Nootropics are smart drugs, memory enhances and cognitive enhancers. Is intelligence enhanced or your neuro system made better by using nootropics? There are supplements, nutraceuticals, functional foods and drugs that specifically improve mental abilities. These mind bending substances are believed to work by altering availability of the brain’s supply of neurotransmitters, hormones and enzymes with increased oxygen. Stimulating nerve grown and health is also a premise behind nootropics.
Nootropics have a positive effect on the brain and the mind. There are many nootropics on the market and more studies are being developed to see which enhancers work the best. In the meantime, try those nootropics that can give you added mind power.
Function of Nootropics
What specific brain function will be enhanced does rely on the type of nootropic supplement you use. You can find nootropics that help with cognition, motivation and concentration to attention and every brain energy.
- Alter the supply of neurochemicals in the brain. Neurotransmitters, enzymes and hormones are boosted.
- Oxygen supplies are improved and the efficient use of the brain”s oxygen supplies is elevated.
- Nerve growth is stimulated.
Mental Wellness Benefits and Products
If you need a bit of an edge for studying for tests or you want more mental energy just to get through the day, nootropics might just be the answer. Truck drivers use nootropics to help them stay awake and business people use these supplements to help improve the sharpness of their brains for presentations, sales meetings, and having the ability to think quicker and deeper.
The most common form of nootropics is known as racetams. Using racetams consumers have reported the the ability to think clearly and have increased mental energy was highly upgraded. Reading and writing was augmented and linguistics skills and memory were highly upgraded. More brain energy which translated into more physical energy.
Nootropics racetams that are used frequently include:
- Noopept which has a number of positive effects. No particular enhance is listed, but Noopept will help with all brain functions.
- Oxiracetam is a racetam that is highly popular, but it does take up to two weeks for memory improvements to be noticed.
- Piracetam is the most common and reported nootropic. It does, however take daily doses before the full effects on brain function are felt. As a note, piracetam was the first produced nootropic.
- Pramiracetam is a fat soluble supplement that helps with motivation and focus issue. General cognitive and memory development is benefited with Pramiracetam.
If you are looking to find a bit of an edge in work or school or every everyday life, most of these facetam properties are long lasting and very effective. Still, there are those who claim that by studying, dreaming, and using your brain is the entire enhancement that you need. They advocate staying away from nootropics until all reports and studies have been complied. Yet, with more and more stresses and complicated lives isn’t any supplement good? To date there have been no deadly adverse side effects marked by using nootropics for brain power.
Components and Additional Products
Look to nootropics or smart drugs or supplements that improve brain function in foods like chocolate and green tea. It has been found that phenethylamine and L-Theanine, natural chemicals in these products are excellent brain foods. As with any supplement, use logic. Brain enhancement foods do not mean to drown yourself in green tea or eat great amounts of chocolate, but to use these foods naturally.
In 1964 a group of Belgium scientists created Piracetam from purified chemicals in medicinal plants and synthesized well-known chemicals. This nootropic was found to aid cognitive functions and as a treatment for Alzheimer’s. Now products with piracetam are the most well-known and used brain supplement on the market.
Caffeine and Adderall are stimulants considered to be nootropics. Adderall was legally considered to be an attention-deficit hyperactivity drug for children. Adderall is indeed a nootropic supplement that provides support for brain function, but it is also feared to be highly addictive. The main ingredient in Adderall is amphetamines and this produce is in a shortage crisis due to overuse and abuse. Caffeine has always been used to stimulate alertness and wakefulness as needed.
Moving on to more consumer produced nootropics, one formulation on the market is Alpha Brain whose ingredients are naturally extracted and not produced synthetically. Consumers report that these supplements work quickly. Use Alpha Brain to become mentally sharp and increase awareness. Alpha Brain has been reported to produce vivid dreams as well as help the user wake up earlier and with more vitality.
What are the components of Alpha Brain? Acetylcholine which is a neurotransmitter and increases REM dreaming. GPC choline converts to acetylcholine in the body and Huperzine A or an alkaloid from Chinese club moss. Huperzine A breaks down the enzyme that controls acetylcholine. In other words, the manufacture states, “GPC choline is being converted to acetylcholine, Huperzine A keeps it from disappearing.” In basic terms, this supplement “plugs the drain and turns on the water.”
Another supplement that is popular and used widely contains an extract from the plant una de gato. This vine is found in the Amazon jungle and has been shows to encourage DNA repair. Legumes seem to contain concentrated source of L-Dopa which is the neurotransmitter dopamine. Natural ingredients are always better than artificial chemical supplements. Look at labels on nootropics to make sure you use natural substances.
Cons to Nootropics
Like any supplement, too much of a good thing, can be detrimental. Taking nootropics does not seem to be harmful or dangerous, when taken occasionally for finals week, or when you need a mental boost, but it is always possible that the body will build up a tolerance for retroactive products if overused.
Try pharmaceutical grade products to help control the dosages and keep from ingesting contaminated natural extracted products. As an example, one herbal nootropic is St. John’s Wort, and dosages of this herb are not controlled. Who knows how much you are really taking. Too much St. John’s Wort can cause diarrhea symptoms, hyperactive moments and sleepless periods. Too much of a good thing or high doses of acetylcholine will cause your heart rate, blood pressure and temperature to rise to dangerous levels.
More scary news? Nootropics are awesome for brain power but Huperzia serrata extras from that great vine in the Amazon, imitate nerve gas. However, take Huperzine A, the extract of Huperzia serrata used in nootropics, in small does for protection against nerve agents. To sum up this extract used in some nootropics ” “ you will have enhanced dreams, be affected and protected by nerve gas agents if you take too much. This is really confusing. Advice from pharmacists and doctors, Just take the proper and recommended dosages and you will be fine.
Finally
You can find nootropic supplements with only one ingredient, or those that combine many ingredients. Every product will tout enhanced brain activity and all will work on one or two functions of cognition and memory. If you want a great product, talk to experts in the health food aisles. One product that has many ingredients could be great – all the ingredients and dosages are clearly marked on the packaging. When considering taking nootropics, as with any supplement, do research, study and write down the pros and cons. Do your due diligence. You do not want to end up addicted, hyperactive, and overly smart.
