Nootropics. What exactly are these and do they work?

in health •  8 years ago  (edited)

You know how in "Limitless", Bradley Cooper takes a pill and becomes a genius?
Nootropics are nothing like that!

Though the philosophy behind nootrpics is that we could hack our brain chemistry and perform at super-human levels, in practice, we fall short by a lot. So anyone who says that a limitless-pill is in the work and possible is mostly lying to you!

NOOTROPICS
are drugs, supplements, or other substances that improve cognitive function, particularly executive functions, memory, creativity, or motivation, in healthy individuals.

If you are not familiar with this, you might think right now that it's all a bunch of BALONEY! But what if I told you...that you already use nootropics?
The most widely used nootropic is "Caffeine". If you ever had a cup of joe you are, my reader, a nootropic user! And that's pretty cool to see what nootrpics can be. Think on why do you drink coffee: To feel awake and focused for longer. [ and of course, it's delicious but that's a different discussion ]


So basically, people asked if they could find a better substance that can push the benefits ever more. What if I could be awake for days and do a great deal of work at peak shape? There's a nootropic for that.
What if I could have tunnel-focus for hours on end and never get distracted? There's a nootropic for that.

Basically, almost any and all benefits are, to some extent, possible with nootropics. That being said, there's obviously a price to pay. Always remember:

Think back to the coffee. Sure, it helps and its benefits are palpable but then.....as you get used to it, you need more and more to get the same benefits. You get anxious and nervous easier.You crush after the initial caffeine rush. Oh boy, the promised drug has side effects :)

That's the case with any class of nootrpics out there. People who use them and try them, perform all kind of experiments with quantities and "stacks", keeping very detailed notes on the effects and side effects and adjusting as they go. It's a gamble at the highest of stakes: your brain's chemistry can get messed up. Still, this does not mean that is all dangerous and stupid. Results are real and these people are not stupid at all.In fact, a lot of them are true believers in the possibilities nootropics can open to the human potential.

In fact, I really think that early crypto adopters and nootropics mad scientist have a lot in common. They both live in the future. A future that, in my opinion, is about to be unleashed on us all.
I fear the moment when we won't be separated just by luck of the DNA, education, willpower but by how good your meds can be. If a rich person can afford a "will-power" pill that a poor person won't the gap will just grow and grow.
Another pill can make you smarter and learn faster. Rich people will have access to better, designer-nootrpics that will give them amazing edge over everyone else.
But, just like crypto, the believer envision a world in which EVERYONE will be better for it. Smarter, more focused, in control of their destiny. No longer will anyone struggle with lack of sleep, there's a nootropic for that!

Today, nootrpics are mostly accessible. There are a lot of good vendors and you can buy almost anything, in powedered form and make your own..or you can buy some pre-designed cocktails and see for yourself. I can't recommend anything just do your research before you try anything. [ Examine.com is a good resource for that! ]

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For my experience, I only tried the most basic of stuff. Not surprisingly, that's something that is recommended to all noobs to try first. It's a very simple combination of: Caffeine + L-theanine. The idea is that you get all the benefits of caffeine without the side effects as l-theanine is a calming natural substance from tea. You won't get anxious or the jitters anymore but feel calm and focused...in theory!!.

The results were real but not as intense as I have hoped. I think I expected a bit too much. Still, whenever I need to focus for longer periods of time I do like to take this combination and it really boost my performance a tiny bit.

So how about YOU? Have you tried anything, do you have an opinion?
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Phenibut isn't technically a nootropic, but it's worth it to try out! Helps with anxiety, sleep and motivation. I'd also say Modafinil (and really most of the -afinils) are good for work! Nootropics have been exploding in demand and interest over the past 2 years, excited to see where it goes! I gained a fair amount of subscribers due to my videos on them. :)

I love phenibut, but take it with care, it can be very addictive.

Right, you definitely have to watch out for it. Some people don't know their limits!

one more now!

What definitively classifies something as a nootropic? I've had this discussion with some of my buddies in the nootropic scene, and I personally hate the "smart drug" or "cognitive enhancer" definitions because nearly all foods & drugs could be classified as that

Yeah, I'm not sure. Because a lot of "smart drugs" are actually recommended for other stuff [ like add ].
It's an interesting questions, i guess anything that pushes over your natural limits...

What's funny is, there's a typo in the article spelling nootropic as "nootrpics." It made me think: "neuter pics".

Smart drug is definitely a wrong term as it flirts to much with the context of illegal drugs. I use "cognitive food supplement" when people frown upon the term Nootropic. I guess everything that's kinda new and unknown is bound to be frowned upon.

sure thing!!

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

I've had extensive experience with the 'racetam' family of nootropics. Normally I'm not into synthetics and prefer to take my medicine directly from mother nature, but the 'racetams' are one such exception.

I Haven't taken any of them in some years, as it's somewhat contraindicated with tobacco (nicotine), which I occasionally enjoy. I would recommend these particular compounds to anyone who has suffered a stroke, or just wants to get clarity without stimulants. Combined with Rhodiola, one of my favorite herbal adaptogens and a cognitive enhancing herb, you WILL notice the effects. But then the question becomes... what will you DO with your newfound powers?! :)

I really need to write a post about my favorite plant medicines, thanks for reminding me. :)

Oh, a great source for all manner of plant extracts and compounds such as these. I say great because I mean integrity of source, and quality. https://relentlessimprovement.com/

Cheers!

Thanks a lot!
Alwasy interested to read about people's experience with these!! what DID you do with the powers? :D

Well, look... when I was experimenting with the racetams and rhodiola pretty consistently, I was living in San Francisco, and breakfast for everyone was a hilarious cornucopia of tea, herbs, and supplements. I once heard Piracetam described as, "It's like you have on a 'miner's hat' of intelligence, and whatever you turn your gaze on, you can very clearly look into from every conceivable angle. But this is when I had my epiphany You can be absolutely lucid and high functioning, but no substance can tell you what you must do. It can help you do it, but it won't really help your inner compass at all. I guess that's where psychedelics come in... but even then, you're ultimately on your own to decide. So what did I do? I sailed the world, made art, grew lot's of ganga, and tried to stay out of trouble. ;)

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

By the way, Tea - Camellia sinensis, is my 'nootropic' of choice... I'd better have some right now, actually.

need to read on this. never heard of it. thanks! i loved your comments :) followed

I don't drink coffee or anything containing caffeine, but I like your statement: early crypto adopters live in the future.

That;'s the general sentiment for me...

If a rich person can afford a "will-power" pill that a poor person won't the gap will just grow and grow.
Another pill can make you smarter and learn faster.

I think genetic engineering will make these pills obsolete (if they ever come about).

I think so too, but it wasn't the point of the article. It's very unsettling though...Gattaca, anyone?!

I know. Read the article. Thing is I don't think any of these substances offer substantial "power up". Most of not all, act much like a placebo.

Id beg to differ, many of the OTC nootropics may rather minute in power, but as someone who has been apart of the community since places like silkroad were the only places one could find these, there are many more that are far from "placebo" . You should look into biohacking though, nootropics is just one of the subcategories of the biohacking-sphere.
http://forum.biohack.me/

I am aware of their existence but haven't found any evidence for their efficacy. In theory they do work. in practice, no.

Actually the do, even caffeine works but it suffers from the same downsides that everything else does, which is tolerance.

3meo-2xox-pce definitely works for what I used it for. It had one major downside though and that was the mania that accompanied it even while microdosing. Then there are different forms of magnesium that are more soluble than others. And there are also pure neuropeptides now, which is really the way that the industry is shifting. Rather than taking drugs that effects my brain a certin way to produce the release of neurotransmitter, why not just go to the source and directly take the neurotransmitter

i like magnesium and just got some! But while it can be considered a nootropic...for me is still in the "safe" zone: caffeine, l-theanine, magnesium threonate...
what do you think of it?

I have a friend who works for one of the bigger nootropics companies and the only thing that he currently takes on a daily basis is magnesium threonate. Don't quote me on what it does exactly, but I'm pretty sure that magnesium helps protect your brain from everything else. We produce it naturally, but if you're increasing the levels of other chemicals artificially than you also need to increase the level of magnesium

how many of these nootropics have you tried? EDIT @kyriacos

None. Personal experience is irrelevant

you're saying that none of them work, yet you've tried none of them, and that personal experience Is irrelevant... personal experience is always relevant, and should always be even more relevant to you(the person experiencing) than anything else. Who gives a fuck if every college in the world agrees that substance D is not the cause of symptom F. Until somebody who refuses to believe that the current scientific consensus is correct brings their own personal experience to lite, nothing changes and nobody even begins to look deeper in that direction

You're making a huge sweeping statement criticizing our science, and providing nothing but conjecture to back up this criticism... Even a personal account would be more relevant to a 3rd party observer than what you're currently telling us.

@kyriacos lol oke. I'm gonna go talk to that tree over there. waving hand

nice....upvote and resteem for u

Nice post! Modafinil works really well for me if I take it early in the morning before a busy day that requires intense focus. I would do 200 mg dose at a time and not more than three days in a row to avoid building up a high tolerance. Bullet proof coffee will do the trick as well when I have it in place of breakfast and especially when I use coffee beans that I roasted myself. It's amazing how much fresh roasted beans enhance the flavor and intensity of a cup of coffee. Try it one day with coffee roasted with a day or two.

did you watch the show where from this character with wand comes from? i used to watch a few seasons of it until i got bored.

I did. it was brilliant until it got boring.

Lithium brah!

Interest and progress in it can cause a person to catalyze into the same state of mind as one under the influence of Nootropics. Specifically based on ones level of interest in something in particular, whatever that may be; Usually a culmination of many, many things.

What about charlie? That always makes me feel kinda smart?

what's a charlie?! :)))

Hehe, it's often Columbian in nature!

I've not tried any of these chemical nootropics, but know people that use the high end offerings regularly, and swear by their effectiveness for improving focus, productivity and performance.

These things have their place and purpose, but I find myself working to foster the very opposite of what these supplements/performance enhancing drugs do, most of the time.

I prefer to relax, calm and unwind through parasympathetic nervous system activation.

Also, the adrenal system can become depleted, over time, with long term, regular use of these types of stimulants and I enjoy my chill way too much personally.

I think balance is key here. As with all things in life.

I'm thinking of trying some out. Coffee is not good in large doses anyway

I believe when nootropics reach the steroid effect level then we can talk, all the rest i believe has placebo effect !

Some seem to be almost there!!

Always wanted to try them, but then the biologist and pharmacist in me tells me your body needs rest and sleep to repair and reset itself! I'll stick to my morning cup of joe for now ;-)

I'm surprised! The pharmacist n you should be like " I CAN TOTALLY HACK THIS" :)))

Then the years of experience in natural health and holistic medicine is probably going against it! Not sure why I don't want to try... although it would be cool. Once saw a documentary from a guy who was taking them and only needed 1 hour of sleep/rest a day... amazing what you can accomplish in another 7 hours more a day. So maybe one day hehe

I think it's good to have an open mind. But i would never get too deep into holistic medicine because it;s too much bullshit swimming in that water. No offense, some things do work but a lot seems ot be built on placebo...now natural cures, that's a different discussion.

Of course, the real question is...do you really need them? do you want to sleep 1hours/day?
I mean it's like speed reading, would be cool to read a booka day but damn it, i like to read slow and enjoy it!!

You are absolutely right! That's why my clients like me I reckon... I'm somewhere in the middle between conventional medicines and natural cures... with holistic I mean natural cures (not homeopathic medicines or other hippy-dippy weird stuff (like bach blossoms) which I think are bullshit) but you know ginger, turmeric, healthy food, exercise, etc... helped @menta to get off his weekly sick-making meds to control multiple sclerosis. He has been medicine free for 3 years and no flare-ups on over 5 yeasr thanks to healing foods and active lifestyle!