--- title: "Noopept: Dosage, Side Effects & Prices | BodyHackGuide" url: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/noopept description: "Noopept: dosing protocols, mechanism & side effects, 107 PubMed results. Compare 1 current vendor prices." lang: en --- Skip to content Compare notes on r/BodyHackGuide (https://reddit.com/r/bodyhackguide) Compare notes with other researchers. Join r/BodyHackGuide (https://reddit.com/r/bodyhackguide) # Noopept Nootropics: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/wiki#cat-nootropics Status Russia Approved Evidence Small human trials, graded on the Cholinergic Nootropics bench (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/stack/cholinergic-focus) Noopept is the common brand and research name for N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester (GVS-111; INN omberacetam), a small dipeptide nootropic developed in the 1990s at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences' Institute of Pharmacology under Tatiana Voronina and Rita Ostrovskaya. Reviewed 2 October 2026 01 Overview ## What Noopept is Structurally, Noopept is a cyclized prolylglycine derivative conjugated to a phenylacetyl group, giving it roughly a thousand-fold higher potency than piracetam on a per-milligram basis while retaining some mechanistic overlap with the racetam family. It is sold over-the-counter in Russia as a cognitive enhancer and anxiolytic (trade name _Noopept_, manufactured by JSC Lekko Pharmaceuticals under license from the Zakusov Institute), where it carries approvals for post-concussive syndrome, cerebrovascular insufficiency, and mild to moderate cognitive decline. Outside Russia and a handful of CIS states, Noopept has no regulatory status — it is not approved as a drug in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, or Australia, and it is not listed on any pharmacopoeia as a recognised medicine. It has been scheduled as a controlled or prohibited substance in a small number of jurisdictions (notably the Czech Republic) but in most Western countries it exists in a legal grey zone: neither an approved drug nor a regulated supplement, often sold online as a "research chemical" or nootropic powder. Read the full overview Show less The compound's appeal rests on three overlapping claims — that it enhances memory consolidation, that it produces a mild anxiolytic effect, and that it is neuroprotective against oxidative, excitotoxic, and ischaemic insults. Each of these claims has some experimental support in rodent models and a small body of Russian clinical literature, but the evidence base is markedly thinner than for any drug approved in the West for cognitive impairment or anxiety. The key studies are mostly Soviet-era and post-Soviet Russian publications indexed on eLibrary.ru and — in a minority of cases — on PubMed, often with methodology that would not meet contemporary ICH-GCP or FDA standards. Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials with pre-registered endpoints, intention-to-treat analysis, and independent replication — the evidentiary bedrock of Western drug approval — are largely absent. This does not mean Noopept "doesn't work," but it does mean that anyone using it is relying on a body of evidence that would be considered hypothesis-generating rather than definitive by regulators at the FDA, EMA, MHRA, or Health Canada. For context, the drugs with the strongest evidence base for true cognitive impairment — Alzheimer's disease and related dementias — are the cholinesterase inhibitors donepezil (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/donepezil), rivastigmine, and galantamine, and the NMDA receptor modulator memantine. These agents have been tested in thousands of patients in rigorously controlled trials and show modest but reproducible effects on cognition and activities of daily living. Newer disease-modifying therapies like lecanemab and donanemab target beta-amyloid pathology directly and have demonstrated reductions in cognitive decline in prodromal and mild Alzheimer's disease. Noopept is not a substitute for any of these drugs, and anyone experiencing genuine cognitive decline should be evaluated by a neurologist or geriatric psychiatrist rather than self-medicating with an unregulated Russian nootropic. For subclinical complaints — the "brain fog" and mild age-related cognitive slowing that prompt many healthy adults to try nootropics — the evidence for Noopept is weaker still. Most human trials were conducted in patients with documented cerebrovascular disease, post-traumatic cognitive impairment, or neurasthenic syndromes, not in healthy young adults seeking cognitive enhancement. Extrapolating from a 60-year-old Russian stroke patient to a 28-year-old programmer wanting sharper focus is a substantial leap that the data do not support. What Noopept offers healthy users — according to self-report and a handful of small Russian studies — is a subtle, often described as "subthreshold" improvement in mental clarity, mood, and stress tolerance, particularly when combined with an alcar/choline source to offset headaches. Whether this exceeds placebo in a properly blinded trial is an open question. Noopept's legal and regulatory status merits careful attention. It is unscheduled in the United States but is not recognised as a dietary supplement under DSHEA, meaning it is technically illegal to sell as a supplement though enforcement has been inconsistent. It is a prescription-only medication in Russia and several CIS states. In the European Union, it is generally treated as a novel food ingredient or an unregistered drug depending on the member state. It is banned or restricted in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and a few other countries. Anyone sourcing Noopept online should understand that they are purchasing an unregulated powder or capsule from a vendor whose quality control is unverifiable. Identity, purity, and dosing accuracy should be assumed to be uncertain unless third-party certificates of analysis (HPLC, mass spectrometry) are provided. Other nootropics in the same general category — selank (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/selank) and semax (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/semax) — share similar Russian origins and evidentiary limitations. For a more evidence-based approach to cognitive enhancement, see the literature on modafinil (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/modafinil) (prescription wakefulness agent with solid trial data for shift-work disorder and narcolepsy), methylene-blue (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/methylene-blue), nad (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/nad), or lifestyle interventions (sleep, exercise, nutrition) that have substantially more rigorous supporting evidence. ### How it works Noopept's mechanism of action is multifaceted and — despite decades of research — incompletely understood. Several convergent pathways have been proposed, each supported by preclinical data but none definitively established as the primary driver of its clinical effects. Read the full mechanism Show less **Cycloprolylglycine metabolite hypothesis.** The most widely cited mechanistic model holds that Noopept is a prodrug for **cycloprolylglycine** (cPG), an endogenous dipeptide found in mammalian brain tissue. Upon oral administration, Noopept is rapidly metabolised by peptidases, releasing cPG, which is thought to mimic or potentiate endogenous neuropeptide signalling. Cycloprolylglycine has structural similarity to the endogenous oxytocin-like peptides and to pyroglutamyl peptides involved in memory and stress responses. Work by Ostrovskaya and colleagues suggests that cPG levels rise after Noopept administration and correlate with its pharmacological effects. Whether cPG itself accounts for all of Noopept's activity or whether the parent molecule also acts directly remains debated. **Neurotrophic factor modulation.** Several rodent studies report that Noopept administration upregulates the expression of **brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)** and **nerve growth factor (NGF)** in the hippocampus and cortex. BDNF and NGF are critical for synaptic plasticity, long-term potentiation (LTP), and the survival of cholinergic neurons — all processes implicated in memory consolidation and resistance to neurodegenerative stress. Ostrovskaya et al. (2008) reported that chronic Noopept administration increased BDNF and NGF mRNA in rat brains, with effects most pronounced in the hippocampus. This is a plausible mechanism for the memory-improving and neuroprotective claims, but the magnitude of the effect and its translation to humans is uncertain. Similar BDNF-upregulation claims have been made for exercise, ketamine, SSRIs, and numerous other interventions, making specificity difficult to establish. **AMPA and NMDA receptor modulation.** Noopept has been reported to positively modulate AMPA receptor function and to sensitise hippocampal neurons to glutamatergic signalling without causing the excitotoxicity associated with direct agonism. This would be consistent with enhanced long-term potentiation and improved memory consolidation. The racetam family (piracetam, aniracetam, oxiracetam) is thought to share this mechanism, though the exact molecular target is still debated — proposed candidates include allosteric sites on AMPA receptors, modulation of TARP (transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory protein) auxiliary subunits, and effects on glutamate release. **Cholinergic potentiation.** Some studies report that Noopept enhances acetylcholine release in cortical and hippocampal regions, which is consistent with its use (in Russia) for cognitive decline in elderly patients with cerebrovascular disease. This mechanism overlaps conceptually with the cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine) used in Alzheimer's disease, though Noopept is not a direct cholinesterase inhibitor and its cholinergic effects appear to be indirect. **Anxiolytic mechanism.** Noopept's anxiolytic effects — reported in both animal models and Russian clinical trials — may derive from cPG-mediated modulation of the HPA axis and GABAergic tone, or from its broader neurotrophic effects on prefrontal-amygdala circuits implicated in anxiety regulation. This is less well characterised mechanistically than its pro-cognitive effects. **Neuroprotection and antioxidant effects.** A substantial body of rodent work reports that Noopept protects neurons from oxidative stress, excitotoxicity (glutamate, kainate), and ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Proposed mechanisms include upregulation of endogenous antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase), inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, and reduction of calcium-mediated excitotoxic cascades. These effects have been demonstrated in cell culture and animal models but have not been translated to human clinical trials of neuroprotection. **What Noopept is NOT.** Noopept is not a psychostimulant — it does not produce the subjective alertness, euphoria, or wakefulness of amphetamines, methylphenidate, or modafinil, and it does not appreciably affect dopaminergic signalling in the reward pathway. It is not a GABAergic anxiolytic — it does not bind the benzodiazepine site, does not potentiate GABA-A receptor currents at typical doses, and does not produce the sedation or motor impairment of benzodiazepines. It is not a serotonergic drug — it does not inhibit serotonin reuptake, does not activate serotonin receptors, and should not produce serotonin syndrome when combined with SSRIs. Its pharmacology sits outside the standard psychiatric drug categories, which is part of both its appeal and its mystery. ### Studied for - Cognitive impairment - Alzheimer's disease - Stroke recovery - Anxiety - ADHD ### Benefits listed - Memory enhancement - BDNF/NGF upregulation - Neuroprotection - Focus and learning speed Show 2 more Show less - Anxiety reduction (moderate) - Anti-amyloid properties 02 Research Free with email ## What the research shows ### Graded on a research bench Reference pages that put Noopept next to the compounds people pair it with: roles, evidence, overlap and conflicts. No dosing. Research use only. - Cholinergic Nootropics Small human trials human data on 6 of 6 compounds on the bench: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/stack/cholinergic-focus ### Unlock the research summary Enter your email to keep reading. It is free, and it opens these sections on every compound page in this browser. - A summary of the key research - Safety and side effects - A link to the PubMed results You also get the free peptide cheat sheet by email. Unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Sign in (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/auth) 03 Safety ## Noopept side effects and interactions ### Side effects Low risk Stop use if - Hypersensitivity - Pregnancy/breastfeeding (insufficient data) #### Common - Brain fog at high doses - Headache (without choline) - Irritability - Sleep disruption if dosed late #### Less common - Increased anxiety (rare, paradoxical) - Brain zaps if discontinued abruptly after long use ### Who should not use it Contraindications **Absolute contraindications:** - **Pregnancy.** No human safety data. Noopept crosses the blood-brain barrier readily and its effects on foetal neurodevelopment are unknown. Should be avoided. - **Breastfeeding.** Unknown whether Noopept or its metabolites pass into breast milk. Should be avoided. - **Paediatric use (under 18).** No safety or efficacy data in children or adolescents. Neurodevelopmental effects are unknown. Should be avoided outside of any hypothetical supervised paediatric trial. - **Known allergy or hypersensitivity to Noopept or any component of the formulation.** - **Severe hepatic impairment.** Given hepatic metabolism and absence of formal pharmacokinetic data in hepatic impairment, use in severe liver disease is not advisable. - **Severe renal impairment.** Similar reasoning — metabolites are renally excreted and accumulation has not been characterised. Read all the contraindications and cautions Show less **Relative contraindications (discuss with a physician before use):** - **Uncontrolled hypertension.** Noopept has been associated with mild blood pressure elevation. If your BP is not well controlled, optimise hypertension treatment first. - **Cardiovascular disease.** Stable CAD, prior MI, heart failure, arrhythmias — insufficient data to establish safety. Discuss with your cardiologist. - **Seizure disorder.** No strong signal for pro-convulsant effects, but novel nootropics in epilepsy patients warrant caution. - **Psychiatric illness on treatment.** If you are on SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, mood stabilisers, antipsychotics, or benzodiazepines, discuss with your prescribing physician. Interactions have not been systematically characterised. - **Active substance use disorder.** Adding novel psychoactive substances during active recovery is unwise. - **Immunocompromised state.** No direct data; general caution about novel research chemicals in medically complex patients. **Drug class interactions to consider:** - **CNS stimulants (amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil):** additive arousal, potential BP elevation. - **Antihypertensives:** Noopept's mild BP-elevating effect could theoretically antagonise antihypertensive efficacy. Monitor BP. - **Anticoagulants and antiplatelets:** no known interaction but limited data. Monitor if combining. - **Alcohol:** no dangerous interaction documented, but chronic alcohol use undermines cognitive function and nootropic benefit. - **Other unregulated nootropics:** stacking multiple novel compounds simultaneously makes attribution difficult and increases risk of unrecognised interactions. **Athlete considerations:** - Noopept is **not currently on the WADA Prohibited List** (as of this writing), but athletes should verify current status with their national anti-doping agency before use. WADA periodically adds novel substances to the prohibited list, and a Russian-origin nootropic with stimulant-adjacent properties is the kind of compound that could attract regulatory attention. - Compare with bromantane (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/bromantane), which IS on the WADA Prohibited List (S6 Stimulants). **Travel considerations:** - Noopept is legal in Russia and several CIS states (as a prescription medicine), but illegal or restricted in some other jurisdictions (Czech Republic, Hungary). Travelling with Noopept across borders is legally uncertain and potentially problematic. - In the US, Noopept is unscheduled but not approved as a drug or recognised as a dietary supplement. Importation for personal use exists in a grey zone. - Check the current legal status in any jurisdiction you will be travelling to or through. **When to stop Noopept immediately and seek medical care:** - Chest pain, palpitations, or shortness of breath. - Severe headache with neurological symptoms (vision changes, weakness, confusion). - Allergic reaction (rash, swelling, difficulty breathing). - Severe mood deterioration, suicidal ideation, or psychosis. - Any symptom you would take seriously if it occurred on a prescription medication. **The bottom line:** Noopept is an unregulated Russian research chemical with a modest evidence base for cognitive complaints and anxiety. It is not a substitute for evaluation of genuine cognitive symptoms (which warrant neurological workup) or treatment of diagnosed anxiety disorders (which have substantially better-evidenced options). Use should be informed, time-limited, and coordinated with primary medical care wherever possible. ### Interactions 6 pairings in our record: 6 noted as compatible or synergistic. Compatible and synergistic are notes from the record, not safety findings. - Semax Synergistic Both improve BDNF — powerful cognitive enhancement combination - Selank Synergistic Both improve BDNF — Noopept adds focus while Selank reduces anxiety - Alpha-GPC Synergistic Choline source prevents headaches from racetam-like compounds and enhances effects - NSI-189 Compatible Different neurotrophin mechanisms — complementary cognitive support - Phenylpiracetam Compatible Both improve cognition but through distinct mechanisms - Lion's Mane Synergistic NGF + BDNF promotion — complete neurotrophin support This interaction data is compiled from published research and community reports. It may not be exhaustive. Always consult a healthcare professional before combining compounds. Need bloodwork before starting? Full hormone + metabolic panels from Anabolic Insights. Code CHONCH for first-order discount. Order Bloodwork (https://anabolicinsights.ai/?ref=nwm2zjb) 04 Dosing Free with email ## Noopept dosage and protocols ### Unlock the dosing protocols - Dose, route, how often and how long - A titration schedule - Beginner, intermediate and advanced protocols - Reconstitution and handling notes 05 Prices ## Noopept prices 1 listing from 1 vendor, opening in the Featured order. Pack prices $49.99 Lowest per mg $0.042/mg Vendors 1 Listings 1 (capsule) Prices as the vendors list them, last recorded 22 September 2026. Form Sort | Vendor | Product | Price | Buy | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Image: BHG Labs logo (https://bhglabs.co/store/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/logo-full.png) BHG Labs: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/bhg-labs BHG20 | Noopept 20mg, 60 Dry-Fill Units capsule, 60 dry-fill units In stock | $0.042/mg $49.99 Lowest per mg | Buy Noopept 20mg, 60 Dry-Fill Units at BHG Labs: https://bhglabs.co/product/noopept/?ref=zmgqyxku&coupon=BHG20 | Vendors selling Noopept(1: trust score, certificates, payment, shipping) - BHG Labs (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/bhg-labs)1 listing, from $49.99 Trust Score 100/100 (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendor-trust-scorecard), 41 of 43 certificate records read, pays by card, crypto, ships to the US Every supplier above is graded 0 to 100 on COA verification, payment transparency, shipping, reviews, and active listings. Methodology published, no pay-to-rank. How we score these vendors (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/scorecard) Price history(2 days with a recorded price) Review Noopept ### Sign in to leave a review Reviews on BodyHackGuide are tied to verified user accounts and moderated before publishing. Sign in (free, no spam) to share your experience with Noopept. 06 Chemistry ## Chemistry and structure Molecular formula C17H22N2O4 Molecular mass 318.37 g/mol CAS number 157115-85-0 IUPAC name N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester View on PubChem (https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/180496) 07 Related ## Related to Noopept ### In the same category - 9-Me-BC (9-Methyl-β-carboline)Preclinical 9-Methyl--carboline (9-Me-BC) is a synthetic -carboline alkaloid that has drawn nootropic-community interest for a preclinical property that is genuinely unusual among -carbolines: in rodent and cell-culture studies it appears to stimulate the dopaminergic phenotype - raising tyrosine hydroxylase, the number of differentiated dopamine neurons and dopamine content - while also showing neuroprotective, neurorestorative and anti-inflammatory effects, plus in-vitro MAO-A/MAO-B inhibition [PMID:17913302, PMID:20374418, PMID:32285253].: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/9-mbc - AniracetamApproved Aniracetam is a pyrrolidinone in the racetam family, developed by Hoffmann-La Roche under the code Ro 13-5057.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/aniracetam - Bemethyl (bemitil)Approved Bemethyl, known in the Russian literature as bemitil and sold in the region under names including Metaprot, Bemactor and Antihot, is 2-ethylthiobenzimidazole, normally handled as the hydrobromide salt.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/bemethyl - BromantaneRussia Approved Bromantane is an atypical psychostimulant and anxiolytic developed in the 1980s at the Zakusov Institute of Pharmacology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, originally created as an adaptogen for Soviet military and elite athletic use and later approved in Russia for the treatment of neurasthenic and asthenic disorders under the trade name Ladasten.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/bromantane - CyclazodonePreclinical Cyclazodone is the N-cyclopropyl derivative of pemoline, a 4-oxazolidinone stimulant.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/cyclazodone - DihexaPreclinical Dihexa is a synthetic peptide analogue of the angiotensin IV metabolite LVV-hemorphin-7, developed at Washington State University.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/dihexa All compounds (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/wiki) ### Compare Noopept - Noopept vs Piracetam: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare/noopept-vs-piracetam - Noopept vs Dihexa: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare/dihexa-vs-noopept - Alternatives to Noopept: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/alternatives-to/noopept All comparisons (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare) ### Research tools - Peptide Calculator Reconstitution and syringe units: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/reconstitution - Reconstitution Guide How to mix, step by step: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/guides/how-to-reconstitute-peptides - Nasal Spray Calc mL per actuation: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/intranasal - Half-Life Visualizer Decay curves: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/halflife All articles (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/blog) 08 Questions ## Frequently asked questions What is Noopept and where does it come from? Noopept (N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester, GVS-111, INN omberacetam) is a small dipeptide nootropic developed in the 1990s at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences by Tatiana Voronina and Rita Ostrovskaya. It is sold over-the-counter in Russia as a cognitive enhancer and anxiolytic. In the West, it is not approved as a drug or recognised as a dietary supplement — it exists in a legal grey zone as an unregulated research chemical. Its mechanism is debated but involves a cycloprolylglycine metabolite thought to modulate BDNF/NGF signalling, AMPA receptor function, and cholinergic tone. Ostrovskaya et al. (2008, PMID: 18803028) published foundational work on its mechanism. Is Noopept evidence-based for cognitive enhancement? Honestly, no — not to Western regulatory standards. The clinical evidence base is dominated by Russian open-label and unblinded trials that would not meet FDA or EMA approval criteria. For true cognitive impairment (Alzheimer's, vascular dementia), the evidence-based treatments are cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine) and memantine, plus newer disease-modifying therapies like lecanemab. For healthy adults seeking cognitive enhancement, the best-evidenced interventions are aerobic exercise, adequate sleep, Mediterranean diet, and cognitive engagement. Noopept's support is suggestive but not definitive. How does Noopept compare to piracetam? Noopept and piracetam share some proposed mechanisms (AMPA modulation, cholinergic effects) but differ markedly in potency — Noopept is roughly a thousand times more potent per milligram (20-30 mg typical daily dose vs. 1,600-4,800 mg for piracetam). Both are Russian/Soviet-era developments with modest evidence bases. Piracetam has more total research and is prescribed in some European countries (though not in the US); Noopept has a smaller but more recent literature. Neither has approval in the US for any indication. Users who respond to one may or may not respond to the other. What dose should I start with? Start with 10 mg once daily in the morning for week 1, paired with alpha-GPC 300 mg or CDP-choline 250 mg to offset the most common side effect (headaches). If tolerated and subjective benefit is desired, increase to 10 mg twice daily (morning and midday) in week 2. The typical full therapeutic dose in Russian studies is 20-30 mg/day. Do not dose after 5 PM due to potential sleep disruption. Neznamov and Teleshova (2009, PMID: 19946425) used 20-30 mg/day in anxiety populations. Why do I need to take choline with Noopept? Noopept's proposed cholinergic potentiation can outstrip endogenous acetylcholine precursor availability, producing headaches — this is the single most common side effect in the Western nootropic community. Co-administering alpha-GPC (300-600 mg/day) or CDP-choline (250-500 mg/day) reliably prevents or reduces these headaches in most users. Plain choline bitartrate is less effective for brain penetration. If you experience persistent headaches despite choline support, Noopept may not be for you. Is Noopept legal in my country? It depends on jurisdiction. In Russia and several CIS states, Noopept is an approved prescription medicine. In the United States, it is unscheduled but not approved as a drug or recognised as a dietary supplement under DSHEA — it exists in a legal grey zone. In the European Union, status varies by member state, with the Czech Republic and Hungary having explicit restrictions. The United Kingdom Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 has made the legal status ambiguous. Always verify the current legal status in your jurisdiction before purchasing, and be aware that importation across borders can create legal risk. Can Noopept help with anxiety? Russian clinical literature (including Neznamov and Teleshova 2009, PMID: 19946425) reports anxiolytic effects at 20-30 mg/day in neurasthenia and mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders, with a favourable side-effect profile compared with benzodiazepines. However, these studies were open-label and small. For diagnosed generalised anxiety disorder, the evidence-based first-line treatments are SSRIs (sertraline, escitalopram), SNRIs (venlafaxine, duloxetine), and cognitive-behavioural therapy. Noopept may be helpful for subclinical stress or mild anxiety symptoms in some users, but it is not a substitute for appropriate evaluation and treatment of a diagnosed anxiety disorder. What are the most common side effects? Headaches are by far the most common, typically in the first 1-2 weeks and usually mitigated by co-administered choline. Other reported side effects include irritability, sleep disruption (if dosed late), mild GI complaints, and rare allergic reactions. Blood pressure elevation has been reported — caution in hypertensive patients. Long-term safety data meeting Western standards do not exist. Ostrovskaya's safety reviews describe Noopept as well tolerated in Russian practice, but 'well tolerated in open-label Russian trials' is a weaker safety claim than the data underlying any FDA-approved medication. Can I take Noopept with my antidepressant? Noopept has not been systematically studied for interactions with SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, tricyclics, or other psychiatric medications. It is not a serotonergic drug and should not theoretically produce serotonin syndrome when combined with SSRIs, but empirical interaction data are absent. If you are on any psychiatric medication, discuss Noopept with your prescribing physician before starting. Provide them with the Russian prescribing information and PubMed references if they are unfamiliar with the compound — most non-Russian physicians will not have encountered it in clinical training. Where should I buy Noopept and how do I know it's real? In the West, Noopept is sold by vendors of unregulated research chemicals and nootropic powders. Quality varies dramatically. Look for vendors who provide lot-specific third-party certificates of analysis (HPLC or mass spectrometry) confirming identity and purity — if no COA is provided, you are trusting the vendor's word alone. Read community reviews (reddit r/Nootropics, longecity.org) about specific vendors and lots. Be aware that any online purchase of an unregulated research chemical carries legal, quality, and financial risk. The safest approach — obtaining prescription Noopept from a Russian pharmacy — is not practical for most Western users. Starting with a reputable vendor, buying a small quantity, and testing your tolerance carefully is the harm-reduction approach. How many vendors sell Noopept, and what does it cost per mg? 1 of the vendors BodyHackGuide tracks list Noopept (1 listing). Among BodyHackGuide's Noopept listings recorded as in stock with a milligram count, the lowest price per milligram is $0.042/mg at BHG Labs and the median is $0.042/mg. The Noopept prices on BodyHackGuide are vendors' listed prices as BodyHackGuide last recorded them, not transactions; the most recent recorded change to a Noopept listing is dated 22 September 2026. Which vendors have third-party COAs for Noopept on file at BodyHackGuide? BodyHackGuide holds 1 third-party certificate record for Noopept, from Disguised Alpha. No editor has read any of BodyHackGuide's 1 certificate record for Noopept. The laboratory named on BodyHackGuide's Noopept certificate record is Freedom Diagnostics Testing, and the test date on it is 7 August 2026. Each vendor page on BodyHackGuide shows how many certificate records BodyHackGuide holds for that vendor and links to each record that has its own page. Related ## Articles on Noopept - Cognitive Enhancers by Mechanism and Safety: A Reference Guide Nootropics, 1 July 2026: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/blog/cognitive-enhancers-by-mechanism-and-safety - Tesofensine: dosing, half-life, and where to buy nootropics, 30 June 2026: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/blog/tesofensine-guide - BHG Labs review: a small, COA-backed nootropics and peptides vendor (2026) vendor-reviews, 30 June 2026: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/blog/bhg-labs-review Free 2026 Peptide Cheat Sheet (PDF) 38 compounds and blends: vial sizes, BAC water volumes, dosing ranges and bloodwork markers. Download Free (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/guides/peptide-cheat-sheet-download) BodyHackGuide (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/) Your biohacking research hub: compound pricing, brain health protocols, dosing tools, and vendor reviews. support@bodyhackguide.co Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/Mhq5UdRYBA r/BodyHackGuide on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide **Affiliate Disclosure:** We rank every vendor on the same public, reproducible methodology (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/methodology). Full details in our affiliate disclosure (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/affiliate-disclosure). **Research Disclaimer:** All compounds listed are for laboratory and research purposes only. Not for human consumption. This site does not sell or ship any products. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional and comply with local regulations. © 2026 BodyHackGuide. All rights reserved. - Terms: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/terms - Privacy: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/privacy ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Compounds", "item": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Noopept" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Product", "name": "Noopept", "description": "Noopept is the common brand and research name for N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester (GVS-111; INN omberacetam), a small dipeptide nootropic developed in the 1990s at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences' Institute of Pharmacology under Tatiana Voronina and Rita Ostrovskaya. Structurally, Noopept is a cyclized prolylglycine derivative conjugated to a phenylacetyl group, giving it roughly a thousand-fold higher potency than piracetam on a per-milligram basis while retaining some mechanistic overlap with the racetam family. It is sold over-the-counter in Russia as a cognitive enhancer and anxiolytic (trade name Noopept, manufactured by JSC Lekko Pharmaceuticals under license from the Zakusov Institute), where it carries approvals for post-concussive syndrome, cerebrovascular insufficiency, and mild to moderate cognitive decline. Outside Russia and a handful of CIS states, Noopept has no regulatory status — it is not approved as a drug in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, or Australia, and it is not listed on any pharmacopoeia as a recognised medicine. It has been scheduled as a controlled or prohibited substance in a small number of jurisdictions (notably the Czech Republic) but in most Western countries it exists in a legal grey zone: neither an approved drug nor a regulated supplement, often sold online as a \"research chemical\" or nootropic powder. The compound's appeal rests on three overlapping claims — that it enhances memory consolidation, that it produces a mild anxiolytic effect, and that it is neuroprotective against oxidative, excitotoxic, and ischaemic insults. Each of these claims has some experimental support in rodent models and a small body of Russian clinical literature, but the evidence base is markedly thinner than for any drug approved in the West for cognitive impairment or anxiety. The key studies are mostly Soviet-era and post-Soviet Russian publications indexed on eLibrary.ru and — in a minority of cases — on PubMed, often with methodology that would not meet contemporary ICH-GCP or FDA standards. Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials with pre-registered endpoints, intention-to-treat analysis, and independent replication — the evidentiary bedrock of Western drug approval — are largely absent. This does not mean Noopept \"doesn't work,\" but it does mean that anyone using it is relying on a body of evidence that would be considered hypothesis-generating rather than definitive by regulators at the FDA, EMA, MHRA, or Health Canada. For context, the drugs with the strongest evidence base for true cognitive impairment — Alzheimer's disease and related dementias — are the cholinesterase inhibitors donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine, and the NMDA receptor modulator memantine. These agents have been tested in thousands of patients in rigorously controlled trials and show modest but reproducible effects on cognition and activities of daily living. Newer disease-modifying therapies like lecanemab and donanemab target beta-amyloid pathology directly and have demonstrated reductions in cognitive decline in prodromal and mild Alzheimer's disease. Noopept is not a substitute for any of these drugs, and anyone experiencing genuine cognitive decline should be evaluated by a neurologist or geriatric psychiatrist rather than self-medicating with an unregulated Russian nootropic. For subclinical complaints — the \"brain fog\" and mild age-related cognitive slowing that prompt many healthy adults to try nootropics — the evidence for Noopept is weaker still. Most human trials were conducted in patients with documented cerebrovascular disease, post-traumatic cognitive impairment, or neurasthenic syndromes, not in healthy young adults seeking cognitive enhancement. Extrapolating from a 60-year-old Russian stroke patient to a 28-year-old programmer wanting sharper focus is a substantial leap that the data do not support. What Noopept offers healthy users — according to self-report and a handful of small Russian studies — is a subtle, often described as \"subthreshold\" improvement in mental clarity, mood, and stress tolerance, particularly when combined with an alcar/choline source to offset headaches. Whether this exceeds placebo in a properly blinded trial is an open question. Noopept's legal and regulatory status merits careful attention. It is unscheduled in the United States but is not recognised as a dietary supplement under DSHEA, meaning it is technically illegal to sell as a supplement though enforcement has been inconsistent. It is a prescription-only medication in Russia and several CIS states. In the European Union, it is generally treated as a novel food ingredient or an unregistered drug depending on the member state. It is banned or restricted in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and a few other countries. Anyone sourcing Noopept online should understand that they are purchasing an unregulated powder or capsule from a vendor whose quality control is unverifiable. Identity, purity, and dosing accuracy should be assumed to be uncertain unless third-party certificates of analysis (HPLC, mass spectrometry) are provided. Other nootropics in the same general category — selank and semax — share similar Russian origins and evidentiary limitations. For a more evidence-based approach to cognitive enhancement, see the literature on modafinil (prescription wakefulness agent with solid trial data for shift-work disorder and narcolepsy), methylene-blue, nad, or lifestyle interventions (sleep, exercise, nutrition) that have substantially more rigorous supporting evidence.", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/noopept", "image": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/og-image.png", "brand": { "@type": "Brand", "name": "Research Compound" }, "offers": { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "lowPrice": "49.99", "highPrice": "49.99", "priceCurrency": "USD", "offerCount": "1", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "offers": [ { "@type": "Offer", "price": "49.99", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "itemCondition": "https://schema.org/NewCondition", "url": "https://bhglabs.co/product/noopept/?ref=zmgqyxku", "seller": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "BHG Labs", "url": "https://bhglabs.co/?ref=zmgqyxku" }, "name": "Noopept 1200mg capsule" } ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "MedicalWebPage", "name": "Noopept", "description": "Noopept is the common brand and research name for N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester (GVS-111; INN omberacetam), a small dipeptide nootropic developed in the 1990s at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences' Institute of Pharmacology under Tatiana Voronina and Rita Ostrovskaya. Structurally, Noopept is a cyclized prolylglycine derivative conjugated to a phenylacetyl group, giving it roughly a thousand-fold higher potency than piracetam on a per-milligram basis while retaining some mechanistic overlap with the racetam family. It is sold over-the-counter in Russia as a cognitive enhancer and anxiolytic (trade name Noopept, manufactured by JSC Lekko Pharmaceuticals under license from the Zakusov Institute), where it carries approvals for post-concussive syndrome, cerebrovascular insufficiency, and mild to moderate cognitive decline. Outside Russia and a handful of CIS states, Noopept has no regulatory status — it is not approved as a drug in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, or Australia, and it is not listed on any pharmacopoeia as a recognised medicine. It has been scheduled as a controlled or prohibited substance in a small number of jurisdictions (notably the Czech Republic) but in most Western countries it exists in a legal grey zone: neither an approved drug nor a regulated supplement, often sold online as a \"research chemical\" or nootropic powder. The compound's appeal rests on three overlapping claims — that it enhances memory consolidation, that it produces a mild anxiolytic effect, and that it is neuroprotective against oxidative, excitotoxic, and ischaemic insults. Each of these claims has some experimental support in rodent models and a small body of Russian clinical literature, but the evidence base is markedly thinner than for any drug approved in the West for cognitive impairment or anxiety. The key studies are mostly Soviet-era and post-Soviet Russian publications indexed on eLibrary.ru and — in a minority of cases — on PubMed, often with methodology that would not meet contemporary ICH-GCP or FDA standards. Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials with pre-registered endpoints, intention-to-treat analysis, and independent replication — the evidentiary bedrock of Western drug approval — are largely absent. This does not mean Noopept \"doesn't work,\" but it does mean that anyone using it is relying on a body of evidence that would be considered hypothesis-generating rather than definitive by regulators at the FDA, EMA, MHRA, or Health Canada. For context, the drugs with the strongest evidence base for true cognitive impairment — Alzheimer's disease and related dementias — are the cholinesterase inhibitors donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine, and the NMDA receptor modulator memantine. These agents have been tested in thousands of patients in rigorously controlled trials and show modest but reproducible effects on cognition and activities of daily living. Newer disease-modifying therapies like lecanemab and donanemab target beta-amyloid pathology directly and have demonstrated reductions in cognitive decline in prodromal and mild Alzheimer's disease. Noopept is not a substitute for any of these drugs, and anyone experiencing genuine cognitive decline should be evaluated by a neurologist or geriatric psychiatrist rather than self-medicating with an unregulated Russian nootropic. For subclinical complaints — the \"brain fog\" and mild age-related cognitive slowing that prompt many healthy adults to try nootropics — the evidence for Noopept is weaker still. Most human trials were conducted in patients with documented cerebrovascular disease, post-traumatic cognitive impairment, or neurasthenic syndromes, not in healthy young adults seeking cognitive enhancement. Extrapolating from a 60-year-old Russian stroke patient to a 28-year-old programmer wanting sharper focus is a substantial leap that the data do not support. What Noopept offers healthy users — according to self-report and a handful of small Russian studies — is a subtle, often described as \"subthreshold\" improvement in mental clarity, mood, and stress tolerance, particularly when combined with an alcar/choline source to offset headaches. Whether this exceeds placebo in a properly blinded trial is an open question. Noopept's legal and regulatory status merits careful attention. It is unscheduled in the United States but is not recognised as a dietary supplement under DSHEA, meaning it is technically illegal to sell as a supplement though enforcement has been inconsistent. It is a prescription-only medication in Russia and several CIS states. In the European Union, it is generally treated as a novel food ingredient or an unregistered drug depending on the member state. It is banned or restricted in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and a few other countries. Anyone sourcing Noopept online should understand that they are purchasing an unregulated powder or capsule from a vendor whose quality control is unverifiable. Identity, purity, and dosing accuracy should be assumed to be uncertain unless third-party certificates of analysis (HPLC, mass spectrometry) are provided. Other nootropics in the same general category — selank and semax — share similar Russian origins and evidentiary limitations. For a more evidence-based approach to cognitive enhancement, see the literature on modafinil (prescription wakefulness agent with solid trial data for shift-work disorder and narcolepsy), methylene-blue, nad, or lifestyle interventions (sleep, exercise, nutrition) that have substantially more rigorous supporting evidence.", "lastReviewed": "2026-10-02T07:11:00+00:00", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/noopept", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "BioChonch", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/about", "jobTitle": "Founder & Lead Researcher", "sameAs": [ "https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/BrainHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/Biohackingher" ], "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co" } }, "reviewedBy": { "@type": "Person", "name": "BioChonch", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/about", "jobTitle": "Founder & Lead Researcher", "sameAs": [ "https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/BrainHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/Biohackingher" ], "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co" } }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co" }, "mainContentOfPage": { "@type": "WebPageElement", "cssSelector": "main" }, "about": { "@type": "Drug", "name": "Noopept", "description": "Noopept is the common brand and research name for N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester (GVS-111; INN omberacetam), a small dipeptide nootropic developed in the 1990s at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences' Institute of Pharmacology under Tatiana Voronina and Rita Ostrovskaya. Structurally, Noopept is a cyclized prolylglycine derivative conjugated to a phenylacetyl group, giving it roughly a thousand-fold higher potency than piracetam on a per-milligram basis while retaining some mechanistic overlap with the racetam family. It is sold over-the-counter in Russia as a cognitive enhancer and anxiolytic (trade name Noopept, manufactured by JSC Lekko Pharmaceuticals under license from the Zakusov Institute), where it carries approvals for post-concussive syndrome, cerebrovascular insufficiency, and mild to moderate cognitive decline. Outside Russia and a handful of CIS states, Noopept has no regulatory status — it is not approved as a drug in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, or Australia, and it is not listed on any pharmacopoeia as a recognised medicine. It has been scheduled as a controlled or prohibited substance in a small number of jurisdictions (notably the Czech Republic) but in most Western countries it exists in a legal grey zone: neither an approved drug nor a regulated supplement, often sold online as a \"research chemical\" or nootropic powder. The compound's appeal rests on three overlapping claims — that it enhances memory consolidation, that it produces a mild anxiolytic effect, and that it is neuroprotective against oxidative, excitotoxic, and ischaemic insults. Each of these claims has some experimental support in rodent models and a small body of Russian clinical literature, but the evidence base is markedly thinner than for any drug approved in the West for cognitive impairment or anxiety. The key studies are mostly Soviet-era and post-Soviet Russian publications indexed on eLibrary.ru and — in a minority of cases — on PubMed, often with methodology that would not meet contemporary ICH-GCP or FDA standards. Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials with pre-registered endpoints, intention-to-treat analysis, and independent replication — the evidentiary bedrock of Western drug approval — are largely absent. This does not mean Noopept \"doesn't work,\" but it does mean that anyone using it is relying on a body of evidence that would be considered hypothesis-generating rather than definitive by regulators at the FDA, EMA, MHRA, or Health Canada. For context, the drugs with the strongest evidence base for true cognitive impairment — Alzheimer's disease and related dementias — are the cholinesterase inhibitors donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine, and the NMDA receptor modulator memantine. These agents have been tested in thousands of patients in rigorously controlled trials and show modest but reproducible effects on cognition and activities of daily living. Newer disease-modifying therapies like lecanemab and donanemab target beta-amyloid pathology directly and have demonstrated reductions in cognitive decline in prodromal and mild Alzheimer's disease. Noopept is not a substitute for any of these drugs, and anyone experiencing genuine cognitive decline should be evaluated by a neurologist or geriatric psychiatrist rather than self-medicating with an unregulated Russian nootropic. For subclinical complaints — the \"brain fog\" and mild age-related cognitive slowing that prompt many healthy adults to try nootropics — the evidence for Noopept is weaker still. Most human trials were conducted in patients with documented cerebrovascular disease, post-traumatic cognitive impairment, or neurasthenic syndromes, not in healthy young adults seeking cognitive enhancement. Extrapolating from a 60-year-old Russian stroke patient to a 28-year-old programmer wanting sharper focus is a substantial leap that the data do not support. What Noopept offers healthy users — according to self-report and a handful of small Russian studies — is a subtle, often described as \"subthreshold\" improvement in mental clarity, mood, and stress tolerance, particularly when combined with an alcar/choline source to offset headaches. Whether this exceeds placebo in a properly blinded trial is an open question. Noopept's legal and regulatory status merits careful attention. It is unscheduled in the United States but is not recognised as a dietary supplement under DSHEA, meaning it is technically illegal to sell as a supplement though enforcement has been inconsistent. It is a prescription-only medication in Russia and several CIS states. In the European Union, it is generally treated as a novel food ingredient or an unregistered drug depending on the member state. It is banned or restricted in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and a few other countries. Anyone sourcing Noopept online should understand that they are purchasing an unregulated powder or capsule from a vendor whose quality control is unverifiable. Identity, purity, and dosing accuracy should be assumed to be uncertain unless third-party certificates of analysis (HPLC, mass spectrometry) are provided. Other nootropics in the same general category — selank and semax — share similar Russian origins and evidentiary limitations. For a more evidence-based approach to cognitive enhancement, see the literature on modafinil (prescription wakefulness agent with solid trial data for shift-work disorder and narcolepsy), methylene-blue, nad, or lifestyle interventions (sleep, exercise, nutrition) that have substantially more rigorous supporting evidence.", "activeIngredient": "Noopept", "mechanismOfAction": "Noopept's mechanism of action is multifaceted and — despite decades of research — incompletely understood. Several convergent pathways have been proposed, each supported by preclinical data but none definitively established as the primary driver of its clinical effects. Cycloprolylglycine metabolite hypothesis. The most widely cited mechanistic model holds that Noopept is a prodrug for cycloprolylglycine (cPG), an endogenous dipeptide found in mammalian brain tissue. Upon oral administration, Noopept is rapidly metabolised by peptidases, releasing cPG, which is thought to mimic or potentiate endogenous neuropeptide signalling. Cycloprolylglycine has structural similarity to the endogenous oxytocin-like peptides and to pyroglutamyl peptides involved in memory and stress responses. Work by Ostrovskaya and colleagues suggests that cPG levels rise after Noopept administration and correlate with its pharmacological effects. Whether cPG itself accounts for all of Noopept's activity or whether the parent molecule also acts directly remains debated. Neurotrophic factor modulation. Several rodent studies report that Noopept administration upregulates the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in the hippocampus and cortex. BDNF and NGF are critical for synaptic plasticity, long-term potentiation (LTP), and the survival of cholinergic neurons — all processes implicated in memory consolidation and resistance to neurodegenerative stress. Ostrovskaya et al. (2008) reported that chronic Noopept administration increased BDNF and NGF mRNA in rat brains, with effects most pronounced in the hippocampus. This is a plausible mechanism for the memory-improving and neuroprotective claims, but the magnitude of the effect and its translation to humans is uncertain. Similar BDNF-upregulation claims have been made for exercise, ketamine, SSRIs, and numerous other interventions, making specificity difficult to establish. AMPA and NMDA receptor modulation. Noopept has been reported to positively modulate AMPA receptor function and to sensitise hippocampal neurons to glutamatergic signalling without causing the excitotoxicity associated with direct agonism. This would be consistent with enhanced long-term potentiation and improved memory consolidation. The racetam family (piracetam, aniracetam, oxiracetam) is thought to share this mechanism, though the exact molecular target is still debated — proposed candidates include allosteric sites on AMPA receptors, modulation of TARP (transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory protein) auxiliary subunits, and effects on glutamate release. Cholinergic potentiation. Some studies report that Noopept enhances acetylcholine release in cortical and hippocampal regions, which is consistent with its use (in Russia) for cognitive decline in elderly patients with cerebrovascular disease. This mechanism overlaps conceptually with the cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine) used in Alzheimer's disease, though Noopept is not a direct cholinesterase inhibitor and its cholinergic effects appear to be indirect. Anxiolytic mechanism. Noopept's anxiolytic effects — reported in both animal models and Russian clinical trials — may derive from cPG-mediated modulation of the HPA axis and GABAergic tone, or from its broader neurotrophic effects on prefrontal-amygdala circuits implicated in anxiety regulation. This is less well characterised mechanistically than its pro-cognitive effects. Neuroprotection and antioxidant effects. A substantial body of rodent work reports that Noopept protects neurons from oxidative stress, excitotoxicity (glutamate, kainate), and ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Proposed mechanisms include upregulation of endogenous antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase), inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, and reduction of calcium-mediated excitotoxic cascades. These effects have been demonstrated in cell culture and animal models but have not been translated to human clinical trials of neuroprotection. What Noopept is NOT. Noopept is not a psychostimulant — it does not produce the subjective alertness, euphoria, or wakefulness of amphetamines, methylphenidate, or modafinil, and it does not appreciably affect dopaminergic signalling in the reward pathway. It is not a GABAergic anxiolytic — it does not bind the benzodiazepine site, does not potentiate GABA-A receptor currents at typical doses, and does not produce the sedation or motor impairment of benzodiazepines. It is not a serotonergic drug — it does not inhibit serotonin reuptake, does not activate serotonin receptors, and should not produce serotonin syndrome when combined with SSRIs. Its pharmacology sits outside the standard psychiatric drug categories, which is part of both its appeal and its mystery.", "dosageForm": "capsule", "legalStatus": "Not approved for human use (research chemical)", "warning": "For research purposes only. Not for human consumption." } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is Noopept and where does it come from?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Noopept (N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester, GVS-111, INN omberacetam) is a small dipeptide nootropic developed in the 1990s at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences by Tatiana Voronina and Rita Ostrovskaya. It is sold over-the-counter in Russia as a cognitive enhancer and anxiolytic. In the West, it is not approved as a drug or recognised as a dietary supplement — it exists in a legal grey zone as an unregulated research chemical. Its mechanism is debated but involves a cycloprolylglycine metabolite thought to modulate BDNF/NGF signalling, AMPA receptor function, and cholinergic tone. Ostrovskaya et al. (2008, PMID: 18803028) published foundational work on its mechanism." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is Noopept evidence-based for cognitive enhancement?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Honestly, no — not to Western regulatory standards. The clinical evidence base is dominated by Russian open-label and unblinded trials that would not meet FDA or EMA approval criteria. For true cognitive impairment (Alzheimer's, vascular dementia), the evidence-based treatments are cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine) and memantine, plus newer disease-modifying therapies like lecanemab. For healthy adults seeking cognitive enhancement, the best-evidenced interventions are aerobic exercise, adequate sleep, Mediterranean diet, and cognitive engagement. Noopept's support is suggestive but not definitive." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How does Noopept compare to piracetam?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Noopept and piracetam share some proposed mechanisms (AMPA modulation, cholinergic effects) but differ markedly in potency — Noopept is roughly a thousand times more potent per milligram (20-30 mg typical daily dose vs. 1,600-4,800 mg for piracetam). Both are Russian/Soviet-era developments with modest evidence bases. Piracetam has more total research and is prescribed in some European countries (though not in the US); Noopept has a smaller but more recent literature. Neither has approval in the US for any indication. Users who respond to one may or may not respond to the other." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What dose should I start with?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Start with 10 mg once daily in the morning for week 1, paired with alpha-GPC 300 mg or CDP-choline 250 mg to offset the most common side effect (headaches). If tolerated and subjective benefit is desired, increase to 10 mg twice daily (morning and midday) in week 2. The typical full therapeutic dose in Russian studies is 20-30 mg/day. Do not dose after 5 PM due to potential sleep disruption. Neznamov and Teleshova (2009, PMID: 19946425) used 20-30 mg/day in anxiety populations." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Why do I need to take choline with Noopept?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Noopept's proposed cholinergic potentiation can outstrip endogenous acetylcholine precursor availability, producing headaches — this is the single most common side effect in the Western nootropic community. Co-administering alpha-GPC (300-600 mg/day) or CDP-choline (250-500 mg/day) reliably prevents or reduces these headaches in most users. Plain choline bitartrate is less effective for brain penetration. If you experience persistent headaches despite choline support, Noopept may not be for you." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is Noopept legal in my country?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "It depends on jurisdiction. In Russia and several CIS states, Noopept is an approved prescription medicine. In the United States, it is unscheduled but not approved as a drug or recognised as a dietary supplement under DSHEA — it exists in a legal grey zone. In the European Union, status varies by member state, with the Czech Republic and Hungary having explicit restrictions. The United Kingdom Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 has made the legal status ambiguous. Always verify the current legal status in your jurisdiction before purchasing, and be aware that importation across borders can create legal risk." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can Noopept help with anxiety?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Russian clinical literature (including Neznamov and Teleshova 2009, PMID: 19946425) reports anxiolytic effects at 20-30 mg/day in neurasthenia and mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders, with a favourable side-effect profile compared with benzodiazepines. However, these studies were open-label and small. For diagnosed generalised anxiety disorder, the evidence-based first-line treatments are SSRIs (sertraline, escitalopram), SNRIs (venlafaxine, duloxetine), and cognitive-behavioural therapy. Noopept may be helpful for subclinical stress or mild anxiety symptoms in some users, but it is not a substitute for appropriate evaluation and treatment of a diagnosed anxiety disorder." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What are the most common side effects?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Headaches are by far the most common, typically in the first 1-2 weeks and usually mitigated by co-administered choline. Other reported side effects include irritability, sleep disruption (if dosed late), mild GI complaints, and rare allergic reactions. Blood pressure elevation has been reported — caution in hypertensive patients. Long-term safety data meeting Western standards do not exist. Ostrovskaya's safety reviews describe Noopept as well tolerated in Russian practice, but 'well tolerated in open-label Russian trials' is a weaker safety claim than the data underlying any FDA-approved medication." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I take Noopept with my antidepressant?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Noopept has not been systematically studied for interactions with SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, tricyclics, or other psychiatric medications. It is not a serotonergic drug and should not theoretically produce serotonin syndrome when combined with SSRIs, but empirical interaction data are absent. If you are on any psychiatric medication, discuss Noopept with your prescribing physician before starting. Provide them with the Russian prescribing information and PubMed references if they are unfamiliar with the compound — most non-Russian physicians will not have encountered it in clinical training." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Where should I buy Noopept and how do I know it's real?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In the West, Noopept is sold by vendors of unregulated research chemicals and nootropic powders. Quality varies dramatically. Look for vendors who provide lot-specific third-party certificates of analysis (HPLC or mass spectrometry) confirming identity and purity — if no COA is provided, you are trusting the vendor's word alone. Read community reviews (reddit r/Nootropics, longecity.org) about specific vendors and lots. Be aware that any online purchase of an unregulated research chemical carries legal, quality, and financial risk. The safest approach — obtaining prescription Noopept from a Russian pharmacy — is not practical for most Western users. Starting with a reputable vendor, buying a small quantity, and testing your tolerance carefully is the harm-reduction approach." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How many vendors sell Noopept, and what does it cost per mg?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "1 of the vendors BodyHackGuide tracks list Noopept (1 listing). Among BodyHackGuide's Noopept listings recorded as in stock with a milligram count, the lowest price per milligram is $0.042/mg at BHG Labs and the median is $0.042/mg. The Noopept prices on BodyHackGuide are vendors' listed prices as BodyHackGuide last recorded them, not transactions; the most recent recorded change to a Noopept listing is dated 22 September 2026." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which vendors have third-party COAs for Noopept on file at BodyHackGuide?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "BodyHackGuide holds 1 third-party certificate record for Noopept, from Disguised Alpha. No editor has read any of BodyHackGuide's 1 certificate record for Noopept. The laboratory named on BodyHackGuide's Noopept certificate record is Freedom Diagnostics Testing, and the test date on it is 7 August 2026. Each vendor page on BodyHackGuide shows how many certificate records BodyHackGuide holds for that vendor and links to each record that has its own page." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co#organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "alternateName": "BHG", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/logo.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 }, "description": "Evidence-based research reference for peptides and nootropics. 273 compound profiles, interactive dosing calculators, vendor price comparisons, and trust-scored vendor reviews scored on a public, reproducible methodology applied to every vendor. 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