SPECIALTY TOPICS · GUIDE
Cognitive Enhancement Substances: Where the Guides Live
A directory to the guides on supplements and "nootropics" marketed for memory and focus, with a short evidence summary and a note on prescription stimulants in healthy people.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Back to BiohackingWhat this page is
Substances marketed for memory, focus or "brain performance" are not profiled here. Ingredient and supplement profiles live in the Supplements section, so each topic has one canonical page. This page explains how to read the claims and points you to the right guide.Evidence labels used: approved medicine, promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence, no good evidence of benefit, marketing claim. See How We Label Evidence in Biohacking.
Where the guides live
| Topic | Guide |
|---|---|
| What "nootropic" means and an overview | More about What "nootropic" means and an overview → |
| Which ingredients have evidence for which outcome | More about Which ingredients have evidence for which outcome → |
| Safety and how to check claims | More about Safety and how to check claims → |
| Caffeine and L-theanine formulas | More about Caffeine and L-theanine formulas → |
| Creatine and the brain | More about Creatine and the brain → |
| Plant and mushroom products | More about Plant and mushroom products → |
| Memory supplement marketing | More about Memory supplement marketing → |
| Wellness-side overview | More about Wellness-side overview → |
What the evidence looks like overall
Supplements. The National Institute on Aging says no vitamin or supplement is currently recommended for preventing Alzheimer's or other cognitive decline. [1] For one widely sold herb, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says there is no conclusive evidence that ginkgo is helpful for any health condition, and that it has been promoted for cognitive performance in healthy people. [2] A systematic review of ginkgo trials in healthy people under 60 found no convincing evidence for a robust positive effect on any aspect of cognitive function. [3]Prescription stimulants in healthy people. These are approved medicines for specific conditions, with risks, and are legally restricted. A meta-analysis of modafinil, methylphenidate and d-amphetamine given once to healthy, non-sleep-deprived adults found small effects in specific areas of thinking, in experiments that do not reflect real-world use, and no effect for d-amphetamine. The authors wrote that the user perception that these drugs are effective cognitive enhancers is not supported by the evidence so far. [4] This page does not describe use of any prescription medicine outside prescriber supervision.
Regulation. In the US, FDA says it does not approve dietary supplements or their labeling, and that a supplement marketed to treat, prevent or cure a specific disease meets the definition of a drug. [5] That means "supports memory" language on a label is not an approval, and a disease claim is a red flag. See Clinical Devices vs Wellness Gadgets.
Reading a "cognitive" claim
- Was it tested in people like you, over a meaningful time, with a placebo group?
- Did the outcome matter in daily life, or only on a lab task?
- Is the evidence about healthy people or about people with a condition? The two are not interchangeable.
- Is the product tested by an independent lab, and what does it contain?
More tools: How to Read Health Product Marketing Claims, Brain Optimization Claims and Focus and Memory.
Frequently asked questions
Are nootropics proven?
Not as a group. Evidence is specific to each ingredient and outcome. [1][2]
Do prescription stimulants make healthy people smarter?
A meta-analysis found small effects in specific skills and concluded perceived benefits are not supported so far. [4]
Does FDA approve supplements?
No. FDA says it does not approve dietary supplements or their labeling. [5]
Why are the ingredient guides not here?
Supplement and ingredient profiles are kept in the Supplements section so each has one reliable page.
Where do I look for a specific product?
Start with Nootropic Safety and Claim Checks; this site does not rank or recommend brands.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety first
When to see a clinician
References
- National Institute on Aging. Cognitive Health and Older Adults. Read 2026-10-22.
- NCCIH. Ginkgo: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- Canter PH, Ernst E. Ginkgo biloba is not a smart drug: an updated systematic review of randomised clinical trials testing the nootropic effects of G. biloba extracts in healthy people. Hum Psychopharmacol 2007. PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-22.
- Roberts CA et al. How effective are pharmaceuticals for cognitive enhancement in healthy adults? A series of meta-analyses of cognitive performance during acute administration of modafinil, methylphenidate and D-amphetamine. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020. PubMed abstract. Read 2026-10-22.
- FDA. Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements. Read 2026-10-22.