Nootropics? Anyone familiar with them?

[smarty]

One I recently came across is called Alpha Brain. Heard good things, wonder if anyone has tried it.

I'm looking for a cognitive enhancer. I need more focus, clarity etc.

Drug-fix = the modern day madness.
Brain doesn't work? Take pills. Sounds easy? Quit that shit.

If your brain does not work and you feel shitty, try not to eat shitty food and try to change to a more active lifestyle.
Start doing more of the things you enjoy, that make you feel stress-free.
Try to break the cycle of a boring daily routine with some activity or expression of yourself.

The absence of focus or clarity is usually a symptom of other things not going so well.
I would say eat more natural food, sleep 6-8 hours so when you wake up you feel in total peace (not wake up stressed or tense), do more of what you used to enjoy every now and then.

More bio and natural lifestyle, less resistance.

UPDATE: and read the book "Toxic Parents" by Susan Forward. Many adulthood problems are related to early childhood experiences with parents and this book does a brilliant job to help you understand and fix these secret inner conflicts. I'm 50% in reading it, and it's like my life story in there.

 

[wade1mil]

It probably doesnt work for me cause I dont beleive in it. Carbs are your bodies preffered energy source. Low carb is just a fad with no science to back it up.

Can you provide links to the scientific research that proves carbs are the preferred energy source? Based on what I've read, you can live your entire life without carbs.

 

[Formless]

Try diet first, then follow up with nootropics if necessary.

Honestly, it's simplistic, but I become a machine when I eliminate carbs and sugar.

 

[AllenCrawley]

Changing the way you eat will have an amazing effect on mental clarity, focus and all day energy. For me it's the Paleo lifestyle.

For the times that I need a boost of energy or increased focus (usually when I have a project or task that needs to be done asap or playing poker) I now use Natural Stacks by @benhebert. I know a few others on the forum that take it regularly. @Red comes to mind right away. In particular, I take CILTEP and Smart Caffeine.

Also, 6 mornings a week I drink Bulletproof Coffee. I mentioned more info about this in other threads.

Also, @pickeringmt recently starting taking some specific supplements after he found out he may be deficient in and he has had an incredible turn around in health, energy and focus. Maybe he can chime in as well.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[wade1mil]

Proof?

 

[wade1mil]

Did you notice any major changes by doing this?

I'm not sure how to describe it without it sounding like a huge cliche.
You know how you feel when you eat too much food and/or drink too many sodas, to the point that you regret it?
I felt the opposite of that all the time. Like I was always ready at any moment to just sprint for no reason.
And when you do finally taste a soda after that long, it tastes like you are chugging maple syrup.

 

[TheLJBFspeech]

I take L-Theanine (200mg) everyday as well as 2 doses of 200mg Caffeine. I recently attained modafinil im a big fan, its like slight motivation mixed with intense focus. Anyways these all help but on top of this is also make a green smoothie and eat a salad every day. And take omega 3 fish oil and a multi vitamin. Diet is the most important part. load up on kale, swiss chard, spinnach, broccoli, collard greens, carrots, beets etc. I read a book called the ultramind solution by Mark Hyman(highly reccomend)

 

[MorgothBauglir]

A study just came out for alpha brain if you're interested.
https://www.onnit.com/academy/alpha...ignificance-in-groundbreaking-clinical-trial/

I use my own little concoction, and its much cheaper that way. Anecdotal evidence is almost useless when it comes to these things, but I've noticed a difference.

I think a clean diet should come first though, that's where you'll notice the biggest boost.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[MorgothBauglir]

Wasn't relly making a claim that I was ready to link studies to back it up with. Just intuition. I've tried many of them a have a history with all sorts of drugs. There are plenty of examples if you just look around.

Come on son... that's some weak shit and you know it.

Anyway, the nootropics I take aren't 'drugs'. At least, not like the stuff the hypocrites take for a headache or stir into their morning coffee. Just vitamins.

Abuse of anything will mess you up. Find the middle way.

 

[Hong King Kong]

As mentioned above a good diet will allow your mind and body function better.

But for times when I eat like crap and feel sluggish, I take half a Modafinil in the morning with a coffee.

Gets me in flow state almost instantly, and stay there for hours.

 

[wade1mil]

I'm interested to know what you drink on a daily basis.

I went about two years without drinking anything but water. It's really not that hard.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Iwokeup]

Glad someone said it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Probably a bit too rapid a response on my part. LOL. My more reasoned response is above.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Ninjakid]

Do they work? What are your experiences with them? Any suggestions on nootripics to try?

One I recently came across is called Alpha Brain. Heard good things, wonder if anyone has tried it.

I'm looking for a cognitive enhancer. I need more focus, clarity etc.

Being very biased about not taking drugs, I'm going to suggest don't take anything brewed by an evil mad scientist that makes your brain do things it wouldn't normally do.

 

[MorgothBauglir]

They may help you short term, but will ultimately be your downfall in the end. Not worth it.

Proof?

 

[samuraijack]

there good if you sell them

 

[Deon]

Can you provide links to the scientific research that proves carbs are the preferred energy source? Based on what I've read, you can live your entire life without carbs.

Well, carbs being the body's preferred source is as true as protein being the building blocks of muscle, it's just a scientific fact, nobody debates it... and by preferred I mean natural and the one that body is made to use (even the paleo community knows that, at least people who know what they're talking about)...

The thing is...

• When you don't give carbs to your body, then your body adapts to using fats instead of carbs...

And the question is (which i think would answer you better than the question you already asked)...

• Does the body function optimally and as good as with carbs (or even better), once it switches to using fats instead of carbs?

Now, that's where the disagreement is. I personally am a fan of Paleo, which i did before, but i feel pretty good eating carbs too, plus i find it makes my social life and life in general more practical and simple, so i'm not doing paleo anymore.

I don't know what to tell you about carbs vs. fat... i guess people gotta try them and see what works for them, and what they're willing to compromise

 

[wade1mil]

Well, carbs being the body's preferred source is as true as protein being the building blocks of muscle

From what I read about protein is that if you neglect it in your diet, the small muscle tissue deteriorate to the point that it can kill you.
Apparently this has been a major health concern for people that are vegan for more than a year.

i find it makes my social life and life in general more practical and simple

people gotta try them and see what works for them, and what they're willing to compromise

100% agree. I'm not eating Paleo even though I tried it for a couple months. I'm just so bad at cooking that I couldn't take it anymore.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Iwokeup]

It probably doesnt work for me cause I dont beleive in it. Carbs are your bodies preffered energy source. Low carb is just a fad with no science to back it up.

Carbs as the final pathway for metabolism: Yes

However, fat and protein can provide that skeleton just fine.

 

[jlwilliams]

Do they work? What are your experiences with them? Any suggestions on nootripics to try?

One I recently came across is called Alpha Brain. Heard good things, wonder if anyone has tried it.

I'm looking for a cognitive enhancer. I need more focus, clarity etc.

I can't help but notice a tie in with another of your threads. You asked advice on choosing a martial art. Maybe you should look at choosing a school/instructor who will teach you meditation. Meditation will do those things you want from a bottle of supplements, and it will do it better and cheaper. You might not find the combination of martial arts instruction and meditation guidance under one roof, but there is a cross over so you might find it. If you'd like I will PM you a good and easy to use mental imagery to help you get started meditating.

When I more actively practiced and taught karate, I had what I called the "black belt test diet" and it had a noticeable physical and mental effect. In short, once you know your up for testing (we usually knew a couple months before hand when testing was coming up) don't eat any crap. You know crap when you see it. When you see it, don't eat it. Just that simple. No soda, no candy, no alcohol, no McDonalds. Just don't eat crap. I never counted calories. I would just be more that usually alert to the ever present amount of crap around me and take greater effort to avoid it. Stop eating any and all junk food and you will feel better and think more clearly. I don't know what you eat now, but it's likely that you will find some crap in your diet if you look for it. Find it. Banish it, and save the money you were going to spend on supplements. Put that money to work.

 

[GetShitDone]

Tried Aniracetam and it helped me focus, increased confidence, better speech, etc.

Tried Noopept and it just made me have super tunnel vision, overly focused, etc.

Aniracetam is far better in my experience.

Nonetheless: Solid diet + exercise + sleep + meditation = Natural NZT-48 pill. (Limitless movie reference!)

 

[randomnumber314]

Lots of broscience in the nootropics niche. Plenty of supplement companies willing to fill the void of information with their marketing insights. I treat every pill as a skeptic--what does the Dr. recommend, and what are they basing their recommendation on.

Be very careful with internet scientists testing and suggesting things, chances are there isn't a well controlled test environment. Additionally, the internet scientist might not--gasp--be as well versed in chemical/biological recourse as you think.

I'd venture a guess that a chat with your typical endocrinologist will yield much better results than an in depth debate with an internet nootropics expert.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[NetBorn]

My two cents for my experience up to day. I'm conservative and very healthy, so I take nootropics that qualify more as food supplements and aim on deficiency caused by stress, aging ... laziness or lack of motivation : ) But you'll still appreciate my points:

Currently I only take Pregnenolone, L-tyrosine, vegetable oils (flax seed and other), raw nuts and very little choline from cinnamon tea (only late in the afternoon - I'll elaborate below ). Pregnenolone makes miracles for stressed or elder people, but I take it only sub-lingual in very little amounts - like 5 mg ( tested for toxicity with 10 000 mg , so very safe ) ... won't go in details, but maybe I needed just that to compensate for some deficiency caused from stress - I was starting to loose energy for everything and this just makes me feel I'm 20 again (I also can stay hungry for longer with focus and not feel so tired after fitness). It also helped my girlfriend with menstrual pains and other ... stuff.

Stopped coffee - it literally makes your brain slower and shuts down the energy flow to it, although you feel more calm, hence "focused", it has a negative effect on your mental energy (it also has 2 weeks cycle).

Ah, and talking about coffee, almost forgot - green tea makes miracles in the morning : It has L-Theanine , which has great effect on being calm, but sharp - I heard managers claim it helps them with stress and procrastination on taking decisions ... it has caffeine though, but I can't find in pure form - I live in small EU country where it is hard to find almost any supplements - it took me 2 months to find Pregnenolone from another city.

Also instead of coffee I sometimes take citruline - it gives you very nice physical boost, like you ate lemon (what it actually is). If you feel "toxic", tired, low energy ... you'd feel fresh without side effects. Very common for sportsmen and they put in amino acids and drinks, but not popular for regular people ( maybe lemonade is a market competitor ).

I wanted to make one I think important point : Be careful with choline. A lot of people have it naturally high in the brain - I work with my brain but I hardly deplete the natural choline during the day, so I take minimal those around 5 p.m. to give mi final boost for non work related stuff. If you take too much, without feeling sleepy or already tired or being on real stress ... you get a headache for a few hours (at least me). I think it is from person to person, my natural intelligence (not wisdom) seems to be high even from IQ tests when I was little. I was fan of Alpha GPC (purest form of choline) , but this was when I was really studying heavily and going to work - I could take 500 mg before noon like that, but today if I only lick it ... it knock is me on the bed for 2-3 hours. So be careful with the different forms of it and the amount, otherwise it is something I'd recommend anyone.

And the best nootropic is FREEDOM - I'm not an office worker - I arrange my time, sleep how and when I want, I don't breathe shitty air, my light is just how I like it, no noises, no stress - I have an allergy to offices already and I'll open a new thread later, but this should maybe be my fastlane answer to "Why?" (really mind blown on this topic when MJ discussed in the book - I don't have this currently I think : ( , I'm in a too comfort zone ... )

 

[Lathan]

Do they work? What are your experiences with them? Any suggestions on nootripics to try?

One I recently came across is called Alpha Brain. Heard good things, wonder if anyone has tried it.

I'm looking for a cognitive enhancer. I need more focus, clarity etc.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[adoredunchin]

A study just came out for alpha brain if you're interested.

So theire own lab proved they work ? Yeah well.
Ask @benhebert he is the founder of NaturalStacks

 

[MorgothBauglir]

So theire own lab proved they work ?

no.

 

[arfadugus]

Having tried almost every nootropic out there. I'll say that alpha brain is crap. Effects are very very mild and doesnt justify the cost. Go with Modafinil if you want something with a kick. Who knows what it'll do to you long term though.

 

[camcam]

I went about two years without drinking anything but water. It's really not that hard.

Wasn't really aimed at you. Just seeing if any hypocrites can get caught out. Like someone said early, nootropics are no different from having coffee on a morning, grabbing a redbull or even drinking tea. Saying that I think someone mentioned also about taking medication for a headache. I drink pretty much anything I like the taste of.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Deon]

From what I read about protein is that if you neglect it in your diet, the small muscle tissue deteriorate to the point that it can kill you.

Yep, that might be true... but let's just say that it's very hard to eat so little protein that has any chance of happening I think even people would a horrible diet still manage to get enough protein not to have to worry about that

On a different but related note... protein is by far the most difficult macro-nutrient for me to get enough of during the day. I really gotta make sure to hit my daily target

 

[camcam]

You have no idea what you're talking about.

Glad someone said it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[camcam]

Probably a bit too rapid a response on my part. LOL. My more reasoned response is above.

You made me choke on water when I read it [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk