Some nootropics work great when taken by themselves. Modafinil is a popular example of this. People all over the world use it to increase focus, wakefulness, and productivity.

However, many nootropics work best when taken (stacked) with other nootropics. In this post, we're going to look at 5 of the most common nootropic stacks being used today.

5 Common Nootropic Stacks

Stacking nootropics is a common practice among experienced users. While there are plenty of nootropics that work well by themselves, some work best when taken as part of a stack. Below are some common nootropic stacks that are popular all over the world.

1. Caffeine & L-Theanine

Without question, this is one of the most popular nootropic stacks being used around the world today. There's a good reason for that: it's safe and effective for most people.

It's no secret that caffeine can improve focus, wakefulness, and productivity. But it often comes with a number of unwanted effects. Anxiety, insomnia, and the dreaded crash several hours after consumption are all common effects of caffeine. That's where L-theanine comes in.

L-theanine is a substance that is found in green tea. It's known to be relaxing but not sedating. And there is tons of science to support both its safety and effectiveness.

When taken with caffeine, L-theanine reduces or even eliminates all of caffeine's negative effects. Instead of feeling jittery and anxious, users get all of the positive effects of caffeine with none of the negatives. This stack creates a state of relaxed focus that lasts for hours and has little-to-no crash.

Personally, this is one of my go-to stacks and is easily one of my favorites. It's simple and effective. L-theanine definitely increases the effectiveness of caffeine. When I want to be relaxed but productive, stacking caffeine and L-theanine is usually the direction I go in.

You can learn more about this simple and effective stack here: L-Theanine and Caffeine – The Perfect Combo.

2. Piracetam & Alpha-GPC

This is another simple and often-effective nootropic stack. It's also one of the most commonly used. In fact, this might've been the first nootropic stack I ever heard about over a decade ago. It's made up of two nootropics: piracetam and alpha-GPC.

Piracetam is the substance that inspired the creation of the word nootropic over 50 years ago. Its creator noticed that piracetam improved focus and overall cognitive performance without causing any unwanted effects. He needed a word to describe these effects and coined the term nootropic.

Alpha-GPC is a common choline-boosting substance. Choline is an essential nutrient that our bodies use to make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This neurotransmitter plays a crucial role in memory, learning, muscle control, and more.

When stacked together, piracetam and alpha-GPC can pack a powerful, focus-enhancing punch. They both influence acetylcholine and the alpha-GPC ensures that the piracetam has enough of this important neurotransmitter to work with.

You can learn more here: Piracetam and Alpha-GPC – A Simple, Safe, & Effective Nootropic Stack.

3. The Happy Stack (aka The Mr. Happy Stack)

This stack consists of three substances: uridine monophosphate, CDP-choline, and fish oil. It's called The Happy Stack not because it will make you happy (though it can certainly have mood-boosting properties), but because the person who first came up with it goes by the name Mr. Happy.

This stack can be great for increasing focus and improving mood. Uridine is a nucleotide that is naturally present in the human body. When taken in supplement form as uridine monophosphate, it can improve focus, mood, and memory.

CDP-choline is a popular choline source. Like alpha-GPC mentioned in the stack above, CDP-choline increases acetylcholine levels in the body and brain. When taken with uridine monophosphate, these two substances work synergistically to improve overall cognition.

The last substance in The Happy Stack is fish oil. In addition to having several health benefits, fish oil has also been aggressively studied over the past 20-25 years for its cognition-boosting properties. Studies show that fish oil may have a subtle effect on focus and mood by itself. But when taken with uridine and a choline source, these three substances work together and can have a powerful effect on focus and mood.

You can learn more about this stack here: The Happy Stack.

4. Modafinil & Ashwagandha

Modafinil is one of the most popular nootropics being used around the world today and has been for several years. Most users take modafinil by itself and find that it works great on its own. However, some users find that modafinil can increase anxiety and interfere with sleep. That's where stacking it with ashwagandha can help.

Ashwagandha is a plant that has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. It has been extensively studied and is known to have a variety of health benefits. Classified as an adaptogen, ashwagandha is also popular in the nootropics community for its ability to reduce stress and anxiety, and improve sleep.

Modafinil is a powerful wakefulness-promoting agent (aka a eugeroic). In some countries, it's a prescription medication used to treat narcolepsy, excessive sleepiness, and other disorders. Modafinil seems to work, at least in part, by affecting the neurotransmitters dopamine and hypocretin (Orexin).

Nootropic users, on the other hand, love modafinil for its ability to improve focus and reduce tiredness. From college students pulling all-night study sessions to business professionals trying to increase productivity, modafinil has remains one of the most popular nootropics around the world.

When stacked together, modafinil and ashwagandha can create a state of calm, focused wakefulness. Users of this common nootropic stack often find that the calming effects of ashwagandha aren't overly sedating and nicely compliment the wakefulness provided by the modafinil.

Some users also like to stack L-theanine and other nootropics with modafinil for this same reason. You can learn more here: Nootropics That Stack Well With Modafinil.

5. Piracetam, Oxiracetam, Aniracetam, & CDP-Choline

The last item on our list of common nootropic stacks includes four substances: 3 racetams and a choline source. When taken individually, the effects of these nootropics can often be quite mild. But when taken together, these four nootropics can seriously increase focus, motivation, memory, and learning.

As mentioned in stack #2, piracetam was the first nootropic to be discovered and even inspired the creation of the word nootropic. Piracetam was also the first racetam to be created. The racetams are a family of chemically similar substances, many of which have nootropic properties. Aside from piracetam, oxiracetam and aniracetam are two other racetams with cognition-enhancing properties.

Oxiracetam has been shown to increase focus without affecting mood or anxiety levels. Aniracetam, on the other hand, has been shown to decrease anxiety while also improving focus. When these to racetams are taken with piracetam, the three of them can work together to significantly improve cognition.

By adding a choline source like CDP-choline to this stack, it ensures that the three racetams have plenty of choline to work with in the nervous system. All three of them affect acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter that CDP-choline boosts levels of. When these four nootropics are stacked together, they can create an intense state of relaxed focus.

Some users like to take alpha-GPC as part of this stack instead of CDP-choline. It really comes down to personal preference. Any choline-boosting nootropic should do the trick. You can learn about the different choline boosters here: What Is The Best Choline Source?

Conclusion

While many nootropics work well by themselves, a lot of users like to stack several of them together to increase their effectiveness. The 5 common nootropic stacks mentioned above are all very popular because they tend to work well for most people and have excellent safety profiles.

If you want to know where you can buy the nootropics mentioned above, check out this up-to-date list of the best, most-trustworthy places to buy nootropics: Where To Buy Nootropics?

As always, you should consult a licensed healthcare professional before starting any new supplements, medications, diets, or behavioral routines. Since doctors aren't taught about nootropics in medical school, you may have to educate yours a bit. Feel free to share this website, as it can be a great starting point for them.

Have you tried one or more of these stacks? Which one is your favorite? Are there any other simple nootropic stacks that you really like? Please leave your answer in the comments section at the bottom. And if you haven't already, join the NZ mailing list below to learn about dozens of other brain-boosting substances.

[This article was originally published on October 4, 2019. Updated October 3, 2025.]