Mind & sleep — what actually works, by evidence

Approved drug 0

None.

Human trials 4

• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29BromantaneRussian doctors prescribe it for burnout and fatigue. Every trial so far is Russian; WADA banned it in 1997.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29DSIPInjected before bed for deeper sleep. A 1992 double-blind insomnia trial called it 'not likely' to help.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29OxytocinSold as a nose spray for mood and bonding. Approved in 1962 for labor; the nasal-spray trials are split.Evidence · Human trialsFDA approved
• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29SelankA Russian nasal spray for anxiety, approved there in 2009. Every trial so far is Russian.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only

Human pilots 4

• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29Methylene BlueBiohackers take drops for brain energy. Its one brain study: a single 280 mg dose, 26 people, in 2016.Evidence · Human pilotsFDA approved
• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29NoopeptSold in US supplements as a memory booster. 20 years on the Russian market; no placebo trial published.Evidence · Human pilotsResearch only
• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29PinealonUsed in Russia after brain injury and stacked by longevity fans. Its best study: a 72-patient Russian series.Evidence · Human pilotsResearch only
• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29SemaxA Russian stroke drug that biohackers spray for focus. Its key stroke trial had 30 patients, in 1997.Evidence · Human pilotsNot legal yet

Animal only 5

• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29DihexaSold as a memory-and-focus capsule. The 2014 paper behind the hype was retracted in April 2025.Evidence · Animal onlyNot legal yet
• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29FGLSold to nootropic buyers as a memory peptide. Its only published human study: a safety test in 24 men.Neuron loss in healthy young ratsEvidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29N-Acetyl SelankSold as a longer-lasting Selank. Trials of the capped version: zero.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29N-Acetyl SemaxSold as a longer-lasting Semax. Trials of the capped version: zero; the parent has two Russian stroke trials.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29P21Nootropic buyers order it for new brain cells. Fifteen papers, one lab, mice only; human trials: zero.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only

No data 1

• Mind & sleepUpdated Sep 29DS5A vendor-made nasal spray of Dihexa and Semax. Trials of the blend: zero, and the ratios vary by vendor.Evidence · No dataResearch only

Also used for mind and sleep 2

Here for a second use. Each meter rates the compound’s main use, the tag on its card.

• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29IpamorelinSold as the polite growth-hormone releaser that spares cortisol. That claim traces to a 1998 study in pigs.Evidence · Human pilotsResearch only
• Brain & nervesUpdated Sep 29CortagenSold as a synthetic Cortexin, Russia's brain drug. Best result: rat nerves regrew 27% faster, in 2000.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only