Compounds & Therapies
ALCAR / L-Carnitine: A Practical Guide
At a Glance Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR) and L-Carnitine are two forms of the same conditionally essential nutrient with distinct pharmacological profiles. L-Carnitine is the foundational form — essential for mitochondrial fatty acid transport and well-evidenced for cardiovascular health…
B-Complex Vitamins
Essential water-soluble vitamins supporting energy metabolism, neurological function, and stress resilience
Bupropion-Naltrexone (Contrave)
Bupropion-naltrexone sustained-release (brand name Contrave) is an FDA-approved combination weight-loss drug, approved in September 2014. It pairs bupropion — a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor used as an antidepressant and…
Cerebrolysin
Cerebrolysin is a parenteral pharmaceutical preparation of low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids derived from enzymatically processed porcine brain tissue. Manufactured by EVER Pharma since the 1970s, it is approved in more than 40…
Dihexa
Angiotensin IV Analog With No Human Safety Data
Ketamine Therapy
Ketamine is an NMDA-receptor antagonist that has been on the U.S. market as an anesthetic since 1970. In the early 2000s, NIH-funded work demonstrated that sub-anesthetic doses (~0.5 mg/kg IV over 40 minutes) produce rapid and substantial…
L-Theanine
An amino acid supporting relaxed focus, mental clarity, and stress resilience without sedation
Low-Dose Lithium
Neuroprotective at 5-20mg daily; regulatory ambiguity between pharmaceutical lithium and supplements
Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
Overview Naltrexone at standard doses (50 mg/day) is an FDA-approved opioid receptor antagonist for addiction. Low-dose naltrexone (LDN, 1–5 mg/day) exploits an entirely different mechanism — transient receptor blockade produces rebound upregulation of endogenous opioid signaling and reduces…
Macular Protection Stack (AREDS2)
The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) and its successor AREDS2 are among the most rigorously conducted nutritional intervention trials in modern medicine. Funded by the National Eye Institute and conducted over more than two decades, the trials…
Methylene Blue
Antioxidant with cognitive enhancement potential, serotonin syndrome risk critical
Microdosing Psychedelics
Microdosing is the practice of taking sub-perceptual doses of a classical psychedelic — most commonly psilocybin (roughly 0.1–0.5 g of dried Psilocybe cubensis, or about 1–3 mg of pure psilocybin) or LSD (approximately 5–20 mcg) — every few days,…
Modafinil
Wakefulness promotion with schedule IV controls
N-Acetyl Semax and N-Acetyl Selank
Semax (a synthetic analog of the N-terminal fragment of ACTH 4-10) and Selank (a synthetic analog of tuftsin) were developed by Russian scientific research institutes beginning in the 1980s-1990s. Both are registered medications in Russia for…
NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine)
Cellular antioxidant and glutathione precursor for robust defense
Noopept
Noopept (N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester) is a synthetic dipeptide developed in Russia in the mid-1990s at the Institute of Pharmacology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. It was developed as a more potent analogue of piracetam —…
Pharmaceutical-Grade GABA
γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. Oral GABA supplements have been marketed for decades for stress, anxiety, sleep, and general relaxation. The classical neuroscience…
Phosphatidylserine: A Practical Guide
At a Glance Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid that forms a critical structural component of neuronal cell membranes and is one of the few supplements with an FDA-qualified health claim for cognitive function. It has a substantial human clinical trial database — particularly for…
Pinealon
Pinealon (Glu-Asp-Arg) is a synthetic tripeptide developed by Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. It is part of the broader Khavinson 'short peptide' bioregulator program, which has…
Polygala Tenuifolia
Polygala tenuifolia (Chinese name: yuan zhi, 远志) is a perennial herb whose root has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over two thousand years. Classical TCM indications focused on insomnia, restlessness, palpitations, cognitive…
Racetams — The Legacy Nootropic Class
The racetam family is the original modern nootropic drug class. Piracetam was synthesized by Corneliu Giurgea in 1964 in Belgium; the term "nootropic" itself was coined by Giurgea to describe what he believed piracetam to be. The class shares a…
Selank
Russian-Approved Anxiolytic Peptide (Tuftsin Analog)
Semax
Russian-Approved Neuroprotective Peptide (ACTH Analog)
SSRIs — Long-Term Use and PSSD
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) — fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, paroxetine, fluvoxamine — and the closely related SNRIs (venlafaxine, duloxetine) are among the most-prescribed medication classes in modern…
VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide)
Endogenous Neuropeptide With Limited Clinical Evidence for CIRS
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine / TTFD / Benfotiamine)
Overview Thiamine (vitamin B1) is a water-soluble B vitamin that serves as an essential cofactor in glucose and energy metabolism. Its fat-soluble derivatives — benfotiamine and TTFD — achieve tissue concentrations dramatically higher than standard thiamine and exert biological effects…
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Overview Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is the precursor to FMN and FAD, flavocoenzymes involved in over 100 enzymatic reactions, critically within the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Its strongest clinical application is migraine prophylaxis at 400 mg/day — among the best-supported…
Vitamin B6 (P5P / Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate)
Overview Vitamin B6's active form, pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P5P), serves as a cofactor in over 100 enzymatic reactions — more than any other B vitamin. Critical roles span homocysteine clearance, neurotransmitter synthesis (dopamine, serotonin, GABA), steroid hormone receptor modulation, and…
Procedures & Modalities
Breathwork & Breathing Techniques
Non-regulated practice; device-free; evidence for stress reduction and parasympathetic activation
Float Tank Therapy (Sensory Deprivation)
Unregulated wellness practice; no device approval; emerging evidence for relaxation and stress reduction
Massage Therapy & Manual Therapy
Licensed profession in many jurisdictions; no medical device; evidence for muscle tension and stress reduction
Neuromodulation Modality Guide
Neurofeedback
Protocols & Reference
Cognitive Performance & Brain Health Protocol: From Daily Focus to Long-Term Neuroprotection
Protocol Guide Series | April 2026 | FOR VANGUARD MEMBERS ONLY — Cognitive Performance & Brain Health Protocol: From Daily Focus to Long-Term Neuroprotection
Nootropic Stack Guide
Rational multi-compound cognitive enhancement strategy balancing risk-benefit and individual variation
Practices & Lifestyle
5-HTP: A Practical Guide
At a Glance 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is the direct metabolic precursor to serotonin and melatonin, extracted from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia. Unlike tryptophan (which requires conversion to 5-HTP before becoming serotonin), 5-HTP crosses the blood-brain barrier efficiently and…
Acupuncture: A Practical Guide
Overview Acupuncture is a therapeutic practice originating from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) involving the insertion of fine, sterile needles at specific anatomical points ("acupuncture points" or "acupoints") on the body for therapeutic purposes. In classical TCM theory, acupuncture is…
AHCC — Active Hexose Correlated Compound
AHCC is a fermented shiitake (Lentinula edodes) mycelia extract produced exclusively by Amino Up Co., a Sapporo-based supplement manufacturer. It is sold under multiple consumer brand labels but is the same underlying ingredient in every product…
Alpha-GPC — Bioavailable Choline for Cognition and Performance
At a Glance Alpha-GPC (alpha-glycerophosphocholine) is one of the most bioavailable and best-studied oral choline precursors for supporting acetylcholine synthesis in the brain. It is used clinically in Europe for cognitive decline and post-stroke rehabilitation, and is widely used in the…
Anxiety and Mood — A Layered Optimization Protocol
The non-pharmacological and supplement-based options for anxiety and mood often get treated like a single grab-bag. They're not. This protocol layers them by evidence weight: foundation (sleep, exercise, light, breath), well-evidenced botanicals (saffron, ashwagandha, lavender), nutraceutical…
Bacopa Monnieri: A Practical Guide
Overview Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi, water hyssop) is a perennial aquatic herb central to Ayurvedic rasayana (rejuvenating) medicine, used for millennia as a cognitive tonic and memory enhancer. Its primary bioactives are bacosides A and B—a class of triterpenoid saponins that undergo extensive…
Bromantane
Bromantane (N-(2-adamantyl)-4-bromoaniline) is a Russian-developed compound classified as an 'actoprotector' — a class describing agents that increase physical and cognitive performance under stress without the side-effect profile of classical…
Choline: A Practical Guide
Overview Choline is an essential nutrient (though not a traditional vitamin) critical for phospholipid synthesis, neurotransmitter production, methyl group donation, and lipid transport. The Institute of Medicine established it as an essential nutrient in 1998. Despite its importance, surveys…
Cocoa Flavanols: A Practical Guide
Overview Cocoa flavanols are a specific subclass of flavonoids found in Theobroma cacao—primarily epicatechin and catechin monomers, as well as their oligomeric procyanidin forms (B1–B4). Flavanol content varies enormously across cocoa products depending on fermentation, roasting, and…
Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng): A Practical Guide
Overview Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus), commonly marketed as Siberian ginseng, is a woody shrub native to northeastern Asia and Siberia. It is one of the most extensively studied adaptogens in the Soviet and Russian pharmacological tradition—investigated heavily from the 1950s–1980s…
Folate (Methylfolate / Folic Acid): A Practical Guide
Overview Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin (B9) essential for one-carbon metabolism — the biochemical foundation of DNA synthesis, DNA repair, methylation reactions, and amino acid interconversions. The term "folate" covers all biologically active forms; folic acid is the synthetic oxidized…
Ginkgo Biloba: A Practical Guide
Overview Ginkgo biloba is one of the most ancient surviving tree species on Earth (a "living fossil") and one of the most extensively studied botanical medicines. The standardized leaf extract (EGb 761, sold as Tebonin/Tanakan/Rökan/Ginkgold) contains 24% ginkgo flavone glycosides and 6%…
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica): A Practical Guide
Overview Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) is a slender, creeping herb native to tropical Asia and Africa, used in both Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Its bioactive triterpene compounds—asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid (collectively called…
Holy Basil (Tulsi): A Practical Guide
Overview Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum, also known as Ocimum sanctum or Tulsi) is one of the most revered medicinal plants in Ayurveda—considered the "Queen of Herbs" and a sacred plant in Hinduism. Its bioactive compounds include eugenol, ursolic acid, rosmarinic acid, orientin, vicenin, and…
L-Phenylalanine & DL-Phenylalanine (DLPA)
Category: Amino Acids Tags: Amino Acids, Mood, Analgesia, Catecholamines Key Takeaways - Phenylalanine is the dietary precursor to tyrosine and, downstream, to dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and the skin pigment melanin. - DLPA (the racemic D+L mixture) is used clinically for chronic…
L-Tryptophan
Category: Amino Acids Tags: Amino Acids, Sleep, Mood, Neurotransmitter Precursor Key Takeaways - Tryptophan is the sole dietary precursor to serotonin and melatonin, making it central to mood regulation and sleep architecture. - Most antidepressant evidence is from small, older trials — it is…
L-Tyrosine
Category: Amino Acids Tags: Amino Acids, Cognitive Performance, Catecholamines, Stress Resilience Key Takeaways - Tyrosine is the precursor to dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and thyroid hormones — making it the hub of catecholamine and thyroidal biosynthesis. - Best evidence is for…
Lion's Mane Mushroom — NGF, Cognition, and Neuroprotection
At a Glance Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a culinary and medicinal mushroom with one of the most
Mid-Life Cognitive Optimization — A Sober Protocol
Cognitive optimization for men in their 40s-60s pulls from one of the most-marketed and least-evidenced areas in optimization medicine. This protocol layers the actually-evidence-based interventions: foundation (sleep, exercise, hearing, vascular health, sleep apnea), substantial-evidence…
Mindfulness & Meditation: A Practical Guide
Overview Mindfulness is the practice of intentionally directing attention to present-moment experience (sensations, thoughts, emotions) with an attitude of non-judgmental awareness. Formal meditation practices that cultivate mindfulness include mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR …
NSI-189
NSI-189 is a small-molecule compound developed by Neuralstem (now Seneca Biopharma) as a novel antidepressant working through neurogenic mechanisms — specifically, stimulation of hippocampal neurogenesis. It progressed through Phase 1 and Phase 2…
Panax Ginseng: A Practical Guide
At a Glance Panax ginseng (Asian or Korean ginseng) is one of the most extensively studied herbal adaptogens in the world, with a clinical trial database spanning cognitive function, fatigue, physical performance, immune modulation, and erectile dysfunction. Its active compounds — ginsenosides…
Phenibut
Phenibut (β-phenyl-γ-aminobutyric acid) is a Russian-developed compound first synthesized in the 1960s as an anxiolytic and is registered as a pharmaceutical in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Latvia for conditions including anxiety, insomnia, and…
Phosphatidylcholine: A Practical Guide
Overview Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the most abundant phospholipid in mammalian cell membranes, comprising approximately 30–50% of membrane phospholipids depending on cell type. It is the primary transport and storage form of choline in the diet (particularly from eggs, liver, and soy…
Phosphatidylinositol: A Practical Guide
Overview Phosphatidylinositol (PI) is a minor but functionally critical phospholipid found in all eukaryotic cell membranes, constituting approximately 10–15% of total membrane phospholipids. Unlike the structural role of phosphatidylcholine, PI and its phosphorylated derivatives…
Rhodiola Rosea — Adaptogenic Stress and Cognitive Performance
At a Glance Rhodiola rosea is a Scandinavian and Central Asian adaptogenic herb with one of the strongest clinical evidence bases among botanical adaptogens. Its primary bioactives — rosavins and salidroside — have been studied in over 36 human clinical trials covering stress, fatigue…
Rosemary Extract: A Practical Guide
Overview Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, formerly Rosmarinus officinalis) is a Mediterranean aromatic herb whose extract is rich in polyphenolic diterpenes—primarily carnosic acid and carnosol—as well as rosmarinic acid (a caffeic acid derivative), ursolic acid, and flavonoids. Rosemary extract…
Saffron: A Practical Guide
At a Glance Saffron (Crocus sativus) has accumulated one of the stronger human clinical trial databases of any botanical for mood support — multiple RCTs have demonstrated antidepressant effects in mild-to-moderate depression, including direct comparisons to fluoxetine and imipramine showing…
Salidroside: Isolating the Bioactive of Rhodiola
Salidroside is the most-studied bioactive in rhodiola — and, as of 2024, finally available as a fermentation-derived isolated compound. One small Phase II RCT exists; everything else lives in the whole-extract literature. What the data actually say.
SAMe (S-Adenosylmethionine): A Practical Guide
Overview S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) is a naturally occurring molecule synthesized in every cell from methionine and ATP. It is the primary methyl-group donor in human biochemistry, participating in over 200 enzymatic reactions — methylating DNA, RNA, proteins, phospholipids, and…
The Racetam Family
The racetam class — defined by a 2-pyrrolidinone (2-oxopyrrolidinyl) core structure — was the first and remains the most consequential synthetic nootropic class. Piracetam was synthesized by Corneliu Giurgea at UCB Pharma in 1964 and coined the term…
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): A Practical Guide
Overview Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is a water-soluble B vitamin and the largest, most structurally complex of all vitamins. It is the only vitamin containing a metal ion (cobalt), hence its chemical name. B12 is essential for DNA synthesis, myelin formation, red blood cell maturation, and…