Mind Lab Pro Review
I’m quite into nootropics, particularly anything that might improve focus, memory and mental energy without simply loading up on caffeine and hoping for the best.
Mind Lab Pro is one of the more interesting nootropic formulas I’ve tried because it takes a slightly different approach. Rather than relying on one big stimulant, it combines a range of compounds which have been studied for their effects on cognition, neurotransmitters, brain energy and memory.
And, importantly, the doses are actually listed.
There is no mysterious proprietary blend containing 17 ingredients followed by the words “matrix” and “complex” without telling you how much of anything is actually in it.
That alone puts Mind Lab Pro ahead of quite a few supplements in this category.
What is Mind Lab Pro?
Mind Lab Pro is a caffeine free nootropic containing 11 ingredients, including citicoline, Bacopa monnieri, Lion’s Mane, phosphatidylserine, L-theanine, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, Rhodiola rosea, maritime pine bark and B vitamins.
The current formula provides 250mg of citicoline, 150mg of Bacopa, 500mg of Lion’s Mane and 100mg of phosphatidylserine per two capsule serving, alongside the other ingredients.
What I like about the formula is that the ingredients are not completely random.
There is a reasonable biological logic behind combining them.
Citicoline is involved in phospholipid synthesis and acetylcholine metabolism. Bacopa has a surprisingly large amount of research behind it, particularly in relation to memory and learning. Phosphatidylserine is involved in neuronal cell membranes, while L-theanine is better known for promoting a calmer state of attention.
Then there is Lion’s Mane, which is probably the ingredient that gets the most attention in modern nootropic circles.
The interesting thing is that several of these ingredients have human research behind them individually, rather than simply being included because they sound vaguely “brainy”.
Does Mind Lab Pro actually work?
This is where things get more interesting.
There has actually been human research specifically on Mind Lab Pro, rather than simply research on individual ingredients being used to market the finished product.
One 2023 study published in Human Psychopharmacology looked at 49 healthy adults who took either Mind Lab Pro or placebo for 30 days. The researchers assessed several different aspects of memory using the Wechsler Memory Scale.
The Mind Lab Pro group improved significantly across all of the memory subtests examined, while the placebo group improved in two areas. There were also significant differences between the groups for immediate recall and delayed recall.
That is quite interesting.
It is also worth putting the study into perspective.
There were only 49 participants, the allocation was pseudo randomised rather than fully randomised, and the study was funded by Performance Lab, the company behind Mind Lab Pro. So I wouldn’t take this as definitive proof that the supplement will transform everyone’s memory.
Still, a properly published human trial showing improvements in several memory measures is considerably more interesting than the usual supplement company claim that “our ingredients have been scientifically researched”.
Mind Lab Pro and reaction time
There is also research looking at information processing and reaction time.
A separate placebo controlled trial involved 105 healthy adults who took Mind Lab Pro for 30 days. The researchers measured simple reaction time, choice reaction time and anticipation.
The Mind Lab Pro group showed significant improvements in the measured information processing tasks, while the placebo group did not show the same pattern of improvement.
This is particularly relevant if you are interested in nootropics for work, studying, gaming or combat sports.
Being able to remember information is one thing.
Processing it quickly and making a decision when there is a lot going on is another.
Obviously, taking a couple of capsules isn’t going to suddenly turn you into Lomachenko, but anything that produces a measurable improvement in information processing is potentially useful for people who need to make decisions quickly.
The ingredients
Citicoline
Citicoline is probably one of my favourite ingredients in the formula.
It is involved in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, one of the major phospholipids found in cell membranes, and it also has connections with acetylcholine metabolism.
There is human research looking at citicoline and attention, memory and mental performance, although the evidence is not quite as spectacular as some supplement websites would have you believe.
Mind Lab Pro uses 250mg per serving, which is a respectable amount rather than a token inclusion.
Bacopa Monnieri
Bacopa is probably one of the better researched herbal nootropics. It has traditionally been used in Ayurvedic medicine and modern research has looked particularly at memory, learning and the rate at which information is forgotten.
The Mind Lab Pro formula contains 150mg of a standardised extract providing 24% bacosides.
This is important because simply writing “Bacopa 150mg” on a label doesn’t tell you much. Standardisation gives us a better idea of what is actually being consumed.
Bacopa also isn’t usually something I would expect to produce a dramatic effect after one capsule. The interesting effects in the research tend to develop over weeks rather than minutes.
Lion’s Mane
Lion’s Mane is another reason I was interested in Mind Lab Pro.
There is quite a lot of fascinating research around Hericium erinaceus and compounds associated with nerve growth factor and neuronal function.
A small double blind placebo controlled human trial published in Phytotherapy Research found improvements in cognitive scores in older adults with mild cognitive impairment while taking Lion’s Mane, although the improvements declined after supplementation stopped.
I wouldn’t interpret that as proof that Lion’s Mane grows new brain cells in humans.
That claim gets repeated far too casually online. The underlying biology is interesting, however, and there is enough research to make Lion’s Mane a reasonable ingredient in a nootropic formula.
Phosphatidylserine
Phosphatidylserine is another ingredient with a decent research history.
It is a phospholipid found in neuronal membranes and has been investigated for memory, cognition and stress responses.
I’ve actually looked at phosphatidylserine separately before and the research is interesting, although much of the cognitive research has involved older adults rather than young healthy people.
That distinction matters.
A compound producing a measurable benefit in someone with age related memory impairment does not automatically mean it will make a healthy 25 year old smarter.
Still, 100mg is a sensible inclusion and it fits the overall philosophy of the formula.
L-Theanine
L-theanine is perhaps the least exotic ingredient here.
It is an amino acid found naturally in tea and is particularly interesting because it can produce a more relaxed state without being a conventional sedative.
This makes sense in a nootropic formula.
Being stimulated isn’t necessarily the same thing as being focused.
Anyone who has consumed too much coffee while trying to concentrate on something difficult will understand that.
Does it feel like caffeine?
Not really.
And that is actually one of the things I like about it.
Mind Lab Pro is caffeine free, so there isn’t the familiar stimulant hit followed by the inevitable question of whether you’ve accidentally consumed enough caffeine to power a small aircraft.
The effect, at least conceptually, is more about clarity and sustained mental performance than stimulation.
That makes it potentially more useful for people who want to take a nootropic regularly without adding another large dose of caffeine to their diet.
My verdict
I like Mind Lab Pro.
It isn’t a magic brain pill and anyone expecting to take two capsules and suddenly remember the entire Oxford English Dictionary is going to be disappointed.
But compared with many nootropic supplements, the formula makes sense.
There are no proprietary blends hiding the doses, several of the individual ingredients have genuine human research behind them, and there are also clinical trials looking at the finished Mind Lab Pro formula rather than simply borrowing research from unrelated ingredients.
The memory research is particularly interesting, while the information processing research gives the product another potential advantage for people who need concentration and quick decision making.
I also like the fact that it is caffeine free.
Overall , this is one of the more scientifically interesting nootropics I’ve come across.
If the goal is better focus, mental clarity and memory without simply taking another stimulant, Mind Lab Pro is definitely worth considering.
Just don’t expect it to do the thinking for you.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a supplement for that yet.
Mind Lab Pro Research
Mind Lab Pro and memory:
Abbott-Imboden C, Gonzalez Y, Utley A. Efficacy of the nootropic supplement Mind Lab Pro on memory in adults: Double blind, placebo-controlled study. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 2023.
Read the study on PubMed
Mind Lab Pro and information processing:
Research conducted at the University of Leeds examined the effects of Mind Lab Pro on reaction time, choice reaction time and anticipation in healthy adults.
Lion’s Mane:
Mori K, et al. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake on mild cognitive impairment. Phytotherapy Research, 2009.
Read the PubMed research
Mind Lab Pro formula and ingredients:
See the manufacturer’s full ingredient and dosage information
As with any supplement, individual responses vary. Supplements should complement a good diet, adequate sleep and sensible training rather than replace them.