Focus, attention & energy

A complete B vitamin complex in the forms your body uses directly. B vitamins are the spark plugs of energy production. Without enough of them, food doesn’t fully turn into usable energy, and focus is usually the first thing to fade. A 2016 review found B vitamins work as a team in the brain, which is why a full complex makes more sense than any single one.

How it works. B2 and B3 build FAD and NAD, the two carriers your mitochondria use to make ATP, your cells' energy currency. Benfotiamine, a well absorbed form of B1, helps turn glucose into fuel. B6 as P5P is needed to make dopamine, serotonin and GABA. Methylfolate and B12 drive methylation, which the brain uses to build and clear its chemical messengers. Splitting the dose keeps levels steady through the day. Take the second capsule by about 2 pm.

L-tyrosine and DL-phenylalanine, 225 mg of each per capsule. These are the raw materials your brain uses to make dopamine, the chemical of drive, motivation and "let’s get this done."

How it works. Phenylalanine becomes tyrosine, tyrosine becomes L-DOPA, and L-DOPA becomes dopamine and then norepinephrine. Both help run attention and alertness. A 2015 review of the human research found tyrosine helps protect working memory and mental flexibility when demands are high: stress, tiredness or juggling many tasks. Take it in the morning, with or without food.

Micronized creatine monohydrate. Most people know it for muscle. Your brain uses about a fifth of your body’s energy, and creatine supports that energy too.

How it works. Creatine stores phosphate as phosphocreatine, which rebuilds ATP within seconds when demand spikes. That buffer helps neurons keep firing during long stretches of thinking. A 2018 review of randomized trials found creatine improved short term memory and reasoning in healthy adults. You can take it any time of day, as long as you take it every day.

A brain formula built on three ingredients that work in different ways: BrainPhyt microalgae, phosphatidylserine and ginkgo.

How it works. BrainPhyt carries fucoxanthin, a marine antioxidant. In early lab research, it protected the fats in brain cells from oxidative damage. Phosphatidylserine is a core part of nerve cell membranes and supports memory and recall. In a 2014 trial in children with ADHD, 2 months of phosphatidylserine improved attention and short term memory. Ginkgo supports blood flow to the brain. It isn’t stimulating, so it won’t make you wired.

Vitamin K1 plus K2 in both the MK-4 and MK-7 forms. Most modern diets are low in K2 because we eat far less aged cheese, liver and pasture raised yolks.

How it works. K2 switches on proteins that move calcium into bones and teeth and keep it out of arteries and soft tissue. In a large Dutch study of 4,800 adults, people who ate the most K2 had about half the rate of severe artery calcification, and 57% lower risk of dying from heart disease, compared with those who ate the least. Healthy vessels mean steady blood flow, and the brain depends on that flow for oxygen and fuel. It’s fat soluble, so take it with food.

Pure shilajit resin from the Altai mountains in tablet form. A rich natural source of fulvic acid and dozens of trace minerals.

How it works. Fulvic acid helps carry minerals into cells, and early animal research suggests shilajit supports energy production in the mitochondria. In a 2019 trial, 8 weeks of 500 mg a day helped people hold onto their strength during fatiguing exercise. Quality matters with shilajit, so buy from a source you trust.

Asian ginseng root, one of the most studied herbs for energy and mental stamina. I take it every morning because it’s gently energizing. If you use an extract, choose a standardized one that lists the amount of ginsenosides on the label. The extract used in most studies has about 4%.

How it works. Ginseng’s active compounds, called ginsenosides, help the body handle stress and use glucose for fuel. In a 2005 trial, a single dose improved mental math and lowered mental fatigue during long stretches of hard thinking. A 2018 review of 10 studies found ginseng a promising option for fatigue, with a low risk of side effects.

A freeze dried adrenal concentrate with eleuthero, licorice root, gotu kola and clove. I take it in the morning to extend my daytime cortisol, the hormone that gets you up and keeps you going.

How it works. Licorice root slows the enzyme that breaks cortisol down, so the cortisol you make in the morning lasts longer. Eleuthero is a classic adaptogen used to support stamina under stress. Take it early so evening cortisol can fall and sleep comes easily. Cortisol raises blood sugar, so make sure your blood sugar isn’t running high before you add this one.