It’s hard to miss Alpha Brain. You have large influencers like Joe Rogan and Aubrey Marcus behind the marketing. Then you have a small player in the nootropic market called Vyvamind.
I’ve used both and put my experiences of both on this page so you can make the right decision for which you should purchase.
Quick Verdict
Vyvamind is the better nootropic supplement. It uses the research-backed nootropic stack caffeine and L-theanine with the addition of citicoline and L-tyrosine, all of which work synergistically to improve your mental power and energy levels. My experience with the product also confirms this.
Alpha Brain uses many well-documented cognitive enhancers, but most are in insufficient dosages to provide the possible benefits. Additionally, Alpha Brain is more expensive, and its reviews are mixed between happy customers and those like me, who haven’t felt the positive effects.
| Feature | Winner |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Vyvamind |
| Dosage | Vyvamind |
| Short-Term Effects | Vyvamind |
| Long Term Effects | Alpha Brain |
| Third-Party Testing | Draw |
| Clinical Research | Alpha Brain |
| Side Effects | Draw |
| User Reviews | Vyvamind |
| Price | Vyvamind |
Winner
Vyvamind comes out on top, leaning on the well-researched caffeine and L-theanine nootropic stack guaranteed to boost cognitive function and enhance focus, memory, and alertness.
Alpha Brain has mixed reviews, and their formula is mostly underdosed. I felt no difference when using it.
What Is Vyvamind?
Vyvamind is a cognitive enhancer designed to boost mental performance and focus. The product is manufactured and distributed by SAP Nutrition LTD.
Vyvamind’s composition works synergistically to improve a variety of mental functions. The nootropic shows big promise in delivering continuous focus without the jitters and crashes typical for many caffeine products.
What Is Alpha Brain?
Alpha Brain is a nootropic created by Onnit Labs, a popular company producing various health supplements and fitness and sports equipment.
This product is promoted by Joe Rogan and Aubrey Marcus as a cutting-edge brain supplement for cognitive performance. It is one of the first nootropic compounds to undergo double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.
Vyvamind vs. Alpha Brain Main Differences
Benefits
The stated benefits of almost all nootropics are improved focus, better memory, and enhanced mental processing and flexibility, and both Vyvamind and Alpha Brain promise essentially the same benefits.
The big difference, however, comes with including caffeine in Vyvamind, which gives you an almost immediate energy and attention boost.
The drawback of caffeine is that it shouldn’t be taken in the afternoon or evening because it disrupts sleep.
So, as much as the immediate effect of caffeine is a benefit for Vyvamind, the lack of it is a benefit for Alpha Brain, depending on what you are looking for in a nootropic.
Ingredients
A big reason why Vyvamind is the superior nootropic in this comparison lies in the ingredients list. Vyvamind has all of its ingredient dosages listed on the label.
This makes the comparison with scientific research possible, so you know you are getting the necessary dose to experience the positive effects.
Vyvamind largely depends on the caffeine + L-theanine stack, a well-researched power combo.
Caffeine is known to improve reaction time, visual processing speed, working memory, alertness, and reduced exhaustion and mental fatigue, while L-theanine reduces the jitters and anxiety many people experience from caffeine [1][2].
The other two ingredients in Vyvamind are L-Tyrosine and Citicoline. L-tyrosine is known to enhance task switching and boost mental performance in demanding conditions [3][4], while Citicoline is beneficial for memory [5]. Keep in mind both are underdosed in the formula.
My Vyvamind review goes into depth on the formulation and my experiences.
Alpha Brain works with a lot more ingredients, but the problem is the exact quantities are hidden behind blends called the Onnit Flow Bled, Focus Blend, and Fuel Blend.
The combined 10 ingredients include many proven substances like the aforementioned L-theanine and L-tyrosine and some promising ingredients like Alpha-GPC, Huperzine A, and Pterostilbene.
Since there is no way to determine the exact dosages of each ingredient in the blend, I have made estimations in my Alpha Brain review.
But regardless of how accurate they are, the fact is each of the blends’ total amounts is less than what is recommended from some of the individual ingredients.
Stimulant vs. Non-Stimulant
Vyvamind is a stimulant nootropic, while Alpha Brain (the regular version we are comparing here, not the Alpha Brain Black) does not contain stimulants.
As I mentioned, both can be a benefit or a drawback, depending on who you are.
Stimulants bring quick effects that you can rely upon every time you are in front of a challenging task. Hence why Vyvamind is ranked the best nootropic for focus and concentration that is stimulant based.
On the other hand, if this happens to be in the evening, taking caffeine is usually a bad idea if you want to have good sleep and recovery and be fresh the next day.
Nootropics without stimulants like Alpha Brain do not provide such a quick effect but can be used at any time of the day to give you a more subtle mental boost.
Short vs. Long-Term Effects
This ties into the previous point. Vyvamind provides a dependable short-term effect, as all ingredients are designed to do that. You get increased energy levels, enhanced focus, and the ability to work more productively.
Alpha Brain lacks the immediate kick of caffeine, but with many more ingredients, it can provide more long-term benefits. This can include memory retention and recall, mental flexibility, and many others.
While there are L-theanine and L-tyrosine to give you a more immediate focus boost, a lot of the other substances are linked to mental improvements in older people and reducing age-related cognitive decline, so overall, despite the low dosages on all ingredients, Alpha Brain has a lot of potential for long-term benefits.
Clinical Research
Alpha Brain was the first nootropic to publish peer-reviewed studies about its product. They discovered that using Alpha Brain for 6 weeks significantly enhanced delayed verbal recall and executive functioning compared to a placebo-controlled group [6].
There is a critical note to make on this study, though. Onnit funded it, so the possibility for bias is big.
Vyvamind has fewer ingredients but with heaps of more research behind them, especially when it comes to caffeine and L-theanine, both of which are thoroughly studied both separately and in combination [1][2][7][8].
Side Effects
There are no scientifically reported side effects on the ingredients of either product nor have I experienced any when testing them; hence, the result in this category is a draw.
User Reviews
Generally, all reviews of Vyvamind I’ve encountered have been raving about how well the products work. This is to be expected and mirrors my own experience, but all products with caffeine generally work.
But I also want to point out that you cannot see every single product review on their website, but rather what the company decided to leave there. But I also scouted Reddit and still found only positive reviews.
Alpha Brain is a hugely popular product with tens of thousands of reviews on Amazon and the company’s website—props to Onnit for leaving all reviews visible because many complain about not feeling the effect. But with 4/5 stars on Amazon and nearly 40,000 reviews, the nootropic also satisfied many people.
Price
| Product | Price per Single Purchase | Price w/ Subscription/Multiple Packs |
|---|---|---|
| Vyvamind | $74.99 / 60 servings ($1.25/ serving) | $139.98 for 2 packs ($1.17/serving) |
| Alpha Brain | $79.95 / 45 servings ($1.78/ serving) | $67.96 with sub ($1.51/serving) |
My Experience With Vyvamind And Alpha Brain
Without any surprises, Vyvamind works. The caffeine and L-theanine stack is a well-known nootropic, and I have experienced near-instant clarity and focus.
The energy surge coupled with cognitive enhancement is always welcome when I have challenging tasks like doing a podcast on a complex subject or sifting through the latest scientific research.
It’s why I’ve ranked Vyvamind the best nootropic for energy.
And perhaps also expectedly, I haven’t felt any difference when taking Alpha Brain. With no stimulants to help you right away and with most of the ingredients underdosed, there were no benefits I felt, just as many other people.
Perhaps the blends can have a long-term effect on certain mental capacities, but I haven’t noticed anything worth sharing.
Should You Choose Vyvamind Or Alpha Brain?
I prefer the tangible and proven benefits of Vyvamind as opposed to the speculative potential long-term benefits of Alpha Brain and suggest you do the same.
Not only does Vyvamind work in delivering mental clarity, focus, and energy, but it’s also cheaper.
The only reason to choose Alpha Brain is if you can’t tolerate caffeine in any form or need to take it in the evening.
The other possibility is you are an older person looking to slow down age-related mental deterioration. But if this is your goal, I advise scouting for a product with higher doses of the helping ingredients.
Winner
Vyvamind Neurostimulant
A nootropic stimulant to enhance focus, alertness, and boost mental capacity.
CHECK CURRENT DEALS
References
- Haskell, C. F., Kennedy, D. O., Milne, A. L., Wesnes, K. A., & Scholey, A. B. (2008). The effects of L-theanine, caffeine and their combination on cognition and mood. Biological psychology, 77(2), 113-122.
- Owen, G. N., Parnell, H., De Bruin, E. A., & Rycroft, J. A. (2008). The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood. Nutritional neuroscience, 11(4), 193-198.
- Steenbergen, L., Sellaro, R., Hommel, B., & Colzato, L. S. (2015). Tyrosine promotes cognitive flexibility: evidence from proactive vs. reactive control during task switching performance. Neuropsychologia, 69, 50-55.
- Jongkees, B. J., Hommel, B., Kühn, S., & Colzato, L. S. (2015). Effect of tyrosine supplementation on clinical and healthy populations under stress or cognitive demands—A review. Journal of psychiatric research, 70, 50-57.
- Nakazaki E, Mah E, Sanoshy K, Citrolo D, Watanabe F. Citicoline and Memory Function in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. J Nutr. 2021 Aug 7;151(8):2153-2160. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxab119. PMID: 33978188; PMCID: PMC8349115.
- Solomon, T. M., Leech, J., deBros, G. B., Murphy, C. A., Budson, A. E., Vassey, E. A., & Solomon, P. R. (2016). A randomized, double?blind, placebo controlled, parallel group, efficacy study of alpha BRAIN® administered orally. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 31(2), 135-143.
- Hidese, S., Ogawa, S., Ota, M., Ishida, I., Yasukawa, Z., Ozeki, M., & Kunugi, H. (2019). Effects of L-theanine administration on stress-related symptoms and cognitive functions in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 11(10), 2362.
- Williams, J. L., Everett, J. M., D’Cunha, N. M., Sergi, D., Georgousopoulou, E. N., Keegan, R. J., … & Naumovski, N. (2020). The effects of green tea amino acid L-theanine consumption on the ability to manage stress and anxiety levels: A systematic review. Plant foods for human nutrition, 75, 12-23.
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