Gaming is one of the fastest-growing industries, with increasingly lucrative prizes on offer for the most successful eSports competitors and ever greater levels of prestige.
As with physical competition, the pro gamer and even those who like playing video games for fun seek peak gaming performance during intense gaming sessions.
Since gaming requires focus, coordination, strategy, and mental energy, gaming nootropics are becoming increasingly popular.
While there are many different nootropics supplements on the market, choosing the right ones for video gamers isn’t easy. So we did intense research and selected the best nootropics for gaming to help you achieve success.
Top 6 Nootropics For Gaming On The Market
- Mind Lab Pro —
- NooCube —
- Performance Lab Vision —
- Performance Lab Caffeine+ —
- Genius Gamer —
- PureRawz Aniracetam —
Best Nootropic For Gaming Overall
The best nootropics will support several cognitive functions simultaneously to obtain peak gaming performance. These include increasing mental energy, reducing fatigue, and improving focus and working memory.
#1 Mind Lab Pro
Mind Lab Pro stands out amongst nootropics for gamers. It is a synergic supplement addressing all aspects of mental performance, helping you relax and focus for long periods while unlocking mental energy.
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Mind Lab Pro is an all-in-one nootropic stack that provides excellent support for brain health and cognitive performance without the risk of adverse side effects, thanks to its natural ingredients.
It enhances attention span by acting on the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which helps increase mental energy, yet without using stimulants.
Mind Lab Pro contains ingredients, such as L-Theanine and Rhodiola Rosea, which have a proven calming effect on mental performance by reducing stress, allowing the mind to focus without distraction.
Consequently, many users find that their productivity and motivation levels improve, playing a crucial role in fluid gameplay and better pattern recognition over long periods.
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Best Nootropic For Gaming And Focus
Remaining focused is essential for gaming success, particularly in e-Sports competitions, which can be pretty intense. Therefore, we selected the most appropriate pick among brain boosters formulated to increase focus and allow you to play video games for long periods.
#2 NooCube
NooCube is proven through clinical trials to have several cognitive-enhancing impacts ideal for gamers, notably improving focus, memory formation, and overall brain health.
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NooCube is an excellent nootropic that benefits several mental functions, primarily razor-sharp focus.
It contains ingredients such as Bacopa Monnieri, which crosses the blood-brain barrier, promotes acetylcholine release, contributes to enhanced focus without becoming distracted, and helps gamers process information quickly.
Other benefits of NooCube for gamers include improved eye-brain functions thanks to Lutemax, a combination of three macular carotenoids that provide anti-oxidative protection to the eye from blue light exposure produced by monitors.
In addition, the amino acid l-theanine helps reduce anxiety while promoting wakeful relaxation and assisting gamers to remain alert and concentrated, allowing improved gaming performance.
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Best Nootropic For eSports And Eye Health
Exposure to the blue light emitted by game monitors can impact the health of your eyes. Too much exposure can lead to eye tiredness. Some of the best nootropics for gamers aim to provide this specific protection for the eyes.
#3 Performance Lab Vision
Performance Lab Vision is a market-leading nootropic supplement that helps enhance vision through its all-natural formula.
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Performance Lab Vision is an excellent supplement for gamers seeking a competitive edge by helping sharper eyesight. It contains high-quality ingredients in a simple but powerful formula that benefits every aspect of vision.
For example, Saffron improves retina sensitivity, improving motion detection, while the antioxidant properties help protect against age-related eye degeneration.
On the other hand, Lutein and Zeaxanthin work to fortify the macular in your eye to protect from monitor blue-light-related damage, which is a risk of playing video games.
The inclusion of natural Bilberry and Blackcurrant extract in Performance Lab Vision helps to improve sight in low light. In addition, it reduces the time it takes for the eyes to recover from glare and contains antioxidant properties.
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Best Gaming Supplement For Energy While Gaming
Playing a video game requires a great deal of endurance. In the past, many have turned to energy drinks to provide the burst of energy needed to perform effectively over long periods. However, using proven nootropics is a much better solution without the risk of side effects.
#4 Performance Lab Caffeine+
Performance Lab Caffeine+ is designed to balance the stimulation provided by natural caffeine with a cocktail of nutrients to restore brain chemicals and support relaxed mental energy.
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Performance Lab Caffeine+ provides a perfect dose of caffeine for the brain resulting in a fast-working and stimulatory energy boost by working on neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.
It is known that caffeine creates a feeling of stress in the mind that provokes the natural fight or flight reaction by releasing the stress hormone cortisol.
However, Performance Lab Caffeine+ contains other ingredients that work to counterbalance this impact on the brain.
While L-Theanine increases alpha brain waves and helps ease the anxiety-inducing impact of stimulants, L-Tyrosine works on dopamine and serotonin to support them and provide a stable blood flow to the brain.
In addition, the combination of B-vitamins helps mitigate the risk of mental fog, memory problems, or lack of accuracy that over-exposure to stimulants can produce.
This balance makes Performance Lab Caffeine+ one of today’s best gaming supplements available.
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Best Gaming Supplement For Reactions And Vision
While many nootropics for gamers are marketed as cognitive enhancers, others focus on providing visual improvements and supporting eye health. However, it is ideal to choose a balanced combination for achieving an optimal gaming effect.
#5 Genius Gamer
Genius Gamer is a blend of premium natural ingredients to help gamers achieve mental and visual clarity in one single supplement.
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Gamers need to be capable of quick thinking and reacting at high speed to remain in control and give their skills a sharper edge.
Genius Gamer provides a mix of Teacrine, Dynamine, and Cognizin for a stimulatory boost and improvements to focus and motivation.
However, there is no risk of a crash you usually experience with a stimulant dose from an energy drink.
In addition, the optimal dosage of complex B-vitamins help convert food into better brain energy and provide further cognitive performance boosts to the user, such as creativity.
Genius Gamer also includes Lutemax, which provides carotenoids to help with optimizing visual clarity in synergy with Zeaxanthin. They lower the risk of damage to the eyes caused by exposure to blue light and age-related degenerative conditions.
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Best Racetam For Gamers
Racetams are synthetically created nootropics, more often known as smart drugs, which offer stimulation and help gamers achieve cognitive-enhancing effects. As a result, they can help people stay on task, making them useful for gamers.
#6 PureRawz Aniracetam
Recap: The best racetam for gaming is Aniracetam from PureRawz. It is reasonably priced and offers fast-acting cognitive improvements thanks to its purity and potency.
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Aniracetam is a synthetic smart drug belonging to the racetam family. Being a stimulant with fast absorption, it provides immediate and potent results.
Primarily it interacts with dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitters by modulating them, which will result in supplying mental energy.
At the same time, it increases acetylcholine release in the hippocampus to provide its stimulatory impact on cognition and better reaction times.
Due to the synthetic nature of Aniracetam, there is a significant risk of experiencing side effects when taking it. Furthermore, in professional gaming competitions, it can be a substance that may be banned.
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The Most Effective Gaming Nootropics To Stack
Several nootropic supplements work well to provide cognitive benefits for gamers, yet they are only as good as their constituent ingredients.
So, it is essential to understand which nootropics work effectively on their own or when combined into a stack for providing the desired improvement to cognitive, physical, and visual faculties.
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine is one of the cheapest and most effective nootropics available to help achieve cognitive-enhancing impact for improved gaming performance, with l-tyrosine being required to form catecholamines.
For example, taking N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine in its active form before gaming boosts alertness over long hours by increasing blood flow to the brain, which stimulates the production of brain chemicals and neurotransmitters such as dopamine and adrenaline.
The dopamine release also enhances working memory and creative problem solving required during a contest.
At the same time, clinical studies have shown that the amino acid l-tyrosine improves short-term memory and reaction time while under stress (1).
Furthermore, the neuroprotective properties of N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine can enhance cognitive and physical performance, and ease mental fatigue over a significant period.
L-Theanine
L-Theanine is a psychoactive amino acid that occurs naturally in green tea and is most effective when taken as a supplement in which the dosage is stable.
When taken every day, l-theanine releases the neurotransmitter dopamine to increase attention span. At the same time, research shows that it increases alpha brain waves, which help calm the mind in stressful situations that video gameplay can invoke (2).
Indeed, where a gamer requires clear and logical thinking, even for creative strategizing, the calm and relaxed mental environment provided by l-theanine effectively encourages cognitive processing and focused thinking.
L-theanine is also commonly stacked in synthesis with caffeine. It works synergistically to take the edge off the worst impact of high stimulation, such as body jitters and anxiety, which are not conducive to high-intensity gameplay (3).
Caffeine
Caffeine is a natural stimulant that provokes your central nervous system and is best known for occurring in tea and coffee. It is an excellent source for boosting alertness and motivation and producing stimulating effects when taken in moderate doses.
In addition, caffeine helps people feel more awake by clearing away drowsiness, uplifting mood, and allowing the mind to process visual information faster, which results in fast reactions.
These are all marginal gains that can make the difference for gamers during intense contests.
While the beneficial impacts also work when experiencing slight sleep deprivation, the outcomes for cognitive function can be felt even more effectively in people who have regular sleep patterns.
Citicoline
Citicoline, also known as CDP-choline, is a unique choline source found naturally in every cell in your body.
Although many choline-based nootropics are available, citicoline is one of the most effective compounds at crossing the blood-brain barrier, increasing ATP brain energy by 14% and repairing neuronal membranes by 35% (4). This makes citicoline an excellent nootropic for gamers.
Acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps memory function, will be produced during intense gameplay. Taking citicoline will help repair neuron membranes and improve the well-being of the damaged brain cells.
Other nootropic benefits on the cognitive function of supplementing with CDP-choline include an increase in the flow of blood to the mind, which means improved mental processing, memory consolidation, and quick thinking for the professional gamer.
Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola Rosea is an adaptogen and herbal nootropic. It reduces fatigue, helps you stay alert, and increases capacity for stamina and cognition in stressful environments, such as during gameplay.
Research has shown that Rhodiola Rosea improves concentration over prolonged periods and provides the added by-product of increasing attention to detail, making it one of the best nootropics for gamers (5).
For example, the adaptogenic properties of Rhodiola Rosea can work in synthesis with the anti-stress effect of l-tyrosine by working to eradicate the biological root of stress rather than the anti-stress outcomes (6).
Most nootropics require long-term supplementation to enhance cognitive functions. However, Rhodiola Rosea is more potent and acts faster than most adaptogens.
Taking a single dose of Rhodiola Rosea before gaming can achieve mild stimulation, alleviate anxiety, and improve gaming performance (7).
Bacopa Monnieri
Bacopa Monnieri is an adaptogenic herb and nootropic that provides anti-stress assistance, slows down the rate of memory loss, and actively supports working memory (8).
Often, you will need to remember how to exit a certain level or the strategy employed by other gamers, and because of that, conducting effective gaming performance requires excellent memory recall and overall cognition.
The effects of Bacopa Monnieri help gamers achieve cognitive-enhancing help, including improved attention span, better levels of focus, and reductions in anxiety levels (9).
For example, neuroscience research shows that Bacopa Monnieri is almost as compelling on anxiety symptoms as Lorazepam, but without the danger of sedation from prescription medicine (10).
As a result, being one of the most efficient nootropics for gamers looking to improve working memory, they can also benefit from the impressive stress-reducing properties of Bacopa Monnieri.
Phosphatidylserine
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid that is one of the building blocks of healthy brain cells. It is perhaps one of the most brain-boosting nootropics for gamers due to its effective cognitive enhancement and impact on vision.
When healthy, brain cells are fluid and malleable. Phosphatidylserine is a critical component in maintaining the health of these neuronal membranes.
In our 20s, PS levels begin to decline, which can cause these membranes to harden, affecting attention span, concentration, memory, mood, and learning ability (11).
Using Phosphatidylserine as a standalone nootropic or as part of a nootropic stack when playing computer games potentially helps reverse the decline of membranes.
This can help amateur and pro gamers stay alert, and experience improved attention, memory recall, and mood (12).
Further clinical research has proven that supplementing PS helps reduce eyesight problems and a genuine risk of over-exposure to screens through gaming (13).
Zeaxanthin and Lutein
Zeaxanthin and Lutein are yellow carotenoids in the retinas of your eyes that can be damaged by the intense blue light that gaming monitors emit.
Taking supplements containing both substances with powerful antioxidant properties protects your eyes from the blue light, filtering it out before it can damage the macula section of the retina (14).
Therefore, supplementation of these nootropics enhances eyesight, particularly in low light conditions.
In addition, it improves the speed at which your eyes recover from glare and helps your ability to distinguish subtle changes in levels of light and dark (15). This can be a critical and legal competitive edge in first-person shooter games.
Bilberry
Bilberries are a dark blue edible berry rich in antioxidants. They have been used widely in the medicinal treatment of eye conditions, such as glaucoma and cataracts, and a range of other physical ailments, thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties.
Bilberry effectively improves the integrity of small blood vessels, known as capillaries, thus boosting blood flow and slowing the onset of age-related eye problems such as short-sightedness.
These benefits enhance low-light vision frequently occurring in a video game environment, thanks to the regeneration of rhodopsin by C3G, provided by Bilberry extract (16).
Furthermore, the antioxidant properties of Bilberry extract help to protect the eyes against blue light-induced cell damage to photoreceptors caused by light-emitting diodes (LED) inside game monitors (17).
Saffron
Saffron contains crocin analogs provided by Saffron to reduce the damage caused by UV-B rays on retinal cells.
In addition, crocin helps enhance blood flow in the retina and choroid, the layer between the white of your eye (sclera) and the eye’s retina. This allows oxygen flow to the eye, helping you maintain healthy eyes and sharper eyesight (18).
Recent studies have found that Saffron extract protects the eye against the light flicker sensitivity of a video game (19).
As a result, this makes Saffron an excellent gaming nootropic by allowing you to play for long hours without the danger of damaging your eyes or getting overly tired.
Why Should You Choose Natural Nootropic Supplements For Gaming
For several years, prescription drug use in the e-Sports arena has been an open secret. Drugs such as Adderall and Modafinil, which are normally prescribed to treat ADHD, have been used in the past by gamers to gain a competitive edge.
Today, sporting governing bodies and anti-doping agencies such as WADA consider Adderall and Modafinil as performance enhancers and added them to their banned substances list. However, this is yet to be the case in the e-Sports world.
Regardless, there are many dangers to abusing these prescription drugs to enhance mental performance, including sudden death.
Addiction, building a tolerance, developing psychosis, and cardiovascular damage are among the potentially severe side effects of taking prescription medicines to gain a competitive edge.
Similarly, other stimulants, such as energy drinks, widely used in the gaming world, can also have significant side effects.
As a result, there have been many calls for regulation to be introduced due to people experiencing nervousness and anxiety, stimulant addiction, high blood pressure, liver problems, and an increased risk of cardiac arrest.
On the other hand, natural nootropics can improve cognitive performance in the same way as energy drinks and prescription medication. Still, in contrast, they provide a healthier competitive boost to gamers without the associated risk.
Natural brain-boosting nootropic supplements are also better for gamers than synthetic nootropics. Regardless, even if they may provide a more powerful impact as cognitive enhancers, the quality varies, and there are many risks of experiencing side effects.
Conclusion
Gaming is all about having the competitive edge, but if you are not getting your brain in gear, it’s almost like playing with one arm tied behind your back.
Luckily, the best gaming nootropics can safely provide a significant cognitive boost to brain functions, such as improved energy, focus, and creative thinking, which are crucial for fluid gameplay.
We recommend Mind Lab Pro as the best stack of natural nootropics for gamers among all available cognitive enhancers.
Its ingredients have proven to enhance focus, aid game creativity, soothe the mind, and create the perfect environment for wakeful relaxation, which are all the things any serious player needs.