Supplements for cognition

16 compounds relevant to cognition, ranked by overall evidence grade.

Overall grade: Grade B
Last revised: Jul 10, 2026; 16
graded outcomes: 0
references listed

Assembled by the app from other entries in this library. It adds no evidence of its own — follow the links to the entries it draws on.

3 at grade B · 11 at grade C · 2 at grade D — 16 graded rows

What is known

Each outcome with its grade (how strong the evidence is, A to D), the size of the effect where the entry records one, and how often studies agree.

Outcome	Grade	Effect size	Agreement
CholineAn essential nutrient most people under-eat — critical in pregnancy for fetal brain development.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
Cocoa FlavanolsThe flavanols in cocoa genuinely improve blood-vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure — the sugar is the catch.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)The brain-penetrant carnitine — real evidence for diabetic neuropathy, softer signals for mood and aging cognition.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
Panax GinsengA classic tonic with scattered small wins for fatigue, cognition, and erectile function — rarely dramatic, watch drug interactions.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Lion's ManeA mushroom with intriguing nerve-growth mechanisms and a couple of small, promising human cognition trials — early days.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
SpermidineAn autophagy-inducing polyamine with intriguing observational and early-trial cognitive signals.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Gotu KolaA traditional 'brain and skin' herb with modest wound-healing and vein data, weaker cognitive evidence.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
SageA culinary herb with small but repeatable acute-memory-and-attention signals.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
PiracetamThe original 'nootropic' — decent evidence in cognitive impairment, thin data in healthy people, and unapproved as a supplement in many places.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
IdebenoneA synthetic CoQ10 relative with niche evidence in specific mitochondrial diseases, not general use.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Methylene BlueA century-old dye and drug repurposed as a low-dose mitochondrial nootropic — real pharmacology, serious MAOI-level interactions.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
SarcosineAn NMDA co-agonist amino acid with real add-on evidence in schizophrenia — a niche, mechanism-driven mood/cognition agent.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum)A South African mood herb (standardized as Zembrin) with early anxiolytic and cognitive signals — and serotonergic caution.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
SpearmintA mint tea with a genuine anti-androgen signal for hirsutism/PCOS and early memory data.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
OxiracetamA stimulating racetam with sparse, dated human evidence.	Evidence grade D	Unclear	mixed
NoopeptA potent peptide-like nootropic popular online with almost no Western human trials.	Evidence grade D	Unclear	mixed

CholineEvidence grade B
An essential nutrient most people under-eat — critical in pregnancy for fetal brain development.
Unclearmixed
Cocoa FlavanolsEvidence grade B
The flavanols in cocoa genuinely improve blood-vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure — the sugar is the catch.
Unclearmixed
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)Evidence grade B
The brain-penetrant carnitine — real evidence for diabetic neuropathy, softer signals for mood and aging cognition.
Unclearmixed
Panax GinsengEvidence grade C
A classic tonic with scattered small wins for fatigue, cognition, and erectile function — rarely dramatic, watch drug interactions.
Unclearmixed
Lion's ManeEvidence grade C
A mushroom with intriguing nerve-growth mechanisms and a couple of small, promising human cognition trials — early days.
Unclearmixed
SpermidineEvidence grade C
An autophagy-inducing polyamine with intriguing observational and early-trial cognitive signals.
Unclearmixed
Gotu KolaEvidence grade C
A traditional 'brain and skin' herb with modest wound-healing and vein data, weaker cognitive evidence.
Unclearmixed
SageEvidence grade C
A culinary herb with small but repeatable acute-memory-and-attention signals.
Unclearmixed
PiracetamEvidence grade C
The original 'nootropic' — decent evidence in cognitive impairment, thin data in healthy people, and unapproved as a supplement in many places.
Unclearmixed
IdebenoneEvidence grade C
A synthetic CoQ10 relative with niche evidence in specific mitochondrial diseases, not general use.
Unclearmixed
Methylene BlueEvidence grade C
A century-old dye and drug repurposed as a low-dose mitochondrial nootropic — real pharmacology, serious MAOI-level interactions.
Unclearmixed
SarcosineEvidence grade C
An NMDA co-agonist amino acid with real add-on evidence in schizophrenia — a niche, mechanism-driven mood/cognition agent.
Unclearmixed
Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum)Evidence grade C
A South African mood herb (standardized as Zembrin) with early anxiolytic and cognitive signals — and serotonergic caution.
Unclearmixed
SpearmintEvidence grade C
A mint tea with a genuine anti-androgen signal for hirsutism/PCOS and early memory data.
Unclearmixed
OxiracetamEvidence grade D
A stimulating racetam with sparse, dated human evidence.
Unclearmixed
NoopeptEvidence grade D
A potent peptide-like nootropic popular online with almost no Western human trials.
Unclearmixed

What is uncertain

Read off the same rows as above. Nothing here is added that the entry does not itself record.

Thin evidence: Panax Ginseng (grade C); Lion's Mane (grade C); Spermidine (grade C); Gotu Kola (grade C); Sage (grade C); Piracetam (grade C); Idebenone (grade C); Methylene Blue (grade C); Sarcosine (grade C); Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) (grade C); Spearmint (grade C); Oxiracetam (grade D); Noopept (grade D).
Studies disagree: Choline (mixed agreement); Cocoa Flavanols (mixed agreement); Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR) (mixed agreement).

The evidence in words

The shortlist

Every compound in the knowledge base tagged to cognition, ordered by how strong its overall evidence is. Start at the top; the grade is the honest filter.

Worth considering first

Choline (B) — An essential nutrient most people under-eat — critical in pregnancy for fetal brain development. · Cocoa Flavanols (B) — The flavanols in cocoa genuinely improve blood-vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure — the sugar is the catch. · Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR) (B) — The brain-penetrant carnitine — real evidence for diabetic neuropathy, softer signals for mood and aging cognition.

Lower-evidence options

Panax Ginseng (C) — A classic tonic with scattered small wins for fatigue, cognition, and erectile function — rarely dramatic, watch drug interactions. · Lion's Mane (C) — A mushroom with intriguing nerve-growth mechanisms and a couple of small, promising human cognition trials — early days. · Spermidine (C) — An autophagy-inducing polyamine with intriguing observational and early-trial cognitive signals. · Gotu Kola (C) — A traditional 'brain and skin' herb with modest wound-healing and vein data, weaker cognitive evidence. · Sage (C) — A culinary herb with small but repeatable acute-memory-and-attention signals. · Piracetam (C) — The original 'nootropic' — decent evidence in cognitive impairment, thin data in healthy people, and unapproved as a supplement in many places. · Idebenone (C) — A synthetic CoQ10 relative with niche evidence in specific mitochondrial diseases, not general use. · Methylene Blue (C) — A century-old dye and drug repurposed as a low-dose mitochondrial nootropic — real pharmacology, serious MAOI-level interactions. · Sarcosine (C) — An NMDA co-agonist amino acid with real add-on evidence in schizophrenia — a niche, mechanism-driven mood/cognition agent. · Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) (C) — A South African mood herb (standardized as Zembrin) with early anxiolytic and cognitive signals — and serotonergic caution. · Spearmint (C) — A mint tea with a genuine anti-androgen signal for hirsutism/PCOS and early memory data. · Oxiracetam (D) — A stimulating racetam with sparse, dated human evidence. · Noopept (D) — A potent peptide-like nootropic popular online with almost no Western human trials.

Goes with

CholineGrade BEvidence grade B
Cocoa FlavanolsGrade BEvidence grade B
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)Grade BEvidence grade B
Panax GinsengGrade CEvidence grade C
Lion's ManeGrade CEvidence grade C
SpermidineGrade CEvidence grade C
Gotu KolaGrade CEvidence grade C
SageGrade CEvidence grade C

Entries that share this one's tags or conditions.

Noopept for CognitionEvidence grade D — Limited Western dataEvidence grade D
Oxiracetam for CognitionEvidence grade D — SparseEvidence grade D
Panax Ginseng for CognitionEvidence grade C — InconsistentEvidence grade C
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR) for Cognition (MCI/aging)Evidence grade C — ModestEvidence grade C

Sources

This entry lists no references of its own — it is assembled from the entries it links to, whose sources are on their pages.

Last revised Jul 10, 2026. A grade is this entry's reading of the evidence, not medical advice.