We’ve recently had many requests for a good nootropic stack for students that can help improve studying and optimize performance for exams.
Naturally, there’s no substitute for a healthy lifestyle, including a good diet, exercise, meditation, and proper sleep. However, nootropics may be able to provide that extra edge.
This example stack of nootropics is designed for long-term brain optimization, as well as short-term performance enhancement.
It is designed for illustrative purposes, and you should speak to a medical professional before starting any supplementation routine.
Nootropic Stack for Students
Daily
- Controlled Labs Orange Triad: Multivitamin
Dose: 3 tablets, twice per day.
Benefits: Improved mental function and various general health benefits. - NutriGold Triple Strength Omega-3 Gold
Dose: 1 capsule per day.
Benefits: Improved mental and overall body function. Studies link omega-3 supplementation with improved mood and increased overall brain function. - L-Theanine
Dose: 200 mg daily.
Benefits: Greatly improves focus, puts you into a relaxed, meditative type state. If you drink coffee or take caffeine tablets, it will reduce caffeine’s jittery side effects, leaving you with a pure, clean focus. It’s also great if you know you aren’t going to get a perfect night’s sleep. Take a cap of theanine before you go to bed, and you may up less fatigued and in a better mood. Learn more about L-theanine. - Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Dose: 500–1000 mg of the above extract daily.
Benefits: This is one of the most potent enhancers of Nerve Growth Factor around, a protein that plays a role in creating new brain cells. This means that you are not just getting a quick boost but are actually potentially improving the overall structure of your brain. Learn more about Lion’s Mane. - Ashwagandha Powder
Dose: 300–600 mg daily.
Benefits: This is a unique herb that raises your body’s natural defenses and tolerances to stress. Defense against stress does wonders for the college student that’s under pressure. Learn more about ashwagandha.
Non-Daily (nootropics for studying or exams)
- Vinpocetine
Dose: 20–30 mg before a test.
Benefits: This is a neurovasodilator that is capable of increasing memory capacity. Taking it before a test is ideal because it increases blood flow to the brain, thus increasing the effects of all the other nootropics in this stack. It may potentially quicken recall and deepen thought, making it ideal for test-taking. Learn more about vinpocetine. - Caffeine
Dose: 100 mg
Benefits: Caffeine synergizes well with other racetams and will give you a boost of mental energy to help you focus and perform. You can brew your own delicious, powerful coffee such as Kicking Horse Kick Ass Dark, Whole Bean Coffee, but caffeine tablets are often more convenient. When taking caffeine supplements, it is highly recommended to take them along with L-theanine to take the jittery edge off, leaving you with a cool and collected focus.
With the addition of one of the following racetams, if you’re inclined to take synthetic nootropics, depending on what works best for you and/or depending on the topic of study:
- Oxiracetam
Dose: 750 mg on days when I do logical learning, such as math or economics.
Benefits: HUGE boost to literal and logic-based thinking, making math and other numbers-based concepts come easy. Learn more about oxiracetam. - Aniracetam
Dose: 750 mg on days I do figurative and creative thinking, such as English or writing.
Benefits: Huge boost to creative and figurative type thinking. Creative and artistic type thinking comes so easy, and ideas flow freely. Learn more about aniracetam. - Noopept
Dose: 10–20 mg on cram days, up to three times a day, when I need extreme focus for studying.
Benefits: Noopept is a very potent nootropic. It creates an unparalleled focus along with a whole host of other benefits. Ideas flow more freely, mood is elevated, and you can focus on the task at hand. Its effects are felt almost immediately. Learn more about Noopept.
This might seem a little overwhelming if you’re new to nootropics. You can also review our beginner’s guide to stacking for a more basic approach on how to get started with nootropics.
If you prefer to use a “ready-made” preformulated nootropic stack, we recommend you check out the highly recommended Mind Lab Pro (click here for our review) for a convenient alternative to building your own stack from scratch.
If you’re not sure where to buy your nootropics, we highly recommend PureNootropics.net, as they are one of the most trusted and reliable vendors out there. Their pricing is excellent, and all their nootropics are tested for purity by third party laboratories.
Planning to start a new supplementation regimen? See our medical disclaimer.