Comparison
Alpha-GPC vs Noopept
Side-by-side of Alpha-GPC and Noopept. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Alpha-GPC
Alpha GPC supplement profile: 300 to 600 mg dosage, acetylcholine synthesis, attention and reaction-time evidence, side effects, and choline donor comparisons.
Noopept
Noopept cognitive enhancer profile: 10 to 30 mg dosage, dipeptide nootropic mechanism, memory effects, and how it compares to piracetam.
Effects at a glance
Alpha-GPC
- •Choline donor supplement, roughly 40% choline by weight; crosses blood-brain barrier efficiently
- •Replicated small gains in attention and reaction time at 300 to 600 mg in healthy adults
- •Standard prescription cognitive medication in much of Europe (Gliatilin) at 1,200 mg/day for vascular cognitive impairment
- •ASCOMALVA trial (n=210) showed cognitive preservation when added to donepezil over 24 months
- •Increases acute power output (~14%, single trial) and transient growth hormone secretion at 600 mg
- •TMAO production raises a contested cardiovascular concern at chronic high doses
Noopept
- •Russian dipeptide nootropic developed in the 1990s, registered in Russia 2002 for cognitive impairment
- •Roughly 1,000-fold higher per-mg potency than piracetam; therapeutic dose 10 to 30 mg/day
- •Active metabolite cycloprolylglycine modulates AMPA receptors and increases NGF and BDNF in rodent hippocampus
- •Russian RCTs in stroke recovery and vascular cognitive impairment show modest improvements over 4 to 8 weeks
- •Western evidence base is essentially absent; healthy-adult enhancement trials have not been published
- •Unscheduled in the US but not approved for human consumption; UK is prescription-only since 2014
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Alpha-GPC | Noopept |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | nootropic |
| Also known as | L-Alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine, choline alfoscerate, GPC, alpha-glyceryl phosphorylcholine | GVS-111, N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester, Omberacetam |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 4 | 0.7 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 600 | 20 |
| Dosing frequency | 1 to 3 times daily | 2 to 3 times daily, last dose before mid-afternoon |
| Routes | oral | oral, sublingual |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 0.5 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 1 |
| Molecular weight | 257.22 | 318.37 |
| Molecular formula | C8H20NO6P | C17H22N2O4 |
| Mechanism | Hydrolyzed to free choline and glycerophosphate after absorption; choline supports acetylcholine and phosphatidylcholine synthesis in CNS. | Hydrolyzed to active metabolite cycloprolylglycine; AMPA receptor modulation, BDNF and NGF upregulation, antioxidant and antiexcitotoxic effects. |
| Legal status | Dietary supplement (US); prescription medication in much of Europe | Approved in Russia and CIS states; prescription-only in UK; unscheduled and unapproved in US, EU varies |
| WADA status | allowed | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | Not scheduled in the US |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; choline generally recommended in pregnancy | Not recommended |
| CAS | 28319-77-9 | 157115-85-0 |
| PubChem CID | 71920 | 183503 |
| Wikidata | Q411478 | Q4321022 |
Safety profile
Alpha-GPC
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- headache
- dizziness
- occasional insomnia with evening dosing
Contraindications
- established cardiovascular disease (TMAO concern)
- concurrent strong anticholinergic therapy
Interactions
- anticholinergic medications: partial mutual antagonism(minor)
- cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil): additive cholinergic effect, basis for ASCOMALVA protocol(minor)
- scopolamine: partial counteraction of anticholinergic effect(minor)
Noopept
Common side effects
- headache
- irritability
- sleep disturbance with late-day dosing
- occasional blood pressure elevation
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- pediatric use
- severe hepatic impairment
- severe renal impairment
Interactions
- memantine and other glutamatergic agents: theoretical AMPA-pathway interaction(minor)
- antidepressants: theoretical effect via BDNF axis, undocumented(minor)
- antihypertensives: occasional blood pressure elevation may require monitoring(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Alpha-GPC comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Noopept is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is athletic performance, pick Alpha-GPC.
- → If your priority is choline supply, pick Alpha-GPC.
- → If your priority is memory, pick Noopept.
- → If your priority is stress and HPA-axis regulation, pick Noopept.
Edge case: If you want to avoid controlled substance, Alpha-GPC is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Alpha-GPC. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Noopept only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Alpha-GPC and Noopept?
Alpha-GPC and Noopept differ in category (supplement vs nootropic), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Alpha-GPC or Noopept?
Alpha-GPC half-life is 4 hours; Noopept half-life is 0.7 hours.
Can you stack Alpha-GPC with Noopept?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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