Nootropics

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Im a huge fan of nootropics and actively research new methods of enhancing cognitive functioning. My "Bioassays" have however been limited to sustainable non remarkable enhancers. I have never for instance tried cerebrolysin or Sodium Valproate

In the short space of time that ive been on my regimen I have nevertheless noticed a quantifiable measurable effect on my cognitive and emotional performance and wellbeing.

Does anyone have any positive experiences with cognitive enhancing supplements such as Omega 3 oils Zinc and B Vitamins etc

Around 19 I quit smoking, stopped drinking caffeine, and took 5g of piracetam daily (iirc). I think it helped my coordination and planning, I stopped dropping things and blanking out. I believe I took it with omega-3 and b12 supplements. It also relieved a lot of the ear ringing. I miss taking it, things started to feel a little cloudy without it, but cost/getting it delivered stood in the way. May start again soon.

This raises an important point and also forms the primary reason I refuse to take some of the more potent nootropics. They are untested entities. Magnesium threonate is a good example. It is a magnesium supplement designed to increase synaptic production and function since it is delivered straight to the brain as opposed to being deposited at bone sites.

There is very little research on how this potentiation of synaptic function will affect long term cognition. Id be concerned that long term use of any of the -racetams could actually produce adaptive behaviours. That is the brain actually rewires itself to accomodate the new factor. Rather than a return to baseline ones overall cognition seems more impaired than it did before usage was initiated - hence the brain fog experienced by people terminating long term treatment

I had not heard that particular term do I looked it up, I realize it is the overall term for a group of drugs and I am actually trying to get off of all chemicals and go completely natural - in other words the total other direction. I am actually thinking the reason for my being as bad as I am is the whole of society being as artificial as it is.

Part of why I feel this is so is that the more natural I eat and the fewer medications I take the better I behave and feel. The worst things that have occurred in my life have been due to artificial items. My worst reactions have bee to major drugs and chemicals in foods and GMO's and gluten - the less I get, the better I am

I tried a chemical called alpha-brain, which is advertized on the Joe Rogan podcast, which was rather effective. It did not do anything particularly revelatory but gave my mind a slight edge that it had not had previously. It could have been a placebo effect but even if it was, it was effective and that to me is the important thing. I also know people who have had lucid dreams under the influence of Alpha-Brain tablets, which I believe is a fancy word for lots of different natural agencies. The thing is I find is that you cannot really cut out 'chemicals' from your diet and go natural since everything is somewhat chemical, your brain is essentially chemical in its essence. They are a very interesting phenomenon though. In Russia they apparently, have more science dedicated to developing nootropics while we in the west seem to only care about drugs that have a medical application associated with them. Perhaps because our government does not want its citizens to be developing themselves mentally? Who knows...

I'm a bit skeptical that magnesium threonate is any more effective than other bioavailable forms of magnesium, such as the much cheaper magnesium sulfate. There is a single study which suggests that magnesium threonate has a positive effect on the cognitive abilities of rats, but this effect is due to enhanced brain magnesium levels, which can come from any magnesium source. The proof that mag. threonate has a higher brain bioavailability than other magnesium compounds is still in the pudding.

Aside from that, magnesium lowers calcium levels, and calcium plays a major role in the long-term potentiation of synapses (i.e., in memory retention). Which means that lowered calcium levels due to excessive magnesium intake could have the exact opposite of the desired effect. On top of that, magnesium is neurotoxic at high doses. As are calcium and zinc, which suggests that it's a bad idea to take any mineral supplements unless you're certain that you're suffering from a deficiency.

I looked into piracetam, but it turns out that it's prescription-only in my country. It is only approved for the treatment of dementia and from what I read, it does indeed have a habituation effect. So I agree that it's probably not a good idea to experiment with this substance.

What I'm currently taking (other than vitamin B and D supplements) is guarana, which seems to improve my concentration and memory, L-theanine — mainly to lower my social anxiety, but it supposedly also improves focus & cognitive function — and tyrosine, which enhances brain dopamine synthesis. Dopamine improves everything from motivation and focus to long-term memory, muscle control and happiness. There is even a study which suggests that it improves deficiencies in social behavior (link). Greatly elevated dopamine can cause psychosis, but people on the autism spectrum are more likely to have low dopamine levels. Especially those who, like me, are on SSRI-type antidepressants. SSRIs can cause extreme apathy and lack of motivation, and I feel that tyrosine helps balance that out a bit.

I am a huge proponent of korean panax ginseng. Don't buy it in grocery stores, or extracts, or pills, the quality can be quite bad. What you want is the whole roots, get them from speciality herbs stores. Get whole, good quality korean panax ginseng roots, and just break off pieces and chew on them. You want to chew on a piece that maybe about the size of half the last notch on your pinky finger.

Ginseng has tons of health benefits if you look it up, it's extremely healthy to supplement everyday, and its like one of the oldest used herbs ever, so the safety of long term use is well established. But ginseng isn't just a supplement for healthy body processes, it is a psychoactive. The effect of it I think is most similar to amphetamine, but with less of a 'high' feelings, and more transparent. It gives your body a lot of physical stamina and strength, like your body and limbs actually feel lighter, you can run longer, and it keeps the brain much more focused and able to recall thoughts faster and think clearer. And it's effect is really comfortable on the body, you can actually eat a lot of it and be ok, it's non-toxic, you could eat like a pound of it and you'd live, although very uncomfortably probably. But some days if I am feeling depressed or having weird thoughts or something, I just eat a pretty sizable chunk of ginseng root and it just yanks my brain and body into a better place. And it gives my brain and body a lot of more stamina to be like social, and giving energy and emotion out to other people, and it does make you ever so slightly 'high' in a way that your just a bit more euphoric and uninhabited. It's really helped me in just day to day social interaction, as well as letting me focus better on work, as well as keeping my whole body healthier. It's really a miracle plant for me. I really think korean panax ginseng is one of the great secrets of medicine that most people don't know about because of production issues with it. It's really difficult and resource intensive to produce top quality korean panax ginseng, so they literally cannot produce enough of it to supply the whole globe if they tried marketing it like a synthetic pharmaceutical, so it's never gotten big companies or marketing behind to bring it to the fore front of how good it really is. But if you have the money to afford supplementing it, it's totally worth investigating.

I am bring up this topic among all other threads since this has some information from the previous poster

Really need help on this research as I've badly crash at work with my brain fog and it went blank when I need to speak!
Anxiety was a issue and memory/focus was bad. I am not sure if my red bull before that make things worse.

Currently I am on fish oil, Vit E, B6 w magnesium & B12 methyl , anti -depressant pill.

Taken from:
http://www.braintropic.com/best-nootropic-stack/

A major part of ADHD might be low Dopamine level
(I've read anti-depressant will decrease dopamine while increasing serotonin)
- Take L-tyrosine

For focus & Relaxed Energy
- take caffeine or L-Theanine (example 3 packet of green tea)

Motivation And Feeling Good
- Sulbutiamine
(read and its actually enhanced B1 Thiamine?)

Focus
-NALT (N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine)
(which is also L-tyrosine in bio form?)

memory formation and recall
- Alpha GPC
(Choline)

Cognitive Boost And Reducing Anxiety
- Aniracetam

Memory & social anxiety
- Noopept