Vitaae is a nootropic supplement sold by a brand called SANE Laboratories. The brand describes their supplement as a “clinically research brain-boosting age-defying formulation” that can “improve your mental clarity.”
But does Vitaae contain ingredients proven in medical research to improve cognition or are these just marketing claims? Does it contain any unhealthy additive ingredients? Will the supplement cause side effects? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Vitaae?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in Vitaae based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not the supplement is likely to be effective for improving mental concentration and clarity.
We’ll also highlight some questionable health claims on the Vitaae website and share real, unsponsored user reviews of the supplement.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients above are from the Supplement Facts label published on the Vitaae brand website. There is a different Supplement Facts label (with slightly different ingredients and doses) on the product’s Amazon listing.
This is unacceptable, is the sign of a low-quality brand, and we urge the brand to immediately resolve this by publishing the updated ingredient lists on all sales channels. It’s a consumer safety issue to have inaccurate ingredient or dosage information.
Vitamin D is the first active ingredient at a dose of 125 micrograms (mcg). This is 625% of the Daily Value (DV). Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it bioaccumulates. It may be unsafe to take such a high daily dose of vitamin D without a vitamin D deficiency, and SANE Lab does not cite any medical studies proving that vitamin D supplementation has a nootropic effect.
Magnafolate C is a patented form of the B vitamin folic acid. We can’t identify any clinical trials proving this ingredient increases cognition nor are any cited by the manufacturer.
Citicoline has been shown in a clinical trial published in The Journal of Nutrition to improve memory in older adults, however the dose used was 500 milligrams (mg) per day, or 5x the amount in Vitaae. We can’t find any studies proving it effective at the dose in Vitaae.
Coenzyme Q-10 has been clinically shown to slow age-related cognitive decline at a daily dose of 200 mg, as we documented in our review of another nootropic supplement called Focus Factor. However, the dose in Vitaae is only 50 mg.
The remaining active ingredients are included in a proprietary blend called “VitaalMind Proprietary Blend.”
Acetyl l-carnitine was studied in a 2017 medical review. The study authors analyzed whether the compound could cause cognitive enhancement in people without cognitive impairment, and concluded that there was not enough evidence to suggest so.
L-carnitine tartrate is typically used for athletic endurance. We can’t identify any medical research suggesting it’s effective for improving brain function.
Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract was shown to improve blood vessel health in the brain of diabetic rats in a 2021 clinical trial, however this doesn’t necessarily mean the same effects apply to humans.
Omega 3 fatty acids can improve brain health, but the 450 mg average ingredient dose in this blend is relatively low. One single can of sardines provides drastically more EPA than this supplement according to the USDA.
Overall we consider Vitaae unlikely to have a nootropic effect because we’re unable to identify any active ingredients that we consider effectively dosed based on a review of clinical research. The supplement does contain some effective ingredients, but those ingredients may be underdosed.
The good news is that the inactive ingredients in this formulation are safe and non-toxic.
Questionable Health Claims on Vitaae Website
There are a number of highly questionable health claims on the Vitaae website that we disagree with.
The brand features a graphic, shown above, suggesting “brain-boosting ‘fountain of youth’ results.” This graphic is misleading because it makes it seem as though the results are from a clinical trial on Vitaae, when they actually derive from a clinical trial on one of its ingredients, citicoline.
The clinical trial cited by the brand to back this claim used doses far higher than that in Vitaae: 250 mg or 500 mg of daily citicoline supplementation. The dose in Vitaae is only 100 mg.
The brand claims that their product is “clinically proven.” This is false. The Vitaae supplement does not appear to have been studied in any clinical trials. The citation for this claim is to the same clinical trial linked above that tested citicoline at a higher dose than exists in Vitaae.
SANE Labs claims that one of their ingredients “helps reverse neurological inflammation.” There is no citation for this claim, we cannot find any evidence of it, and this is a specific disease claim that is in violation of FDA guidelines.
Questionable Media Claims on Vitaae Website
SANE Labs claims to be one of the Inc 500 fastest-growing companies. We found no mention of their brand on Inc’s website or in their fastest-growing companies list.
At the top of the Vitaae website, there’s a claim that the brand is “seen on” major media publishers like TIME and The Wall Street Journal. We searched all five websites and found no references to Vitaae on any of them, as shown below.
We consider it to be a red flag that a brand is willing to make so many unproven and arguably misleading health and media claims. We find it strange that so many brands make “As Seen On” claims that are so easily disproven with a Google search.
Will Vitaae Cause Side Effects?
Vitaae does not appear to have been studied in any clinical trials to it’s impossible to say for certain whether or not the supplement will cause side effects. However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.
All of the active ingredients in Vitaae are safe and well-studied at their included doses, so we do not believe that the supplement is likely to cause side effects to the average consumer.
A medical review published in the BioMed Research International journal found that high doses of Gymnema sylvestre may cause side effects such as hypoglycemia, weakness and excessive sweating. We do not consider Vitaae’s dose to be likely high, but the brand fails to publish the individual ingredient dose. This is why we consider prop blends (where only the total dose is listed) to be bad for consumers.
There is no mention of side effects on the Vitaae brand website.
Real, Unsponsored Customer Reviews of Vitaae
Vitaae is sold on Amazon which is a more objective resource for customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion. The supplement has been reviewed over 1,000 times with an unimpressive average review rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Mary Bouldin” who claims the product reduced phlegm and caused weight loss:
“Phlegm is SO much less. The side effects are A-OK as well. Lost 10 pounds in 8 days, and now have twice the energy as well. I know not everything works for everyone, but for me, it's really been a game-changer.”
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Randy Rawls” who complains that the capsule size is uncomfortable to swallow:
“First, the delivery took an extended time, making me wonder where it is manufactured. Second, I was shocked to find a capsule ONE INCH long. If I could swallow something that big, I wouldn't have the phlegm problem. Since it's not returnable, I'm out the cost of the first bottle. Order at your own risk.”
SANE Labs has an average review rating of 3.61 out of 5 stars on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website which is a relatively positive mark for that site.
A BBB reviewer named “T.S.” claims that the product is effective but dislikes the company’s business practices:
“Love the product, business practice is deceptive. The advertise one thing and do another. Don't fall for the bogus promotions.”
Where to Buy Vitaae for the Best Price
We want to make clear that we do not recommend Vitaae. Here is a price comparison for one bottle of the supplement:
Brand website: $47 (plus shipping)
Amazon: $39.94 (free shipping depending on plan – link to official Amazon listing)
Vitaae is currently 15% cheaper on Amazon than on the brand’s official website even before shipping. These appears to be the only online retailers of the supplement.
Our Clean Nootropic Picks
There are herbal supplements which are proven in medical literature to be effective for cognitive enhancement and memory function.
Ginkgo biloba extract is arguably the most well-studied herbal nootropic. A medical review published in the Psychopharmacology journal found ginkgo biloba supplementation to improve attention and cognitive performance in healthy, young adults.
Illuminate Labs manufactures a Ginkgo Biloba Extract supplement that's potent (standardized to minimum 24% flavone glycosides and 6% terpene lactones) and third-party tested to ensure purity and label accuracy. Interested consumers can check out Illuminate Labs Ginkgo Biloba Extract at this link.
Panax ginseng extract is another well-studied nootropic supplement. A 2013 clinical trial found that ginseng extract supplementation improved memory and short-term cognitive function.
Illuminate Labs manufactures a Panax Ginseng Extract supplement that's potent (standardized to minimum 8% ginsenosides) and third-party tested to ensure purity and label accuracy. Interested consumers can check out Illuminate Labs Panax Ginseng Extract at this link.
Both Illuminate Labs nootropic supplements referenced in this section cost only $15 on a subscription basis.
MCT oil is a food supplement derived from coconut oil that was shown in a clinical trial published in the GeroScience journal to optimize brain metabolism in older adults. MCT oil was also shown in a 2022 clinical trial to stabilize or improve cognitive function in 80% of Alzheimer's patients after nine months of continual use.
Bulletproof MCT Oil is our top MCT oil pick, because its only ingredient is MCT oil derived from coconuts and zero additives. Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof MCT Oil at this link to the product page on the official brand website.
