Performax Labs NootropiMax – Free Your Mind

Performax Labs enters the nootropics market with NootropiMax, a powerful focus and cognitive boosting supplements.

We’ve pegged 2017 as the year of the nootropic, and so far, this year has certainly lived up to that moniker. Several new and intriguing products have already landed on the market, but nothing like the newest one from Performax Labs.

In short, this has become our absolute favorite capsule- and stimulant-based nootropic!

As you’re well aware, these guys always bring something intriguing to any new product they release, just like in recent releases such as VasoMax and MassMax, and we can’t leave out their hit pre workout, HyperMax.

Now, Performax’s NootropiMax is unlike any other nootropic supplement you’ve tried so far, and provides not only acute benefits, but will also yield cumulative benefits too!

New in this one is Bacognize, a fresh form of bacopa monnieri extract that we’re going to have to test out.

We’ve got the ingredient analysis ahead, but first, take a moment to find the best deal and sign up for alerts from PricePlow:

NootropiMax Ingredients

NootropiMax brings some proven ingredients to the table along with a few other unique additions that have piqued our interest and are sure to separate them from the competition.

• Bacognize (300mg)

  

  As you can see, NootropiMax is LOADED to the gills and incredibly well dosed.

  Bacognize is a proprietary, all natural standardized extract of Bacopa monnieri developed by Verdure Sciences known to promote cognitive function. Bacognize is standardized for 45% Bacosides.

  Bacognize is shown to activate 5HT (serotonin) receptors that are vital to optimal cognitive function.^[1,2] Furthermore, the 300mg dose used here has been shown in clinical trials improved memory acquisition and retention in healthy older adults.^[2]

  This is one of the newest brain boosters we’ve seen on the market, and leave it to Performax Labs to be the ones to introduce it to the mainstream! These guys always bring something fresh and interesting to their products.

• CDP-Choline (250mg)

  Choline supplements are one of the top nootropics around when it comes to enhancing focus during gym sessions, work, studying, or basically anything else. Performax has spared no expense opting for one of the most bioavailable forms in CDP-Choline, a.k.a. Citicoline.

  CDP-Choline is incredibly bioavailable^[3] and if you’ve never used this form of choline before, this is one you’ll certainly “feel”. Choline supplements help you feel more “zoned in” no matter what you’re doing and enhance the “mind-muscle” connection at the gym.^[4]

  This is easily one of our top two forms of choline, the other being Alpha GPC. We love to argue about the Alpha GPC vs. Citicoline battle, and right now, it seems that Alpha GPC has the most sports nutrition research (600mg boosts strength), but citicoline seems to provide a more zippy “feel” for a nootropic like this. Great choice by Performax.

• L-Ornithine HCl (250mg)

  

  Free your mind with NootropiMax.

  L-Ornithine is a nonprotein amino acid (not used to synthesize proteins) that is an intermediate of the urea cycle. It also plays a vital role, along with L-Aspartate, in ammonia detoxification in the body, which helps improve endurance as elevated ammonia levels can decrease performance.^[5]

  As for what it’s doing in a nootropic supplement, Ornithine exerts an anti fatigue effect in the body, as well as combat fatigue and stress.^[6-8] But the primary reason it’s included, is that L-Ornithine HCL is highly synergistic with caffeine^[9]:

  “Office workers who consumed the combination of caffeine and ornithine had higher mood ratings 8 h after consumption than office workers who consumed caffeine alone. The results of the present study suggest that there is a unique synergistic effect between caffeine and ornithine on the mood of healthy office workers and that ornithine may potentiate the effects of caffeine.”

• Caffeine Anhydrous (150mg)

  Caffeine basically needs no explanation at this point in the game. It’s embraced by virtually everyone, and can be found just about everywhere from pre workouts all the way to peanut butters now!

  It’s great for increasing alertness, motivation, energy, focus, and potentiating the effects of all the other nootropics included in NootropiMax. We’re not done with the energy component of this supplement yet though, we’ve got another form of caffeine up next.

• Infinergy (150mg)

  Infinergy is the trademarked form of dicaffeine malate, a combination of caffeine and malic acid that provides a more sustained release of caffeine than anhydrous. It contains approximately 73% caffeine, yielding an additional ~109.5mg caffeine.

  If you’re not that great at math, don’t worry we’ve got you covered. The total caffeine load of Nootropimax comes to 259.5mg in a full serving (i.e. 2 caps). This may be a bit high for some of you who are also ingesting coffee or pre workouts during the day, and if so, we’d advocate starting with one cap of NootropiMax to see how you fare.

  And even if that total of ~260mg caffeine is high, the next ingredient may help level it off:

• L-Theanine (100mg)

  

  NootropiMax replaces your morning cup of coffee, and sets you up for an incredibly productive day.

  Commonly found in tea leaves, Theanine is an amino acid most well known known for its relaxation-inducing qualities. That’s not necessarily why it’s included here though. Theanine also vastly improves the cognitive focus effects of caffeine^[10], and helps reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue.^[11,12]

  Additionally, theanine also helps “smooth out” caffeine’s sometimes “jolting” effects on the body. The real question here is in the dosing. Too much, and you feel a little too “chill.” NootropiMax contains roughly a 2.5:1 caffeine to theanine ratio which should strike a good balance between easing the caffeine hit and improving focus.

  However, the energy isn’t done yet:

• Theacrine (50mg)

  When you need to have long-lasting energy, the go-to choice recently has been theacrine. Unlike caffeine, theacrine doesn’t come with any sort of tolerance build up^[13], meaning you keep getting the same great energy and mood-elevating kick without having to continually increase the dose!

  Plus, theacrine also lowers oxidative stress in the body when used for seven consecutive days^[14], and raises dopamine levels in the brain, similar to that of caffeine.^[15]

  Personally, we’ve only ever felt the power of theacrine when dosed at 100mg….otherwise, the long-lasting energy and mood boost isn’t quite as noticeable. NootropiMax is the first nootropic product we’ve encountered to include theacrine and it should make for a rather extended focus / productivity session.

  So we’re not sure if it improves focus, but it sure does make products last longer.

• Sceletium Tortuosum (25mg)

  Also known as Kanna, Sceletium Tortuosum is a potent botanical historically used in ancient medicines as an anti-stress and anxiety compound. Sceletium tortuosum is known to boost mood and energy via selective PDE-4 inhibition. Furthermore, this herb also works well as a 5-HT reuptake inhibitor, making it incredibly useful for combatting anxiety disorders and depression.^[16]

  We’re not done yet though! Sceletium can boost the executive function and cognitive flexibility of the brain too!^[17] Including this multi-functional herb not only will elevate mood, but quite simply yield greater all around brain function.

• N-Phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester (20mg)

  

  Noopept is one of the most potent nootropics you can use, just make sure to pair it with a source of choline to avoid brain fog.

  N-Phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester may sound really fancy and cutting edge, but you’ve encountered this ingredient before in all likelihood. It’s more common moniker is Noopept.

  This powerful nootropic is a proline-containing dipeptide shown in clinical trials to sensitize acetylcholine receptors, which amplify their function.^[16]. Noopept also binds to the NMDA glutamatergic receptors, enhancing “‘long term potentiation” (LTP).^[17]

  LTP helps create long-lasting, stable memories in the brain, and one of the primary reasons some memories last far longer than others.

  For more information on this potent brain booster, read our guide titled Noopept: Enhancing the Smart Within.

• Huperzine A 1% (10mg)

  Last, but not least, is the choline “sustainer” Huperzine A. In contrast to CDP-Choline, which directly amplifies acetylcholine production in the body, Huperzine functions slightly different.

  Rather than increase increase production, Huperzine keeps circulating choline around longer in the body by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme responsible for acetylcholine breakdown.^[18] Basically, you can think of Huperzine as an indirect acetylcholine booster.

  To top it off, Huperzine also protects against glutamine, the “neuron death molecule”^[19], and may support “neurogeneration,” a process where new brain cells are created.^[9]

Dosing

When it’s time to bear down and get in the zone for work or studying, consume 2 capsules daily for enhanced brain gains and long-lasting focus.

Takeaway

Pair Performax Labs non-stim pre workout VasoMax with NootropiMax for an amazing focus-driven workout!

There will be no shortage of nootropic supplements entering the market place in 2017. Many will come and go with little fanfare or much in the way of true effectiveness…that’s definitely not the case here.

Performax Labs has created quite the specimen in NootropiMax, and if you’ve never dabbled in the world of cognitive enhancers, there’s no better place to start than here!

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5075615/
1. Calabrese C, Gregory WL, Leo M, Kraemer D, Bone K, Oken B. Effects of a Standardized Bacopa monnieri Extract on Cognitive Performance, Anxiety, and Depression in the Elderly: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2008;14(6):707-713. doi:10.1089/acm.2008.0018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3153866/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22951317
3. E. McGlade, A. Locatelli, J. Hardy, T. Kamiya, M. Morita, K. Morishita, Y. Sugimura and D. Yurgelun-Todd, “Improved Attentional Performance Following Citicoline Administration in Healthy Adult Women,” Food and Nutrition Sciences, Vol. 3 No. 6, 2012, pp. 769-773. doi: 10.4236/fns.2012.36103. https://docdro.id/CoZv4jA
4. Miyake M, Kirisako T, Kokubo T, et al. Randomised controlled trial of the effects of L-ornithine on stress markers and sleep quality in healthy workers. Nutrition Journal. 2014;13:53. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-13-53. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4055948/
5. Sikorska H, et al. 2016. “Physiological Functions Of L-Ornithine And L-Aspartate In The Body And The Efficacy Of Administration Of L-Ornithine-L-Aspartate In Conditions Of Relative Deficiency.” Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2010 Jun;28(168):490-5
6. Kurata K, Nagasawa M, Tomonaga S, et al. Orally administered l-ornithine elevates brain l-ornithine levels and has an anxiolytic-like effect in mice. Nutr Neurosci. 2011;14(6):243-248. doi:10.1179/1476830511Y.0000000018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22053755
7. Sugino T, Shirai T, Kajimoto Y, Kajimoto O. L-Ornithine supplementation attenuates physical fatigue in healthy volunteers by modulating lipid and amino acid metabolism. Nutr Res. 2017;28(11):738-743. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2008.08.008. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19083482
8. Giesbrecht, Timo, et al; “The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness“; Nutritional Neuroscience; 2010
9. Misaizu A, Kokubo T, Tazumi K, Kanayama M, Miura Y. The Combined Effect of Caffeine and Ornithine on the Mood of Healthy Office Workers. Preventive Nutrition and Food Science. 2014;19(4):367-372. doi:10.3746/pnf.2014.19.4.367. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4287333/
10. Kimura K, et al. L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses. Biol Psychol. (2007)
11. Owen GN, et al. The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood. Nutr Neurosci. (2008)
12. Cauli, O;Subchronic caffeine exposure induces sensitization to caffeine and cross-sensitization to amphetamine ipsilateral turning behavior independent from dopamine release.; Department of Toxicology and Centre of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari; 2008
13. Li WX, et al.; “Theacrine, a purine alkaloid obtained from Camellia assamica var. kucha, attenuates restraint stress-provoked liver damage in mice.“; J Agric Food Chem.; 2013
14. Feduccia A, et al.; “Locomotor activation by theacrine, a purine alkaloid structurally similar to caffeine: involvement of adenosine and dopamine receptors.”; Pharmacol Biochem Behav; 2012
15. Ostrovskaya et al. (2007). The nootropic and neuroprotective proline-containing dipeptide noopept restores spatial memory and increases immunoreactivity to amyloid in an Alzheimer’s disease model.Journal of psychopharmacology, 21(66): 611-619; Doi: 10.1177/0269881106071335; Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17092975
16. Martinez, J., & Derrick, B. (1996). Long term Potentiation and Learning. Annual Review of Psychology, 47(1): 173-203. Retrieved from https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.psych.47.1.173
17. Zhao, Q; Effects of huperzine A on acetylcholinesterase isoforms in vitro: comparison with tacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine and physostigmine.; State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences; 2002
18. Ved, H; Huperzine A, a potential therapeutic agent for dementia, reduces neuronal cell death caused by glutamate.; Division of Biochemistry, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; 1997
19. Ma, T; Huperzine A promotes hippocampal neurogenesis in vitro and in vivo.; State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University; 2013