Acute Effect of a Dietary Multi-Ingredient Nootropic as a Cognitive Enhancer in Young Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Triple-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial

Abstract

Aim: To study the acute effect of a dietary multi-ingredient nootropic on cognitive performance in young healthy adults. We also analyzed the influence of the dietary multi-ingredient nootropic on emotional state, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV).

Methods: This is a randomized, triple-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. In total, 26 young healthy adults (50% women; 24.9 ± 3.3 years old) ingested 10 g of a dietary multi-ingredient nootropic [Evo-Gamers®; Harrison Sport Nutrition (HSN), Granada, Spain] or placebo (maltodextrin) in a randomized order (clinicaltrials.gov No. NCT04790188). After 30 min of the ingestion, participants performed a battery of cognitive performance tests to measure the processing speed, inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, creativity, and verbal fluency. The emotional status was assessed through questionnaires, and HR and HRV were measured using a heart rate monitor.

Results: In comparison with placebo, the acute ingestion of the nootropic showed a significantly better response time in several cognitive tests (i.e., processing speed, inhibitory control, spatial working memory, and cognitive flexibility, all P < 0.05 and effect size range of 0.4-0.6). It also displayed a higher accuracy in the processing speed, the inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility tests (all P < 0.05; effect size ranged from 0.4 to 0.6). Furthermore, the nootropic showed a higher creativity and positive emotions and lower sadness-depression emotions, whereas HR and HRV remained similar between placebo vs. nootropic conditions. However, there were no differences between the nootropic and placebo in verbal fluency, motivation, or anxiety (all P > 0.05).

Conclusion: An acute ingestion of a dietary multi-ingredient nootropic enhances cognitive performance in comparison with placebo without negatively influencing HR or HRV in young healthy adults.

Keywords: cognitive performance; dietary supplement; emotions; ergogenic aid; psychomotor performance; stress.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Copyright © 2022 Medrano, Molina-Hidalgo, Alcantara, Ruiz and Jurado-Fasoli.

Figures

FIGURE 1

Study design. After screening, 26 subjects were randomized (R) in a triple-blind, cross-over trial.

FIGURE 2

Differences in choice processing speed (A,B), inhibitory control (C,D), spatial working memory (D–J), and cognitive flexibility RT (K–N) and accuracy between the acute ingestion of the nootropic (denoted as white circles) and the placebo (denoted as black circles). Circles represent individual values, whereas lines represent mean (i.e., central line) and standard deviation. Differences between nootropic and placebo were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test. Boldfaced values mean P < 0.05. RT, response time.

FIGURE 3

Differences in creativity between the acute ingestion of the nootropic (denoted as white circles) and the placebo (denoted as black circles). Creativity was assessed with the CREA test involving the correct total items (A), incorrect answers (B), and the total score (C). Circles represent individual values, whereas lines represent mean (i.e., central line) and standard deviation. Differences between nootropic and placebo were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test. Boldfaced values mean P < 0.05. CREA, Creativity IQ-Test.

FIGURE 4

Effects of a nootropic ergogenic aid (denoted as white circles) in comparison with a placebo (denoted as black circles) on emotional status differences (Δ = after beverage − before beverage) between before and after the performance of the cognitive test by the participants. Emotional status include positive (A) and negative (B) emotions, intrinsic motivation (C), identified (D) and external regulation (E), amotivation (F), sadness-depression (G), anger-hostility (H), anxiety (I), happiness (J), anxiety state (K), and anxiety trati (L). Circles represent individual values, whereas lines represent mean (i.e., central line) and standard deviation. Differences between nootropic and placebo were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test. Boldfaced values mean P < 0.05. PANAS, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule; STAI, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.