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Nootropics are a relatively new class of supplements and pharmaceuticals with not as much research into their long-term effects or potential side effects.
While some supplements like Piracetam have over forty years of peer-reviews published articles to their name, newer compounds like Noopept or the very recent Sunifiram do not have as much of a research history.
That being said, the lack of long-term clinical trials should not unduly be held against these compounds: many of the most popular supplements today do not have long-term studies behind them due to the complexities of running such experiments.
Still, one of the biggest concerns we hear from people is about nootropic long-term effects and whether they are safe.
What are some of the possible long term effects of Nootropics and how should you be taking these supplements to ensure long-term safety?
Mental Function
Mental Function
Brain Health- Promotes brain health & communication
- Supports memory, reasoning & cognition
- oosts focus, mental clarity & attention
Nootropic Long-Term Effects
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What we do know is that nootropics are incredibly safe in the short-term and usually offer significant advantages for brain health and neural functioning.
These supplements have to be extremely low in human toxicity in order to be qualified as nootropic and side effects tend to be rare and very mild.
We also know that many of the benefits of nootropics such as increased memory and focus can intensify and grow over time with consistent use.
Furthermore, many of the neuroprotective effects of nootropic supplements may be able to reduce or prevent signs of aging by removing toxins and lipofuscin, promoting the development of new neurons and connections, increasing cell membrane fluidity and keeping your brain better supplied with essential nutrients.
To the extent that these effects accumulate over time, there is great potential for long-term benefits of using nootropics.
Increasing Neuroplasticity
One of the most touted benefits of using supplements like Piracetam, Aniracetam, Pramiracetam or Noopept is that they can increase neuroplasticity. This has become one of the latest buzzwords in the brain training industry, but it refers to a very scientific phenomenon.
Your brain is a network of over 86,000,000,000 neurons that are constantly changing and growing. Neurons are not like other cells in our body; while we think of a typical cell as being sort of circular in shape, neurons have a circular core but then have several different long offshoots extending from the center.
These offshoots are called neurites and they connect your neurons to other neurons in order to send messages and work together to form our thoughts. Neurites interface with other neurites at junctions called synapses and it is here where messages can be transported between the cells.
When one neuron releases certain neurotransmitters, the receptors on the synapse of another neuron will be activated in such a way that causes a chemical change in the post-synaptic neuron. This happens billions upon billions of times every day in your brain, working to form and recall memory, analyze perceptual data, reason, and control our movements.
Memories are actually formed or “encoded” in the brain by creating a new connection between your neurons called Long Term Potentiation.
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Prevent Signs of Aging
When you are young, the brain is very adaptable and forms new connections between neurons quite easily but this ability declines with age.
In fact, as you age many of the unused connections or “pathways” are pruned away so that you no longer have access to the memories or skills they represent.
The result is less effective learning and lower memory capacity or even memory loss. However, you can reverse or reduce this decline in plasticity by taking nootropics.
Many nootropics that work on the acetylcholine and glutamate receptors in the brain are known for enhancing synaptic plasticity. Other supplements like Noopept can actually increase levels of Nerve Growth Factor in the brain which is a protein that controls the development of new neurons and neurites.
By increasing neuroplasticity, nootropics support synaptogenesis which is the formation of new neural pathways in your brain.
Cumulative Benefits with Nootropics
These effects are widely reported by nootropic users to be cumulative. If you consistently use nootropics every day, you will start to rewire your brain to be more plastic and to produce more neurotransmitters on an on-going basis.
The best way to accelerate these results is to combine your nootropic stack with a brain training program or just get into a habit of reading and learning new things regularly.
The more you challenge and ask of your brain, the faster its capacities will grow. In this way we can think of the brain sort of like a muscle that needs constant exercise. Following these steps, you can further enhance the long-term benefits and effects of most nootropics.
Short-Term Use Nootropics
What about nootropics that are not intended for daily use?
While the Racetams and Choline supplements are great for taking every day, there are some other nootropics which provide more stimulation of the Central Nervous System.
These compounds are better reserve either for occasional use or in a nootropic cycle. Two examples in this category are Adrafinil and Modafinil.
The main reason you should use a cycle for these nootropic drugs is to limit the possibility of long-term side effects. For example, Adrafinil is considered safe for infrequent use if you are following the recommended dosages.
However, this supplement can actually cause harmful enzymes to build up in the liver if you were to use it for several months on end.
Typically, any nootropics that raise levels of catecholamines (stress neurotransmitters) should be used on a cycle to prevent long-term side effects. This is however a relatively small class within the world of brain supplements and for the most part you can feel safe using nootropics in the long term.
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Article last updated on: February 23rd, 2018 by Nootriment