Brainol Review & Test Results

By Richard Davidson, October 22 2025

What Is Brainol?

I’ve taken a close look at Brainol and the company behind it, Consumer Health. Brainol is sold as a “brain booster” that promises better memory, focus, energy, and overall mental performance. Improvements like these are possible with the right nootropic, but they depend on a clear, well-designed formula and clinically appropriate doses. Brainol doesn’t seem to meet that bar. The ingredient choices and amounts don’t line up with what I’d expect to see for meaningful results. I’ll break down the specifics below and point to alternatives that are put together more convincingly.

Table of Contents

Overall Results & Recommendation

Brainol isn't a good brain supplement at all. I noticed no meaningful improvements to focus, memory of cognitive performance during my 3 months testing the product.
Brainol lacks many proven brain boosting ingredients. The ingredients it does include are present in very low amounts - far less than clinical research shows is necessary for improvements to cognitive performance.
Only one ingredient in Brainol comes close to being dosed effectively (L-Tyrosene), but even this ingredient is present below clinically proven levels.
Fortunately, there are far more effective brain supplements available. My top recommendation currently is ThinkEase. It uses a much broader range of proven nootropic ingredients, all of which are present in clinically proven amounts. I found ThinkEase worked very well in boosting focus, supporting improvements to memory and boosting overall cognitive performance. I also like that its a transparent brand, in that declares precisely how much of each ingredient is used.

Visit ThinkEase Website

How Does Brainol Work?

Brainol claims to be a "100% natural cognitive energy enhancing brain nootropic" that works to improve virtually all aspects of cognitive performance, including memory, focus and mental performance. It also claims its "proprietary formula utilizes extensively researched ingredients" which form "the ultimate brain food". It is true that a number of the ingredients in Brainol have been extensively researched [1], but this is a purposely misleading claim - as it omits to say that the finding of the research show larger amounts of virtually every ingredient used in the product is necessary for any meaningful benefits to be experienced. As for claiming the product is the "ultimate brain food", this is a pure marketing claim and is essentially meaningless.

The brand also makes a lot of being made to high standards, particularly that the product is made in a certified facility and adheres to the United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary guidelines. Again, this sounds impressive but it's merely standard practice for any product of this type [2].

I also find it somewhat amusing and even ironic that Brainol claims other nootropics are worthless alternatives, with obscure ingredients, when Brainol itself isn't, in my view, a well-formulated or transparent product - at all.

The ingredients included in Brainol are for the most part a standard (potentially over-dosed) B-vitamin complex and a handful of under-dosed nootropic ingredients. The B-vitamins will provide some general brain health benefits, but nothing more than would be expected from a simple multi-vitamin at a fraction of the price. Brainol also claims to be "maximum strength" when it in fact is a very weak product when compared to the best brain supplements available.

Best Brain Supplements Guide

Brainol Ingredients

Brainol Ingredients List

Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide) (75 mg)
VitB-MD™ (Vitamin B Complex): Vitamin B6 (20 mg), Vitamin B1 (as Thiamin) (10 mg), Vitamin B2 (as Riboflavin) (10 mg), Vitamin B3 (as Niacin) (50 mg), Vitamin B12 (100 mcg)
St. John’s Wort Extract (Hypericum perforatum) (200 mg)
Amino-MD™ (Amino Acid Complex): L-Tyrosine (200 mg), L-Glutamine HCL (100 mg), L-Theanine (100 mg), Acetyl-L-Carnitine (100 mg), Phosphatidylserine (100 mg), DMAE Bitartrate (50 mg), Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri) (50 mg), Guarana (Paullinia cupana) (60 mg), Choline Bitartrate (50 mg), Alpha Lipoic Acid (50 mg), BioPerine® (Black Pepper or Piper nigrum) (5 mg) (Standardized to 95% Piperine), Huperzine A (400 mcg)
Other ingredients: Vegetarian Capsules (from Vegetable Cellulose), Silicon Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate
Contains: Fish (Anchovy, Sardine, Salmon), Soy

Brainol Versus Top Alternative (ThinkEase)

Ingredient	Brainol	ThinkEase
Vitamin B6	20mg	2.5mg
Vitamin B9	None	100mcg
Vitamin B12	500mcg	7.5mcg
Acetyl L-Carnitine	100mg (ineffective)	750mg
Lion's Mane	None	550mg
Bacopa Monnieri	100mg (ineffective)	300mg
N-Acetyle L-Tyrosine	200mg (ineffective)	275mg
Citicoline	None (inferior Choline included at ineffective level)	250mg
L-Theanine	100mg (ineffective)	200mg
Rhodiola Extract	None	200mg
PQQ	None	10mg
Lutein	None	10mg
Phosphatidylserine	Undisclosed (likely ineffective)	100mg
Pine Bark Extract	None	75mg
Zeaxanthin	None	2mg
L-Glutamine HCL	200mg (ineffective)	None
Ginkgo Biloba	50mg (ineffective)	None
DMAE Bitartrate	100mg (ineffective)	None
Alpha Lipoic Acid	50mg (ineffective)	None
BioPerine	5mg	None
Huperzine A	400mcg (likely ineffective)	None
Vitamin B1, B2, B3	10mg each (B3 ineffective)	None
Clean Ingredient Profile	No	Yes
Premium Grade Capsule	No	Yes

Scientific Basis

Beyond Brainol's use of B-vitamins, there's very little I could get excited about. There are ingredients in the brand's Amino-MD blend which could support Brainol's claims but they're either absent or present in too amounts:

1. Claim: “Promotes mental clarity and focus”
L-Tyrosine could help support this claim, but to be effective, studies have shown that 250 mg (ideally more) is necessary [3]. Brainol only includes 200mg. It would also be good to see Gingko Biloba used, but it's missing from Brainol's formula. Bacopa is included, but again Brainol uses a tiny amount (50 mg) compared to the 300mg necessary to be effective [4]. The formulation also uses Guarana (60 mg), again this is far below the amounts suggested in clinical research - typically hundreds of milligrams is needed to see any tangible effects, 60mg is simply far too low to be noticeable at all [5]. Huperzine A isn't an ingredient I like to see as it's not recommended to supplement with this nootropic ingredienton a sustained basis due to adverse risks and side effects. Again Brainol is dosed low, with just 400 mcg is included per total serving [6].

2. Claim: “Helps memory retention”
At a superficial level I was pleased to see Acetyl-L-Carnitine included in Brainol as it's a costly ingredient with great benefits, but yet again the amount used in Brainol is completely ineffective. Acetyl L-Carnitine requires 750mg daily to be effective [7], but Brainol uses a tiny amount, just 100 mg. Phosphatidylserine is also very beneficial for memory, it could be that this is effectively dosed, but Brainol hides this detail by listing "Phosphatidylserine Complex" which suggests a blend of ingredients and potentially less than 100mg of the ingredient itself. Bacopa Monnieri is only included in a modest amount (50 mg), far less than the 300mg recommended in clinical studies [8].

3. Claim: “Supports mood and emotional well-being”
St. John’s Wort (200 mg) isn't a particularly effective nootropic substance, but it may help improve mood [9], but you guessed it, Brainol uses only a fraction of the 900 mg needed daily to provide any meaningful level of support. Brainol's B-vitamins will help normal brain function, but the presence of 20 mg of B6, 10 mg of Thiamin, 10 mg of Riboflavin, 50 mg of Niacin, and 100 mcg of B12 does not mean you should expect to see improvements to your mood - unless you're deficient [10]. L-Theanine is a highly effective nootropic ingredient, especially in supporting a calm but focused state, but yet again there's simply too little in Brainol - the 100 mg used is half the required amount [11].

4. Claim: “Increases energy levels”
The inclusion of Guarana in Brainol's formula contributes some caffeine, but 60 mg is not high enough to be noticeable for most people. 50mg of Niacin at 50 mg may help normal energy metabolism, but again this is low - the amount needed can vary from person to person, meaning the amount used is likely to be insufficient for many people. BioPerine can help improve absorption, but its effects will be negligible given the wider issues with Brainol's formula.

Best Brain Supplements Guide

Qualitative Review of Brainol's Efficacy

Despite my questions over the substantial gaps in Brainol's formula, I trialed the product in god faith for 12 weeks. Overall I found the results to be underwhelming. My expectations were low, which may have tempered any potential placebo effect, but the results in practice were more disappointing than I'd anticipated. The first week brought very little, I'd hoped to feel at least some level of increase in alertness or drive, but the amounts of Bacopa and Guarana were just too low. I also hoped to feel some level of improvement to my mental clarity and motivation, but no obvious effects were apparent.

A regular day for me involves reading, writing, research (and often deep thinking), as well as managing various family and wider responsibilities. It was hard to pin down any obvious effects despite these constant mentally challenging demands. St John's Wart is a nootropic I have some experience with, but perhaps less than many others. Whilst I knew the amount used was low, I'd expected to feel some degree of mood improvement, but again it wasn't something I could discern. There was perhaps a mild sense of calm, but it came and went quickly and I couldn't be sure it was down to Brainol, it probably wasn't. It was also quite obvious that the mid afternoon slump was stubbornly present, something I find disappears when using more effective brain supplements.

My concentration levels remained steady but essentially unchanged. There was also no change to my competence in tackling my daily mental exercises, something I have noticed with some other supplements. My overall impression was such that I questioned at one point whether I was taking enough Brainol, but a quick check confirmed my 2 capsules a day was correct.

I'd sum up my time with Brainol as underwhelming and disappointing. It might be harsh to say there were no noticeable effects, but in my judgement that's essentially the case. There were a few mild improvements that may have been done to Brainol, but they were so mild as to be close to inconsequential.

Estimate of Efficacy Relative To Similar Products

Dosage:

Each bottle of Brainol includes 60 capsules, enough for 30 days of 2 capsules per day. The amount of capsules is reasonable, but the amount of each ingredient used is simply too low as I've discussed.

Quality:

Brainol appears to be reasonable well made. The capsules are bog standard vegetable capsules. The use of silicon dioxide and magnesium stearate isn't good, but again it's not unusual. I'm hopeful there isn't too much in the way of fillers, but it's hard to confirm without more extensive lab testing.

Efficacy:

I found Brainol to be very disappointing in practice. Even more so when compared to much more efficacious products like ThinkEase. There may have been some very mild mood benefits but nothing significant. It certainly didn't deliver on the promises of boosting focus, memory or cognitive performance. And it's easy to see why when comparing the amount included of each ingredient to the latest scientific research.

Cost:

Brainol retails for $69.95, but is often sold at $59.95. That puts it in the same price bracket as the best products on the market - something Brainol simply isn't. I therefore would have to say it represents poor value for money.

Safety Considerations and Potential Side Effects

Brainol is unlikely to yield any significant side effects for most people. The ingredient profile is generally safe and most ingredients are present only in low amounts. It is however worth being aware that the inclusion of Huperzia A makes it unsuitable for on-going use (6 months maximum).

Overall Assessment

Having spent 12 weeks with Brainol, I came away wanting much more. More specifically, I wanted the brand, or its manufacturer to step up and make a product that actually delivers on the claims the brand makes. On paper there are a number of worthwhile ingredients in Brainol, but the product cuts too many corners, virtually everything is included in amounts far below what's needed. I tried to give the brand the benefit of the doubt, but overall Brainol feels a little bit cynical. It borrows claims from good nootropic ingredients but fails to actually use the ingredients correctly. It claims other brands are misleading, when in fact their own claims don't stand up to any degree of scrutiny. I also found it very difficult to understand how the brand feels it can charge consumers a premium price for such a low cost under-dosed product.

My suggestion to anyone looking for menaingful improvements to memory, focus, mental performance or brain health is to choose a more science led alternative like ThinkEase, currently the top-rated brain supplement in my testing.

Visit ThinkEase Website

References and Further Reading

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