Smart drug usage among students is at an all-time high with more than half of all American undergrads having admitted to using them.
The most commonly used study pills include Adderall (a type of Amphetamine) and Ritalin which are prescribed for treating ADD and ADHD.
While these drugs are perfectly legal, many students are buying them off friends and taking them without a prescription.
These smart drugs are incredibly strong and can have a lot of unintended consequences if used improperly or for extended periods. This makes them quite unlike nootropics which boost cognitive performance but do so in a neuroprotective manner with low risk of side effects.
Many nootropics can give you the same benefits for studying and other academic tasks as these prescription smart drugs but without the burned out feeling the day after or the possibility of addiction.
What are the best nootropic study stacks to use if you need to cram for an exam?



- Promotes brain health & communication
- Supports memory, reasoning & cognition
- oosts focus, mental clarity & attention
Nootropics vs Smart 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?
Nootropics are a class of supplements designed to improve memory, reasoning and learning capacity.
These compounds are known for boosting your energy and focus, increasing the plasticity of your brain and even giving you better information retention and processing skills.
Unlike smart drugs that really only increase your mental performance by stimulating your central nervous system and helping you concentrate better, nootropics work on the critical underlying elements necessary for students to achieve success.
Nootropics can also improve your brain health with long-term use by promoting the formation of new neurons, raising neurotransmitter and cell protein availability, removing toxins and signs of oxidative stress and causing more connections to be developed in targeted areas of the brain.
Smart drugs, on the other hand can be potentially damaging to your brain cells by overly taxing them and depleting the resources necessary to repair them. Many students find that these pharmaceuticals are necessary to perform under the intense pressure they experience, but often drugs like Adderall actually increase your stress and anxiety levels.
While these ADHD medications might temporarily make you feel like you don’t have to work as hard like some of the “naturally smart” kids at school, they can actually lead to shrinkage in your hippocampus which is the area of the brain required to make new memories.
There is also the potential for serious side effects like insomnia, dehydration, receptor down regulation, and even long-term issues like high blood pressure.
Nootropic Study Stacks
All of these reasons are why Nootropics for studying are a much better option if you are a student looking for an Adderall alternative. So what nootropics are the best to use when preparing for an exam or a presentation or writing an essay?
The stack we recommend includes six different ingredients or that are considered to be Nootropics, or lead to Nootropic-like effects. Each of these has a different mechanism of action and it is important to include all of these components for the best results.
However, if you have an allergy to caffeine or are sensitive to this compound, you can remove it and still see very positive results.
The best Nootropic Study Stack is:
- Aniracetam
- Huperzine A
- Alpha GPC
- L-Theanine
- Caffeine
- Vinpocetine
This stack has a very low level of overall toxicity and it is safe, with only very mild side effects being reported. You can use it only on days when you need to study hard for long periods or even take this combination on a daily basis to keep you sharp all year long.
Many of these supplements are said to accumulate more benefits over time with consistent use. It is also made up largely of natural ingredients, such as Huperzine A, Vinpocetine, Caffeine and Theanine.

- Focus longer, clear brain fog & feel more motivated
- Boost energy, alertnes & memory
- Contains 12 safe and natural nootropic ingredients
Cognitive Enhancement:
Unlike Smart Drugs that really only address energy levels and attention span, the main benefits we are seeking here is to improve the overall working of the brain. You can actually use nootropics to increase your fluid intelligence which is the metric most commonly associated with IQ scores.
In this stack, the cognitive enhancement effects are primarily due to Aniracetam. This nootropic is a Racetam derivative of Piracetam which is very helpful in improving memory, expanding learning capacity, and especially in speeding up cognitive processes within the brain.
Aniracetam is also considered to help reduce stress and anxiety levels significantly which can make you less susceptible to pre-test nervousness which often impairs your memory.
Focus:
Of course, most students also need some help with increasing their focus and mental drive to get ready to study effectively. Both the caffeine and the L-Theanine will help to promote this effect.
You are probably already aware of the effects of caffeine. It works by reducing Adenosine transmission within the brain, reducing our level of sleepiness and fatigue.
L-Theanine is also included to help counteract the normal levels of nervousness and jitters that are typical caffeine side effects. It tends to increase executive alertness and the ability to switch tasks more effectively.
Memory:
The components Alpha GPC and Huperzine A in this nootropic study stack are used to boost memory formation and recall.
Huperzine A, in particular, is a powerful inhibitor of a chemical that breaks down the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine. This neurotransmitter plays a vital role in helping to improve memory formation and expand learning capacity. There are also some excellent brain cell protective effects of these supplements.
The Alpha GPC is a specific source of high quality Choline which is a direct precursor to Acetylcholine. There is even evidence to show that this supplement is effective at increasing long-term memory (we already know that it helps short-term memory). Specifically, Choline is reported to help enhance both visual and verbal memory levels.
Retention:
The final ingredient in this study stack is Vinpocetine which is an herbal nootropic originally from the Periwinkle plant. This supplement is very effective at protecting the neurons within the brain and helping to increase memory retention. The evidence suggests that Vinpocetine raises blood flow to and in the brain which leads to better oxygen uptake and glucose metabolism.
These two factors will not only result in healthier neurons with less build-up of toxins, it can further enhance mental energy levels and alertness. Incidentally, poor blood flow and brain circulation is often seen in those who have ADD, dementia and age-related cognitive issues.
Conclusion:
You do not need to rely on study drugs like Adderall or Ritalin to boost your brainpower in preparation for that next big exam or essay you need to write. There are a number of nootropic study stacks that can help you immensely in the short-term while also keeping your brain healthy in the long term.
The ingredients included in the study stack above work together synergistically to provide massive benefits for students and anyone else who wants to have more focus.
Not only are nootropics very effective, they are also safe, with low levels of toxicity and few reported side effects. Keep these nootropic supplements on your shelf for the next finals week or end of the semester when the pressures of school really start catching up with you.
Article last updated on: February 26th, 2018 by Nootriment
2 Comments
Why choose aniracetam instead of noopept?
hi
i heard that noopept is better than piracetam
why dont you just remove piracetam from list?