Not every compound belongs in every stack. This guide is tiered by risk, complexity, and experience — start at the foundation and build deliberately. Each tier adds capability. Each tier adds responsibility.
The foundation stack isn't the boring stack. It's the clean room. You're not adding things — you're establishing a baseline that proves what works for your specific neurobiology. Two weeks minimum before moving to Tier 2.
The backbone. Eugeroic (wakefulness-promoter) with dopamine reuptake inhibition. Not a stimulant in the traditional sense — no crash, no rebound, no jitteriness. Just 12+ hours of clean focus. The 5-on/2-off protocol prevents tolerance and maintains sleep architecture.
→ Full Research GuideNon-negotiable cofactor. Modafinil increases dopaminergic signaling; CDP Choline (Citicoline) provides the acetylcholine substrate to match. Skip it and you get headaches. Include it and the cognitive effect is sharper and cleaner. Also a direct precursor to phosphatidylcholine — structural brain health.
→ Full Research GuideTier 2 smooths the edges, extends the runway, and adds motivational drive. L-Theanine takes the stimulant sharpness down to a useful level. Bromantane creates intrinsic motivation, not just performance. Phenylpiracetam is the high-leverage tool you use sparingly. Tyrosine keeps the dopamine tank full.
The smoothing agent. GABA modulator and NMDA antagonist that takes the sharp edges off stimulant-induced alertness without blunting focus. Classic with caffeine. Equally valuable with modafinil. Produces what the literature calls "relaxed focus" — alert without anxious.
→ Full Research GuideThe motivation compound. Soviet-era actoprotector that upregulates aromatic amino acid decarboxylase — the enzyme that synthesizes dopamine and serotonin. Doesn't push dopamine like a stimulant; it enables your brain to make more. Creates intrinsic want-to-work, not just ability-to-work. Slow to build, long to fade. 3x/week max.
→ Full Research GuideThe Soviet cosmonaut nootropic. Used in the Russian space program. Rapid tolerance builder — more than 2x/week and you're taking an expensive placebo within days. Used on the right days: high-stakes presentation, competition, critical deadline. The most "felt" compound in the stack. Respect the tolerance.
→ Full Racetam GuideDopamine precursor. Tyrosine → L-DOPA → Dopamine. Particularly important during high-stress periods or when depleting dopamine signaling (stimulant cycling). Timing matters: empty stomach for maximum bioavailability. Don't compete with other amino acids for absorption.
→ Full Research GuideTier 3 is maintenance architecture. Everything in Tiers 1 and 2, plus four additions that address long-term sustainability: cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, cellular repair, and oxidative stress recovery. This isn't about going harder — it's about not degrading the asset.
PDE5 inhibitor. 36-hour half-life makes daily low-dose practical. Counteracts vasoconstriction from stimulants. Improves cerebral blood flow. Endothelial protection long-term. FDA-approved for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Contraindicated with nitrates — know your meds before adding this.
→ Full Research GuideRussian bioregulator peptide targeting the pineal gland. Khavinson-era research. Sleep architecture improvement, neuroprotection, circadian rhythm stabilization. The cycling pattern matters: short cycle, long rest. Not a daily-use compound. Pair with the epitalon cycle or offset them.
→ Full Research GuideTetrapeptide from the pineal gland (AEDG). Telomerase activation, telomere maintenance, anti-aging. 775+ publications in the Khavinson research corpus. Cellular longevity, not acute performance. The longest game in the stack. Run cycles once or twice per year.
→ Full Research GuideN-Acetyl Cysteine. Glutathione precursor. The nightly reset. Repairs oxidative damage your day stack accumulates. Do NOT take with stimulants — blunts their effect. Taken before bed it restores glutathione overnight. Liver guardian, stack protector, neuroprotective. The unsexy compound that makes the whole stack sustainable.
→ Full Research GuideThese aren't suggestions. They're protocol rules that determine whether the stack works, fails, or causes problems.
A sample week showing AM and PM compound timing. Adapt to your schedule. The key rules: stimulants 5/2, Bromantane 3x, Phenylpiracetam 2x, NAC only at night.
| Day | AM (Morning Stack) | PM (Before Bed) |
|---|---|---|
| MON | Modafinil 200mg CDP Choline 500mg L-Theanine 600mg L-Tyrosine 500mg Bromantane 50mg Phenylpiracetam 160mg Tadalafil 5mg | NAC 1200mg |
| TUE | Modafinil 200mg CDP Choline 500mg L-Theanine 600mg L-Tyrosine 500mg Tadalafil 5mg | NAC 1200mg |
| WED | Modafinil 200mg CDP Choline 500mg L-Theanine 600mg L-Tyrosine 500mg Bromantane 50mg Tadalafil 5mg | NAC 1200mg |
| THU | Modafinil 200mg CDP Choline 500mg L-Theanine 600mg L-Tyrosine 500mg Phenylpiracetam 160mg Tadalafil 5mg | Rest day for NAC (light stack day) |
| FRI | Modafinil 200mg CDP Choline 500mg L-Theanine 600mg L-Tyrosine 500mg Bromantane 50mg Tadalafil 5mg | NAC 1200mg |
| SAT | OFF — stimulant rest day | NAC 1200mg (recovery) |
| SUN | OFF — stimulant rest day | Optional NAC |
Note on peptide cycles: Pinealon and Epitalon are not shown in the weekly calendar as they run in multi-week cycles (15–30 days) with 3–6 month breaks between. When on a peptide cycle, add them alongside the normal stack. They don't interfere with daily oral compounds. See individual research pages for full protocol.
This hub links to every individual research page. Don't take our word for it — dig into the primary literature for each compound before adding it to your stack.
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Dosing schedules, interaction warnings, and cycle protocols for 50+ compounds — all in one place.