truBrain Review – Think Drinks Mix Natural & Synthetic Brain Boosters

Somewhere out there in the world, a steamy cup of green tea is sitting at a computer chair, reading this review, just mad as hell:

“THE WORLD’S FIRST NOOTROPIC DRINK??”

Bold move, truBrain.

Perhaps if we narrow our search to “manufactured nootropic stacks,” then sure: truBrain may very well deserve the “world’s first nootropic drink” sobriquet. And if it doesn’t, then it may at least have a better shot at owning the “world’s best nootropic drink” title.

Or is that still up for grabs?

Let’s find out:

About truBrain

• Designed by “UCLA-trained neuroscientists,” truBrain is a “Think Drink” supplement aimed at improving mental endurance & verbal fluency.
• The primary source of truBrain’s power are synthetic nootropic drugs (i.e. racetams), including: Piracetam, Oxiracetam, & Noopept.
• Altogether, truBrain has 3 formula variations: Original, Caffeine-Free, & Boost (which also has caffeine.)

Serving Size: 1 bottle (30 ml)
Servings Per Container: 30
Other Ingredients: Purified Water, Organic Blue Agave, Xylitol, Organic Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Nopal Concentrate, Natural Flavor, Monk Fruit (Lou Han Guo), Nisin & Polylysine (natural preservatives)

Serving Size: 1 bottle (30 ml)
Servings Per Container: 30
Other Ingredients: Purified Water, Organic Blue Agave, Xylitol, Citric Acid, Organic Cane Sugar, Natural Flavor, Pink Grapefruit Concentrate, Monk Fruit (Lou Han Guo), Nisin & Polylysine (natural preservatives)

There are two (technically three) Supplement Facts we’re dealing with here, so bear with me, my fellow nootropic geeks. To simplify the ingredient breakdown, I’ll start with the Original & Caffeine-Free formulations, then detail the Boost subtractions & additions, their significance or insignificance. Then I’ll evaluate the overall product design, and then I’ll wipe your butt and pack your lunch.

truBrain Original & Caffeine-Free

Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) – Free radical neutralizing antioxidant, delivering significant neuroprotective benefits (particularly when you’re out partying).

Piracetam – The first OG nootropic and the most basic racetam drug, piracetam enhances acetylcholine activity for better memory & attention. May require a couple weeks of supplementation to reach peak effect. More on Piracetam.

Oxiracetam – Essentially a more enhanced version of piracetam. Oxiracetam is anecdotally reported to enhance logical thinking, a unique advantage for all my tech-heads out there. (Out where?) There!!

Acetyl-L-Carnitine – ALCAR is the best carnitine form for brain health, given its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Seems to enhance energy on the mitochondrial level, most notably among ye olden folk. More on ALCAR.

N-Acetyl Tyrosine – Is tyrosine the ultimate anti-stress nootropic? (Why are you asking me?) Its neurotransmitter replenishment is key for maintaining mood & focus during mentally stressful & demanding conditions, making it a go-to adaptogen for acute resistance to stress. More on Tyrosine.

CDP-Choline – Or Citicoline, two-parts choline & cytidine, a precursor compound to cognitive enhancing uridine. Enhances various functions of brainpower, especially when stacked with truBrain’s cholinergic racetams. More on Citicoline.

Magnesium (as magnesium glycinate) – Not necessary for most users, whose Mg levels are likely fine, but a value nootropic mineral that plays key roles in memory & learning all the same.

L-Theanine – This anti-anxiety amino acid, commonly found in green tea, promotes relaxing alpha brainwave states for creative “free-flow” thinking, minus the sedation commonly associated with anxiolytics. More on L-Theanine.

Caffeine – Caffeine is forgivable in a nootropic stack when its coupled with the previous ingredient: L-Theanine. The caffeine + L-theanine duo is a smart nootropic combination for its ability to simultaneous energize & relax for calm “in the zone” focus.

truBrain Boost Substitutes

The truBrain Boost formula essentially carries the same ingredients as the Original & Caffeine-Free formulas, with exception to piracetam & citicoline (while also removing the “caffeine-free” option). Those two ingredients are replaced with:

Noopept – While not a true racetam, Noopept’s structure & function are similar to piracetam’s, except more immediate & potent. Some customers describing the experience as “psychostimulatory.” Use sparingly to avoid tolerance build-up. More on Noopept.

Uridine Monophosphate – Essentially covers the uridine aspect of the citicoline removed from the Boost formulation. The only thing missing: Citicoline’s choline content. More on Uridine.

Centrophenoxine – Is this citicoline’s choline replacement? Sure. This compound is more similar to DMAE, a compound close in structure to choline that can cross the blood-brain barrier. Centrophenoxine is said to be more bioavailable than DMAE, enacting brain benefits for long periods of time beyond supplementation.

truBrain: Racetam Flavored Think Drinks

How often do we see racetams in manufactured nootropic stacks?

Granted, they seem to be a staple of the Silicon Valley-oriented stacks (SEE: Nootroo), but overall the general brain health supplement market has geared away from these drugs, opting instead for more natural nutrition (SEE: Mind Lab Pro, Alpha BRAIN).

Well, truBrain says to screw to all of that, bringing us flavorful liquid packs full of piracetam & oxiracetam, stacked with a number of brain pulsing nutrients & compounds.

And if those aren’t enough, truBrain has the Boost option, which amplifies the action by replacing piracetam with the more enhanced Noopept, swapping citicoline for uridine & centrophenoxine (although, I’m still partial to citicoine).

The sum total being: Premium-grade nootropic “Think Drinks” with short & long term boosts on cognition.

The only issue: You may need to cycle on-&-off to preserve the product’s potency.

Not so much with the Original & Caffeine-Free options, but with regards to the Boost’s Noopept. Fortunately, truBrain supplies oxiracetam in the Boost formulation as well to keep the racetam benefits steady over time, but it’s still something to consider to get the most of truBrain.

And one small bugaboo: truBrain could do better than ALCAR & magnesium. I realize ALCAR is somewhat of a staple in nootropic stacks, but, frankly, it doesn’t do a whole lot until you’ve ripened into old age.

Other than that, truBrain is one of the more potent nootropic options on the market.

The Pros

• The “Think Drink” design is a novel, new approach to boosting cognition, potentially enhancing the overall bioavailability of the product (as compared to its capsulated counterparts).
• The mix of synthetic & natural nootropics is also somewhat novel to manufactured nootropic supplements, a practice typically reserved for DIY stacking.
• Transparency is a major issue in the supplement industry, but truBrain excels in this category as well by avoiding the proprietary blend shenanigans and delivering great customer service.

The Cons

• A few of the ingredients could be removed or swapped out for better options (looking at you ALCAR & Magnesium).
• Tolerance build-up may become an issue with the leading nootropic in the Boost formula (Noopept), if not consumed sparingly.
• I almost prefer the original formulation for its use of citicoline. Keeping that in that nootropic in the Boost formula would make that a powerhouse option.

Pricing

20 Bottles per Month

• $49 for 20 bottles, a 20-day supply
• $2.45 per serving

30 Bottles per Month

• $65 for 30 bottles, a 30-day supply
• $2.17 per serving

60 Bottles per Month

• $125 for 60 bottles, a 60-day supply
• $2.08 per serving

Who Takes truBrain?

What does truBrain have to say for itself?

Our products are natural nootropics blended to increase your verbal fluency, avoid distractions and improve mental endurance.”

Let’s not get it twisted: truBrain products are not “natural.” So if you’re the all-organic type, truBrain is not for you. But if you don’t mind the synthetics and wish to void distractions while increasing your verbal fluency, mental endurance, then truBrain is for you.

Where to Get It

truBrain is running a monopoly on its products (that’s not a monopoly, dude), disallowing major retailers like Amazon to sell their products. Users may only buy this product directly through the truBrain website.

Conclusion: Does truBrain Work?

These ingredients have worked for me.

Nothing in truBrain’s design suggests they shouldn’t work.

The customer reviews speak generally high on this product.

So, yeah, I’d say it’s safe to qualify truBrain as Quality Nootropic Formula(s). And that formula(s) only gains value by truBrain’s sleek, sexy “Think Drink” design, that may actually enhance the potency of truBrain’s ingredients as well.

At the least, truBrain offers a “Test Drive” option of 10 drinks for $19 + Free Shipping (trial lasts about 10 days after you receive your shipment), so if you’d like to try out truBrain, or you’re curious about racetams, then I’d suggest starting there.

Or if you like to go hard in the paint, jump straight to the 60-day supply. #YOLO, yo!

Final Rating