Nootropics: A Simplified Lowdown on These Smart Drugs

by Todd Purcell
Nootropics, also called smart drugs, refers to any brain supplement that has the ability to make your mental processes perform better after taking it, usually through oral means. The term “nootropics” however, have been used too loosely in the recent years particularly by manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements that they are selling as “smart drugs,” that its true meaning has somewhat become muddled.

When the word “nootropic” was coined, it was supposed to be used to identify compounds and substances that have the ability to improve how your brain works, which is why these substances are also called cognitive enhancers. As what will be discussed in a bit, the person who came up with the word also set standards for a substance to be considered as a nootropic.

Nootropics, in the truest sense of the word, are indeed smart drugs. Calling these brain supplements as smart drugs may come off as being smug, but they can really help a great deal in jacking up your IQ points several notches higher. While they may not turn you outright into a regular Einstein, they can surely help you get more out of your brain through different means.


Among the benefits of supplementing with nootropics include better memory, improved logical reasoning, increased mental focus and concentration, enhanced mental clarity, and a boost in learning and communication skills. And no, a real nootropic should not turn your brain into mush just in case you were thinking it.

Noots, as those who were in the game long enough like call them, the benefits extend beyond improving your mental processes. Some brain supplements can stabilize your mood and act as anxiolytics (they keep you from having a hissy fit). These other abilities complement the main cognitive enhancing properties of the nootropic. Smart drugs are even proven to help improve physical performance as well, which is why some nootropics are often added in pre-workout  supplement stacks for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

 

DR. CORNELIU E. GIURGEA AND “NOOTROPIC”


The term “nootropic” was coined in 1972 by a Romanian doctor named Corneliu E. Giurgea. He got it from combining the Greek words for for “mind” and “to bend”. If you are wondering what authority the doctor had in coming up with the collective word for all brain improvement supplements, well the good doctor also happens to be the same guy who developed Piracetam, technically the first working synthesized smart drug some 8 years before he actually came up with the word “nootropic.”

The following are the standards set by Dr. Giurgea on what nootropics should be.
  1. They must have the ability to improve memory and learning abilities.
  2. They should be able to help an individual retain memories and learned abilities. This ability should be present even if the individual were to be exposed conditions that tend to mess up memories such as hypoxia and electroconvulsive shocks to the brain. 
  3. They should have the ability to give the brain some level of protection from physical or chemical injuries. 
  4. They should be able to make the control mechanisms within the cerebral cortex more efficient. 
  5. They must not have the negative effects associated with psychotropic drugs such as sedation or motor stimulation. 
  6. They must not be toxic.
Due to the increasing popularity of cognitive enhancers, the term nootropics have been used way too much by manufacturers and distributors of pseudo-noots just to cash in on the growing demand. If one were to measure all supplements that are claimed to be smart drugs by the standards of Dr. Giurgea, only a few will be able to come close to being a ‘true’ nootropic.

TYPES OF NOOTROPICS  


a. Vitamins - B and D Vitamins are believed to have a positive effect in the cognitive processes in the brain. Vitamin B is known to help in keeping the homocysteine levels in the system low. This can be considered as a neuroprotective factor as homoscysteine is linked to cognitive impairment. On the other hand, Vitamin D is thought to be involved in brain development and brain function in adults. Individuals with high Vitamin D levels were observed to have better cognitive functions.

b. Supplements – Some products being marketed as nootropics come in the form of dietary supplements, such as Choline and Phosphatidylserine. Choline is one of the more popular nootropic supplements and it works by providing the brain with more choline, which is essential in making Acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter in the brain responsible for most of its cognitive functions. Phosphatidylserine supplementation on the other hand does not only help in cognitive enhancement, but it also helps treat and manage a variety of neurological and psychological conditions.

c. Naturally-occuring Nootropics – There are a wide variety of plants that are believed to have the ability to impart nootropic effects when taken. Some have been shown in studies to have some positive effects on the cognitive processes, while other plants have also shown properties that may contribute to make the process of cognitive enhancement much more efficient, especially when used together with a more potent nootropic agent as part of a supplement stack. Among the plants that are used as cognitive enhancers are the following:

· Gingko Biloba
· Bacopa monnieri
· Huperzia serrata
· Gotu Kola
· Mucuna oruriens
· Kratom
· Ginseng
· Lion’s Mane Mushroom
· Cat’s Claw
· Celastrus paniculatus
· St. John’s Wort
· Melissa Officinalis
· Curcumin
· Valerian
· Sage


d. Racetams – This type of cognitive enhancer is one of the most popular and widely used type nootropics. Piracetam, the very first nootropic ever developed is also the first racetam. Among the types of racetams that are commonly used as a supplement include Aniracetam, Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam, Phenylpiracetam, and Coluracetam. These racetams have varying potency and effectiveness, but are nonetheless regarded as effective smart drugs. The mechanism of action of racetams is not fully understood, but they are believed to act as modulators of the AMPA glutamate receptors in the brain and likewise stimulate acetylcholine activity in the brain.

Modulating the AMPA receptor activity in the brain, can be simply explained as fine tuning the signaling of the wirings in the brain. The effect of this fine tuning is a clearer and more efficient mental process. Acetylcholine stimulation on the other hand is believed to improve both short and long term memory, logical reasoning, learning abilities, and communication skills. Racetams are often taken together with Choline supplements to make it more effective and to help prevent headaches, one of the common side effects of racetam supplementation.

e. Ampakines – An ampakine is a type of compound that is similar to racetams, but has a stronger effect. Its mode of action is focused on modulating the AMPA glutamate receptors in the brain. While racetams are also observed to affect AMPA receptor activity, ampakines have a significantly stronger effect on the AMPA receptors compared to racetams. Some ampakines are estimated to be 1,000 times stronger than piracetam.

Studies on ampakines have shown it to be very effective in enhancing memory, learning abilities, and alertness in laboratory mice. This ability even caught the attention of the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for military applications.

Most of the ampakine compounds studied however, proved to be disappointing in human tests because most Ampakines can’t be efficiently absorbed by the body. It also only stays in the body for only a short while. However, there are some commercially available ampakines like Sunifiram and Unifiram, have proven to be very potent and effective cognitive enhancers.

f. Stimulants – While some may not consider stimulants as nootropic agents, it does help in increasing productivity and it has long been used by students as a study aid. Due to some factors like toxicity, downregulation, and abuse potential, stimulants may not be the safest cognitive enhancers to use. Some of the more popular stimulants used as study aids or productivity enhancers include anti-ADHD drugs like Adderall and phenethylamine, amphetamines, Eugeroics like Adrafinil, Armodafinil, and Modafinil; nicotine, and caffeine.

g. Others – Some drugs like tianeptine, selegiline, rasagiline, and bupropion have also shown to have nootropic effects.

ARE NOOTROPICS SAFE? 


The dangers of using stimulants have long been established and you must therefore exercise caution if you choose to use them as cognitive enhancers. Naturally occurring nootropics like the ones mentioned in this article are one of the safest routes to go if one wants to try supplementing with smart drugs. They may not be as potent as a racetam or ampakine, but they are generally much safer to use. One should also remember that there are naturally-occurring substances that are dangerous if taken indiscriminately.

Most racetams and ampakines have been deemed to be safe to use for supplementation. Some of them have even been observed to have the ability to protect the brain and likewise have the ability to promote the growth of new neurons in the central nervous system. This is the same reason why some have been using racetams and ampakines to treat and manage Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline that comes with old age. However, one must keep in mind that there is no data available regarding the long term effects of racetam or ampakine supplementation.

Genuine nootropics should be safe to use and they can help you in a variety of ways. Please explore our website to learn more about these amazing compounds to see how you can give your brain a boost and improve your mental processes.

While you are at it, you may also want to visit the website our affiliates who sell high quality, and more importantly, safe nootropics and smart drugs to pore over the types of brain supplements you want to take for a spin.

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