Hello and welcome, before we get into the best OTC Adderall Substitutes. I don’t think we should forget about caffeine.
I have a bottle of caffeine pills on my top desk door, and when it’s too late in the day to drop a Modafinil, I will take a caffeine tablet to fight fatigue.
OTC Adderall
Adderall is a prescription medication, and it’s not easy to get Adderall prescribed.
I would guess many people are seeking the Best Adderall Alternatives to avoid lying in the doctor’s office!
On a positive note, there are many great Adderall alternatives, Modafinil, Armodafinil, Mind lab Pro and Alpha Brain, to get us started.
What is Adderall?
Adderall is mainly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
And when used correctly, it’s a wonder drug. But as with a lot of pharmaceuticals, they can be dangerous when abused.
Adderall is wrongly but commonly used as a “pick me up drug.” Because Adderall is an amphetamine, like a pharmaceutical-grade speed.
Do you want to get the house cleaned in 10 seconds flat, drop an Adderall, and get started?
And many people do just that, use it very rarely to get through an overloaded workday.
But then the few like Adderall so much that it becomes a daily thing. And that’s when the trouble starts.
Classic example; The military prescribed a similar amphetamine to Adderall called Benzedrine to help fight battle fatigue.
But the side effects were so harmful; the military commanders set up a research group to find an alternative.
The best amphetamine alternative they could find was Modafinil.
I really wish I knew about Modafinil when I was in the military, it would have made life a lot easier.
The Number One Adderall Alternative is Modafinil
The results of studies into Modafinil were eye-popping: Modafinil enables intense and prolonged alertness without becoming addictive,
It’s non-stimulant, does not interfere with sleep patterns, and yields tolerance. Modafinil is a unicorn.
The Air Force tested this new wonder drug with;
- Helicopter pilots,
- Fighter pilots
- and Bomber pilots.
And found no downsides, even after long-term use. As a result, the Air Force began administering the drug to fighter pilots during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
And have had no issues to date. It also explains why Modafinil was formulated to help narcoleptics stay awake during the day.
And Modafinil became a darling of nose-to-the-grindstone Silicon Valley programmers.
What is Armodafinil?
Armodafinil is better known as Nuvigil, Waklert, and Artvigil.
It is beyond the scope of this blog to go into the technical details of what makes Armodafinil different from Modafinil.
So, in short, Armodafinil is a stronger, more refined version of Modafinil.
Mind Lab Pro
What Does Mind Lab Pro do?
Mind Lab Pro is a more rounded nootropic than some of the others. You will notice the first things are sharper recall, faster processing, and a longer attention span.
Your drive and motivation will feel more intense if you’re working out.
Students can study better, and for longer, office workers can focus on a single task or adapt quickly to a multitasking situation.
But it’s in the social setting where I feel the most benefits of the Mind Lab Pro supplement.
I spent a long time working in hospitality, I started as a glass collector, and by the time I left the industry ten years later, I was managing four hotels.
But hospitality burnt me out, and now I avoid crowds as much as possible. But some social events are unavoidable if I want to stay in business.
And with Mind Lab Pro, I feel more relaxed, and I can put my thoughts in words easier and without pauses or stumbles.
Mid Lab Pro Dosing
Mind Lab recommends taking two tablets daily, which I usually do, but I have a social event coming up when I know.
I double up the dose the day before and four tablets per day. Then back to two tablets once the event is over.
Some of the seminar and training retreats go for five days; I take four tablets every day I’m there, and so does my wife.
But my wife will not take Mind Lab Pro as part of her daily routine.
Taking a single Tylenol is a big deal for her! As stated above, Mind Lab does recommend cycling.
What Is Mind Lab Pro?
The Mind Lab team has combined a matrix of 11 evidence-backed nootropics that target six pathways of mental performance:
- Brain energy,
- Brain chemicals,
- Brain circulation,
- Brain regeneration,
- Brain protection,
- and brain waves.
Mind Lab Pro® is designed as a Universal Nootropic™ with diverse, far-ranging support of short-term cognitive function and long-term brain health.
Where to Buy Mind Lab Pro?
I recommend you deal directly with the Mind lab team. You can buy Mind Lab Pro from amazon or E Bay, with some safety, but I have heard of some fakes being sold from those platforms.
And I would appreciate it if you used the links here when navigating to the Mind Lab Pro store because that’s how we stay in business and provide this free review of Mind Lab Pro.
What Is Alpha Brain
Alpha Brain is a Nootropic made famous by Joe Rogan, a part-owner of Onnit, the maker of Alpha Brain.
Some like to compare Alpha Brain to other Nootropics like Modafinil, which is fair.
I prefer to use both, but more about that later! Alpha Brain is a supplement that improves Cognitive Functions like memory, verbal recall, and focus!
Alpha Brain’s three significant benefits are caffeine and Gluten-Free, and Keto-friendly. What I like about Alpha Brain is it’s made from natural products.
Two tablets of Alpha Brain should be taken with a light meal daily.
How Long Does Alpha Brain Last
You can expect Alpha Brain to last a minimum of 6 hours. Unlike Modafinil, I find Alpha Brain improves my verbal recall, available memory, and mental processing the more I use it.
With Modafinil, it’s a 30min delayed onset, then I’m super focused and vigilant, which is why I use both, but not at the same. I make regular changes between the two—3 or 4 months before swapping.
What Does Alpha Brain Feel Like?
The best way to describe the feeling is to compare it to a flow-like state, where things I’m thinking come out of my mouth in the right way.
Alpha BRAIN® minimizes the times I forget what I was talking about. That doesn’t happen often, but it isn’t enjoyable when it does.
It’s very similar to Modafinil, but I get no rush, just a better working and clear brain, no brain fog or stumbles in my speech.
I can work for longer and focus intensely on whatever I’m working on at the time.
It’s not mentioned in the advertising, but I eat less. But maybe that’s because I’m so focused on what I’m doing I forget to eat.
Where To Buy Alpha Brain
As mentioned above, Alpha Brain is made by Onnit. Jump over to Onnit’s website by clicking here, where you will be directed to the shopping cart.
At the time of writing, Alpha Brain’s prices are:
- 30 tablets one-time purchase $34.95 US
- 90 tablets one-time purchase $79.95 US
But if you subscribe, you get a 15% discount.
- 30 tablets $29.71 US
- 90 pills $67.96 US
Alpha Brain Evidence
In 2016, Alpha BRAIN® underwent a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group efficacy study.
The study aimed to see if this self-described cognitive enhancing nootropic would work in a group of healthy adults.
Sixty-three people between 18 and 35 completed a 2-week placebo run before taking Alpha BRAIN® or a new placebo for six weeks.
The healthy adults underwent neuropsychological tests and had their sleep measured.
Results: Original Study can be found here.
Compared with placebo, “Alpha BRAIN® significantly improved on tasks of delayed verbal recall and executive functioning.”
Conclusion:
“The use of Alpha BRAIN® for six weeks significantly improved recent verbal memory when compared with controls, in a group of healthy adults.”
Alpha Brain Side Effects
Some unlikely side effects are headaches, jitters, Lucid Dreaming, and nausea.
- Headaches, likely cause is dehydration. Stay well hydrated when using it.
- Jitters usually feel the first few times you use it; they seem to settle down for most people after that.
- Lucid Dreaming, I don’t usually dream much at all, well I don’t remember anything from them is a better way to put it. But when I’m taking Alpha Brain, my dreams are easy to remember, not 100% clear like some, but I can recall parts clearly for sure.
- Nausea, I have never suffered from sickness on Alpha Brain. But the odd person here and there might.
Alpha Brain Ingredients
Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine HCI) helps proper growth and development of the brain, nerves, and skin.
Onnit Flow Blend
- L-Tyrosine and L-Theanine are amino acids, the building blocks of protein,
- Oat Straw Extract relieves stress and anxiety, increases energy, boosts cognition, and improves libido,
Cat’s Claw Extract is said to help fight infections, cancer, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Onnit Focus Blend
- L-Alpha glcerylphosphrylcholine (Alpha GPC) and Bacopa Extract improve memory and thinking skills,
- Toothed Clubmoss Extract is used to treat memory disorders.
Onnit Fuel Blend
- L-Leucine, another Amino Acid,
- Pterostilbene, an antioxidant found in many plants.
Other Ingredients
- Maltodextrin improves texture, flavor, and shelf life,
- Vegetarian Capsule,
- Rice Hull Concentrate, a skin-conditioning agent.
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