Offers a wide range of nootropics and herbal supplements in addition to CBD
Top-notch customer service team
Manufactures all products within the UK in ISO-certified labs
Focus Supplements Review
Focus Supplements is a UK-based supplement company specializing in the cognitive-enhancement space. The company sells 20 unique herbal and nutritional supplements, including a CBD Oil Capsule.
Although the CBD product options are limited, the simple 10 mg CBD capsules the company offers are easily combined with the other supplement options on Focus Supplements’ website. By tailoring your CBD regimen with other supplements you direct the effects of CBD for a specific use or application.
Looking to support stress levels? Try taking CBD with ashwagandha supplements.
Looking to improve sleep? CBD, magnesium, and L-theanine are a great combination.
Want to boost athletic performance? Opt for Rhodiola and CBD in combination.
Mission/Charity5/5
Focus Supplements primarily offers supplements for supporting cognitive function. It makes sense that the charity of choice for this company is towards supporting mental health — specifically people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
A portion of every sale goes to the Alzheimer’s Society to help improve the lives of people living with this incurable, degenerative disease.
Hemp Source4/5
The hemp Focus Supplement uses to manufacture the CBD capsules is purchased from a large distributor. This is very common in the CBD industry, and most CBD companies source their hemp extracts from the same handful of companies — especially in Europe.
When asked, Focus Supplements were able to provide the extensive third-party testing for the last three batches of CBD extract used to manufacture its CBD supplements. The hemp extracts the company uses seems to be of excellent quality.
Product Range5/5
Although the product range offered by Focus Supplements is extensive, the company only offers one CBD offering at this time.
We couldn’t penalize Focus supplements too much for this because they do offer an extensive and diverse product lineup. Additionally, the form of CBD the company chose to offer pairs perfectly with just about any of the other supplements the company offers. This gives customers a distinct advantage over other CBD companies because it makes it easy to custom-tailor their supplement stack to suit their individual needs more closely.
Innovation5/5
Focus Supplements is ahead of the curve when it comes to other CBD companies. There are a few companies we’re seeing that have been adding other supplements to complement CBD in their lineup, but Focus Supplements is way ahead of the curve here.
The company is also well-known for having exceptional customer service and manufacturing integrity — something we’ve found to be rare in the newly formed CBD industry. All Focus Supplement products are made in the UK in ISO-certified facilities.
Safety5/5
Focus Supplements abides by the same strict standard as all supplement companies operating within Europe are subject to. They need to provide frequent test results on their products and follow stringent production protocols to keep its supplements free from contaminants or inconsistent doses.
When it comes to the CBD offerings, Focus Supplements keeps records of all recent third-party tests for each batch. These tests aren’t offered publicly on the website but can be made available by contacting the customer service team.
Customer Service5/5
Customer service is definitely a strong point for Focus Supplements. They have a team of knowledgeable UK-based staff ready and able to answer questions or direct you to the right spot. Not once were we given a generic copy/paste answer, or forced to talk to robots.
We even gave the customer service reps a test with a tricky question to see how they respond and were quite pleased with the level of effort the team put in to finding the answer to our question.
Focus Supplements is a veteran in the
supplement space. The company began as an eBay store selling various nootropic
and cognitive-enhancement supplements. The founders, Jack Baldwin and Chris
Willoughby eventually created their own online shop to sell their products.
However, with the passing of the Psychoactive Substance Act, the founders were
forced to remove more than half their stock — which was a major setback for the
company. The act was an attempt by UK regulators to combat the influx of
compounds people were using as “legal highs”. Unfortunately, many nootropic
supplements were caught in the crossfire, despite having no connection as a
legal intoxicant.
Despite the setback, Baldwin and Willoughby
didn’t give up. They took their concerns to the house of commons to have some
of the banned substances removed from the list — but nothing ever came of it.
The duo continued to add new and innovative
products to their lineup to give their loyal (and growing) customer base what
they wanted. They shifted their stance to focus primarily on natural
supplements, eventually adding CBD products to the lineup in 2019.
The company is now one of the premier sources of natural nootropics and health supplements in Europe.
Unlike most of the companies we’ve reviewed at
DailyCBD, Focus Supplements isn’t considered a CBD company. They’re a
cognitive-enhancement company that sells CBD supplements as an addition to its
product lineup.
Focus supplements only carry one CBD product
at the moment, along with over a dozen other herbal and nutritional
supplements. Let’s cover the companies product lineup in more detail.
These capsules are made with Focus Supplements’ own brand of CBD oil which has been injected into a gelatin-based capsule. Each capsule contains 10 mg of pure hemp extract, hemp seed oil, and glycerine.
These capsules are fairly simple when it comes
to CBD supplements, as there are no other ingredients in the formula to tailor
the effects to a specific application.
However, Focus Supplements sells these
capsules as an add-on to a targeted supplement stack. These capsules are an
excellent addition to a supplement stack designed for supporting cognitive
function, sleep, or muscle recovery — especially if combined with some of the
other supplements offered on the company’s website.
2. Other Supplements
Focus Supplements is best known for the other
supplements in its lineup. They only recently stepped into the CBD space.
While we’re not going to cover each supplement
in great detail, we’ll give you a brief overview of the other supplements the
company offers in its product lineup.
A) Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a traditional adaptogenic herb used for
supporting energy, stress, and sleep.
This herb was made popular by its frequent use
in the Ayurvedic medical system from India. Here, the herb was highly revered
as a Rasayana — an important tonic
herb used to treat a wide range of conditions.
Much like CBD, ashwagandha doesn’t work on one
system in particular — instead it targets a regulatory system for the body. By
improving this regulatory system, ashwagandha is able to support homeostasis
(balance) throughout the body. While CBD achieves this
through the endocannabinoid system, ashwagandha provides similar benefits
through the adrenal system.
Ashwagandha is an excellent supplement
to take alongside CBD for added stress-reduction benefits.
B) Alpha GPC
Alpha GPC is a nutritional extract from the
soy plant. It contains a high concentration of chlorine — which is used to
support the production of the neurotransmitter known as acetylcholine.
Acetylcholine is highly involved in the
process of muscle contraction and memory.
By taking alpha GPC on a daily basis, we can
support the natural production of acetylcholine to improve learning and memory.
C) Berberine HCL
Berberine is an extract from a few different
plants — such as goldenseal (Hydrastis
canadensis), mahonia (Berberis
vulgaris), and many other members of the Berberis genus.
This versatile supplement has antibacterial
effects, is a potent antioxidant, supports cognitive function, and has
cardioprotective benefits.
D) Boswellia serrata
Boswellia
serrata is the botanical name for frankincense — a
hardy tree found growing in harsh desert environments in Africa and the Middle
East.
The resin of the frankincense tree is
exceptionally rich in terpenes, antioxidants, and pharmacologically active
compounds.
The biggest benefit of boswellia supplements
is the potent anti-inflammatory effects. The resin
contains compounds that inhibit the pro-inflammatory regulating enzymes 5-LOX
and COX. By inhibiting these enzymes, and offering antioxidant support,
boswellia is an excellent supplement to take in combination with CBD for inflammation
or joint pain.
E) Caffeine + L-Theanine
We’ve spoken a lot about why
you should mix CBD with caffeine. Well, the same could be said about
mixing a supplement known as L-theanine with caffeine. The results are very
similar.
The relaxing effects of L-theanine (like CBD)
directly counteract many of the side-effects induced by caffeine from coffee.
This supplement takes pure caffeine and combines it with pure L-theanine. This combination supplement has a stimulating effect but isn’t as likely to result in side effects like anxiety or jitteriness. This is a perfect supplement for people who want the benefits of caffeine but find they’re usually too sensitive to the negative side effects of the compound.
F) Citicoline
Citicoline is another nootropic supplement. It
contains the precursor molecules neurons need to manufacture phospholipids —
which are a key element of nerve cells. Having a healthy phospholipid bilayer
on the outside of the nerve cells keeps them protected and improves electrical
conductivity — allowing them to do their job more efficiently.
Citicoline also provides the precursor
molecules for manufacturing uridine — a vital amino acid used to produce RNA
inside the nucleus of the neuron.
This supplement isn’t used as a direct
stimulant to the nervous system — rather, it’s used as nutritional support to
protect the system and help maintain peak performance and function.
CBD and citicoline are often stacked
together for the combined neuroprotective effects. The
CBD fights neuroinflammation and supports nerve function while the citicoline
enables the production of critical phospholipids and RNA for the structure of
the nerve cell itself.
G) D-Mannose Powder
D-Mannose is a sugar molecule primarily used
to support bladder and digestive health.
The simple sugar passes through the kidneys
and bladder largely intact. Once in the urinary tract, they bind to bacteria
living in the area — making it nearly impossible for them to attach themselves
to the walls of the urinary tract. This is useful for fighting infections in
the urinary tract.
This supplement is also used to support
digestive function by providing a source of nutrition to important commensal
species of bacteria living in the digestive tract that make up the microbiome.
H) DIM with Black Pepper Extract
DIM stands for diindolylmethane. It’s an
extract from soy plants that are used to support hormone levels.
DIM is primarily used for its ability to
inhibit an enzyme that converts 2-hydroxy-estrone to 16-alpha-hydroxy-estrone
and 4-hydroxyestrone. It’s thought that higher levels of
16-alpha-hydroxy-estrone and 4-hydroxyestrone lead to hormonal issues like weight gain, low energy
levels, infertility, and acne formation.
CBD and DIM are an excellent combination
if your goal is to support optimal hormone levels — especially optimal estrogen
levels.
I) L-Theanine
L-theanine is an extract from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis). It’s effects are
very similar to CBD in that it’s an anxiolytic and relaxant without being
directly sedative. Much like CBD, L-theanine targets the GABA receptors in the
brain for some of its effects. These GABA receptors are responsible for slowing
down neurological activity to promote a state of clear-headed focus and mental
relaxation.
L-theanine and CBD are a popular
combination for managing high levels of stress and anxiety.
J) Lion’s Mane
Lion’s mane is the common name for a medicinal
mushroom species known as Hericium
erinaceus.
This fungus contains compounds that support
cognitive function — primarily by stimulating something called nerve growth
factor (NGF).
NGF is a chemical the body uses to stimulate
the repair and production of nerve cells — which, of course, is critical for
maintaining optimal cognitive function.
Lion’s mane is commonly taken alongside
CBD for its protective role on the neurological system and for combined
anti-inflammatory effects of the two supplements.
K) Longjack Ali
Longjack Ali (Eurycoma
longifolia) is a Southeast Asian herb used for supporting
testosterone production in men.
The active ingredients in longjack —
eurypeptides activates an enzyme in the liver responsible for converting
pregnenolone and progesterone into dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA then
goes on to become testosterone.
This supplement is popular for combating the
gradual loss of testosterone experienced by older men and for optimizing
testosterone production in younger men. This helps to promote optimal athletic
performance, libido, and general health and wellbeing.
CBD and Longjack Ali are a popular
combination in older men and male athletes.
L) Magnesium
Magnesium is one of the most important routine
supplements available. This trace mineral is used in well over 300 separate
enzymatic processes in the human body, including the production of nerve cells
and neurotransmitters. It’s also one of the most common nutrient deficiencies
in the modern world.
Focus Supplements sells three different
magnesium supplements:
Magnesium Glycinate — A fast-absorbing and cost-effective source of magnesium
Magnesium L-Threonate — This form of magnesium readily crosses the blood brain barrier to
deliver magnesium directly to the neurons in the brain
MAGnify Premium Magnesium Blend — Focus Supplements in-house blend of magnesium-glycinate, magnesium
taurate, and other ingredients such as L-theanine, zinc, and black pepper extract
M) Pterostilbene
Pterostilbene is a compound extracted from
dark-colored fruits and berries — primarily blueberries.
This compound is very similar to
trans-resveratrol (from grapes). It has powerful antioxidant benefits and
powerful anti-aging effects. It works by causing small amounts of stress on a
cellular level, which triggers an even stronger response system in the body
that has a net benefit for reducing physical stress on the body.
Pterostilbene is a popular supplement to
take alongside CBD for supporting stress levels and general health and
wellbeing.
N) Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola is a plant found growing at some of
the highest elevations in the world — places exposed to the scorching hot sun,
freezing cold blizzards, gale-force winds, and poor soil nutrition.
Ironically, this humble plant found growing in
some of the most stressful environments on earth, is an excellent supplement
for combatting the stresses of daily life.
Rhodiola was first made popular after a
Russian scientist leaked years of Soviet research on the plant as an athletic
and cognitive enhancement supplement for Russian soldiers.
Much like CBD, rhodiola works by reinforcing a
critical regulatory system in the body — which has a trickle-down effect on
virtually all tissues in the body. Rhodiola targets the hypothalamus, which
serves as the control center for homeostasis (a fancy word for balance in the
body).
This supplement is primarily used to support
athletic performance, cognitive performance at work or university, and for
increasing our resistance to physical and emotional stress. It’s
an excellent supplement to combine with CBD for added benefit towards all of
these applications.
O) Saw Palmetto 20:1
Saw palmetto is a species of palm tree with
characteristically sharp leaf edges (hence the name).
The fruit of this tree contains a fatty
substance with powerful benefits on the male reproductive system. Saw palmetto
extract contains a compound that interacts with an enzyme known as 5-alpha-reductase — which is responsible
for converting free testosterone to 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone. This
metabolized form of testosterone is believed to be about 5 times as potent as
regular testosterone, and one of the key causes of conditions like male pattern
baldness and prostate issues in older men.
The most common reason for using saw palmetto
is to support male reproductive health in older age.
P) Trans-Resveratrol
Trans-resveratrol is very similar in structure
and function to pterostilbene mentioned above. It’s a potent antioxidant and
hormetic supplement for reducing stress levels.
Resveratrol is one of the most well-known
longevity supplements that make for an excellent addition to a daily
supplementation health routine.
Focus supplements resveratrol is made from
knotweed (Reynoutria japonica).
Q) Uridine Monophosphate
Uridine monophosphate is a nutritional
precursor for the production of nerve cells and RNA — an important protein
taken with transferring data stored in the DNA, to other areas of the cell.
Our DNA can be thought of as a recipe book —
it contains the instructions to make every protein in the human body. Without
these recipes, we wouldn’t be able to function. The DNA recipe book is
extremely important, so we keep it in a vault (nucleus of the cell). We use the
RNA to make copies of the individual recipe we need, which is then transferred
outside the vault.
The RNA then travels to the lab (ribosomes)
where the recipe can be used to produce new proteins. This way, we don’t
compromise our DNA but can still use the instructions to make the protein the
body needs.
Uridine monophosphate simply serves as a
support for this system by providing the nutrients required to carry this
activity out. The list of benefits that come from this system are endless, but most
people use this supplement specifically for supporting learning and memory.
What Does Focus Supplement Do
Well?
1. Diverse Product Range
Focus Supplements has a lot more than just CBD
— the companies sell a total of 20 different herbal and nutritional
supplements.
We’re a big proponent of taking a targeted
approach to your supplement use. We often give extra kudos to companies that
include multiple different supplement ingredients in their CBD product formulas
to make it more specific and efficient for targeting a specific symptom of
benefit.
While Focus Supplements’ CBD is very basic,
the other supplements the company offers is easily combined with the CBD
capsules for a more targeted approach to supplementation.
2. Charitable Donations
A portion of every sale made on Focus
Supplements website goes towards the Alzheimer’s Society — which is used to
improve the lives of people suffering from the condition, as well as research
for new effective treatments or prevention for the condition.
This charity is aligned with the company’s
primary focus on supporting cognitive health through natural health
supplements.
3. Top-Notch Customer Service
We’ve interacted with Focus Supplements
customer service team a handful of times while testing out a few of their
products and found them to be exceptional. They’re responsive (even on
weekends) and offer real-life support (no answers from robots).
This is an important thing to consider when
ordering from companies online. Occasionally there may be an error with your
order or a problem with the delivery — so it’s critical that the company you’re
buying from has a responsive customer service team with enough agency to fix
problems on the spot.
Many CBD companies we’ve reviewed are severely
lacking in this area.
Where Could Focus Supplements
Improve?
1. Only One CBD Product
While we love the diversity of Focus
Supplements product lineup, we’d love to see some other CBD offerings. The
company only sells one CBD capsule at the moment. Although these capsules are
made to compliment the other supplements offered by this company well, we can’t
help but feel at a loss for some of the other staple CBD offerings.
We’d love to see a combination supplement with
CBD and one of the other herbs offered by Focus Supplements, or even a CBD oil
offering.
2. Not Full-Spectrum
The CBD used in Focus Supplements CBD Oil
Capsules is made from isolate rather than full-spectrum hemp extract.
Full-spectrum hemp extracts contain the whole
range of cannabinoids and terpenes in the hemp plant. These compounds work
together to produce a stronger effect profile than CBD in isolation. This is
achieved through plant synergy — a concept best known in the CBD industry as
the entourage effect.
Safety & Third-Party Testing
Focus Supplements is known for its high
integrity when it comes to manufacturing. All FS products are made in GMP and
ISO-certified facilities in the UK.
The company’s CBD is third-party tested for
common contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, and residual solvents before
they even put the extract in the capsules.
Unfortunately, the company doesn’t make these
tests public — we were only able to gain access by reaching out to the customer
service team. However, the team promptly sent over the complete third-party
test results from the most recent three batches of hemp extract. We didn’t see
anything on these tests to suggest a problem. The hemp the company is using
appears to be in great condition.
Focus Supplements Shipping and
Return Policy
Focus Supplements is based out of the UK and
will ship their product to anywhere in Europe where CBD products are legal.
If you live within the UK shipping is free for orders over £25, or £1.99 for orders lower than
this amount. Shipping time takes about 5–10 days.
If you live outside the UK, shipping is free on orders over £50 or £7.99 for orders less than
this amount. Shipping times will vary depending on where you live, but most
orders are reported to arrive within 10 days.
Focus supplements offer a rock-solid 100%
money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy with your order, you can send the
product back within 30 days for a full refund.
Final Verdict: Incredibly Diverse
Product Range
Focus Supplements is one of the premier
nootropic and natural health supplement providers in Europe. The company offers
a broad range of natural health supplements in addition to CBD oil capsules.
We can’t recommend this company enough, as they have an excellent product lineup and excellent prices. This company is a one-stop-shop for CBD supplement stacks. You can combine the companies fairly simple 10 mg CBD capsules with any of the other supplements in the lineup for a tailored supplement regimen.
The only downside of this company is the poor
choice available in the CBD supplement department. The company only offers one
product here. You have the option to choose one bottle (30 capsules) or 3
bottles (90 capsules) which will allow you to save some money if you plan on
taking these capsules for a few months.
Overall, Focus supplements come highly recommended
as your source of CBD and other health supplements.