You ever chug down some Bulletproof Coffee, Bro?
It’s not as trendy as it used to be, but this coffee+coconut oil+grass-fed butter stack was hot for a while, presenting a new brain-boosting nootropic strategy.
Unfair Advantage is another unique nootropic idea by Bulletproof, the company that brought Bulletproof Coffee to prominence.
Billed as “the world’s first broad-spectrum, whole-body nootropic,” Unfair Advantage brings some fresh mojo to the brain-booster scene. But does it perform as advertised? Let’s find out.
Table of Contents
About Unfair Advantage
Unfair Advantage is a liquid supplement in ampules that’s designed as a cellular energy-booster to power both cognitive and physical performance. Formula notes:
- Simple stack. Two ingredients only — PQQ & Ubiquinol — but they’re both sexy and seem to complement each other well.
- Focused formula. Unfair Advantage has a sharp focus on boosting energy via mitochondria support, only. More on that later.
- Convenient. We dig the ampule delivery form; you can throw a couple of Unfair Advantages in your pocket or gym bag and take ’em wherever you go.
Bulletproof UNFAIR ADVANTAGE Supplement Facts |
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Serving Size: 1 ampule (4ml) Servings Per Container: 30 |
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Ingredients | Amount Per Serving |
Calories | 5 |
Total Carbohydrate | 1 g 0% DV |
Sugars | 0 g |
Pyrroloquinoline quinine (Active PQQ™) | 10 mg ** |
CoQ 10 (as ubiquinol) | 20 g ** |
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet**Daily Value not established | |
OTHER INGREDIENTS: Purified water, Xylitol, Glycerin, Vitamin E (D-alpha-tocopherol acid succinate), Natural flavor, Gum Acacia and Stevia. | |
Suggested Use: For mental performance: Take 1-2 ampules per dayFor sports performance: Take 2-4 ampules per day |
Unfair Advantage Photos
Unfair Advantage is 2 Super-Antioxidants that uniquely support cells’ mitochondria “power plants.”
This is an unusual approach. Our top-ranked nootropics use a lot more nutrients, in big stacks that do a lot for the brain.
So why would Bulletproof only use two? Is there a method to their madness? When we take a closer look at the ingredients, it makes a little more sense:
Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (Active PQQ™), 10 mg
PQQ is an antioxidant compound that’s big in Japan. Seriously, it’s got a huge following in the land of the Rising Sun, for what it’s worth.
As a cell protective antioxidant, PQQ is said to be 5000X as powerful as Vitamin C, so in theory it does a good job defending your brain cells. Even better, it appears to have anti-amyloid properties: This means it fights the weird protein clusters that lead to brain degeneration. PQQ might have a role in making new brain cells too, but that role is less clear.
PQQ’s biggest claim to fame is that it helps the mitochondria, which are the power plants that generate energy in all of your cells, both body and brain. PQQ is believed to help by:
- Protecting mitochondria, which take a lot of damage as we age
- Boost mitochondria performance, helping keep energy production up
- Help to grow new mitochondria, which might have anti-aging benefits
Pretty cool ingredient, Bro. Let’s check the next one and see if it’s any different:
CoQ10 (as ubiquinol) 20 mg
CoQ10 is another great antioxidant that is most commonly taken for heart health.
But, CoQ10 has another fundamental role in health: It enables bioenergetics, which is the creation and use of energy throughout all living things. The heart and brain consume most of the body’s energy, so CoQ10 can uniquely support each.
CoQ10 is concentrated in cells’ mitochondria. Here, CoQ10 helps create ATP, the “energy currency” that fuels thinking, learning, lifting, running, training… everything. Without CoQ10, mitochondria are unable to produce any of this energy.
Like PQQ, CoQ10’s antioxidant activity also might help to protect brain cells from damage.
Unfair Advantage uses CoQ10 as Ubiquinol. This is the good stuff. Ubiquinol is more absorbable and active than plain CoQ10; in fact, it is the “active” form that accounts for most of CoQ10’s benefits. It’s especially useful for people over 40 who have a harder time absorbing plain CoQ10.
Formula Analysis
Unfair Advantage is a two-ingredient stack that supplies energizing antioxidant activity. PQQ+CoQ10 even seem to work in similar ways: Both target cells’ mitochondria. Now, that’s fine, just fine. It’s a good 1-2 combination of nootropics that might have some synergy.
But PQQ+CoQ10 doesn’t make that much sense in a stack for Bros.
Here’s the thing: Both PQQ and CoQ10 seem much better for older adults, because they work to counter age-related brain problems. As we get older, mitochondria start misfiring and dying off, CoQ10 naturally declines, free radical damage starts piling up, and amyloid plaques might start forming.
But these problems are WAY down the road, Bro. In your 50s, 60s, and beyond. Most of us just aren’t worried about geriatric brain problems yet. Do we want to outsmart our enemies? Absolutely. But there are better, more immediate nootropics that can help with that kind of brainpower than what you find in Unfair Advantage.
Also, the Ubiquinol form of CoQ10 is really for people aged 40+ who have trouble absorbing plain CoQ10. Ubiquinol is much more expensive, and it makes no sense to take it if you’re young and healthy. In younger populations, CoQ10 converts to ubiquinol easily, and is far more affordable.
So, what we end up with in Unfair Advantage is a couple of great antioxidants that are good for anti-aging, cell energy, and yeah, they support brain health… but not in the balls-out, nuclear brainpowered, mental domination way that young Alphas are seeking.
Unfair Advantage Benefits
Unfair Advantage zooms in on mitochondria support. But does that translate into better mental and physical performance? Hard to say. According to Bulletproof, “you may feel brain energy first, spreading through your muscles for whole body performance.” It didn’t quite feel that way for us, but you may have a different experience. At the end of the day, Unfair Advantage’s 2 ingredients have clear benefits for antioxidant defenses and for cell energy production. These likely translate into good support for heart health and brain health, but any claims of tangible performance benefits you can feel are harder to believe.
Who Takes It?
Bulletproof has a loyal following, so we think Unfair Advantage is probably popular among those already familiar with the brand. It is advertised for mental performance and sports performance, so competitive Bros might be interested in a supplement like this. The irony here is, we think if you strip away all the slick marketing and claims, Unfair Advantage is MUCH better suited for adults over age 60 who need more help with the energy production, heart health and anti-aging benefits tied to CoQ10-Ubiquinol and PQQ.
Any Side Effects?
Both PQQ and CoQ10 are naturally present in the body, so both are extremely well-tolerated, with no significant side effects to report. Bulletproof does a good job keeping the label clean, too — it’s a liquid supplement with natural flavors and stevia, no caffeine synthetic junk that might cause side effects.
Unfair Advantage Summary
Pros
- 2 solid nutrients. PQQ & CoQ10 are credible for brain health & more
- Tasty ampules. Kind of like root beer and maple syrup.
- Clean label. Not much artificial garbage here.
- Premium forms. Advanced high-potency forms of each nootropic
Cons
- Narrow-minded. Falls way short of other nootropics’ diverse support
- Unclear. Is it for heart health? A PWO? A brain-booster? Anti-aging? All?
- Expensive. Plain CoQ10 would be fine for young bros, and is way cheaper.
- Questionable. PQQ+CoQ10 enable cell energy, but this is not necessarily the same as supercharged life-energy that you can FEEL making a difference.
Pricing & Buying Info
- 30 Ampules: $59.95
- Available at Bulletproof website
Final Word on Unfair Advantage
Unfair Advantage is a good brain health supplement. But we’re not sold on it as a mental performance supplement. CoQ10 (as Ubiquinol) and PQQ offer awesome support for a range of different brain problems associated with growing older. We think that Unfair Advantage will reliably support brain health and overall energy… but more as a “behind-the-scenes” foundation formula. Bros who want to boost their brainpower right now might be better off choosing a more direct performance-based nootropic formula.
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Jenny Dunn says
It has made a huge difference to me. Maybe as the author says its for oldies. I’m 63 and run, yoga, pilates and weights. Its given me more energy and more clearer thinking. I was already taking a good quality Q10 so I put it down to the PQQ.