Neuro Energy & Focus Gum Review 2026

We think 7.1 is about right for a product this simple, and the one bar that's empty is the easiest to fix. Only two of its four ingredients count toward the score, caffeine and theanine, and the caffeine is dosed where its research says it should be. Theanine is where the formula bar loses its points, because a piece has 60 mg and its studies start at 100 mg. The B6 and B12 are ordinary daily-value amounts, so they don't move the score either way.

The testing bar is at zero, and that's the bigger miss. The pack carries a "3rd Party Tested" badge, but we couldn't find a single report, lab name or listing to back it, and one current report from a named lab, measuring the caffeine and theanine, would take the score to about 8.1 on its own. The score also treats one piece as the serving, because that's what the label says. Chew two together, which the brand suggests anyway, and the theanine gets past 100 mg.

The panel on the product page matches the back of the pack in the brand's photos, 40 mg of caffeine from green coffee bean extract and 60 mg of theanine in each 1.7 g piece.¹² Peppermint, spearmint, cinnamon and wintergreen all print the same amounts, but watermelon doesn't. Its serving is two pieces with 20 mg of caffeine each, so each watermelon piece has half the amounts on this page.³ The core amounts haven't moved since at least 2017, when the brand's homepage listed the same 40 mg and 60 mg.⁴

The pack's directions are short, "Adults, take as necessary to support energy and focus. Do not swallow," and there's no daily maximum anywhere on it.² It also says "Product of Canada," which the website doesn't mention. One slip on the product page is worth knowing about. Its comparison tab lists the caffeine as "60 mg + L-theanine," when every panel says 40 mg.³

Caffeine comes in at 40 mg a piece, right on 40 mg, the study dose we use as caffeine's benchmark, and that mark isn't a stretch. A 1987 trial found sharper vigilance and reaction times at 32 mg, and another saw effects from as little as 12.5 mg in people who'd skipped their morning coffee.¹⁷¹⁸ The closest test of Neuro's format is a trial in 118 young adults. A gum with 40 mg of caffeine improved sustained attention and mood compared with a plain gum, although chewing the plain gum lifted mood a little too.¹⁹ The brand's line that one piece equals "Half a cup of coffee" is fair against the FDA's 80 to 100 mg a cup, and it's a little generous once you allow for the caffeine that stays in the gum.³²⁰

Theanine is the part that falls short. A piece has 60 mg, 40 mg under the 100 mg where its studies started finding an effect on their own. Even at 100 mg, the main result in a recent dose trial was a slightly faster simple reaction time.²¹ With caffeine alongside, the lowest theanine amount with a published result is 97 mg paired with 40 mg of caffeine, which helped people switch between tasks in two trials,²²²³ and we didn't find any trial at 60 mg. So one piece is mostly a caffeine gum with some theanine in it.

The B6 and B12 are 0.7 mg and 2.4 mcg, 41 and 100 percent of the daily value. That's a nutritional amount rather than a focus dose, and the NIH notes that trials of B12 haven't improved thinking in older adults, and that it doesn't seem to help energy or endurance in people who already get enough.²⁴

Two pieces sort the theanine out, and the product page suggests one or two pieces at a time anyway.³ That's 80 mg of caffeine with 120 mg of theanine, close to the 40 mg and 97 mg pairing that worked, just with twice the caffeine, for the price of a second piece. To be fair to Neuro, a label this short is easy to check, and every amount on it is printed.

Neuro gum against its closest matches

Shared ingredientsFull formula

Add a product to compare+ Add a productNeutonic Productivity DrinkThesis MotivationVyvamind

Product	Neuro Energy & Focus Gum (Peppermint)This review	×Caffeine + L-Theanine 100 mg / 200 mg Capsules	×Caffeine 2	×Transparent Labs Cognition
Scientific audit	7.1/10	9.4/10	7.2/10	7.8/10
Buyer rating	8.4/10	8.8/10	8.8/10	9.7/10
Price per serving	$0.34	$0.33	$1.47	$1.67
Doses of Neuro Energy & Focus Gum (Peppermint)'s ingredients
Caffeine	40 mgnatural caffeine from green coffee bean extractAt or above the study dose benchmark	100 mgcaffeine (anhydrous per the product page)At or above the study dose benchmark	50 mgnatural caffeine from Coffea robusta seedsAt or above the study dose benchmark	100 mgPurCaf organic caffeine from green coffee beanAt or above the study dose benchmark
L-Theanine	60 mgL-theanine40 mg below the study dose benchmark	200 mgL-theanineAt or above the study dose benchmark	100 mgL-theanineAt or above the study dose benchmark	100 mgAt or above the study dose benchmark

The products that share the most cognitive ingredients with Neuro Energy & Focus Gum (Peppermint) are shown first. Any product sharing at least two can be added.

If you only care about how much caffeine and theanine you get for the money, a capsule wins easily. Nootropics Depot's Caffeine + L-Theanine has 100 mg of caffeine and 200 mg of theanine for 33 cents, about what one piece of gum costs. That's more than twice the caffeine and over three times the theanine for the same money. The gum's case rests on speed and portion size instead. It probably gets caffeine into your blood sooner than a capsule, going by studies of other caffeine gums, and you can take it 40 mg at a time with nothing to swallow.

Performance Lab Caffeine 2 is the nearest capsule in spirit, with 50 mg of caffeine and the full 100 mg of theanine a capsule, plus 250 mg of tyrosine, well under its 2,000 mg benchmark. It costs $1.47 a capsule, though, so a piece of Neuro is the far cheaper way to take caffeine in small steps, as long as you're happy chewing two for the theanine.

A 90-piece bag costs $30.99 on Neuro's own site, which is 34 cents a piece and one of the lowest prices per serving of anything we've audited. The 54-piece pack costs more per piece, and a subscription takes 21 percent off either size.³ Neuro also sells the gum through its official Amazon store and on Walmart, where the listing is sold by Neuro itself at the same price as the brand's site.²⁵²⁶

• neurogum.com direct

  Listed price

  $30.99

  Per serving

  $0.34

  Status

  In stock, Peppermint 90-piece pack

This prices the two ingredients we score as separate bottles at the amounts their studies started from, 40 mg of caffeine and 100 mg of theanine.

The bottles come out a little cheaper a day than one piece of gum, and they give you the full 100 mg of theanine that a single piece misses. What they can't give you is caffeine you chew, which probably reaches your blood sooner and comes in 40 mg steps, so with Neuro the choice is more about format than money.

Innerbody Research

Written review, team testing · Dan Min · Updated Apr 21, 2025

“However, Neuro Gum lacks several of the more robust cognitive-enhancing ingredients used in other nootropic supplements, like tyrosine and citicoline, so there's some trade-off between convenience and effectiveness.”

Full breakdown

The Nutrition Insider

Brand review, products sampled · Tim Kalantjakos, reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Hughes, MD · Updated Apr 18, 2023

“After plenty of initial skepticism, Neuro won us over with high formulation quality, an excellent customer service response, competitive value, and more.”

Full breakdown

Caffeine Informer

Taste test of a brand-sent sample · Undated

“Overall, I like this product and believe it is one of the best caffeinated gums I've tried.”

Full breakdown

Innerbody, whose testers tried the peppermint gum, rates the brand 3.9 out of 5 across its gums and mints and has the same doubt about theanine that we do, calling Neuro's 3:2 ratio "suboptimal."²⁷ It also says Neuro will send certificates of analysis on request, which we haven't been able to check. The Nutrition Insider grades the brand A- and says the products are "both WADA and NSF certified," but we found no Neuro product in NSF's listings, and its two-piece, 80 mg serving doesn't match the label's one piece.²⁸¹² Caffeine Informer, which was sent the gum to try, calls it "one of the best caffeinated gums I've tried" and would like the caffeine warning somewhere more visible than the bottom flap of the box.²⁹

The thing to watch is how quickly gum adds up. Each piece is 40 mg of caffeine and the pack gives no daily limit. The only ceiling we found is the product page's note that about 10 pieces reach 400 mg,³ the most the FDA cites as not generally linked with harm in healthy adults.²⁰ Five pieces over a working day is already 200 mg, and two mugs of coffee on top takes you to 360 to 400 mg. Keep the last piece well before the evening, because in one trial 400 mg of caffeine taken six hours before bed still cut total sleep by more than an hour.³⁰

The sweeteners are the other thing to count. Each piece has 1 g of sugar alcohols,¹ sorbitol and, in most flavors, xylitol,³ and that adds up the same way the caffeine does. At 10 pieces it's 10 g, and in small trials a single 10 g dose of sorbitol taken in one drink gave a third to half of healthy adults stomach trouble.³¹³² Xylitol is dangerous to dogs, so keep the packs out of their reach.³³ The pack says the gum isn't for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women or anyone sensitive to caffeine,² and if you have a heart condition or anxiety, or take other stimulants, talk to your doctor first. We're researchers, not doctors.

For about the price of a caffeine and theanine capsule, Neuro gives you 40 mg of caffeine you can chew, and studies of other caffeine gums suggest it gets into your blood a little sooner than a capsule would. Where it falls down is everything around that. A piece has 40 mg less theanine than the studies used, the focus study in its marketing tested the mints and was never published, and we couldn't find anything behind the testing badge.

Neuro makes the most sense if you'd rather chew your caffeine than swallow it and you like being able to stop at 40 mg. Chew two at a time and the theanine reaches the amount its studies used, which still costs very little. If what you want is the most caffeine and theanine for the money, or a test report you can read, a plain capsule is the better buy. And whichever way you go, count the pieces the way you'd count cups of coffee.

33 sources cited

1. Neuro. Energy & Focus Gum supplement facts panel image, from the product page's facts section. Serving size 1 piece (1.7 g), 90 servings, total carbohydrate 1 g, sugar alcohol 1 g. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. neurogum.com facts panel
2. Neuro. Back-of-pack image, peppermint 90 pieces, from the product page gallery. Supplement facts, directions "Adults, take as necessary to support energy and focus. Do not swallow.", the warning "CONTAINS 40MG CAFFEINE PER PIECE. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN, PREGNANT OR BREAST-FEEDING WOMEN, AND PERSONS SENSITIVE TO CAFFEINE.", "3rd Party Tested", "cGMP Certified", "FDA Compliant", "Product of Canada". Accessed Oct 30, 2026. back-of-pack image
3. Neuro. Energy & Focus Gum product page. Supplement facts panel (1 piece, 40 mg natural caffeine from green coffee bean extract, 60 mg L-theanine, 0.7 mg B6, 2.4 mcg B12), peppermint 90 pieces one-time $30.99 and 54 pieces $24.99, subscriptions 21% off, "No Crash, No Jitters", "(1 Piece = Half a cup of coffee)", the FAQ note "We recommend 1-2 pieces at a time, as needed" and that about 10 pieces reach 400 mg of caffeine, a comparison tab listing caffeine as "60 mg + L-theanine", and watermelon at 2 pieces a serving. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. neurogum.com
4. Neuro homepage, Internet Archive capture of Jun 3, 2017. "With 40mg of caffeine and 60mg of L-theanine", "CHEW 1-2 PIECES AS NEEDED". Accessed Oct 30, 2026. web.archive.org
5. Rogers PJ, Smith JE, Heatherley SV, Pleydell-Pearce CW. Time for tea. Mood, blood pressure and cognitive performance effects of caffeine and theanine administered alone and together. Psychopharmacology, 2008. 250 mg caffeine and 200 mg theanine, 48 adults. PMID 17891480
6. Dodd FL, Kennedy DO, Riby LM, Haskell-Ramsay CF. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the effects of caffeine and L-theanine both alone and in combination on cerebral blood flow, cognition and mood. Psychopharmacology, 2015. 75 mg caffeine and 50 mg theanine, 24 adults. PMID 25761837
7. Neuro. The pilot study, on the brand's science page. A test of Neuro's Energy & Focus mints in 20 participants across three tasks, with time to a "High Attention State" scored by the BrainCo focus algorithm, 21.43%, 16.09% and 13.33% faster. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. neurogum.com/pages/the-pilot-study
8. Neuro. New research shows how nootropic Neuro mints boost brain performance. PR Newswire, Apr 6, 2021. "The study was conducted by Dr. Wasifa Jamal from MIT and BrainCo". Accessed Oct 30, 2026. prnewswire.com
9. Kamimori GH, et al. The rate of absorption and relative bioavailability of caffeine administered in chewing gum versus capsules to normal healthy volunteers. Int J Pharm, 2002. 50, 100 and 200 mg as gum or capsules, 84 men. PMID 11839447
10. Sadek P, et al. A randomized, two-way crossover study to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of caffeine delivered using caffeinated chewing gum versus a marketed caffeinated beverage in healthy adult volunteers. J Caffeine Res, 2017. About 50 mg as gum or instant coffee, 16 adults, sponsored by Mars Wrigley Confectionery. PMID 29230348
11. Neuro. Ingredients and science page. "Lab-Approved. Rigorous testing protocol ensures each gum and mint is consistent and effective" and "Get in the zone faster than supplements or drinking coffee or energy drinks." Accessed Oct 30, 2026. neurogum.com/pages/ingredients-benefits
12. NSF International. Certified dietary supplement listings, searches for Neuro and NeuroGum. No Neuro gum product found. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. info.nsf.org
13. Informed Choice and Informed Sport. Searches for Neuro. No results. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. wetestyoutrust.com
14. Neuro. Refund policy. The "Neuro Money Back Guarantee", items "unused and in the same condition that you received it" in the original packaging, partial refunds for items returned more than 30 days after delivery, return shipping paid by the buyer, sale items excluded. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. neurogum.com/policies/refund-policy
15. Neuro. Returns page and FAQ. "Orders can be canceled, returned, or exchanged within 30 days of purchase", products "must be unopened and in their original condition." Accessed Oct 30, 2026. neurogum.com/pages/returns
16. McLellan TM, Caldwell JA, Lieberman HR. A review of caffeine's effects on cognitive, physical and occupational performance. Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 2016. PMID 27612937
17. Lieberman HR, et al. The effects of low doses of caffeine on human performance and mood. Psychopharmacology, 1987. 32, 64, 128 and 256 mg in 20 men, with vigilance and reaction time improved from 32 mg. PMID 3114783
18. Smit HJ, Rogers PJ. Effects of low doses of caffeine on cognitive performance, mood and thirst in low and higher caffeine consumers. Psychopharmacology, 2000. 12.5 to 100 mg after overnight abstinence, 23 adults. PMID 11057520
19. Smith A. Effects of caffeine in chewing gum on mood and attention. Hum Psychopharmacol, 2009. 118 young adults given a 40 mg caffeine gum, a placebo gum or no gum. PMID 19330801
20. US Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the beans. How much caffeine is too much? 400 mg a day cited as not generally associated with negative effects for most adults, and 80 to 100 mg in an 8 oz cup of coffee. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. fda.gov
21. Dassanayake TL, et al. Dose-response effect of L-theanine on psychomotor speed, sustained attention, and inhibitory control. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Nutr Neurosci, 2023. Single doses of 100, 200 or 400 mg, 32 young adults. PMID 36263942
22. Giesbrecht T, Rycroft JA, Rowson MJ, De Bruin EA. The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness. Nutr Neurosci, 2010. 97 mg L-theanine with 40 mg caffeine, 44 young adults. PMID 21040626
23. Einöther SJ, Martens VE, Rycroft JA, De Bruin EA. L-theanine and caffeine improve task switching but not intersensory attention or subjective alertness. Appetite, 2010. 97 mg L-theanine with 40 mg caffeine. PMID 20079786
24. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals. Adult RDA 2.4 mcg, no improvement in cognitive function in trials in older adults, and no apparent benefit for athletic performance or endurance with sufficient status. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. ods.od.nih.gov
25. Walmart. Neuro Energy & Focus Gum, peppermint, 90 count bag, sold by Neuro, Inc, at the brand-site price. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. walmart.com
26. Neuro. Counterfeit awareness page. Buy from the official website, "Neuro's Official Amazon store - NeuroGum" or trusted retailers, and "we cannot provide refunds for purchases made outside of our official website or authorized retailers." Accessed Oct 30, 2026. neurogum.com/pages/counterfeit-awareness
27. Min D. Neuro Gum review. Innerbody Research, last updated Apr 21, 2025. Editor's Rating 3.90. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. innerbody.com
28. Kalantjakos T. Neuro review. The Nutrition Insider, last updated Apr 18, 2023. Rated A-. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. thenutritioninsider.com
29. Caffeine Informer. Caffeine in Neurogum nootropic chewing gum, a taste test of a brand-sent sample. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. caffeineinformer.com
30. Drake C, et al. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med, 2013. 400 mg caffeine six hours before bed reduced total sleep by more than an hour. PMID 24235903
31. Jain NK, Patel VP, Pitchumoni CS. Sorbitol intolerance in adults. Prevalence and pathogenesis on two continents. J Clin Gastroenterol, 1987. 10 g sorbitol caused abdominal symptoms in 32% of 124 adults. PMID 3611685
32. Corazza GR, et al. Sorbitol malabsorption in normal volunteers and in patients with coeliac disease. Gut, 1988. Symptoms in 45% of 30 healthy adults after 10 g sorbitol. PMID 3343011
33. US Food and Drug Administration. Paws off xylitol, it's dangerous for dogs. Accessed Oct 30, 2026. fda.gov