I first came across the idea of cognitive enhancement when I was in college back in the early 2000's. Even back then, the idea that you could change how you think and feel with plants, pills, powders, and other substances intrigued me.

In college, I started learning everything I could about nootropics. At the time, I didn't know they were called nootropics, but I studied them nonetheless. Eventually, I started experimenting on myself to see what actually worked and what didn't.

Over time, I became quite experienced with a wide variety of these so-called nootropics. I found some of them to be very disappointing and others to be much more powerful than I ever could've predicted.

In this post, I'm going to talk about some of my favorite nootropics. Though I haven't tried every single one of the substances I write about on this website, I have tried many of them. And of those I've tried, the ones I'm going to discuss in this post are all among my favorites (in no particular order).

But keep in mind, this is my experience. Everyone's brain chemistry is so vastly different that no two people will experience the exact same results. The only way to know for sure what will work for you and what won't is to experiment on yourself.

My Favorite Nootropics

Below are some of my absolute favorite nootropics. This list hasn't changed much since it was first written in 2018. They are all still among my favorites and will likely continue to be for years to come.

Ashwagandha

This is one of my go-to nootropics for anxiety. Whenever I'm feeling stressed out, I take ashwagandha for a few weeks and it always helps me to feel better.

Ashwagandha was the first adaptogen I learned about. I was intrigued by the idea that some plants are able to help the body to optimize itself. Ashwagandha has been shown to decrease cortisol, reduce blood pressure and pulse rate, increase testosterone in men, and reduce cholesterol, among other things.

While I can't say for sure whether it's had all of those effects on me, I can say it always helps to reduce my anxiety and make me feel more at ease. After even just a few days of taking ashwagandha, I feel calmer and more at peace.

I've taken ashwagandha several times over the past decade or so. Whenever I've taken it, it's never for longer than 90 days at a time. Studies have shown that there's nothing wrong with taking ashwagandha for longer periods of time, but I've never felt the need to take it longer than 90 days.

You can learn more about it here: The Many Benefits of Ashwagandha.

Modafinil

It should come as no surprise that modafinil is one of my all-time favorite nootropics. If you asked 10 experienced nootropic users what their favorite it, I'd expect at least 7 or 8 of them to mention modafinil.

I first discovered modafinil over a decade ago. The first time I tried it, the effects were subtle but noticeable. Normally, I get tired halfway through the day and my motivation takes a dip. With modafinil, I stay alert and awake all day, skyrocketing my productivity.

I found that modafinil really shined when I took it on days when I didn't sleep well the night before. Instead of feeling foggy and groggy all day long, the modafinil made me feel like I'd gotten a good, restful night of sleep.

Some people like to take modafinil every day and there's nothing wrong with that. For me, I find it works best when only taken occasionally. I tried taking it daily for a while and found that the effects diminished over time. Some people also experience this but many do not.

You can learn a lot more about modafinil here: Modafinil – A Powerful and Popular Nootropic.

Caffeine and L-Theanine

I've always been a caffeine connoisseur. As a teen, I was all about Jolt Cola and Mountain Dew. In my twenties, I drank several cups of coffee every day. Now, I get most of my caffeine mostly from green tea but sometimes from energy drinks or supplements.

When I take caffeine in pill form, I usually take it with L-theanine. L-theanine is a naturally occurring substance found in green tea and can be relaxing, but without being sedating. I only discovered this combination about a decade ago. I'd read about this combo but didn't think it would have much of a noticeable effect. I couldn't have been more wrong.

The first time I took caffeine and L-theanine together, I was surprised by how I felt and how productive I was. I took 200 mg of caffeine and 400 mg of L-theanine and felt a sense of calm focus for most of the day.

I'd always liked the stimulation that caffeine gave me but not the jitters and crash that often came with it. When I took L-theanine with caffeine for the first time, all the negative effects of caffeine disappeared. My mind was clear and alert and my body relaxed, yet ready for any activity.

I continue to take this mini nootropic stack from time to time and it always works like it did the first time. My preferred caffeine source, green tea, actually contains L-theanine but not enough to have a noticeable effect.

You can learn more about caffeine and l-theanine here: L-Theanine and Caffeine – The Perfect Combo.

Phenylpiracetam

A lot of people get great results from individual racetams. The racetams are structurally similar substances, many of which have nootropic properties.  Piracetam, pramiracetam, and oxiracetam are among the most popular racetamic nootropics being used today. Unfortunately, none of those do very much for me on their own.

However, there are a couple of racetams that do work well for me. The first is phenylpiracetam. I discovered this powerful nootropic about  10 years ago.

I'll be honest: I didn't expect much from it initially. I'd already tried several other racetams and their effects were underwhelming. I didn't think that phenylpiracetam would be any different – but I was wrong.

The first time I tried it, I was blown away by how noticeable the effects were. After about an hour I felt focused, motivated, and productive. I also felt a bit warmer than usual, which is a common effect of phenylpiracetam.

After that first time, I continued to experiment with phenylpiracetam for several months. I tried different dosages and also tried stacking it with several other nootropics.

For me, I found that phenylpiracetam works best when taken no more than once a week and on an empty stomach. I also like to take it as part of a stack with caffeine and L-theanine sometimes. I find that those three work great together.

As far as dosage goes, I've never felt the need to use more than 200 mg at a time. The first time I tried phenylpiracetam, I took 100 mg and definitely noticed its effects.

You can learn more here: Phenylpiracetam – The Best Adderall Alternative.

Fasoracetam

This is the other racetam that is a favorite of mine. Fasoracetam significantly reduces my anxiety without causing sedation. In fact, it usually has the opposite effect. For me, fasoracetam is like aniracetam, only better.

I find fasoracetam to be just about as effective at relieving anxiety as prescription drugs. But unlike those drugs, fasoracetam doesn't sedate me. It actually reduces anxiety while increasing focus and motivation at the same time.

Of all the nootropics on this list, fasoracetam was the last one I tried. The first time I took it was just a couple years ago. I'd read about how it affects the GABA-B receptor and wanted to see if it helped with anxiety. I was having a lot of it at the time and fasoracetam worked even better than I'd hoped.

Within an hour or two of taking it, I felt more calm and focused than I had in a long time. The crippling anxiety I was experiencing simply washed away and I was incredibly productive for the rest of the day.

Like phenylpiracetam, I find that fasoracetam works best when only taken one or two days a week. I usually take anywhere from 20-40 milligrams once in the morning and sometimes again in the afternoon, a few hours apart. It stacks well with caffeine and other stimulating nootropics.

You can learn more about it here: Fasoracetam – An Anxiety-Reducing Nootropic.

Kratom

The last substance that I want to mention is kratom. It usually isn't thought of as a nootropic, but it does have several nootropic qualities.

There is no doubt this one works. The first time I tried kratom, I was blown away. Its effects were felt within 30 minutes and they were extremely noticeable.

When I first tried kratom almost ten years ago now, I was going through a period of mild depression. About a half hour after taking a few grams of kratom, my depression lifted and I felt full of motivation and energy. These effects lasted for most of the day.

Since then, kratom has become one of my favorite nootropics. Many people use it several times a day to treat pain, depression, anxiety, opioid dependence, and other conditions. As a nootropic, it's probably best to limit kratom's use to no more than 2 or 3 times a week.

Lower doses tend to be more stimulating, while higher doses can be more sedating. For nootropic purposes, I find that 2-3 grams is perfect for me. A lot of other people say that just 1-3 grams is the optimal nootropic dose.

When I take kratom on an empty stomach, the effects are noticeable within 30 minutes. With food in my stomach, it can take up to an hour to notice kratom's effects.

You can learn more about it here: The Nootropic Benefits of Kratom.

Conclusion

And there you have it: my favorite nootropics. I've tried dozens and dozens of them over the years and these remain among my favorites. In the seven years since this list was first published, it has barely changed at all. I spent a lot of time figuring out which nootropics work for me. Now it's time to figure out which ones will work best for you.

As always, you should consult with a licensed healthcare professional before starting any news medications, supplements, plants, diets, nutritional plans, or exercise routines. Since doctors aren't taught about nootropics in medical school, you may have to educate yours a bit. This website can be a great place to start, especially the articles that are heavily cited from medical journals.

Now that I told you mine, I want to hear what  some of your favorite nootropics are. Do you have a favorite? Please leave your answer in the comments section at the bottom of the page. And if you haven't already, sign up for the Nootropics Zone newsletter below to learn about dozens of brain-boosting supplements.

[This article was originally published on September 14, 2018. Updated August 1, 2025.]