Nootropics
Nootropics is a fun subject. Who doesn't want to be smarter? The brain is the most important organ in the human body. It would be wonderful if you could take a pill like NZT-48 from the film "Limitless." You would be able to think clearer and would have enough brain power to remember everything you ever experienced. You could calculate a course of action that would result in the best results possible for any circumstance or problem you encountered within seconds. It is a myth. The pill does not exist in real life. The idea however is based upon a classification of supplements that have a real, positive and therapeutic effect on the brain. I'm in love with my brain. It's my major interface into the world as I know it. One of the cruelties of life is that as we get older our brains suffer so many maladies. Once a person enters into their fifties it is said to be the second thing a person will notice. What's the first? Uh...... I forgot.
What science has determined is that the brain actually shrinks as we get older. In some people the brain can shrink as much as 15% resulting in Alzheimer disease and dementia. One thing is sure... The brain is losing brain cells. It was once thought that brain cells were limited in number and once they were lost, they were lost forever. Recent finding have determined that this is not the case.
What causes brain cells to die? Free radicals are atoms floating in our bodies that have odd numbers of electrons floating around in our bodies. They can create chain reactions within our bodies that when they attach to DNA begin to destroy cells. We have spoken of telomeres in the Cell Repair section already so we know that cells are limited to cell division by their number. If telomers get too short then a cell can die. Other factors are stress and depression. Decades of wear on the brain can take its tole. Lastly, blood circulation can be a major problem and if the brain is not provided with ample nutrients and oxygen brain cells will die. What can I do? The good news is that there are a couple of things I can do to overcome these effects.
1) I can actively repair my telomeres to prevent further cell death
2) I can take nootropics that can provide strong antioxidants and enhance brain function
3) I can take brain enhancing supplements
I won't discuss cell repair and telomeres. My thoughts on this subject are in the Cell Repair section. This leaves me to discuss nootropics. They are not nootropics in the purest sense but I will also discuss my brain enhancing supplements which I believe work in tandem with my nootropics. I am bunching them into the nootropics category for brevity.
Piracetam
The term nootropic was coined to classify a class of new drugs which defined in the Wikipedia, "... are thought to work by altering the availability of the brain's supply of neurochemicals (neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones), by improving the brain's oxygen supply, or by stimulating nerve growth." One of the first families of nootropics are the racetams. Piracetam is universally excepted as one of the first nootropic drugs ever developed. Since then a number of other racetames have been discovered to have more potent effects. The reason I choose piracetam over others of this family is cost and availability. The racetames have not been a controlled drug in the United States and is marketed by various companies generally as a supplement. The FDA sent a cease and dissist letter in 2010 to one vendor stating that under current law piracetam could not be sold as a supplement. This flies in the face that the product has been around for over 30 years and shows no toxicity nor side effects of any kind. It can still be found online and it is primarily manufactured in Germany, India and mostly China.
OK, what does it do? Piracetam is a component of GABA which is a brain neurotransmitter. It easily passes through the blood brain barrier and serves to open neuro-pathways between the two hemispheres of the brain. The effect has been known to increase memory (especially verbal memory). A two-week regimen of piracetam was reported in 1976 to enhance verbal memory in healthy college students in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Here is what Wikipedia says about piracetam:
"Piracetam's mechanism of action, as with racetams in general, is not fully understood. The drug influences neuronal and vascular functions and influences cognitive function without acting as a sedative or stimulant. Piracetam is a positive allosteric modulator of the AMPA receptor. It is hypothesized to act on ion channels or ion carriers, thus leading to non-specific increased neuron excitability, while explaining its lack of agonistic or inhibitory effect on synaptic action (quite unlike most neurotransmitters), and its low toxicity. GABA brain metabolism and GABA receptors are not affected by piracetam. It has been found to increase blood flow and oxygen consumption in parts of the brain but this may be a side effect of increased brain activity rather than a primary effect or mechanism of action for the drug.
Piracetam improves the function of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine via muscarinic cholinergic (ACh) receptors, which are implicated in memory processes. Furthermore, Piracetam may have an effect on NMDA glutamate receptors, which are involved with learning and memory processes. Piracetam is thought to increase cell membrane permeability. Piracetam may exert its global effect on brain neurotransmission via modulation of ion channels (i.e., Na+, K+). It has been found to increase oxygen consumption in the brain, apparently in connection to ATP metabolism, and increases the activity of adenylate kinase in rat brains. Piracetam, while in the brain, appears to increase the synthesis of cytochrome b5, which is a part of the electron transport mechanism in mitochondria. But in the brain, it also increases the permeability of the mitochondria of some intermediaries of the Krebs cycle. "
Well, that's pretty dry isn't it. What it tells us is that piracetam does some wonderful things to support blood flow, nuero-activity and enhances cell health in support of the mitochondria. Piracetam helps to support mitochondria in protecting it from oxidative stress and aging. Cellular repair will work in tandem with this process resulting in much healthier brain cells.
Choline Bitartrate
One of the effects of Piracetam is that it depletes the brain's choline supply. There are two types of choline that people purchase to offset this loss. One is Choline Citrate and the other is Choline Bitartrate. Which one I choose is does not matter much. I chose Choline Bitartrate because it is water soluble and I can mix it with Piracetam and ALCAR. It's also cheaper and I can buy it in 500g powder quantities. It has some good qualities in its own right in that it can help carry lipids into the mitochondria of cells. It serves a vital role in the maintenance of cell membranes and in the production of acetylcholine which is vital to neurotransmitter activity and the brain and muscle control. It's also known to improve memory and attention.
ALACAR
The third nootropic in my stack is Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR). I take it with Piracetam twice daily. It improves the metabolism of energy by passing lipids to the cell membranes of neurons into the mitochondria. It creates alertness, improves memory, creativity and provides extra energy. It also helps prevent cell death should oxygen be restricted to certain parts of the body. It works in tandem with Choline Bitartrate in making acetylcholine, and Piracetam in the flow of information across the corpus callosum between the hemispheres of the brain.
The following items in my stack are really cognitive enhancers but I don't treat them likely. Some of them I can take during both phases of my regimen. Others I can only take during the second part because they contain polyphenols. This is the case with most herbs. Lion's Mane is the one exception. It contains no polyphenols and so I take it during both of my phases.
Lion's Mane Mushroom
Lion's Mane is a very special cognitive enhancer. One of it's prominant features is that it promotes NGF (Nerve Growth Factor). The human brain is the heart of the nervous system so the ability to regrow nerve cells is very important. It has been known to increase cognitive function and is a remedy for depression. The recommended dosage is 500mg three times daily. I only take one dosage per day to be conservative.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha works well with Lion's Mane Mushroom. It is a very powerful cognitive enhancer and is known to grow nerve dendrites and promotes better communication between nerves. Again, I only take one third of the recommended daily dosage.
Gotu Kola
Gotu Kola promotes better cognitive functioning. It encourages good blood flow in the brain and consequently better clarity, mental awareness and energy. I only take a third of the recommended daily dosage.
Virgin Coconut Oil
One of the problems of old age in the elderly is dementia and Parkinson's disease. There are multiple causes of these diseases but one cause is preventable. As we age our cells loose their ability to uptake the sugars they need as fuel. Starved of fule these cells die. Our bodies metabolize Coconut Oil into keytones which is a sugar your body produces when it turns fat cells into usable sugar during calorie restriction. The aging brain has no problem uptaking keytones. In fact the brain actually loves this kind of sugar. Another good effect of taking coconut oil is that it reduces cholesterol. Athletes take it before events because it provides additional fuel.
What science has determined is that the brain actually shrinks as we get older. In some people the brain can shrink as much as 15% resulting in Alzheimer disease and dementia. One thing is sure... The brain is losing brain cells. It was once thought that brain cells were limited in number and once they were lost, they were lost forever. Recent finding have determined that this is not the case.
What causes brain cells to die? Free radicals are atoms floating in our bodies that have odd numbers of electrons floating around in our bodies. They can create chain reactions within our bodies that when they attach to DNA begin to destroy cells. We have spoken of telomeres in the Cell Repair section already so we know that cells are limited to cell division by their number. If telomers get too short then a cell can die. Other factors are stress and depression. Decades of wear on the brain can take its tole. Lastly, blood circulation can be a major problem and if the brain is not provided with ample nutrients and oxygen brain cells will die. What can I do? The good news is that there are a couple of things I can do to overcome these effects.
1) I can actively repair my telomeres to prevent further cell death
2) I can take nootropics that can provide strong antioxidants and enhance brain function
3) I can take brain enhancing supplements
I won't discuss cell repair and telomeres. My thoughts on this subject are in the Cell Repair section. This leaves me to discuss nootropics. They are not nootropics in the purest sense but I will also discuss my brain enhancing supplements which I believe work in tandem with my nootropics. I am bunching them into the nootropics category for brevity.
Piracetam
The term nootropic was coined to classify a class of new drugs which defined in the Wikipedia, "... are thought to work by altering the availability of the brain's supply of neurochemicals (neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones), by improving the brain's oxygen supply, or by stimulating nerve growth." One of the first families of nootropics are the racetams. Piracetam is universally excepted as one of the first nootropic drugs ever developed. Since then a number of other racetames have been discovered to have more potent effects. The reason I choose piracetam over others of this family is cost and availability. The racetames have not been a controlled drug in the United States and is marketed by various companies generally as a supplement. The FDA sent a cease and dissist letter in 2010 to one vendor stating that under current law piracetam could not be sold as a supplement. This flies in the face that the product has been around for over 30 years and shows no toxicity nor side effects of any kind. It can still be found online and it is primarily manufactured in Germany, India and mostly China.
OK, what does it do? Piracetam is a component of GABA which is a brain neurotransmitter. It easily passes through the blood brain barrier and serves to open neuro-pathways between the two hemispheres of the brain. The effect has been known to increase memory (especially verbal memory). A two-week regimen of piracetam was reported in 1976 to enhance verbal memory in healthy college students in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Here is what Wikipedia says about piracetam:
"Piracetam's mechanism of action, as with racetams in general, is not fully understood. The drug influences neuronal and vascular functions and influences cognitive function without acting as a sedative or stimulant. Piracetam is a positive allosteric modulator of the AMPA receptor. It is hypothesized to act on ion channels or ion carriers, thus leading to non-specific increased neuron excitability, while explaining its lack of agonistic or inhibitory effect on synaptic action (quite unlike most neurotransmitters), and its low toxicity. GABA brain metabolism and GABA receptors are not affected by piracetam. It has been found to increase blood flow and oxygen consumption in parts of the brain but this may be a side effect of increased brain activity rather than a primary effect or mechanism of action for the drug.
Piracetam improves the function of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine via muscarinic cholinergic (ACh) receptors, which are implicated in memory processes. Furthermore, Piracetam may have an effect on NMDA glutamate receptors, which are involved with learning and memory processes. Piracetam is thought to increase cell membrane permeability. Piracetam may exert its global effect on brain neurotransmission via modulation of ion channels (i.e., Na+, K+). It has been found to increase oxygen consumption in the brain, apparently in connection to ATP metabolism, and increases the activity of adenylate kinase in rat brains. Piracetam, while in the brain, appears to increase the synthesis of cytochrome b5, which is a part of the electron transport mechanism in mitochondria. But in the brain, it also increases the permeability of the mitochondria of some intermediaries of the Krebs cycle. "
Well, that's pretty dry isn't it. What it tells us is that piracetam does some wonderful things to support blood flow, nuero-activity and enhances cell health in support of the mitochondria. Piracetam helps to support mitochondria in protecting it from oxidative stress and aging. Cellular repair will work in tandem with this process resulting in much healthier brain cells.
Choline Bitartrate
One of the effects of Piracetam is that it depletes the brain's choline supply. There are two types of choline that people purchase to offset this loss. One is Choline Citrate and the other is Choline Bitartrate. Which one I choose is does not matter much. I chose Choline Bitartrate because it is water soluble and I can mix it with Piracetam and ALCAR. It's also cheaper and I can buy it in 500g powder quantities. It has some good qualities in its own right in that it can help carry lipids into the mitochondria of cells. It serves a vital role in the maintenance of cell membranes and in the production of acetylcholine which is vital to neurotransmitter activity and the brain and muscle control. It's also known to improve memory and attention.
ALACAR
The third nootropic in my stack is Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR). I take it with Piracetam twice daily. It improves the metabolism of energy by passing lipids to the cell membranes of neurons into the mitochondria. It creates alertness, improves memory, creativity and provides extra energy. It also helps prevent cell death should oxygen be restricted to certain parts of the body. It works in tandem with Choline Bitartrate in making acetylcholine, and Piracetam in the flow of information across the corpus callosum between the hemispheres of the brain.
The following items in my stack are really cognitive enhancers but I don't treat them likely. Some of them I can take during both phases of my regimen. Others I can only take during the second part because they contain polyphenols. This is the case with most herbs. Lion's Mane is the one exception. It contains no polyphenols and so I take it during both of my phases.
Lion's Mane Mushroom
Lion's Mane is a very special cognitive enhancer. One of it's prominant features is that it promotes NGF (Nerve Growth Factor). The human brain is the heart of the nervous system so the ability to regrow nerve cells is very important. It has been known to increase cognitive function and is a remedy for depression. The recommended dosage is 500mg three times daily. I only take one dosage per day to be conservative.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha works well with Lion's Mane Mushroom. It is a very powerful cognitive enhancer and is known to grow nerve dendrites and promotes better communication between nerves. Again, I only take one third of the recommended daily dosage.
Gotu Kola
Gotu Kola promotes better cognitive functioning. It encourages good blood flow in the brain and consequently better clarity, mental awareness and energy. I only take a third of the recommended daily dosage.
Virgin Coconut Oil
One of the problems of old age in the elderly is dementia and Parkinson's disease. There are multiple causes of these diseases but one cause is preventable. As we age our cells loose their ability to uptake the sugars they need as fuel. Starved of fule these cells die. Our bodies metabolize Coconut Oil into keytones which is a sugar your body produces when it turns fat cells into usable sugar during calorie restriction. The aging brain has no problem uptaking keytones. In fact the brain actually loves this kind of sugar. Another good effect of taking coconut oil is that it reduces cholesterol. Athletes take it before events because it provides additional fuel.