Silicon Valley Secret Or Same Old Stack? Reviewing RISE By Nootrobox

The Overview

Nootrobox is a relatively new supplement company specializing in — you guessed it — nootropics. Their product list currently includes nootropic stack RISE, caffeine-based supplement SPRINT, sleep supplement YAWN, and chewable coffee Go Cubes. The San Francisco company’s main claim to fame is a heavy presence among Silicon Valley tech types and startup/tech media outlets.

At first glance, Nootrobox’s formulations aren’t carbon copies of other popular stacks, but they’re very similar, and all contain ingredients we have quite a bit of experience testing. First up is RISE, their “daily” nootropic stack designed for regular/everyday use. Hear what our testers had to say by reading below!

The Ingredients

Active Ingredients:

Bacopa monnieri (50% bacosides) – 300 mg

Bacopa Monnieri is an herb used as an antidepressant and a cognitive booster. While performing stressful cognitive tests, subjects taking Bacopa Monnieri experienced the herb’s nootropic effects and reduced both stress and cortisol levels. This is on par with the highest concentration of bacosides in the extract we’ve seen in a nootropic product.

Nootrobox recommends taking RISE with fat-containing meals, as this ingredient may be better absorbed when paired with fats.

Rhodiola rosea (3% rosavins and 1% salidroside) – 300 mg

While there’s some evidence that Rhodiola Rosea can combat the effects of physical stress, it’s best known and well-researched to fight fatigue from mental challenges and tasks. Basically, evidence suggests this herb helps us better manage stress, and it also combats fatigue we might feel from mentally (and potentially physically) grueling tasks. Some early research also indicates Rhodiola could improve overall longevity and brain help in mammals.

a-GPC (L-Alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine) – 300 mg

Choline is a vital compound in neurotransmission, and research suggests many Americans don’t get enough from their regular diets (in fact, choline-based nootropics are increasingly common, and some of our testers have experienced enhanced memory and focus simply from supplementing choline). This is the same form of choline as in popular stack (and BrainWiz tester favorite) Alpha Brain.

Other Ingredients: Rice flour, vegetable cellulose (capsule), calcium carbonate, silicon dioxide.

Usage Guidelines

Simply take one in the morning with breakfast, and one post-lunch or with an afternoon snack. It’s recommended that you take RISE with food because bacopa monnieri tends to be better absorbed when taken with fat.

Some of our customers take one in the morning with a tall glass of water and then take one more additional RISE in the afternoon post-lunch or with a snack. Others just take two at once with a meal with fats – dairy, meat, nuts, etc.

What Our Testers Say

“I couldn’t tell any difference between this supplement and normal Rhodiola rosea supplementation. So that’s not a bad thing, and I appreciate the help dealing with stress. But with the other two active ingredients in RISE, I was hoping for something more like the effects of Alpha Brain (alertness and focus with no crash) or Neurofuse (a jolt of energy and sharp focus). I’ll reach for one of those two for a consistent boost, or just plain Rhodiola when I want an adaptogen.” — Chad

“Not too much to report here — I took it with caffeine and without, and definitely think it pairs well with. But nothing I haven’t felt before, and not in my top 10 favorite supplements we’ve tried. Too mild, nothing really innovative or different. I’ll go for tried and true formulations.” — Wesley

“I didn’t feel much at all on this supplement, at least not much more than taking Rhodiola by itself (which I still like and recommend to friends, as I think it takes the edge off my stress a bit).” — Ming

“I felt calm and level-headed when I took this supplement, but no sharper than normal. I think Alpha Brain’s stack is more potent. I tried RISE for a few days, then switched in Alpha Brain on a one-day break. I got a lot more done and felt better on the Alpha Brain day. ” — Alexandra

BrainWiz Tips

• Take with fats during breakfast or lunch to help improve absorption of RISE’s bacosides.
• Most of our testers compared this supplement to standalone supplementation of Rhodiola rosea, which pairs well with coffee (RISE is caffeine and stimulant-free) and is good before stressful situations.
• As with any supplement or nutritional regimen, you should talk to your doctor or medical professional before use.
• We do appreciate that Nootrobox lists active ingredient amounts; you know what you’re getting.

Supplement Summary

RISE by Nootrobox disappointed us, mostly because we were hoping for an innovative new stack out of Silicon Valley and instead experienced effects that felt a lot like plain Rhodiola (though in a much more expensive form). None of us felt worse when taking rise, even after testing it for a week or more. But there was no energy boost and no sharpness beyond some much cheaper and more straightforward adaptogens. After taking just RISE for a brain boost, switching back to Alpha Brain, Neurofuse, or Neuro Elite (as three of our testers did) had us feeling great — compared to RISE, their effects lasted longer and were far more pronounced.

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