Description:

Cognitex is another nootropic supplement contender on this list, this time made by Life Extension Foundation. It’s a proprietary product being marketed for protecting one’s brain against age-related deterioration, which is pretty much a fact of life for anyone. Using nootropics, after all, is targeted for balancing the neurochemistry, a move that could reduce this potential damage.

 

Nootropic Ingredients:

Many of Cognitex’s primary ingredients work around the concept of circulation, which is a vital component of neuroprotection. Neurons grow and stay flexible (and hormones optimally perform) when the brain is supplied with a good amount of oxygen as well as nutrient-dense blood. This is the principle that Cognitex operates on to deliver its core promise of neuroprotective benefits.

 

Supplement Facts (Ingredients):

Here is a quick rundown of Cognitex’s core ingredients:

 

Gastrodin

Enhances circulatory effects while it fights inflammation and oxidation damage to nerve cells

 

Vinpocetine

A plant-derived compound that particularly improves brain circulation. Usually it is provided to prevent cerebral insufficiency, where the brain lacks oxygen and paves the way for stroke.

 

Pregnenolone

A neurosteroid hormone that enhances long-term formation of memories, as well as regulates the levels of cortisol and, in the process, reduces the body’s stress reactions and elevates mood.

 

Other herbal components

These include hops, rosemary, phosphatidylserine (PS), wild blueberry extract, Ashwagandha, as well as grape seed extract – all believed to fight the inflammatory process and have their fair share in improving the health of blood vessels.

 

Brain-Enhancing Effects:

Not unlike other nootropic supplements of its kind, Cognitex banks on the action of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter preserving healthy neurogenesis and related processes amid aging. It is deemed important for long-term mental maintenance, as many degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s have been tied to deficiencies in the neurotransmitter. Through including alpha-glyceryl phosphoryl choline in the mix, Cognitex seeks to improve acetylcholine balance in the brain.

 

Side Effects:

Straight from the manufacturer (via the product labeling section), potential side effects include hair growth and loss, acne, blurred vision, emotional aggressiveness, dizziness, or fast heartbeat. It is difficult to pinpoint which exact ingredient is responsible for these effects, but one can conclude that a steroid such as pregnenolone could have a hand. Reported side effects do not divert much from this list provided by Cognitex.

 

Readers’ Score and Price:

Cognitex enjoys or suffers (depending on one’s perspective) mixed user reviews online, with some finding success with supplementation while others being stuck in the side effects they experienced. There are a number of users, too, who mourned the lack of notable benefits, probably due to dosage differences or the lack of enough time to implement brain supplementation. At any rate, each 30-capsule bottle sells for $72, quite a prohibitive one compared to most other nootropics on the market today.

 

Summary:

It makes one wonder how Cognitex can be priced rather steeply for less-than-stellar results, mixed customer reviews, and an ingredient roster that does not really surpass those of other nootropics we are seeing these days. The product has a long way to go in terms of proving its great worth to an untapped market, never mind it is backed by a relatively known manufacturer and stocked in reputable stores nationwide. For now, Cognitex’s performance and value for money make us look the other way: there are safer, more effective, and smarter-priced brain pills that we can try and find good gains in.