It looks like 2024 is going to be another big year for nootropics. Every year more and more people are using nootropics to improve memory and mood, increase focus and motivation, and reduce anxiety – among other things. That's why I've put together this list of the best nootropics of 2024.

Just a few short years ago the only people using nootropics were biohackers and chemistry nerds. Now people from every conceivable background are reaping the benefits of these marvelous compounds. Doctors, lawyers, students, computer programmers, artists, musicians, writers, shift workers, teachers, and politicians are all using nootropics to boost productivity and improve cognitive performance.

Whether you need more focus, want to reduce anxiety, are looking to improve your memory, or are simply looking for something to boost your mood, there is a nootropic that can help. All the nootropics on this list are backed by science and have plenty of case reports to support their safety and effectiveness. And every year more research and anecdotal reports come out supporting their use.

So let's jump right into the best nootropics of 2024. All the nootropics on this list have been shown to be effective and very safe for most people. However, since everyone's brains are different, everyone's results may vary. But I've had a lot of success with the following nootropics and I hope you do, too. Oh and I should mention that you should always consult with a licensed physician before starting or stopping any supplement, drug, diet, or exercise program. Now here's my list of the best nootropics of 2024.

The Best Nootropics Of 2024

Armodafinil

Though armodafinil has been around for years, it's only been over the past few that this smart drug has become popular. It's very similar to the well-known nootropic, modafinil. However, armodafinil is considered to be a stronger version of modafinil. 

Classified as a eugeroic¹ (wakefulness-promoting agent), armodafinil has an impressive list of benefits. It can increase focus and motivation, improve mood and memory, and reduce fatigue. These are the same benefits that users report from using modafinil, but with a couple key differences.

The first difference is that armodafinil is a little bit more potent than modafinil.² Taking 150 mg of armodafinil is the equivalent of taking 200 mg of modafinil. It's not a huge difference but, milligram for milligram, it is stronger.

The other major difference is that the effects of armodafinil last longer than modafinil. Most people who use smart drugs want to stay focused and motivated longer, which makes armodafinil the better choice. 

In some countries, armodafinil is only available as a prescription drug. In others, it can be purchased online. There are several reputable online vendors. To see if they ship to your country, check with the individual vendor. 

Potential Benefits of Armodafinil

• Increased focus
• Improved memory
• Reduced fatigue
• Increased vigilance
• Increased motivation
• Reduced reaction time
• Improved mood

You can learn more about this nootropic here: Armodafinil For Cognitive Enhancement.

Phenylpiracetam

This is a powerful nootropic that was developed in Russia in the 1980's. Since then, it's become popular around the world for its cognition-enhancing properties. Phenylpiracetam can increase focus and motivation, improve memory and mood, and even improve physical performance.

In fact, this popular nootropic is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in all major sports.³ They don't go around banning any old supplements – only the ones that work. And there's no question that, for many people, phenylpiracetam works.

Phenylpiracetam was created by adding a phenyl group to the well-known nootropic, piracetam. Russian scientists found that by doing this they had created a compound that was much more potent than piracetam. Phenylpiracetam is estimated to be about 60 times more potent than the drug it was created from.⁴

Some smart drug users find that phenylpiracetam is effective on its own. However, many users find that it works best when taken with other nootropics (or stacked in nootropics lingo). Phenylpiracetam is usually stacked with a choline source, like alpha-GPC (next on the list) or CDP-choline. It also stacks well with most other nootropics, especially some of the other racetams.

Potential Benefits of Phenylpiracetam

• Increased focus
• Improved memory
• Improved mood
• Increased motivation
• Improved physical performance
• Increased alertness

You can learn more about this nootropic here: Phenylpiracetam – The Best Adderall Alternative?

Alpha-GPC

Nootropics work by changing the way certain chemicals in the brain interact with each other. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters. One of the main neurotransmitters affected by a number of nootropics is acetylcholine. It is known to play an important role in learning, memory, and motivation, among other things.

Alpha-GPC works by increasing acetylcholine levels in the body and brain.⁵ If you don't have adequate levels of this neurotransmitter, you can experience brain fog, memory problems, decreased motivation, and other cognitive problems. Taking a cholinergic like alpha-GPC will ensure that you maintain optimal acetylcholine levels. That's why it definitely belongs on this list of the best nootropics of 2024.

Not all cholinergics (things that increase acetylcholine) work the same, though. Alpha-GPC is considered to be one of the best choline sources because it is more efficient at raising acetylcholine levels than other cholinergics.⁶ For this reason, most nootropic users prefer alpha-GPC to other cholinergics. However, some users prefer CDP-choline because it has been shown to have additional benefits.

Alpha-GPC can be taken on its own, but is usually stacked with other nootropics. Most commonly, alpha-GPC is stacked with one or more racetams. There are two reasons for this: First, most racetams work better when taken with a cholinergic. This is because many racetams change the way acetylcholine works in the brain. If you don't have adequate acetylcholine levels, you won't experience the full benefits of these racetams.

Second, taking alpha-GPC will reduce or eliminate the possibility of certain unwanted effects that are sometimes associated with the racetams. Some users report headaches – sometimes severe – after taking different racetams. These headaches are thought to be caused by too little acetylcholine in the brain.⁷ Taking a choline source with the racetams known to cause headaches can (and in most cases does) reduce or eliminate them.

Potential Benefits of Alpha-GPC

• Improved learning
• Increased motivation
• Improved memory
• Improved physical performance
• Faster reaction time
• Improves the effectiveness of many nootropics
• Reduces/eliminates side effects of many nootropics

You can learn more about this nootropic here: Alpha-GPC – A Choline-Boosting Nootropic.

Aniracetam

This is a popular nootropic that is a relative of number two on our list, phenylpiracetam. Like phenylpiracetam, aniracetam was first created in Russia by slightly altering a piracetam molecule. But the effects of aniracetam are much different than piracetam or phenylpiracetam. 

The thing that nootropic users love most about aniracetam is its ability to reduce anxiety without causing sedation. Many users – myself included – find that aniracetam helps to improve productivity by keeping the mind sharp and free from unnecessary worry. Although more human studies are needed to confirm these claims, initial results from animal studies have been encouraging. A study done on rats, for example, found aniracetam to have strong anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) properties.⁸ This study also looked at how aniracetam worked in the body and found it to affect dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine. These neurotransmitters are known to play a role in motivation, mood, sleep, memory, and more. 

The medical community has shown some interest in aniracetam as a potential treatment for several disorders. One study, for example, looked at aniracetam's potential to help senile cognitive disorders like dementia and Alzheimer's.⁹ The authors of the study concluded that aniracetam may have memory-boosting properties and that it seems to be very safe. They also note that more human studies are needed before anything can be stated conclusively. 

Potential Benefits of Aniracetam

• Reduced anxiety
• Increased focus
• Improved memory
• Improved mood
• Improved learning ability

You can learn more about this nootropic here: Aniracetam for Anxiety & Focus.

Ashwagandha

This is a plant that has been used all over the world for centuries including in Ayurvedic medicine (Ayurveda is a form of traditional medicine that originated in India). Ashwagandha is so powerful that it has been called “the king of Ayurvedic herbs.”¹⁰

Ashwagandha is popular with nootropic users mainly because it can reduce stress and anxiety. However, it's on this list of the best nootropics of 2024 for another reason: because it can also improve immune function.¹¹

Since the global coronavirus pandemic began, people have been looking for ways to boost their immune systems. Ashwagandha and several other nootropic adaptogens have been shown to do just that.¹² Adaptogens are plants that help the body to regulate a variety of physiological processes including ones that involve the immune and nervous systems.¹³ Here are some other nootropics that can boost the immune system.

Potential Benefits of Ashwagandha:

• Decreased anxiety
• Decreased stress
• Improved mood
• Increased motivation
• Increased/improved social functioning
• Improved immune health
• Reduced fatigue

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

Modafinil

The last item on our list of the best nootropics of 2024 is modafinil. It was on our list of the best nootropics of 2018, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 – and will likely still be one of the best nootropics in 2024 and beyond. That's because it works, it's generally safe, and there are mounds of evidence to support its use.

Classified as a eugeroic, modafinil was first created in the 1970's but didn't see widespread use until the late 1990's and early 2000's. In 1994, it was approved as a prescription drug in France and then four years later in the United States. Modafinil is only approved to treat narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and shift work sleep disorder.¹⁴ However, it is widely prescribed off-label (for unapproved reasons) to treat dozens of other disorders, including daytime sleepiness, depression, brain fog, and memory problems.

Nootropic users have been using this amazing smart drug for more than two decades because of its impressive list of benefits. Modafinil can increase focus and memory, reduce fatigue and reaction time, and improve mood and overall cognitive performance. It's generally considered to be very safe and there are tons of scientific studies to support its use.¹⁵

Many modafinil users have switched to using armodafinil, as it requires a lower dosage and the effects can last several hours longer. However, some nootropic users prefer the shorter-acting modafinil to its newer relative. The best way to know which one will work best for you is to simply try them both and compare the results. No matter which one you prefer, there's no denying that they both belong on this list of the best nootropics of 2024.

Potential Benefits of Modafinil

• Increased focus
• Improved mood
• Improved memory
• Reduced fatigue
• Reduced reaction time
• Increased motivation
• Increased wakefulness

You can learn more about this nootropic here: Modafinil – A Powerful and Popular Nootropic.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it: the best nootropics of 2024. Interest in these substances will no doubt continue to grow with time. Over the past couple of years, dozens of new nootropic companies, blogs, and other websites have appeared out of nowhere. As interest in smart drugs continues to increase, I'm sure we'll be seeing more and more nootropic-related businesses pop up.

When the Nootropics Zone was first created in 2014, it was one of the first nootropic-related websites on the internet (it was the first blog-style nootropic site). Now there are dozens (maybe even hundreds) of them. Over the past few years, interest in nootropics has exploded and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

The substances on our list of the best nootropics of 2024 were picked because they're generally safe, effective, and widely used. It should be noted, however, that everyone responds differently to each nootropic. What may be the best nootropic for one person might be the worst for someone else. The only way to know which ones will work best for you is to do your research, try them, and decide for yourself.

If you are looking to increase specific aspects of cognitive performance, check out our Best Nootropic For series. There you'll find a detailed list of the best nootropics for improving that particular aspect of cognition. And if you haven't already, make sure to sign up for the Nootropics Zone mailing list below. 

References

1Eugeroic.(n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved on January 12, 2024 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugeroic

2Darwish, M., Kirby, M., Hellriegel, E.T., & Robertson Jr, P. (2009). Armodafinil and modafinil have substantially different pharmacokinetic profiles despite having the same terminal half-lives. Clinical Drug Investigations, 29(9):613-23.

3World Anti-Doping Agency. (2018). Prohibited list: January 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2024 from https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/prohibited_list_2018_en.pdf

4Malykh, A., & Sadaie, M. (2010). Piracetam and piracetam-like drugs: from basic science to novel clinical applications to CNS disorders. Drugs. 70(3):287-312.

5Parnetti, L., Mignini, F., Tomassoni, D., Traini, E., & Amenta, F. (2007). Cholinergic precursors in the treatment of cognitive impairment of vascular origin: ineffective approaches or need for re-evaluation? Journal of the Neurological Sciences. 257(1-2):264-9.

6Gatti, G., Barzaghi, N., Acuto, G., Abbiati, G., Fossati, T., & Perucca, E. (1992). A comparative study of free plasma choline levels following intramuscular administration of l-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine and citicoline in normal volunteers. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Therapy, and Toxicology. 30(9):331-5.

7Piracetam headache and choline. (n.d.). Pure Nootropics. Retrieved January 14, 2022 from https://peaknootropics.com/piracetam-and-headaches/

8Nakamura, K., & Kurasawa, M. (2001). Anxiolytic effects of aniracetam in three different mouse models of anxiety and the underlying mechanism. European Journal of Pharmacology, 420(1):33-43.

9Lee, C., & Benfield, P. (1994). Aniracetam. An overview of its pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, and a review of its therapeutic potential in senile cognitive disorders. Drugs & Aging. 4(3):257-73.

14Provigil Prescribing Information. (n.d.). United States Food and Drug Administration. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. Retrieved on January 12, 2024 from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2015/020717s037s038lbl.pdf

15Battleday, R., & Brem, A. (2015). Modafinil for cognitive neuroenhancement in healthy non-sleep-deprived subjects: A systematic review. European Neuropsychopharmacology,25(11):1865-81.