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Learning about the different classes of nootropics to improve your cognitive abilities can be overwhelming.
There is such a wide range of sources for nootropic supplements and all have unique effects on the brain and degrees of strength.
Which one you should use is a function of personal preference as well as your personal needs, but you will find that the best nootropics tend to fall into the category of nootropic drugs.
That being said, there are several herbal and natural nootropics that are ideal to use in conjunction with the stronger nootropic drugs. This guide will take you through the most important classes of nootropics to help you buy the right one for you.
Mental Function
Mental Function
Brain Health- Promotes brain health & communication
- Supports memory, reasoning & cognition
- oosts focus, mental clarity & attention
Nootropic Drugs
Related Topics
- What are Nootropics?
- Nootropics List
- Types of Nootropics
- Effects & Benefits
- How Do Nootropics Work?
- Natural Nootropics
- Enhace Intelligence
- Boost Memory
- Improve Concentration
- Reduce Anxiety
- Treat Depression
- Nootropic Side Effects & Dangers
- How to Stack Nootropics
- Best Nootropic Stacks
- Strongest Nootropics
- Where to Buy Online
- Cheapest Nootropics
- Are Nootropics Legal?
The strongest and most popular class of nootropics are synthetic drugs.
While some people are nervous about taking pharmaceuticals unnecessarily, nootropics are a special case because only drugs that are extremely safe to human health can actually be called nootropics.
Any nootropic supplement must be neuroprotective which means it must present very minimal occurrence of side effects and must score very low on the human toxicity scale.
Many nootropic drugs are considered safer than caffeine or vinegar to the human body.
Nootropic drugs are numerous in of themselves, but the most popular tend to fall into two different categories for how they work: Racetams and Ampakines. Racetams work by stimulating greater production of an important neurotransmitter in the brain called acetylcholine.
Racetams were actually the very first type of nootropic ever invented and are definitely the most used of all brain boosting products. Some of the best-selling racetams include Piracetam, Aniracetam, Oxiracetam and Pramiracetam.
Ampakines on the other hand work by stimulating glutamate production. Glutamate is the most prevalent neurotransmitter in the brain and its presence plays a big role in improving memory and synaptic plasticity which is related to learning.
Some racetams actually function like Ampakines as well but there is some interesting research into pure ampakines that stimulate glutamate uptake even further. Click here if you are interested in seeing a full list of the different types of nootropic drugs.
- Focus longer, clear brain fog & feel more motivated
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- Contains 12 safe and natural nootropic ingredients
Natural Nootropics
A lot of people turn to herbal remedies and other natural products to gain a nootropic benefit as well. While the herbal products are nowhere near as strong as some of the best nootropic drugs like Noopept, they can give you good results if you stack them together.
In some cases, the more concentrated nootropic supplements have originally been derived from herbal sources and then synthesized in a lab to make them more potent. Some of these herbs are currently being investigated as cures for Alzheimer’s and other cognitive diseases.
Some of the best natural nootropics include Vinpocetine, Huperzine A, and Bacopa Monnieri. Each of these supplements works in its own distinct way and can address different areas of improving your brain health and function.
For example, Vinpocetine is known to increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain, giving you more mental energy and helping you feel more alert.
Huperzine A is another excellent nootropic to stack with Racetams that increase acetylcholine levels because Huperzine actually blocks a hormone from being released that breaks down acetylcholine.
Finally, Bacopa has been shown to improve visual processing, decrease anxiety levels, elevate the mood and increase focus and concentration.
Because there are so many different herbal nootropics that you can take it can be cumbersome to buy these individually.
What is more common is to purchase a natural nootropic stack that gives you a synergistic mix of several herbal compounds like Vinpocetine, Huperzine and Bacopa as well as Theanine, L-Tyrosine, Pterostilbene, AC-11 and more.
A lot of nootropics you will find can work well on their own but their effects are significantly enhanced when taken alongside complimentary herbs. If you are interested in a good nootropic stack pill, check out Onnit’s Alpha Brain or Brainstack by Maven Labs.
Nootropic Vitamins
Many vitamins such as Vitamin C also have positive implications for memory, learning, and overall brain health. But it is the B-Vitamins (as well as vitamin B derivatives) that are known as the best brain boosters when it comes to classes of nootropics.
Each of the different B-vitamins offers a different nootropic benefit which is why you might want to investigate taking a B-complex supplement that gives you a mix of the most important vitamins.
For example, Vitamin B1 which is also known as Thiamine (and derivatives like Sulbutiamine) are known to be powerful mood boosters and are often taken by individuals suffering from depression or people who need a bit of motivation.
Vitamin B6 is another neuroprotective supplement that is involved in the production of some of the most important neurotransmitters. Vitamin B3 aids in creating the NADP enzyme which regulates several metabolic processes to keep your brain supplied with enough energy.
As you age, your body’s ability to absorb B-Vitamins declines which makes it so important to supplement these compounds so that you receive the right amount.
Brain Foods
The final class of nootropics that we will look at is brain foods.
Brain foods have received a lot of hype in recent years with many people expecting miracle results from eating the right amount of fish and eggs.
While these foods cannot increase your intelligence overnight, eating nootropic foods that are high in choline has been shown to improve performance on memory and learning tests.
Choline is a precursor to acetylcholine – the neurotransmitter that is vitally important for neuroplasticity. It can be found in many different high protein foods such as meat, eggs, fish, and liver but currently 90% of the population is deficient in choline.
If you are taking a nootropic like Piracetam or Noopept then getting the right amount of choline in your diet is even more important. This is because the racetam class of drugs all increases the demand for choline in your metabolic system to produce acetylcholine.
However, even brain foods that are choline rich are not the best source for this neurological building block because it takes a lot of energy for the body to convert choline salts into acetylcholine.
That is why most people stack Piracetam and Aniracetam with Alpha GPC, Citicoline (CDP Choline) or Centrophenoxine to make sure their choline stores are high enough to derive the full benefit from their nootropic regimen.
Unfortunately, brain foods just don’t cut it in this area if you want to experience a serious improvement in cognitive ability.
Conclusion
As you can see, nootropics come in a lot of different classes and promise very different effects. With this article we have really only scratches the surface on how to pick, buy, and use nootropic supplements.
We encourage you to read more to find the best nootropic for your needs or to design the right stack for you. Check out our List of Nootropics for detailed research on all of the most popular nootropics available today or read some of the many reviews posted on this site.
We hope this article has helped you get smarter on the topic of smart drugs and nootropic supplements!
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Article last updated on: January 31st, 2018 by Nootriment