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Picamilon is a smart drug, mood enhancer and anxiety pill that is viewed as very safe within the nootropic community.
It consist of the natural components Niacin and GABA that have been bonded together to restore levels of the GABA neurotransmitter in individuals suffering from mood disorders. Taking Picamilon supplements can also lead to enhancement in cognitive abilities especially related to memory, focus, and mental energy.
While this anti-anxiety supplement is popular among nootropic users, it is not as well-researched as some of the other compounds available. So far, there have been few instances of Picamilon side effect reported in the literature, but this may be reflective of the fact that there have been a relatively low number of clinical trials with humans.
Whenever taking a supplement that can influence how the brain works, it is important to pay extra caution to possible side effects. What are some of the possible risks when using Picamilon powder and are there ways to prevent dangerous reactions or even some of the milder side effects?
Mood
Anxiety
Sleep- Consists of GABA & Niacin
- Stimulates GABA receptors in the brain
- Promotes mood, sleep & relaxation
Picamilon Info
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Picamilon, also known as nicotinyl-gamma-Aminobutyric acid, is a substance that combines niacin with GABA (gamma-aminobutryic acid).
Once it crosses the blood brain barrier it is separated into niacin (Vitamin B3) and GABA through a hydrolytic reaction.
The GABA that is released will then interact with receptors in the brain to produce an anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) response. The primary effect of the neurotransmitter GABA is to off-set excessive activity in neurons that can lead to feelings of anxiousness, stress and fixations on negative thoughts.
Picamilon is observed to lessen these feelings, allowing the user to attain a more balanced state of mind and relax. The niacin that is released acts as a vasodilator, which raises blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain.
Picamilon is a prodrug which means it is biologically inactive itself, but can be metabolized by the body to produce GABA and niacin. The Picamilon pills or powder essentially acts as a vessel for the GABA and niacin to cross the blood brain barrier. GABA needs to be attached to something like niacin in order to be transported across this barrier since on its own it gets repelled by this filtration system.
Once Picamilon enters your central nervous system, GABA and niacin are released as a product of a hydrolytic reaction. This is a type of chemical reaction in which water is added to a substance.
Reviews of Picamilon will attest to the fact that this supplement can help you relax without causing a sedative effect.
In most people, this nootropic will actually increase levels of awareness and mental energy. This is because niacin balances some of the inhibitory influence of GABA by increasing the circulation of oxygen to the brain so that more energy can be metabolized in the cells.
Picamilon has been shown to enhance cognitive perfromance in the areas of memory retention and recall, attentional control as well as mood regulation. It can also reduce irritability and stress, improve sleep patterns, lessen aggression, and treat some symptoms of depression.
Picamilon was first developed by the Soviet Union in 1969 by their All Union Vitamin Scientific Research Insititute. The rights to the drug are currently owned by NPK ECHO, a Russian pharmaceutical company located in Moscow. It is available over the counter in the United States, but it remains a prescription medicine in Russia to this day.
There are several medical conditions for which Picamilon is considered a viable therapy; however, it is more common to use this as a dietary supplement for the purposes of alleviating anxiety. It is most often compared to Phenibut which is another GABAergic nootropic that generates a slightly different experience.
Picamilon Side Effects
Finding information about Picamilon side effects online can be difficult due to insufficient research into the subject. Some of the best information about negative reactions to Picamilon will come from experience logs posted on the many anxiety support forms online as well as on websites dedicated to nootropic reviews.
In most instances, Picamilon is said to be very safe and unlikely to present problems when used in appropriate dosages of less than 500 mg per day. Compared to other anxiolytics, Picamilon is less likely to present problems related to tolerance, withdrawal, addiction to abuse.
However, these are all still possibilities which is why you should ideally take this supplement only under doctor supervision.
One concern that has been raised is that Picamilon is a weak Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) which means it inhibits the activities of an enzyme that breaks down monoamines such as dopamine. There are a number of anti-depressants that fall into the category of being MAOIs and some herbal supplements like St. John’s Wort are also recognized as mild MAO inhibitors.
MAOIs can be dangerous for their interactions with other drugs, as well as with certain foodstuffs. We should stress that Picamilon is not believed to be in the same class as some of the more hazardous MAOI drugs.
However, it is important to be aware of the risk and adjust your habits accordingly. If foods containing tryptophan are consumed along with excessive amounts of MAO inhibitors, serotonin syndrome can occur which is a potentially life threatening condition.
Similarly, if foods containing tyramine, a derivative of the amino acid tyrosine, are consumed, the consumer may suffer from hypertensive crisis. This is a severe case of high blood pressure that can impair organ system function and requires immediate medical attention.
For these reasons, MAO inhibitors are avoided as antidepressants unless they are absolutely necessary. While Picamilon is a mild MAOI, you may not want to combine it with other stronger drugs in this class due to potentiation of negative effects.
Effects Of Niacin
Other Picamilon side effects may be caused by increased levels of Niacin in the brain. Niacin can have side effects depending on dosage, such as skin flushes, eczema, and rashes.
Niacin can also cause hepatotoxicity at extremely high levels. When overdosed, it is also capable of raising blood sugar levels, which may be especially disconcerting for patients suffering from diabetes. It is generally agreed that at Picamilon doses closer to 150 mg, these negative effects will not occur.
That being said, if you are thinking of buying Picamilon to aid with your anxiety or any insomnia, you should contact a healthcare professional first. They will be able to tell you whether it is advisable for you to use this nootropic and ensure that you receive the right dosage for what you are using it for.
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- Davydova GA, Mukha AI. [Results of the use of vasoactive preparation pikamilon in pigmented retinal abiotrophy]. Vestn Oftalmol. 1995
- Burov IuV, Orekhov SN, Iukhananov RIu, Vedernikova NN. [Role of benzodiazepine receptors in realizing the anxiolytic effect of compounds on intact rats and on animals with a physical dependence ethanol]. Biull Eksp Biol Med. 1986
- BasinskiÄ SN, Krasnogorskaia VN, Lenis IuA. [Pathogenetic treatment of central chorioretinal dystrophies with pikamilon]. Vestn Oftalmol. 2001
- Akopian VP, Balian LS, Avetisian NA. [The effect of hypokinesia on depression and on the central GABA-A receptor complexes in the rat brain]. Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2006
- Kuchmerovs'ka TM, Donchenko HV, Fomenko HI, Chichkovs'ka HV, Pakirbaieva LV, Klymenko AN. [Correction by nicotinamide and nicotinoyl-GABA of dopamine metabolism in rat brain in experimental Parkinson's disease]. Ukr Biokhim Zh (1999). 2001
Article last updated on: March 13th, 2018 by Nootriment
2 Comments
Can I take Picamilon with a SSRI, specifically Zoloft? its not an MAOI but I don’t know what the difference is exactly
Theoretically it would be fine. The question is whether you want to be taking a second mood regulating drug without your doctor’s supervision. American doctors do not prescribe this, and are most likely unfamiliar, and most likely quite suspicious of a supplement not FDA approved. There are many reasons not to take SSRIs, they suffer “poop-out” syndrome, and withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing. It would seem wiser to wait until you stop taking SSRIs.