0
5
4
Can you buy Racetam nootropics on Amazon? It depends on which country you live in.
Racetams are a class of nootropic agent that includes Piracetam, Aniracetam, Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam, Phenylpiracetam, Coluracetam and Nefiracetam.
In some countries, racetams are regulated as prescription drugs and can only be sold through licensed pharmacies. In other countries, they are unregulated and can be purchased without a prescription.
In other countries, they are approved medications and may be bought over-the-counter in local stores or online. Elsewhere, they are sold as ingredients in dietary supplements either on their own or in nootropic stacks.
The legal status of buying Racetam nootropics can vary depending on where you reside and which specific racetam products you want to use.
Previously, racetam nootropic supplements were available on Amazon in the United States and other countries. Their availability has now been restricted, but there are still exceptions under which they are sold on Amazon and related retailers.
Memory
Mental Function
Brain Health- Promotes brain health & communication
- Supports memory, reasoning & cognition
- Boosts focus, mental clarity & attention
Racetams on Amazon
Related Topics
- Racetam Nootropics
- Best Racetam Stacks
- What is Piracetam?
- Piracetam Reviews
- Piracetam Effects
- What is Oxiracetam?
- Oxiracetam Dosage Guide
- Oxiracetam Reviews
- What is Pramiracetam?
- Pramiracetam User Review
- How Pramiracetam Works
- What is Aniracetam?
- Aniracetam User Reviews
- Aniracetam Benefits
- What is Phenylpiracetam?
- Review of Phenylpiracetam
- Phenylpiracetam Experiences
- Coluracetam Review
- How to Use Coluracetam
- Nefiracetam Review
- Nefiracetam Dosages
- Nefiracetam Experiences
- Fasoracetam Review
You cannot currently buy Racetam nootropics on Amazon in the USA. While these products are still available on Amazon websites in other countries (like Canada), they have been removed from the US website.
Racetam nootropics are considered to be synthetic compounds and investigational drugs under US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) policy.
Prior to 2012, it was possible to buy Piracetam and other derivatives of this nootropic agent on Amazon. They were sold in bulk powder form as a raw, unfinished ingredient and labelled as not for human consumption.
Some vendors sold Piracetam as a research chemical on Amazon. The FDA does not prohibit the sale of Piracetam for research purposes only, which enabled suppliers to sell it online.
However, in December 2012, all of the listings for Piracetam were removed from Amazon. Sellers were told they would not be permitted to add it back to the site.
It is not known whether this was an action required by the FDA or whether payment processors for Amazon forced them to ban this product from their website. It may have been a risk mitigation strategy to avoid future legal problems.
At the same time, listings for Aniracetam were removed, but not listings for other nootropics. As of December 2012, it was still possible to purchase products and supplements containing Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam, Noopept and Phenylpiracetam on this site and other sites like eBay.
Interestingly, even though produced labelled as “Aniracetam” were taken off the site, other forms of the nootropic drug sold under different names were still available for sale. This demonstrates that the rules on the sale of nootropics were not consistently applied to all racetam products.
Since this time, all of the racetams have been removed from Amazon in the United States. They are also no longer available on Amazon in the UK, but are available on the Canadian-based website.
There are other synthetic nootropics still sold on the site. For example, Centrophenoxine, Pyritinol, Vinpocetine and Sulbutiamine are all considered to be synthetic compounds that may not comply under FDA regulations, depending on how the policies are interpreted.
Exceptions to Amazon Rules
It appears that on Amazon there is different treatment of single ingredient formulations of a supplement versus stacks or products with multiple ingredients.
For example, you can buy TruBrain on the US Amazon website. This is a nootropic drink formula developed by neuroscientists at UCLA. There are three different formulations of these 1 oz nootropic shots.
Ingredients in these “Think Drinks” include 800mg Oxiracetam, 12mg of Noopept (Omberacetam) and 1000 mg of Piracetam.
A one-month supply of 30 TruBrain drinks costs approximately $65 in the United States.
It is not known why Amazon allows some products with these ingredients to be sold currently while others are prohibited. It may be that they are unaware of the formulations of these products and have yet to remove them.
What are the Racetams?
Racetams were the first class of nootropic agents developed. They are based on the original nootropic drug, Piracetam (nootropil), which was synthesized by Dr. Corneliu Giurgea in Belgium.
Giurgea was originally investigating drugs with the potential to treat motion sickness with a similar chemical structure to the endogenous neurotransmitter GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid). Piracetam was developed as a cyclic derivative of GABA, but did not show any effects on GABA receptors in the brain.
Instead, initial testing revealed a number of cognitive enhancement effects from this substance which suggested benefits for memory, focus and mental performance. Giurgea came up with the name “nootropic” or “mind-turning agent” to describe these effects.
Following the introduction of Piracetam to the marketplace, researchers began investigating other drugs with similar molecular structures to discover novel therapeutic compounds. Over 1,600 different racetam derivatives have since been synthesized with more than 300 receiving additional study in animals or humans.
All racetam compounds have a similar chemical structure with a 2-pyrrolidone skeleton composed of oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen atoms. The structure contains a 5-sided cyclic ring with a carboxyl group attached as well as an open nitrogen to which other functional groups can be attached.
Some of the other racetams that have been developed or licenced for medical use include:
- Aniracetam
- Brivaracetam
- Cebaracetam
- Coluracetam
- Dimiracetam
- Doliracetam
- Dupracetam
- Etiracetam
- Fasoracetam
- Imuracetam
- Methylphenylpiracetam
- Nebracetam
- Nefiracetam
- Nicoracetam
- Oxiracetam
- Phenylpiracetam
- Pramiracetam
- Rolziracetam
- Seletracetam
While there is no universal mechanism of action for these compounds, the racetams which have been identified as having nootropic effects tend to work in similar ways. Most racetams work primarily by facilitating cholinergic neurotransmission. This means that they augment or increase activity at acetylcholine receptors in the brain.
Racetams can work in different ways, such as by increasing neuron membrane fluidity, binding to AMPA or NMDA receptors for the glutamate neurotransmitter, boosting blood flow and oxygen uptake or by exerting neuroprotective effects.
Some racetams have unique effects. For example, Aniracetam is believed to increase dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline activity in the brain. These three neurochemicals are related to mood regulation and may explain the unique benefits of this racetam on anxiety and mood enhancement.
This class of substances has been used to treat age-related memory decline, Alzheimer’s disease, Senile Dementia, brain degeneration, traumatic brain injury, mood disorders and more. The substances Aniracetam, Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam and Piracetam have been prescribed clinically in a number of different countries, particularly in Europe.
Users who take these nootropic racetams are generally interested in improving their memory, focus, energy levels, mood, productivity and attention span. Some racetams are well-research in humans, such as Aniracetam and Piracetam. Others have limited data from human research trials and require more study to evaluate safety and efficacy.
Phenylpiracetam (Phenotropil) is another highly potent racetam agent that is believed to have stimulant effects and ergogenic benefits (enhances athletic performance). This substance was banned for athletes at the Olympics under the IOC and WADA.
Levetiracetam (Keppra) and seletracetam are both anti-convulsant medications used to treat epilepsy, myoclonic, or tonic-clonic seizures.
Legal Status
In the United States, Racetam nootropics like Piracetam and Aniracetam are not regulated as controlled substances. They do not require a prescription to purchase.
However, these drugs have not been approved by the FDA as therapeutic agents for the treatment of any medical condition. They cannot be sold to cure, treat, prevent or diagnose any medical conditions.
Retailers will often sell racetams like Piracetam as bulk powders or research compounds, which are not regulated by the FDA. Some supplement manufacturers will include these ingredients in their products, such as the TruBrain nootropic think drinks which contain Oxiracetam and Piracetam.
The FDA has sent warning letters to some companies that sell Piracetam, but has not yet issued a ruling on supplements that contain Aniracetam, Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam or Phenylpiracetam.
In other countries, such as Canada and Australia, these substances are also unregulated and cannot be sold as drugs within the country. However, purchase, possession and import for personal use is not restricted.
There is an exception in the case of Piracetam in Australia where it requires a prescription to buy or import to this country. Other racetams are non-prescription and can be imported for personal use.
In the United Kingdom, the consumption, possession and purchase of racetams is legal without a prescription, except for Piracetam which is a Prescription-Only medication. However, under the Psychoactive Substances Act which was passed recently, these compounds cannot be sold, manufactured or exported to the UK anymore.
Where to Buy
Major retailers like Amazon, GNC, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS and Costco might not carry racetam nootropic agents. However, there are a number of specialty online retailers that sell them in the United States and elsewhere.
You can buy nootropics like Aniracetam, Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam and Phenylpiracetam in bulk powder form, as oral capsules or in liquid solutions.
Some of the vendors that currently carry these nootropic agents include:
- Absorb Health
- PeakNootropics
- Pure Nootropics
- Nootropics Depot
- Ceretropic
- Smart Drugs for Thought
There can be significant differences in quality between vendors of these nootropic agents. You should look for suppliers that provide a third-party Certificate of Authenticity with their products demonstrating that they have been tested for purity and quality.
- Focus longer, clear brain fog & feel more motivated
- Boost energy, alertnes & memory
- Contains 12 safe and natural nootropic ingredients
Natural Nootropics on Amazon
There may not be racetam nootropics for sale on Amazon, but there are a number of other natural nootropics available.
There is a common perception that natural nootropics are not as potent as synthetic ones from the racetam family. This is not necessarily true; many individuals report positive experiences when stacking multiple natural nootropics together.
Some of the popular nootropic supplements you can buy on Amazon without a prescription include:
- Bacopa Monnieri
- Huperzine A
- Vinpocetine
- Alpha GPC
- Citicoline (CDP Choline)
- Ginkgo Biloba
- L-Tyrosine
- Acetyl L-Carnitine
- Sulbutiamine
In addition to single-ingredient products, there are also a large number of nootropic stacks and brain supplements available as well.
It is unlikely that racetam nootropics will be sold on Amazon in the future. Currently, the trend is towards greater restrictions as opposed to easing of regulations.
Users may want to consider natural nootropic supplements as an alternative to buying racetams depending on where you live. While countries like Canada, Australia and the USA still have a wide range of racetams that are legal to buy, the UK and Europe appear to be making it harder to purchase these nootropics for cognitive enhancement.
Free shipping
Article last updated on: July 16th, 2018 by Nootriment