VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS · GUIDE
Racetams (Piracetam, Aniracetam, Phenylpiracetam): What They Are and Regulatory Status
Plain-language look at racetams such as piracetam, aniracetam and phenylpiracetam: what they are, what regulators and studies say, and why product contents can be unreliable.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Back to NootropicsThis page is information only. It does not recommend, rank or explain how to obtain any substance. If you or someone you care for has memory change, see a clinician first.
There is no single answer, because it depends on the country, the exact substance, how it is sold and what is claimed for it. None of the official pages we read describes racetams as approved supplement ingredients. Racetams (piracetam, aniracetam, phenylpiracetam and related compounds) are lab-made substances often sold online as "nootropics" or "smart drugs". For the wider picture see What Are Nootropics?.
What the regulators we read say
We could only use pages we actually opened. Where we could not find or read an official statement, the table says so. Legal rules change, so treat this as a snapshot.
Is there an approved drug containing piracetam?
A search of Drugs@FDA data returned no matching product for piracetam [1], aniracetam [2] or phenylpiracetam [3].
Can a pharmacy compound piracetam?
FDA wrote that drug products compounded using bulk piracetam are not eligible for the exemptions in section 503A(a) [4]. It gave the reason that piracetam is not in a USP or NF monograph and is not a component of an FDA-approved human drug [4].
Do dietary supplements get approved?
FDA states that it does not approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness [5].
What did a research team find in products labeled with racetams?
The team searched for products labeled with omberacetam, aniracetam, phenylpiracetam or oxiracetam, which it described as 4 drugs not approved for human use in the United States [6].
UK
The MHRA said possessing such medicines is not illegal, while sale and supply of a prescription-only or unlicensed medicine is an offence [7]. Its list of seized items included aniracetam and phenylpiracetam [7].
EU
A 2023 review described piracetam as an EU authorized pharmaceutical [8]. We did not read an EMA or national EU page.
Canada
A search of the Health Canada Drug Product Database for piracetam returned an empty result [9]. That is a database search, not a legal opinion.
Australia
Could not be verified from pages we read.
The same review noted "significant global variability as to what qualifies as a legal nootropic" [8]. For a side-by-side comparison of countries, see Supplement Regulation by Country.
What do studies show?
Evidence labels used here: "no good evidence of benefit", "mixed", "insufficient evidence" and "Proper evidence not found".
- People with dementia or cognitive impairment (mixed, older evidence). A Cochrane review concluded that the published evidence did not support piracetam for treating dementia, and that benefit appeared on a global impression measure but not on more specific measures [10]. A separate meta-analysis of nineteen double blind, placebo controlled studies in older people looked at the global impression of change [11]. These reviews are about patients, not healthy people.
- Healthy adults: Proper evidence not found. We searched PubMed for piracetam in healthy volunteers and for systematic reviews and meta-analyses of piracetam. We did not find a systematic review of racetams for memory or focus in healthy adults.
- Aniracetam and phenylpiracetam in humans: Proper evidence not found. Our PubMed searches returned no human trial review we could use for these two. A commentator quoted by the MHRA said there are no long-term safety studies of these cognitive enhancing drugs in healthy people [7].
Safety and product quality
- Unreliable contents. In the study above, several detected drugs were not declared on the label, and several declared drugs were not detected [6]. Among products that listed amounts, 75% (9/12) of declared quantities were inaccurate [6]. The authors said the health effects of untested drug combinations at unpredictable amounts are unknown [6].
- Side effects. The MHRA said reports of side effects of some cognitive enhancers include dependence, cardiovascular problems and psychosis [7]. It also warned that many medicines bought online are counterfeit, substandard or adulterated [7]. This was a general warning, not a list for each racetam.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children: not described in the sources we read, so no safety claim can be made. Ask a clinician.
- Kidney and liver conditions, older adults, surgery: also not described in the sources we read. Tell your surgical team about everything you take; see Supplements Before Surgery.
- Medicine interactions: not described for racetams in the sources we read. Check with a pharmacist and see Medication Interactions.
For quality guidance in general, see Quality Testing and Certifications.
Related pages
Noopept, FDA warning letters on brain supplements and Nootropic Safety and Claim Checks.
Frequently asked questions
Are racetams approved by the FDA?
In our search of Drugs@FDA data we found no approved product listing piracetam, aniracetam or phenylpiracetam [1][2][3]. That is a search result, not a full legal review.
Are racetams legal supplements in the United States?
FDA says it does not approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness [5], and it has written that bulk piracetam is not eligible for pharmacy compounding exemptions [4]. We did not find a statement from FDA that clears racetams as supplement ingredients. A lawyer or the FDA itself is the right place for legal questions.
Is piracetam a medicine anywhere?
A 2023 review described piracetam as an EU authorized pharmaceutical [8]. In the United States we found no approved product [1]. We could not verify the status in other countries.
Do racetams improve memory in healthy people?
Proper evidence not found. The Cochrane review we read concerned people with dementia or cognitive impairment, and it did not support piracetam for treating dementia [10].
Can I trust the label on a racetam product?
Not reliably. In one analysis, 75% of declared quantities were inaccurate and some undeclared drugs were found [6]. If memory or focus is worrying you, talk to a clinician or pharmacist.
References
- openFDA Drugs@FDA data, search for products with the active ingredient piracetam (no matches), run 2026-10-23. Read 2026-10-23.
- openFDA Drugs@FDA data, search for products with the active ingredient aniracetam (no matches), run 2026-10-23. Read 2026-10-23.
- openFDA Drugs@FDA data, search for products with the active ingredient phenylpiracetam (no matches), run 2026-10-23. Read 2026-10-23.
- FDA warning letter 615908 (compounding pharmacy inspection), November 10, 2021. Read 2026-10-23.
- FDA, Information on Select Dietary Supplement Ingredients and Other Substances, content current as of May 1, 2026. Read 2026-10-23.
- Cohen PA, et al. Five unapproved drugs found in cognitive enhancement supplements. Neurol Clin Pract. 2021 (abstract). Read 2026-10-23.
- UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Medicines watchdog makes record seizure of experimental smart drugs, October 24, 2014. Read 2026-10-23.
- Unauthorized ingredients in "nootropic" dietary supplements: a review. Drug Test Anal. 2023 (abstract). Read 2026-10-23.
- Health Canada Drug Product Database, active-ingredient search for piracetam (empty result), run 2026-10-23. Read 2026-10-23.
- Flicker L, Grimley Evans G. Piracetam for dementia or cognitive impairment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2001 (abstract). Read 2026-10-23.
- Waegemans T, et al. Clinical efficacy of piracetam in cognitive impairment: a meta-analysis. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2002 (abstract). Read 2026-10-23.