Category Archives: nootropics

Natural Oils and Extracts Your Grandmother Knew About

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If you go back far enough into your lineage, you will probably find roots of your people and a host of practices that those people used for health purposes. Before the invention of modern western medicine, there were many remedies that were created from a lot of trial and error and many of these have been around for thousands of years.

Ayurvedic medicine is one of the most commonly known natural sources for healing and overcoming poor health, but there are many others as well. In fact, many of the old traditions have been co-opted by businesses in order to produce something that is helpful. These natural oils and extracts that we will discuss are some of the best for those purposes.

#1. Black Seed Oil – there are many different types of seeds and many of them are black, but for some reason a particular compound called black seed has been used as a modern supplement. The interesting thing about black seed oil is thymoquinone, which is a natural substance that gives black seed oil most of the benefits. For many people who  are interested in this as a therapy, there are even studies for PTSD and a number of citations considering this a “miracle drug”. Insert your own skepticism here.

Either way, there is no doubt black seed oil is growing in popularity with thousands of people searching for it every day and not many brands supplying the need.

#2. Olive Leaf Extract – if you think that olives are quite popular, you are probably thinking about the fruit. Many people appreciate the fruit because olives are a healthy food and produce oil that is healthy as well. The extract comes not from the fruit, but from the plant itself. The benefits of olive leaf extract are manifold and has completely different psychopharmacology.

Getting Started with Natural Extracts

It might seem like anything that is natural is automatically good, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, natural things are potentially dangerous just like synthetic options. Nature isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Just consider that a buck whitetail deer can charge and kill you if you get too close and spook it… and that is a prey animal never mind a predator!

We want to make sure we are balancing natural extracts with better research so that we can avoid getting entangled in a web of marketing language that doesn’t really make much sense and definitely doesn’t provide any support for us in the long-run.

Cognitive Advantages of Creatine Monohydrate

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Over the past few decades many stereotypes about creatine monohydrate have pervaded the supplement world and society in general. Almost everyone has heard of creatine as a tool for bodybuilders and athletes to get stronger and bigger; most consider it a tool of bro scientists that are trying to get larger muscles the “easy way”. The reality is far different and most people have no idea about the positive cognitive effects of creatine.

Starting with Creatine Supplements

Getting started with a supplement like creatine can be emotionally difficult and scary for exactly this reason. There is so much bad information on the internet and in the general discourse that it makes it difficult to justify starting the regimen. Nonetheless, taking a research oriented approach to creatine can be a good idea to prevent yourself from physical problems, but it will also make you feel a lot better.

Some people are scared about the creatine monohydrate side effects, but most of these unfounded. The few side effects that do exist are related to bloating, cramping, and in some cases nausea and diarrhea. Most people do not experience any of these if they consume enough water. Make sure you get extra water if you are just starting with a creatine routine.

The best way to take creatine is through the use of either the “loading phase” or an average recommended dosage. The loading phase includes doing 20 grams per day for 5 – 7 days so that you can saturate your cells in the brain and body. If you are experiencing gastrointestinal issues, it might be a good idea to bring it down to the average recommended dosage of 5 grams per day.

Cognitive Advantages of Creatine

Now that you have an understanding of creatine from a very basic perspective, it is time to look at how it can effect your brain. Even though most people consider creatine to be a supplement for physical fitness, it can offer the same advantages for the brain. Creatine is a molecule that is used to improve cellular function by enhancing ATP (energy). This holds true for your body or the cells in your brain.

Studies suggest that creatine can be an effective cognitive enhancer when it comes to mental energy and endurance. During hours of intense mental activity, the difference between getting high quality done towards the end might be enough mental energy. Creatine can also have a profound impact on reasoning skills, which is rare for a smart drug.

For vegans and vegetarians it is even more important to get the right amount of creatine. For people that eat animal products, creatine is present though not optimal; for vegans / vegetarians there is almost no creatine in their diet. Without the natural creatine from food, most of them have mental deficiencies and require some supplementation.

Is Creatine Right for Me?

Before you decide if creatine is a good supplement for you, make sure you consider a few factors. If you are not eating meat it is a good idea to consume creatine supplements even if it is below the 5 gram dosage.

Also, for any athlete or bodybuilder it is a good idea to consume some creatine as well. Making sure that you have the most energy for your particular activity is of paramount importance for your success.

Choline Enhancement with Piracetam

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There are a lot of advantages of using modern technology in order to improve cognition. While caffeine has been around for hundreds of years and helps people to improve their focus and attention, there are other options that have been around for only decades. Over the course of these decades, studies have shown the efficacy of these drugs to be great over many others.

Namely, the research indicates that choline supplements can provide a lot of enhancement for drugs like piracetam and others in the same family. In this article, we will discuss the mode of action that makes it possible for choline to have such a profound impact on the racetam line of drugs.

Choline Synergy with Racetams

Why is it that the choline supplements can have such a huge impact on the racetam family of drugs? As studies show, the choline works synergistically because piracetam and others in the family are used for the purpose of increasing uptake and utilization of acetylcholine in the brain. The neurotransmitter is often derived from diet, which is hard when people don’t consume enough eggs or organ meats. There are some optimal choline supplements that include alpha GPC choline and CDP choline. Both of these are the most efficient sources.

When you combine the choline from the diet with racetams like piracetam or even more potent analogues like aniracetam or coluracetam , you will get a lot of advantages. In fact some drugs like coluracetam can be used in a sublingual solution in order to provide enhancement for the brain. Nonetheless, aniracetam options are great for potency and protection as well.

Things like aniracetam are sold as a drug for Alzheimer’s disease among many others. You can find a number of different studies about the drug, which can also help you to make a better decision based on your needs. For some of these studies of aniracetam, you will find that the information has a profound effect on whether you want to take it for cognitive enhancement or not!