A nootropic stack is a combination of nootropics someone else constructed in a laboratory and combined into a single pill. They are then marketed towards a specific function such as keeping your brain healthy or making you smarter.
One example is the nootropic stack Addrena. Addrena is advertised as being an alternative to Adderall. It contains over 15 nootropic-like substances. (Huperzine, Choline, DMAE, Caffeine, Guarana, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B12, Bitter Orange, Yohimbe Bark Extract, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Acetyl-L-theanine, Bacopa Extract, White Willow Bark Extract, Piperine, and Vinpocetine).
From the “core nootropic” perspective, premade nootropic stacks like Addrena are useless. Although some may increase your brain’s plasticity, because there is such a large variety of nootropics in these stacks, the dose for each nootropic is usually well below what is normally recommended. Also, there are no scientific studies being conducted on nootropic stacks, rather just the individual nootropics in them. We do not yet know how all these nootropics function together. They might not have any synergistic effects, and at the unusually low doses might not help your brain’s plasticity at all. Furthermore, the risks of long term use are unknown.
Do not substitute your core nootropics with a nootropic stack.
Can pre-made nootropic stacks have “situational uses”? Certainly. Some nootropic stacks produce a noticeable feeling which can be helpful in certain situations. Nootropic stacks do have some benefits over traditional nootropic use.
- You may receive the benefits of many nootropics for a much cheaper price. A premade nootropic stack will probably cost you about $50 per bottle. Purchasing all of the nootropics in the stack separately could cost well over $250. But you also have to ask yourself if purchasing two separate nootropics for $40 might provide a superior outcome than the nootropic stack.
- Stacks are easy to use and do not require additional thinking. The people who created the stack did all the thinking for you. You just take the pill and get the effect. You do not have to worry about fine tuning your dose or adding a different nootropic because it has already been done for you.
Nootropic stacks also have disadvantages when compared to situational nootropics:
- Side effects are much more likely. You may be taking 10 or more nootropics at once. The chance of side effects is greater, and their safety is not as well established.
- You cannot customize the dose to your own individual needs. Perhaps you need more of one nootropic and less of another in the stack.
- There are nootropics in the premade stack you do not need. Nobody needs to take 10 or more nootropics. Some of these unwanted nootropics may be responsible for unwanted side effects.
Overall, substituting core nootropics with a pre-made stack is not recommended. I only recommend their use as situational nootropics. If you have already tried the situational nootropics previously discussed but did not get the effect you anticipated, stacks may be a reasonable alternative. I will review some of the more popular nootropic stacks and give you additional insight that may help you decide if you want to purchase one.
