Blackmores Brain Active vs Mind Lab Pro
Two flagship nootropics, audited side by side. Same rubric, same rules. Here's which one wins on each dimension — and which one wins overall.
Affiliate disclosureWe earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Our scores and rankings follow our published methodology; commissions do not influence them. Read our methodology
Blackmores Brain Active
Blackmores Brain Active was a pharmacy-shelf supplement in Australia with one active ingredient: Longvida® turmeric extract, 400mg per capsule (80mg curcumin), one capsule daily with breakfast (blackmores.com.au product page, archived 2015-01-13 and 2019-04-09). It is now discontinued. Our earlier copy cited AUST L 246877; 246877 does not resolve on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) (HTTP 404 and no row in either TGA database, checked 2026-10-06). TGA's cancellations-by-sponsor database lists ARTG 227270, cancelled 18 September 2014, sponsor Blackmores Limited, and a second entry, ARTG 227319, cancelled 17 May 2021 (Blackmores Ltd); the ARTG search returned no current entry (searched 2026-10-06). Correction (2026-10-09): an earlier version of this review listed a Bacopa, Ginkgo, B-vitamin and iodine formula that the product never had.
Mind Lab Pro
An 11-ingredient nootropic stack. Its ingredients are peer-reviewed and every dose is disclosed, though only citicoline, phosphatidylserine and L-theanine meet our reference doses. Ships from the UK directly to Australia, sold direct to Australian buyers by the brand. Our editor's choice for the Australian market.
Check Mind Lab Pro (≈ $89/mo) →Blackmores Brain Active wins on score
Blackmores Brain Active has been discontinued in Australia — blackmores.com.au no longer lists it and Chemist Warehouse does not stock it — so this is no longer a live choice. Mind Lab Pro remains available at A$89/month on its Australian storefront, imported under the TGA Personal Importation Scheme. If you want a pharmacy-shelf Blackmores product instead, its current brain-health range is Cognition Ultra and Omega Brain; we have not reviewed either.
Read our methodology →Quick specs side-by-side
Clinical dosing audit
Each disclosed ingredient dose vs. the minimum on our ingredient page for it, from peer-reviewed human clinical trials, where the page gives one; ingredients without a reference dose are listed but not scored. Underdosed ingredients flagged. Ingredients hidden inside proprietary blends cannot be evaluated.
| Ingredient | Clinical dose | Blackmores Brain Active | Mind Lab Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curcumin (Longvida® turmeric extract) | 400mg/day (Longvida) | 400mg (80mg curcumin)✓ | — |
| Lion's Mane Mushroom | 1000-1800mg/day | — | 500mg✗ |
| Citicoline (Cognizin) | 250-500mg/day | — | 250mg✓ |
| Bacopa Monnieri (full-spectrum extract, 24% bacosides) | 300-450mg/day (≥50% bacosides) | — | 150mg✗ |
| Rhodiola Rosea (3% rosavins, 1% salidrosides) | 200-600mg/day | — | 50mg✗ |
| L-Theanine | 100-200mg/day | — | 100mg✓ |
| Phosphatidylserine | 100-300mg/day | — | 100mg✓ |
| N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NALT) | 2000mg/day (lowest positive trial) | — | 175mg✗ |
| Maritime Pine Bark Extract (95% proanthocyanidins) | 100-200mg/day | — | 75mg✗ |
| Vitamin B6 (NutriGenesis) | No reference dose on file | — | 2.5mg? |
| Vitamin B9 (NutriGenesis) | No reference dose on file | — | 100mcg? |
| Vitamin B12 (NutriGenesis) | No reference dose on file | — | 7.5mcg? |
Clinical-dose anchors sourced from PubMed-indexed human RCTs and Examine.com syntheses. See our methodology.
Score breakdown across 5 pillars
Pros & cons each
Pros
- One fully disclosed active ingredient, at the 400mg Longvida dose used in two placebo-controlled trials
- One capsule a day
- Caffeine-free
- From Blackmores, an Australian brand founded in 1932
Cons
- Discontinued: no longer listed on blackmores.com.au or at Chemist Warehouse, and its ARTG entries were cancelled
- Evidence is two small trials from one research group, in healthy adults aged 50-85; the 2020 trial was funded by Longvida's maker
- In the 2020 trial, blood glucose was higher with curcumin than with placebo
- A single ingredient: no Bacopa, citicoline, L-theanine or other cognitive ingredients
Pros
- 11 ingredients, every dose disclosed
- Third-party tested, allergen-free
- Caffeine-free
- 365-day affiliate cookie
- Ships directly to Australia
Cons
- Premium price
- 2 capsules per serving (2–4 per day suggested)
- 30-day money-back
Who is each one for?
Choose Blackmores Brain Active if you...
- Nobody new: Blackmores Brain Active is no longer sold in Australia
- Pharmacy-shelf buyers can look at Blackmores' current range (Cognition Ultra, Omega Brain), which we have not reviewed
Choose Mind Lab Pro if you...
- Want broader formula (Lion's Mane, citicoline, PS, Rhodiola, L-theanine)
- Care about peer-reviewed product-specific RCT evidence
- Want a product that is still sold (A$89/month on au.mindlabpro.com, checked 28 September 2026)
- Are caffeine-free user
- Don't mind 5-10 day international shipping under Personal Importation Scheme
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for Australian buyers, Blackmores Brain Active or Mind Lab Pro?
Blackmores Brain Active is no longer sold in Australia: its page on blackmores.com.au has been removed and Chemist Warehouse's Blackmores range no longer lists it. Blackmores' current brain-health products are Cognition Ultra and Omega Brain, which we have not reviewed. Of the two products compared here, only Mind Lab Pro is still available to Australian buyers — A$89/month on its Australian storefront (au.mindlabpro.com), imported under the TGA Personal Importation Scheme.
What does TGA-listed mean?
The TGA says that before a therapeutic good can be supplied in Australia the sponsor must obtain pre-market approval, and "in most cases this involves entry of the product in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG)", as a registered (AUST R) or listed (AUST L / AUST L(A)) medicine. The TGA also states that ARTG inclusion "is not an endorsement of that good". Listed (AUST L) medicines have not been assessed by the TGA for efficacy before sale, and may only use claim wording from the TGA's pre-approved Permitted Indications list. Blackmores Brain Active returned no current entry in the ARTG search on 2026-10-06. TGA's cancellations-by-sponsor database lists ARTG 227270, cancelled 18 September 2014, sponsor Blackmores Limited, and a second entry, ARTG 227319, cancelled 17 May 2021 (Blackmores Ltd).
How does Personal Importation Scheme work?
The TGA Personal Importation Scheme lets individuals import therapeutic goods that are not on the ARTG for personal use, up to a 3-month supply per order (and no more than a 15-month supply in any 12-month period), subject to its conditions. Products imported this way are not evaluated by the TGA. Mind Lab Pro ships to Australia from its own storefront (au.mindlabpro.com) as a personal import.
Price difference?
Blackmores Brain Active has no current price because it is no longer sold. Mind Lab Pro is A$89/month (one-time purchase) on au.mindlabpro.com, checked 28 September 2026.
What did Blackmores Brain Active contain?
One active ingredient: Longvida® turmeric extract, 400mg per capsule (80mg curcumin), one capsule daily with breakfast (blackmores.com.au product page, archived 2015 and 2019). It contained no Bacopa. 400mg Longvida is the dose tested in two placebo-controlled trials in healthy adults aged 50-85 (Cox et al. 2015 and 2020); the 2020 trial was funded by Longvida's maker. Correction (2026-10-09): an earlier version of this answer said both products contain Bacopa at clinical dose.
How do the two formulas differ?
They share no ingredients. Brain Active was curcumin alone. Mind Lab Pro's label lists Lion's Mane 500mg, citicoline (Cognizin) 250mg, N-acetyl L-tyrosine 175mg, Bacopa Monnieri 150mg (24% bacosides, half the 300mg clinical dose), L-theanine 100mg, phosphatidylserine 100mg, maritime pine bark extract 75mg, Rhodiola Rosea 50mg and vitamins B6, B9 and B12; it contains no curcumin and no Ginkgo.