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Whether you’re staring down a massive to-do list or just have one beast of a project that needs to be tackled, it’s tempting to tap the ever-growing stash of over-the-counter supplements promising to boost cognition and keep us on task.
One such pill, Clarity by nootropics giant Thesis, is even marketed as “Nature’s Adderall.”
Though she’s reluctant to discuss best sellers — every brain is different, and it takes time to uncover exactly what yours needs — Thesis chief operating officer Katy Marshall admits that Clarity is not only her personal favorite, it’s also the breakout star of the brand’s six formulas. (Other blends in the Thesis lineup include Confidence, Creativity, Energy, Logic and Motivation.)
Fueled by the memory-supporting lion’s mane mushroom and a proprietary spin on alpha-GPC (the naturally occurring brain chemical choline, which can boost learning), Clarity has helped thousands tune out the world around them.
“I think it’s the most popular because modern society and social media make it very difficult to focus,” says Marshall. “Clarity can help.”
Kanna — a flowering succulent native to South Africa with a reputation for mimicking the effects of MDMA — is also on the rise in the nootropics world. It plays a lead role in chews and tinctures by the supplement brand KA! Empathogenics.
What’s an empathogenic, you ask? Basically, it’s a substance that makes you feel warm and fuzzy toward others, hence the ecstasy-like effects of supplements powered by kanna.
“There are over 35 known alkaloids in kanna, which have various physiological effects on the body,” says Stephanie Wang, KA! Empathogenics founder and CEO. “These do everything from producing feelings of well-being and elevating mood to enhancing cognitive abilities and promoting brain health.”
Despite the fact that kanna is a euphoriant, Wang is quick to point out that it’s psychoactive rather than psychedelic. “It affects the mind and mood but isn’t hallucinogenic,” she says. “Coffee is another plant that’s psychoactive but not psychedelic.”
While intrepid types could do the research and isolate specific ingredients that boost brain function (hello, umpteen million Reddit boards), others are happy to roll the dice on carefully crafted blends by brands that have made it their business to optimize our output while making us feel great.
Alice, a three-year-old functional mushroom brand sold online and in 700 retail locations (including New York wellness hot spots Sage + Sound, WTHN and The Alchemist’s Kitchen) even had the brilliant idea to marry nootropics with chocolate.
“The amazing thing about Alice is that all of the ingredients in our formulations are designed to enhance and build off of one another,” says co-founder Charlotte Cruze. “We take a ‘now and later’ approach to formulating, which means that some of our ingredients have immediate effects while others have long-term benefits.”
On the instant-effects front, Cruze cites guarana (a type of climbing plant) and phosphatidylserine (a memory-boosting phospholipid) which both result in upticks in cognitive functioning and energy levels. Kicking in later, after daily consumption for three full weeks, are the memory-enhancing and blood oxygen-boosting effects of the mushrooms lion’s mane and cordyceps.
“The secret to getting the benefits of the mushrooms is consistent daily use, but the nootropics kick in right away,” says Cruze. “It’s an amazing ritual that only gets better with time.”
