What Are Nootropics And How Do They Boost Your Intelligence?

Nootropics are also known as “smart drugs” because  they promise, which is not insignificant, to increase our mental performance and strengthen our cognitive part. In recent years, their popularity has exploded to such an extent that thousands of people already include this golden pill in their lunch, thanks to which they can be more productive in their work.

To contextualize nootropics a bit, it suffices to mention a movie: Limitless . In the latter, Bradley Cooper was taking an experimental drug called “NZT-48”. Shortly after consuming it, his world became more alive, his senses were refined and his cognitive potential was acting at 200%: he was therefore able to learn many languages ​​very easily, from being a financial genius to Wall Street or to remember everything he had seen, read or heard.

“In principle, the human brain is a bit like a notebook you buy at the bookstore: it doesn’t have a large mechanism and has a lot of blank pages.”

-Alan Turing-

Such a thing would allow us – apparently – to be more productive than Stephen King when he writes novels, to memorize the program of a competition in half the time or to activate those neural structures capable of arousing the musical or mathematical genius that is hidden in each of us. We obviously say “in appearance” because  the reality is different, a reality that is undoubtedly better adjusted, more limited and less sparkling but just as interesting.

The pharmaceutical industry, for example, invests monstrous sums (which number in the millions) each year in the development of new nootropics and does so for a very simple reason: the demand has multiplied.

The pressure at work is increasingly high, we know it: you must always be alert, improve your concentration, be more mentally agile,  more creative, more productive … Everyone wants to give more of his person without having to resort to dangerous substances, and this is where nootropics or “smart” drugs come into play.

Currently, we know that these drugs are highly regarded by academics, military pilots, computer programmers or creators of advertising companies who seek in these nootropics a seemingly harmless resource, thanks to where they can extend their minds, focus their attention and give their best to achieve their goals.

Good, but… do nootropics actually work?

Nootropics, an accidental discovery that gave shape to “smart drugs”

Some say nootropics are the “drug” of the future, a product of an accelerated society that wants to go beyond its possibilities. However, this term bothers, does not please and is not accepted because –  mostly  – there are no side effects and it is not a “psychostimulant”. This is why we have called them in a much more inspiring way: “cognitive enhancers”.

In addition, some also venture to say that  nootropics will constitute from tomorrow our evolutionary menu and that, thanks to them, we will push our brain development to another level.

As curious as it may sound, this is precisely the purpose of large corporations and famous entities. In fact,  Silicon Valley – the world’s capital of the tech industry – has been working with nootropics for years  and has found new mechanisms through which it can intensify their properties, effects, duration, and even usefulness.

Nootropics will not only serve to enhance our attention and creativity; they also allow us to be able to experience lucid dreams or to achieve a level of relaxation similar to what one would have after years of meditation. Good, but even knowing this, we realize that to many people, some data may seem like pure science fiction; it is therefore necessary to move forward step by step. Let us first take a look at their origin. 

From sleep inducers to attention activators

We are in the middle of the 60s and, in the Belgian laboratory “ Union Chimique Belge”,  the Romanian neuropsychologist Corneliu Giurgea is working on the synthesis of various chemical compounds with a very concrete goal: to induce sleep.

However, what he actually discovered was a very special type of molecule that enabled him to create the first nootropic in history, Piracetam. This drug, far from reducing neuronal excitability and promoting rest, actually did the opposite: put the mind on alert and improve cognitive functions such as memory and concentration.

• Such a thing was possible thanks to the chemical modulation of neurotransmitters like acetylcholine and glutamate  and, moreover, without too adverse side effects.

• Corneliu Giurgea’s Piracetam did not take long to be marketed, thus allowing the appearance of other proposals such as Oxiracetam, Aniracetam, Pramiracetam or Fenylpiracetam.

The mechanism of action of nootropics varies. However,  the majority of them have effects in vasodilation, that is, they improve blood flow to the brain,  providing it with more oxygen, more nutrients and glucose, the source essential energy that the brain uses to ensure long periods of concentration.

In addition, and as curious data to which we must reflect, we know that  Silicon Valley works with nootropics by combining them with  biohacking,  that is to say that it tries to “hack” certain brain functions to through various chemicals to strengthen the functions of thought.

It seems that the door to this evolutionary leap in our brain is already opening …

What effects do nootropics have? Are they as beneficial as they appear to be?

The purpose of the pharmaceutical industries, with nootropics, is twofold. On the one hand, as we know, they seek to improve our basic cognitive processes, something that they usually manage to achieve. The second aspect is that  they should act as neuroprotectors and have as few side effects as possible (or should not have any at all).

One of the biggest problems faced by health experts is that university students, as well as business leaders and others who have a lifestyle characterized by stress ,  acquire nootropics through the Internet, without worrying too much about where they come from  or, worse, how they should be consumed.

Let’s take an example. Caffeine is a natural nootropic, as are omega 3 fatty acids.  If I drink 10 cups of coffee overnight, it is very likely that I will have headache, dizziness and high blood pressure. Thus, the student who buys a nootropic on the Internet whose composition and how to consume it, with the sole aim of passing the exam the next day, will certainly experience side effects instead. to note this improvement in attention and memory.

Therefore, this should be borne in mind:  Nootropics help, but are not a cure. In addition, we will only note these benefits if we know how to consume them, by accepting the advice of an expert in the field.

In addition, and curiously, it must be said that  Russian laboratories have created a new family of nootropics  derived from the corticotrope, the stress hormone, and GABA receptor agonists such as Phenibut or Tolibut. These drugs are in great demand lately because of their anxiolytic and stress-reducing effect, but it should be remembered that their side effects are undoubtedly the most dangerous on the market, because they lead to long-term dependence .

How to use nootropics

Experts tell us that there are some basic standards we need to know when taking a nootropic.

• Find the nootropic that best suits your needs.
• It is necessary to consult a specialist who guides us towards the options that exist on the market.

• Everyone has a type of neurochemistry, and in general it is common to start with very low doses,  trying several nootropics before finding the most suitable.
• If we experience any discomfort, such as headache or dizziness, it is necessary to stop this type of nootropic immediately.
• Finally, it should be remembered that  these drugs do not act immediately. The brain needs to get used to it; in fact, you will start to notice their effects after a few days or weeks.

They only work if we follow a proper diet and avoid a sedentary lifestyle

If we are to modulate our brain chemistry to function at the best level, we need a series of the right nutrients that activate the mechanism of action of these smart drugs. Therefore, a balanced diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids is essential for nootropics to work.

• If we lead a sedentary lifestyle, we will have a slow, less efficient metabolism  and our liver function will not be able to optimally manage the components of nootropics.

Sport and a varied diet low in saturated fat are essential for these drugs to reach their goal.

“The real sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”

-Albert Einstein-

Types of nootropics

It is important to point out here that not  all nootropics are drugs. Many of them do not require a medical prescription as they have natural components and are very easy to find in herbal stores. Despite this, before starting to consume cognitive enhancers, it is always a good idea to consult a specialist.

We therefore need to know what we are looking for, because as we can see the supply of nootropics is quite ample; everything indicates that it will be even more so in the coming years.

• Nootropics to improve the mood.
• Nootropics to improve focus.
• Nootropics to fight anxiety.
• Nootropics to improve memory.
• Nootropics to improve rest, recovery and sleep.

• Nootropics as anti-aging or longevity.

To conclude, it should also be remembered that nootropics are not food supplements. They should not be used lightly, simply because the supply is higher and higher and because their effectiveness is less and less reliable. Therefore, even if we all want to optimize our cognitive abilities to adjust to the current demands of the labor market,  it will always be better to look for other strategies, other paths.

Despite this, we will continue to pay attention to the evolution of these cognitive enhancers and their impact on our future.