Nootropics for Energy: Top 6 Supplements to Get You Going

Whether you’re having a hard time getting going in the morning or you’re battling afternoon crashes, one thing’s true: we could all use more energy. Many people facing this truth turn to caffeine supplements, which definitely boost your energy, but lead to a slew of side effects, energy crashes, and possibly dependence. 

So, you’re looking for something different–nootropics for energy–which is a solid choice for a number of reasons. First, nootropics are well-known for boosting cognitive function, so you’ll get increased focus and memory to go with your energy boost. Also, nootropic supplements usually come with far fewer side effects than that caffeine-loaded energy drink you grab at your local corner store.  

So, with that in mind, we’ll dig into everything you need to know about using nootropics for energy, and we’ll lay out the 6 best nootropics for boosting energy levels. Let’s go:

Nootropics are substances known for improving brain performance at the cellular level. Different nootropics have different mechanisms, like increasing the production of neurotransmitters, promoting the growth of brain cells, or improving blood flow to the brain. Caffeine is perhaps the most popular nootropic of all, and it poses a great example of how nootropics can help to level up your brain performance and physical energy. 

But how do nootropics, which focus mostly on the brain, tie into physical energy? Well, the brain is the most energy-demanding organ in the body. In fact, this single organ that makes up approximately 2% of your body weight uses around 20% of your energy reserves each day. 

Nootropics can change (and improve) the way that your brain utilizes this energy, increasing mental performance and taking the energy strain off the rest of your body. With the right stack of nootropics, you can experience improved mental performance, working memory, processing speeds, and less fatigue and mood shifts. 

In other words, increasing energy means supporting not only the body, but also the brain, leading to a total-body balance that helps you power through life without missing a beat. 

We mentioned that caffeine is the most commonly used (and often overused) nootropic for energy, but that doesn’t mean it’s all bad. In fact, caffeine has undeniable energy-enhancing effects and can be incredibly useful as part of a whole-body wellness regimen, so long as you use it correctly. That means managing your dosage and making sure not to over consume, which can lead to side effects like anxiety, high blood pressure, dependence, and increased fatigue when not using caffeine. 

To take advantage of caffeine’s stimulant effects without needing large doses, you may try stacking it with other nootropics. Some energy-enhancing supplements synergize with caffeine to make small doses more effective. For instance, a small dose of caffeine may pair well with lion’s mane, cordyceps, or L-theanine to both enhance and balance caffeine's effects. 

Alpha-GPC is a choline source that helps promote energy and brain function on a cellular level. Athletes frequently use Alpha-GPC to increase performance and muscular gains because it’s been associated with an increase in power output and with growth hormone production–a necessary component in muscular gain. 

Alpha-GPC has also been associated with an increase in dopamine production–the “happy” neurotransmitter that helps to increase energy and motivation. This can be especially helpful for those suffering from low-energy and lack of motivation due to low-dopamine depression (but keep in mind that depression needs to be diagnosed and treated by your doctor). 

Cordyceps is a functional mushroom that’s well known for its ability to promote blood flow in the body, which is usually translated to physical benefits like increased endurance and agility. In animal studies, cordyceps has been found to upregulate ATP regeneration, or the primary molecule known for carrying energy within the cells. Cordyceps has also been linked to improved endurance in young adults during high-intensity exercise and in one animal study involving mice. 

Overall, cordyceps’ ability to improve blood flow may have many benefits for both the body and the brain, making it a great way to improve both mental and physical energy. 

Learn more about Cordyceps by reading:

• Cordyceps Benefits
• Cordyceps Side Effects
• Best Time to Take Cordyceps
• Cordyceps Dosage

Lion’s Mane, a medicinal mushroom known as the “mushroom for the mind” is easily one of the most popular nootropic mushrooms. Known for having a positive impact on energy levels, research shows that lion’s mane may help to reduce oxidative stress by acting as an antioxidant, which researchers indicate may be useful in managing chronic fatigue. 

Lion’s mane’s active compounds, its beta-glucans, may also help to reduce fatigue by decreasing lactic acid, urea nitrogen, and malondialdehyde, all used as biomarkers for measuring oxidative stress. 

Plus, lion’s mane compounds are associated with an increased Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) production, which helps to encourage the growth and health of neurons.

Learn more about Lions Mane by reading:

• Lion's Mane Cognition Benefits
• Lion's Mane Coffee
• Where to Buy Lion's Mane

Rhodiola Rosea is another popular natural nootropic that’s sometimes associated with increased energy. Beyond its most common benefits, like potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that may help to balance mood and improve memory, it may also help to quickly improve symptoms of fatigue. In fact, one study found that human subjects experienced an overall improvement in fatigue symptoms after taking rhodiola rosea for just one week. 

Ginkgo Biloba is often associated with energy-supporting nootropics, though it doesn’t seem to have any direct energy-enhancing effects. Instead, it may help indirectly by boosting mood and overall feeling of well-being which can help to boost motivation. In fact, ginkgo may even be helpful for managing anxiety according to one study involving subjects with generalized anxiety disorder. 

If you’re looking for the best nootropic for energy, you’ll be happy to know that you’ve got options, and you don’t have to settle for just one. Many nootropics are safe to take together. In fact, some nootropics have synergistic effects, meaning they work together to provide increased benefits compared to taking any one supplement on its own. 

This is where nootropic stacks come in–thoughtful combinations of nootropic supplements designed to help you meet specific health goals. So, what’s the best nootropic stack for energy? It really depends on what you want out of your daily nootropic dose, but we recommend giving Lucid instant drinks a shot. 

Lucid Mushroom+Nootropic beverages contain a unique blend of functional mushrooms and nootropics (including many listed above) that help to increase energy levels, support healthy cognitive function, and enhance immunity. 

Curious to learn more? Read “Why We Chose Our Ingredients: What’s in a Lucid Stack?” Or check out one of our three flavor varieties:

1. “Acute supplementation with alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine augments growth hormone response to, and peak force production during, resistance exercise” https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-5-S1-P15
2. “Changes in the interaction between CNS cholinergic and dopaminergic neurons induced by L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine, a cholinomimetic drug” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3709792/ 
3. “Beneficial Effect of Cordyceps militaris on Exercise Performance via Promoting Cellular Energy Production”  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/12298093.2020.1831135?scroll=top&needAccess=true
4. Cordyceps militaris Improves Tolerance to High-Intensity Exercise After Acute and Chronic Supplementation” https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19390211.2016.1203386 
5. “Impact of polysaccharides from Cordyceps on anti-fatigue in mice” https://academicjournals.org/journal/SRE/article-abstract/DF58A9C19382
6. “Oxidative Stress is a Convincing Contributor to Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30150620/
7. “Anti-fatigue activities of polysaccharides extracted from Hericium erinaceus” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4280918/
8. “Rhodiola rosea in Subjects with Prolonged or Chronic Fatigue Symptoms: Results of an Open-Label Clinical Trial” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28219059/
9. “Ginkgo biloba special extract EGb 761 in generalized anxiety disorder and adjustment disorder with anxious mood: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16808927/