Whether you are a college learner striving to top your exams or an aged adult thinking about dementia then the thought of consuming a pill, the so-called nootropics or smart drugs or cognitive enhancers is common but are they really useful…if so, to how much extent? And do they carry any side effects? How many types are they? These are all the questions that should be hitting your mind? Perhaps you may not have all the answers and that’s why we are here with detailed facts about them.
What are nootropics?
Nootropics, or commonly called as "smart drugs," are a kind of drugs that boost the performance of the brain. They are even called as memory-boosting substances or cognition enhancers.
Different types of nootropics:
Prescription nootropics:
These are medicines that posses the stimulant effect. They have the effectivenss to work against the signs of medical symptoms like Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or narcolepsy. Usually, these are prescribed by doctors and should be taken under doctors’ supervision. There are many different types of prescription nootropics, let us see them and their uses and side effects.
- modafinil (Provigil): Stimulant used to address sudden drowsiness caused due to narcolepsy
- Adderall: It has amphetamines used in the treatment of ADHD
- methylphenidate (Ritalin): A kind of stimulant used to manage ADHD and narcolepsy symptoms
- memantine (Axura): This is used to treat Alzheimer's disease symptoms.
While these can be effective in treating specific medical conditions, a person should not take them without a prescription.
As all these are prescription medications they come with side effects, risks and interactions. In lieu, of this, they have to be taken under the supervision of a doctor.
Common side effects of prescription nootropics:
- high blood pressure
- increased heart rate
- sleep disturbances including insomnia
- vision troubles
- addiction
- impulsive behaviors like risky sex practices
Nonprescription nootropics or Over-the-counter nootropics:
These nootropics are generally brain enhancers and are good at increasing the focus or performance of the brain. The ideal examples for these are caffeine and creatine. These nonprescription brain enhancers usually cannot treat any disease or reverse any ailment. They may have some kind of effect on memory, thinking and some other mental functioning. Here are different types of nonprescription nootropics.
Caffeine:
Most of the people prefer consuming drinks that have caffeine like coffee and tea, as they have a stimulant effect. The researches have found that caffeine is mostly safe for many people when taken moderately. A cup of regular tea or coffee may be the better way to heighten the mind’s focus. Despite, this high amount of caffeine could be dangerous.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that people shouldn’t consume more than 400 mg of caffeine per day. This equals to 4–5 coffee cups a day.
Side effects of caffeine:
Anything more than the above-stated caffeine in any form can be lethal. Especially consuming caffeine powders and pills in high quantity can lead to deaths in rare conditions.
Pregnancy risks are also higher with caffeine overdose.
L-theanine:
This is a kind of amino acid that’s found in green and black teas. These are also available as supplement pills. This amino acid usually helps improve alertness and cognitive performance. A 2016 report found that l-theanine could raise alpha waves in the brain. These waves could lead to a calm yet attentive mental state. Again the same guidelines of FDA for caffeine holds good. Usually, 100-400 mg/day is good.
L-theanine side effects:
· Caffeine and L-theanine when paired could work better so just taking this without caffeine could be not so useful.
· Pregnant and breast-feeding women should be very careful when using them.
· It may at times also lead to low blood pressure.
Omega-3 fatty acids:
These are the most important nootropics to fight brain’s ageing according to studies. Studies have also found that they are the best mental enhancers.
Omega-3 fatty acids, kind of polyunsaturated fats are present in fish oil supplements and fatty fish. This kind of fat is vital for the brain’s health which should be gotten from the diet in general. Omega-3s also assist in building membranes around the cells of the body, inclusive of the neurons. These are key for renewing and repairing brain cells.
A 2015 study found that these fatty acids protect the brain against ageing. Other studies have also found that they are also key for nerve and brain coordination and functioning. This supplement is found in varied kinds, including fish oil, algal oil and krill oil.
Side effects of omega-3 fatty acids:
· In general, they carry low risks when taken as directed, however, at the same time they are also of no use for a healthy person.
· The one major side effect is when they’re not taken as directed or taken unnecessarily they may interact with other medicines and lead to a blood clot.
Racetams:
These are synthetic compounds that could affect the brain’s neurotransmitters. Few of them are piracetam, phenylpiracetam, aniracetam and pramiracetam. In few studies, it was found that piracetam and piracetam could have neuroprotective effects.
The biggest side effect of Racetams is, studies haven’t yet strongly confirmed the real effectiveness of them as nonprescription nootropics.
Ginkgo biloba, Panax ginseng, Rhodiola, Creatine are also few other nonprescription nootropics. Same like the above, they too come with few advantages and few disadvantages. All in all, these have to be taken in moderation or else these could lead to fatal side effects as they aren’t prescribed and are taken as over the counter drugs.
The final summary of good and bad about nootropics:
Every study on both the form of nootropics simply states that they work when taken with caution and according to the need. As there are different types in both the forms, each type has a specific benefit and so taking one similar or standard nootropic for every disorder of mind or health dysfunction may not be useful and at the end may cause to serious other health disorders.
In the end, remember they are good but also remember to take these with caution and that too from reputed brands. This applies especially for the nonprescription nootropics as they are available for all.
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