Noopept Review: Dosage, Benefits, Side Effects, Mode of Action, Intended Uses, and Research

Are you looking for information on how Noopept works? Look no further as we explore the scientific mechanisms that have been proposed for Noopept’s nootropic and neuroprotective effects, including:

In this guide, we take a closer look at its pharmacology of Noopept, including available clinical trials, benefits, dosage and side effects.

Noopept is a name for N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester, also known as GVS-111 or omberacetam). 

It is a small peptide-like compound developed as a nootropic drug candidate and introduced into medical use in Russia [1]. 

Here is what you should know about it:

Noopept is not a one-target compound. The research points to several overlapping effects of the peptide which may interact with the central nervous system on multiple levels:

In rodents, Noopept is described as having a very short half-life, commonly reported around 5–10 minutes, and one summary cites a rodent half-life of about 6.5 minutes. 

Human pharmacokinetic reporting in the indexed literature is sparse, but an interspecies comparison paper states that elimination in humans is slower than in rats and rabbits and shows considerable individual variability [6].

However, downstream effects can outlast the parent compound. Moreover, the metabolite CPG may have a mean serum half-life of about ~7 hours, reported from a phase 1 multiple-dose study of NA-831 (traneurocin) [7].

Two published clinical reports describe a favorable safety profile for Noopept in humans: 

Below is a more detailed look at the safety profile and potential adverse effects of Noopept.

The published clinical data suggest that Noopept is generally well tolerated in short-term use, with studies using 10 mg twice daily (20 mg/day) for 56 days [8].

In that 56-day trial, the reported adverse events in the Noopept group were:

The authors reported that, in their judgment, only sleep disturbance and increased blood pressure were plausibly related to Noopept, and this was noted in two patients. 

Two participants in the Noopept arm discontinued early because of rising arterial blood pressure and the need for antihypertensive treatment.

Thus, Noopept should be avoided in people with elevated or unstable blood pressure.

The available human clinical reports include two published trials, which are as follows:

Based on the available clinical literature, the most notable benefits of the peptide have been observed within clinical populations with cognitive impairment, while some potential effects are also based entirely on animal data:.

Despite multiple anecdotal reports of immediate nootropic effects and cognitive improvement, Noopept has been clinically tested only in the form of long-term therapy.

Post-stroke clinical reports suggest cognitive improvement after 2 months of 20 mg/day, which fits a timeline where the effect is built with repeated dosing [9].

Unfortunately, there is no long-term human data and the published clinical trials have not lasted more than 2 months. 

Therefore, it is recommended to patients to create 1-month pauses in between every 2 months of Noopept therapy. With that being said, there is no direct clinical data on how often a course of Noopept treatment be repeated?

Here is a practical, study-aligned approach on how Noopept is typically dosed:

In practice, you see Noopept sold in multiple consumer formats, but the human clinical literature is tied to pharmaceutical-style oral dosing, not sprays.

Noopept’s legal status depends on whether a country treats it as an authorized medicine or as an unapproved drug. 

Specifically, Noopept is authorized as a medicinal product in Russia, where it appears in the national medicines registry and it is available without a prescription.

In several other countries, such as Ukraine, Noopept has no formal approval as a medicine or supplement, so its status is unclear and its use likely requires local health-authority approval.

In Australia and New Zealand, Noopept and other similar compounds are generally regarded as Schedule 4 (Prescription Only Medicine), meaning they can be supplied only with a valid prescription and are not permitted for over-the-counter sale or general supplement marketing.

In the United States, Noopept is generally treated by FDA as an unapproved new drug when it is marketed for human use, especially when sellers make pharmacologic or disease-related claims. 

FDA has issued warning letters to companies selling Noopept products on this basis, describing them as unapproved and misbranded drug products under US law.

Health Canada has also stated that Noopept is not authorized in Canada for any use and any products on the market have not been reviewed for safety, effectiveness, and quality. 

Noopept is not authorised as a medicine in the EU or the UK, and the regulatory bodies cannot guarantee the quality or safety of any products. 

Specifically, the law in the UK states that possession of unapproved medications is not typically illegal, but selling or supplying prescription-only or unlicensed medicines is an offence. 

On the other hand, the exact legislation varies in the EU, depending on the specific country.

Noopept (GVS-111, omberacetam) and piracetam are often grouped together because Noopept was developed using piracetam as a structural starting point, but they are not the same type of molecule [11]. 

Piracetam is a classic racetam typically discussed in gram-level daily doses in older clinical literature, while Noopept is a peptide-like analog most often used in milligram doses and is commonly described as achieving comparable behavioral effects at far lower doses in animal models. 

In head-to-head discussions, this is why Noopept is frequently labeled “more potent,” with one widely cited estimate suggesting its active dose can be about 1,000-fold lower than piracetam in preclinical paradigms [12].

However, other authors report a much wider potency range depending on the endpoint and model used [13]. 

Headache is not listed among the most frequent side effects in published human data, but any compound that modulates glutamatergic transmission could theoretically produce tension-type or vascular headaches in sensitive individuals.

Preclinical work suggests that repeated activation of AMPA receptors may reduce the peptide’s electrophysiological effects over time, which could mean tolerance development with prolonged use. However, this has not been tested in humans.

No. There are no reproductive or developmental safety studies in humans or in well-documented animal models for Noopept. Like other nootropic agents, it should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

No clinical evidence supports the use of Noopept in children or adolescents. The available research has been conducted only in adult patients with post-stroke or vascular cognitive impairment. Safety and efficacy in individuals under 18 years have never been established, and use in this age group would not be considered appropriate.

Since Noopept acts on central neurotransmission, mixing it with alcohol may increase the risk of dizziness, drowsiness, or impaired coordination. Until specific data exist, combining the two should be avoided.

Noopept (omberacetam) was developed and is manufactured in Russia, where it is approved as a prescription medicine for cognitive disorders. It is not approved for medical use in the United States, Canada, or the European Union. 

Read more comprehensive reviews about Selank, Meldonium, Phenylpiracetam, or Actovegin.