The Best Nootropics for Physical Performance

Achieving optimal physical performance is a complex and demanding process, and keeping brain and body at maximum capability is key to ensuring that you’re really giving it your best. When delivering peak physical performance really matters, the right nootropics could give you the edge you’re looking for.

Nootropics can enhance performance via many mechanisms, from increasing alertness and energy to reducing anxiety, ramping up motivation, improving strength and stamina, and even increasing alpha and beta brainwave activity. And unlike caffeine and other stimulants that just increase wakefulness, nootropics for performance can actually enhance cellular health and efficiency.

Whether you’re an athlete who wants to make every workout count, a busy person with a demanding career, or a student who wants to be able to party hard and study even harder, nootropics for performance could be just what you need for a boost to your best. The following list includes our picks.

Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine is a natural compound that helps maintain cellular health, improves mood, memory, and learning ability, reduces the effects of stress, and has been proven to slow or even reverse age-related mental decline.

Modafinil

Modafinil is a wakefulness-promoting agent with proven nootropic properties. Its effectiveness has been well-documented in dozens of studies over decades of research, and it's often used off-label by healthy individuals who want to enhance their mental performance.

Phenibut

Phenibut is a central nervous system depressant developed in Russia for the treatment of anxiety disorders. It's a proven calmative that may also have cognitive enhancing effects.

Adrafinil

Adrafinil is a wakefulness-promoting drug that appears to have impressive nootropic properties. Used responsibly, it may be an effective tool for supporting lengthy mentally demanding tasks.

Alpha GPC

Alpha GPC is a natural cholinergic that has cognitive enhancing and neuroprotective properties.

Phenylpiracetam

Phenylpiracetam is a powerful racetam nootropic, developed in Russia for use by cosmonauts on long space missions. It's a potent stimulant that may improve mood, memory, cognition, and athletic performance.