LIMINATE · Guide to nootropics
What is a nootropic?
A nootropic is a substance, or a product combining several, that is used or marketed in relation to cognitive function. The word was coined in 1972 by the Romanian scientist Corneliu Giurgea; in the European Union, products sold as nootropics are legally either food supplements or medicines, never a category of their own. LUCID by LIMINATE is a Belgian food supplement with ten ingredients, every dose declared.
By Andreas C., founder of LIMINATE · 1 November 2026 · 7 min read
Where the word comes from
"Nootropic" was introduced by Corneliu E. Giurgea in a 1972 paper in Actualités pharmacologiques titled "Vers une pharmacologie de l'activité intégrative du cerveau". Giurgea, who worked as a researcher with the Belgian pharmaceutical group UCB, used it for a proposed class of drugs whose first member was piracetam, synthesised in 1964. The word joins two Greek roots: noos (mind, thinking) and tropein (to turn, to guide).
Giurgea's original concept was pharmacological and strict. He described drugs with very low toxicity that lacked the usual sedative or motor-stimulant effects of other psychotropic drugs. Today the word is used much more loosely: it covers prescription medicines, research chemicals, plant extracts, amino acids and everyday compounds such as caffeine. That looseness is exactly why the legal category of a product matters more than the label "nootropic".
What counts as a nootropic in EU law
EU law has no "nootropic" category. A product falls under one of two frameworks, and the difference decides how it is made, labelled and sold.
| Food supplement | Medicine | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Directive 2002/46/EC; in Belgium, Royal Decrees of 1992, 1997 and 2009 | Directive 2001/83/EC |
| Purpose | To supplement the normal diet | To treat or prevent disease, or to restore, correct or modify physiological functions by a pharmacological action |
| Before sale | Notification of the label to the national authority (in Belgium: FPS Public Health, via FOODSUP) | Marketing authorisation after evaluation of quality, safety and efficacy |
| What it may say | Only health claims authorised under Regulation (EC) 1924/2006; no disease claims | Approved indications in the summary of product characteristics |
| Examples | Citicoline (within its novel-food limit), L-theanine, plant extracts, caffeine | Piracetam (Nootropil, prescription-only in Belgium), modafinil |
Under Directive 2001/83/EC, when a product could fall under both definitions, the rules for medicines prevail. More detail on the Belgian procedure is on our page on nootropics and EU regulation.
The main categories of ingredients
There is no single scientific classification. A 2022 review in Nutrients (Malík and Tlustoš) notes that there is no uniform approach and groups substances into four families. The table below follows that idea, with the EU status that applies to each.
| Family | Examples | Typical EU status |
|---|---|---|
| Classical synthetic "racetams" | Piracetam and related compounds | Medicine (piracetam) or not authorised as food |
| Nucleotides and amino acids | Uridine monophosphate, amino acids such as tyrosine and phenylalanine | Food supplement ingredient, depending on form and dose |
| Choline sources | Citicoline, alpha-GPC, choline bitartrate | Food supplement; citicoline is an authorised novel food (max. 500 mg/day, not for children) |
| Plants and extracts | Rhodiola rosea, saffron, ginger, Bacopa monnieri, green tea (L-theanine, caffeine) | Food supplement; plant use regulated nationally (Belgian Royal Decree of 29 August 1997) |
How to evaluate a nootropic product
Because the word itself guarantees nothing, judge the product on verifiable facts:
- Legal status. The label must say "food supplement" if it is one. If a site sells a medicine without prescription, walk away.
- Every dose declared. EU law requires amounts of active substances per daily portion in numbers. A "proprietary blend" with a single total weight tells you little; see proprietary blends explained.
- Standardisation of extracts. "Rhodiola 300 mg" means more with "3% rosavins, 1% salidroside".
- Caffeine per serving. Add it to your coffee and tea. EFSA considers up to 400 mg per day safe for healthy adults; see nootropics and coffee.
- Manufacturing and testing. Look for GMP manufacture and batch testing by an independent laboratory.
- Claims. Promises of cures or medical results are not allowed on food supplements in the EU. Their presence is a warning sign.
- Who should not take it. A serious brand publishes precautions; ours are on nootropic safety.
Where LUCID fits
LUCID is a food supplement, not a medicine. It contains no racetam and no prescription substance. One serving is three vegan HPMC capsules, taken in the morning on weekdays.
| Ingredient (per 3 capsules) | Dose | Family |
|---|---|---|
| Acetyl-L-tyrosine | 650 mg | Amino acid |
| Citicoline | 350 mg | Choline source |
| Rhodiola rosea (3% rosavins, 1% salidroside) | 300 mg | Plant extract |
| L-theanine | 255 mg | Amino acid |
| L-phenylalanine | 130 mg | Amino acid |
| Uridine monophosphate | 100 mg | Nucleotide |
| Anhydrous caffeine | 70 mg | Methylxanthine |
| Ginger root extract (5% gingerols) | 50 mg | Plant extract |
| Safr'inside® saffron extract (2% safranal) | 28 mg | Plant extract |
| Piperine (95%) | 5 mg | Plant extract |
LUCID is formulated in Wemmel (Brussels), encapsulated by UTB Botanicals in Lier (province of Antwerp) under EU GMP, and every batch is tested by Eurofins in Antwerp. A box holds 20 sachets, four weeks of weekday use, for €100 as a Single Edition, without subscription, or €80 every four weeks with The Commitment subscription, which you can cancel at any time, in one click, at no cost. Discover LUCID.
FAQ
Who invented the word nootropic?
Corneliu E. Giurgea, in 1972, in a French-language paper in Actualités pharmacologiques. He applied it first to piracetam.
Is a nootropic a drug?
Not necessarily. In the EU, a product is either a medicine (authorised, e.g. piracetam) or a food supplement (notified, e.g. products based on amino acids and plant extracts). "Nootropic" is a marketing word, not a legal status.
Are nootropics legal in Belgium?
Food supplements notified to FPS Public Health and compliant with EU rules are legal. Medicines such as piracetam or modafinil require a prescription; buying them without one from unofficial websites is not a lawful route.
Is caffeine a nootropic?
Caffeine is often included in the broad, modern use of the word. It does not fit Giurgea's original, narrower definition. In food supplements, caffeine must be declared per daily portion.
How can I tell whether a nootropic label is transparent?
Every active ingredient should have its own dose per daily portion, plant extracts should state their standardisation, and caffeine should be stated in mg. See our guide on how to read a nootropic label.
Is LUCID a nootropic?
LUCID is a food supplement in the broad category people call nootropics. It contains ten declared ingredients, including 350 mg citicoline, 255 mg L-theanine and 70 mg caffeine, and no medicinal substance.
Sources
- Malík M, Tlustoš P. Nootropics as Cognitive Enhancers: Types, Dosage and Side Effects of Smart Drugs. Nutrients 2022;14(16):3367. doi:10.3390/nu14163367
- Giurgea C. Vers une pharmacologie de l'activité intégrative du cerveau. Actual Pharmacol (Paris) 1972;25:115-156.
- Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements. EUR-Lex
- Directive 2001/83/EC on medicinal products for human use. EUR-Lex
- Regulation (EC) 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims. EUR-Lex
- Commission Implementing Decision 2014/423/EU (citicoline as novel food). EUR-Lex
- FPS Public Health, notification of food supplements. health.belgium.be
- FASFC, food supplements legislation. fasfc.be
- Nootropil, package leaflet (Belgium), FAMHP. app.fagg-afmps.be
- EFSA, caffeine. efsa.europa.eu
LUCID is a food supplement. It does not replace a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. Contains caffeine (70 mg per serving): not recommended for children or for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Keep out of reach of young children. This page is informative and does not replace medical advice.
