Alpha Brain Alternatives - Which Is Best For You?

ThinkEase - The Best Alternative To Alpha Brain

1. ThinkEase - The Best Alpha Brain Alternative

My Professional and Personal Observations

I've been using ThinkEase for 4 months now and it's clear that it's a highly effective product. It works better than any other brain supplement I've used. It's made a substantial difference to my focus and productivity. It's also been impressive in improving my memory, reducing brain fog and my mental clarity has consistently improved over the past few months. One of the best things about ThinkEase is that it works to effortlessly improve mental performance without the jitters associated with caffeine based supplements. It's highly effective in making working sessions much more productive - and less stressful. 

I've assessed ThinkEase's formulation in detail and it uses a broader spectrum of ingredients than almost any other brain supplement. By that I don't just mean the number of ingredients, but the number of optimally dosed ingredients. 

ThinkEase Ingredients

Scientific Assessment

Having studied ThinkEase's ingredient composition in detail, it's clear just how good a product it actually is. It's been carefully composed and every ingredient is there for a clear reason. Just as importantly, every ingredient, without exception is present in the amounts proven to be effective in clinical research. The formulation is divided into 6 blends, each of which has a clearly stated goal. It's fair to say that some ingredients have multiple benefits, but the categorization of the formulation into these different blends is helpful and provides a window into the product's development process.

I'll start with the Focus Blend. This include 275mg of N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, which works to strengthen working memory and improve mental performance, particularly under difficult or stressful conditions [7]. It also includes 200mg of Rhodiola Rosea and importantly uses a standardized extract which means it will work as intended as [8]. The Focus Blend is rounded out with the optimal amount of L-Theanine to create a calm steady focus - focus without anxiety or drowsiness [9].

The Memory Matrix has a solid 300mg serving of Bacopa Monnieri Extract, which works to improve memory and increase cognitive processing which helps recall. It an ingredient other supplements frequently use but often under-dose [10], again the use of a standardized extract is great to see. Citicoline also forms part of this blend and works to improve neuron health and communication within the brain, again the 250mg dose is perfectly aligned with the science [11]. Finally, there's Spanish Sage, which is also widely recognized for its memory boosting properties.

Now onto one of the single most impressive parts of ThinkEase's formulation. It's highly unusual to see a brand in the nootropic space that invests in including Acetyl L-Carnitine, it's very rare to see because its such an expensive ingredient. Yet, ThinkEase has 750mg which works to strengthen mitochonidrial energy production, which in turn increases mental processing speed [12]. I was also very impressed to see just how much Lion's Mane is included too. Lion's Mane has been shown to increase Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and improve brain plasticity - ThinkEase includes more than other nootropic supplements with 550mg.

ThinkEase's Clarity Complex has 120mg of Ginkgo Biloba, 75mg of Pine Bark Extract and 100mg of Korean Extract. Again each is correctly dosed - and together they improve blood flow within the brain, thereby promoting greater clarity - whilst also reducing oxidative stress, the main driver of brain fog.

The Productivity Enhancer blend has a B-Vitamin complex, vitamins vital to mental energy and nervous system function. In turn this helps sustain effort over longer periods of time and increase productivity. The Brain Health formula rounds out the ingredient list with 100mg of Phosphatidylserine, which again is a standardized extract. 

Summary

ThinkEase is the best nootropic supplement I've tested. Its scientifically validated ingredient profile and comprehensive effectively-dosed blends add up to a really solid brain supplement. Not only that, but the inclusion of Acetyl L-Carnitine and a huge 550mg of Lion's Mane is especially noteworthy. My own experiences were beyond what I've experienced from any other nootropic supplement and I don't hesitate in recommending it to anyone looking for a superior alternative to Alpha Brain - or any other nootropic supplement for that matter.

2. Mind Vitality - Second Best Alternative to Alpha Brain

My Professional and Personal Observations

I trialed Mind Vitality for 3 months in total and found it helpful for improving focus. Yes, it's not as robust or comprehensive as ThinkEase in doing so, but it will improve your ability to keep focused on a task. I first started to notice some improvements to focus after 4-5 days and the improvement was sustained for the remainder of my test period. Mind Vitality does claim some further benefits beyond focus, but its formulation and my own experiences didn't align with these. Nonetheless it's a good product, but more work in a narrower way. This in't surprising as it doesn't include key nootropic ingredients like Acetyl L-Carnitine, L-Theanine or among others.

Mind Vitality Ingredients

Scientific Assessment

Mind Vitality is formulated as a somewhat targeted solution for people looking for improved focus. The ingredients it does include are logical and for the most part fairly well dosed. It includes Lion's Mane, albeit at the low end of the effective range, but enough to support cognitive function [13]. The correct amount of Bacopa Monnieri is present at 300mg, which I liked to see as it's a nootropic ingredient that works consistently well in improving memory retention [14]. The amount of L-Tyrosine included is slightly lower than I'd like to see, but it's reasonable to expect some benefit in improving mental performance under stressful conditions. One ingredient I'm ambivalent about is ashwagandha. It's no bad thing to include it, but it's not really a potent nootropic and the 200mg included in Mind Vitality will only have a mild calming effect. A far larger amount of ashwagandha would be necessary to realize its neuroprotective benefits. Which lead on to one of the big omissions - L-Theanine is conspicuous by its absence. My guess is that the aim was to use ashwagandha to create a calming effect instead of L-Theanine, but it's a poor substitution in my view.

Rhodiola is included in a scientifically robust amount, as is Korean Ginseng and Phosphatidylserine. Also included is 75mg of Mucuna Extract and the same amount of Pine Bark Extract. One ingredient I was especially disappointed by was the inclusion of an ineffective amount of Ginkgo Biloba - the 50mg present won't realize any meaningful benefits, so it may as well have not been included [15].

Unusually, Mind Vitality includes Huperzia Serreta, which does have well documented cognitive benefits, but it's not recommended to supplement with Huperzia for more than 6 months, which severely limits how helpful Mind Vitality can be over sustained period [16]. Mind Vitality's dosage is at the upper end, underscoring this concern further.

Rounding out the formula is a range of B-Vitamins which help overall brain health.

Summary

I'd summarize Mind Vitality as a good focus based nootropic supplement. I won't work as effectively as ThinkEase, even for focus, but if you want a product specifically to support focus and nothing more it could be a good option for you.

3. NooCube - Third Best Alternative to Alpha Brain

My Professional and Personal Observations

Based on my own experience after testing NooCube for 16 weeks, I found it provided a good improvement to short-term focus. It doesn't match the boost experienced with ThinkEase and misses the wider benefits, but it's a good product overall. The range of ingredients used is broadly logical, but it's worth understanding that some ingredients like Cat's Claw aren't known to have meaningful cognitive benefits, as such NooCube's formula is perhaps slightly dated despite a recent rework. Most ingredients are well dosed, but Bacopa, L-Theanine and Korean Ginseng are present in too amounts to be effective.

The inclusion of Lutemax 2020 is an interesting addition, but I'm skeptical that there a sufficient amount to have any meaningful benefit. I couldn't discern any benefit from Lutemax being included, but blue light protection isn't something than can be qualitatively assessed.

NooCube Ingredients

Scientific Assessment

From a scientific perspective, my view is that NooCube's formulation is fairly simple. As with Mind Vitality, it principally works to enhance focus. The range of ingredients used is reasonably broad, but some key ingredients are missing and others are dosed lower than the science suggest is necessary for them to be effective as nootropics. For example, NooCube only includes 250mg of Bacopa Monnieri, less than the required 300mg amount [17]. In exactlly the same vein, it's great that NooCube (unlike Mind Vitality) includes 100mg of L-Theanine, but it's a shame that it's far less than the 200mg required to be effective in promoting calm focus [18].

NooCube has a slightly low, but still helpful amount of L-Tyrosine which works to improve mental performance, particularly in difficult or stressful situations [19]. Choline is present, which is inferior to Citicoline, but will still provide a degree of learning and memory support [20].

Somewhat unusual ingredients NooCube includes are resveratrol and pterostilbene can provide some anti-oxidant support and possible a degree of neuroprotection, but the amounts used are low which may render them ineffective [21]. Another unusual ingredient is Lutemax 2020, which claims to provide blue light protection, but the amount used is undeclared, meaning its impossible to assess scientifically and is perhaps likely to be present only in trace amounts. Cat's Claw is also an unusual ingredient, but its nootropic benefits aren't well documented.

NooCube also has a B-Vitamin complex, but the amounts used are more in line with a multi-vitamin and too low to lead to tangible cognitive benefits. 

Summary

NooCube is a good product, if perhaps slightly in need of an update. It certainlly provides more tangible benefits than Alpha Brain, but in its current incarnation can't compete with the top supplement on this list.

ThinkEase - The Best Alternative To Alpha Brain