Focus Factor vs. Alpha BRAIN is a big money battle.
Focus Factor is the self-proclaimed “America’s #1” brain health supplement, while Onnit’s Alpha BRAIN is a HUGE up-and-comer nootropic (32,821,266 capsules sold by time of writing).
Both are “clinically-studied.” Both are overwhelmingly popular. Both are sold as brain supplements.
Their key main difference? One is complete garbage and the other is not.
Focus Factor draws in big numbers, but its ethics (not to mention its formula) are so bad that if it were a boxer, it would be disqualified far before the match even begins.
Onnit is the real deal, and we mean them no disrespect by putting Focus Factor & Alpha BRAIN in the same ring. We only hope to educate our readers on the difference between a bona fide supplement and a well-polished scam. Let’s get right to it…
Table of Contents
Tale of the Tape
Focus Factor |
vs. |
Alpha Brain |
||
Ingredients | Dosage | Ingredients | Dosage | |
Vitamin A | 4,000 IU | B-6 (Pyridoxine HCl) | 10 mg | |
Vitamin C | 250 mg | Onnit® Flow Blend: | 650 mg | |
Vitamin D | 100 IU | L-Tyrosine, L-Theanine, Oatstraw Extract (Avena sativa), Phosphatidylserine | ||
Vitamin E | 30 IU | AC-11® (Uncaria tomentosa Extract) | 350 mg | |
Thiamin | 3 mg | Onnit® Focus Blend: | 240 mg | |
Riboflavin | 1.7 mg | Alpha-GPC, Bacopa monniera Extract, Huperzia serrata Extract | ||
Niacin | 25 mg | Onnit® Fuel Blend | 65 mg | |
Vitamin B6 | 15 mg | L-Leucine, Vinpocetine, Pterostilbene | ||
Folate | 400 mcg | |||
Vitamin B12 | 20 mcg | |||
Biotin | 300 mcg | |||
Pantothenic acid | 12 mg | “Are we done yet?” | ||
Calcium | 50 mg | |||
Iron | 5 mg | “…” | ||
Iodine | 15 mcg | |||
Magnesium | 100 mg | “I have things to do today…” | ||
Zinc | 10 mg | |||
Selenium | 50 mcg | “Hey!” | ||
Copper | 0.4 mg | “…” | ||
Manganese | 2 mg | “…” | ||
Chromium | 100 mcg | “LET ME GO.” | ||
Molybdenum | 10 mcg | |||
Potassium | 50 mg | “Thank God, it’s ove—” | ||
CHAPTER 2 | ||||
Synergistic and Proprietary Information* | 692 mg | “Son of a bitch!” | ||
These are not full supplement facts, just a comparison of dosages & ingredients. |
*As if the first 23 ingredients weren’t enough, Focus Factor’s proprietary blend goes on for another 18 ingredients… We won’t waste any more of your time on them: Click here to see the full Focus Factor supplement facts.
Round 1: Formulas
We said it before and we’ll say it again: Focus Factor is the Worst Nootropic Formula in the World. This comparison is solely for the record—and to dissuade more potential buyers away from this über-popular “nootropic.”
So you can take a best guess at how it’s going to fare against Alpha BRAIN’s effective, well-researched formula in this round… Not very well.
Focus Factor attempts Multivitamin + Nootropic combo… and fails.
Focus Factor’s ingredients list looks like the Periodic Table of Elements—the supplement facts read like a high school chemistry exam more than an actual brain health supplement (Molybdenum? Manganese? Iodine?? Why?!?).
Which isn’t to say that there aren’t any bona fide nootropics in the formula: In the proprietary blend, you’ll find Best5 favorites DMAE, Huperzine-A, Vinpocetine, Phosphatidylserine, and Bacopa. Unfortunately, given the amount of ingredients in this supplement (41!), we doubt any of them are in adequate dosages.
Alpha BRAIN hits the Brain Waves.
Alpha BRAIN, on the other hand, hits the mark with 4 of our Best5 nootropics: L-Theanine, Phosphatidylserine, Bacopa Monnieri & Vinpocetine, in addition to other effective nootropics, many of which are found in our top-ranked brain-boosting stacks.
Compared to Focus Factor, Alpha BRAIN demonstrates true focus, both in its non-caffeinated formula design and in its effects on users’ Alpha brain waves—which feel like “wakeful relaxation” (i.e. FOCUS). The Flow Blend’s L-Theanine & Oatstraw work for this purpose.
The driving-force of Alpha BRAIN’s formula AC-11® branded Cat’s Claw isn’t evidence-backed—bummer—so the jury’s still out on this one.
Either way, Alpha BRAIN’s formula knocks Focus Factor clean out of the ring.
Round 1… Alpha BRAIN Wins.
Round 2: Dosages
Focus Factor’s biggest problem is its dosages. The formula’s nootropic center, the “Synergistic and proprietary formulation,” encompasses 18 nutrients in 692 mg—nowhere near enough for any of them to have an effect.
Hup-A & Vinpocetine are effective in tiny dosages, so they might work in this formula—yet, we highly doubt it.
For the most part, Alpha BRAIN’s dosages look adequate—yet, we’re docking points for hiding dosage amounts under proprietary blend labels. Even then, Focus Blend is our only concern here: Bacopa and Alpha-GPC need more space than the blend’s low 240 mg.
Still doesn’t matter: Focus Factor sucks. Alpha BRAIN rocks.
Round 2… Alpha BRAIN Wins.
Round 3: Ingredient Quality
The best we can say about Focus Factor is that it manages 100% DV for 11 essential vitamins (albeit cheap vitamins)—achieving its “Multivitamin” status. Yet, this leaves questionably small space for its (surprisingly) many quality form ingredients.
Alpha BRAIN uses sub-par B6 (P-5-P is better), Alpha-GPC (citicoline is better), Tyrosine (N-Acetyl is better) forms and no standardized herbs (except for AC-11®)—however, its clean label makes up for this, with only two items listed under “Other Ingredients.”
Plus, these complaints ignore the fact that Alpha BRAIN’s ingredient design works. Focus Factor’s does not… but, unfortunately, if we’re looking strictly at “Ingredient Quality,” Focus Factor takes the round.
Round 3… Focus Factor Wins.
Round 4: Price
Focus Factor | VS. | Alpha BRAIN | ||
RISE: 1 Bottle (15-day supply) | $29.99 | 1 Bottle (15-day supply) | $32.95 | |
Price Per Capsule | $0.50 | Price Per Capsule | $1.10 | |
Price Per Serving | $2.00 | Price Per Serving | $2.20 |
Round 4… Focus Factor Wins.
Round 5: JUDGEMENT
Don’t let the Score Card fool you: Yes, the contestants are tied, but Alpha BRAIN is superior in every way. In fact, it almost made it to our Best 5 Nootropic Supplements – 2016 Edition.
The 2-2 draw in this fight is a result of the Round 3 cheap-shot from Focus Factor’s pointlessly high-quality ingredients and its cheap pricing that’s afforded by a blatantly cheap formula.
And we haven’t even touched Focus Factor’s $1 million fine for deceptive marketing & false advertising.
All-in-all, Alpha BRAIN leaves us a supplement that works, while Focus Factor only leaves us feeling confused & sad… sad to see such great nootropics wasted on another sloppy, half-assed, “cash-grab” formula.
In the Focus Factor vs. Alpha BRAIN fight, the winner by Opponent DQ (and subsequent parking lot KO) is…
Maxwell R. Azoury says
You’re so full of shit. If you look at the actual ingredients, Focus Factor contains pretty much all of these ingredients as well.