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Is Oxiracetam legal to buy in Canada and do no need a prescription to use this nootropic agent?
Oxiracetam is a member of the racetam category of nootropic drugs, used to boost memory and learning. In research studies, it shows benefits for logical thinking, attention, alertness, energy levels and brain health.
Oxiracetam is a derivative of Piracetam and has a similar chemical structure, but it is 3-5 times more potent and shows a slightly different profile of effects.
It has been studied clinically for its effects on multi-infarct dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, post-traumatic brain injury and other forms of age-related cognitive decline. While preliminary studies show benefits, it has not been widely used in Canada as a therapeutic agent.
More commonly, it is purchased online to take as a nootropic supplement. Use of Oxiracetam as a cognitive enhancer is legal in Canada and this substance does not require a prescription to buy.
However, it cannot be legally sold within the country for human consumption because it has not been given a Drug Identification Number. Oxiracetam has not been approved for medicinal use by Health Canada.
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Cognitive Function- Heightens focus, alertness & perception
- Promotes analytical thinking & memory
- Boosts energy & reduces mental fatigue
Oxiracetam in Canada
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- What is Oxiracetam?
- Dosage Guide
- Reviews
- Oxiracetam Effects
- Side Effects & Safety
- Experience Reports
- Where to Purchase
- Is Oxiracetam Legal?
- Best Oxiracetam Stacks
- Using Oxiracetam Capsules
- Oxiracetam Choline Stack
- Oxiracetam Piracetam Stack
- Aniracetam Oxiracetam Stack
- Pramiracetam Comparison
- Noopept Comparison
- Aniracetam Comparison
Oxiracetam (2-(4-hydroxy-2-oxopyrrolidin-1-yl)acetamide, 4-hydroxypiracetam, ISF 2522) is not currently regulated in Canada.
This means that it is not a controlled substance, does not appear on any drug schedules in the country and does not require a prescription to purchase.
However, you will not see this nootropic drug sold in local Canadian stores or major online retailers. What is the legality surrounding the purchase and sale of Oxiracetam and other Racetam nootropics?
Oxiracetam is a synthetic compound, meaning it is man-made and does not occur in nature. As a result, it does not qualify as a dietary supplement in Canada and is instead legislated as a drug.
In Canada, substances defined as drugs are regulated by the Canadian Food and Drugs Act. In order for a drug or medicine to be approved for sale in this country, it must be given a Drug Identification Number (DIN).
The DIN is an eight-digit number issued by Health Canada. It uniquely identifies a drug sold by a specific manufacturer, the product name, the active ingredients, the strength of the ingredients, the form of the medicine and the route by which it is administered.
Manufacturers must receive the DIN before they start marketing their product in Canada. Those drugs may then be sold either as prescription medicines or as over-the-counter products depending on their risk potential and their use.
Oxiracetam has not received a DIN, which means that it has not been approved or processed by Health Canada for sale within the country. Therefore, it cannot be sold in Canadian stores under compliance with the law.
The same is true for other racetam nootropics and products like Noopept, Adrafinil or Sunifiram. These cognitive enhancers do not have DINs, which means they cannot be legally sold in Canada. Manufacturers are not allowed to import or distribute these ingredients for commercial purposes.
Legal Status for Buyers
Despite the fact that the Canadian government has not approved Oxiracetam as a therapeutic drug, doctors are still allowed to prescribe it should they see fit.
Canadian law allows individual physicians to make appropriate decisions about which drugs should be used to treat a specific condition. If a drug is approved in another country and is not a controlled substance in Canada, your doctor will be able to write you a prescription if they think it could benefit you.
But even if your doctor does prescribe you Oxiracetam, you should not expect to be able to fill your prescription at Shopper’s Drug Mart, Rexall, Walmart, Costco or your local pharmacy. It will have to be imported from international suppliers.
This is how most Canadians who want to buy Oxiracetam are able to acquire it. In other countries, this product is sold as a nootropic supplement or can be purchased over-the-counter without a prescription.
Since authorities allows individuals to import small quantities of therapeutic agents for personal use, many people order Oxiracetam capsules or powder online and ship it to their home in Canada.
It is not necessary to have a prescription in order to import it for personal use. Oxiracetam is not a controlled substance and does not require a doctor’s prescription to buy, possess or take.
So long as you are importing a small amount (less than $200 or a three-month supply) and are not planning to re-sell or distribute it, you should not have issues when ordering from overseas vendors.
Higher amounts may increase the risk of having your package delayed at the border or seized by customs officials.
Even though you do not need a prescription to use Oxiracetam, it is strongly recommended to check with a doctor before taking this nootropic. Your doctor can inform you about potential drug interactions, considerations for any medical conditions and safe ways to use it.
- Heightens focus, alertness and perception
- Promotes better analytical thinking and memory
- Boosts energy and reduces mental fatigue
Where to Purchase Online
Oxiracetam is typically sold in the form of a bulk powder or as oral capsules and tablets. It is sometimes sold as an ingredient in nootropic supplement stacks.
You can purchase Oxiracetam capsules with 600 – 750mg of active ingredient per pill. Bulk powder is sold in amounts between 25 grams to 100 grams per package.
While the bulk powder is cheaper, the capsules may be more convenient. The difference in the cost per dose is between 5 – 10 cents.
There are a number of different reputable sources to purchase Oxiracetam from online. Some of the biggest suppliers include:
- AbsorbHealth
- Ceretropic
- Intellimeds
- NootropicsDepot
- NootropicsCity
- Nutrivitashop
- PeakNootropics
- PowderCity
- Pure Nootropics
- SmartDrugsforThough
- SmartPowders
AbsorbHealth and NootropicCity also sell their products on Amazon.ca, but prices are cheaper if you go to their websites and purchase directly.
One popular product is the TruBrain Think Drinks which contains 800mg of Oxiracetam in a liquid blend with other ingredients like Piracetam, Noopept, and CDP Choline.
You will not find this product sold in supplement stores like GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Popeyes, or Vitamart. This product can be shipped to Canada. However, it is more expensive than the other options.
A number of suppliers report that they do not have issues when shipping products to Canada. However, orders are occasionally stopped or delayed at the border.
You can minimize this risk by keeping your order value below $200 and by only purchasing certain nootropics. One seller noted that seizures are more common if ordering Piracetam, Adrafinil, Phenylpiracetam or Phenibut.
According to PeakNootropics, “Where previously the shipment of personal use quantities of nootropics to Canada was not a problem, there has recently been a significant increase in issues with Customs clearance. While a very small portion of orders have been seized, others have simply been returned without comment by Customs.”
It is recommended to purchase from suppliers that conduct 3rd party testing of all of their ingredients to ensure purity and quality. Vendors located in the United States tend to have better quality records than those located internationally, but this is not always the case.
We recommend researching suppliers before deciding who to buy from. Check with other nootropic users based in Canada to see which online stores they recommend based on their experiences.
- Focus longer, clear brain fog & feel more motivated
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Review
Oxiracetam is rated as one of the best nootropics for students or anyone who wants to support their ability to learn and remember new information.
In research trials on healthy animals, it has been shown to boost learning performance, memory formation and synaptic plasticity. Oxiracetam works by facilitating neurotransmission in the brain related to the storage and encoding of memory.
It has been found to increase activity of cholinergic and glutamatergic neurons in the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex. These are two areas of the brain that are involved in thinking, reasoning, attention, arousal and other facets of mental performance.
In clinical studies of patients with dementia, was observed to improve quality of life scores, behavioral measures and functional ability. Oxiracetam can also increase performance on semantic memory tests, boost logical thinking and improve reaction times compared to baseline neuropsychological measures.
Oxiracetam also exhibits neuroprotective properties, which means that it helps to support brain health at a cellular level and may protect against certain forms of damage.
In rat studies, it reduced the negative effects of cerebral ischemia (stroke) such as inflammation and brain edema. Other studies have shown that it can ameliorate cognitive impairment linked to the administration of certain drugs that produce memory loss.
User reviews of this nootropic cite increases in focus, attention span, mental stamina, clarity of thought and minimized distractibility as reasons to take Oxiracetam. A number of users say that it helps them to maintain a stable emotional state and control negative thoughts.
Not everyone responds positively to the effects of this nootropic supplement. Some say that it does not produce any discernable effects in them at all while others say the effects are very slight.
Some users also find the drug to be poorly tolerated. In some people, it can cause feelings of fatigue, headaches, irritability, poor focus or “brain fog”.
How to Use
In medical applications, Oxiracetam has been used in doses of between 400 – 2,400 mg per day. Studies have determined that 1,600 mg per day split into two dosages typically yields the best results.
Many of the studies on this nootropic have used a graduated dosage schedule, starting with 400 mg per day and increase the dose weekly by 400 mg. This dosing strategy can help to minimize any potential side effects that may occur.
Racetam nootropics are generally stacked with a choline source to increase their efficacy and prevent negative effects. One of the mechanisms of Oxiracetam is to increase Choline Uptake in the brain as well as acetylcholine utilization.
It has been theorized that use of this nootropic in someone who is choline deficient could lead to symptoms of “choline depletion”. This is typically marked by a headache, muscle tension, poor concentration or changes in mood.
Choline can be found in egg yolks as well as other food sources. Oxiracetam is often stacked with Alpha GPC, CDP Choline/Citicoline, Centrophenoxine or Phosphatidylcholine which are all good sources of this nutrient.
Oxiracetam is water-soluble and can be taken with or without food. It has a mild stimulating effect and should be used earlier in the day so that it does not impair your sleep cycle.
Studies in rats have shown that it can cause delayed sleep onset and increase latency of Slow Wave Sleep (SWS). Oxiracetam has a long half-life of 6-8 hours, so you should take the last dosage around 2 PM to avoid interfering with sleep.
Individuals who have been diagnosed with kidney disease or renal impairment tend to have slower clearance of this drug. Dosages should be reduced in this population.
Safety
Research studies on Oxiracetam show that it is generally well tolerated and does not cause any risk of serious side effects. Dosages of up to 1,600 mg per day have been taken for a year without adverse reactions.
Some mild and temporary side effects can occur. The most common of these include headaches, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, irritation, increased perspiration, anxiety, nervousness, manic thoughts, over-excitation, stomach pain, restlessness, insomnia, lethargy, loss of appetite or vertigo.
In one study, of the 29 people who completed the trial while taking Oxiracetam, only 4 reported side effects.
If negative effects do occur, it may be possible to ameliorate them by taking choline or adjusting your dosage. If side effects continue, it is recommended to discontinue use and consider other nootropics instead.
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Article last updated on: July 17th, 2018 by Nootriment