Health & Fitness

Nootropics beginners guide (All you should know about nootropics)

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What if there is a magic pill that could turn you into a smarter person, or to make you more creative and clear?

You would say that this could happen only in movies like “Lucy”, “Phenomenon” and “Limitless”, the latter gives the best example where the main character takes pills known as NZT. But, the truth is they sort of.. exist, and these are the nootropics.

Nootropics rise in popularity in the past few years, due to our current lifestyle which has become intense and stressful, and more challenging. So, people try to do whatever it takes to be smart, motivated, and productive.

If you have never heard about nootropics before, this article will guide you and give you an overview as a beginner by answering the most frequently asked questions about smart drugs before taking in actions. So what are nootropics? And do nootropics really work? Are nootropics safe? What are the nootropics benefits and side effects?

Contents:

What are nootropics?
Do nootropics really work?
Are nootropics safe?
Nootropics benefits and their usage purposes
Top Nootropic stacks
Nootropics side effects
Natural cognitive enhancers
Conclusion

What are nootropics?

The word “Nootropics” originates from the Greek language combined from two words “noo” which was translated as “mind” and the root “troops” that means “change” or “turning”. And the literal meaning of the word is “mind turning”.

Nootropics is not a modern word. This term was outlined in the early 60s when Corneliu E. Giurgea a Romanian psychologist and chemist synthesized Piracetam and used the term of nootropics to describe his newest discovery, and coined this term a decade later.

So, smart drugs became the popular name of nootropics, simply because these supplements, drugs or substances have something to do with boosting the brain activity and used to enhance the executive cognitive functions, and some can even help in increasing neurogenesis –growing and developing nervous tissue-.

Do nootropics really work?

Yes nootropics work, and to better understand how they work, you need to know how your brain operates, the functions of the brain rely on the neurons to transmit electrochemical signals to other cells in the brain, and their efficiency to a compatible response to electrochemical signals received from other cells.

The electrical characteristics of neurons are managed by an unconfined diversity of biochemical and metabolic operations, particularly the interactions between neurotransmitters and receivers existing in the synapses.

And, to achieve the greatest output of smart drugs as a healthy person, make sure first that you take good care of yourself by having good sleeping habit, and a steady healthy diet, plus you need to sacrifice some time to exercise both body and mind by reading or solving puzzles, and most of all, you must be patient, don’t expect smart drugs to give a massive and immediate buzz like the NZT contrary to the popular belief, nootropics are just like adding flowers to the silk.

Besides, when you choose your nootropic stack, try to do some IQ tests online or download applications to your phone, to see if there is a remarkable change on how your brain proceed, before and after taking smart drugs, and to know if the money you spent on worth it as well, or you have to change your nootropic stack.

Are nootropics safe?

If we take a look back, nootropics history reveals that this kind of cognitive enhancers were used to cure mental and psychic disorders to maintain healthy habits, such as students having trouble to focus or pay attention ADHD, Alzheimer, anxiety and depression.

However, the consumption of these smart drugs among healthy individuals, without medical consultation has become very popular in time, and many people like celebrities, students and entrepreneurs are using them to increase their brain activity to be able to confront everyday life challenges, and this is due to the fact that they don’t cause serious side effects to no side effects, but this doesn’t mean that nootropics are safe for daily life over usage.

Certified nootropics with medical prescription are not on the list of forbidden or illegal substances, and they are not causing unwanted or scary side effects. They are completely safe, and not considered as addictive drugs.

Nonetheless, ALL CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS HAVE RISKS, our bodies and minds react differently in their unique way towards chemical and even organic substances, -gender and age matter-, if you are not sure about any product, you must consult a qualified professional in this domain.

Also, the financial side is very important because on the market there are nootropics from the most expensive to the cheapest ones, in the latter case, cheaper doesn’t mean effective or good for your health. Learn to always check the details about these smart drugs and this is a rule that can be followed in any other cases.

Nootropics benefits and their usage purposes

There is a whole list of nootropics you can choose from, some can help you boost the supply of neurotransmitters, other types can boost your brain activity and others provide protection for the brain against disorders.

Nootropics can be used for different reasons depending on each ones need, because each supplement targets a different cognitive function, or multi cognitive functions at once.

In this list I only brought you the top affective nootropics according to a survey done for educational purposes based on users’ feedbacks:

Memory

PRL-8-53
Phenylpiracetam
Adderall
Bacopa
Armodafinil

These substances however, have only minor effects on improving memory, no user has reported a very effective impact.

Focus

Adderall
Methylphenidate
Armodafinil
Modafinil
Phenylpiracetam
Caffeine
Adrafinil

Adderall is the best rated focus enhancer on this list, the rating went beyond the average, while the other substances are considered to have moderate effects on focus.

Motivation

Adderall
Methylphenidate
Armodafinil
Modafinil
Phenylpiracetam
Caffeine
LSD Microdose
Adrafinil

Adderall seems to have almost the same effects on motivation as on focus according to the rating, and the next coming happy pills on the list as referred to, have average results.

Mood

LSD Microdose
Tianeptine
Phenibut
Aderall

These substances have noticeable mood improvement, they all have almost the same effects level, especially LSD Microdose, Tianeptine and Phenibut.

Anxiety

Phenibut
Kava
CBD Oil
Tianeptine
L-Theanine

All the 5 listed nootropics are considered as the most popular antidepressants, anxiety level become very low as users have reported.

Best Nootropic stacks

Users always use smart drugs in stacks for better results. Here below the best 5 effective nootropic stacks and their usage purposes:

L-Theanine, Caffeine: These two substances enhances consciousness, focal functions and the energy level, users usually add Racetam to them.
Pramiracetam, Piracetam and Oxiracetam:These three are considered to be the most popular Racetam, and they are good for better learning, absorbing information and enhancing memory.
Pramiracetam and Alpha GPC: This stack is good for better learning too, its effects are remarkable when used simultaneously, that is why it is popular among students.
Noopept and Citicoline: Noopept is a powerful cognitive enhancer, and it is taken with Citicoline to prevent or decrease the potential side effect as users has reported, it is headache.
Acetyl, Choline and L-Carnitine: This combination when taken together, it turns up cholinergic areas which are responsible for motivation, focus and memory, Racetam is often added to this stack as well.

Nootropics side effects

Nootropics are not made the same nor the human body, each substance is designed for a specific use with a specific dosage, and when used inappropriately, side effects will take place, here bellow the main top 5 side effects users claimed they have experienced:

Headache
Insomnia
Laziness
Dependency
Digestive tract disorders

Natural cognitive enhancers

If you are not into chemical stuff, don’t worry organic food can boost your brain power too, and keep it healthy, these are the top 5 vitamins which have major importance and effects, and are very necessary to our brain to operate in a proper way:

Vitamin B:

Vitamin B is one the most essential compounds which is very useful against the brain-wasting associated with aging, and it assists in protecting from memory loss and depression.

Organic food containing vitamin B: Fruits particularly bananas, fish chickens and eggs, leguminous plants and green leafy vegetables like spinach and peas…, carrots and potatoes…

Vitamin C:

The one task that no other antioxidant functions execute as good as The vitamin C does is the functional maturation of the induced neurons.

It helps in protecting the brain from psychosis, ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes and Alzheimer, it also enhances energy, and it is good for memory and learning.

Organic food containing vitamin C: Citrus fruits of course like pineapples, berries, needless to mention lemon and oranges, cruciferous and green leafy veggies, tomatoes…

Vitamin D:

Vitamin D improves memory, mood, and enhances reflection on solving problems capacities, over and above it restrains from cognitive impairment.

This vitamin’s favorite game is hide and seek, because its one and only main source can be found in the sun rays, -The famous “D” has decided to remain mysterious for some reason, don’t ask me why because I don’t know!-.

Due to its slight existence in organic food, scientists developed chemical substances of this vitamin, you better not get it without medical prescription.

Organic food containing vitamin D: fish especially sardines, tuna, salmon and pelagic fish, mushrooms and fortified milk.

Vitamin E:

Vitamin E teams up best with vitamin C for the brain functioning, since the former is usually related to good heart condition.

Vitamin E is a good cognitive enhancer for memory, and it protects from Alzheimer associated with aging.

Organic food containing vitamin E: Green leafy vegetables, seeds and nuts, avocado, olive oil and prawn…

Vitamin K:

Vitamin K is a cognitive and memory booster, studies shows that Alzheimer is related to the lack of this vitamin in the brain.

Organic food containing vitamin K: Green leafy veggies, cabbage and broccoli, mustard, parsley…

Organic food are usually safe. However, you should do some precautions like knowing foods to take or not on empty stomach, here is a little article to give you some leads

Beside chemical and organic cognitive enhancers there are manners and habits as well you can work on to maintain a healthy brain and body like reading, solving brainy puzzles or IQ tests, working out and meditating…

In order to get the most from nootropics or to boost your intelligence naturally, retaining a healthy body is the key to enhance your brain activity, as they say “A sound mind, is in a sound body”.

conclusion

I guess we are done here, I hope this article was useful, one last thing that I have to claim is that I am not a doctor or a licensed professional in medical or scientific fields or what so ever, not even close.

I am just a curious person like you are, all I have done is some hard work, and I brought you or at least I have tried to bring an all in one article, to get the main idea about smart drugs, nootropics, cognitive enhancers.

As well as I am not a promoter of any of the products mentioned above, if you decide to take any substance or a certain stack use it to your own cost.

The decision whether to take or not to take nootropics shouldn’t be based on general knowledge, or just because someone recommended them -or did not- since it did -or did not- do great in their case.

As I already mentioned, every human’s body is different and reacts differently towards any treatment. So, you have to keep in mind that the main purpose here is to ameliorate your health, because you could do more damage than good, if you were not very careful.

Moreover, today, technology has advanced really much, so, you can do a competent research that can help you decide if the type of nootropics that you intend to take are the best option in your case.

If you are not sure about what you need to choose you can always ask for advice from your doctor and only after that you can proceed in buying the product and take it. With this said, it’s up to you to decide to use or not these smart drugs.
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