Ingredient Decision Matrix
Every ingredient from the NTRPX taxonomy has been evaluated for inclusion in the Meta System™. This document provides complete transparency on what was included, excluded, and why.Decision Summary
Included
35+ Ingredients
Selected for mechanism, evidence, synergy
Excluded
10+ Ingredients
Rejected for safety, redundancy, or evidence
Evaluated
45+ Total
Complete review of all site ingredients
Neurotransmitter System Ingredients
✅ INCLUDED
| Ingredient | Product(s) | Dose | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDP-Choline | Boost™, Sustain™, ParaCaffeine +™ | 550mg/day total | Gold standard choline source; provides choline + uridine; lower TMAO than Alpha-GPC; safe for chronic use |
| Alpha-GPC | Sprint™ only | 600mg | Superior acute choline delivery; reserved for occasional use due to stroke risk with chronic use |
| Huperzine A | Sprint™ only | 200mcg | Potent AChE inhibitor; 24h half-life precludes daily use; amplifies acute cholinergic effect |
| L-Tyrosine | Boost™, Sol™, ParaCaffeine +™ | 800-1000mg/day | Dopamine/NE precursor; stress resilience; well-established cognitive benefits |
| L-Theanine | Sustain™, Recover™, Luna™, ParaCaffeine +™ | 300-650mg/day | Universally useful; smooths stimulants; promotes alpha waves; aids sleep; no downside |
| Apigenin | Recover™, Luna™ | 50-75mg/day | CD38 inhibition preserves NAD+; anxiolytic without sedation; synergy with NR |
| Magnesium (multiple forms) | Recover™, Luna™, Sol™ | 344-544mg/day | GABA potentiation; essential mineral; multiple forms for different purposes |
| Paraxanthine | Sustain™, Sol™, ParaCaffeine +™ | 100-200mg/day | Caffeine’s active metabolite; 2.2× A2A affinity; no anxiogenic metabolites; shorter t½ |
❌ EXCLUDED
| Ingredient | Reason for Exclusion |
|---|---|
| Racetams (Piracetam, Aniracetam) | Regulatory uncertainty; limited evidence in healthy adults; mechanism overlap with included nootropics |
| Phenibut | GABAergic with high abuse potential; withdrawal syndrome; not appropriate for consumer supplement |
| Modafinil | Prescription-only; inappropriate for supplement formulation |
Bioenergetics Ingredients
✅ INCLUDED
| Ingredient | Product(s) | Dose | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creatine | Boost™, Sol™ | 5g/day total | TIER 1 evidence for cognitive + physical ATP buffering; extremely well-studied; essential inclusion |
| PQQ | Boost™ | 20mg | Mitochondrial biogenesis via PGC-1α; BioPQQ® clinical dose; synergy with CoQ10 |
| CoQ10 (Ubiquinol) | Boost™ | 100mg | Electron transport efficiency; ubiquinol > ubiquinone absorption; complements PQQ |
| NR (Nicotinamide Riboside) | Recover™ | 300mg | NAD+ precursor; sirtuin activation; evening timing for overnight repair |
| Cordyceps | Sol™ | 1.5g | Oxygen utilization; AMPK activation; adenosine effects; endurance benefits |
❌ EXCLUDED
| Ingredient | Reason for Exclusion |
|---|---|
| NMN | Higher cost than NR with similar NAD+ effect; some conversion to NR anyway; NR sufficient |
| D-Ribose | Creatine provides superior ATP support; D-ribose less established for cognitive benefit |
| Methylene Blue | Narrow therapeutic window; MAOI interactions; photosensitivity; requires medical supervision; NOT appropriate for consumer supplement despite potential benefits |
Adaptogen & Herb Ingredients
✅ INCLUDED
| Ingredient | Product(s) | Dose | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhodiola/Salidroside | Boost™, Sol™ | 100-150mg (as salidroside) | Morning adaptogen; MAO-B inhibition extends dopamine; fatigue resistance; TIER 2 evidence |
| Lion’s Mane | Boost™, Sprint™ | 500mg | NGF/BDNF stimulation; neuroplasticity; long-term cholinergic neuron health |
| Ashwagandha (KSM-66®) | Sustain™ | 300mg | Cortisol reduction; GABAergic; TIER 1 evidence; best studied adaptogen |
| Bacopa (BaCognize®) | Sustain™ | 300mg | Memory consolidation; serotonergic; anxiolytic; TIER 1 evidence for cognition |
| Saffron (affron®) | Sustain™ | 28mg | Serotonin reuptake; mood enhancement; well-tolerated; TIER 2 evidence |
⚠️ CONSIDERED BUT NOT PRIORITIZED
| Ingredient | Status | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo biloba | Not included | Mechanism overlap with included ingredients; anticoagulant concerns; Bacopa preferred for memory |
| Panax Ginseng | Not included | Redundant with Rhodiola + Ashwagandha; potential hormonal effects; adaptogen coverage adequate |
| Gotu Kola | Not included | Overlap with Bacopa (traditional pairing); Bacopa has stronger evidence base |
Sleep & Circadian Ingredients
✅ INCLUDED
| Ingredient | Product(s) | Dose | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glycine | Recover™, Luna™ | 3-6g/day | CRITICAL: Thermoregulatory sleep onset via 0.3°C core temp drop; TIER 1 evidence; non-negotiable |
| Magnesium L-Threonate (Magtein®) | Recover™ | 144mg elemental | Brain-penetrant magnesium; synaptic density; sleep quality; crosses BBB |
| Magnesium Glycinate | Recover™, Luna™ | 200-300mg elemental | GABA potentiation; additional glycine; relaxation; well-tolerated |
| Taurine | Recover™, Sol™ | 1-1.5g/day | GABA-A agonist; osmoregulation; inhibitory tone; antioxidant |
❌ EXCLUDED
| Ingredient | Reason for Exclusion |
|---|---|
| Melatonin | CRITICAL EXCLUSION: Suppresses endogenous production; creates dependency; doesn’t improve architecture; glycine’s thermoregulation superior |
| Valerian | Variable efficacy; potential liver concerns with chronic use; GABAergic coverage adequate with Mg/Theanine/Taurine |
| Kava | Hepatotoxicity concerns; regulatory restrictions in some markets; not appropriate for daily consumer use |
| 5-HTP | Serotonin syndrome risk with other serotonergics; peripheral conversion issues; serotonin needs addressed via Bacopa/Saffron |
| Tryptophan | Better to support via cofactors; 5-HTP conversion issues; B6 requirement complicates dosing |
Structural & Cellular Ingredients
✅ INCLUDED
| Ingredient | Product(s) | Dose | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphatidylserine (Sharp-PS®) | Sustain™, Sprint™ | 100mg | Membrane fluidity; cortisol modulation; TIER 1 evidence; sunflower-derived (no soy concerns) |
| DHA (Life’s DHA®) | Sustain™ | 250mg | Neuronal membrane; anti-inflammatory; synaptic function; algal source (vegan, no oxidation) |
| EPA | Sustain™ | 125mg | Anti-inflammatory; cardiovascular; mood support; complements DHA |
| Zinc | Recover™, Luna™ | 15-25mg | Sleep regulation; immune support overnight; cellular repair; often deficient |
⚠️ NOT INCLUDED (ADEQUATE COVERAGE)
| Ingredient | Status | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Phosphatidylcholine | Via CDP-Choline | CDP-Choline provides uridine for PC synthesis endogenously |
| Uridine monophosphate | Via CDP-Choline | CDP-Choline releases uridine; no need to supplement separately |
Cardiovascular / NO Ingredients
✅ INCLUDED
| Ingredient | Product(s) | Dose | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| L-Citrulline | Sol™ | 3g | Superior to arginine (80% vs 20% bioavailability); sustained NO production; bypasses arginase |
❌ EXCLUDED
| Ingredient | Reason for Exclusion |
|---|---|
| L-Arginine | CRITICAL: Poor oral bioavailability (~20%); extensive first-pass metabolism; L-Citrulline superior in every metric |
| AAKG (Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate) | Same bioavailability issues as L-arginine; L-Citrulline still superior |
| Nitrosigine® | Acceptable alternative to L-Citrulline; not included to avoid redundancy; could substitute in future versions |
Essential Nutrients (B-Vitamins)
✅ INCLUDED (Active Forms ONLY)
| Vitamin | Form Included | Form Excluded | Critical Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | Benfotiamine + TTFD | Thiamine mononitrate | Higher bioavailability; TTFD crosses BBB; AGE inhibition |
| B2 | Riboflavin-5’-Phosphate (R5P) | Riboflavin | Active coenzyme; no conversion required; supports B6/B9/B3 activation |
| B3 | Nicotinamide + NR | Niacin (flushing), Nicotinic acid | NAD+ support without flush; NR superior precursor |
| B5 | D-Calcium Pantothenate | — | Standard form effective; no superior alternative |
| B6 | Pyridoxal-5’-Phosphate (P5P) | PYRIDOXINE HCl | CRITICAL: Pyridoxine causes documented peripheral neuropathy; competitive P5P inhibition; ONLY P5P is acceptable |
| B7 | D-Biotin | L-Biotin, DL-Biotin | D-form is active; keep <1000mcg to avoid lab interference |
| B9 | L-5-MTHF (Quatrefolic®) | FOLIC ACID | CRITICAL: 30%+ population has MTHFR variants; folic acid masks B12 deficiency; unmetabolized folic acid concerns; ONLY L-5-MTHF acceptable |
| B12 | Methylcobalamin + Adenosylcobalamin | CYANOCOBALAMIN | CRITICAL: Cyanocobalamin requires conversion + has cyanide moiety; both coenzyme forms needed for complete coverage |
Stimulant Ingredients
✅ INCLUDED
| Ingredient | Product(s) | Dose | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paraxanthine | Sustain™, Sol™, ParaCaffeine +™ | 100-200mg | Caffeine’s active metabolite; 2.2× A2A affinity; no anxiogenic metabolites; faster clearance; daily use appropriate |
| Caffeine | Sprint™ only | 100mg | Broader receptor profile for acute; reserved for occasional high-demand |
| Theobromine | ParaCaffeine +™ | 50mg | Mild, long-acting; smooth energy curve; vasodilatory; complements paraxanthine |
❌ EXCLUDED
| Ingredient | Reason for Exclusion |
|---|---|
| Caffeine (daily use) | Replaced by paraxanthine; caffeine’s anxiogenic metabolites (theophylline) and longer half-life make paraxanthine superior for daily use |
| Synephrine | Cardiovascular concerns; regulatory issues; not needed with paraxanthine available |
| Yohimbine | Anxiety, blood pressure concerns; narrow therapeutic window; too risky for consumer supplement |
| DMAA, DMHA, etc. | Banned/restricted stimulants; severe safety concerns; absolutely inappropriate |
Dopaminergic Support Ingredients
✅ INCLUDED
| Ingredient | Product(s) | Dose | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| L-Tyrosine | Boost™, Sol™, ParaCaffeine +™ | 500-1000mg | DA/NE precursor; stress resilience; well-established; NALT form for stability |
| Mucuna pruriens | Sprint™ only | 500mg (75mg L-DOPA) | Direct DA precursor; reserved for acute use; powerful but not for daily |
| Salidroside | Boost™, Sol™ | 100-150mg | MAO-B inhibition extends dopamine availability; adaptogenic; morning timing optimal |
❌ EXCLUDED
| Ingredient | Reason for Exclusion |
|---|---|
| L-DOPA (daily) | Tolerance, dyskinesia risk with chronic use; Mucuna reserved for Sprint™ only |
| Bromantane | Research chemical; limited safety data; regulatory concerns |
| Selegiline | Prescription MAO-B inhibitor; not appropriate for supplement |
Complete Ingredient Count by Product
| Product | Ingredient Count | Primary Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Boost™ | 16+ | Cholinergic, Dopaminergic, Mitochondrial, Adaptogen, B-vitamins |
| Sustain™ | 14+ | Cholinergic, Memory, Mood, Membrane, Alertness, B-vitamins |
| Recover™ | 12+ | GABAergic, Circadian, NAD+, Minerals, B-vitamins |
| Sol™ | 12+ | Hydration, ATP, NO, Adaptogen, B-vitamins |
| Luna™ | 8+ | Sleep, Hydration, GABAergic |
| ParaCaffeine +™ | 7 | Stimulant, Cholinergic, Dopaminergic |
| Sprint™ | 11+ | Maximum Cholinergic, Maximum Dopaminergic, Stimulant |
Synergy Verification: No Antagonisms
| Potential Conflict | Resolution |
|---|---|
| Stimulants + GABAergics | Circadian separation (AM stimulants, PM GABAergics) |
| Alpha-GPC chronic stroke risk | CDP-Choline daily; Alpha-GPC Sprint™ only |
| Huperzine A accumulation | Sprint™ only (24h t½ precludes daily) |
| Paraxanthine + sleep | 2PM cutoff; 3-4h t½ ensures clearance |
| L-DOPA + daily use tolerance | Mucuna Sprint™ only; Tyrosine for daily DA support |
| High-dose B6 concerns | P5P only (active form); <50mg total daily |
| Multiple cholinergics | Distributed across products; total ~550mg CDP-Choline daily (safe) |
Document Control
| Version | Date | Author | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2026-01-25 | NTRPX R&D | Complete ingredient decision matrix |