Bromantane Review: Benefits, Limitations, Dosage And More

Bromantane is a lesser-known nootropic or smart drug that purportedly improves mental and physical performance. It is touted to help relieve fatigue and anxiety, enhance cognition, support the immune system, and deliver an instant energy boost. 

In this bromantane review, we will cover everything that this nootropic has to offer, what its limitations are, and how you can use it to benefit your physical and mental performance.

Bromantane History 

Bromantane was first developed in Russia in the 1970s when Russian researchers tried to formulate a smart drug that could improve different aspects of both mental and physical performance.  

It is a derivative of adamantane which is an actoprotector. This refers to a synthetic adaptogen that enhances physical activity under extreme environmental conditions without increasing oxygen consumption.

Marketed under the name Ladasten or NP160, the drug was initially developed to help people suffering from neurasthenia.

However, once researchers found out that this smart drug not only reversed typical neurasthenia symptoms such as insomnia, headaches, mental exhaustion, and physical fatigue but could also enhance physical performance, it was then used by Russian soldiers who took it to reduce fatigue and improve recovery time after physical exertion.  

The drug was also used by workers looking to focus better with greater motivation and effectively increase their physical work performance and capacity. 

Later on, bromantane became a staple of Russian sports medicine before it was banned by the anti-doping agencies in 1997. 

While it is banned nowadays for professional athletes, it is still used popularly by bodybuilders and nonprofessional athletes to enhance casual sports performance.  

In the capacity of a nootropic, bromantane works to enhance cognitive performance, thinking and outlook. Most people who use it as a nootropic report experiencing reduced anxiety, sharper cognitive performance, and better memory skills. 

Others who use bromantane as a physical enhancer are happy with it its potential to decrease physical fatigue, increase energy levels, improve physical coordination, and improve sexual drive and desire. 

Working Mechanism 

Even though its exact mechanism of action is not fully understood, studies using animal models show bromantane use to stimulate activity in the hippocampus. This is the area of the brain which controls and regulates learning, memory consolidation, and spatial navigation. [*]

By working through the dopamine system, bromantane increases tyrosine hydroxylase and amino acid decarboxylase which help increase dopamine formation from tyrosine. [*]  

By raising dopamine production, its use, and reuptake, bromantane makes it more available and effective to the brain. 

Also, being a mild psychostimulant, bromantane has been found to exert anxiolytic effects as well as decrease the toxic effects of aging in rat brains. 

Bromantane is believed to treat symptoms of anxiety by reducing gene expression and strengthening GABAergic mediation. [*]

Benefits  

Much like other nootropics, people who take bromantane report experiencing an almost instant energy boost. Users also credit bromantane powder for improving brain function, especially alertness and wakefulness. 

Like some other nootropics on the market, bromantane also has mild anxiolytic effects. This means that it can treat symptoms of anxiety, such as uneasiness, apprehension, and muscle tightness. 

Neurasthenia 

Bromantane is still used in Russia to treat neurasthenia.  

People suffering from neurasthenia experience massive fatigue, lethargy, and aggression after minimal physical and mental exertion. 

One month-long study looked at the effects of bromantane administration on 700 people diagnosed with neurasthenia. Study participants were given 50 and 100 mg of bromantane with results showing a reduction in symptoms and improvements in sleep. 

Study findings also showed that their quality of life improved and only 3% of the patients experienced minor side effects. [*] 

Another similar month-long study showed bromantane to reduce neurasthenia symptoms in patients. [*]

So, while large-scale scientific data on bromantane in healthy humans is lacking, findings from limited studies show that it can boost mental and physical performance in people with abnormally low levels of energy. 

May Improve Brain Function 

Research links bromantane to the ability to regulate neurotransmitters and increase dopamine release. This indicates that by enhancing dopamine activity in the brain, it can affect dopamine-related actions such as regulation of motor control, reward, motivation, and arousal. [*]

In animal studies, bromantane shows effects that reduce anxiety by increasing dopamine and serotonin in rat brains and also increase alertness and wakefulness. [*] [*] 

Yet another rat study showed the potential of bromantane to improve cognitive performance by enhancing short-term memory, motivation, attention, and planning abilities.

While it does promise to enhance brain activity, when given in excessive doses, bromantane may inhibit the acetylcholine pathway in rat brains even after a single treatment. [*]  

Other studies show that when given to female rats, bromantane seemed to benefit their offspring as well. Infant rats developed reflexes faster than other rats but their growth development differences were insignificant. [*]  

Considering different studies, bromantane seems to have the role of a cognitive enhancer. However, larger more robust clinical trials are needed to confirm these preliminary findings for improving mental performance.

May Improve Physical Performance 

Research indicates that bromantane may increase adrenaline and norepinephrine effects which can help deliver a significant physical boost.

One uncontrolled study involving asthenia patients with abnormally low energy levels showed that bromantane improved symptoms after only three days. [*]  

Another unrelated study with lab animals found that bromantane enhances the stability and range of the participants and improves movement coordination helping them perform at their best for longer periods. [*]

May Lower Inflammation 

Limited research also indicates that regular use of bromantane may help prevent the effects of chronic inflammation. 

Two separate studies show that bromantane lowers levels of IL 6, IL 17, and IL 4, three proteins that cause inflammation. By reducing the levels of inflammatory cytokines in mice, bromantane may well minimize depression caused by inflammation.  [*] [*] 

May Boost Immunity 

Other purported bromantane benefits include strengthening the immune system. 

One study found that bromantane increased the level of B cells and the circulating immune complex in the bloodstream. [*]

May Improve Mood 

Alongside dopamine, bromantane helps increase the uptake of serotonin. This is a key hormone involved in improving mood, happiness levels, and feelings of well-being. Experts also link serotonin to sleep, diet and digestion. 

As such, it may be hypothesized that bromantane could potentially improve mood-related issues in people, although there are no studies to validate these supposed benefits.

Reproduction 

Animal studies show the potential of bromantane treatment for reproductive issues. 

One such study conducted on male and female mice showed that taking bromantane led to an increase in sperm count and sperm movement in male mice while it helped reduce the loss of embryos in female mice. [*]

In another separate study, three-day bromantane administration increased sexual drive among rats. Researchers hypothesized that this might be due to the increase in dopamine activity. [*]  

However, in the absence of clinical trials, more scientific evidence is needed to validate this theory.

Available Forms 

You can buy bromantane in a few different forms including capsules, powder, or liquid drops. The pills come in 25 mg doses that are easy to swallow but should be taken with meals. 

For people new to bromantane, it is best to start slow and take no more than the recommended dosage. 

When using the powder form, it is also recommended to start with 25 mg as well. 

Taking bromantane sublingually is considered to be more potent as a bromantane solution is more concentrated and is purported to yield effects faster.

Research shows that women metabolize bromantane faster than men so they may want to adjust their initial bromantane dosage to around 50 mg. 

Dosage 

Because the FDA considers it an unregulated substance, there are no official guidelines for bromantane dosage. However, based on bromantane reviews submitted by users, the customary starting dosage for bromantane supplementation is between 50 to 100 mg a day. 

Experts advise beginners to stick with this dose and observe their body’s reaction to the compound. In the absence of any side effects, they can then gradually increase their bromantane dosage while monitoring their reaction to its intake. 

Athletes who want to perk up their athletic performance may need to dose slightly higher, at 100 to 300 mg a day. Because it has a long half-life, a single dose of bromantane can last most of the day. But it is not recommended for professional athletes because anti-doping agencies ban it.

Studies involving lab animals show that a dosage range between 30 to 100 mg is considered safe without causing any significant side effects.

It is recommended to consult your doctor prior to supplementing it, especially if you take any other medications or suffer from any medical condition.

Half-Life

Bromantane lingers in the body for a fair bit of time and blood samples might even detect it after 14 days of use. The acute effects of the bromantane experience have a gradual onset over one to two hours and last for 8 to 12 hours. This means that the elimination half-life of it in humans is about 11.5 hours.  

Side Effects 

In the light of a lack of scientific studies, different bromantane reviews show bromantane to be non-habit forming with no addictive potential or withdrawal symptoms. It also seems to be fairly well tolerated for human consumption when taken in small doses and seems to present no severe side effects.  

That being said, animal studies show that side effects were observed only after very high doses of greater than 600 mg/kg. 

Typical side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, and increased urination along with some regurgitation. 

Animals receiving lower doses of bromantane between 30 and 300 mg/kg did not experience any adverse effects.

Outside of animal study findings, anecdotal evidence including bromantane reviews also indicate that bromantane experience isn’t entirely risk-free. Some users report experiencing adverse bromantane effects, including brain fog, fatigue, and depression-like symptoms, typically when taken at high doses of well over 1000 mg.

While these side effects may seem counterintuitive to bromantane’s properties, it is believed that users experience brain fog and fatigue only after the primary beneficial effects of bromantane have worn off and not right away.

However, it is recommended not to take this drug just before bedtime as it may interrupt your usual sleeping routine. Like other typical stimulants, it promotes alertness and wakefulness and should not be used before going to bed. 

Limitations 

Much of the research and published literature done on bromantane comes from Russian sources alone. Not a lot of other research has been done elsewhere, although it is available in many parts of Europe. In the US, however, it still remains an unregulated substance.

The only health condition where bromantane treatment for humans has been actively studied is neurasthenia whereas all other data comes from animal studies alone. There is no clinical evidence supporting the use of bromantane for many of its purported benefits other than limited scientific research with experimental animals and cells. 

Some users have also looked into its potential for managing ADHD symptoms or Alzheimer’s disease as it boosts alertness and awakeness and could be beneficial for memory. But given the lack of any scientific data relating to either condition, it cannot be assumed safe to use for ADHD symptom management or Alzheimer’s.

Also, despite its promising potential, bromantane hasn’t attracted much clinical research. This compound does not have sufficient healthy human placebo-controlled studies to establish its efficacy or safety. As such, its safety profile for the long term is entirely unknown, and more studies are needed before it can safely be used for many of its purported health benefits. 

Legality is another concern for bromantane. The drug is disallowed in all sports whether during training or competition. In the US bromantane falls in a legal grey area as the drug is an uncontrolled substance that has not been approved to treat any medical condition.

That being said, it is possible to buy bromantane from online vendors who specialize in selling different nootropics.