The 11 Best Nootropics For ADHD

• Combating ADHD is one of the top features of Qualia Mind's advanced formula.
• Ingredients like DL-Phenylalanine, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and Mucuna Pruriens boost dopamine which leads to better focus and concentration.
• Vitamins B6 and C help the conversion of Dopamine to Norepinephrine which is important for helping your brain properly use these neurotransmitters.
• This powerful stack is great for anyone who needs a major boost in focus and concentration. 
• Caffeinated and non-caffeinated versions are available

Sulbutiamine is an ADHD nootropic that some say is similar to Adderall. It has a noticeable stimulant “kick” when it takes effect, although far less than amphetamines. It also doesn't have nearly the side-effects.

This nootropic is just a synthetic form of the essential vitamin B1. The difference is that it can cross your blood-brain barrier faster than regular B1. It is also fat-soluble, so your brain can absorb it very quickly.

So, when you take sulbutiamine, your body gets a sudden jolt of vitamin B1. This boost can affect many different processes because B1 is necessary for your entire brain and nervous system.

You need B1 to produce ATP, which is the energy source of your cells.

One study found that after taking thiamine for two months, a large group of women reported a higher mood. Subjects reported feeling “more clear-headed, composed and energetic” in general.⁸Benton D, Griffiths R, Haller J. Thiamine supplementation mood and cognitive functioning, Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1997

By optimizing this process, sulbutiamine can have a nootropic effect on focus and energy that can help treat some of the symptoms of ADHD.

Although there have not been any clinical trials regarding sulbutiamine and ADHD specifically, some users swear by having this nootropic in their Adderall alternative ADHD stack.

Learn more about boosting your mood and memory with Sulbutiamine.

Adrafinil is a prodrug of the “smart pill” modafinil. It is an OTC substance that your body metabolizes into modafinil, and you do not need a prescription to buy it.

First developed as a wakefulness-promoting drug to combat narcolepsy, Adrafinil helps with ADHD according to preliminary research.⁹Modafinil for cognitive neuroenhancement in healthy non-sleep-deprived subjects: A systematic review, Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2015 ¹⁰Milgram NW, et al. Oral administration of adrafinil improves discrimination learning in aged beagle dogs, Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2000

This nootropic can help you stay awake and alert over long periods. It seems to modulate the dopamine system, which might help people living with ADHD stay on task.¹¹Lindsay SE, Gudelsky GA, Heaton PC. Use of modafinil for the treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Ann Pharmacother. 2006

Learn more about adrafinil for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and more.

Aniracetam is a very popular choice in the racetam class of nootropics with a ton of research to back it up. It can work for ADHD by improving overall focus and mood.¹²Ingvar M, et al. Enhancement by an ampakine of memory encoding in humans, Exp Neurol. 1997

This nootropic works on a more subtle pathway than drugs like Adderall or Ritalin. Instead of dumping large amounts of dopamine and norepinephrine, aniracetam works by modulating the glutamate system.

This process makes it a much more sustainable choice in the long run.

It seems to improve concentration by encouraging connections in the brain rather than by overstimulation.

It also has a reasonably low side-effects profile and can be taken every day.

Read more about Aniracetam for increasing focus and how it works.

DLPA (a combination of d- and l- phenylalanine) can help your body make the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, which may be lacking if you have ADHD.

This nootropic could provide the building blocks to make up this deficit.

Some users take DLPA for this reason. However, there are not many high-quality studies to back this particular use up, so take it with a grain of salt.

Some initial trials saw improvements in patients; others did not.¹³Wood DR, Reimherr FW, Wender PH.Treatment of attention deficit disorder with DL-phenylalanine, Psychiatry Res. 1985 Sep

Read more about DLPAs potential for treating ADHD.

Noopept is one of the most popular nootropics out there, and it can undoubtedly help with ADHD for some users.

It is similar to the racetams but is much more potent. Noopept use has plenty of anecdotal and clinical evidence.

Noopept has a mild stimulatory effect and can significantly improve focus and concentration while it is active.

It works by altering the glutamate system, as opposed to working on dopamine or norepinephrine.

It also has neuroprotective qualities. Noopept can increase neuroplasticity and create new, stronger connections in the brain as opposed to traditional ADHD drugs, which seem to reinforce old, possibly addictive pathways.

Effective doses are only 10-60mg. For all these reasons, many users use Noopept as a foundation of their ADHD stack.

Learn about the nootropic Noopept benefits, dosage, stacking and side effects.

NALT (n-acetyl l-tyrosine) is a derivative of tyrosine, a critical amino acid. This nootropic acts as a precursor to dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline. It is much more potent than healthy tyrosine and gets used by your body much faster.

Some people use NALT as an alternative to ADHD drugs, enjoying the energy and focus it brings. Others use it alongside their medication.

Because NALT provides the building blocks for the neurotransmitters that Adderall depletes, some people use it at the end of the day to replenish those stores.¹⁴Fernstrom JD, Fernstrom MH. Tyrosine, phenylalanine, and catecholamine synthesis and function in the brain, J Nutr. 2007 ¹⁵Marty Hinz, et al. Treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with monoamine amino acid precursors and organic cation transporter assay interpretation, Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2011

Some people also find that this nootropic also increases their mood.

Learn about NALT for mood, attention deficit disorder, and sleep deprivation.

Pine Bark Extract is a potentially powerful all-natural nootropic derived from the Pinus pinaster

French Maritime Pine Bark Extract (sometimes sold as Pycnogenol) has clinically proven benefits for ADHD.

Multiple studies show that it is effective for children with attention problems.

Although there have not been any studies done on adults, it is not unreasonable to assume these results could translate to older patients as well.¹⁶Dvoráková M, et al Urinary catecholamines in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): modulation by a polyphenolic extract from pine bark (pycnogenol), Nutr Neurosci. 2007 ¹⁷Dvoráková M, et al. . The effect of polyphenolic extract from pine bark, Pycnogenol on the level of glutathione in children suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Redox Rep. 2006 ¹⁸Trebatická J, et al Treatment of ADHD with French maritime pine bark extract, Pycnogenol, Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006

Pine bark extract can help ADHD by increasing the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.

ADHD is notorious for the low levels of these neurotransmitters. It can also lower inflammation, another possible factor in this condition.

Learn more about how French Maritime Pine Bark Extract works in treating ADHD and other symptoms.

Citicoline is the most bioavailable source of choline for your brain. Getting adequate levels of choline is important for optimizing attention and focus.

It’s best used in combination with a racetam, or acetylcholinesterase inhibitor like Huperzine A. Citicoline has also shown benefits for ADHD when used with caffeine. ¹⁹Steven E. Bruce, et al. Improvements in Concentration, Working Memory, and Sustained Attention Following Consumption of a Natural Citicoline-Caffeine Beverage, Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2014

Since citicoline has shown the ability to increase the release of dopamine, it is a prime candidate as a nootropic for ADHD. It can also improve mood and memory which are both often seen with ADHD.

Some people also find that this nootropic also increases their mood.

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