Nefiracetam vs Aniracetam Cost/Benefit Analysis

It makes sense to compare nefiracetam vs aniracetam for many reasons. Both are lipophilic racetams, meaning that they dissolve readily in fat or oil and are relatively insoluble in water. This property also makes them more bioavailable and better able to cross the blood brain barrier.

In terms of chemical structure, nefiracetam is similar to aniracetam.

Nefiracetam is like piracetam with the addition of 1,3-dimethylbenzene to form an amide. This benzene ring (phenyl group) makes nefiracetam more lipophilic. Aniracetam also has a phenyl ring, but with a methoxy group in the para position.

Nefiracetam vs Aniracetam Quick Summary

Nefiracetam Aniracetam
Chemical structure  
Dosage 150-450 mg (in 3 divided doses) 1,000-1,500 mg (in 2 divided doses)
Half-life 3-5 hr 1-2.5 hr
Cost $3.4 per gram $0.40 per gram
Organoleptic _ Highly bitter, fluffy white crystalline powder
Mechanism Calcium channel opener; PKC/CAMKII; presynaptic acetylcholine release; glycine binding site of NMDA-type glutamate receptors Positive allosteric modulator of AMPA receptors
Some evidence of: Increased neurogenesis; enhanced GABAergic and cholinergic signaling; general neuroprotection Some evidence of:Increased neurogenesis; enhanced GABAergic and cholinergic signaling; general neuroprotectionDecreased anxiety and depression; enhanced creativity and better ability to ‘see the big picture’
Where to buy BlueBrainBoost (Nefiracetam) BlueBrainBoost (Aniracetam)

Nefiracetam vs Aniracetam Verdict

I would stick with nefiracetam, despite the fact that it’s more obscure in nootropic circles. There is actually more evidence (50+ published papers) supporting a nootropic effect of nefiracetam verses aniracetam.

In this case my preference for nefiracetam over aniracetam seems to align with most anecdotal experience reports. The more potent and less well known racetams tend to perform better than more ubiquitous racetams like aniracetam and oxiracetam. My experience has been that nefiracetam, coluracetam, and phenylpiracetam are among the best nootropics.

Nefiracetam also has pleiotropic cognitive enhancing effects in the brain. Whereas aniracetam is primarily an AMPA-type glutamate receptor modulator, like piracetam. Nefiracetam affects acetylcholine, glutamate, GABA, calcium channels, and second messengers like PKC/CAMKII.

That being said, nefiracetam is about 8.5x more expensive than aniracetam. But adjusting for dosage, this cost differential is less extreme. An average daily dose of aniracetam costs about 60 cents, whereas a daily allotment of nefiracetam clocks in at about $1. These two racetams are fairly cheap compared to nootropics like phenylpiracetam.

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Xavier Kent

I'm interested in nutrition, nootropics, and javascript. I'm a firm believer in getting really good at one thing.

Maryland

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