Nootropic Smart Drugs
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The smartest smart drugs...
From Ivy League classrooms to Wall Street boardrooms, healthy overachievers are using a steady stream of 'smart drugs' to keep up with their highly stressful, extremely demanding daily routines. But no one talks about it... Until now.
What works. What Doesn't. The Benefits. The Drawbacks. The Ongoing Debate. Everything you need to know about Smart Drugs.
What works. What Doesn't. The Benefits. The Drawbacks. The Ongoing Debate. Everything you need to know about Smart Drugs.
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- Why Cognitive Enhancement Is in Your Future (and Your Past)
- It could be that we are on the verge of a great deluge of cognitive enhancement. Or it's possible that new brain-enhancing drugs and technologies will be nothing compared to how we've transformed our minds in the past. If it seems that making ourselves "artificially" smarter is somehow inhuman, it may be that similar activities are actually what made us human.
Let's look at the nature of the new technology. Last week a team of ethicists from Oxford released a paper on the implications of using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) to improve cognition in human beings. Recent years have seen some encouraging, if preliminary, lab results involving TDCS, a deep brain stimulation technique that uses electrodes placed outside the head to direct tiny painless currents across the brain. The currents are thought to increase neuroplasticity, making it easier for neurons to fire and form the connections that enable learning. There are signs that the technology could improve language acumen, math ability, and even memory. The Oxford paper argues that TDCS has now reached a critical stage where its risks must be carefully considered before the research goes further.
Of course, not everyone is convinced that the technology will pan out. Some remain skeptical of TDCS, calling it a fad, the latest in a long series of "neuro-myths" that bubble up when scientists distort or embellish their findings in the name of publicity. But even if brain stimulation fizzles, the questions raised by the Oxford paper are going to be with us for a long time. That's because TDCS is just one of many promising new technologies that neuroscientists hope will enhance cognition, including smart pills, genetic engineering, and brain-to-computer interfacing. As deep brain stimulation has become the flavor du jour in neuroscience, bioethicists have increasingly given it a starring role in the thought experiments they use to tease out the philosophical dilemmas posed by cognitive enhancement.
Allen Buchanan is one such bioethicist. As a Professor of Philosophy at Duke University and a consultant to the President's Council on Bioethics, Buchanan has written extensively about the ethical implications of human enhancement. In his most recent book Better Than Human he makes a sustained philosophical case for pursuing human enhancement, arguing that its critics often proceed from a deeply flawed understanding of human nature. Last week I spoke with Buchanan at length about the ethics of deep brain stimulation, the history of cognitive enhancement, and what a world of cognitively enhanced human beings might look like.
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- The Ultimate Brain Quest
- "Every day we recall the past, perceive the present and imagine the future. How do our brains accomplish these feats? It's safe to say that nobody really knows," Sebastian Seung writes early in "Connectome," his exploration of how researchers have at least made a start toward understanding how those feats are accomplished. Mr. Seung, a professor of brain science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is an amiable guide, witty and exceptionally clear in describing complex matters for the general reader.
He begins with the observation that each of us is unique, differing from one another in uncountable ways. These differences arise in part because we have different genes that influence brain development and, accordingly, behavior. Also important are gene-by-environment interactions and gene expression: You might have a genetic predisposition toward alcoholism, but without the right environmental triggers, that gene may never become active. The sequencing of the human genome has provided a map of our 20,000 genes, and we are gradually gaining insights into what these genes do, individually and in combination.
Neuroscientists posit that all of our hopes, desires, beliefs and experiences are encoded in the brain as patterns of neural firings. Just how this happens is not precisely understood, as the author attests, but we have made great strides in understanding how neurons communicate with one another. Progress has also been made in mapping which brain systems control which kinds of operations (my own field of research): One system is responsible for lifting your foot, another senses the pain when you stub your toe; one system helps you to solve arithmetic problems, another enjoys "La Bohème." A new approach to studying brains and individual differences involves making maps of how neurons connect to one another. Following the term genome, these are called connectomes.
"Why study connectomes if genomics is already so powerful?" Mr. Seung asks. "The answer is simple: Genes alone cannot explain how your brain got to be the way it is. As you lay nestled in your mother's womb, you already possessed your genome but not yet the memory of your first kiss."
The human brain contains 100 million neurons, and each neuron makes thousands of connections on average. If we assume that each distinct connection pattern gives rise to a distinct brain state-like the effervescent sensation after that first kiss-the number of brain states exceeds the number of known particles in the universe. Your experiences, memories, personality and thoughts are thus encoded in the ways your neurons connect to one another. The next big frontier is mapping those trillions of neural connection patterns to their brain states. By observing a particular network of neurons firing, researchers should know (in theory) whether you are thinking about love or money, beer or burgers.
The associational networks of your brain determine to a large degree how you understand the world and your place in it. When prompted with "red" you might respond "apple," while another person may respond "flame." Your fears and phobias, likes and attractions, were influenced by a lifetime of outcomes and associations. The information thus contained in your connectome is what sets you apart from everyone else, what describes your unique personality. "Information," according to Mr. Seung, "is the new soul."
But before readers can profitably learn about the connections, they need to understand something about neural physiology, neurotransmitters, synapses and neuroanatomy. Mr. Seung is equal to the task: "Connectome" offers the equivalent of a college course on neuroscience, covering such technical matters as spike trains, cortical layering, ion channels, and the function and structure of axons and dendrites. He also throws in a bit of neurochemistry, assuming no prior knowledge of biology, chemistry or psychology.
Except for the last two chapters, the book is not so much about connectomes as about how to use connectomes to frame neuroscience. We learn about the tools of the neuroscience trade-how they work and why they are important. From there we learn how patterns of neural connections give rise to our perceptions of the world, our reactions to perception and, ultimately, our uniqueness. Although obtaining connectomes for even the simpler brain of the mouse is beyond our technological abilities today, Mr. Seung lays out the technical hurdles and proposes some more attainable near-term goals. But he also makes a passionate case for a decade-long investment of time and energy, comparable to the Human Genome Project, to advance the cause.
Even in the current speculative realm, the connectome is a fascinating, occasionally frustrating, subject. One view is that each connectome or connectivity map will give rise to one and only one brain state and that different connectomes cannot give rise to the same state. Yet the widespread use of pharmaceutical agents such as Prozac and Ritalin suggests otherwise-that knowing the connectome is unlikely to tell us all we need to know about a person's thoughts, feelings, opinions and personality.
The levels of various chemicals in our brains can clearly be altered pharmaceutically. They are also influenced by diet, exercise, stress and normal biological cycles. Even if we know how the neurons are connected and the strength of their synapses, the amount of dopamine, for example, that is available in the brain at any given moment will influence firing patterns. This could cause the same neural network (a group of connected neurons) to give rise to different thoughts or different networks to give rise to similar thoughts.
Despite the fact that we have different brains and different neuronal configurations, when you and I smell a skunk it seems likely that we have equivalent mental states that lead to the same conclusions. Knowing the wiring is a crucial operation in understanding the nature of thought, but it seems not to be enough; we also need to know the precise chemical soup du jour in the brain. And one more additional, crucial step is understanding which types of experiences and environmental events can change the brain's wiring and in what ways.
The last two chapters of "Connectome" will be catnip for futurists, as Mr. Seung lays out two possible benefits of understanding connectomes: the repair of cryogenically frozen brains and subsequent restoration of consciousness and the uploading of consciousness into computer simulations. In the best (but unlikely) case, either could lead to cognitive immortality. Although the claims are far-fetched, they are beautifully explained and analyzed-as I might have expected from a writer who has produced the best lay book on brain science I've ever read.
-Mr. Levitin is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at McGill University in Montreal. His books include "This Is Your Brain on Music."
The Smart Drug Revlolution
Nootropics or "Smart Drugs," as they are more commonly referred have been around since the 1960's. However, until recently there have been no major advancements in the field. But recently, they have seen a resurgence in American culture. Young Americans who have been brought up on Adderall, Ritalin, and subsequent "Study Drugs" are increasingly interested in finding ways to increase their cognitive abilities - and in particular, finding a way to do so without the off label use of prescription medication....
Dr. Ward Dean and John Morgenthaler, authors of Smart Drugs and Nutrients, define nootropics as "substances that improve learning, memory consolidation, and memory retrieval without other central nervous system effects and with low toxicity, even at extremely high doses." And according to Dean and Morgenthaler, nootriopics improve such things as "alertness, mental energy, concentration, [ability] to concentrate for longer periods at a time, ability to memorize material, productivity, organization, planning ability, verbal memory, problem-solving ability, mood, sexual desire, overall health, and performance at intellectual games such as chess or computer games."
And as more and more research is being conducted on Nootropics, the scientific findings are beginning to reinforce these ideas.
Researchers have discovered that nootropics have a variety of positive effects on the brain. Some nootropics imitate or reproduce chemicals naturally found in the brain or produced by the brain itself: Vasopressin, a hormone required for the proper functioning of memory, ordinarily produced by the pituitary gland. DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol), a B-complex nutrient found in fish, thought by scientists to enhance brain activity by helping the brain synthesize neurotransmitters. Even foods like chocolate and almonds have been found to contain natural nootropics.
But the real breakthough in research has come from the powerful pharmaceutical grade nootropics. Most notably Piracetam.
One of the most important ways piracetam can enhance cognition is by helping to cleanse the brain of a substance called lipofuscin-a fatty material that interferes with the brain's synapses, preventing them from releasing neurotransmitters that enable the communication of information among nerve cells. Lipofuscin is a product of the buildup of free radicals, which are molecules with a free-that is, unpaired-electron.
Free radicals have a variety of causes, including ultraviolet radiation from the sun (attention, sunbathers), faulty breakdown of body fats, smoking, and plain ordinary metabolic processes. Nootropics such as, piracetam, can neutralize free radicals, preventing them from stealing molecules.
And industry leaders like PROFIDERALL are taking things a step further. Using a piracetam based, Nootropic Stack to further enhance the effects of the "smart drugs." PROFIDERALL's Cognitive Energy Complex pairs the latest nootropic 'smart drugs' with powerful energy compounds to provide fuel for both mind and body. The key nootropic substances are clinically proven to improve creative thinking, information processing, attention, cortical/behavioral arousal, learning and memory%u2026 while the powerful synthetics build incredible energy that lasts up to 6 hours.
Many smart drugs are now even used to treat people suffering from senility, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's (as dramatized in the film Awakenings), but the effects of these drugs on healthy brains has only recently become apparent through the experimentation of nootropic researchers.
Most smart drugs, however, seem to be remarkably free of side effects.
It's fairly certain that the more that is learned about nootropics, like piracetam, the more popular they will become. And as a miliions of young Americans continue to turn to alternatives to prescription medication, to increase their mental capacity and improve performance, nootropics seem to be the future of the Smart Drug Revolution.
Dr. Ward Dean and John Morgenthaler, authors of Smart Drugs and Nutrients, define nootropics as "substances that improve learning, memory consolidation, and memory retrieval without other central nervous system effects and with low toxicity, even at extremely high doses." And according to Dean and Morgenthaler, nootriopics improve such things as "alertness, mental energy, concentration, [ability] to concentrate for longer periods at a time, ability to memorize material, productivity, organization, planning ability, verbal memory, problem-solving ability, mood, sexual desire, overall health, and performance at intellectual games such as chess or computer games."
And as more and more research is being conducted on Nootropics, the scientific findings are beginning to reinforce these ideas.
Researchers have discovered that nootropics have a variety of positive effects on the brain. Some nootropics imitate or reproduce chemicals naturally found in the brain or produced by the brain itself: Vasopressin, a hormone required for the proper functioning of memory, ordinarily produced by the pituitary gland. DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol), a B-complex nutrient found in fish, thought by scientists to enhance brain activity by helping the brain synthesize neurotransmitters. Even foods like chocolate and almonds have been found to contain natural nootropics.
But the real breakthough in research has come from the powerful pharmaceutical grade nootropics. Most notably Piracetam.
One of the most important ways piracetam can enhance cognition is by helping to cleanse the brain of a substance called lipofuscin-a fatty material that interferes with the brain's synapses, preventing them from releasing neurotransmitters that enable the communication of information among nerve cells. Lipofuscin is a product of the buildup of free radicals, which are molecules with a free-that is, unpaired-electron.
Free radicals have a variety of causes, including ultraviolet radiation from the sun (attention, sunbathers), faulty breakdown of body fats, smoking, and plain ordinary metabolic processes. Nootropics such as, piracetam, can neutralize free radicals, preventing them from stealing molecules.
And industry leaders like PROFIDERALL are taking things a step further. Using a piracetam based, Nootropic Stack to further enhance the effects of the "smart drugs." PROFIDERALL's Cognitive Energy Complex pairs the latest nootropic 'smart drugs' with powerful energy compounds to provide fuel for both mind and body. The key nootropic substances are clinically proven to improve creative thinking, information processing, attention, cortical/behavioral arousal, learning and memory%u2026 while the powerful synthetics build incredible energy that lasts up to 6 hours.
Many smart drugs are now even used to treat people suffering from senility, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's (as dramatized in the film Awakenings), but the effects of these drugs on healthy brains has only recently become apparent through the experimentation of nootropic researchers.
Most smart drugs, however, seem to be remarkably free of side effects.
It's fairly certain that the more that is learned about nootropics, like piracetam, the more popular they will become. And as a miliions of young Americans continue to turn to alternatives to prescription medication, to increase their mental capacity and improve performance, nootropics seem to be the future of the Smart Drug Revolution.
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The Latest in Nootropics
- Adderall Drug Shortage Will Continue in 2012, Government Officials Say
- A contentious relationship between drug manufacturers and the Drug Enforcement Agency may cause a continuing shortage of the attention deficit medication Adderall, which the FDA just added to its official drug shortages list, the New York Times reported.
As of 2007, about 9.5 percent, or 5.4 million, of school-aged children were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adderall prescriptions went up 13.4 percent from 2009 to 2010, and more than 18 million prescriptions were written for the drug, Reuters reported.
As demand for the drug grows, more and more patients have found the medication is out of stock at local pharmacies.
Experts say it's difficult to say where the reason for drug shortage lies. To manage controlled substances that can potentially be abused, the DEA sets manufacturing quotas for drug ingredients each year to control supplies like Adderall. But Adderall drug manufacturers, which include Shire Plc and Novartis, Teva and CorePharma LLC, say they cannot meet the growing demand for the product without looser limits from the DEA. The DEA questions whether there is actually a shortage of generic supplies, which are at an especially low supply, or whether the drug companies want to sell more of the expensive brand-name drugs.
Despite the growing demand, Special Agent Gary Boggs of the DEA's office of diversion control told the New York Times, "We believe there is plenty of supply."
Barbara Carreno, a DEA spokeswoman, told Reuters that hundreds of drugs that do not require a DEA quota, and those shortages are not caused by quota limits, but marketing ploys by drug makers.
"Any shortage of these products is therefore a result of decisions made by industry regarding manufacturing or distribution," Carreno told Reuters.
But a Teva spokesperson told Reuters, "Our production facilities are currently running at maximum capacity for Adderall utilizing all available API (the drug's active pharmaceutical ingredient). The catalyst for the problem is the quota system, not the business."
The addition of Adderall to the FDA drug shortage list comes on the heels of an executive order to ease drug shortages that Obama signed in October.
"The shortage of prescription drugs drives up costs, leaves consumers vulnerable to price gouging and threatens our health and safety," Obama said in a statement at the time. "This is a problem we can't wait to fix. That's why today, I am directing my administration to take steps to protect consumers from drug shortages, and I'm committed to working with Congress and industry to keep tackling this problem going forward."
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- F.D.A. Finds Short Supply of Attention Deficit Drugs
- Medicines to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are in such short supply that hundreds of patients complain daily to the Food and Drug Administration that they are unable to find a pharmacy with enough pills to fill their prescriptions.
The shortages are a result of a troubled partnership between drug manufacturers and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with companies trying to maximize their profits and drug enforcement agents trying to minimize abuse by people, many of them college students, who use the medications to get high or to stay up all night.
Caught in between are millions of children and adults who rely on the pills to help them stay focused and calm. Shortages, particularly of cheaper generics, have become so endemic that some patients say they worry almost constantly about availability.
While the Food and Drug Administration monitors the safety and supply of the drugs, which are sold both as generics and under brand names like Ritalin and Adderall, the Drug Enforcement Administration sets manufacturing quotas that are designed to control supplies and thwart abuse. Every year, the D.E.A. accepts applications from manufacturers to make the drugs, analyzes how much was sold the previous year and then allots portions of the expected demand to various companies.
How each manufacturer divides its quota among its own A.D.H.D. medicines - preparing some as high-priced brands and others as cheaper generics - is left up to the company.
Now, multiple manufacturers have announced that their medicines are in short supply. The F.D.A. has included these pills on its official shortages list, as has the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, which tracks the problem for hospitals. And the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has told the more than 8,000 doctors in its membership that shortages seem to be "widespread across a number of states" and are "devastating" for children.
Officials at the Food and Drug Administration say the shortages are a result of overly strict quotas set by the Drug Enforcement Administration, which, for its part, questions whether there really are shortages or whether manufacturers are simply choosing to make more of the expensive pills than the generics, creating supply and demand imbalances.
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- Lingering shortage of ADHD drugs
- ADHD drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin, first reported as scarce last spring, are only a fraction of the 251 medications in short supply so far this year, up from 211 in 2010, according to University of Utah Drug Information Service.
The issue drew renewed attention Thursday, when the White House issued an interim rule that requires drugmakers that are the only producers of certain critical medications to report to the Food and Drug Administration all manufacturing interruptions that could disrupt supplies.
It follows an October executive order in which President Barack Obama directed the FDA and the Department of Justice to take bolder steps to resolve the worsening scarcity.
Shortages of life-saving drugs, such as those used to treat cancer, and medically necessary drugs, such as anesthetics and painkillers, have sparked the most dire concerns, experts say.
But shortages of the ADHD drugs widely used to help an estimated 5.4 million children and 1.5 million adults concentrate daily are also worrisome, especially as the problem continues.
"We get those reports from patients saying I had to drive three hours to get my ADHD prescription and this is the third, fourth or fifth time," said Erin Fox, manager of the Drug Information Service, which tracks drug supply issues. "We're hearing from moms who are so worried and upset about not getting the drugs their kids need every day."
FDA officials, too, say the ADHD drug shortage has drawn a lot of attention.
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Smart Drug Sales Surge During Finals Week
Cognitive Energy Enhancers sell out across the country
With finals approaching, college students are buckling down and hitting the books. But no longer does studying for the big test merely mean nights of pounding Red Bulls, popping caffeine pills, or downing shots of espresso. America's best and brightest students are turning to 'study drugs' in order to perform at their best. So much so, that popular Cognitive Energy Enhancers, led by PROFIDERALL, have been selling out across the country.
Of course, prescription drugs like Adderall and Concerta have been used to supplement study habits for years, but drugs like these are not designed for non-therapeutic use and can be addictive, potentially harmful, and illegal to consume without a doctor's permission. Now newer, better smart drugs are popping up on campuses from coast to coast. Leading the way are what's known as Cognitive Energy Enhancers. These "mental performance enhancers" utilize powerful Nootropics to keep you alert, focused, and motivated - and without a prescription.
With the shortage Adderall Shortage, students are looking for an alternative - and they've found one in Cognitive Energy Enhancers. And with sales already at record levels, it's not surprising that the stress of approaching exams has created an even higher demand.
Of course, prescription drugs like Adderall and Concerta have been used to supplement study habits for years, but drugs like these are not designed for non-therapeutic use and can be addictive, potentially harmful, and illegal to consume without a doctor's permission. Now newer, better smart drugs are popping up on campuses from coast to coast. Leading the way are what's known as Cognitive Energy Enhancers. These "mental performance enhancers" utilize powerful Nootropics to keep you alert, focused, and motivated - and without a prescription.
With the shortage Adderall Shortage, students are looking for an alternative - and they've found one in Cognitive Energy Enhancers. And with sales already at record levels, it's not surprising that the stress of approaching exams has created an even higher demand.
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- The Power of Piracetam
- Piracetam, often referred to as a 'smart drug,' is a psychoactive substance that is widely recognised internationally for its powerful ability to improve learning and memory. It belongs to the Nootropic family of chemical substances known for the considerable improvement they bring about in cognitive reasoning, memory abilities, intelligence, and motivation. In addition to stabilizing cells in the blood and central nervous system, Piracetam also assists in alleviating oxidative and hypoxic stress. Since there are no toxic or addictive properties associated with the substace, it is commonly used to treat several neurological and physical disorders including dyslexia, senile dementia, concussions, ADHD, Alzheimer's, and amnesia.
Tracing Its Genesis
The need for a potent learning and memory enhancing substance that has no pernicious side-effects resulted in a concerted scientific endeavor, comprising a group of Belgian scientists, under the leadership of Romanian psychologist and chemist, Dr Corneliu E. Giurgea. The sustained efforts of this group of scientists led to the synthesis of the world's first Nootropic supplement - Piracetam. Successful trials reinforced the fact that the 'smart drug' is a potent tool in the fight against a host of age-related neurological conditions. Today, more than four decades after its discovery, Piracetam has emerged as the most widely tested and widely recommended Nootropic along with Oxiracetam and Aniracetam.
Thinking Better: The Benefits of Piracetam
There are numerous health benefits associated with Piracetam. Like all other Nootropics, Piracetam boosts the central nervous system. It also stimulates the corpus callosum, the switchboard between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, thus facilitating increased communication between the two sides and enabling the brain to work at its optimum efficiency. Piracetam enhances the blood circulation to the brain cells and rejuvenates old and damaged neurons in the brain.
One of the most widely chronicled benefits of Piracetam is its ability to augment alertness, short-term memory, and attention span in both normal, healthy humans, and age-impaired persons. According to medical research, Piracetam causes improvements in memory and alertness by an average of 50%. It is clinically proven to reduce instances of depression by an average of 32% and increase memory by about 45% in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia. These patients have also experienced relief from conditions such as sleep disorders and paranoia. Even patients suffering from Down's syndrome and dyslexia have benefitted immensely from the introduction of Piracetam in their treatment.
Piracetam helps to assuage learning difficulties associated with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), assists in the treatment of and speedy recovery from conditions such as hypoxia, alcohol consumption, stroke, epilepsy, tinnitus, vertigo, and sudden deafness. It is also known to reduce fatigue and improve athletic performance at high altitudes. Since it is a non-habit forming substace, its usage among students is common for improving concentration and focus.
Fueling the next generation of "smart pills"
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Adderall Alternatives?
The rise of Cognitive Energy Enhancers
It's time to go back to school; and on college campuses across America that means long hours in the library, a stack of books and a return to so-called 'smart pills' like Adderall. The use of Adderall as a neuroenhancer is so prevalent among college students that a 60 Minutes expose indicated 34% to as much as 60% of undergraduate juniors and seniors have taken ADHD drugs as study aids, and did so without a prescription. Surprising results, the report said.
To most college students, however, the results were not surprising at all. The only thing shocking about the expose is the idea that the use of drugs like Adderall and Ritalin comes as a shock to anyone. College students have been using 'smart pills' to supplement their study habits for the last decade. In fact, the use of neuroenhancers has now graduated into the work place, carried there by a generation of young professionals that sees 'smart pills' as important tools for success.
So what's the problem? To begin, prescription drugs like Adderall are not meant for non-therapeutic use and can be addictive, potentially harmful and illegal to consume without a doctor's permission.
Adderall Alternative? Science to the rescue. Now there are alternatives: newer, better 'smart pills,' known as Cognitive Energy Enhancers, that incorporate powerful nootropics, like piracetam, to help keep users alert, focused and motivated - all without a prescription.
Cognitive Energy Enhancers are quickly replacing drugs like Adderall and Concerta as the 'smart pills' of choice. Based on the science of nootropics, they are legal, non-prescription and widely available. No longer a dorm room secret, bottles of popular nootropic-based Cognitive Energy Enhancers, supplements that pair the latest nootropic formulation with powerful energy compounds to provide fuel for both your body and mind, are popping up in book bags, purses and desk drawers across the country.
In scientific terms, nootropics improve the function of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine via muscarinic cholinergic (ACh) receptors, which are implicated in memory processes. Furthermore, they have an effect on NMDA glutamate receptors which are involved with learning and memory processes. Nootropics influence neuronal and vascular functions and increase cognitive function, while at the same time providing a natural source of energy.
The result? Nootropic substances help to improve creative thinking, information processing, attention, cortical/behavioral arousal, learning and memory... while the powerful synthetics provide energy that lasts up to 6 hours.
No longer an underground campus secret, non-prescription Cognitive Energy Enhancers are seen as necessary tools for a generation dedicated to success and looking for a way to work smarter, work longer and accomplish more in today's very competitive world.
To most college students, however, the results were not surprising at all. The only thing shocking about the expose is the idea that the use of drugs like Adderall and Ritalin comes as a shock to anyone. College students have been using 'smart pills' to supplement their study habits for the last decade. In fact, the use of neuroenhancers has now graduated into the work place, carried there by a generation of young professionals that sees 'smart pills' as important tools for success.
So what's the problem? To begin, prescription drugs like Adderall are not meant for non-therapeutic use and can be addictive, potentially harmful and illegal to consume without a doctor's permission.
Adderall Alternative? Science to the rescue. Now there are alternatives: newer, better 'smart pills,' known as Cognitive Energy Enhancers, that incorporate powerful nootropics, like piracetam, to help keep users alert, focused and motivated - all without a prescription.
Cognitive Energy Enhancers are quickly replacing drugs like Adderall and Concerta as the 'smart pills' of choice. Based on the science of nootropics, they are legal, non-prescription and widely available. No longer a dorm room secret, bottles of popular nootropic-based Cognitive Energy Enhancers, supplements that pair the latest nootropic formulation with powerful energy compounds to provide fuel for both your body and mind, are popping up in book bags, purses and desk drawers across the country.
In scientific terms, nootropics improve the function of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine via muscarinic cholinergic (ACh) receptors, which are implicated in memory processes. Furthermore, they have an effect on NMDA glutamate receptors which are involved with learning and memory processes. Nootropics influence neuronal and vascular functions and increase cognitive function, while at the same time providing a natural source of energy.
The result? Nootropic substances help to improve creative thinking, information processing, attention, cortical/behavioral arousal, learning and memory... while the powerful synthetics provide energy that lasts up to 6 hours.
No longer an underground campus secret, non-prescription Cognitive Energy Enhancers are seen as necessary tools for a generation dedicated to success and looking for a way to work smarter, work longer and accomplish more in today's very competitive world.
News
The Latest in Nootropics
- Today Show Adderall Report Shows Demand for Smart Drugs
- A recent Today Show report explored the use of Adderall, the preferred prescription drug to treat narcolepsy and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), among college students eager to improve their study habits and mental performance. NBC New's Amy Roabach went inside one of the nations top universities to investigate the rise use of 'smart drugs' amongst students%u2026
But why the shock?
Anyone who has attended college in this decade knows that students have been using drugs like Adderall for years. And as the NBC report showed, an increasing number of healthy people in and out of college are using drugs like Adderall, off label, if you will, to improve their thinking and cognitive skills.
During the investigative report, A Today Show intern was sent into a top university library, and in less than 30 minutes was able to find a student selling Adderall for $5 a pill.
Everyone Is Trying To Get an Edge%u2026 But There's a Catch
Student's who use 'smart drugs' are better focused, more productive, and get better grades. A student interviewed, "Mike," who asked that his real name be withheld, said. "It's given me the boost to work non-stop for 10 hours a day%u2026 Baseball players take steroids to be the best and students take Adderall to be the best. It's steroids for school."
However, it is estimate that only 4% of students on campus have legal prescriptions. The remaining 96% are buying single pills, which sell for as much as $3 - $5 each, in what has turned out to be a thriving underground economy.
But there's danger. As with any prescription drug, Adderall is not designed for non-therapeutic use. It can be addictive, potentially harmful, and illegal to consume without a doctor's permission. According to drugs.com, "Adderall has a high potential for abuse and may be habit forming if used for a long period of time. Use Adderall only as prescribed and do not share it with others. Abuse of Adderall may cause serious heart problems, blood vessel problems, or sudden death." (http://www.drugs.com/cdi/adderall.html)
Given these health risks, it's not surprising that resourceful students have started looking for alternatives to Adderall.
And they've found one.
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Cognitive Energy Enhancers
Why "smart pills" are the new way of getting ahead
From Ivy League classrooms to Wall Street boardrooms, healthy overachievers are using a steady stream of 'smart pills' and analeptics (the class of prescription drugs like Adderall, Ritalin and Modafinil that were developed to treat ADD/ADHD) to keep up with their highly stressful, extremely demanding daily routines. But drugs like these are not designed for non-therapeutic use and can be addictive, potentially harmful, and illegal to consume without a prescription.
The solution? Go-getters are turning to science: to a new category of Cognitive Energy Enhancers, scientifically-engineered to increase focus, improve memory, and deliver long lasting energy - giving users the ability to work smarter, work longer, and accomplish more... all without a prescription. Pioneered by companies like PROFIDERALL, these new 'smart drugs' pairs maximum strength nootropics with powerful energy compounds to provide fuel for both your body and mind.
Beginning in the 1960s with the discovery of Piracetam, the science of improving brain function through specialized supplementation has intrigued a wide range of scientists, from psychologists to chemists to neuroanatomists, have been seeking safe, natural, chemical ways to improve brain function. And let's face it, in this crazy, fast-paced, 24/7 world, the brain needs all the help it can get. Even the New York Times reported that researchers at Cambridge University, no less, revealed that about a dozen of their colleagues had admitted to regular use of prescription drugs like Adderall, a stimulant, and Provigil, which promotes wakefulness, to improve their academic performance (New York Times, March 9, 2008).
College students have been using drugs like Adderall and PROFIDERALL to improve mental performance for years, and now these habits are carrying over into the workplace. This new generation of students and young professionals see Cognitve Energy Enhancers as an important tool for success, and it should come as no surprise. With the current economic conditions and an increasingly competitive landscape, everyone is looking for ways to improve their focus and function, and not get left in the dust.
The solution? Go-getters are turning to science: to a new category of Cognitive Energy Enhancers, scientifically-engineered to increase focus, improve memory, and deliver long lasting energy - giving users the ability to work smarter, work longer, and accomplish more... all without a prescription. Pioneered by companies like PROFIDERALL, these new 'smart drugs' pairs maximum strength nootropics with powerful energy compounds to provide fuel for both your body and mind.
Beginning in the 1960s with the discovery of Piracetam, the science of improving brain function through specialized supplementation has intrigued a wide range of scientists, from psychologists to chemists to neuroanatomists, have been seeking safe, natural, chemical ways to improve brain function. And let's face it, in this crazy, fast-paced, 24/7 world, the brain needs all the help it can get. Even the New York Times reported that researchers at Cambridge University, no less, revealed that about a dozen of their colleagues had admitted to regular use of prescription drugs like Adderall, a stimulant, and Provigil, which promotes wakefulness, to improve their academic performance (New York Times, March 9, 2008).
College students have been using drugs like Adderall and PROFIDERALL to improve mental performance for years, and now these habits are carrying over into the workplace. This new generation of students and young professionals see Cognitve Energy Enhancers as an important tool for success, and it should come as no surprise. With the current economic conditions and an increasingly competitive landscape, everyone is looking for ways to improve their focus and function, and not get left in the dust.
News
The Latest in Nootropics
- Provigil Alternative? The Rise Of Modafinil Use In Silicon Valley
- It has been referred to as the 'entrepreneur's drug of choice' in Silicon Valley by Michael Arrington, founder of the revered technology blog, TechCrunch. Considering its myriad benefits, the soaring popularity enjoyed by Provigil (also referred to as Modafinil) is understandable as is the rapidly growing trend of perfectly healthy adults using cognitive-enhancing drugs rather indiscriminately, as reported by the UK organization called Foresight. The report concludes that one day, these drugs would become as common as coffee.
A poll conducted by British science journal Nature reveals that 20% of scientists who responded to the survey had admitted to taking one of the cognitive-enhancement drugs - Provigil, Ritalin, Inderal, and Modafinil. The same journal conducted an online poll last year, which involved the participation of 1,400 people from 60 countries. The results of this survey were anything but surprising - 1 in 5 said that they had used cognitive enhancing drugs for nonmedical reasons "to stimulate their focus, concentration, or memory." The results also confirmed the fact that only about half of the users had a prescription for the drug they were using.
The amazing speed with which Provigil has reached work desks from the pharmaceutical counter can be understood by highlighting the benefits of this unique stimulant. It is a prescription drug that approved for the improvement of wakefulness in adults who experience excessive sleepiness (ES) due to one of the following diagnosed sleep problems: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), shift work sleep disorder (SWSD), or narcolepsy. It is not a replacement for sleep and is not intended to treat sleep deprivation.
Modafinil almost abolishes the need to sleep, so it is no wonder that Silicon Valley's high achievers are popping this new-age, high-powered "smart drug" in an attempt to keep pace with frenzied work schedules - with nearly $1 billion worth of Provigil being sold every year.
But there's a problem.
As with any prescription drug, Modafinil is not designed for non-therapeutic use. It can be addictive, potentially harmful, and illegal to consume without a doctor's permission. According to drugs.com, "Some people who use Modafinil may develop a need to continue taking it. People who take high doses are also at risk. And if you stop taking Modafinil suddenly, you may have WITHDRAWAL symptoms."
Given these health risks, it's not surprising that resourceful young professionals have started looking for alternatives to Modafinil.
Science to the rescue.
A category of non-prescription alternatives, called Cognitive Energy Enhancers, has quickly been dubbed the "Provigil Alternative." And with the rise of cognitive enhancers in not only Silicon Valley, but in colleges across the country, Cognitive Energy supplements seem to be the future of cognitive enhancement.
...
60 Minutes Adderall report explains the growing popularity of Cognitive Energy Enhancers
Cognitive Energy Enhancers are becoming an Adderall Alternative
A recent 60 Minutes report explored the use of Adderall, the preferred prescription drug to treat narcolepsy and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), among college students eager to improve their study habits and mental performance. Katie Couric asked: "If there were a drug that would make you smarter, would you take it?" To her surprise that answer was a resounding YES.
But why the shock?
Anyone who has attended college in this decade knows that students have been using drugs like Adderall for years. And as the CBS report showed, an increasing number of healthy people in and out of college are using drugs like Adderall, off label, if you will, to improve their thinking and cognitive skills.
60 Minutes estimated that 34% of undergraduates have taken attention deficit drugs to improve their academic performance. That number jumped to as high as 80% within the junior and senior Greek population.
Everyone Is Trying To Get an Edge... But There's a Catch
Student's who use 'smart drugs' are better focused, more productive, and get better grades. "About 43% said it improved their overall scores by one letter grade and about the same percentage said it improved their grade by two letter grades."
However, it was also reported that only 4% of students on campus have legal prescriptions. The remaining 96% are buying single pills, which sell for as much as $3 - $5 each, in what has turned out to be a thriving underground economy.
But there's danger. As with any prescription drug, Adderall is not designed for non-therapeutic use. It can be addictive, potentially harmful, and illegal to consume without a doctor's permission. According to drugs.com, "Adderall has a high potential for abuse and may be habit forming if used for a long period of time. Use Adderall only as prescribed and do not share it with others. Abuse of Adderall may cause serious heart problems, blood vessel problems, or sudden death." (http://www.drugs.com/cdi/adderall.html)
Given these health risks, it's not surprising that resourceful students have started looking for alternatives to Adderall.
And they've found one.
A category of non-prescription alternatives, called Cognitive Energy Enhancers, have quickly become the preferred Adderall alternative. These "mental performance enhancers" utilize powerful Nootropics to keep you alert, focused, and motivated - and without a prescription.
How prevalent is the use of Cognitive Energy Enhancers? According to one manufacturer, the most popular product, PROFIDERALL, sold out across the country during finals week of this past Spring Semester. Facing their exams, desperate students were paying a premium price to get the Adderall alternative.
What's the Lesson?
An entire generation of students and graduates, who are entering the workforce, sees 'smart' drugs as important tools for success. If science has an answer, why not take advantage of it? Some academicians agree: as long as students are not using prescription drugs illegally and to the detriment of their health, then why not? Given the distractions of today's incessant media and ubiquitous advertising blitz, it's understandable that today's students need help concentrating in a way past generations never did.
New Nootropic-based Cognitive Energy Enhancers are delivering great results, helping people work smarter, work longer, and accomplish more. These non-prescription Adderall alternatives offer healthy overachievers a way to improve thinking and focus, and to stand out in increasingly competitive business and academic environments.
One student put it best: when it comes to using smart drugs to increase mental performance... "It's a brave new world."
But why the shock?
Anyone who has attended college in this decade knows that students have been using drugs like Adderall for years. And as the CBS report showed, an increasing number of healthy people in and out of college are using drugs like Adderall, off label, if you will, to improve their thinking and cognitive skills.
60 Minutes estimated that 34% of undergraduates have taken attention deficit drugs to improve their academic performance. That number jumped to as high as 80% within the junior and senior Greek population.
Everyone Is Trying To Get an Edge... But There's a Catch
Student's who use 'smart drugs' are better focused, more productive, and get better grades. "About 43% said it improved their overall scores by one letter grade and about the same percentage said it improved their grade by two letter grades."
However, it was also reported that only 4% of students on campus have legal prescriptions. The remaining 96% are buying single pills, which sell for as much as $3 - $5 each, in what has turned out to be a thriving underground economy.
But there's danger. As with any prescription drug, Adderall is not designed for non-therapeutic use. It can be addictive, potentially harmful, and illegal to consume without a doctor's permission. According to drugs.com, "Adderall has a high potential for abuse and may be habit forming if used for a long period of time. Use Adderall only as prescribed and do not share it with others. Abuse of Adderall may cause serious heart problems, blood vessel problems, or sudden death." (http://www.drugs.com/cdi/adderall.html)
Given these health risks, it's not surprising that resourceful students have started looking for alternatives to Adderall.
And they've found one.
A category of non-prescription alternatives, called Cognitive Energy Enhancers, have quickly become the preferred Adderall alternative. These "mental performance enhancers" utilize powerful Nootropics to keep you alert, focused, and motivated - and without a prescription.
How prevalent is the use of Cognitive Energy Enhancers? According to one manufacturer, the most popular product, PROFIDERALL, sold out across the country during finals week of this past Spring Semester. Facing their exams, desperate students were paying a premium price to get the Adderall alternative.
What's the Lesson?
An entire generation of students and graduates, who are entering the workforce, sees 'smart' drugs as important tools for success. If science has an answer, why not take advantage of it? Some academicians agree: as long as students are not using prescription drugs illegally and to the detriment of their health, then why not? Given the distractions of today's incessant media and ubiquitous advertising blitz, it's understandable that today's students need help concentrating in a way past generations never did.
New Nootropic-based Cognitive Energy Enhancers are delivering great results, helping people work smarter, work longer, and accomplish more. These non-prescription Adderall alternatives offer healthy overachievers a way to improve thinking and focus, and to stand out in increasingly competitive business and academic environments.
One student put it best: when it comes to using smart drugs to increase mental performance... "It's a brave new world."
News
The Latest in Nootropics
- Nootropics Are Changing the Way Americans Work and Think
- Nootropics, commonly known as "smart drugs," are a category of chemicals that improve human cognitive function and abilities. Simply put, these 'smart drugs' improve the functioning and capacity of the brain. Most Nootropics are nutrients or plant extracts, such as roots, herbs, and barks.
Even though the Chinese have been using Ginkgo Biloba, a substance with Nootropic properties, for nearly 1500 years, it was only in 1964 that the world's first true Nootropic, Piracetam, was discovered. Piracetam was synthesized by a team of Belgian scientists led by Romanian chemist, Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea. However, it was the extensive research on the application and advantages of Nootropics by Dr. Giurgea that paved way for Piracetam and other Nootropics.
Their extremely low or zero-toxicity reduces the chances of unwanted side-effects, making Nootropics one of the safest, non-toxic, nutritional supplements available. Nootropics are commonly used for treating various conditions such as stroke, dementia, dyslexia, schizophrenia, and even alcoholism. They have also proved invaluable in the treatment of neural degradation and mental retardation, generally associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
The Science Behind Cognitive Enhancement
So how do Nootropics help to increase focus and concentration and make the user smarter? The thinking process in the human brain involves a steady supply of neurochemicals - neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones. A dip in the supply of this critical component leads to decreased concentration, focus, reasoning ability, learning efficiency, and coordination. This decline in mental performance is also accompanied by mental fatigue and increased response time, thus increasing the probability of human errors while performing complex tasks. Clearly, regular replenishment of neurochemicals so as to maintain them at optimum levels is critical for enhancing the brain's performance. The ability of the brain to produce and maintain the desired level of neurochemicals tends to get affected by age. A regular supply of neurochemicals is, therefore, required to raise the cognitive ability of the brain to the higher, youthful levels.
Nootropics increase the brain's supply of neurochemicals, either by increasing the oxygen supply to the brain or by stimulating nerve growth. When Nootropics are introduced into the body, they provide the brain with the desired raw materials to generate more neurochemicals. This process enables the brain to enhance its cognitive and functioning ability. The steady supply of neurochemicals enhances focus and concentration and makes the brain more powerful. With the brain functioning at an optimum level, it is now possible for the user to experience higher levels of concentration, focus, memory power, coordination, reasoning ability, and coping skills. It also eliminates undesirable mood swings and mental fatigue.
The Smarter 'Smart Pill'
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Adderall vs. PROFIDERAL:
Are Smart Pills Ethical?
From Ivy League classrooms to Wall Street boardrooms, "smart pills" are helping healthy overachievers stay ahead of the competition and keep up with their highly stressful, extremely demanding daily routines.
In particular, college students have pioneered the use of Adderall, Concerta, and Ritalin to enhance their study habits and improve their grades.
And in spite of the continuing debate about the ethics of brain enhancing strategies and whether chemical compounds give users an unfair advantage, "smart pills" have graduated into the contemporary work place, carried there by a generation of young professionals that sees them as important tools for success.
But there's a problem. Prescription drugs like Adderall can be addictive, potentially harmful and are still illegal to consume without a doctor's permission.
Adderall Alternative?
In September of 2009, PROFIDERALL was introduced as the first non-prescription Cognitive Energy Enhancer. An alternative for motivated students looking to increase focus, improve concentration, and boost energy without resorting to illegal (and expensive) ADD/ADHD drugs.
In its first year, PROFIDERALL has moved from a niche product designed to help healthy overachievers stand out in increasingly competitive business and academic environments to a nationwide phenomenon.
With PROFIDERALL, the debate is now focused on the morality, if you will, of using science and nutrition to improve brain function, concentration and performance.
This debate is generational, in many ways. Students and young professionals see the quest for better thinking, if you will, as a natural phenomenon. This generation is generally taller, stronger and will live longer than previous generations. These advances were brought about by science and a better understanding of nutrition, the need for certain vitamins, etc.
No one questions the use of natural substances to make us stronger. Why then would anyone question the use of natural substances to make our brains work better? Is thinking better immoral? Is it cheating? If so, then taking a daily multivitamin is cheating because doing so can optimize your physical performance.
It's not longer and underground campus secret! PROFIDERALL is becoming a necessary tool for a generation of young, smart Americans dedicated to success and looking for an edge in today's very competitive world.
In particular, college students have pioneered the use of Adderall, Concerta, and Ritalin to enhance their study habits and improve their grades.
And in spite of the continuing debate about the ethics of brain enhancing strategies and whether chemical compounds give users an unfair advantage, "smart pills" have graduated into the contemporary work place, carried there by a generation of young professionals that sees them as important tools for success.
But there's a problem. Prescription drugs like Adderall can be addictive, potentially harmful and are still illegal to consume without a doctor's permission.
Adderall Alternative?
In September of 2009, PROFIDERALL was introduced as the first non-prescription Cognitive Energy Enhancer. An alternative for motivated students looking to increase focus, improve concentration, and boost energy without resorting to illegal (and expensive) ADD/ADHD drugs.
In its first year, PROFIDERALL has moved from a niche product designed to help healthy overachievers stand out in increasingly competitive business and academic environments to a nationwide phenomenon.
With PROFIDERALL, the debate is now focused on the morality, if you will, of using science and nutrition to improve brain function, concentration and performance.
This debate is generational, in many ways. Students and young professionals see the quest for better thinking, if you will, as a natural phenomenon. This generation is generally taller, stronger and will live longer than previous generations. These advances were brought about by science and a better understanding of nutrition, the need for certain vitamins, etc.
No one questions the use of natural substances to make us stronger. Why then would anyone question the use of natural substances to make our brains work better? Is thinking better immoral? Is it cheating? If so, then taking a daily multivitamin is cheating because doing so can optimize your physical performance.
It's not longer and underground campus secret! PROFIDERALL is becoming a necessary tool for a generation of young, smart Americans dedicated to success and looking for an edge in today's very competitive world.
News
The Latest in Nootropics
- Adderall Alternative? The Rise of Adderall Use Among College Students
- They are known as "smart drugs" or "study drugs" by students; while scientists refer to them as "cognitive enhancers". The difference in the names, however, does not impact the popularity of perscription medications like Adderall, the most widely-used study drug among college students. "Addy," as Adderall is called, is known to augment cognitive function, thus enabling users to study for hours with full concentration without getting fatigued. The remarkable popularity enjoyed by Adderall in college campuses can be gauged by an article in The Washington Post, which states that sales of the drug in the U.S. increased more than 3,100 percent between 2002 and 2005.
Medical and Non-Medical Uses Of Adderall
Like Ritalin, Adderall is prescribed for treating attention-deficit disorder. The drug helps treat children and adults with ADHD, a serious disorder that causes problems with concentration or hyperactivity and interferes with learning and social functioning. However, it is the non-medical use of Adderall among college students, despite side-effects such as insomnia and loss of appetite, which is more widespread.
Easy Availability
The easy availability and casual acceptance of Adderall has spurred indiscriminate usage among students trying hard to meet the demands of stressful campus life. A recent investigation by The Today Show showed that whether the library, cafeteria, or the dorm, the drug can be bought and sold without much ado for as less as $5 a pill. Students that possess prescriptions, for as many as 60 pills a month for treating their attention-deficit disorder, tend to be the main source. Some of these pills also make their way to the black market.
While no firm data exists, a survey conducted at an unnamed Midwestern campus and published in 2005; found that 44 percent of students knew someone who used illegally obtained Adderall. The study also found that 4 in 10 students with a stimulant prescription abused the drug at some point. The Addiction Journal reported that 1 in 4 college students misused ADHD medications. College students between the ages of 18 and 22 were reported to be twice as likely to abuse Adderall as non-students. A 60 Minutes expose indicated that 34 percent to as much as 60 percent of undergraduate juniors and seniors had taken ADHD drugs as study aids and did so without a prescription. It further reported that only 4 percent of students on campus had legal prescriptions.
But There's a Problem
As with any prescription drug, Adderall is not designed for non-therapeutic use. It can be addictive, potentially harmful, and illegal to consume without a doctor's permission. According to drugs.com, "Adderall has a high potential for abuse and may be habit forming if used for a long period of time. Use Adderall only as prescribed and do not share it with others. Abuse of Adderall may cause serious heart problems, blood vessel problems, or sudden death." (http://www.drugs.com/cdi/adderall.html)
Given these health and legal risks, it's not surprising that healthy overacheivers have started looking for alternatives to increase focus and improve concentration.
Adderall Alternative?
Science to the rescue. A category of non-prescription alternatives, called Cognitive Energy Enhancers, have quickly been dubbed the "Adderall Alternative." And with the rise of cognitive enhancers in both colleges and now the work place, Cognitive Energy supplements seem to be the future of cognitive enhancement.
...
Piracetam: Intelligence in a Bottle?
The discovery of piracetam prompted the development of the category of drugs known as nootropics. Piracetam has the unique ability to increase cognitive function and performance. And this proverbial "Smart Drug" is changing the science of cognitive enhancement.
Discovered in 1964 by Belgian scientist Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea, the substance quickly gained popularity in the scientific community for its mental enhancing capabilities and overall safety (piracetam is among the toxicologically safest compounds ever developed). Piracetam is not a stimulant; but rather works within our ion channels to increase blood flow and oxygen intake, as well as membrane permeability to certain parts of the brain.
In plain English, and a bit simplified, piracetam improves brain function and activity. In fact, piracetam has been shown to increase the communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, allowing for a level of what scientists call 'information cross over' that is unseen in non-users. Better still, this cross over is closely associated with creativity.
The ability for both hemispheres to interact increases the activity of the corpus callosum, the largest white matter section of our brain. Piracetam works as a non-toxic stimulant that helps in regeneration and brain boosting; it improves the function of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter found in the central nervous system) through muscarinic cholinergic receptors associated with the memory process. Again, in simple terms, users seem to be able to retain more information.
And unlike other smart drugs, not only are the effects of piracetam profound, they are also cumulative: building off each other to increase cognitive function over the long term.
While Piracetam is widely available as a nutritional supplement, companies on the cutting edge of cognitive science have taken things a step further - combining Piracetam with a complex formula of supplemental ingredients like Choline, Huperzine A, DMAE, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, and a complex B vitamins, to create what are being called Cognitive Energy Enhancers. These Piracetam based products produce an even higher, better level of concentration and cognitive enhancement than Piracetam alone.
With these kinds of results, the better retention, the increased focus and greater creativity, piracetam usage has been adopted by the student population and is quickly gaining an on-campus reputation as a superior way to study and a better alternative than popular prescription drugs. Students have found that Piracetam can help to improve the brain's performance, it's ability to focus and retain data, as well as increase energy and mental endurance.
So nearly 50 years after its initial discovery, piracetam is still delivering better mental accuracy, alertness, improved concentration, balanced moods and improved clarity. And with the advances being made by modern science, it looks like the popularity of piracetam is only going to continue to grow.
Discovered in 1964 by Belgian scientist Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea, the substance quickly gained popularity in the scientific community for its mental enhancing capabilities and overall safety (piracetam is among the toxicologically safest compounds ever developed). Piracetam is not a stimulant; but rather works within our ion channels to increase blood flow and oxygen intake, as well as membrane permeability to certain parts of the brain.
In plain English, and a bit simplified, piracetam improves brain function and activity. In fact, piracetam has been shown to increase the communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, allowing for a level of what scientists call 'information cross over' that is unseen in non-users. Better still, this cross over is closely associated with creativity.
The ability for both hemispheres to interact increases the activity of the corpus callosum, the largest white matter section of our brain. Piracetam works as a non-toxic stimulant that helps in regeneration and brain boosting; it improves the function of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter found in the central nervous system) through muscarinic cholinergic receptors associated with the memory process. Again, in simple terms, users seem to be able to retain more information.
And unlike other smart drugs, not only are the effects of piracetam profound, they are also cumulative: building off each other to increase cognitive function over the long term.
While Piracetam is widely available as a nutritional supplement, companies on the cutting edge of cognitive science have taken things a step further - combining Piracetam with a complex formula of supplemental ingredients like Choline, Huperzine A, DMAE, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, and a complex B vitamins, to create what are being called Cognitive Energy Enhancers. These Piracetam based products produce an even higher, better level of concentration and cognitive enhancement than Piracetam alone.
With these kinds of results, the better retention, the increased focus and greater creativity, piracetam usage has been adopted by the student population and is quickly gaining an on-campus reputation as a superior way to study and a better alternative than popular prescription drugs. Students have found that Piracetam can help to improve the brain's performance, it's ability to focus and retain data, as well as increase energy and mental endurance.
So nearly 50 years after its initial discovery, piracetam is still delivering better mental accuracy, alertness, improved concentration, balanced moods and improved clarity. And with the advances being made by modern science, it looks like the popularity of piracetam is only going to continue to grow.
Product Review
PROFIDERALL
The industry leader, PROFIDERALL sets the bar when it comes to Over the Counter Smart Drugs. Its original Cognitive Energy Complex combines state of the art nootropics with powerful energy compounds to boost your overall Cognitive Energy. Simply put, there is no one out there doing what they're doing in the field of smart drugs.
- PROFIDERALL | An Alternative to Adderall?
- Scientifically engineered to increase focus, improve concentration, and boost energy... all without a prescription.
The Ethical Debate Around Smart Pills Continues
There is an on going moral dilemma in the United States: is it ethical to improve the function of your brain with cognitive enhancers? That debate still rages, with some moralists arguing that the definition of 'normal' academic performance could change, making those who cannot afford "smart drugs," suddenly less than normal and at a great disadvantage.
University of Pennsylvania Bioethics Professor Dr. Arthur Caplan put the problem in perspective during his 60 Minutes interview.
"In a capitalist market society where performance is so strongly valued, I think that the desire to use these kind of drugs is going to be enormous and the real ethics problem is going to be pressure to do it even if you didn't want to. Somebody is going to say, 'you know at this company everybody takes this pill we're a little smarter than the next guys%u2026 you want to work here, open up your mouth.'"
On the flip side, some believe that smart drugs, like nootropics, are a natural development. After all, they argue, we have better nutrition today than we did 50 years ago, so in a way, we have been using outside substances%u2026 vitamins and minerals%u2026 to enhance our brains' ability to focus and reason. To this way of thinking, smart drugs are just the next logical step in the human quest to maximize our potential.
What does the future hold for smart drugs? It is still unclear, but one thing is for sure - smart drugs and the desire for cognitive enhancement is not going away. In today's modern world where there are an endless number of distractions it is becoming increasingly important to be able to focus on the task at hand. Perhaps we should move past the moral/ethical grounds of debate and begin exploring the education and proper use of cognitive enhancement in modern society...
University of Pennsylvania Bioethics Professor Dr. Arthur Caplan put the problem in perspective during his 60 Minutes interview.
"In a capitalist market society where performance is so strongly valued, I think that the desire to use these kind of drugs is going to be enormous and the real ethics problem is going to be pressure to do it even if you didn't want to. Somebody is going to say, 'you know at this company everybody takes this pill we're a little smarter than the next guys%u2026 you want to work here, open up your mouth.'"
On the flip side, some believe that smart drugs, like nootropics, are a natural development. After all, they argue, we have better nutrition today than we did 50 years ago, so in a way, we have been using outside substances%u2026 vitamins and minerals%u2026 to enhance our brains' ability to focus and reason. To this way of thinking, smart drugs are just the next logical step in the human quest to maximize our potential.
What does the future hold for smart drugs? It is still unclear, but one thing is for sure - smart drugs and the desire for cognitive enhancement is not going away. In today's modern world where there are an endless number of distractions it is becoming increasingly important to be able to focus on the task at hand. Perhaps we should move past the moral/ethical grounds of debate and begin exploring the education and proper use of cognitive enhancement in modern society...
Research
The Science of Smart Drugs
- Wikipedia: Piracetam
- Piracetam (sold under many brand names) is a nootropic drug. Piracetam's chemical name is 2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetamide; it shares the same 2-oxo-pyrrolidone base structure with 2-oxo-pyrrolidine carboxylic acid (pyroglutamate). Piracetam is a cyclic derivative of GABA. It is one of the group of racetams. Piracetam is prescribed by doctors for some conditions, mainly myoclonus,[1] but is used off-label for a much wider range of applications.
Nootropics: Adderall Alternative?
The original development of nootropics was as a non-toxic concentration and memory booster. But now Nootropics are being paired with other compounds increase focus and boost energy, creating a new type of Smart Drug: an over the counter Adderall Alternative.
Who can argue with a natural substance that makes you smarter? Unfortunately, the creation of synthetic cognitive enhancers (like Adderall) has altered the way science and culture view the legitimacy of nootropics. Synthetic enhancers are prescription drugs that often contain amphetamines, which are far from non-toxic. In addition, you have the potential abuse of such drugs, particularly on college campuses, and the simple fact that it's illegal to take Adderall without a doctor's prescription.
Being called the Adderall Alternative, Nootropics have become the smart drug of choice for healthy over achievers looking to improve mental performance. With better focus and greater retention, mental work becomes easier and more effective. And contrary to prescription Adderall, nootropic supplements are safe, legal, and available over the counter.
We take protein powders to build muscle, multi-vitamins to guarantee optimum nutrition for our bodies and caffeine to stay alert. So, why not take advantage of the latest information on brain function and intelligence to help make ourselves better students, smarter students and more effective learners?
The quest for mood-boosting, intellect-sharpening compounds is certainly gaining momentum and acceptance. And nootropics are fueling this revolution. There may soon be a time when genetically-based 'smart pills' are taken as a matter of course to makeup for nutritional and gene deficiencies. Until that time, nootropics are the best alternative to the dangers of prescription drugs, offering the memory and intelligence boosting effects that, with the new combination of focus and energy enhancing compounds, are giving healthy overachievers the competitive advantage they have been looking for.
Is it morally correct to enhance the way your brain functions? Even professors admit to using nootropics and most find the natural enhancement of cognitive functions to be a logical outgrowth of the human quest to improve performance. No problem. Taking prescription drugs, however, is another matter.
Who can argue with a natural substance that makes you smarter? Unfortunately, the creation of synthetic cognitive enhancers (like Adderall) has altered the way science and culture view the legitimacy of nootropics. Synthetic enhancers are prescription drugs that often contain amphetamines, which are far from non-toxic. In addition, you have the potential abuse of such drugs, particularly on college campuses, and the simple fact that it's illegal to take Adderall without a doctor's prescription.
Being called the Adderall Alternative, Nootropics have become the smart drug of choice for healthy over achievers looking to improve mental performance. With better focus and greater retention, mental work becomes easier and more effective. And contrary to prescription Adderall, nootropic supplements are safe, legal, and available over the counter.
We take protein powders to build muscle, multi-vitamins to guarantee optimum nutrition for our bodies and caffeine to stay alert. So, why not take advantage of the latest information on brain function and intelligence to help make ourselves better students, smarter students and more effective learners?
The quest for mood-boosting, intellect-sharpening compounds is certainly gaining momentum and acceptance. And nootropics are fueling this revolution. There may soon be a time when genetically-based 'smart pills' are taken as a matter of course to makeup for nutritional and gene deficiencies. Until that time, nootropics are the best alternative to the dangers of prescription drugs, offering the memory and intelligence boosting effects that, with the new combination of focus and energy enhancing compounds, are giving healthy overachievers the competitive advantage they have been looking for.
Is it morally correct to enhance the way your brain functions? Even professors admit to using nootropics and most find the natural enhancement of cognitive functions to be a logical outgrowth of the human quest to improve performance. No problem. Taking prescription drugs, however, is another matter.
Research
The Science of Smart Drugs
- Wikipedia: Nootropics
- Nootropics (no-eh-tro-pik), also referred to as smart drugs, brain steroids, memory enhancers, cognitive enhancers, and intelligence enhancers, are drugs, supplements, nutraceuticals, and functional foods that improve mental functions such as cognition, memory, intelligence, motivation, attention, and concentration.[1][2] The word nootropic was coined in 1972[3][4] by the Romanian Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea, derived from the Greek words nous, or "mind," and trepein meaning "to bend/turn". Nootropics 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. However the efficacy of nootropic substances, in most cases, has not been conclusively determined. This is complicated by the difficulty of defining and quantifying cognition and intelligence.
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Jan 30, 2012 @ 12:58 pm | delete
- Thanks for all the great articles. I haven't seen this much information on nootropics anywhere else.
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Dec 12, 2011 @ 1:56 pm | delete
- Beginning in the 1960s, a wide range of scientists, from psychologists to chemists to neuroanatomists, has been seeking safe, natural, chemical ways to improve brain function. The first real breakthrough came with the discovery of Piracetam in 1962. But progress has been slow since the first 1962 breakthrough. Until recently with the creation of Cognitive Energy Enhancers. This new category of supplements is the most important thing to happen to Smart Drugs in 50 years, and it is definitely the future of cognitive enhancement.
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Dec 1, 2011 @ 4:35 pm | delete
- Great info on Nootropics! I have been using them for years, it is nice to see they are finally catching on. Thanks.
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AtHomeSource
Aug 21, 2011 @ 7:08 pm | delete
- Thanks for the info. I'm currently looking into smart "drugs" as an alternative for my son. I have a lens dedicated to him: squidoo.com/add-adhd
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astaluvbaby
Aug 9, 2011 @ 5:39 am | delete
- Nice work...Keep it up!
Signature
http://www.cognix.in -Nootropics And Cognitive Enhancement Forum
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piplaw
Mar 25, 2011 @ 2:40 am | delete
- Hi, I loved your lens. I did a kind of similar article on "5 Drugs Used To Create 'Super- Soldier " - http://www.squidoo.com/5-drugs-used-to-create-super-soldiers. I have added you to my lens role.
Many thanks
Phill
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