Smart Pills: The Truth About Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs!
A lot of people are using brain-enhancing drugs in hopes of maximizing their mental capabilities. From students, athletes, virtual assistant officers, to entrepreneurs, professionals and retired people, brain pills can mean the best pharmaceutical boosters to acquire the trick for optimal concentration.
If you’ve had your finger anywhere near the pulse of the current developments in the supplement market, then you will have heard of nootropics. If you haven’t heard about nootropics then that’s a shame because they are a fantastic class of supplement that can benefit your life at work, at the gym, and whilst learning.
Let’s break that odd word nootropic down so that we can understand its roots. The word nootropic is comprised of two root words, both ancient Greek in origin. The word noos means mind or thought. The word tropos means to turn towards. So if we reconstruct the word nootropic, we can see that it means “to turn towards the mind.” That’s a bit archaic and confusing, so let me furnish you, dear reader, with a more real world definition:
DO YOU WISH YOU WERE SMARTER?
IMPROVED MEMORY
Who wouldn't benefit from a better memory? (There might be someone out there, but if so, I forgot who it is.) Say goodbye to the days of walking into a room and forgetting why you went in there in the first place. Nootropics may help boost your memory, making it easier for you to remember where you put your keys. Phosphatidylserine and Alpha-GPC are commonly used as memory enhancers.
ENHANCED FOCUS IMPROVED MEMORY
Most of us probably turn to TeaCrine®(Theacrine)—a popular nootropic to enhance focus and attention, so it makes sense that this class of supplements can be used to improve alertness and are stimulatory in nature. Furthermore, some evidence suggests that acute ingestion of a cocktail of nootropic supplements may prevent declines in reaction time usually associated with fatiguing exercise.
REDUCED FATIGUE
Nootropics can help prevent fatigue by blocking receptors in the brain, or by providing more efficient production of energy. By reducing fatigue, you can work longer and more efficiently. Cordyceps 7% Cordyceptic Acid is an effective agent for this.
DECREASED STRESS RESPONSE
An intense bout of exercise is sure to increase cortisol levels, which we all know can be detrimental to your gains. However, nootropics—specifically phosphatidylserine—can blunt the cortisol response, preserving your hard-earned muscles. We typically see the highest cortisol response with prolonged exercise, so if you've amped up your cardio, this can be a positive addition to your stack.
👇👇UNBIASED PRE WORKOUT YOUTUBE REVIEW👇👇
SUPPLEMENTS FOR OPTIMAL BRAIN POWER
Nootropics are typically single compounds, and while one ingredient on its own may offer brain benefits, some of them can be combined (or "stacked") to offer even greater effects! Here's a look at the most potent ingredients and combinations.
Cordyceps 7% Cordyceptic Acid
One of the key active ingredients of Cordyceps is adenosine, a nucleic acid which is a crucial component of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
ATP is basically energy - it's considered by biologists to be the energy currency of life. It is the high-energy molecule that stores the energy we need to do pretty much everything we do. Each and every action you perform gets the energy it requires for operation directly from stored ATP.
Cordyceps significantly boosts your body's ability to produce this important, energy-giving ATP, which is why cordyceps is a superfood darling for everyone from athletes looking to boost their stamina and performance to the elderly who're looking to stay active.
AlphaSize Alpha GPC
Alpha GPC has benefits related to increasing memory, attention span, focus, mental energy and our capacity to learn new things. Alpha GPC works to increase brain activity of acetylcholine neurotransmission. It has great “bioavailability,” and perhaps greater than taking a choline supplement, as it is easily absorbed into the blood. This is important as it this makes Alpha GPC fast-acting and potent.
Phosphatidylserine
Phosphatidylserine offers a range of positive effects, its main benefit is its ability to enhance memory and overall cognitive functioning. This is of particular interest to the aging population, however, benefits a range of individuals, regardless of age.
Many users also experience an increase in mental energy, along with enhanced focus and concentration. Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects of phosphatidylserine is its ability to promote long-term benefits. This is why it’s believed to be key in terms of slowing down the aging process.
TeaCrine®(Theacrine) & Methylxanthine Anhydrous
Due to its similarity with caffeine, theacrine possesses many of the same physiological properties of caffeine. As with caffeine, studies have shown that theacrine contains sedative and hypnotic effects. That is, it has a calming effect and can help to promote sleep. For caffeine, this occurs at impractically low levels, however for theacrine, this effect can be experienced with a single cup of Kucha tea. In addition, theacrine possesses both anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain reduction) effects.
The versatility of theacrine makes it extremely suitable for use in training and bodybuilding. For example, any of the above benefits listed can be positive when it comes to training. At lower doses, its sedative and sleep inducing effects can support improved recovery. Similarly the anti-inflammatory effects can also promote reduced muscle soreness and a quicker return to the gym. The analgesic properties of theacrine can benefit endurance training and better gains.
Perhaps the most pronounced effect though is theacrine’s ability to act as a stimulant and one that hasn’t been shown in studies to result in tolerance. Unlike caffeine, where after a mere 7 days, your body becomes accustomed to its effects; there is no evidence of this with theacrine. This makes it even more attractive as an alternative stimulant source for preworkouts.
Bacopa Monnieri 50% Bacosides
The benefits of bacopa monnieri are manifold and well-studied. While there is no such thing as a “magic pill” (or limitless pill), bacopa monnieri impacts many aspects of the brain that are beneficial.
Memory enhancement is the most well-known benefit of bacopa monnieri. Many studies suggest the memory improvements take up to 4 – 6 weeks before taking full effect, but when they do the results are significant [3]. One study looked at subjects with age-related memory impairment and found a dosage of 125 mg to sufficiently improve “various parameters of memory”. [4]
Another benefit of bacopa is as an “anxiolytic”, which means anti-anxiety. Studies suggest it is not a highly potent anxiety-reducer, but works sufficiently to help improve mental performance (such as during a big test!) A study of people over 65 found significant improvements in anxiety and less depression with a 12 week regimen of bacopa monnieri [5].
Huperzia Serrata 1% Huperzine A
One study from 1999 demonstrated similarly powerful benefits. That study was performed in China and was the first major study to give Huperzine A to healthy students (instead of patients with Alzheimer’s).
Students received oral supplementation of Huperzine A or a placebo. After 4 weeks of usage, students showed “significant improvements in accumulation, recognition, reproduction, association, tactual memory, and recitation.” Students also performed better on Chinese and English language quizzes.
Researchers concluded that Huperzine A was an effective compound for boosting memory functionality in healthy individuals.
BioPerine®(Piper Nigrum)
Piperine is a component of some nootropic stacks, working to intensify the effects of other smart drugs while also offering independent cognitive enhancement benefits.
This supplement has been found to boost memory function, improve mood, and heighten attention and reasoning skills.
Summary: Also known as cognitive enhancers, nootropics are supplements that are meant to improve various brain functions such as memory retention and the ability to focus. In today’s busy life, stress and impaired memory function is a common problem that many face. Many students have been turning to supplements to keep their brain functioning properly. While most people are more concerned with the various side-effects of brain enhancing drugs and supplements, there are many that are considered very safe and effective. Listed below is Mental Stack.
