As more and more cognitive enhancement supplements hit the online market, most of them are from companies that specialize in just this kind of supplement, sometimes just the one product. But with the popularity of these nootropics skyrocketing, a growing number of cross benefit supplement makers are getting into the mix. This is the case with Master Brain from 1st Phorm. 1st Phorm makes a lot of healthy lifestyle supplements, like diet pills, protein powders, muscle builders, and multivitamins. And now they’ve gotten into the nootropics game as well.

What Are Nootropics?

A few years ago, almost no one had even heard the word, much less knew what it meant. But that’s all changing. In a nutshell, nootropics are substances that help you think more clearly, remember more quickly, focus more intently, and achieve your intellectual goals more readily. For years, students on college campuses have been using off label Adderall to help them with these issues. Adderall, as you probably know, is prescribed to ADD/ADHD patients to help them with the calm focus they need to overcome distractions. Turns out, because it works for people even without ADD/ADHD, there’s a huge after market for these pills. Of course, taking someone else’s prescribed pills is not only dangerous but also illegal, and that’s where nootropics come in.

Nootropics are natural, legal supplements designed to mimic the effects of prescription drugs like Adderall. By improving the action and interaction of neurons and neurotransmitters in the brain, they provide enhancement in the areas of memory, focus, concentration, energy, and motivation, and they do it without side effects or legal worries associated with off-label Adderall.

I haven’t found a nootropic supplement yet that can completely replicate the effects of Adderall, though this one comes close.  And we keep searching, which is why we’re looking into Master Brain today.

What Is Master Brain?

Made by 1st Phorm, Master Brain is a brain boosting stack of ingredients put together to get your brain firing on all cylinders. Using its clinically studied ingredients, it promises to promote laser-like focus, enhance your long and short term memory and recall, and keep you producing at high levels throughout the entire day.

When you order the stack, you’ll get two bottles. One contains the daytime formula, while the other is for night use. We’ll break them down and discuss the value of each individual ingredient and the stack as a whole.

Master Brain AM

This is the daytime formula that combines specific nutrients for your brain with components designed to keep energy levels and motivation high. With cognitive enhancers, energy boosters, and anti-stress and anxiety herbs, Master Brain keeps your mental acuity sharp even in the face of your toughest challenges. The AM formula includes:

• Vitamins B6 and B12 for all day energy and focus minus any jitters or crash you get with stimulants. This kind of natural energy is key for maintaining high levels of motivation throughout the day.

The Brain Blend (1600 mg) which consists of:

• Siberian Ginseng which has shown some promise in improving cognitive functioning in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease.
• Acetyl L Carnitine which may increase blood flow to the brain, providing more oxygen and needed nutrients to the brain.
• Bacopa Monieri Extract is used to improve memory and attention.
• Cordyceps Sinensis Extract which acts as an antioxidant that also helps relieve mental stress. Studies have shown it to reduce inflammatory markers in the brain that are indicators of stress.
• A-GPC (Choline) which supports cellular membranes, and acts as a neuroprotective, and has been shown to decrease the rate of cognitive decline. It’s been shown to improve memory in both retention and recall, and may even improve problem solving skills.
• Glucuronolactone which you’ll find in a lot of energy drinks for its anti-fatigue properties.
• PhosphatidylSerine which is believed to slow age-related cognitive decline as well as to improve thinking functions in younger people. It works on the hippocampus to improve both short term and long term memory.

The Awake Matrix (295mg) which contains:

• Caffeine which is a stimulants that provides not only energy but focus and concentration as well.
• L-Theanine which when used in conjunction with caffeine provides a balance. It smooths out the jittery edges and produces a calm energy.
• Huperzine A which may improve memory in healthy adults as well as older patients. It works by inhibiting the effects of certain enzymes that destroy acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter to memory and recall.

The Stabilize Blend (235mg) which includes:

• Rhodiola Rosea Extract which reduces the effects of fatigue and stress on your body and brain.
• Vinpocetine which improves brain blood flow as well as brain cell health.

Instructions note to take Master Brain AM on a 5 days on/2 days off cycle. On your on days, take 3 capsules in the morning with food and a full 16 ounces of water. The bottle contains 60 pills, which comes out to 20 servings – enough for a month if taken as directed.

Master Brain PM

This is the nighttime formula. It should be taken every night, 3 capsules with at least 16 ounces of water, about 45 minutes before going to bed. It’s recommended that you devote 8 hours to your restful sleeping time to experience the full effects. It’s a nice touch that there’s a night time formula because getting regular restful sleep is extremely important to getting the most out of your brain.

The Master Brain PM formula consists of:

The Brain Fuel Blend (1825 mg) which includes:

• GABA which acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. It has a calming effect on stress and nervous activity, allowing you to calmly think through issues.
• Ashwagandha improves brain function and mood by bolstering the health of brain cells and protecting them against the effects of aging. It’s also known as an adaptagen, which helps your body and brain adapt to stressful situation without releasing cortisol, the stress hormone.
• Rhodiola Rosea which acts against brain fatigue by supporting serotonin and dopamine levels and reducing cortisol. As a result, you feel less stress and less of the fatigue that comes from the stress.
• Mucuna Pruriens which increases dopamine levels with L-Dopa, leaving you feeling pleased, relaxed, and satisfied, ideal for a restful sleep.
• 5-HTP which is used as a mood enhancer that also encourages a restful sleep.
• Alpha GPC which increases the presence of important neurotransmitters while reducing physical and mental fatigue.

The Sleep Blend (255 mg) consisting of:

• Valerian Root which is commonly used in sleep aids to put you into a relaxed state by reducing nervous anxiety. It doesn’t leave you drowsy feeling in the morning.
• Mugwort Extract which acts to cleanse toxins and improve liver function.
• Melatonin which helps put you in a “ready to sleep” state, helping you to fall more quickly into your restful sleep.

With both formulas, it’s important to note that most ingredients are found within proprietary blends, meaning they don’t reveal how much of each substance is included. That’s unfortunate because some of the components have undergone clinical testing, and it’s important to know whether or not the formulas contain those clinical doses.

Master Brain Reviews

At this time, there are no Master Brain reviews to look over online. It’s only available through its own website and that of 1st Phorma, so it’s not entirely surprising that published feedback doesn’t exist.

Master Brain Side Effects

The daytime formula does contain caffeine, so those sensitive to it or to stimulants in general may feel those negative effects. Beyond that, any negative side effect should be minimal and may include things like headache and nausea.

Where to Buy

At this time, Master Brain is only available through the 1st Phorma website and a product website dedicated specifically to Master Brain. A single month package, including both the daytime and nighttime formulas costs $79, which includes shipping.

Return Policy

Master Brain offers a generous 110% return policy, the same one they offer on all 1st Phorm products. If you’re not happy with Master Brain, return the unused portion within 30 days, and they’ll refund the price of the purchase plus 10%.

Master Brain Pros and Cons

Advantages of Master Brain

• It comes with two separate formulas, one for day and one for night, so you get targeted results.
• The formulas are all natural and include several beneficial components.
• There’s a generous money back guarantee.
• It’s made by a company that offers a wide variety of supplements, which means they are likely to be concerned enough about their reputation to provide a good product and treat their customers right.

Disadvantages of Master Brain

• Most of the ingredients are listed in proprietary blends, so it’s impossible to know if they are present at clinical levels.
• There is no customer feedback available online yet.

The Bottom Line

It’s clear that 1st Phorm made the effort to create a nootropic stack that will help you perform at peak levels. Most of the ingredients are backed by at least preliminary studies showing them to be potentially effective.

The choice to make it a daytime product stacked with a nighttime product is important. And by including them both in the package, they don’t force you to choose between the two, recognizing that both are equally important.

The question is really whether or not Master Brain pulls it off, helping enough to make it a good value. Without clinical studies of the exact products or feedback from customers who’ve used them, it’s difficult to say just how close they come. Relying on my experience and knowledge, however, I can say you will likely receive some noticeable benefit from Master Brain. Whether or not it rises to the level of $80 a month of value probably depends on you as an individual user. The 110% money back guarantee will definitely help make it easier to decide.

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Author: Rob Miller

Rob Miller founded SupplementCritique.com over 7 years ago, and has been the chief editor ever since. He has a diploma in Advanced Dietary Supplements Advisor, and worked at GNC for 3 years. He KNOWS supplements, both inside and out. Rob currently resides in Jupiter, FL, with his wife of 4 years.  Learn more about him in his Bio here. Follow him on Twitter , Facebook, LinkedIn, or find him on Google +. View all posts by Rob Miller