My Full 2026 Supplement Protocol for Cognitive Performance
By Dr Elena Seranova, PhD (Stem Cell Biology), Founder of NMN Bio
I get asked about my supplement stack constantly. The honest answer is that it has changed significantly from what I was taking in 2023, mostly by getting smaller. Removing things I believed in based on weaker evidence than I thought. Being honest about what the human data actually shows versus what the preclinical data shows.
Read about the supplement stack that I take now, why I take it, when I take it, and what I cut. I founded NMN Bio to get the best quality supplements for myself and my loved ones so we can preserve our health for longer and share more beautiful moments together in good health. If I don't take it myself, I'm not gonna sell it.
The morning stack (6.30am, before breakfast)
NMN 500mg
I take NMN 500 first thing in the morning on empty stomach. This is the foundation of everything else.
NAD+ is the electron carrier that runs mitochondrial energy production. Every neuron in your brain requires continuous ATP output from its mitochondria. NAD+ levels decline 40 to 50 per cent between your 20s and your 40s. That is not a small dip. It is a halving of the cellular energy substrate available to every neuron you have.
NMN is converted to NAD+ in the cell via the salvage pathway. Human trials confirm it raises tissue NAD+ meaningfully at 250 to 500mg daily. I use 500mg-1g, depending on the day's workload.
The cognitive effects are not acute in the way caffeine is. They build over weeks: better cognitive stamina, less afternoon decline, faster recovery after cognitively demanding sessions. The effect is the difference between neurons that are adequately fuelled and neurons that are running on fumes.
Honourable mentions are also high-quality omega-3 fatty acids, desiccated beef liver capsules first thing in the morning, and TMG by NMN Bio. Wondering what else I do first thing in the morning to wake my body and mind up & boost productivity? Check out my Morning routine in this YouTube video!
NAD+ Brain
I take NAD+ Brain alongside NMN. It covers the neurotransmitter and neuroprotection layers that NMN does not address.
NMN restores cellular energy. NAD+ Brain addresses the specific biochemical pathways of focus, memory, and cognitive resilience.
Citicoline (CDP-choline). The most evidence-backed cholinergic compound available without prescription. Converts to acetylcholine (the neurotransmitter of attention and memory encoding) and also supports neuronal membrane repair. A 2021 RCT in Nutrients found 500mg daily significantly improved episodic memory in healthy older adults.
Phosphatidylserine. A phospholipid that forms neuronal cell membranes. Its concentration in the brain declines with age. It maintains membrane fluidity, which determines how efficiently signals move across synapses. The only nootropic ingredient to receive a qualified health claim from the FDA for cognitive function.
L-Theanine + Caffeine. The best-replicated pairing in cognitive performance research. L-theanine removes the anxious edge from caffeine and extends focus duration. Without theanine, caffeine produces a cortisol spike that costs you later. Together, they produce calm, sustained attention without the subsequent crash.
L-Tyrosine. The precursor to dopamine and noradrenaline. Under stress and cognitive load, tyrosine reserves deplete faster than diet replaces them. Supplementation maintains neurotransmitter output when demand is high.
Fisetin. A senolytic flavonoid. Crosses the blood-brain barrier and helps clear senescent cells that accumulate in neural tissue with age and drive neuroinflammation. Less inflammation means more efficient synaptic transmission.
Apigenin. Inhibits CD38, the enzyme that degrades NAD+. This is why it belongs in a stack alongside NMN: NMN replenishes NAD+, apigenin slows the breakdown. The two strategies are complementary.
B vitamins (B6, B5) + Vitamin C + Zinc. The unglamorous cofactors. B6 is rate-limiting for serotonin, GABA, and dopamine synthesis. B5 supports adrenal function and coenzyme A. Without these, everything else is operating without its substrates.
The evening stack (10pm, 30 minutes before bed)
Oh!Mg
Oh!Mg is the other half of the protocol, and it is the half most people overlook.
Sleep is not a passive state. It is when the brain clears metabolic waste through the glymphatic system, consolidates the day's learning through memory replay, and peaks BDNF production that supports neuronal survival. All of this requires deep N3 slow-wave sleep. And the most common reason people fail to reach and sustain deep sleep is magnesium deficiency.
Magnesium is required for GABA-A receptor sensitivity. GABA is what quiets the brain and enables sleep onset. Low magnesium means reduced GABA activity, delayed sleep onset, and less time in deep sleep stages. Most adults are deficient without knowing it. Blood tests don't catch it (serum magnesium reflects only 1 per cent of body stores).
Oh!Mg contains bisglycinate (high bioavailability, crosses the blood-brain barrier), taurate (specific neurological and cardiovascular benefits), and lactate (gentle, well-absorbed). It also includes lemon balm (GABA-A modulation), L-theanine (alpha brain waves, cortisol reduction), and melatonin cofactors.
I take it every night. My sleep quality with it is measurably different from without it.
I also usually take two to five grams of glycine and rotating other supplements. More info on my evening routine in this YouTube video.
What I cut and why
Lion's mane mushroom. I took this for two years. The human trial evidence is thin. The two most-cited studies (Mori et al. 2009, Phytotherapy Research; Saitsu et al. 2019, Biomedical Research) have small samples, methodological concerns, and self-reported outcomes. I want to see a well-powered RCT with objective cognitive endpoints before I include it again.
Rhodiola rosea. The adaptogenic effects are real but inconsistent. It works better in short cycles during high-stress periods than as a daily foundation supplement. I use it occasionally, not daily.
Ashwagandha. Removed for the same reason as rhodiola. The cortisol-reduction evidence is better than lion's mane, but I had concerns about interaction with the rest of the stack for daily use. May cycle back in during periods of elevated stress.
Higher-dose alpha-GPC. I was taking standalone alpha-GPC. Citicoline in NAD+ Brain covers the cholinergic support adequately and more completely (it also supports membrane phospholipid synthesis, which alpha-GPC alone does not). Consolidated.
Multiple fat-soluble vitamins. I removed everything I was taking without bloodwork evidence of deficiency. Vitamin D is the one I kept because my levels tested low. Everything else was educated guessing.
The mistakes founders make with supplementation
Stimulants without cellular support. Modafinil, high-dose caffeine, racetams. They work short-term by forcing neurotransmitter output from a depleted substrate. The result is a short-term attention window borrowed against a cellular energy debt. You feel productive. But you are not building the substrate. You are drawing it down. Weeks of this and the baseline performance drops.
More ingredients is not a better protocol. I see people taking 30 capsules a day with no blood monitoring. You cannot optimise what you do not measure. More ingredients introduce more interactions, more absorption competition, and more variables you cannot track. A smaller, evidence-based stack you can actually attribute effects to is more useful than a comprehensive stack you cannot.
Ignoring sleep. No morning supplement protocol compensates for chronically poor sleep. The glymphatic clearance, BDNF production, and memory consolidation that happen during deep sleep are not replicable by anything you can take. Oh!Mg at night is not optional if the goal is cognitive performance over a decade. It is the other half of the problem.
The Day and Night Bundle
NMN 500mg + NAD+ Brain + Oh!Mg. The morning cellular energy and neurotransmitter stack alongside the evening sleep architecture and glymphatic clearance support. This is the 24-hour protocol in a single purchase. Shop the Day and Night Bundle.
Morning: cellular fuel and cognitive performance. Evening: overnight repair and brain waste clearance. Two windows, one problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best supplement stack for cognitive performance?
The most evidence-supported approach combines NAD+ restoration (NMN), neurotransmitter support (citicoline, phosphatidylserine, L-tyrosine), CD38 inhibition (apigenin), and sleep quality support (bioavailable magnesium). This addresses the cellular energy, neurotransmitter, neuroprotection, and overnight repair layers simultaneously. None of these compensates for poor exercise habits, poor diet, or chronic sleep deprivation.
How long until you notice effects from this stack?
L-theanine and caffeine are acute (30 to 60 minutes). NMN effects build over 4 to 8 weeks as NAD+ levels restore. Citicoline and phosphatidylserine effects are typically apparent after 4 to 8 weeks. Magnesium sleep improvements can appear within days. Longer-term neuroprotective effects from fisetin, apigenin, and the NAD+ restoration are not acutely perceptible but are the reason the protocol exists.
Is this stack safe to take long-term?
All ingredients in NMN Bio's products have established safety profiles from human trials or long dietary exposure. NMN has been tested at 250 to 1000mg daily with no adverse signals. Citicoline, phosphatidylserine, L-theanine, and magnesium have decades of human safety data. Avoid if pregnant, nursing, or under 18, and confirm with your GP if you are on prescription medication.
Do you need to cycle any of these?
NMN, NAD+ Brain, and Oh!Mg are designed for daily continuous use. No cycling is required or recommended. The adaptogens I removed (rhodiola, ashwagandha) benefit from cycling. The core cognitive longevity stack does not.
The bottom line
The stack I use is smaller than what I took in 2023. It is more tightly mechanistically justified. It targets the three layers that matter most for long-term cognitive performance: cellular energy (NAD+), neurotransmitter function (NAD+ Brain), and overnight repair (Oh!Mg).
Everything else is negotiable. These are not.
Leave a comment