine a winner.

Check current price of Alpha Brain

Check current price of Neuro Ignite

Neuro Ignite

Neuro Ignite grew to insane levels of popularity. You can see on Amazon the  number of reviews – the product has well over 2000 of them. My guess is a large number of these are fake but I’ve seen the product mentioned in forums so it does have a bit of momentum and traction. Cracking into the ingredients looks promising.

There are a number of potent ingredients, some of which you see in Alpha Brain and some you don’t.

Neuro ignite ingredients

Bacopa – A well studied herb shown to increase long and short term memory. Effects are not immediate and take up to 30 days before any benefits are experienced.

St Johns Wort – Another popular and well studied herb used to alleviate depression and boost mood. This herb seems to be hit or miss with people but it’s strong enough to interact with anti-depressants and users are strongly advised not to mix the 2 together.

Phosphatidylserine – Dense component found heavily in the cell membranes. Contributes to the healthy signalling of nerves. Phosphatidylserine is found in fish and might improve  cognitive functioning for those at a deficit.

ALCAR – Otherwise known as L-Carnitine, this is a staple compound found in many nootropics stacks. ALCAR is a powerful neuronal stimulant and dramtically reduces the effects of aging by increasing cognitive functioning and reducing chronic fatigue.

Ginkgo Biloba Extract – Reliably shown to decrease cognitive decline and improve short term memory in elderly patients 55 years of age and older. Ginkgo is the most commonly ingested supplement to support brain health.

Huperzine-A  – This is an herb derived from a specific type of moss. The active ingredient inhibits an enzyme responsible for the breaking down of Acetycholine – the most crucical neurotransmitter for memory formation. Very good stuff indeed.

Alpha Brain

Alpha Brain contains 3 of the same ingredients found in Neuro Ignite and a bunch more. Both of these stacks contain Huperzine A, Phosphatidylserine, and Bacopa.

Below is a list of the ingredients unique to Alpha Brain. For a full list of Alpha Brain ingredients check out this post. 

Alpha Brain ingredients

L-Tyrosine – L-Tyrosine is one one of my favorite over the the counter nootropics. You can easily hit up your local Vitamin Shoppe and find this mentally energizing nootropic. L-Tyrosine is an Amino Acid required for the synthesis of Dopamine. Dopamine is strongly tied to motivation and feeling energized to tackle your goals. If you feel lethargic throughout the day L-Tyrosine is an effective energizer. I’m glad to see this is a primary ingredient in the Alpha Brain stack.

L-Theanine – L-Theanine is a top calming agent. Feeling anxious? L-Theanine smooths out nervous energy allowing a calm and collected demeanor to rise to the surface. L-Theanine is well researched and shown to completely wipe out the negative effects of caffeine. Personally, caffeine gives me the jitters and L-Theanine completely smooths them out.

Alpha-GPC – If you were to take one nootropic consistently out of this stack it would be Alpha-GPC. Alpha-GPC is required for the synthesis of Acetycholine – the strongest neurotransmitter tied to memory, concentration, and focus. Alpha-GPC is the most effective source of Choline and a favored nootropic across the board.

Oat Straw Extract – Oat straw boasts a load of benefits for the body but the one most interesting is Oat Straws effects on cognitive functioning. A study put out by the Journal of Alternative Medicine successfully demonstrated oat straw changes the EEG spectral frequencies of the brain, leading to increased cognitive performance. It’s also fully loaded with vitamins and minerals like calcium and magnesium.

Cats Claw Extract – Cats Claw is a native peruvian herb growing deep in the rainforests. Cats Claw is supposedly a strong anti-inflammatory and promotes antioxidative effects on the body. Does any of this actually contribute to cognitive functioning? I’m not sure, there isn’t a lot of evidence to support using Cats Claw in this way. It’s an ingredient I believe mostly used as filler.

L-Leucine – I had previously never heard of this compound before. It’s the main component in branch chain amino acids critically necessary for  rebuilding of muscle and protein synthesis. I looked around for studies but couldn’t find anything regarding cognitive performance.

Pterostilbene –

Examine.com says it best

Low doses of pterostilbene (for a human, 10mg or less usually) seem to hold some benefit for cognition, and are thought to be one of the bioactive components of blueberries (alongside the anthocyanin content). Higher doses may not have said neurological effects, but higher supplemental dosages of pterostilbene (in the 250-500mg range usually) seem to have benefit for reducing cholesterol and glucose in research animals. The reduction in blood glucose and improvement in insulin sensitivity is quite potent, with a few studies noting that it is comparable to metformin as the reference drug.

Which one to choose?

I’ve been taking nootropics for a long time and can spot the good stacks from the bad ones, and also what to expect. Neuro Ignite contains many solid ingredients for long term brain potential while Alpha Brain will deliver immediate results. The L-Tyrosine, L-Theanine, and Alpha-GPC are all nootropics you can feel working soon after ingestion.

Alpha Brain is a solid choice for a short term boost in brain power while the Neuro Ignite is best for long term results. I like to use Alpha Brain for the occasional raw octane brain boost and use another stack as a daily long term driver. These 2 can work together however. Limiting the Alpha Brain to 2 times a week and taking the Neuro Ignite daily is a powerful combo.

Overall these are 2 great stacks that deserve a spot on your shelf.