Mind Lab Pro Review

Mind Lab Pro boasts a potent nootropic formula to boost your brainpower. But is it actually the “best nootropic ever made”?

by
Last updated: Dec 29th, 2023
Innerbody is independent and reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we will earn commission.   .
Mind Lab Pro Review

Cognitive decline affects most people as we get older. But in the age of social media, you may find yourself flitting between ideas and unable to hold your usual concentration. To help recenter focus, some have turned to nootropic supplements to improve everything from memory and cognition to mood. Mind Lab Pro is a U.K.-based nootropic that advertises itself as the “world’s best all-in-one nootropic formula,” but it’s far from your only option. We investigated Mind Lab Pro to find out if it’s really the best at upgrading your brainpower.

Our Findings

Editor's Rating3.25

Mind Lab Pro is a good place to start for anyone who wants a nootropic supplement that doesn’t rely on caffeine or other stimulants to awaken the mind. Like every other nootropic, its ingredient list consistently falls below the average dosage used in successful studies, so it isn’t possible to predict the magnitude of the effects you’ll see, and they’ll likely be less profound than you may hope. The company boasts successful clinical research on its particular formula, suggesting there’s a good chance you’ll still see some results. Ultimately, Mind Lab Pro prioritizes your safety over mind-blowing efficacy but still gives you enough flexibility to improve your cognition somewhat.

Pros

  • Clinically tested by a U.K. research laboratory with favorable results
  • Vegan formula is free of most allergens
  • Stimulant-free
  • Especially safe for beginners
  • Flexible dosing options
  • Uniquely socially conscious among nootropics
  • Buy three, get one free

Cons

  • Complicated return policies don’t give your money back in full
  • Less of most ingredients than successful clinical studies
  • Trends expensive
  • No subscription program

GREAT PICKS FROM MIND LAB PRO

Table of Contents

In this Review

Why you should trust us

As nootropics have emerged as a new key player in the supplement landscape, we’ve invested serious time to determine which formulas are worth your while. We’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing different nootropics, including both individual ingredients like ashwagandha and combinations like Mind Lab Pro. Over the course of researching Mind Lab Pro and other nootropics, we’ve read hundreds of clinical studies examining the safety and efficacy of various nootropic ingredients and the occasional study on a product itself.

Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions about staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles. Additionally, like all health-related content on this website, this review was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy. We continue to monitor Mind Lab Pro and update this review as necessary.

Special Offer: 1 FREE Bottle When You Purchase 3

How we evaluated Mind Lab Pro

Nootropics are complex supplements, but understanding what makes one better than others doesn’t have to be. We evaluate nootropics on four major criteria: effectiveness, safety, cost, and convenience. For us, effectiveness is the most important factor — it’s not worth it to purchase a supplement if it isn’t going to work. And because your brain is one of the most important organs in your body, safety is also very important in our ratings, especially because the steps a company takes to make a nootropic safe can vary.

Mind Lab Pro is an exceptionally safe nootropic — so much so that it somewhat compromises how well it works. It contains 11 well-studied ingredients, but only three are available in the same doses as successful clinical studies, with the company often opting for half-doses compared to these studies. Its low dosing does offer a lot of flexibility in your schedule, including the option to slowly onboard if you’re new to nootropics. You’ll have to take a lot more pills if you’re a more experienced nootropic user, which can get expensive quickly.

A self-funded study revealed that most users — especially those 30 or older — had better reaction times and recall abilities after taking Mind Lab Pro. Ultimately, we think it’s a decent value, particularly for new nootropic users, but it would be better if the company offered a subscription program like many competitors and higher doses for well-versed users.

Effectiveness

Rating: 7 / 10

Mind Lab Pro contains 11 nootropic ingredients, including three B vitamins, herbs, and precursors to amino acids and neurotransmitters important for learning, memory, and attention. Most of these ingredients have decent research backing up their effectiveness as nootropic supplements. However, eight of them are underdosed in Mind Lab Pro compared to what researchers use in clinical studies. (Vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and lion’s mane mushroom are properly dosed, but if you aren’t deficient in vitamin B, you might not experience benefits from the high levels of B6 and B12.) Every nootropic on the market underdoses at least one ingredient, so you won’t be able to find a nootropic with a perfectly balanced formula.

When it comes to the lower-dose ingredients, Mind Lab Pro gives you about half of what researchers found effective per serving. This is good from a safety standpoint, preventing you from accidentally overloading or inducing unpleasant side effects, but it makes the efficacy of Mind Lab Pro difficult to predict, which means it’s hard to recommend Mind Lab Pro for efficacy alone. You can always double up on serving size, but that depletes your supply faster (causing you to pay more over time), and a good nootropic should give you an effective dose from the get-go. If you’re new to nootropics, the recommended dose may still be enough to feel Mind Lab Pro’s effects. However, the company ran a clinical study that suggests this nootropic works well, if not better than Onnit’s Alpha BRAIN, Focus Factor Original, and Qualia Mind (the three other nootropics that have undergone similar testing).

Cost

Rating: 7 / 10

Mind Lab Pro’s price is on the higher side of average. It comes in at $69 per month — assuming you’re only taking two capsules daily — which is no small payment. And while there are several prominent nootropics that are more expensive, there are also many that cost half (or less) what you’ll pay for Mind Lab Pro.

Here’s a quick comparison between Mind Lab Pro and your other top nootropic choices:

Cost per containerCost per servingBulk or subscription savings?
Mind Lab Pro$69$2.30Bulk
Alpha BRAIN$35$2.33Subscription
Focus Factor$15$1Both
Noocube$60$2Bulk
Qualia Mind$139$6.32Subscription
Thesis$119$3.97Subscription

Unlike four of their five top competitors delineated above, Mind Lab Pro doesn’t offer a subscription program. That means you’ll have to remember when to reorder a bottle, and you won’t have access to the savings commonly associated with an ongoing subscription. However, if you order a four-month supply (four bottles), you’ll get one of those four bottles for free as a slight bulk savings deal; this is also the only configuration that earns you free shipping. Shipping costs are steep otherwise: you’ll have to pay at least $9.95 for shipping that may take up to 10 days to complete.

Safety

Rating: 8 / 10

Nootropic ingredients — particularly those related to acetylcholine — can be dangerous if not used properly. Mind Lab Pro takes an interesting approach to get around this puzzle: eight of their 11 ingredients are underdosed by clinical standards. The three ingredients which are dosed in line with successful studies are either water-soluble (meaning your body expels what it doesn’t use) or have no known side effects. Yet, all of these ingredients have substantial amounts of research verifying that they have some impact on your cognition, so its list is streamlined compared to nootropics with 25 or more ingredients of varying quality (such as Qualia Mind or Focus Factor).

Rather than just a cost-cutting measure, not getting as much of each ingredient significantly lowers your risk of side effects or other problems. You can safely change how much you take daily to adjust if you don’t feel the boost you were expecting, which is rare for nootropics. However, there are other ways the company could have improved Mind Lab Pro’s safety features without sacrificing potential effectiveness, such as more transparent quality testing like Qualia Mind performs.

Mind Lab Pro was tested in 2021 by a group of researchers at the University of Leeds, which found both clinical success and no noted side effects from the supplement. The company also uses independent third-party testing to guarantee the purity, potency, and activity of their supplements, and test individual ingredients before using them to verify that the label matches what you actually get, though none of those results are available to the public. These supplements are created in an FDA-registered GMP-certified manufacturing facility. (We expect third-party testing and using a cGMP or GMP-certified facility from any supplement manufacturer worth their salt.)

Convenience

Rating: 7.5 / 10

Mind Lab Pro is more lenient in its dosage schedule than other nootropics. One serving is two capsules, but you can take up to four capsules (two servings) daily. Each bottle contains 60 capsules total, so taking more than one serving daily means you’ll run out in less than one month, and no subscription options make it a hassle to re-order. It’s suggested that you take Mind Lab Pro on an empty stomach, which is rare for a nootropic. If you find it’s too intense, you can also take it with food, but Mind Lab Pro offers significant flexibility here that isn’t often found in other places.

Mind Lab Pro also has two separate return policies. You can get a full refund within two weeks of delivery if you haven’t opened any bottles. It’s more complicated if you tried it and didn’t like it.

The company offers a 60-day money-back guarantee that only covers one fully empty bottle of Mind Lab Pro. If you purchase more than one bottle at a time to take advantage of savings, you won’t be able to get all of your money back. You’ll also have to pay for return shipping and won’t be reimbursed for the initial cost of shipping, meaning you’ll (disappointingly) get about $40 back at most. This is a lackluster policy, especially compared to other nootropic companies: you can get a full refund on Onnit’s Alpha BRAIN within 90 days of purchase without having to return the bottle, for example. Shipping times stretch long with Mind Lab Pro, too; standard shipping takes up to 10 days, which is twice as long as most competitors who average 3-5.

What is Mind Lab Pro?

Mind Lab Pro is a nootropic supplement made from 11 different ingredients. Nootropics are any substance that enhances your cognitive performance, including prescription medications for ADHD or dementia. However, the term usually refers to a kind of supplement that aims for cognition-enhancing effects through vitamins, minerals, and botanicals. These supplements are generally designed to either affect one aspect of cognition — such as mood or memory, known as a focused nootropic — or to enhance your neural function at large, called generalized nootropics.

Mind Lab Pro is a generalized nootropic supplement that claims to improve the following:

  • Focus
  • Energy
  • Mood
  • Calmness
  • Memory
  • Clarity
  • Motivation
  • Creativity
  • Attention
  • Processing

Mind Lab Pro might be just as relevant in the nootropic industry for what’s not in their formula as for what is. It has one of the lowest allergen profiles of any nootropic, as its formula is:

  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free
  • Soy-free
  • Nut-free
  • Synthetic additive-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Non-irradiated

Their parent company, Opti Nutra, also employs capsules made from prebiotic fiber instead of cellulose or gelatin. Mind Lab Pro is completely vegan, with seals of approval from the Vegetarian Society for vegetarians and vegans. Of course, it’s worth noting that applying for this trademark is relatively easy; the food product (or, in this case, supplement) must:

  • Contain no animal-derived ingredients
  • Avoid cross-contamination with non-vegetarian products in production
  • Be GMO-free
  • Avoid animal testing (in theory or practice)

Essentially, these seals mean an independent third-party verified Mind Lab Pro’s vegan status. It’s useful information, but it doesn’t ultimately differentiate them much from other vegan supplements. However, it’s the only worthwhile nootropic that advertises its vegan status, as several common nootropic ingredients like omega-3 fatty acids are difficult to find in vegan form. And since vegans are often at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency, Mind Lab Pro’s high B12 dose makes it an even better choice for vegans.

Opti Nutra is also currently in the process of certifying Mind Lab Pro as a B Corp, and it invests serious efforts into using recycled materials and sustainable production. No other nootropic company is this dedicated to its sustainability efforts.

Opti Nutra also makes Performance Lab, a supplement brand with minimalistic profiles ranging from multivitamins to immune boosters and prebiotics. Performance Lab carries its own nootropic supplement, competing with Mind Lab Pro. This supplement — simply called Mind — costs the same for significantly fewer ingredients that are less likely to work. One serving contains:

  • Citicoline: 250mg
  • Phosphatidylserine: 100mg
  • L-tyrosine: 250mg
  • Maritime pine bark extract, 95% proanthocyanidins: 75mg

As we’ll get into below, Mind Lab Pro contains eight more ingredients (including several vitamins), and swaps out L-tyrosine for L-theanine. Between the two, we definitely recommend Mind Lab Pro. If nothing else, you’ll get vitamin B with Mind Lab Pro, which can keep your cellular energy levels high.

Mind Lab Pro’s ingredients

To understand how the ingredients in Mind Lab Pro work, let’s take a look at the research on each one.

Vitamin B6

Low vitamin B6 levels have been implicated in dementia and strokes — vitamin B6 breaks down homocysteine, an amino acid that damages your arterial lining in excess — as well as schizophrenia, cognitive impairment, seizures, and other mental health concerns. However, research reviews suggest that many studies claiming vitamin B6 can improve your cognition are low-quality with few results.

Vitamin B9

Folate, or vitamin B9, is critical for fetal brain development. Like vitamin B6, folate seems to improve cognitive function by lowering homocysteine levels, and a folate deficiency can induce fatigue and neurological issues, too. A 2021 review suggests that supplemental folate can improve cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients, but more research is necessary to confirm its usefulness. There isn’t clear evidence that taking folate improves cognitive function in people who aren’t deficient. Unless you’re folate deficient, most people are unlikely to see any results.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is relatively easy to get from dietary sources, but many have vitamin B12 deficiencies due to a mutation in the MTHFR gene that makes it difficult for the body to process and use vitamin B12. The vitamin is directly linked to cellular energy and assists in building myelin, the fatty coating around a neuron that helps signals travel quickly. There’s very little evidence that adding the vitamin improves cognition in a healthy population, and may only improve attention slightly in the elderly.

Citicoline

Citicoline is a precursor for phosphatidylcholine and acetylcholine, neurotransmitters vital for learning, memory, attention, and neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to change over time). Most studies into citicoline and cognition have looked at its effects on our memory, especially in people with dementia or who have had strokes. Even in healthy patients, citicoline consistently seems to improve memory (especially episodic memory). It is well-tolerated in studies without any serious side effects.

Bacopa monnieri extract

Bacopa monnieri is a plant related to ashwagandha and used in Ayurvedic medicine for memory enhancement. It’s a very common ingredient in nootropics, but there’s still a lot of research necessary to confirm its cognitive-enhancing potential. Some evidence suggests that Bacopa extract can improve memory recall, but only about half of the studies in a rigorous review found this effect. Likewise, a meta-analysis of six high-quality studies found that Bacopa extract may improve attention, but more studies need to be done to confirm.

Organic lion's mane mushroom

Some health experts swear by lion’s mane mushrooms while others suggest you ignore it. One study from 2013 effectively encapsulates the somewhat controversial nature of lion’s mane, showing that it could increase the brain’s neural growth and expansion rate while lacking the neuroprotective properties some claim it has.

Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine is a kind of fat called a phospholipid that’s found largely in the brain. It supports healthy cell membranes and myelin sheaths and is a common — and safe — nootropic ingredient. There’s some evidence that phosphatidylserine can stave off or slow down the onset of age-related cognitive decline. Studies into this substance have slowed since the early 2000s, but a 2015 review found that it supports everything from locomotor function and reflexes to structural preservation of nerve cells.

N-acetyl L-tyrosine (NALT)

NALT is a kind of tyrosine that absorbs better in water (and, therefore, the body), though researchers aren’t sure if it’s the best way to get L-tyrosine yet. As a precursor for the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, its presence in the brain directly influences levels of dopamine and norepinephrine by providing material for the brain to make more. L-tyrosine appears to mitigate the negative effects of stress on cognition and mood. Studies are typically positive and have found that taking a tyrosine supplement helps to promote cognitive flexibility and improve short-term memory during stressful or cognitively demanding situations. A 2009 study also found that L-tyrosine alleviates some negative repercussions of stress from social isolation (in mice).

L-Theanine

Normally, theanine is derived from green tea leaves, but Mind Lab Pro uses a fermented brand of theanine called Suntheanine. It’s long been known to reduce both psychological and physiological stress. Theanine’s relaxing effects (caused by its ability to jam glutamate receptors) are often used in nootropics to counter the jittery effects of caffeine, but since Mind Lab Pro is stimulant-free, the relaxation is more profound.

Rhodiola rosea

Rhodiola rosea is a plant that grows in extreme cold that has historically been used medicinally throughout northern Europe. It boasts a large amount of clinical research, but not all of it is conducted to the same high degree of accuracy. That said, at least 36 studies reveal its ability to improve memory and learning, and it works with L-tyrosine to improve focus while you’re under intense stress, even in healthy night-shift doctors. It also seems to have a calming effect, though this research still needs to be validated.

Maritime pine bark extract

This extract is all about its primary compound, pycnogenol. This substance is relatively new and under-studied, so how it works is still a mystery, but scientists think it may have antioxidant properties. Recent studies show that it might improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease while also supporting better attention, visual-motor coordination, and memory in everyone from children with ADHD to businessmen. Figuring out exactly how it works will require more research, but it appears to have a minimal side effect profile.

Based on the ingredients alone, we might be inclined to say that Mind Lab Pro’s formula is reasonable and relatively effective. Most of these ingredients show promise of improving your neural health in clinical research, though most need more studies before anything can be stated definitively. Mind Lab Pro lacks some of the experimental or scientifically unfounded ingredients often seen in other lists, so while there’s the slight potential you could be missing out on the next big thing, it’s much more likely that you’ll side-step ingredients that don’t work.

But to assess whether or not Mind Lab Pro really works, we need to take a deeper look at how much of each ingredient you get per serving. Unfortunately, low doses plague the nootropic industry: no nootropic we’ve discovered includes the same amount of every ingredient as successful scientific studies proclaim. Here, Mind Lab Pro is no exception. It’s a safe move — some nootropic ingredients can get a little dangerous when provided at high doses without a doctor’s supervision — but one that can be frustrating if you’re looking (and paying) for results. For example, Thesis’s Logic formula includes twice as much phosphatidylserine and L-theanine (200mg each), but it’s still not enough to meet average clinical thresholds on their own.

Mind Lab Pro isn’t unique in listing its doses in full, but that simple statement is much less common in nootropics than you might hope. (Of our favorite nootropics, only Mind Lab Pro, Qualia Mind, and Thesis list their ingredients in full.) We used that information to our advantage to help you determine whether or not Mind Lab Pro could really work.

Looking at the USDA’s recommendations for vitamins and minerals — and the average dose used in published studies for herbal and synthetic ingredients — we determined an approximate appropriate range and compared it to what Mind Lab Pro offers. Here’s what we found:

Average dose in researchExperimental or established?Dose in Mind Lab Pro
Vitamin B61.2mg (women), 1.4mg (men)Established2.5mg
Vitamin B9400mcgEstablished100mcg
Vitamin B121.5mcgEstablished7.5mcg
Citicholine500-1,000mgExperimental250mg
Bacopa monnieri extract300-600mgExperimental150mg
Lion’s mane mushroom500-3,000mgExperimental500mg
Phosphatidylserine300-800mgExperimental100mg
NALT2gExperimental175mg
L-Theanine200-450mgExperimental100mg
Rhodiola rosea400mgExperimental50mg
Maritime pine bark extract150mgExperimental75mg

Except for vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and lion’s mane mushroom, all of Mind Lab Pro’s ingredients are under-dosed.

While its dosage information looks slim at first glance, Mind Lab Pro is one of the only nootropics that outright suggests that you take more than one serving at a time. One serving contains two capsules, but you can take between two and four capsules daily. This is likely because of their under-dosing strategy; doubling up brings most of these doses closer to the optimal range used in research. Using lower doses of its ingredients improves Mind Lab Pro’s safety profile, making it safer for more people to try and allowing new nootropic users to ease into its effects. It also means you may not feel much at all (or have to purchase multiple bottles per month).

Previous Mind Lab Pro formulas

Mind Lab Pro is currently in its fourth iteration (v4.0). Though its prices have shifted ever so slightly higher over the years, most of what’s changed between versions is the ingredient profile.

Take, for example, the 2017 formula for Mind Lab Pro. It included:

  • Vitamin B6: 2.5mg
  • Vitamin B12: 7.5mcg
  • Cognizin-brand citicoline: 250mg
  • Bacopa monnieri extract, 45% bacosides: 150mg
  • Lion’s mane mushroom: 500mg
  • Phosphatidylserine: 100mg
  • Pterostilbene: 500mcg
  • NALT: 175mg
  • L-Theanine: 100mg
  • Rhodiola rosea: 50mg
  • Vinpocetine: 6mg

This is relatively close to what Mind Lab Pro currently contains, with a few exceptions. The current formula adds vitamin B9 and maritime pine bark extract while removing pterostilbene and vinpocetine. Adding folate may or may not do much, but since it could improve your cognition if you’re deficient, it’s a good idea to include it just to cover your bases. The research behind maritime pine bark’s nootropic effects is new but promising.

Pterostilbene is an antioxidant found in blueberries that is chemically very similar to resveratrol, the antioxidant found in red wine. Scientists are mixed as to whether or not pterostilbene is an effective nootropic, but because it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it may help your brain stay effectively regulated with age. However, a few studies found that pterostilbene raises LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels — though the evidence is mixed — so it was likely removed from Mind Lab Pro just to be safe.

Out of the four changes, removing vinpocetine is probably the best decision the company made. The FDA stated the year prior (2016) that vinpocetine doesn’t meet the definition of a dietary ingredient and had been submitted as a new pharmaceutical drug before it could be processed as a supplemental ingredient. That means Mind Lab Pro can’t legally continue including vinpocetine in their formula. Even more importantly, the FDA issued a safety warning three years later because vinpocetine can harm fetal development and cause miscarriages.

Is Mind Lab Pro safe?

Mind Lab Pro is generally safe for most healthy adults. Its relatively slim ingredient list reveals no serious contraindications nor much risk of scary side effects. Likewise, it has no caffeine or other stimulants, making it safe for those who are sensitive (or just want to keep enjoying their morning coffee uninterrupted). Opti Nutra also doesn’t recommend cycling, which is taking days off from regular use. A cycling recommendation is often a sign that a nootropic is either very strong or contains ingredients such as huperzine A that can build up in your system over time, either inducing a dependence or causing stronger side effects.

There are no proprietary blends in Mind Lab Pro; all ingredients and doses are listed outright. Many other nootropics — including Alpha BRAIN and Focus Factor — combine ingredients into one dose of a blend to avoid sharing their formula, which is a net negative for you as a consumer because that makes it much harder to find out exactly what you’re taking.

Mind Lab Pro is also tested by an independent third party for purity, potency, and activity, but these results aren’t available to the public. Its ingredients are tested for quality before going into the manufacturing process, too, which verifies that you’re actually getting what the label says. This isn’t particularly common among nootropics, though most companies test at least once during manufacturing. (Qualia Mind, for example, tests its supplements twice during manufacturing, but does both tests in-house, introducing room for bias.) All Mind Lab Pro supplements are made in a GMP-certified FDA-registered facility, which we expect from any high-quality supplement manufacturer.

2021 research study

A study from the University of Leeds investigated Mind Lab Pro’s claims of cognitive improvement in 2021. This study was conducted in three phases, looking at how well Mind Lab Pro altered various aspects of cognition. The team found statistically significant improvements in:

  • Simple and choice reaction time
  • Anticipation (how well participants could predict the next step in a structure)
  • Information processing, especially for the 30+ crowd
  • Immediate and direct recall (memory)

Despite our minor reservations about the scientific practice, this study is still a great sign that Mind Lab Pro may work for many users despite its low doses.

Participants, who were healthy adults between ages 19 and 68, seemed to maximize their benefits by three months of use, but improvements took two months to fully set in. After stopping Mind Lab Pro, they returned to their normal baseline measures in one month.

It’s important to note that this is not a published study. While Mind Lab Pro’s website links to a PDF, there’s no reference to the paper in any scientific journals, nor on any of the researcher’s online CVs. Mind Lab Pro’s webpage claims that this study was fully independent, but the lack of publication — and the lack of a conflict of interest section, which typically lays out where researchers got funding from or if, in the case of other nootropic studies, they are consultants for the parent company — gives us pause.

Opti Nutra also uses this study to say that Mind Lab Pro is scientifically proven to work. That’s bad science branding, though not terribly uncommon: nothing is ever proven in science after one study. We’re thrilled to see that there was a study conducted, as many nootropics never get that far, but stating that one study proves it works just isn’t true.

Three other serious competitors have been subject to scientific studies: Onnit’s Alpha BRAIN, Focus Factor Original, and Qualia Mind. Alpha BRAIN’s research was conducted by consultants for the brand, yet that study still found less evidence it worked than this study on Mind Lab Pro. Focus Factor used one test (the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, which measures attention and short-term verbal recall) and found significant results, but didn’t go to the same lengths as Mind Lab Pro’s study team. Qualia Mind set up the most robust study, looking at six areas with validated questionnaires and a daily diary:

  • Executive functioning (Adult Executive Functioning Inventory, ADEXI)
  • Attention (Attention Control Scale, ATTC)
  • Inspiration (Inspiration Scale, IS)
  • Perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale, PSS)
  • Workplace engagement (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, UWES-3)
  • Mindfulness (Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, MAAS)

Participants reported significant improvements up to 10% in all areas after taking Qualia Mind for five days, but these results weren’t significant improvements over placebo.

Who should avoid Mind Lab Pro?

Since Mind Lab Pro is quite safe for a nootropic, the list of people who should avoid it is relatively slim. However, like all supplements, it’s not going to be the right choice for everyone.

Mind Lab Pro claims to support healthy mood stabilization, but anyone with a psychiatric or neurological disorder shouldn’t take Mind Lab Pro. This goes doubly for anyone taking medication for a neurological or psychological concern; SSRIs and MAOIs, common depression treatments, interact very poorly with nootropics. You should also avoid Mind Lab Pro if you’re taking a blood thinner such as warfarin or prescription medications for Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Other conditions that may interact poorly with Mind Lab Pro include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Heart problems
  • Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes, thyroid problems, or low testosterone)
  • Cancer
  • Phenylketonuria (PKU)
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Compromised immune systems

People who are pregnant or lactating shouldn’t take Mind Lab Pro (or any nootropic supplement), and neither should children under age 18. The only exception to childhood nootropic use is for brands with child-specific formulas, like Focus Factor.

Pricing, shipping, and returns

Opti Nutra offers their nootropic in one-, two-, or four-bottle shipments for $69 per bottle. You stand to save the most when you purchase a four-bottle shipment because the company only charges you for three bottles. That takes the cost per bottle down to $51.75. Here’s how the pricing breaks down:

  • One bottle: $69
  • Two bottles: $138
  • Three bottles: (plus one free): $207

Shipping on four-bottle orders is free, but one- and two-bottle orders incur shipping charges:

  • Standard (3-10 days): $9.95
  • Expedited (2-4 days): $14.95

In the last year, the company has lengthened these windows; previously, you could expect standard shipping to arrive within six days and expedited shipping within three.

Refunds and money-back guarantee

Mind Lab Pro has two different avenues through which you can get your money back: a refund or their money-back guarantee. It can be confusing to determine which step is right for your situation.

The refund works best for those with buyer’s remorse or who ordered the wrong number of bottles in the first place. No matter what you ordered, you can return it within 14 days as long as you don’t open or tamper with the bottles and contact customer service.

The money-back guarantee has a few more steps. Ultimately, the most you can possibly recoup from the company is $69. That’s because the guarantee only applies to one bottle and only on your first order. Opti Nutra recommends trying the bottle for at least 30 days to see how you feel, but you can claim a refund within 60 days. The company will also take back any unused bottles you have, but you’ll only get your money back for one of them. To get your refund, you’ll need to email your full name, address, and order number to customer service.

You’ll have to pay for return shipping costs for both types of refunds, too. Here’s what it would look like to ask for a refund on their three shipping tiers:

  • One bottle: Refund of $69 minus any initial and return shipping costs
  • Two bottles: Refund of $69 minus any initial and return shipping costs
  • Three bottles: Refund of $69 minus return shipping costs (initial shipping was free)

Realistically, you can expect to get about $40 back from a refunded bottle. It’s better than nothing, like Focus Factor (who will only offer a refund within seven days if you receive a faulty product), but many nootropic companies will give you all of your money back. Here’s what other nootropic companies’ return policies look like compared to Mind Lab Pro:

Refund windowAccepted if opened?Refund for shipping costs?Other details
Mind Lab Pro30 daysOnly for one bottle on first order
Alpha BRAIN90 days
At least half full
Qualia Mind100 days
Once per household
BrainMD60 daysRequest a shipping label for full refund
Noocube60-67 days60-day window for one bottle, 67 for bulk
Focus Factor7 daysMust be due to a faulty product

Alternatives to Mind Lab Pro

Mind Lab Pro is far from the only nootropic on the market. In fact, the market was valued at $10.7 billion in 2021 and is only growing. But we still know little about how our brains work, let alone how to influence their function, so the question remains: are there other nootropics that might work better than Mind Lab Pro? Or are there nootropics that work just as well but cost half as much? The answer ultimately depends on your goals.

Since some nootropics are better for specific processes than others, we’ll compare Mind Lab Pro to other generalized and focused nootropics. However, note that generalized nootropics tend to be less effective. When you’re trying to improve everything at once, it’s harder to make a notable difference than a product that zeroes in on one concept. While you can read more about our favorite nootropics in our guide to the best, we’ll break down how Mind Lab Pro compares in a little more detail below.

Generalized nootropics

Even though generalized nootropics are less likely to work compared to focused nootropics, sometimes you want a smaller boost across most of your life rather than a big boost in just one area. Your experience may not be as cut-and-dried as knowing that you need less brain fog or more confidence, or maybe you know your cognitive health has declined in general. Generalized nootropics, like Mind Lab Pro, are an excellent option in this situation.

One close comparison to Mind Lab Pro is Hunter Focus, another generalized nootropic. Hunter Focus has a very similar ingredient list to Mind Lab Pro, including:

  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin B9
  • Vitamin B12
  • Organic Lion’s Mane mushroom
  • Bacopa extract
  • Citicoline
  • Rhodiola rosea extract
  • L-theanine
  • Phosphatidylserine
  • Maritime pine bark extract

It has the same amount of most ingredients, with the exceptions of Bacopa extract (300mg, three times Mind Lab Pro) and l-theanine (200mg, twice as much as Mind Lab Pro). However, Hunter Focus also adds the following to their formula:

  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin D3
  • Vitamin K2
  • L-tyrosine
  • Acetyl-L-carnitine
  • Ashwagandha root
  • Ginkgo biloba extract
  • Panax ginseng
  • Spanish sage
  • Caffeine anhydrous

These ingredients are well-studied as effective nootropics, with the exception of vitamins C and K2 (which boost energy and support vitamin D uptake, respectively). Notably, Hunter Focus contains 100mg of caffeine, which is the rough equivalent of a cup of coffee. Caffeine is an extremely effective nootropic (if you’re a regular coffee drinker, you’ve probably noticed the difference in your attention, focus, and alertness before and after your morning cup). Some people tolerate caffeine well, but Mind Lab Pro is a better option here if you don’t.

There aren’t a ton of non-caffeinated generalized nootropics that are as high-quality as Mind Lab Pro, so if you struggle with a caffeine sensitivity, we recommend Mind Lab Pro over others. Plus, Hunter Focus is slightly more expensive than Mind Lab Pro unless you buy four bottles at once, though you will get more bang for your buck with their longer ingredient list.

Focused nootropics

Focused nootropics recognize that your brain has strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you can remember exactly what you ate for breakfast at this time last month but struggle to stay focused at work, or can’t do mental math as fast as you used to. A focused nootropic uses vitamins and herbal ingredients to recoup one aspect of your cognition, and there are several on the market with different goals: Onnit’s Alpha BRAIN, for example, improved verbal memory in one study, whereas Focus Factor’s Brain and Vision supplement has lutein and zeaxanthin to protect your retinas as much as your myelin sheaths.

While Mind Lab Pro is our preferred non-caffeinated generalized nootropic, Thesis is our favorite nootropic overall. They offer six different formulas in both caffeinated and non-caffeinated forms. (Caffeine comes in its own capsule, which you can choose to omit.) The closest to Mind Lab Pro is their Logic blend, which includes:

  • Triacetyluridine (TAU)
  • Omega-3 DHA
  • Phosphatidylserine
  • Theobromine
  • Ginkgo biloba extract
  • Synapsa (Bacopa monnieri extract)
  • L-theanine
  • Caffeine

However, you aren’t committed to just one formula; you can choose up to four or, if it’s your first time trying Thesis, take a personality and cognitive capability quiz to have their algorithm pick four blends for you. Like Hunter Mind, Thesis is more expensive than Mind Lab Pro at $79/month with a subscription (or $119 for a one-time purchase). Ultimately, if you find that one serving of Mind Lab Pro doesn’t quite meet your needs, a slightly more expensive but stronger focused nootropic like Thesis might be more effective.

37

Sources

Innerbody uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Dietz, C., & Dekker, M. (2017). Effect of green tea phytochemicals on mood and cognition. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 23(19), 2876–2905. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28056735/

  2. The Vegetarian Society UK. (2022) Join the Vegetarian Society. Retrieved from https://vegsoc.org/join/

  3. Sarkar, P. K., & Lambert, L. (2003, August 14). Can lowering homocysteine levels reduce the incidence of stroke? Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 24(5), 331-338. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1365-2710.1999.00244.x

  4. Toriumi, K., Miyashita, M., Suzuki, K., Yamasaki, N., Yasumura, M., Horiuchi, Y., Yoshikawa, A., Asakura, M., Usui, N., Itokawa, M., & Arai, M. (2021, May 3). Vitamin B6 deficiency hyperactivates the noradrenergic system, leading to social deficits and cognitive impairment. Translational Psychiatry, 11. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-021-01381-z

  5. Lee, G., Lee, Y., Shin, H., Kang, K., Park, M., Kim, K., Kwon, O., & Lee, J. (2015). Seizures Related to Vitamin B6 Deficiency in Adults. Journal of Epilepsy Research, 5(1), 23-24. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4494992/

  6. Kafeshani, M., Feizi, A., Esmaillzadeh, A., Keshteli, A. H., Afshar, H., Roohafza, H., & Adibi, P. (2020, October). Higher vitamin B6 intake is associated with lower depression and anxiety risk in women but not in men: A large cross-sectional study. Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 90(5-6). https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/full/10.1024/0300-9831/a000589

  7. Balk, E. M., Raman, G., Tatsioni, A., Chung, M., Lau, J., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2007, January 8). Vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid supplementation and cognitive function: A systematic review of randomized trials. Archives of Internal Medicine, 167(1), 21-30. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/411489

  8. Enderami, A., Zarghami, M., & Darvishi-Khezri, H. (2018, June 23). The effects and potential mechanisms of folic acid on cognitive function: A comprehensive review. Neurological Sciences, 39, 1667-1675. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10072-018-3473-4

  9. Puga, A. M., Ruperto, M. Samaniego-Vaesken, M. L., Montero-Bravo, A., Partearroyo, T., & Varela-Moreiras, G. (2021, August 26). Effects of supplementation with folic acid and its combinations with other nutrients on cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease: A narrative review. Nutrients, 13(9). https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/9/2966

  10. Ankar, A., & Kumar, A. (2022, January). Vitamin B12 Deficiency. StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441923/

  11. Markun, S., Gravestock, I., Jäger, L., Rosemann, T., Pichierri, G., & Burgstaller, J. M. (2021). Effects of vitamin B12 supplementation on cognitive function, depressive symptoms, and fatigue: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Nutrients, 13(3), 923. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030923

  12. Zhang, M., Ye, X., Mu, S., & Cui, P. (2016). Efficacy of vitamin B supplementation on cognition in elderly patients with cognitive-related diseases. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0891988716673466

  13. Suryanarayanan, A. (2014). Acetylcholine. Encyclopedia of Toxicology (Third Edition), 49-50. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123864543002189

  14. Secades, J. J. (2019, January 28). Citicoline in the treatment of cognitive impairment. Journal of Neurology and Experimental Neuroscience, 5(1), 14-26. https://jneuroscience.com/jnen/articles/v5n1/jnen-047-julio-j-secades.pdf

  15. Nakazaki, E., Mah, E., Sanoshy, K., Citrolo, D., & Watanabe, F. (2021, May 12). Citicoline and memory function in healthy older adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The Journal of Nutrition, 151(8), 2153-2160. https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/151/8/2153/6274469

  16. Aguiar, S., & Borowski, T. (2013). Neuropharmacological review of the nootropic herb Bacopa monnieri. Rejuvenation Research, 16(4), 313-326. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746283/

  17. Pase, M. P., Kean, J., Sarris, J., Neale, C., Scholey, A. B., & Stough, C. (2012, July 25). The cognitive-enhancing effects of Bacopa monnieri: A systematic review of randomized, controlled human trials. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 18(7), 647-652. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2011.0367

  18. Kongkeaw, C., Dilokthornsakul, P., Thanarangsarit, P., Limpeanchob, N., & Norman Scholfield, C. (2014). Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri extract. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 151(1), 528-535. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874113008027

  19. Lai, P., Naidu, M., Sabaratnam, V., Wong, K., David, R. P., Kuppusamy, U. R., Abdullah, N., & Malek, S. N. K. (2013). Neurotrophic properties of the Lion’s mane medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) from Malaysia. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 15(6), 539-554. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24266378/

  20. Kang, E. Y., Cui, F., Kim, H. K., Nawaz, H., Kang, S., Kim, H., Jang, J., & Go, G. (2022, February 28). Effect of phosphatidylserine on cognitive function in the elderly: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology, 54(1), 52-58. https://koreascience.kr/article/JAKO202210261444695.page

  21. Glade, M. J., & Smith, K. (2015). Phosphatidylserine and the human brain. Nutrition, 31(6), 781-786. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0899900714004523

  22. Steenbergen, L., Sellaro, R., Hommel, B., & Colzato, L. S. (2015). Tyrosine promotes cognitive flexibility: Evidence from proactive vs. reactive control during task switching performance. Neuropsychologia, 69, 50-55. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0028393215000299

  23. Jongkees, B. J., Hommel, B., Kühn, S., & Colzato, L. S. (2015). Effect of tyrosine supplementation on clinical and healthy populations under stress or cognitive demands: A review. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 70, 50-57. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022395615002472

  24. Kabuki, Y., Mizobe, Y., Yamada, S., & Furuse, M. (2009). Dietary l-tyrosine alleviates the behavioral alterations induced by social isolation stress in mice. Brain Research Bulletin, 80(6), 389-396. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0361923009002615

  25. Kimura, K., Ozeki, M., Juneja, L. R., & Ohira, H. (2007). l-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses. Biological Psychology, 74(1), 39-45. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301051106001451

  26. Ma, G., Zheng, Q., Xu, M., Zhou, X., Lu, L., Li, Z., & Zheng, G. (2018). Rhodiola rosea L. improves learning and memory function: Preclinical evidence and possible mechanisms. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 9. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2018.01415/full

  27. Darbinyan, V., Kteyan, A., Panossian, A., Gabrielian, E., Wikman, G., & Wagner, H. (2000). Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue: A double blind cross-over study of a standardized extract SHR-5 with a repeated low-dose regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during night duty. Phytomedicine, 7(5), 365-371. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711300800550

  28. Cropley, M., Banks, A. P., & Boyle, J. (2015, October 27). The effects of Rhodiola rosea L. extract on anxiety, stress, cognition, and other mood symptoms. Phytotherapy Research, 29(12), 1934-1939. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.5486

  29. Belcaro, G., Cesarone, M. R., Hu, S., Hosoi, M., Ledda, A., Fergalli, B., Saggino, A. & Cotellese, R. (2022, August 1). Pycnogenol® supplementation alleviates symptoms of Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment. Journal of Neurological Sciences, 66(4), 371-377. https://europepmc.org/article/med/36153882

  30. Trebatická, J., Kopasová, S., Hradečná, Z., Činovský, K., Škodáček, I., Šuba, J., Muchová, J., Žitňanová, I., Waczulíková, I., Rohdewald, P., & Ďuračková, Z. (2006). Treatment of ADHD with French maritime pine bark extract, Pycnogenol®. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 15, 329-335. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00787-006-0538-3

  31. Simpson, T., Kure, C., & Stough, C. (2018). Assessing the Efficacy and Mechanisms of Pycnogenol® on Cognitive Aging From In Vitro Animal and Human Studies. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6619435/

  32. Poulose, S. M., Thangthaeng, N., Miller, M. G., & Shukitt-Hale, B. (2015). Effects of pterostilbene and resveratrol on brain and behavior. Neurochemistry International, 89, 227-233. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S019701861530019X

  33. Brenner, C., & Boileau, A. C. (2018, October 13). Pterostilbene raises low density lipoprotein cholesterol in people. Clinical Nutrition, 38(1), 480-481.

  34. Vinpocetine in dietary supplements. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2022, August 25). Retrieved December 20, 2022, from https://www.fda.gov/food/dietary-supplement-products-ingredients/vinpocetine-dietary-supplements

  35. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2019, June 3). Statement on warning for women of childbearing age about possible safety risks of dietary supplements containing vinpocetine [Press release]. Retrieved December 20, 2022 from https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/statement-warning-women-childbearing-age-about-possible-safety-risks-dietary-supplements-containing

  36. Utley, A., Gonzalez, Y., Abbott, C., & Nykjaer, C. (2021). The efficacy of the nootropic supplement Mind Lab Pro on information processing and memory in adults: Pseudo randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled studies. University of Leeds. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37194920/

  37. Nootropics market size global report, 2022 - 2030. Polaris Market Research: Global Market Research Reports and Consulting. (n.d.). Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/nootropics-market