The Genius brand has established a good reputation in the nootropic supplement world. In today’s review of Genius Joy, we’re looking at the latest addition to the company’s product stack and how it measures up for mood support and stress relief.
Quick Navigation
Review
What Is Genius Joy?
This product is an all-natural mood-enhancing supplement and stress reliever.
The high-quality formulation provides a safe and effective way to ease depression by boosting serotonin levels in the body.
Genius Joy acts on the same receptors that antidepressants do, with far less severe side effects.
The ingredients support an improvement in focus, motivation, energy, and contentedness.
PROS
- Tyrosine content improves drive
- Rhodiola rosea extract is adaptogenic
- L-Theanine is calming
- Wide range of B vitamins
- Well-designed
CONS
- Stomach upsets likely at first
- Not to be taken at night
Features And Benefits
Genius boasts that the primary benefit is how the ingredients synergistically work to boost serotonin levels, improve dopamine production, and reduce stress. Billed as a mood booster for anxiety relief, the ingredients should:
- Allow you a better attention span
- Make it easier for you to cope with stress
- Reduce overall anxiety
- Stabilize moods
- Ensure better mental health and motivation
- Support mental well-being
Does It Work?
What became clear during a look at Genius Joy was that this nootropic breaks the mold. While other manufacturers pack in 30 or 40 ingredients to help you work doubly hard, this supplement focuses on getting you to a place where you can naturally enhance your performance.
Anyone who has been caught in the energy drink binge-and-crash cycle will understand the importance of this gentler approach.
While you won’t see amped-up performance straight away, that’s not a bad thing. What you’ll notice after taking the supplement for a few weeks, however, is that suddenly life seems a little brighter.
It becomes easier to cope, and you feel less stressed. The product itself doesn’t give your brain an immediate boost and instant clarity. Over time, however, you’ll feel the mental fog start to lift as you begin to feel better and are more capable of dealing with stress.
This is not your typical nootropic in the strictest sense of the word because it isn’t technically a stimulant. Instead, what it does is to provide your body the tools to heal itself.
Should you use this supplement when cramming the day before finals? Not really. To see the full results, you should take it at least two weeks beforehand.
Ingredients
- Vitamins B1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12
- Vitamin D
- N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine
- S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) Tosylate Disulfate (as Adomix)
- Rhodiola5Plus (Rhodiola rosea extract)
- HTPurity (Griffonia simplicifolia extract – 95% 5-HTP)
- Red Panax Ginseng root powder
- L-Theanine
- NeuroFactor (coffee fruit extract)
See also our article on Rhodiola vs Ginseng
The RDI Of B Vitamins
There are eight of the essential B vitamins in this supplement. This starts the Genius Joy review off on a positive note.
These compounds power many reactions in the human body. They enable us to process the nutrients that we eat, create energy, and reduce homocysteine levels.
The B vitamins are relatively easy to get from food if you eat a well-rounded diet low in processed foods. During stressful times, however, the body requires more Vitamin B than usual.
Because B complex is a water-soluble nutrient, you excrete any excess that you ingest.
Signs of a deficiency may include:
- Fatigue
- Confusion or lack of focus
- Weakness
- Poor balance
- Memory issues
By supplementing these essential nutrients, you prime your body for optimal health.
1000IU Of Vitamin D3
Without adequate Vitamin D3, the body cannot absorb the calcium it requires for strong, healthy bones. The nutrient also balances the levels of phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium in the body.
We obtain Vitamin D through the foods we consume and also through exposure to the sun. Genius Joy contains the vitamin to enable your body to better absorb nutrients like magnesium and calcium.
Deficiencies in Vitamin D may be common in people who do not get enough exposure to the sun. A severe deficiency is rare but can cause rickets in children. A minor lack puts adults at greater risk of developing osteoporosis and bone fractures.
Lower levels of Vitamin D may also increase the risk of depression.
1g Of SAMe
We’ll start with a caveat here: SAMe seems to have potential, but we require further studies. Some studies have shown that it’s almost as effective as clinical antidepressants, and others have shown that it’s effective at treating depression.
More research is necessary because a few trials labeled SAMe as having a mild effect. To err on the side of caution, we’d advise against dropping clinical medication in favor of this supplement. Instead, discuss SAMe with your doctor.
Scientists agree, however, that it’s an effective mood stabilizer in mild to moderate depression and that it has much potential.
It makes sense to add it to this supplement, and, for this Genius Joy review, we feel that it adds value.
350mg Of N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine
Tyrosine is a proven nootropic that can help you achieve greater focus and motivation. It’s an amino acid that the body uses to build proteins. If you follow a high-protein diet, you’re more than likely getting enough of this nutrient.
If not, you might find it hard to maintain your motivation and focus. Tyrosine is vital for several systems in the body, but here we’re interested in its use in the making of neurotransmitters. In particular, we’re referring to dopamine.
The release of dopamine in the brain enhances cognitive function and improves your mood. If you’re under a great deal of stress, supplementing with Tyrosine will improve your mental performance. If, for example, you’re sleep-deprived, this amino acid can help you make it through the day.
300mg Of Rhodiola Rosea
This substance is a time-tested adaptogen. It’s been used in Western Europe, Russia, and Asia for centuries as a folk remedy. Scientific studies have proven that our ancestors made a wise choice in relying on this herb to relieve stress and anxiety.
From 100mg to 300 mg daily is enough to help you achieve a Zen-like feeling of calm. It’s no wonder that Rhodiola rosea is taking the nootropic world by storm.
This herb is just one reason the Genius Joy review is taking a positive spin.
250mg Of Red Panax Ginseng
Ginseng has been helping humans achieve well-being for millennia. This powerful root boosts your energy levels without leaving you jittery like coffee would. Taken over time, it will enhance your feeling of well-being and help you to build stamina.
It may also help reduce mental fatigue, balance blood sugar levels, aid focus, and improve memory. As a potent antioxidant, there is also mounting evidence that it assists in building immunity.
A more traditional use is as a cure for erectile dysfunction. It seems that science has only scratched the surface of this herb’s potential.
100mg Of HTPurity
5-HTP is a compound necessary for the production of serotonin. Over the past few years, it has become a popular mood-enhancing supplement, and, in theory at least, supplementation makes sense.
There’s still, however, some doubt about the bio-availability of this compound in supplements, so we’ll set this ingredient aside as a “maybe good.” Until we have evidence that the digestive tract can effectively absorb 5-HTP, we’d rather not recommend it in this Genius Joy review.
It won’t do any harm, but we’re not sure it’ll do much good, either.
100mg Of NeuroFactor
NeuroFactor sounds pretty impressive. It’s an extract from the Coffea arabica fruit and so provides a potent dose of polyphenols. Before you get excited about it helping you pull an all-nighter, however, you should be aware that it has minimal caffeine content.
According to the company marketing the compound, it increases the output of the neuropeptide Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF.) This neuropeptide is essential for the growth of new neurons and the maintenance of existing ones.
Higher levels of BDNF enhance the brain’s ability to create new neural links and maintain neural plasticity. You’re essentially able to learn faster, break old habits, and function more as you did when you were younger.
The theory is that by supplementing this neuropeptide, you can effectively reverse aging in the brain. Studies have been promising, but the catch is that most of the studies were funded by those with a vested interest in marketing the compound.
While the science looks promising, we’ll once again reserve judgment for this Genius Joy review.
100mg Of L-Theanine
Theanine is a well-researched amino acid with proven anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) properties. Taking the compound promotes relaxation and can assist in reducing muscular tension and stress. It’s often used to counteract stimulants’ negative side effects like jitters, high blood pressure, and sleeplessness.
Joy provides an optimal dose of the compound.
Side Effects: Is It safe?
The company bills this supplement as an all-natural, plant-based serotonin booster. Most of the ingredients are generally considered safe, as long as used as directed.
Natural products may, however, be just as potent as their synthetic counterparts. As natural products are not subject to the same rigorous regulation, it’s important to use them with care.
Genius is a reputable manufacturer that sources high-quality ingredients. From that perspective, you do not need to worry about adulterated products, excessive amounts of fillers, or harmful compounds.
Most people will experience very few side effects, and these will typically pass after the first week or so.
Common side effects include:
- Brain fog
- Headaches
- Mood swings
- Low mood
- Skin rashes
- Gastrointestinal disorders
In order to minimize the side effects, start with one tablet a day, preferably on a weekend. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and monitor the severity of any side effects. Should you feel violently ill, or experience severe headaches, stop taking the supplement.
Most users will, at worst, feel flu-like symptoms when they start, but these will pass. This is normal as your body begins to rebalance itself.
Who Should Be Especially Careful?
Where you should be careful is if you’re taking any form of clinical antidepressant or any herbal supplement, like St. John’s Wort, which enhances the uptake of serotonin.
While the body requires serotonin to function optimally, it cannot effectively dispose of excessive amounts of the neurotransmitter. Taking a higher-than-recommended dose of this supplement or combining it with antidepressants may lead to serotonin syndrome. In extreme cases, this syndrome can be fatal.
Those taking medications for chronic conditions should also consult their doctors before using this supplement. The ingredients may affect blood sugar levels and blood pressure, so if you have diabetes or hypertension, monitor your readings daily.
Pregnant or breast-feeding women and anyone under the age of 18 should not use this supplement.
Dosage
To reduce the potential side effects, start by taking one pill upon rising in the morning. It should be taken with a full glass of water on an empty stomach, at least 20 minutes before a meal. If you tolerate the dose well, add a second pill before lunch on the second day.
Take two pills a day for the first week, and then increase the dose to two in the morning and one before lunch. After seven days of this new regimen, you may add a second pill before lunch if you need it.
You should not exceed the maximum dose of four tablets a day.
Genius Joy Review: Summing Up
Is Genius Joy going to help you? If taken as directed, it will help many people. Several proven ingredients can improve mood, enhance focus, and promote relaxation. The compounds are well-researched and chosen for their synergistic effect.
Is this a miracle cure-all? No, there is no such thing. Most people will see some benefits immediately, but the full effect will be noticeable only after regular use. It will take at least two to four weeks for you to start seeing any dramatic improvement.
The supplement will work best in conjunction with lifestyle changes. There is no substitute for following a reasonably healthy diet and getting moderate amounts of exercise.
Is it worth the hype? This Genius Joy review outcome is mostly positive. We have reservations about the inclusion of 5-HTP, but only from a bioavailability standpoint.
With all of the other proven ingredients, 5-HTP is something of a non-issue. You could take out the 5-HTP, and this supplement will still boost serotonin levels and promote well-being.
