Piracetam vs Aniracetam: FDA Status and Evidence
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Piracetam vs aniracetam: what is known about each?

FDA status · Human evidence · Product testing

Short answer: Neither is approved in the US. We found no FDA-approved product or DailyMed label for either.1 In a 2019 warning letter, FDA said one seller's piracetam and aniracetam products were not dietary supplements.2 Reviews of piracetam found no clear memory benefit; aniracetam's human data are mostly one open-label study.34 No study has compared them.

How do piracetam and aniracetam compare side by side?

From FDA, DailyMed and published reviews and studies. Neither has a US label.
PiracetamAniracetam
US statusNo FDA-approved product or DailyMed label1Not approved for human use in the US51
FDA warning letter (2019)Named; FDA said the seller's product was not a dietary supplement2Named; same finding2
Best human evidence found2024 meta-analysis: 18 studies, 886 people with memory impairment3Open-label, non-randomized study of 276 people with cognitive disorders4
ResultNo clear difference from placebo on memory (p = 0.12)3Test scores held steady over 12 months on aniracetam; no placebo group4
Older review2001 Cochrane review: effect on overall impression of change, but no benefit on specific measures62002 review: mostly rodent findings; no convincing evidence they carry over to people7
Supplement testingNot covered in the testing study cited hereUp to 502 mg per serving found; 9 of 12 declared amounts across products were wrong5

Reviewed . Half-life figures are shown only where the value Dose Track uses agrees with the cited source.

Are piracetam and aniracetam legal supplements?

In a February 2019 warning letter to an online seller, FDA said the seller's products, including piracetam and aniracetam, were drugs because of the claims made for them, and that they were not dietary supplements or conventional foods.2 We found no approved application or DailyMed label for either.1

What does the human evidence show?

  • Piracetam: a 2001 Cochrane review of people with dementia or cognitive impairment found an effect on doctors' overall impression of change but no benefit on any specific measure, and said the evidence did not support its use.6 A 2024 meta-analysis of 18 studies (886 people) found no clear memory difference from placebo.3
  • Aniracetam: a 2002 review describes clinical use for behavioral symptoms of dementia, but most findings come from rodent models.7 A 2012 open-label study of 276 people with cognitive disorders reported that test scores held steady over 12 months on aniracetam; it had no placebo and was not randomized.4

None of these studies was in healthy people looking for sharper focus. These are study protocols, not personalized advice; confirm any dosing with your prescriber.

What did testing of racetam products find?

Researchers bought 10 supplements labeled as containing racetams and tested them. They found aniracetam and other unapproved drugs, some not on the label, and some labeled drugs were missing. Of 12 declared amounts, 9 were wrong. One serving could contain up to 502 mg of aniracetam, and one product could expose a user to as many as 4 unapproved drugs.5

More detail: the Piracetam and Aniracetam guides.

This page summarizes labels and published studies. It is not personalized medical advice; confirm any dose or change with your prescriber.
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Frequently asked questions

Is piracetam or aniracetam FDA approved?+
No. We found no approved product or DailyMed label for either, and a 2021 study describes aniracetam as not approved for human use in the US.15
Does piracetam improve memory?+
Reviews have not shown it clearly. A 2024 meta-analysis of 18 studies found no clear difference from placebo, and a 2001 Cochrane review found no benefit on specific measures.36
Is aniracetam stronger than piracetam?+
There is no study comparing them, so this cannot be answered from the evidence.
Are products sold online what the label says?+
Often not. Testing of racetam supplements found 9 of 12 declared amounts were wrong, and some contained undeclared unapproved drugs.5
Can I track piracetam or aniracetam in Dose Track?+
Yes. Both are in the research library, so you can log what you take and when.

Sources

  1. DailyMed and Drugs@FDA (openFDA) searches for piracetam and aniracetam, October 28, 2026: no labels and no approved applications.
  2. FDA. Warning letter to Peak Nootropics LLC (aka Advanced Nootropics), February 4, 2019.
  3. Gouhie FA, et al. Cognitive effects of piracetam in adults with memory impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2024;243:108358.
  4. Koliaki CC, et al. Clinical efficacy of aniracetam, either as monotherapy or combined with cholinesterase inhibitors, in patients with cognitive impairment: a comparative open study. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2012;18:302-312.
  5. Cohen PA, et al. Five unapproved drugs found in cognitive enhancement supplements. Neurol Clin Pract. 2021;11:e303-e307.
  6. Flicker L, Grimley Evans G. Piracetam for dementia or cognitive impairment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2001;(2):CD001011.
  7. Nakamura K. Aniracetam: its novel therapeutic potential in cerebral dysfunctional disorders based on recent pharmacological discoveries. CNS Drug Rev. 2002;8:70-89.

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