Compounds & Supplements
Supplements Database
Nootropics, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, peptides and other isolated compounds — with mechanisms, dosage, and the evidence behind them. Filter by function (what you'd take it for), then narrow by class and action. For the deeper chemistry of any class, follow it through to the constituent browser.
Every published supplement, listed alphabetically. Pick a function above to read what it's for and the kinds of compounds used — then narrow by class and action in the sidebar.
Amino Acid
5-HTP
The direct precursor to serotonin — a serotonergic amino acid supplement used for mood, appetite and sleep, usually extracted from Griffonia simplicifolia seeds.
Alkaloid
9-Me-BC (9-Methyl-β-carboline)
9-Me-BC is a research β-carboline studied in rodent and cell models for dopaminergic and neurotrophic effects; there are no human trials.
Lipid
Alpha-GPC
A choline-dense phospholipid used to raise acetylcholine — the best evidence is in dementia and stroke recovery, and it is much thinner for healthy-brain enhancement.
Synthetic
Aniracetam
A fat-soluble racetam — a more potent relative of piracetam used for memory, focus and mood, with mild anxiolytic effects.
Cofactor
Bio PQQ
A redox-cycling quinone cofactor studied for mitochondrial support, antioxidant activity and modest cognitive effects — not an established vitamin, and the human trials are small and mostly industry-funded.
Synthetic
Bromantane
Bromantane (Ladasten) is a Russian adamantane "actoprotector" studied for asthenia and fatigue; approved as a medicine in Russia but not in the US/EU.
Alkaloid
Caffeine
Caffeine is perhaps the most popular stimulant in the world. It's contained within 3 of the most popular beverages the world has ever seen; coffee, tea, and yerba maté.
Synthetic
Centrophenoxine
Centrophenoxine (meclofenoxate) is a DMAE ester marketed for "brain energy" and lipofuscin reduction; most evidence is old, animal, or low-quality clinical work.
Vitamin
Choline (bitartrate / citrate)
Choline is an essential nutrient needed for acetylcholine synthesis, cell-membrane phospholipids, and methyl-group (methylation) metabolism.
Cofactor
Citicoline (CDP-Choline)
Citicoline (CDP-choline) is a choline-donor nootropic studied for memory and focus, with a few real placebo-controlled cognition and stroke trials behind it.
Synthetic
Coluracetam
A racetam and choline-uptake enhancer (originally MKC-231 / BCI-540) with animal cognition data but essentially no published human efficacy trials.
Amino Acid
Creatine
The most-researched sports supplement — a phosphocreatine energy buffer for muscle and, increasingly, the brain.
Amino Acid
DL-Phenylalanine
A racemic L-/D-phenylalanine blend sold for mood and pain, on thin, dated, and partly negative evidence.
Synthetic
DMAE
DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol / deanol) is a choline-related compound marketed for focus and skin firmness; oral cognition data are mixed, topical skin data are the clearest.
Synthetic
Fasoracetam
Fasoracetam (NFC-1) is a racetam-class research compound acting on GABA-B and metabotropic glutamate (mGluR) receptors, with thin human data centred on ADHD.
Mineral
Ferrous Fumarate
The most elemental-iron-dense of the common ferrous salts, delivering more iron per tablet; tolerance sits between ferrous sulfate and the amino-acid chelates.
Mineral
Ferrous Gluconate
A lower-elemental, well-absorbed oral iron salt often chosen for gentler GI tolerability than ferrous sulfate.
Mineral
Ferrous Sulfate
The classic, cheapest and best-studied oral iron salt — the reference form against which every other iron salt is compared; highly effective for deficiency but the most likely to cause gastrointestinal side effects.
Amino Acid
Glycine
The simplest amino acid — a collagen building block and inhibitory/NMDA-modulating neurotransmitter, taken mainly for sleep quality, with emerging glutathione/aging interest.
Alkaloid
Huperzine-A
A club-moss alkaloid and potent reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, used as a memory-support nootropic and studied in Alzheimer's disease — where the independent Western trial was negative.
Carbohydrate
Inositol
A sugar-alcohol "pseudovitamin" and cellular second-messenger precursor used for mood, anxiety, PCOS and insulin sensitivity.
Mineral
Iron Bisglycinate
A chelated iron form, well absorbed and notably gentler on the gut than ferrous sulfate — favoured when the older salts cause GI upset.
Amino Acid
L-Alanine
A nonessential amino acid and the key nitrogen carrier of the glucose–alanine cycle; distinct from beta-alanine.
Amino Acid
L-Arginine
L-Arginine is a conditionally essential amino acid and a nitric-oxide precursor, taken for blood flow, blood pressure, and exercise "pump".
Amino Acid
L-Asparagine
L-Asparagine is a nonessential amino acid — the first ever isolated, from asparagus — with roles in protein synthesis, ammonia handling and N-linked glycosylation.
Amino Acid
L-Aspartic Acid
L-Aspartic acid is a nonessential amino acid involved in the urea cycle, the TCA cycle, nucleotide synthesis and neurotransmission.
Amino Acid
L-Carnitine
A conditionally-essential, amino-acid-derived compound that shuttles fatty acids into mitochondria to be burned for energy.
Amino Acid
L-Cysteine
L-Cysteine is a sulfur-containing, semi-essential amino acid and the rate-limiting precursor for glutathione; it is most often supplemented as its stable derivative NAC.
Amino Acid
L-Glutamic Acid
L-Glutamic acid (glutamate) is a nonessential amino acid and the brain's principal excitatory neurotransmitter; also the source of GABA and glutamine.
Amino Acid
L-Glutamine
The most abundant free amino acid in the body and a key fuel for gut and immune cells, taken for gut-lining support and exercise recovery.
Amino Acid
L-Histidine
L-Histidine is an essential amino acid and the precursor to histamine and to the muscle buffer carnosine.
Amino Acid
L-Isoleucine
L-Isoleucine is an essential branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) involved in muscle energy metabolism and glucose uptake.
Amino Acid
L-Leucine
L-Leucine is an essential branched-chain amino acid and the primary amino-acid trigger of the mTOR pathway that initiates muscle protein synthesis.
Amino Acid
L-Lysine
L-Lysine is an essential amino acid taken mainly for herpes cold-sore prevention and as a building block for collagen and protein.
Amino Acid
L-Methionine
L-Methionine is an essential sulfur-containing amino acid central to methylation (via SAMe) and a precursor for cysteine, taurine and glutathione.
Amino Acid
L-Proline
A conditionally essential amino acid and a major building block of collagen — best obtained from protein and collagen peptides rather than as an isolate.
Amino Acid
L-Serine
A non-essential amino acid central to one-carbon metabolism, phospholipids and neurotransmitter precursors, with disease-specific therapeutic use.
Amino Acid
L-Theanine
A calming amino acid from tea that sharpens attention and takes the edge off caffeine without sedation.
Amino Acid
L-Threonine
Essential amino acid central to gut mucin and the mucus barrier; supplementation benefits are largely deficiency-dependent.
Amino Acid
L-Tryptophan
The essential amino-acid precursor to serotonin and melatonin, taken mainly for sleep onset.
Amino Acid
L-Tyrosine
Amino-acid precursor to dopamine and noradrenaline; buffers cognition under acute stress, cold and sleep loss.
Amino Acid
L-Valine
L-Valine is an essential branched-chain amino acid used as a muscle energy substrate and supplied within BCAA recovery blends.
Mineral
Magnesium Citrate
A well-absorbed, widely used magnesium salt — a solid all-purpose choice that doubles as a gentle laxative at higher doses.
Mineral
Magnesium Glycinate
Magnesium chelated to the amino acid glycine — the gentlest, best-tolerated form, favoured for calm, sleep and sensitive stomachs.
Mineral
Magnesium L-Threonate
A magnesium form marketed for cognition and "brain magnesium" — mechanistically interesting, but with limited and largely industry-funded human evidence.
Synthetic
Nefiracetam
Nefiracetam is a pyrrolidone (racetam) nootropic studied mainly for post-stroke apathy and depression, with mixed clinical results and no approved supplement status.
Cofactor
NMN (Nicotinamide mononucleotide)
The direct nucleotide precursor to NAD+, taken to raise NAD+ and studied for longevity, metabolism and blood pressure in mostly small, short human trials.
Peptide
Noopept
A potent synthetic dipeptide nootropic (active at ~10–40 mg) with strong rodent data but only small, open-label human trials, and unapproved in most Western markets.
Synthetic
Oxiracetam
A water-soluble synthetic racetam studied for cognitive recovery after brain injury, with weak evidence for enhancement in healthy people.
Synthetic
Phenibut
Phenibut is a GABA-B agonist used for anxiety and sleep. It carries a real, well-documented risk of dependence and severe withdrawal.
Synthetic
Phenylpiracetam
A phenyl-substituted piracetam derivative used as a stimulant nootropic. Some clinical data from post-Soviet research; it is WADA-banned in sport.
Lipid
Phosphatidylcholine
The major membrane phospholipid and a dietary source of choline for acetylcholine, membranes, and methyl metabolism.
Lipid
Phosphatidylserine
A phospholipid building block of neuronal cell membranes — supplemented to support memory, focus and the stress response, especially with age. The pivotal older data used bovine-cortex PS; the modern soy/sunflower product has weaker evidence.
Synthetic
Picamilon
Picamilon is a synthetic conjugate of GABA and niacin developed in the USSR for anxiety and cerebral blood flow; the FDA has ruled it is not a lawful dietary ingredient.
Synthetic
Piracetam
The original nootropic (1964) and prototype racetam — mild cognitive support that works mainly in impaired brains, with a very high safety margin.
Synthetic
Pramiracetam
A synthetic, fat-soluble racetam nootropic derived from piracetam, sold as the medicine Pramistar in some countries and used in the nootropic community for memory and focus.
Synthetic
PRL-8-53
PRL-8-53 is a synthetic research nootropic reported in a single 1970s human study to improve verbal memory retention; modern evidence is essentially absent.
Polyphenol
Pterostilbene
A methylated, more-bioavailable analogue of resveratrol from blueberries — studied for blood-pressure, metabolic and antioxidant effects, with most other claims resting on animal data.
Synthetic
Sulbutiamine
Sulbutiamine is a synthetic, lipophilic derivative of vitamin B1 (thiamine) taken for fatigue, asthenia and motivation.
Synthetic
Sunifiram
Sunifiram (DM-235) is a synthetic piperazine cognition-enhancer studied only in animals; there are no human trials and it is not an approved supplement or drug.
Amino Acid
Taurine
Conditionally essential sulphur amino acid with modest, replicated cardiometabolic effects — strongest where there's a deficit to correct.
Cofactor
Uridine Monophosphate
A pyrimidine nucleotide studied as part of a multi-nutrient blend for synaptic-membrane support in Alzheimer's disease — the evidence for standalone nootropic use in healthy adults is thin.
Alkaloid
Vinpocetine
A semi-synthetic periwinkle alkaloid that dilates cerebral arteries — a prescription drug abroad (Cavinton) and a contested OTC nootropic in the US, where the FDA warns it may cause fetal harm.
Vitamin
Vitamin B12
Cobalamin — the cobalt-containing B vitamin needed for red-blood-cell formation, DNA synthesis and the upkeep of the nervous system; found almost only in animal foods.
Vitamin
Vitamin B6
Pyridoxine — a water-soluble B vitamin whose active PLP form is a cofactor for amino-acid metabolism and the synthesis of serotonin, dopamine and GABA.
Vitamin
Vitamin B9
Folate — the water-soluble B vitamin behind DNA synthesis and cell division, essential before and during early pregnancy to prevent neural-tube defects.
Vitamin
Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol)
A fat-soluble secosteroid made in skin from sunlight, essential for calcium absorption and bone health. Correcting deficiency matters; routine extra dosing in already-replete people is mostly null.
Mineral
Zinc Acetate
A well-absorbed zinc salt and the best-studied lozenge form for shortening the common cold; also the FDA-approved zinc salt for Wilson-disease maintenance.
Mineral
Zinc Bisglycinate
A glycine-chelated zinc form that absorbs at or near the top of the common oral salts and is the gentlest on the stomach — the usual pick for GI-sensitive users.
Mineral
Zinc Citrate
A well-absorbed, moderately zinc-dense salt — a common all-purpose choice for daily zinc supplementation.
Mineral
Zinc Gluconate
A well-absorbed, inexpensive zinc salt — one of the two standard cold-lozenge forms.
Mineral
Zinc Oxide
The most zinc-dense but poorest-absorbed oral form — mostly used topically (sunscreen, barrier creams) and in high-dose AREDS eye formulas.
Mineral
Zinc Picolinate
A chelated form of zinc bound to picolinic acid, popular for daily supplementation when absorption is a priority.
Mineral
Zinc Sulfate
The inexpensive, water-soluble reference zinc salt used in most classic zinc trials — effective and well-absorbed, with GI upset on an empty stomach as the common downside.
No supplements match these filters.