Neuriva Ultra Review Summary
Looking to improve your memory and mental clarity? Neuriva Ultra offers a natural blend of ingredients claimed to boost your brain performance. Unlike older Neuriva versions, Neuriva Ultra features Cognivive™ and a higher dose of Coffee Fruit Extract (200mg vs 100mg in Neuriva Original). But that’s all there is to it. Like its predecessors, Neuriva Ultra lacks core brain health ingredients—including Lion’s Mane Mushroom and CDP-Choline. Neuriva Ultra offers little benefit for its high price ($57.95-$79.99 for 30 servings depending on where you buy). While Amazon reviews look positive, it’s hard to gauge which ones are truthful. You can find more comprehensive and stronger nootropic supplements at a similar price range.
Pros:
- Stimulant-free.
- Contains high-quality natural ingredients.
- Made by the long-standing supplement giant, Schiff Nutrition.
- Generally positive reviews
- cGMP certified for quality and safety
Cons:
- High price for the number and quality of ingredients it has.
- Just one study showed coffee fruit BDNF’s benefits, and it didn’t use the same type of ingredient that is in Neuriva.
- Missing some proven nootropic ingredients, including Lion’s Mane Mushroom, CDP-Choline, and L-Theanine.
- Dosage of Phosphatidylserine is on the lighter end.
What do we recommend?
–See 2023’s Highest-Rated Brain Supplements–
About Neuriva Ultra
Neuriva Ultra is the latest release in the Neuriva range of nootropic supplements. Designed to boost your mental alertness, memory, focus, and concentration, Neuriva Ultra contains a slightly different ingredient profile than its predecessors (more on that in a minute). Each bottle contains 60 capsules, with a recommended dosage of two capsules per day, providing a month’s supply.
Neuriva Ultra boasts a combination of Cognivive, Neurofactor, Phosphatidylserine, and Vitamins B6 & B12. A standout feature of Neuriva Ultra is its inclusion of Cognivive™, a caffeine-free Alpinia galanga extract, which is related to ginger. Schiff Vitamins say that just one serving of this ingredient can significantly boost mental alertness. But does it really work – we’ll find out soon.
- Another key ingredient, Neurofactor, is derived from the coffee cherry, a “superfruit” if you will. Coffee fruit is suggested to support connections between brain cells and enhance neuron health. However, there’s a catch: it’s unclear which part of the coffee fruit is extracted for this supplement. This ambiguity raises questions about the exact benefits of Neurofactor, especially since the referenced study used a different form of coffee fruit.
Who Makes Neuriva Ultra?
As I said earlier, the brains behind Neuriva Ultra is Schiff Nutrition International. This company has deep roots tracing back to 1936 when Joe Weider founded Weider Nutrition. You may have heard of them from the bodybuilding circles – they were the first to develop specialized foods tailored for athletes. Based in Salt Lake City, Schiff Nutrition is known for different types of supplements, including Airborne and MegaRed.
In 2012, the global giant Reckitt Benckiser bought out Schiff Nutrition for a massive 1.4 billion USD. Naturally, with the change of ownership, questions about the company’s direction arose. As we see it, as of right now, the Schiff brand remains a trusted name in the health products industry. You know you’re dealing with a serious brand, there’s no worry about scam supplements or anything like that!
Ingredients
Okay, let’s dive deeper into Neuriva Ultra and break down its key ingredients.
- Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine hydrochloride) 1.7 mg: A key nutrient that plays a vital role in brain development and function. It helps your brain produce neurotransmitters needed for cell communication, among other biological functions.
- Folate 680 mcg (400mg folic acid): Folate is crucial for proper brain function and plays a key role in your mood and cognitive health. It assists in the production of DNA and RNA, our body’s genetic material.
- Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin) 2.4 mcg: This vitamin influences your neurological function and the formation of red blood cells. A deficiency can make you feel fatigued and forgetful.
- Cognivive™Alpinia galanga (rhizome) Extract 300 mg: This ingredient is not one we often see in brain supplements. It’s a new addition to Neuriva Ultra, a caffeine-free extract that is believed to enhance mental alertness. It belongs to the ginger family and is thought to have some general health benefits. However, we’ll need more research to confirm the brain-boosting claims.
- Coffea arabica Neurofactor® Coffee Fruit Extract 200 mg: Derived from the coffee cherry, this extract is said to increase levels of a vital neuroprotein (BDNF) that supports brain cell connections. The exact part of the coffee fruit used for extraction remains unclear, as such, we can’t tell if it can really boost BDNF or if it’s a waste of capsule space.
- Phosphatidylserine (PS) 100 mg: A fatty substance that covers and protects every cell in your body. It also plays a role in blood clotting. More importantly in this context, PS is absolutely vital for the proper functioning of nerve cells within your brain, helping transmit messages between them.
Anything Missing?
Yes. Quite a few of the ingredients that are common in nootropics at this price range are missing from Neuriva Ultra.
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom: Known for its potential neuroprotective effects.
- Ginkgo Biloba or Pine Bark Extract: Both are powerful antioxidants that can improve blood flow to the brain.
- CDP-Choline or Alpha GPC: Essential for brain health and function.
- L-Theanine: An amino acid that can promote relaxation without drowsiness.
Another note: the dosage of Phosphatidylserine, at just 100mg, is on the lower side. Many studies suggest higher dosages for noticeable cognitive benefits. As it stands, while Neuriva Ultra offers some promising ingredients, it is unlikely to give you substantial improvement in brain function.
Side Effects: Are There Any?
Neuriva Ultra is formulated with naturally sourced ingredients, which generally reduces the risk of side effects. However, as with any supplement, your mileage may vary. Some potential side effects include:
- Vitamin B6: While it’s rare, too much of this important vitamin can lead to nerve damage, skin patches, and sensitivity to sunlight.
- Folate: High doses can give you stomach cramps, insomnia, or skin redness.
- Vitamin B12: Some people might experience itching, swelling, nervousness, or involuntary movements.
- Cognivive™Alpinia galanga Extract: There’s very little, if any, data on its potential side effects.
- Neurofactor® Coffee Fruit Extract: Given that the exact part of the coffee fruit used is unclear, potential side effects are hard to pinpoint. However, if you have a sensitive stomach, it may cause discomfort.
- Phosphatidylserine: In some cases, it can cause stomach upset or insomnia, especially when taken in high doses.
Pricing
Neuriva Ultra is marketed as a premium nootropic supplement, and you can clearly see that in its price. It’s important to check all websites that officially sell it because price varies DRASTICALLY.
For example, a bottle containing 60 capsules (a 30-day supply) costs a hefty $79.99 on CVS’ website. Meanwhile, on Walmart, Neuriva Ultra costs $57.95 per bottle. This puts it above even some of the market-leading brain supplements in terms of price, but it doesn’t offer anywhere near the same value in terms of brain benefits.
You can shop Neuriva Ultra from major retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and CVS. Keep in mind that prices might vary across platforms, and there could be discounts or promotions available, especially as it’s a newer product.
People’s Feedback
Neuriva Ultra has amassed a decent amount of reviews since its launch. On CVS, it holds a 4/5 star rating from over 70 reviews. Meanwhile, on Amazon, it boasts a slightly higher rating of 4.4/5 stars from over 750 reviews.
While many people praise the supplement for its perceived cognitive benefits, it’s essential to approach these reviews with a discerning eye. Some of the positive feedback are likely influenced by paid promotions, especially considering the product’s recent launch.
Final Thoughts
Neuriva Ultra, the newest Neuriva to hit the market, unfortunately doesn’t fix on its predecessor’s flaws. Its unique inclusion of Cognivive™ and a higher dosage of Neurofactor sets it apart from previous Neuriva iterations, but, these ingredients are not proven to work for brain health. The ambiguity surrounding the exact extraction of the coffee fruit and the lack of some proven nootropic ingredients makes us question whether it can do anything at all.
Essentially, you’re getting some basic B vitamins and Phosphatidylserine as the only ingredients that can benefit your brain health. You can get these ingredients separately for less than half the price of what Neuriva Ultra is charging.
We might sound harsh, but there’s no sugarcoating it when the product costs over $70. At this price range, we expect the best of the best – and this is nowhere near that.
Editor’s Pick:
CVS is a RIP OFF, they charge way more than any one else.