What it's studied for
The research question, the pathway being explored, and why anyone thought that pathway might matter. A mechanism is named as a research idea, never as a proven benefit.
BDNF / TrkB · GABA · orexin · opioid receptors
Standard Labs · 2026 Research Edition
The Nootropics
Guide
23 compounds are sold on promises about focus, memory and sleep. This guide takes each one apart: what it is studied for, the pathway being explored, and where the evidence stops.
Every profile answers the same four questions. Reported amounts, routes and cycles are printed exactly as the source gave them — marked unverified, and not recommendations. No compound is graded, because the material cannot support a grade.
39 pages
23 compound profiles
No grades, no dosing advice
Free PDF
23 compound profilesMechanism, study type, limits
39Pages
23Compound profiles
27References
6Research themes
What's inside
One method, applied twenty-three times.
Not a catalogue and not a ranking. Every profile runs the same four questions, so two compounds can be read side by side without one getting a better edit than the other.
What the research shows so far
The study type behind each mechanism — rat, mouse, cell or human trial — stated before the benefit. Where the work is animal or in-vitro, the profile says so instead of borrowing the human word.
rat · mouse · cell model · human trial
What the source could not tell us
Names that stay unresolved — PE-22-88, IPAM, RG3, FGL. One 8–12 week cycle repeated across every profile with no citation. A safety list that names classes of medicine, not medicines.
unresolved names · uncited cycles · listed ≠ complete
Plus: a 20-term glossary, a map of six research themes, a safety-gap table and 27 references you can check.
39 pages2026 edition
The directory
Twenty-three compounds, six themes.
The guide groups research questions rather than ranking compounds. The grouping is a reading aid — not an evidence score, and not a treatment category.
Cell links & new cells
3Dihexa · FGL · NSI-189
Thinking & cell protection
10Semax · Semax/N-Acetyl · Cerebrolysin · PE-22-88 · P21 · Pinealon · Noopept · RG3 · BDNF · IPAM
Stress & anxiety
3Selank · Selank/N-Acetyl · Melanostatin
Sleep & wakefulness
2Orexin · DSIP
Hormone signals
4Vasopressin · TRH · ACTH · Oxytocin
Pain signals
1Enkephalins
The themes overlap. They are reading aids, not treatment categories or an evidence score — and the guide says so rather than forcing one label per compound.
Why this guide exists
Most brain content is written to sell a bottle.
This one was written to survive a researcher reading it. It keeps the source material exactly as it arrived, marks what is unverified, and names what the screenshots never showed: no author, no studies, no test groups, no dates. An honest map beats a confident promise.
23Profiles
6Themes
27References
2026Edition
Who it’s for
Made for the reader who checks.
For you if…
You have seen Semax or Selank described in one line — “focus”, “calm” — and want the mechanism and the study type behind the word before you accept the benefit.
Not for you if…
You want a stack, a dose or a promise. The guide assigns no grades, gives no protocol and recommends no compound. It is a reading aid, not a plan.
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Where should we send it?
Enter your email and we'll send the 39-page PDF. Then a short series on the four things that decide whether a cognitive claim is worth your time: study type, mechanism, naming, and what “not listed” really means.
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- A short email series on how to read a brain claim, then occasional research updates. One-click unsubscribe.
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Open the peptide calculatorFAQ
Straight answers.
Who is this for?
Adults reading about cognitive research who want the evidence and the limits in the same place. No lab background is assumed. It is not a clinical manual, a protocol, or a review of Canadian approval status.
Is the guide really free?
Yes. The PDF is free. We ask for your email so we can send it, confirm your consent and follow up with a short series on reading a brain claim. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Is this medical advice?
No. The guide is educational material for research. It does not tell you what to take, and it does not replace a licensed healthcare provider. Products referenced are supplied for laboratory research use only.
Why are the ranges marked “unverified”?
Because they arrived without a study, a test group, a date or a named author. The original material is kept in the source package. Reprinting a number is not the same as validating it, so every number is printed with its status attached.
Does it tell me what to take?
No. No compound is graded strong, moderate or weak — the supplied material cannot support those grades without a separate review. Reported amounts, routes and cycles are source-reported only.
What's in the 39 pages?
Six sections: brain basics, how to read evidence, the compound directory, 23 profiles, safety and limitations, and resources. Plus a 20-term glossary, a research-theme map and 27 references.
Do you sell these compounds?
Some of them. Semax, Selank, Pinealon, DSIP, P21, Cerebrolysin and VIP are listed in the Canadian catalogue under cognitive and neuroprotective research. The guide is not a ranking of what we stock, and a listing does not validate any source claim.
How often will you email me?
A confirmation, the guide, then a short series over about ten days. After that, occasional research updates. Every email has a one-click unsubscribe.
Is my email shared?
No. We do not sell or share your email with third parties. The form stores your name, email, interest and consent record so we can honour your preferences.
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