Alpha Brain and Mind Lab Pro are two giants in the nootropic supplement space. One is pushed by the infamous Joe Rogan and Aubrey Marcus. The other has managed to gain significant market share without the need of podcasting influencers.
I’ve taken both so I can confidently give you the verdict on which is the better brain boosting nootropic.
Quick Verdict
Alpha Brain is not a bad product, but Mind Lab Pro is superior because the ingredients list is better formulated and dosed.
Being one of the select few nootropics with an independent complete formulation study proving it effective, Mind Lab Pro also proved to be beneficial in my 30-day test, while Alpha Brain failed to boost my brain power in a noticeable way.
| Feature | Winner |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Draw |
| Dosage | Mind Lab Pro |
| Short-Term Effects | Draw |
| Long Term Effects | Mind Lab Pro |
| Third-Party Testing | Draw |
| Clinical Research | Mind Lab Pro |
| Side Effects | Mind Lab Pro |
| User Reviews | Draw |
| Price | Alpha Brain |
Quick Verdict
Mind Lab Pro is a superior nootropic supplement with a range of effective ingredients.
Alpha Brain has a clinical trial published but the ingredient doses are hidden behind a proprietary blend.
What Is Alpha Brain?
Alpha Brain is a nootropic created by Onnit Labs, a well-known maker of health and fitness supplements and equipment. It is one of the most popular nootropics on the market since the company is partially owned by Joe Rogan. Alpha Brain was the first product to showcase a complete formula study.
This product is marketed as a cutting-edge, stimulant-free brain supplement that will help you get in the flow of any task and be better at it.
What Is Mind Lab Pro?
Mind Lab Pro is a tool for boosting performance in any given field by making you more lucid, creative, and motivated.
It stands out in the competitive brain health supplement market for various reasons. Mind Lab Pro comprises a unique blend of 11 research-backed components. This synergistic formula is one of the very few clinically researched and addresses various elements of brain health.
The key to its efficiency is the comprehensive approach to realizing one’s potential by having a better memory, processing information quickly, and easily filtering distractions.
Alpha Brain vs. Mind Lab Pro Main Differences
Benefits
Both products seek to improve brain function. This includes having greater focus (a superpower nowadays), boosting memory, reducing stress and anxiety, and making you more creative and productive.
Alpha Brain helps you think more clearly and be more focused by promoting the production of alpha waves in the brain and supporting the levels of one of the key neurotransmitters- acetylcholine.
The feeling of “being in the zone” is one of the most satisfying states you can get into, and Alpha Brain helps you enter it more frequently.
Mind Lab Pro works to get you on your A game by helping you process information easily, remember and recall words and names effortlessly, filter out distractions, and always think clearly.
Out of the two, Mind Lab Pro is significantly closer to actually delivering the promised benefits than Alpha Brain.
Ingredients
Alpha Brain is one of the better-formulated nootropics on the market, while I can’t say the same for Alpha Brain, even though a few of the ingredients are the same.
The issue is that the dosages of the individual components in Alpha Brain are hidden behind 3 proprietary blends called Onni Flow Blend, Focus Blend, and Fuel Blend.
Alpha Brain does things transparently and discloses all the dosages, which allows us to gauge the effectiveness.
However, I also want to point out that many of the ingredients in both products work synergistically with others, so the complete formula is also essential.
I’ll start by comparing the ingredients with the shared ones.
L-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea, is a highly effective antioxidant and is present in almost all nootropics for its positive effect on relieving stress [1] while also providing better verbal fluency and executive function [2].
The recommended dose is 200 mg. My estimation points to 150-200 mg. in Alpha Brain, while Noocube is slightly underdosed with 100 mg.
Another shared cornerstone nootropic component is L-tyrosine, which is linked to mind flexibility and helps with multitasking [3]. Noocube contains 250 mg. of L-Tyrosine compared to the 175 mg found in Mind Lab Pro.
No modern nootropic is complete without the ayurvedic herb Bacopa monnieri. Bacopa improves verbal learning, memory acquisition, and delayed recall by helping brain receptors process information [4].
These were the three components shared between the two products.
Mind Lab Pro contains Citicoline, which optimizes brain pathways and boosts neural regeneration, focus, brain energy, and memory [9][10].
Rhodiola Rosea is used to aid the body in dealing with stress [5]; however, the dosage in Mind Lab Pro is low and may not deliver the entire range of benefits.
One promising Mind Lab Pro addition is Organic Lion’s Mane Mushroom. This mushroom shows significant promise for decreasing stress and increasing working memory, attention, and reaction time [6][7].
The product also contains established ingredients such as Phosphatidylserine and L-Tyrosine, but the dosage in Mind Lab Pro is far lower than recommended.
The product’s final ingredient is Pine Bark extract, a potent antioxidant said to improve memory and blood flow [8].
Huperzine A, a component of the Alpha Brain formulation, is thought to help with brain injury recovery and improve brain function in Alzheimer’s patients [9,10].
Cat’s claw is a time-honored plant that promotes cognitive performance and is commonly utilized in nootropics. Alpha Brain even lists it as an independent ingredient rather than a component of one of the blends. However, clinical trials have not yet demonstrated its efficacy.
The remaining two compounds in Alpha Brain worth mentioning are Alpha GPC and Pterostilbene. Alpha GPC may improve cognitive function and outperform coffee in some activities [11].
Pterostilbene is claimed to reverse cognitive impairment related to age [12].
Stimulant vs. Non-Stimulant
Alpha Brain and Mind Lab Pro are both non-stimulant nootropics. Simulant nootropics usually contain caffeine, which provides energy by stimulating the nervous system.
Products like Alpha Brain and Mind Lab Pro work by gradually improving your brain power, and if you need an instant pick-me-up, you should use something containing caffeine.
Short vs. Long-Term Effects
Nootropics, in general, and non-stimulant ones, in particular, work through accumulation over time through daily use.
The effects become more pronounced with time. My experience with good products, such as Mind Lab Pro, usually shows minor improvements in week 2 and more significantly through weeks 3 and 4 of my 30-day trials.
Manufacturers usually advise 3 to 4 months of intake to experience the full benefits, which is why picking up 90 or 120-serving containers is usually not only cheaper per serving but also the only way to gauge a product’s full potential.
Clinical Research
Few nootropics undergo clinical testing on their complete formulations, but in this comparison, both have studies proving their efficacy. However, after we see what the studies show, I need to tell you about one small detail.
Mind Lab Pro has better clinical research. Two studies have been conducted and one is on the way. Both are double-blind and placebo-controlled, and have found the product effective for processing information and memory [15][16].
Alpha Brain was the first nootropic company to publish peer-reviewed studies on their product. After 6 weeks, it was discovered taking Alpha Brain significantly enhanced delayed verbal recall and executive functioning compared to a placebo group [17].
Now comes the important part. The study on Alpha Brain was paid for by Onnit, which naturally makes me wonder how honest the results are.
At the same time, Mind Lab Pro has a study funded by the company but also boasts an independent one done by the University of Leeds, which also found the product effective.
Side Effects
The most typical side effects of nootropics containing natural substances are stomach upsets such as nausea or bloating, as well as headaches.
Typically, only a small proportion of users experience adverse reactions. My experience with the products has been free of adverse reactions.
However, I’ve seen more than a few reviews in which people reported nausea or headaches after using Alpha Brain. But judging from the vast number of reviews, this is a problem few encounter.
Mind Lab Pro also has a lot of available reviews, but I haven’t seen people complain about side effects.
User Reviews
The two products have abundant reviews to read and judge how real customers feel about them.
Being promoted by Joe Rogan is one of the best advertisements a product can get, so Alpha Brain has nearly 30,000 reviews on Amazon and 7,000 on its website.
The score on Amazon is 4.3, and on the website, it is 3.5. Many people talk about not feeling any effects, but a high score from so many reviews indicates general satisfaction with the product.
Mind Lab Pro has a score of 4.5 from around 2400 reviews, most of which are superlative. As I said, I haven’t found complaints about side effects, but a couple of hundred people have left disappointing comments because they haven’t felt any benefits.
Price
| Product | 1 Bottle | 2 / 3 Bottles | 3 / 5 Bottles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Brain | $34.95 / 15 servings ($2.33/serving) | $79.95 / 45 servings ($1.78/serving) | $67.96 / 45 servings ($1.44/serving w/ subscription) |
| Mind Lab Pro | $69.00 / 30 servings ($2.30/serving) | $138.00 / 60 servings ($2.30/serving) | $207.00 / 120 servings ($1.73/serving) |
My Experience With Alpha Brain And Mind Lab Pro
Mind Lab Pro met my expectations and helped me work better during my one-month trial, while Alpha Brain failed to provide tangible brain power boosts.
When I started taking Mind Lab Pro, I noticed no immediate improvements, but I wasn’t expecting any. But by the third week of intake, I began to see my afternoon slump go away, and by the fourth week, it was all but gone except on days I failed to sleep well at night.
Overall, I can say my ability to focus has improved, as was my concentration while doing demanding tasks such as reviewing recent clinical research.
Alpha Brain failed to deliver similar benefits in 30 days, and I can’t say I’ve felt any better or worse. Perhaps if I continued the intake for 3 months, the results would be different, but I don’t see a point in this when I can feel the effects of products such as Mind Lab Pro in less time.
Should You Choose Alpha Brain Or Mind Lab Pro?
Mind Lab Pro and Alpha Brain have a few shared ingredients and similar approaches, but Mind Lab Pro does things better and is my preferred nootropic in this comparison. The ingredients are slightly better-dosed, which seems enough for me to feel some positive effects.
Mind Lab Pro has an independently conducted clinical study, a true rarity in the nootropic market. At the same time, Alpha Brain has only the one paid for by the company manufacturing it.
Winner
Second Best Option
Alpha Brain
A nootropic supplement backed by prominent podcasters and clinical research for boosting brain function.
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