Comparison
Noopept vs Urolithin A
Side-by-side of Noopept and Urolithin A. 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.
Noopept
Noopept cognitive enhancer profile: 10 to 30 mg dosage, dipeptide nootropic mechanism, memory effects, and how it compares to piracetam.
Urolithin A
Urolithin A supplement guide: pomegranate-derived metabolite, 500-1000 mg Mitopure dosing, mitophagy and muscle endurance evidence.
Effects at a glance
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
Urolithin A
- •Gut-microbiome-derived metabolite of pomegranate and walnut ellagitannins
- •Roughly 40% of adults are 'urolithin producers' from dietary intake; ~60% are non-producers
- •Ryu 2016 (Nature Medicine) reported lifespan extension in C. elegans and muscle benefits in aged rodents
- •Andreux 2019 first-in-human trial (n=60) established safety and mitochondrial gene-expression upregulation
- •Singh 2022 (n=66, 4 months, 1000 mg/day) reported improved muscle endurance in older adults
- •Most human trial portfolio is Amazentis-funded; independent replication is thin
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Noopept | Urolithin A |
|---|---|---|
| Category | nootropic | supplement |
| Also known as | GVS-111, N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester, Omberacetam | UA, Mitopure, ellagitannin metabolite |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.7 | 17 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 20 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | 2 to 3 times daily, last dose before mid-afternoon | daily, morning with food |
| Routes | oral, sublingual | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 0.5 | 2 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 318.37 | 228.2 |
| Molecular formula | C17H22N2O4 | C13H8O4 |
| Mechanism | Hydrolyzed to active metabolite cycloprolylglycine; AMPA receptor modulation, BDNF and NGF upregulation, antioxidant and antiexcitotoxic effects. | Induces mitophagy via potentiation of PINK1/Parkin signaling, leading to selective degradation of damaged mitochondria. Secondary anti-inflammatory effects via NF-kB modulation. |
| Legal status | Approved in Russia and CIS states; prescription-only in UK; unscheduled and unapproved in US, EU varies | OTC dietary supplement (US GRAS 2018; EFSA Novel Food 2021) |
| WADA status | unknown | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled in the US | OTC supplement (not scheduled) |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended |
| CAS | 157115-85-0 | 1143-70-0 |
| PubChem CID | 183503 | 5488186 |
| Wikidata | Q4321022 | Q27101321 |
Safety profile
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)
Urolithin A
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- soft stools (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
- active chemotherapy (consult oncology)
Interactions
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical interaction with mitochondrial-targeting agents; consult oncologist(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Urolithin A comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Noopept is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Noopept.
- → If your priority is memory, pick Noopept.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Urolithin A.
- → If your priority is muscle hypertrophy, pick Urolithin A.
Edge case: If you want to avoid controlled substance, Urolithin A is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Urolithin A. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, 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 Noopept and Urolithin A?
Noopept and Urolithin A differ in category (nootropic vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Noopept or Urolithin A?
Noopept half-life is 0.7 hours; Urolithin A half-life is 17 hours.
Can you stack Noopept with Urolithin A?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper