Onnit review: Alpha BRAIN and the rest of the lineup, checked against the research
Onnit is the Austin brand behind Alpha BRAIN, one of the few nootropics tested as a finished product. We read every label in its flagship lineup, compared doses with the research and priced every serving.
Our verdict
- Best for: people who like Onnit’s all-in-one formulas (Alpha BRAIN, Total Human) and want a brand with product-level trials on its flagship.
- Standout: Alpha BRAIN has two randomized trials of the finished product (one positive, one null), and creatine is priced well per serving.
- Watch out for: proprietary blends that hide per-ingredient doses, some below-trial doses (krill oil, citrulline), and serotonin and L-dopa ingredients that need a medication check.
Onnit offers
- 15% off MSRP on subscription-eligible products unless otherwise noted.
- Does not stack with sale pricing; the greater discount applies.
- Offer terms from Onnit’s site, checked Oct 8, 2026. Offers can change; the brand's checkout is final.
Who Onnit is
Onnit was founded in 2011 by Aubrey Marcus and is based in Austin, Texas. It sells supplements, foods and fitness equipment; Alpha BRAIN is its best-known product.
Onnit’s privacy policy lists it as a brand of US Health & Wellbeing, LLC (the Wellbeing Collective group, alongside Liquid I.V., OLLY and SmartyPants). Onnit says all its supplements are third-party tested for identity, purity and safety.
- Founded
- 2011 by Aubrey Marcus, Austin, Texas source
- Parent
- US Health & Wellbeing, LLC (Wellbeing Collective) source
- Testing
- All supplements third-party tested for identity, purity and safety (brand statement) source
- Subscription
- 15% off MSRP on eligible products; does not stack with sales source
- Guarantee
- 30-day money-back guarantee source
Testing and certifications
Onnit states that all of its supplements are third-party tested, and several product pages show a "Third-Party Tested" badge. We found no NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport claim on any of the 12 product pages or on Onnit’s brand pages, and Onnit does not publish batch certificates of analysis on its site.
- Third-party testing: "All Onnit supplements undergo third-party testing to help ensure they meet our standards for identity, purity, and safety." source
- Third-Party Tested badge: Shown on the Alpha BRAIN, Creatine, New MOOD and NMN + Creatine product pages (not on Black Label, Krill Oil or Total Nitric Oxide). source
- Sport certifications: No NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport claim found on onnit.com product or brand pages (checked Oct 8, 2026). source
- Krill sourcing: Krill Oil is sustainably sourced as certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. source
Onnit lineup at a glance
| Product | Label dose | Evidence | Per serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha BRAIN (90 ct) | Vitamin B6 10 mg; Flow Blend 650 mg (L-tyrosine, L-theanine, oat straw extract, phosphatidylserine); cat’s claw extract 350 mg; Focus Blend 240 mg (Alpha GPC, bacopa 100 mg, huperzine A 400 mcg); Fuel Blend 60 mg (L-leucine, pterostilbene) | C · limited | $1.78 |
| Alpha BRAIN Black Label (80 ct) | Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) extract 1,000 mg (15% L-dopa, about 150 mg); lion’s mane 500 mg; Cognizin citicoline 250 mg; phosphatidylserine (SerinAid) 200 mg; L-theanine 100 mg; caffeine 25 mg; huperzine A 200 mcg; lutein 20 mg; zeaxanthin 4 mg | C · limited | $6.25 |
| Creatine (90 servings) | Creatine monohydrate 5 g | A · strong | $0.42 |
| Krill Oil (60 ct) | Krill oil 1 g: phospholipids 450 mg, omega-3 240 mg (EPA 130 mg, DHA 60 mg), astaxanthin 200 mcg | C · limited | $1.00 |
| Shroom TECH SPORT (84 ct) | Vitamin B12 750 mcg; chromium 200 mcg; Shroom Tech O2 Blend 1.2 g (cordyceps extract, cordyceps); Adaptogen Blend 930 mg (ashwagandha, green tea, rhodiola, astragalus) | C · limited | $2.66 |
| Total Human (30-day supply) | Day pack: half-dose Alpha BRAIN, half-dose Shroom TECH SPORT, krill oil 500 mg, B-complex with benfotiamine 150 mg, strontium 226 mg, spirulina + chlorella 1 g. Night pack: half-dose New MOOD, vitamin C 250 mg, zinc 6 mg, calcium 250 mg, magnesium 125 mg, spirulina + chlorella 1 g | C · limited | $4.60 |
| New MOOD (60 ct) | L-tryptophan 400 mg; 5-HTP 150 mg; Tranquility Blend 450 mg (valerian, chamomile, lemon balm, jujube); vitamin B6 20 mg; niacin 30 mg; vitamin D 1,000 IU; magnesium (Albion bisglycinate) 40 mg | C · limited | $2.00 |
| Total Nitric Oxide (20 servings) | L-citrulline DL-malate 3 g; arginine nitrate (NO3-T) 1.4 g; proprietary blend 5.87 g (fermented beetroot, grape seed, apple, acerola); mango powder 100 mg | C · limited | $2.00 |
| Grass Fed Whey Isolate (30 servings) | Protein 20 g; 110 calories; 3 g carbohydrate | A · strong | $2.00 |
| NMN + Creatine (30 ct) | Creatine monohydrate 5 g; NMN 500 mg | B · moderate | $1.67 |
| Total GUT HEALTH (60 ct) | Prebiotic and herbal blend 1.75 g; betaine HCl 500 mg; DigesTech enzyme blend 373 mg; Saccharomyces boulardii 5 billion CFU; probiotic blend 10 billion CFU (7 strains); AstraZyme 50 mg | D · preliminary | $1.60 |
| Alpha BRAIN Neuro Gummies (90 ct) | DHA 250 mg (omega-3 280 mg); caffeine 50 mg; lutein 10 mg; zeaxanthin 2 mg; 7 g added sugar | C · limited | $0.83 |
Every product, label vs research
Focus and memory
Onnit Alpha BRAIN (90 ct)
Onnit’s caffeine-free flagship nootropic: L-tyrosine, L-theanine, oat straw, phosphatidylserine, cat’s claw, Alpha GPC, bacopa and huperzine A in proprietary blends.
- On the label · per 2 capsules
- Vitamin B6 10 mg; Flow Blend 650 mg (L-tyrosine, L-theanine, oat straw extract, phosphatidylserine); cat’s claw extract 350 mg; Focus Blend 240 mg (Alpha GPC, bacopa 100 mg, huperzine A 400 mcg); Fuel Blend 60 mg (L-leucine, pterostilbene)
- What the research used
- The finished product has been tested in two randomized trials: 6 weeks in 63 adults aged 18–35, and a trial in active-duty soldiers. Blend amounts per ingredient are not disclosed, so they cannot be matched to single-ingredient research.
Evidence: C · limited. The 2016 trial found better delayed verbal recall and executive function than placebo; the 2018 soldier trial found no effect on marksmanship. Two small trials with mixed results.
Who it fits: Adults who want a caffeine-free focus product and accept modest, mixed evidence. Check with a clinician if you take prescription medicines (it contains huperzine A).
$1.78/serving$79.95 for 45 servings · $67.96 with subscription ($1.51/serving) · checked Oct 8, 2026
Focus and memory
Onnit Alpha BRAIN Black Label (80 ct)
A stronger, fully disclosed Alpha BRAIN formula with citicoline, phosphatidylserine, lion’s mane, velvet bean and a little caffeine.
- On the label · per 4 capsules
- Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) extract 1,000 mg (15% L-dopa, about 150 mg); lion’s mane 500 mg; Cognizin citicoline 250 mg; phosphatidylserine (SerinAid) 200 mg; L-theanine 100 mg; caffeine 25 mg; huperzine A 200 mcg; lutein 20 mg; zeaxanthin 4 mg
- What the research used
- The formula itself has not been trialed. Its ingredients have their own small human studies, mostly at different doses and in different combinations.
Evidence: C · limited. Graded on ingredient-level data only. Fully disclosed amounts are a plus over the original Alpha BRAIN.
Who it fits: Experienced users who want disclosed doses. The velvet bean supplies L-dopa, also found in prescription medicines: skip it if you take MAO inhibitors or levodopa products unless your prescriber agrees.
$6.25/serving$124.95 for 20 servings · $106.21 with subscription ($5.31/serving) · checked Oct 8, 2026View at OnnitBrand link
Strength and training
Onnit Creatine (90 servings)
Unflavored creatine monohydrate powder.
- On the label · per 1 scoop (5 g)
- Creatine monohydrate 5 g
- What the research used
- 3–5 g a day after an optional loading week; 5 g/day is the amount behind most strength and lean-mass results.
Evidence: A · strong. The most-studied sports supplement; meta-analyses support strength and lean-mass gains with training and small memory gains.
Who it fits: Anyone training who wants the best-evidenced basic at a low price per serving.
$0.42/serving$37.99 for 90 servings · $32.30 with subscription ($0.36/serving) · checked Oct 8, 2026
Daily foundation
Onnit Krill Oil (60 ct)
MSC-certified Antarctic krill oil softgels with phospholipids and astaxanthin. Showed out of stock on onnit.com on Oct 8, 2026.
- On the label · per 2 softgels
- Krill oil 1 g: phospholipids 450 mg, omega-3 240 mg (EPA 130 mg, DHA 60 mg), astaxanthin 200 mcg
- What the research used
- Omega-3 trials mostly used about 1 g/day of EPA + DHA (range 0.5–5 g). A small crossover found krill oil raised the omega-3 index at 600 mg/day omega-3. This label gives 190 mg EPA + DHA.
Evidence: C · limited. Krill oil absorbs well, but the dose here is well below what most omega-3 trials used.
Who it fits: People who want small, easy softgels and eat some oily fish already. Contains shellfish.
$1.00/serving$29.95 for 30 servings · checked Oct 8, 2026View at OnnitBrand link
Endurance
Onnit Shroom TECH SPORT (84 ct)
Pre-workout capsules built on cordyceps with ashwagandha, green tea, rhodiola and astragalus.
- On the label · per 4 capsules
- Vitamin B12 750 mcg; chromium 200 mcg; Shroom Tech O2 Blend 1.2 g (cordyceps extract, cordyceps); Adaptogen Blend 930 mg (ashwagandha, green tea, rhodiola, astragalus)
- What the research used
- The trial we cite used 4 g/day of a mushroom blend containing Cordyceps militaris. Blend amounts per ingredient are not disclosed here.
Evidence: C · limited. In 28 young adults, a 4 g/day cordyceps blend showed no significant difference from placebo after 1 week; in the 10 who kept going to 3 weeks, VO2 max and time to exhaustion improved. Small trials only.
Who it fits: Endurance athletes curious about cordyceps who are fine with blends. Contains green tea extract.
$2.66/serving$55.89 for 21 servings · $47.51 with subscription ($2.26/serving) · checked Oct 8, 2026View at OnnitBrand link
Daily foundation
Onnit Total Human (30-day supply)
Day and Night vitamin packs that bundle half-doses of Alpha BRAIN, Shroom TECH, New MOOD and krill oil with a B-complex, minerals and greens.
- On the label · per 1 Day pack + 1 Night pack
- Day pack: half-dose Alpha BRAIN, half-dose Shroom TECH SPORT, krill oil 500 mg, B-complex with benfotiamine 150 mg, strontium 226 mg, spirulina + chlorella 1 g. Night pack: half-dose New MOOD, vitamin C 250 mg, zinc 6 mg, calcium 250 mg, magnesium 125 mg, spirulina + chlorella 1 g
- What the research used
- The packs have not been trialed as a whole. Most components are at partial doses of products reviewed on this page.
Evidence: C · limited. A convenience product: judge it on whether you want every component, not on extra evidence.
Who it fits: People who want one pack instead of many bottles. The night pack contains 5-HTP and tryptophan (see New MOOD safety note).
$4.60/serving$137.95 for 30 servings · $117.26 with subscription ($3.91/serving) · checked Oct 8, 2026View at OnnitBrand link
Mood and relaxation
Onnit New MOOD (60 ct)
Serotonin-pathway formula: L-tryptophan and 5-HTP with B6, vitamin D, magnesium and calming herbs.
- On the label · per 2 capsules
- L-tryptophan 400 mg; 5-HTP 150 mg; Tranquility Blend 450 mg (valerian, chamomile, lemon balm, jujube); vitamin B6 20 mg; niacin 30 mg; vitamin D 1,000 IU; magnesium (Albion bisglycinate) 40 mg
- What the research used
- Human trials of tryptophan and 5-HTP for mood are few, small and old; a Cochrane review found too little good-quality data to draw conclusions.
Evidence: C · limited. Plausible mechanism, thin trial evidence for everyday mood support.
Who it fits: Adults wanting an evening wind-down product. Do not combine with antidepressants or other serotonin-affecting medicines unless your prescriber agrees.
$2.00/serving$59.90 for 30 servings · $50.92 with subscription ($1.70/serving) · checked Oct 8, 2026
Training pump
Onnit Total Nitric Oxide (20 servings)
Pre-workout drink mix with citrulline, arginine nitrate and a beet-and-fruit-extract blend.
- On the label · per 1 scoop (11.8 g)
- L-citrulline DL-malate 3 g; arginine nitrate (NO3-T) 1.4 g; proprietary blend 5.87 g (fermented beetroot, grape seed, apple, acerola); mango powder 100 mg
- What the research used
- Citrulline malate trials used 6–8 g 40–60 minutes before training; a meta-analysis found a small gain in repetitions to failure, and another found no gain in maximal strength.
Evidence: C · limited. The citrulline here is about half the studied dose; the beet blend amount is not disclosed.
Who it fits: Lifters who like a flavored pre-workout without stimulants and accept a below-trial citrulline dose.
$2.00/serving$39.99 for 20 servings · $34.00 with subscription ($1.70/serving) · checked Oct 8, 2026View at OnnitBrand link
Protein
Onnit Grass Fed Whey Isolate (30 servings)
Grass-fed whey protein isolate with an enzyme blend; vanilla or Mexican chocolate.
- On the label · per 1 scoop (29.2 g)
- Protein 20 g; 110 calories; 3 g carbohydrate
- What the research used
- Protein supplements help mainly by lifting total daily protein; the benefit levelled off around 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day in a large meta-analysis.
Evidence: A · strong. Strong evidence for protein in general when paired with training; nothing product-specific.
Who it fits: People who train and fall short on protein from food. Contains milk.
$2.00/serving$59.95 for 30 servings · checked Oct 8, 2026View at OnnitBrand link
Healthy aging and training
Onnit NMN + Creatine (30 ct)
Daily unflavored stick pack combining creatine monohydrate with NMN.
- On the label · per 1 packet (5.8 g)
- Creatine monohydrate 5 g; NMN 500 mg
- What the research used
- Creatine: 5 g/day (grade A). NMN: 300–900 mg/day raised blood NAD+ in a 60-day trial of 80 middle-aged adults, highest at 600 and 900 mg. The pairing itself has not been trialed.
Evidence: B · moderate. Strong creatine evidence plus moderate NMN evidence for raising NAD+; functional benefits of NMN are still being worked out.
Who it fits: Adults over 40 who train and want both in one daily packet. Not for under-18s or during pregnancy or breastfeeding (label warning).
$1.67/serving$49.99 for 30 servings · $42.50 with subscription ($1.42/serving) · checked Oct 8, 2026
Digestion
Onnit Total GUT HEALTH (60 ct)
Digestive enzymes, betaine HCl, prebiotic herbs and probiotics (including Saccharomyces boulardii) in one capsule regimen.
- On the label · per 4 capsules
- Prebiotic and herbal blend 1.75 g; betaine HCl 500 mg; DigesTech enzyme blend 373 mg; Saccharomyces boulardii 5 billion CFU; probiotic blend 10 billion CFU (7 strains); AstraZyme 50 mg
- What the research used
- The combination has not been trialed. Probiotic effects are strain- and dose-specific, so results from other products do not transfer.
Evidence: D · preliminary. No product-level human data; graded on that.
Who it fits: People who want to experiment with an all-in-one digestive product. Four capsules a day means one bottle lasts about two weeks.
$1.60/serving$23.99 for 15 servings · checked Oct 8, 2026View at OnnitBrand link
Focus
Onnit Alpha BRAIN Neuro Gummies (90 ct)
Citrus gummies with algal DHA, a little caffeine from green tea, and lutein/zeaxanthin.
- On the label · per 3 gummies
- DHA 250 mg (omega-3 280 mg); caffeine 50 mg; lutein 10 mg; zeaxanthin 2 mg; 7 g added sugar
- What the research used
- The gummy has not been trialed. 50 mg caffeine is about half a cup of coffee; DHA trials mostly used more than 250 mg.
Evidence: C · limited. Ingredient-level rationale only.
Who it fits: People who prefer gummies and want a light caffeine lift. Not near bedtime; 7 g added sugar per serving.
$0.83/serving$24.99 for 30 servings · $21.25 with subscription ($0.71/serving) · checked Oct 8, 2026View at OnnitBrand link
Pros and cons
What we like
- Alpha BRAIN is one of the few nootropics tested as a finished product in randomized trials.
- Creatine at about $0.42 a serving (less on subscription) with a third-party-tested badge.
- Convenient all-in-one formats (Total Human packs, NMN + Creatine sticks) and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- HSA/FSA eligible through Truemed on many products (per product pages).
What to watch
- Proprietary blends in Alpha BRAIN, Shroom TECH and Total Nitric Oxide hide per-ingredient doses.
- No NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport certification found, and no public batch CoAs.
- Some doses are well below what trials used (krill oil EPA + DHA, citrulline).
- New MOOD (5-HTP, tryptophan) and Black Label (L-dopa from velvet bean) need a medication check first.
Safety notes
- New MOOD and the Total Human night pack contain 5-HTP and L-tryptophan: avoid combining with antidepressants or other serotonin-affecting medicines unless your prescriber agrees.
- Alpha BRAIN Black Label contains velvet bean standardized to L-dopa (about 150 mg per 4 capsules): avoid with MAO inhibitors or levodopa products unless your prescriber agrees.
- Alpha BRAIN products contain huperzine A, which affects acetylcholine; check with your clinician if you take prescription medicines.
- Krill oil contains shellfish; whey contains milk; NMN + Creatine is not for under-18s or during pregnancy or breastfeeding (label).
- Supplements can interact with prescription medicines. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting.
Alternatives and related guides
FAQ
Does Alpha BRAIN work?
Two randomized trials have tested it. A 2016 trial in 63 adults aged 18–35 found better delayed verbal recall and executive function after 6 weeks versus placebo; a 2018 trial in soldiers found no effect on marksmanship. We grade it C: promising but limited.
Is Onnit third-party tested?
Onnit says all its supplements are third-party tested, and several product pages show a Third-Party Tested badge. We did not find NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport certification on onnit.com (checked Oct 8, 2026).
Who owns Onnit?
Onnit’s privacy policy lists it as a brand of US Health & Wellbeing, LLC, the Wellbeing Collective group that also includes Liquid I.V., OLLY and SmartyPants.
Is there an Onnit discount?
Subscribe & Save takes 15% off MSRP on eligible products (it does not stack with sale prices), and the site offers 10% off for signing up to texts. Check onnit.com for current terms.
Sources
Label doses, prices and certifications come from Onnit's own product pages, read Oct 8, 2026. Studies were checked on PubMed the same day.
- Solomon TM et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel group, efficacy study of alpha BRAIN administered orally. Hum Psychopharmacol 2016. · PMID 26876224
- Impact of a purported nootropic supplementation on mood, stress and marksmanship in U.S. active duty soldiers. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2018. · PMID 29855372
- Kreider RB et al. ISSN position stand: creatine supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2017. · PMID 28615996
- Xu C et al. Creatine supplementation and cognitive function in adults: meta-analysis. Front Nutr 2024. · PMID 39070254
- Ramprasath VR et al. Omega-3 index with krill oil versus fish oil. Lipids Health Dis 2013. · PMID 24304605
- Hirsch KR et al. Cordyceps militaris and tolerance to high-intensity exercise. J Diet Suppl 2017. · PMID 27408987
- Shaw K et al. Tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan for depression (Cochrane review). 2002. · PMID 11869656
- Vårvik FT et al. Citrulline malate and repetition performance: meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2021. · PMID 34010809
- Aguiar AF, Casonatto J. Citrulline malate and muscle strength: meta-analysis. J Diet Suppl 2022. · PMID 34176406
- Morton RW et al. Protein supplementation and resistance-training gains: meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med 2018. · PMID 28698222
- Yi L et al. NMN supplementation in healthy middle-aged adults: randomized, dose-dependent trial. GeroScience 2023. · PMID 36482258
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Omega-3 fact sheet
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Probiotics fact sheet
- Onnit: About us
- Onnit: Ingredients and testing
- Onnit: Subscription program terms