Improve, Memory, Focus, Learning, And Reaction Time: NOOTROPIC

[C3RB3RUS]

I found this in an old thread. The OP is NOTSMALL and his refrence is this article Activity Stream - UK Iron Community

Brain Chemistry
Author Unknown
As I write this, a slew of chemicals transverse the inner workings of my brain, having their way with various neurotransmitters, accelerating central nervous system function, and stimulating everything crossing their path. In the quest for building a better physique, increasing strength, and improving general health, one is destined to stumble upon some unorthodox performance enhancing aids. While some will prove to be an invaluable addition to the noble quest, most will aid your training to the same extent the pills advertised in the back of bodybuilding magazines enhance your "manhood". When I do put something into my body that provides a significant benefit, I like to share my experiences with others; mainly to elevate my chances for postmortem sainthood, but nonetheless, I can't think of a single entity on this planet that wouldn't benefit from the following information.

Compounds that enhance cognitive function and neural drive fall into a category known as nootropics (pronounced new-ooh-tropics). Typically this refers to prescription drugs, but for the sake of simplicity this article will include over the counter supplements under the "nootropic" umbrella, so any emails sent to me involving semantic debates will be promptly deleted (come on, we both have better things to do). Quite a few prescription drugs fall into this class, such as hydergine, piracetam, and various acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, commonly used to treat alzheimers patients and other brain degenerating diseases. Not only do these drugs do wonders for their intended user, but they can also provide great benefit to healthy individuals. Compounds such as these can increase alertness, mental clarity, speed of thought, memory, coordination, selective recruitment of Type IIB (strength) muscle fibers, enhance mood and sense of well being, protect the brain from hypoxic (lack of oxygen) conditions, as well as a host of other great things. Some of these compounds are available through mail order without a prescription, just take a look around. Many compounds are also available as over the counter supplements, and some people feel that they work just as well as their prescription counterparts (I don't necessarily agree, but it depends highly on the individual).

We all know what a jittery coffee buzz feels like, and I would first like to distinguish between central nervous system stimulants such as caffeine and ephedrine, and the compounds I am discussing. Nootropics will yield much more of a subtle buzz, so don't expect to feel like you hooked up a car battery to your eyeballs. Beneficial times to ingest these compounds would be about 20-30 minutes before a workout, before an athletic event, before you study/research, before a test, before you read Nietzsche?s theories on existentialism, etc. If you are the type of person who has trouble paying attention when learning, you will undoubtedly experience a huge effect. I have come across numerous people who have used these compounds and lost all ADD/ADHD like symptoms, enough to remove Ritalin/Adderall/Wellbutrin from their daily meds. When taking these compounds pre-workout you can expect to use heavier loads, workout longer, and be more explosive, as well as become more appealing to the opposite sex (1).

First, I will lie to rest some of the ol' standbys in smart drugs; hopefully shedding some much needed light on a few sub-par compounds. Then I will give you a list of the current kings of the grey matter, followed by a peek into some compounds with some future potential that are probably worth experimenting with.

The Past

Ginkgo Biloba- Research is wildly mixed at this point. Some studies show positive results in cognitive enhancement, some studies show nothing. It appears that this compound may elicit a response in some users, but non-responders appear to be common (2). In a recent study involving 219 participants, this conclusion was determined: The results of this 6-week study indicate that ginkgo did not facilitate performance on standard neuropsychological tests of learning, memory, attention, and concentration or naming and verbal fluency in elderly adults without cognitive impairment. The ginkgo group also did not differ from the control group in terms of self-reported memory function or global rating by spouses, friends, and relatives. These data suggest that when taken following the manufacturer's instructions, ginkgo provides no measurable benefit in memory or related cognitive function to adults with healthy cognitive function (3). While dosages can be argued, and this may not be the final word on ginkgo, there are many well-researched compounds that definitely work as they are intended to, so my advice is to bury the ginkgo.


Pyroglutamic Acid- This compound is a pyrrolidinone derivative with many similarities Piracetam (discussed later). For you pasty-skinned science junkies (I kid, I'm one of you), you can see the molecular similarities/differences.

The only reason I can think of to take pyroglutamic acid, is if you can't get any piracetam. It tries to do the same thing, just without working as well, it's like hammering a nail into the wall with a spoon...you might as well use a hammer.

St. John's Wort - The active compound (hypericum perforatum L.) of SJW is a weak monoamine oxidase inhibitor, as well as a synaptosomal re-uptake inhibitor of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. On paper, this sounds great, but most people by now have realized that the neurologicaly stimulating effects of SJW are overstated. In fact, most users will report the opposite, a calming, relaxed effect. SJW is not a worthless compound, as it can be used to minimize alcohol consumption (4), relieve moderate depression symptoms (too many studies to cite), and new research even demonstrates some anti-inflammatory effects (6). However, this compound seems to have many possibly hazardous interactions with other medications, so be extremely cautions when combining anything with it.

Tacrine (Cognex)- This compound is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (it keeps acetylcholine active longer by preventing its breakdown). So far, studies have shown its outstanding ability to be hepatotoxic, and an average of 75% of tested patients have received absolutely no benefit from tacrine therapy. If you think you might be one of the lucky 25%, and have no real emotional attachment to your liver, hey, it might be worth a try.


The Present (i.e. The Good Stuff)

N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine- Over twice as rapidly absorbed and bioavailable as regular L-Tyrosine, which has novels of research backing its' efficacy. The amino acid will enhance neurotransmitter output (such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine) and enhance mental focus, as well as assist your body with recruiting more muscle fibers resulting in an immediate increase in strength. I have found a dosage of 1,000 - 2,000mg to do the trick. Others I've talked to have found that it works wonders at 1/4 the dose of regular L-Tyrosine (about 500-750mg of the N-Acetyl for most people).


Huperzine- This compound works similarly to prescription nootropics, inhibiting the degradation of acetylcholine which is a powerful neurotransmitter already in your body. It also protects the brain from toxins, and promotes dendrite growth (the part of the nerve that branches off to attach to your muscle fibers). Try consuming 50 - 100mcg.


Bacopa- A proper dosage of this herb helps to synthesize neurons, and strengthen worn-out ones in the area of the brain responsible for creating and retrieving memories. It is also said to improve intellectual function, counter anxiety, and suppress cortisol (the stress hormone that breaks down muscle among other things). Studies show that the longer you continuously take bacopa, the better it gets. By itself, you probably won?t notice any "kick", but it will make a nice adjunct to a nootropic cocktail. It has also recently been shown to be a potent free radical scavenger (7), making it a good all around healthy supplement. This bitter tasting brown powder is best encapsulated at a dose of 500 - 1000mg/day.


DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol)- This compound will cross the blood/brain barrier and stimulate your body's production of choline and acetylcholine. Some people try to take choline itself for the stimulatory effect, but unfortunately it does not readily cross the blood brain barrier and is rendered ineffective. Studies show enhanced concentration, attentiveness, increased daytime energy, sounder but less sleep, and improved mood and personality. I don't care what anyone tells you, personality does come in a bottle...better living through chemistry. This product is also used in Europe to treat ADD. Give 100-200mg a whirl and see what happens. Caution: if you are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, or prone to chewing your own arm off, avoid this compound.


Vinpocetine- Expect enhanced memory and vision. I can attest to seeing the world a little more clearly when I have this in me; colors appear more vibrant; everything is more defined. As Russell Crowe put it in the movie L.A. Confidential, "In Technicolor sir". Your brain will also utilize glucose better, and produce more ATP (energy). Start off with 10mg; titrate your way up if necessary. This compound also works well sublingually (under the tongue), as well as nasally. Just don?t leave mirrors lying around with powdery residue when company comes over.


Phosphatidylcholine- A building block of brain cell membranes. Works through choline, similar to huperzine. By itself you may not "feel" a whole lot, but it can enhance the effect of other nootropics. A dose of 1,000 - 2,000mg should be plenty, although some studies have used up to 9,000mg with no side effects.


B-Vitamins- When taking any of the above compounds, I would recommend taking a b-complex capsule to aid with absorption, utilization and conversion. Do not, however, use a tablet.


Piracetam- Developed in Belgium in the 1960?s, this was first used as a motion sickness drug. Piracetam is really the one that started it all, the term and class of drugs "nootropic" was invented to describe the effects this compound had on the brain (8). Piracetam is a very well researched drug with a myriad of benefits such as: increasing reading comprehension and accuracy as well as memory in dyslexic children (9), inhibition of sickle cell anemia, a lessening in the effects of Parkinson's, decreasing perceived forgetfulness in middle aged men and women, all while having virtually no toxicity even at ridiculously high dosages.

One of the mechanisms of action for this compound is the promotion of information flow between the hemispheres of the brain, triggering flashes of creativity. If you make a living doing anything that can benefit from enhanced creativity (like I do) I would consider this a staple supplement.

Evidence also exists to show that piracetam may increase the number of cholinergic receptors in the brain by as much as 30-40%, so by giving choline more docking sites, a greater cognitive effect can then be achieved. Taking choline or phosphatidylcholine along with piracetam will actually cause a synergistic effect (1+1=3).

Most experienced users of piracetam will recommend a front-load approach which involves taking a very high amount for two days (some people report up to 10,000mg in three divided doses). After the front-loading phase, a daily dose of 2400mg in 3 divided doses is adequate for most. Everyone will respond differently though, so you may need to play around with the dosages, it took me a few days to dial in the right amount for it to really hit me. Whether this front-load is purely psychological or physiological is up for speculation. It could very well be easier to tell what you are supposed to be feeling (a sensitization) at a low dose after you have been bludgeoned with such a high amount. If you are already sensitive to compounds such as this, you may not even need a front-load, just start with 800mg, see if you feel it and go from there. This one is my personal favorite; you will immediately notice an improved sense of well being, focus, energy and drive. Piracetam goes very well with DMAE, phosphatidylcholine, and hydergine.


Hydergine- Like most nootropics, hydergine protects the brain in hypoxic conditions (lack of oxygen; comes in handy when you have enemies in the mafia), increases blood flow to the brain, reverses existing damage to brain cells, reduces fatigue, increases alertness, etc. Hydergine also inhibits free radical activity, normalizes systolic blood pressure, and can even lower high cholesterol in some people.

A possible method for hydergine's effect on memory and learning is its ability to mimick an endogenous substance called Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) which stimulates protein synthesis in the dendrites of the brain, crucial for memory and learning.

Start small with this compound, as many users report nausea with high dosages. The U.S. recommendation is 3mg/day, although the European dosage is 9mg/day in 3 divided doses. I would recommend taking this in combination with piracetam as they have a synergistic effect, but you won't need nearly as much of either when combining them. It is hard to recommend a dose, because depending on where you get the compound the tablet size may vary, as well as individual responses.


Vasopressin- This is a hormone found naturally in the body known as Anti-Diuretic Hormone (ADH). Vasopressin is known for lending a hand to the formation of memories, improving short term memory, as well as enhancing memory imprints. This is a compound to use when you find yourself in one of those situations where you need focus and energy, and you need it now. Not in 30 minutes, but in 30 seconds. It comes as a nasal spray, and one or two shots into each nostril will make you feel like you just got whacked in the face with the smart shovel. The effects should start to taper off after a couple of hours in most people. Honestly, I can't think of any good reason not to have a bottle of this lying around...job interview on no sleep, no problem. If I have a seminar to give, you can bet I'm going to have a couple of pulls of this to start me off. One thing to keep in mind however, is the ADH effects will take place, so avoid over-consumption of fluids while the drug is in your system or you could end up with a serious electrolyte imbalance, or possibly cause a massive evacuation of water from all of your orifices (isn't that what the media told the everyone about ecstasy? Dramatic re-interpretation of research can be fun!). Another caution, don?t go buying up some discounted vasopressin extracted from bovine or porcine (cow and pig) sources (i.e. Diapid, Lypressin, Argipressin), use the synthetic version known as Desmopressin, and keep it in the refrigerator.






The Future

These are compounds that are fairly new, or at least new for our intended purpose. Not much research has been done, or it is somewhat inconclusive, but what I have found does show some promise. Basically I feel these are worth experimenting with, but the jury is still out. If you do try any of these, drop me a line and let me know what you think.



Aniracetam- This is a fat soluble form of Piracetam that some studies have shown to be more potent than its counterpart. Mechanistically, it appears to have the common effect of facilitating cholinergic transmission. Most studies have used a dosage of 1500mg/day, and about half of the studies show it is more effective than a 2400mg dose of Piracetam.


Centrophenoxine- Most of the research around this compound has focused on its effect on lipofuscin. When bacteria and effete organelles are caught loitering in your glial cells, you body sends out the troops to get rid of them. These troops go by the name of lysosomes, and after they get done laying an ass-whoopin' down on the bacteria, the digestion leaves a residue in your cells called lipofuscin. Think of this stuff as the broken glass, teeth, limbs, etc. lying around after a good bar fight. Really dirties the place up doesn't it? Well, it turns out that centrophenoxine does a fine job at cleaning the place up, which in turn speeds up nerve transmission, and slows down the aging of your cells (in theory anyway). For now, think of the effects as similar to those you will receive from DMAE, but possibly better.


Nicergoline- Similar effects to Hydergine, as it is also derived from ergot (and no you won?t have LSD-esque hallucinations if you take enough, you feinds). This compound is a potent vasodilator in the brain as well as the limbs (wow, fashion and function). Nicergoline increases nerve growth factor in the brain of aged animals, but not young animals in recent studies (hence it's inclusion in this catergory?more research please!). It also has the added effect of increasing appetite, and enhancing the effects of hydergine and bromocriptine (if you are using either of them with nicergoline, back off on the dosage of all.)


Now that you've had a crash course on nootropics, experiment with some different combinations and dosages until you find the right mix. Just remember, the more ingredients you add, the less you will need of each. Alternatively, if you don't want to deal with the effort, products are commercially available that combine some of these, such as "Power Drive" by Biotest Laboratories, "Cognamine" by BrainQUICKEN, and "Neurogenex" by MP Technologies. If you are currently on any prescription meds, be sure to check with your doc before you go screwing with your brain chemistry.

how easy is it to acquire some of this stuff? some of it looks OTC.

does anyone have the latest news/links to awesome articles?

austinite, seems to be a Guru concerning these areas.

[C3RB3RUS]

this (by EXPAT) was posted in warning:

one thing I forgot to mention this and it is very important

Serotonin syndrome most often occurs when two drugs that affect the body's level of serotonin are taken together at the same time. The drugs cause too much serotonin to be released or to remain in the brain area.

For example, you can develop this syndrome if you take migraine medicines called triptans together with antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs). Popular SSRI's include Celexa, Zoloft, Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and Lexapro. SNRI's include Cymbalta, and Effexor. Brand names of triptans include Imitrex, Zomig, Frova, Maxalt, Axert, Amerge, and Relpax.

The FDA recently asked the manufacturers of these types of drugs to include warning labels on their products that tell you about the potential risk of serotonin syndrome. Talk to your doctor before stopping any medication.

Serotonin syndrome is more likely to occur when you first start or increase the medicine.

Older antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) can also cause serotonin syndrome with the medicines describe above, as well as meperidine (a painkiller) or dextromethorphan (cough medicine).

Drugs of abuse, such as ecstasy and LSD (“acid”), have also been associated with serotonin syndrome.

Symptoms Return to top

Symptoms occur within minutes to hours, and may include:
Restlessness
Hallucinations
Loss of coordination
Fast heart beat
Rapid changes in blood pressure
Increased body temperature
Overactive reflexes
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Signs and tests Return to top

The diagnosis is usually made by asking questions about your medical history, including the types of drugs you take.

To be diagnosed with serotonin syndrome, you must have been taking a drug that changes the body's serotonin levels (serotonergic drug) and have at least three of the following signs or symptoms:

Agitation
Uncoordinated movements (ataxia)
Heavy sweating not due to activity (diaphoresis)
Diarrhea
Overactive reflexes (hyperreflexia)
Fever
Mental status changes such as confusion or hypomania
Muscle spasms (myoclonus)
Shivering
Tremor
If you have just start taking or increased the dosage of a tranquilizer (neuroleptic drug), other conditions (such as neuroleptic malignant syndrome) will be considered. Serotonin syndrome is not diagnosed until all other possible causes have been ruled out, including infections, intoxications, metabolism problems, and drug withdrawal. Some symptoms of serotonin syndrome can mimic those due to an overdose of cocaine, lithium, or an MAOI.

Tests may include:

CBC
Thyroid function tests
Drug screen
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Treatment Return to top

Patients with serotonin syndrome should stay in the hospital for at least 24 hours for close observation.

Treatment may include:

Withdrawal of medicines that caused the syndrome
Fluids by IV
Cyproheptadine (Periactin), a drug that blocks serotonin production
Benzodiazepines (muscle relaxants), such as Valium or Ativan, will be used to decrease agitation, seizure-like movements, and muscle stiffness
In life-threatening cases, medicines that keep your muscles still (paralyze them) and a temporary breathing tube and breathing machine will be needed to prevent further muscle damage.

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

Patients may get slowly worse and can become severely ill if not quickly treated. Untreated serotonin syndrome can be deadly. However, with treatment, symptoms can usually go away in less than 24 hours.

Complications Return to top

Uncontrolled muscle spasms can cause severe muscle breakdown. The products produced when the muscles break down will build up in your blood and eventually go through the kidneys. This can cause severe kidney damage if not recognized and treated appropriately.
Calling your health care provider Return to top

Call your health care provider right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome.
Prevention Return to top

Always tell all of your healthcare providers what medicines you take. Patients who take triptans with SSRIs or SNRIs should be closely followed, especially right after starting a medicine or increasing its dosage.

[austinite]

I've got some in my "This does not work for me" drawer, right next to a whole bunch of Trenbolone .

[C3RB3RUS]

i can't tell if that's a joke, or you're being serious.

so nootropics a no go for you? because i liked your mood stack and the chromium in your OTC diet stack.

i'll take some of that Tren off your hands for you. (srs)

[GirlyGymRat]

I've got some in my "This does not work for me" drawer, right next to a whole bunch of Trenbolone.

noopept helped me but the headaches. Bad headaches. Headaches outweighed the benefits on some days for my liking.

[Times Roman]

I tried noops on several occasions. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference.

The best thing I've ever found for improved cognition are stimulants. even a simple cup of coffee before any intellectual activity will provide a noticeable difference.