The Mission and Method behind GO PILLS™

MISSION + METHOD

We set out to create safe, highly-effective, non-prescription cognitive enhancement supplements for operators and civilians.

WHAT SETS US APART
1. We focus on brain mechanisms where the right supplements can actually make a difference. We're honest about what is possible. We religiously shun B.S. claims.

2. We deliver measurably better quality, and better value.

3. We protect our customers, our business, and our partners, by avoiding risky ingredients that can draw fire. (We've already been proven right.)

- Christian D'Andrea

We focus on brain mechanisms where supplements can actually make a proven difference. Our claims are realistic.

People make a lot of wild claims when it comes to brain supplements. We don't. We stick to clinically-supported claims that are directly tied to the specific nutrients in our stack.

One of the reasons there are so many wild claims about the brain is that the brain is, in many ways, a mystery. So there's a lot of B.S. out there.

Given the vast complexity of the mind, we've chosen to focus on one area, in particular, where modern science has demonstrated a good understanding of the chemistry and mechanism of action involved—an area where we are confident that smart supplementation can provide genuine benefit.

That area of brain activity is NEUROTRANSMITTER SUPPORT.

We feel Neurotransmitter Support is the key to functional cognitive enhancement when it comes to supplements. And we believe GO PILLS are the single best suite of nootropics for neurotransmitter support.

What Neurotransmitters are:

Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that keep your heart beating, your organs functioning, your intellect working, and your muscles firing… by facilitating brain signals. Neurotransmitters allow you to:

process all information your body receives
experience sensation and emotion
think and remember

How Neurotransmitters work:

Neurons (nerve cells) communicate and signal using neurotransmitters. Neurons convert electrical signals to chemical signals—neurotransmitters—which get released into the synapses and travel to other neurons, muscles, or glands. Because neurotransmitters are chemicals synthesized in the brain, they require certain ingredients and catalysts (neurotransmitter precursors).

The secret to superior nootropics: Blood-brain barrier transit

The key to making quality nootropics is selecting and incorporating certain neurotransmitter precursors that cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and actually get into the brain where they can serve as precursors (fuel or catalysts) to neurotransmitter generation and as regulators of neurotransmitter function. If the nutrient in the pill you consume can’t cross the blood-brain barrier, then it's useless when it comes to neurotransmitter creation or regulation.

GO PILLS contain multiple neurotransmitter precursors and neurotransmitter regulators that support three of the most important neurotransmitters for cognitive performance.

PRECURSOR IN GO PILLS > Neurotransmitter supported

TYROSINE > Dopamine

The amino acid Tyrosine crosses the blood brain barrier into the brain, where it’s required for the creation of the important neurotransmitter Dopamine. Dopamine is involved in movement, memory, pleasure reward, cognition, attention, focus, mood, learning. Low Dopamine is associated with ADHD and Parkinsons.

Note: you can't supplement Dopamine itself, because Dopamine itself can’t cross the blood brain barrier.

THEANINE > Dopamine

The amino acid Theanine crosses the blood–brain barrier and boosts dopamine levels in the brain. The Cleveland Clinic confirms that Theanine enhances "higher learning via the ability to ignore distracting information during complex tasks."

LEUCINE > Glutamate

The BCAA Leucine is an essential amino acid (i.e. your body doesn’t make it… you must consume it).

“Leucine enters the brain from the blood more rapidly than any other amino acid" (The Journal of Nutrition)

Leucine is perhaps the most important regulator and precursor of Glutamate, a key neurotransmitter that is "essential for proper brain function," especially memory, learning, and "fast signaling and information processing."

Glutamate imbalance (too much, i.e. excitotoxicity) is associated with dementia, Alzheimers, and Parkinsons. Production of glutamate is important, but so is modulation and regulation. Leucine helps ensure a constant supply of Glutamate in the brain: Leucine facilitates its synthesis, and modulates its levels, too.

ALPHA GPC > Acetylcholine

Because Alpha GPC delivers choline fast across the blood brain barrier, it’s a key precursor for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Acetylcholine is an excitatory Neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in learning, thinking, and working memory. Imbalances (low levels of acetylcholine) are associated with Alzheimers and learning impairments.

Clinical data confirms that, because of its role as an acetylcholine precursor, Alpha-GPC has “been shown to represent an effective strategy for boosting memory and enhancing cognitive function.” (NIH/PubMed: Frontiers in Endocrinology)

Alpha GPC is made from soy or sunflower.

BACOPA MONNIERI > Acetylcholine

The plant Bacopa Monnieri supports acetylcholine levels (by, among other things, preventing its dissipation). Bacopa also has anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory action, and shows evidence of increasing cerebral blood flow.

NIH/PubMed: Journal of Evid Based Complement Alternat Medicine:

- “The neuropsychological measures for attention, freedom from distractibility, and working memory improved significantly with use of Bacopa (p < 0.05).”

- "Bacopa significantly improved speed of visual information processing, learning rate, memory consolidation, and decreased anxiety.”

- Bacopa's key components are bacosides, which are known to regenerate synapses and repair damaged neurons, thereby making it easier to learn and remember new information.

Nootropics are a dynamic, still-emerging sector. So it's important to be smart, understand the space, and curate nutrients wisely. It's foolish to include edgy nootropics that put one's venture in the crosshairs.

Below are some of the nootropic nutrients that we rejected for our stack. There are people on social media who still say that we should use them. But we've already been proven right in having rejected them.

Adrafanil, Phenibut, Racetams

I've never trusted these. First off, there just isn't the kind of clinical data I require in order to feel confident about their efficacy and safety. Second, I consider them risky, from a regulatory standpoint. And therefore, to use them would be to put the company at risk. This is the way I felt when I formulated GO PILLS. And recently, these concerns were justified in a dramatic way. The DOJ and the FDA went after Nootropics Depot for marketing these nootropics, and, as part of the guilty plea, in Oct 2023 Nootropics Depot agreed to pay a $2.4M fine.

Higher quality ingredients:

The core active components in ginseng are called Ginsenosides. The ginseng in GO PILLS has 5% Ginsenosides. GNC ginseng has only 3% Ginsenosides.

The right amounts:

GO PILLS have 200mg of panax ginseng. The U.S. military's Consortium for Health and Military Performance confirms that “some of the latest research has shown improvements in brain health, specifically as related to performance on attention and memory-related tasks up to 6 hours after a single use of 200-400 mg of Panax ginseng.”

Higher standard of food safety compliance

GO PILLS are made in an FDA-certified nutraceutical co-manufacturing facility that is also Eurofins-certified for Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). Eurofins is a higher standard of production facility certification. Our co-manufacturing facility has received a 100% audit score two years in a row from Eurofins.