What is the best Nootropic Supplement?

Seeing you here, we take as a fact you’re, at least partly, convinced that Nootropics can enhance human brain function. It’s true, taking nootropic supplements is a good way to give your brain an extra boost. In this article, by explaining to you how Nootropics work, we intend to make you a firm believer of smart drugs. Nootropics can improve brain function, recall, memory, cognition, and enhance alertness by influencing one or multiple brain elements such as neuroplasticity, hormones, brain waves, neurotransmitters, receptors, cellular energy, and cerebral blood flow.

Best Nootropic Stacks

Nootropic Supplements

Nootropic Aniracetam

Aniracetam

(1)

Aniracetam is part of the racetam family of Nootropics. It was developed by a Belgium company in the 70s. It’s widely used to help improve a broad range of cognitive functions. Although the supplement is chiefly used to improve focus and memory, the anxiolytic properties of Aniracetam make it an effective mood enhancer.

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Nootropic Bacopa Monnieri

Bacopa Monnieri

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Bacopa Monnieri, also known as Brahmi, is one of the oldest and most widely used cognitive enhancement supplements. In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, Bocaopa Monnieri is used for sharper focus, improved memory formation, memory retention, and better thinking. Brahmi has been used for thousands of years to treat leprosy, inflammation, ulcers, asthma, epilepsy, and even tumors.

$24.99
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Nootropic The Photographic Memory Stack

The Photographic Memory Stack

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The ability to recall past actions and events at will depends on the health and vitality of a person’s gray matter. There are several things we can do to train the brain but to keep it healthy and enhance its memory potential we need to feed it with essential nutrients. The Photographic Memory Stack is an ideal combination of Nootropics that can give the brain a surge and enhance our memory potential.

Nootropic D-Aspartic Acid

D-Aspartic Acid

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A form of aspartic acid, the supplement D-Aspartic Acid is typically prescribed to increase testosterone levels. This is a non-essential amino acid that takes part in numerous vital functions including maintaining reproductive health, cardiovascular health, and assisting in increasing muscle mass and strength.
Sudden testosterone boost is temporary; usually, the hormone reverts to its normal levels in a week or so. Hence, regular use of D-Aspartic Acid is recommended to maintain higher testosterone levels.

$14.99
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Nootropic Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6

(3)

Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine is the most important vitamin for cognitive health. It’s key to the synthesis of neurotransmitters and energy metabolism in the cells. Vitamin B6 deficiency can lead to cognitive decline, brain shrinkage, fatigue, lack of focus, and cognitive disorders. Supplementing Vitamin B6 can reduce age-related brain cell damage, enhance communication between neurons, and boost physical and mental energy.

$6.99
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What Nootropics Really Are?

The huge structures, complex machinery, life-saving medicines, and technological innovations are all proof of the fact that as humans we’re constantly looking for ways to improve ourselves and enhance our brain power.

The Chinese were familiar with the brain enhancing effects of Gotu Kola, Ginkgo Biloba, and Ginseng many thousands of years ago. They were also the first to realize the amazing stimulating properties of tea. It was only recently, a few decades ago, that scientists have come to realize the powerful stimulant properties of tea and coffee.

Let’s move away from mild stimulants and enter the world of powerful brain enhances. While on the one side neuroscientists are exploring the brain and nervous system, an equally dedicated group of experts are using science to come up with substances that can enhance our cognitive faculties.

Special chemical substances that are used to improve our cognitive capabilities are nowadays widely referred to as Nootropics. Nootropics, also called as cognitive enhancers or smart drugs, alter or regulate the chemicals in our brain to achieve the goal we desire.

We take smart drugs to improve mental performance, learn new skills, focus better, remember for a long time, recall at will, memorize more information, and to help us use more of our brain capacity.

The Different Types of Nootropics

A single drug won’t make us smart all of a sudden. There are several brain enhancers and they have all been classified into categories based on the function performed, chemical structure, or their mechanism of action.

Generally, most experts place Nootropics under seven different categories. Normally, we can choose any one group or combine supplements to produce a nootropic stack; the decision depends on what we want to achieve.

A brief introduction to the seven categories of Nootropics is given below.

Racetams

Racetams hold the distinction of being the first brain enhancers to be developed. Till date, they also happen to be the most popular and widely used Nootropics. The Racetam group has around 20 members; the most well-known ones are Piracetam (the first Racetam to be invented), Pramiracetam, Oxiracetam, Aniracetam, Phenylpiracetam, and Nefiracetam.

All the 20 or so racetams have one thing in common – they activate the brain receptors that are in charge of releasing acetylcholine and they all have a common chemical structure (they share pyrrolidone nucleus).

Acetylcholine is a familiar name to many. It’s one of the most important neurotransmitters in our brain. Improving the level of acetylcholine in the brain can have a very positive impact on cognitive capabilities such as awareness, focus, memory, learning, and motivation.

Racetams are known to perform the dual function. It promotes the growth of brain cells and simultaneously delays the deterioration and death of brain cells. Racetams sometimes exhibit Ampakine-like properties by activating glutamate receptors.

Ampakines

Ampakine is a relatively new category in the world of Nootropics. They are powerful NDMA and AMPA glutamate receptor, agonists. They improve certain cognitive faculties by increasing glutamate levels in the brain.

The Glutamatergic System and neurotransmitter glutamate are said to have a significant impact on synaptic plasticity. This neurotransmitter is directly linked to memory and learning. Researchers say that Glutamate nootropic supplements, when taken in the right doses, can have a beneficial impact on alertness and attention span.

As we discussed above, Racetams sometimes act like Ampakines, but their influence on AMPA receptors is weak. Unifiram and Sunifiram are true Ampakines. When it comes to stimulating AMPA glutamate receptors, Unifiram and Sunifiram are way more powerful than any Racetam Nootropics.

Researchers are still studying the long-term impact of Sunifiram and Unifiram. Hence, certain experts suggest the use of Piracetam (a Racetam with Ampakines-like properties) to activate glutamate receptors.

Choline

Those wanting to increase acetylcholine levels in the brain often turn to Choline and Acetylcholine Intermediates. More often than not, the Choline group is stacked with Racetams to ensure better performance.

Choline nootropic supplements ensure additional acetylcholine in the brain, whereas the Racetams activate acetylcholine receptors. Both these actions result in a higher presence of the neurotransmitter, which will invariably result in improving cognitive capabilities.

There are many nootropic supplements that fall under the Choline category, but not all supplements are of equal strength. Some are more effective than others.

Supplements such as Centrophenoxine, Citicholine, and Alpha GPC are powerful acetylcholine intermediates that can be taken alone. These nootropic supplements are safe and don’t cause any side effects. Bear in mind that cheaper alternatives such as Choline Bitartrate are less effective and can cause side effects.

Vitamin-B Derived Nootropics

Synthetically certain types of smart drugs have been derived from vitamins, in particular, Vitamin B. The most well-known supplement that falls under this category is Sulbutiamine.

Derived from Vitamin B1 or Thiamine, Sulbutiamine is used to improve alertness, increase energy levels, and treat fatigue. Research shows the supplement helps users retain what they’ve learned, by increasing the movement of glutamate, dopamine, and choline.

Sulbutiamine has been extensively tried on lab mice and the results have been very positive. A steady dose of this nootropic supplement has enhanced the cognitive function of patients suffering from schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Peptides

The market is flooded with peptide supplements, but the one that’s most sought is Noopept. Noopept is by far the most powerful peptide supplement currently available. It’s mainly used to increase energy, motivation, alertness, learning, and memory.

Developed in Russia, Noopept is sometimes grouped under Racetam, even though technically it’s not a Racetam. Interestingly, it’s a derivative of Racetam. A scientific journal claimed Noopept to be 1000 times more powerful than Piracetam.

Noopept increases the level of acetylcholine by stimulating acetylcholine receptors and induces the release of glutamate by activating NDMA and AMPA receptors. Moreover, Noopept can easily overcome the blood-brain barrier and it’s known for its high bioavailability. Noopept Nootropics perform the function of both Ampakines and Racetams.

Wait, There’s more. Noopept Nootropics help in the growth and maintenance of nerve cells by inducing the release of a protein called Nerve Growth Factor.

Natural Nootropics

Substances derived from plants that exhibit nootropic properties are called Natural Nootropics. They enhance cognitive capabilities and improve brain health without causing any side effects. Substances such as Huperzine-A, Ginkgo Biloba, Vinpocetine, and Bacopa Monnieri are included under this category.

Natural Nootropics aren’t as potent as synthetically made smart drugs. So to augment its power and improve the results two or more natural Nootropics can be stacked together.

Smart Drugs

Although the word nootropics is used interchangeably with smart drugs, it must be noted that all smart drugs are not Nootropics. Certain amphetamine-related substances such as Adderall are actually stimulants. They are not to be associated with nootropics.

There are certain eugeroic drugs that act both as stimulants and Nootropics. For example, Modafinil can stimulate neurotransmitter hypocretin and help increase motivation, energy, and alertness. The stimulant is also prescribed to treat fatigue and sleepiness.

Smart drugs aren’t worth the risk. Hence, we would suggest you avoid stimulants and use only safe nootropic supplements.