Nootropics for weight loss can improve focus, mood, energy, motivation and more to help you succeed on your diet.
Nootropic supplements boost cognitive output for maximum productivity in whatever task we choose to work on -- including the mentally demanding task of losing weight.
Below, we first discuss links between cognition and weight loss, and then list which nootropic brain boosters may be effective for weight loss and why.
Key Takeaways
- Weight loss requires motivation, focus, energy, mood balance, and memory, all of which are influenced by brain function.
- Nootropics can enhance cognitive abilities that support weight loss efforts, such as supporting dopamine which plays a role in motivation.
- Self-regulation is key for managing eating behaviors and staying focused on weight loss. Nootropics that enhance focus and memory may help.
- Fatigue is a barrier to weight loss. Nootropics can help manage stress and restore mental energy, enabling users to exercise and stick to their diet plans.
- Stress and mood imbalance can hinder weight loss by disrupting motivation and focus. Nootropics like L-Theanine and Rhodiola Rose help combat stress and lift mood.
- Improving memory can assist with appetite control by helping individuals remember their weight loss goals and stay focused on long-term health rather than immediate rewards like unhealthy foods.
- Supplements like Citicoline, Bacopa Monnieri, and Phosphatidylserine have shown potential in improving cognitive function and supporting weight loss by boosting motivation, focus, and exercise productivity.
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How Does Cognition Affect Weight Loss?
When it comes down to it, we can't lose weight if our brain's not in it.
We need motivation, concentration, balanced mood, energy, memory and less stress in order to hone in on our weight loss goals.
Brain-boosting natural nootropics are useful and effective supplements for leveraging cognitive function and mental performance to excel at just about everything -- including weight loss.
Consider the many ways that the brain regulates weight:
Lack of Motivation can Limit Weight Loss Success
When we set weight loss goals for ourselves, we can't complete them without motivation. For instance, we may set a goal to eat 1,000 calories per day for two weeks while working out four days per week. But sometimes, we just can't get motivated and stay motivated to stick with our goals.
Scientific research confirms the importance of motivation for weight loss. For example, one study concludes:
"...an intervention designed to enhance motivation for weight loss produced significantly greater weight loss than a standard behavioral weight loss intervention."(1)
So, how does motivation work in the brain? Well, it requires dopamine secretion for one. When we feel unmotivated, we may just need more dopamine to get going.
Similarly, nootropic supplements can initiate the production of dopamine in the brain to kickstart motivation for weight loss goals, potentially supporting your diet in a novel way.
Self-Determination Theory
Self-determination theory describes our human need to have competence, autonomy and relatedness for adequate motivation.(2)
In other words, humans like to have a sense of control over what we're doing (autonomy). We like to feel like we're doing things because we want to, not because someone or something other than our self is making us do it. We also like to know what we're doing (competence) and understand how it relates to our goals (relatedness).
For example, if we only want to lose weight to make ourselves look good for others, we may not be able to maintain motivation. However, motivation may come easier if we want to lose weight to enhance our overall health and well-being.
Fatigue Makes it Hard to Lose Weight
If we want to maintain any type of motivation, however, we may have to fight fatigue.
Chronic fatigue and daytime sleepiness have been linked to obesity in certain studies.(3) In the brain, fatigue and sleepiness can be characterized by various chemical imbalances including cortisol, melatonin and dopamine imbalances.
Luckily, fighting these imbalances to increase energy may help initiate weight loss. We think it may do so indirectly by improving focus, mood, memory and more, which help us diet and exercise more productively. But we need more research to see how it really works in the brain.
Nootropics for sleep may be especially helpful for fighting fatigue. After all, when we sleep better, we have more energy, right?
However, you should always look for supplements that provide energy without the negative side effects of coffee, caffeine and stimulants. Such ingredients can end up reducing long-term energy by keeping you up at night and actually inducing anxiety and energy crashes.
Sharpening Focus can Help us Lose Weight
Focus is another essential cognitive resource necessary for maximum weight loss. After all, if we can't focus, we may fail to complete workouts, eat right and achieve weight loss goals.
For example, focusing problems have been linked to obesity in several studies.(4,5) However, we need more research to conclude whether improving focus actually affects weight loss ability.
Regardless, if we want to focus better for weight loss, we should know how concentration works in the brain. Actually, it's linked to several different brain processes.
For instance, it is linked to alpha wave activity and a balance of certain brain chemicals. Specifically, inhibiting and thus balancing excitatory neurons like cortisol and dopamine may help us concentrate better. Luckily, nootropics for weight loss can help us do so.
Reducing Stress and Balancing the Mood Improves Cognition for Weight Loss
We all have different stressors and biological processes that can impact our mood. Unfortunately, stress and mood imbalance can reduce motivation and harm our ability to focus.
And as we mentioned above, enhanced motivation and focus can increase efficiency during exercise and daily dieting. Hence why reducing stress and balancing the mood can improve these cognitive processes and help with weight loss.
Specifically, the release of the stress hormone cortisol can affect our entire demeanor, ultimately reducing our motivation and mental willpower to complete our weight loss goals.(6) However, studies show that counteracting stress can reduce weight gain among obese women and men.
Thus, inhibiting this hormone and other excitatory chemicals may help us achieve weight loss goals faster.
Enhancing Memory May Help Curb Hunger
While it may sound surprising, improving memory can also help with weight loss. It's true.
Research on memory and weight loss show memory is vital for appetite control and thus, vital for weight loss.(7)
It allows us to store and retrieve goal-related outcomes while making food-related weight-loss decisions. In other words, it helps us remember why we want to avoid certain foods.
Oxidative Stress, Free-Radicals and Workout Recovery
Oxidative stress is the imbalance between "free radical production and the endogenous antioxidant defense system."(8)
Free radicals, then, are molecules with odd numbers of electrons that can damage the muscles and prevent fat-loss. Their release is caused by physical and mental stress.
You see, intense exercise can cause physical and mental stress, which can cause the release of too many free radicals. This can increase oxidative stress, causing possible damage to the cells and preventing fat loss.
However, reducing oxidative stress may help us maintain a balance between the stress hormone cortisol, free radicals and antioxidants in the brain and body during exercise. In other words, it may help speed up workout results for weight loss.
Nootropics and Weight Loss
Nootropics for weight loss in 2019 and beyond address focus, energy, motivation, mood balance and stress-reduction, which we all need to achieve our weight loss goals.
Some brain supplements have even shown to impact weight loss specifically. Below, we'll list the best nootropics for weight loss and why they may work.
Citicoline
The powerful nootropic citicoline might help enhance memory and control appetite for weight loss. For example, one study suggests it may help with weight loss by curbing hunger.
Other studies explain how it can elevate dopamine production, which may have a positive impact on motivation for weight loss goals.(9)
In addition, citicoline has shown promise for enhancing overall cognition including memory in those with memory issues. And, sharpening cognition can help with weight loss, as we discussed above.
Overall, citicoline looks promising as a supplement that optimizes cognition and curbs hunger for maximum weight loss. But we would prefer more research to solidify this hypothesis.
More on Mind Lab Pro® Citicoline
Bacopa Monnieri
This Ayurvedic herb supplement has shown to enhance focus, learning and memory, so it may also help us focus on our weight loss goals.(10,11) Actually, Bacopa Monnieri has a ton of research behind it and has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years.
For example, Bacopa Monnieri extract has shown to initiate antioxidant effects that protect against damage from free radicals while manipulating acetylcholine levels. Thus, it may help reduce oxidative stress and increase exercise productivity. However, we do need more research to solidify its effects on weight loss specifically.
More on Mind Lab Pro® Bacopa Monnieri
L-Tyrosine
L-Tyrosine is an amino acid and precursor for dopamine, the brain chemical we need for motivation. And N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine or NALT is a premium form of L-Tyrosine that's easier for the brain to absorb.
All in all, L-Tyrosine may be an effective nootropic for weight loss. Research shows it can improve focus, working memory and sharpen overall cognition while mediating stress, which may be helpful. One study proves it can especially improve cognition during stressful situations.(12)
As we mentioned above, L-Tyrosine also turns into the motivation chemical dopamine in the brain. Thus, it may help maximize productivity and motivation for us to achieve our weight loss goals. However, we need more research on L-Tyrosine for weight loss specifically to prove this.
More on Mind Lab Pro® N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola rosea is an herbal anti-stress supplement. It has shown to influence physical and mental behaviors caused by chronic stress in various animal and in vitro studies.
In addition, one human study tested 56 healthy physicians on their night shifts and confirmed the positive effects of Rhodiola rosea. It ended up reversing fatigue under stress for the physicians after three periods of 2 weeks of testing.
As a result, Rhodiola rosea may mediate stress to optimize weight loss indirectly during stressful exercise. However, we'd like to see more research on the subject.
More on Mind Lab Pro® Rhodiola Rosea
L-Theanine
L-Theanine is an amino acid found in tea. It has shown to manipulate alpha waves in the brain to induce a sense of tranquil concentration (perfect for meditation and exercise).
Since L-Theanine is often combined with caffeine, it can be hard to tell whether it optimizes cognition on its own. However, one electroencephalograph (EEG) study tested healthy, young people who were using L-Theanine as a supplement.
The results concluded L-Theanine increases alertness while increasing alpha wave activity for enhanced attention. And another study shows it can help us maintain concentration throughout long, hard tasks.
As such, L-Theanine may help us relax and focus to carry out weight loss techniques including meditation and exercise. However, we would like to see more research on it as a nootropic for weight loss, specifically.
More on Mind Lab Pro® L-Theanine
Phosphatidylserine (PS)
Phosphatidylserine is a stress-buffering, memory enhancing supplement with a ton of research behind it. One small study specifically shows it can buffer cortisol and prevent free-radical damage during exercise.
In the study, 10 healthy men ingested 600 mg of either phosphatidylserine or a placebo each day for 10 days. Researchers took blood samples when the men were resting, then again throughout a 15-minute cycle of intense exercise.
Ultimately, the study concluded PS can help fight "exercise-induced stress and prevent physiological deterioration" from intense exercise. In other words, it may help with exercise productivity for weight loss.
In addition, various studies show PS can enhance memory. One explicitly shows it supports the formation of short-term memories and the consolidation of long-term memories while promoting memory recall, learning and focus.(13)
So phosphatidylserine may help increase focus, memory and, thus, the odds of slipping into flow state during exercise. This may all help with weight-loss indirectly.
More on Mind Lab Pro® Phosphatidylserine
Best Nootropics for Weight Loss in One Stack
Mind Lab Pro®
A stimulant-free brain supplement, Mind Lab Pro® is the ideal nootropic to enhance cognitive performance in many different ways, including supporting human cognition related to weight loss. Let's check out the 11-in-1 formula:
- Citicoline, 250 mg
- Phosphatidylserine (PS), 100 mg
- Bacopa monnieri, 150 mg (full-spectrum extract, 24% bacosides with 9 bioactives)
- Organic Lion's Mane Mushroom, 500 mg (fruit and mycelium)
- Maritime Pine Bark Extract, 75 mg: (Standardized to 95% proanthocyanidins)
- N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, 175 mg
- L-Theanine, 100 mg
- Rhodiola rosea, 50 mg (Standardized extract: 3% rosavins and 1% salidrosides)
- NutriGenesis® B-Vitamins: Vitamin B6 (2.5 mg), Vitamin B9 (100 mcg), Vitamin B12 (7.5 mcg)
MLP's ultramodern 11-in-1 approach boosts whole-brain performance. As a result, it can promote many of the cognitive functions that dieters are seeking: Motivation, resolve, clarity, stress resistance, energy levels, mental fatigue resistance, positive mood, focus and more.
Mind Lab Pro® has research-backed benefits.
MLP is a leading nootropic in part because it has been backed by randomized controlled trials at the University of Leeds in UK, demonstrating a range of beneficial cognitive effects:
- Study 1: Healthy adults taking MLP for 30 days performed significantly better at information processing tasks.(14)
- Study 2: Healthy people taking Mind Lab Pro performed significantly better at tasks related to short-term memory, delayed recall, visual and auditory memory.(15)
Further research on MLP is now underway.
Summary
Weight loss isn't easy, but nootropic supplements and smart pills may be a genius move to make it easier. Ultimately, enhancing cognition with the right nootropics for weight loss may help us work out and diet more efficiently.
For more information on how cognition affects the exercise that should be part of any weight loss regimen, check out our guide on nootropics for working out.
References
- Webber K.H. et al. The effect of a motivational intervention on weight loss is moderated by level of baseline controlled motivation. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2010; 7: 4.
- Ryan RM, Deci EL. Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. Am Psychol. 2000 Jan;55(1):68-78.
- Vgontzas AN et al. Obesity-related sleepiness and fatigue: the role of the stress system and cytokines. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006 Nov;1083:329-44.
- Cortese S and Tessari L. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Obesity: Update 2016. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017; 19(1): 4.
- Racicka E. [Correlations between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity - a systematic review of the literature]. Psychiatr Pol. 2013 Jan-Feb;47(1):89-102.
- Van der Valk ES et al. Stress and Obesity: Are There More Susceptible Individuals? Curr Obes Rep. 2018; 7(2): 193–203.
- Higgs S and Spetter MS. Cognitive Control of Eating: the Role of Memory in Appetite and Weight Gain. Curr Obes Rep. 2018; 7(1): 50–59.
- Yavari A et al. Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress and Dietary Antioxidants. Asian J Sports Med. 2015 Mar; 6(1): e24898.
- Secades JJ and Lorenzo JL. Citicoline: pharmacological and clinical review, 2006 update. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Sep;28 Suppl B:1-56.
- Dave UP et al. An open-label study to elucidate the effects of standardized Bacopa monnieri extract in the management of symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. Adv Mind Body Med. 2014 Spring;28(2):10-5.
- Kumar N et al. Efficacy of Standardized Extract of Bacopa monnieri (Bacognize®) on Cognitive Functions of Medical Students: A Six-Week, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016.
- Jongkees BJ et al. Effect of tyrosine supplementation on clinical and healthy populations under stress or cognitive demands--A review. J Psychiatr Res. 2015 Nov;70:50-7.
- Glade MJ and Smith K. Phosphatidylserine and the human brain. Nutrition. 2015 Jun;31(6):781-6.
- Utley A, Gonzalez Y, Imboden CA. The Efficacy of A Nootropic Supplement on Information Processing in Adults: A Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Study. Biomed J Sci & Tech Res 49(1)-2023. BJSTR. MS.ID.007746
- Abbott-Imboden C., Gonzalez Y., Utley A. (2023).Efficacy of the nootropic supplement Mind Lab Pro on memory in adults: Double blind, placebo-controlled study. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, e2872. https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.2872
