Back in 2014, I came across an article about things that increase your cognition and longevity of your life. Little did I know that I had actually taken some of them before. I just had never heard of the word “Nootropics” before.
What are Nootropics?
If you do not already know, Nootropics are a group of different chemicals that are said to help with your cognition. By “help”, researchers mean that they do things like enhance concentrate, increase your memory and make it easier to learn.
There are so many things that are considered to be under the Nootropics label but you have to be careful and read up on them to make sure that you do not suffer any side effects (see here: https://www.mindlabpro.com/blog/nootropics/are-nootropics-safe/ ).
A lot of these Nootropics are easy to find and buy (caffeine is considered a Nootropic!). The stronger ones such as ADHD medication require a prescription of course.
Why did I decide to try new ones?
I was just really intrigued by getting smarter. Who does not want to be a little smarter?! Having dyscalculia made me feel so stupid back then.
At that time I was also considering going to back to school for physician assisting so I felt like I would need a safe supplement to get me through the math classes.
The ones I had taken before (I did not know they were Nootropics) did not really do anything for me cognition wise. At least not anything that I noticed.
Here is what I tried and my experiences with them
- Holy Basil (see here: https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/basil-benefits#brain-benefits )- This stuff is amazing! It is supposed to help anxiety and I can say that it did for me. I took it in pill form.
- Noopept (see here: https://www.developinghumanbrain.org/noopept/)- I took the smallest dosage as recommended for two months straight and noticed nothing. It was supposed to boost my memory and enhance my senses but I experienced none of that. Maybe it works for other people though.
- Aniracetam (see here: https://www.healthline.com/health/aniracetam#benefits )- This one is said to be potent and help with cognition, ADHD, anxiety and depression. I took 500 mg (most people start off with 750 mg) because I am sensitive to medications and supplements. Within an hour or so of the first time taking it, I felt really zoned out and had a headache. It was not fun. I took it a few other times with the same results and decided it was not for me.
- Oxiracetam(see here: https://www.braintropic.com/nootropics/oxiracetam/ )- This one is supposed to be good for cognitive functioning and energy. I took a little less than the recommend dosage (1200-2400 mg) for several days. It took a little over an hour for it to kick in but boy did it! I had so much energy and felt great. If I had to pick a Nootropic to take instead of caffeine, it would be this one.
- Phenylpiracetam (see here: https://www.braintropic.com/nootropics/phenylpiracetam/ )- This one is supposed to be like Oxiracetam in that it is supposed to give you an energy boost as well as provide cognitive benefits. I took it for a few days and noticed that the effects were a little more powerful than Oxiracetam at first. I built up a tolerance to it pretty quick though.
- DMAE (see here: https://www.healthline.com/health/senior-health/dmae)- This is supposed to help with moods and cognitive functioning. I did not like it all even at a really small dosage. It made me feel sick and gave me a bad headache.
In conclusion
I have tried a lot of Nootropics unknowingly as I am sure a lot of people have (there are so many). Caffeine is still my favorite due to the fact that it is cheaper and readily available.
If you are interested in trying the ones I listed or any others, please do some research first. There can be some bad side effects if you take too much or are on a medication that does not mix well with whichever one you decide to take.
Here is a great list of Nootropics to check out: https://nootropicsexpert.com/nootropics-list
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