Design
Quality of Materials
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Craftsmanship 
Customer Service I dread 3pm.
As a writer, staying crisp and clear-headed is hugely valuable to me. Around 3 is when sluggish midday brain fog hits. It’s like kryptonite. When it arrives, I guzzle coffee, go for aimless walks, or zone out into my screen.
I’ve always been open to nootropics and supplements. But I’m not open to spending my money on falsely marketed junk. Or, even worse, junk that leaves you with negative side effects
TruBrain doesn’t make flashy claims and seems to promote transparent ingredients. I set out to see if they could change my mind (literally and figuratively).
What Is TruBrain?
On TruBrain’s website, they quickly point out what they aren’t. They aren’t elixir-mixing wizards or mad scientists making brain fuel that will turn you into a Marvel character.
They’re a simple company from Santa Monica, California making nootropic blends designed by neuroscientists. Their formulas claim to do things like increase verbal fluency, minimize distractions, and aid in mental output.
TruBrain was founded by Chris Thompson with a goal of helping folks step away from the office and feel more productive and efficient throughout the day.
The brand now makes drinks, bars, ketones, capsules, powder sticks, and coffee though, their drinks are their most popular offering.
Things to Consider Before Buying Nootropics from TruBrain
Mirriam-Webster defines a nootropic as: “a substance that enhances cognition and memory and facilitates learning.”
TruBrain describes nootropics as “functional amino acids, nutrients, and minerals that are consumed by the brain and directly support cognitive function.”
Nootropics are meant to add a slight boost to your day, not send your brain into drug-induced overdrive. TruBrain is for healthy adults who are seeking a little extra processing power to help them focus on work and think with greater clarity.
Of course, for anything that affects your body and namely, your noggin, do your own research to make sure you know what’s inside and feel comfortable with what you’re taking. That being said, let’s find out what’s inside.
TruBrain's line of transparent nootropic blends will help increase your mental clarity and focus, especially while doing tedious tasks. They won't give you Jimmy Neutron-level brain blasts, but with multiple nootropics, vitamins, and minerals all in one pouch, the value is there.
TruBrain Review
The Variety Pack Trial
Once on TruBrain’s site, you will be quickly guided to their trial page to
Instead of pushing a single formula, TruBrain instead encourages you to
I tried all five: Sleep, Flow, Non-caff, Boost, and Extra.
They all have various benefits depending on your desired function throughout the day. You are given 10 packs and instructed to drink 1-2 per day, with or without food. Then, you are asked to note which formula(s) worked better than others.
I liked the Non-caff (light blue pouch) due to its versatility. I tend to intake a decent amount of caffeine from tea and coffee each day, so I wanted to avoid more stimulation.
The Non-caff formula is a caffeine-free mix of minerals, nutrients, and nootropics to “boost your mental bandwidth.”
Active Nootropics
TruBrain’s formulas typically consist of three elements: active nootropics, minerals and nutrients, and a natural sweetener. I broke down a few of the key ingredients below along with a bit of the science behind them. And nope, I’m not a scientist gents, just so you know.
TruBrain is pretty damn transparent about what’s inside, giving you the nutrition facts right on the back of the card that comes with your trial pack.
The Daily, Flow, Boost, and Extra formulas all offer up an active nootropic called noopept. I’ve defined noopept below for you (hopefully without triggering flashbacks of failing a highschool chemistry exam).
Noopept is a synthetic nootropic molecule that was developed to be a more absorbable version of a widely popular nootropic called piracetam. The issue with piracetam is that it required high doses and had limits on who it was effective on.
So, a specialized lab in Russia figured out that by pairing the core molecule of piracetam with a neuropeptide, they could create a much more effective molecule. And that’s how noopept was born. Tada!
Noopept sets off a mild cognitive boost and has been proven to have a neuroprotective effect after being supplemented. Though, there’s not yet proof that it helps people without cognitive impairments.
In my research, I was pleased to find almost no quarrels with noopept among the nootropics community. It was reported to have little to no side effects and be safe and effective. While further research needs to be completed, I came across several studies on noopept as a neuroprotective supplement, meaning that it helps to protect the brain.
I’ve always believed some nootropics can be extremely effective and safe while others are sketchy, minimally effective, and might even be detrimental. It was nice to learn the general consensus around noopept was a positive one.
Along with noopept, these formulas come packed with an array of other nootropics like caffeine, L-theanine, GABA, Adrafinil, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, and others.
The minerals and nutrients in each pouch include things like magnesium, tyrosine, and citicoline.
TruBrain explains that when your brain’s neurons fire faster and longer, they metabolize raw materials that are specific to the brain itself such as carnitine and citicoline. Thus, these are added to the formulas to help your brain when it’s in a boosted state and being asked to work harder.
Flavor, Taste, Packaging
Each drink is only 1oz, vegan, and easy to slurp down in a couple seconds. The formula comes in a glossy paper pouch that’s eco-friendly.
Tearing off the stretchy plastic and paper tab at the top is slightly awkward, but I appreciate the environmentally-minded packaging.
I found that most formulas tasted like an adult Capri Sun mixed with liquid candy like Jolly Ranchers. So yeah, you probably won’t find any complaints with the flavors.
I’m used to supplements with either a chemical taste, a grainy raw plant-like texture, or no flavor at all, so TruBrain’s flavors were a pleasant surprise.
TruBrain sweetens their drinks with thoughtful ingredients such as monk fruit, mangosteen, nopal cactus, natural cane sugar, and blue agave. These alternative sweeteners are becoming a mainstay for health-conscious brands who want to avoid crap like corn syrup or sucralose. Well done, TruBrain.
I also enjoy that these can be taken with or without food which means you can toss a pouch in your backpack or work bag and take it whenever you need it throughout your day.
Each pouch only contains between 1 to 25 calories which won’t screw up your calorie intake for the day if you’re a macro-tracker.
Effectiveness and Benefits
One of, if not the most important, differentiators in supplements is the ability to answer the question “does this stuff really work?”
I experimented taking TruBrain with and without food. For me, the effects were more prominent when I took it first thing in the morning after a few glasses of water.
It didn’t take long to notice a few, subtle changes—maybe twenty to thirty minutes. Firstly, don’t mistake nootropics for mood influencing medications. TruBrain’s formulas didn’t affect my general moods throughout the day.
It seemed that the changes came in the way I processed information and completed tasks. I found that emails flew off my fingertips a bit faster, while retaining my usual level of readability.
I felt less inclined to eye the clock or tug my buzzing phone out of my pocket. And maybe it was the placebo-effect, but I felt more invested in solving the day’s problems and reached simple solutions with greater clarity than on other days.
What TruBrain didn’t do was flip a switch in my cranium and allow me to mock up a prototype of the next electric engine that will surely compete with Tesla and garner billions in funding.
But, it did instill me with a sense of improved focus for a couple hours. And for the same reason I drink coffee, I’ll take any extra concentration I can get.
While TruBrain didn’t exactly make work more enjoyable, it did help shake morning rust off quicker and reduced the number of times I got stuck while chipping away on a project (like writing this dandy review here).
Not sure where to start with TruBrain? Their sample pack features all of their popular formulations---encourage better sleep, or boost your clarity to slap out emails for hours. This is the easiest way to get started with nootropics.
What do Other Reviewers Say About TruBrain?
Many reviewers on Amazon mention they love the flavor of TruBrain, especially compared to other noopept powders and drinks.
Because nootropics push your brain to operate on a higher level, there can be side effects. But for a lot of reviewers, ingredients like citicoline and B6 helped alleviate some of the stress nootropics can put on the body.
My Thoughts Overall On TruBrain
What I Like
Each formula has unique ingredients that are transparent and on display.
The 1oz portion sizes are easy to take down in a single gulp.
The eco-friendly, simple, and memorable packaging is easy to toss in a bag and carry with me when I’m on the go.
What I Don’t Like
They made me a bit thirsty.
Some of the nootropics don’t have complete research on them.
Who is TruBrain for?
TruBrain is for guys (and gals) with demanding workloads who are seeking an extra mental boost at the peak of their day. It’s for people wanting to stay in a concentrated flow state and avoid the pitfalls of procrastination.
The Verdict
TruBrain is producing a clean line of transparent nootropic blends that I felt increased my mental clarity and focus, especially while doing tedious tasks. They aren’t claiming to give you Jimmy Neutron-level brain blasts.
At 30 drinks for $65, the cost comes out to a little over $2 per drinkable pouch.
This might be more expensive than the per pill cost of other vitamins. But, since TruBrain packs multiple nootropics, vitamins, and minerals all in one pouch, I think the value is there.
The Daily formula put me into a rhythmic focus for three straight hours, though I can’t say whether it’ll have the same effect on you.
Of all the formulas, I found the most benefits from the Non-caff, Boost, and Flow. Those are packs I’d like to have around, especially for days with particularly grueling workloads. But keep in mind you might like a completely different formula than me, which is why the variety trial pack is the best place to start.
TruBrain's line of transparent nootropic blends will help increase your mental clarity and focus, especially while doing tedious tasks. They won't give you Jimmy Neutron-level brain blasts, but with multiple nootropics, vitamins, and minerals all in one pouch, the value is there.
FAQs
Is TruBrain FDA Approved?
Many of the nootropics TruBrain uses are not FDA approved because they are natural supplements and not listed as drugs. The FDA will not test and approve products that do not require a prescription.
Which Nootropics Does TruBrain Use?
TruBrain uses an array of active nootropics depending on which formula you try. These include: noopept, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Tyrosine, Adrafinil, and Caffeine. The sleep formula includes GABA and melatonin among others.
Does TruBrain Work?
Nootropics affect everyone differently. We all have different brains. TruBrain makes reasonable claims about their formulas, nothing absurd or gimmicky. I found that TruBrain’s Non-caff and Boost formulas gave me increased focus for a few hours during my working day. Others might experience heightened or lessened benefits. Try all their formulas to see which one impacts you the most.
