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What is Aniracetam and should you use this nootropic to help you enhance your cognitive performance?
Aniracetam is a smart drug that is closely related to Piracetam, which was the first nootropic ever synthesized. They are both members of the racetam family, but aniracetam is also a member of the ampakine family. More on this below.
Aniracetam is 3 – 5 times more potent than Piracetam and has a more diverse profile of purported benefits because of how it works.
This nootropic is most commonly used to promote memory, concentration, emotional stability, enhanced mood and improved socialness.
There is a lot of research showing that Aniracetam has positive effects on memory formation, mental acuity, behavior, anxiety, general cognition and brain health in patients suffering from cognitive decline, brain injury or Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type. Buy Aniracetam online at this link.
Motivation
Memory
Mood- Heightens focus & motivation
- Supports memory formation & recall
- Shown to enhance mood & reduce anxiety
What is Aniracetam?
Related Topics
- What is Aniracetam?
- User Reviews
- Effects and Benefits
- Aniracetam for Anxiety
- Dosage Suggestions
- Using Aniracetam Powder
- Best Way to Take
- Side Effects
- Aniracetam for Sale
- Buyer's Guide
- Is Aniracetam Legal?
- Stacking with Piracetam
- Stacking with Choline
- Comparison to Piracetam
- Comparison to Oxiracetam
- Comparison to Pramiracetam
- Comparison to Noopept
Aniracetam was the second ever identified nootropic compound, developed in the 1970s as a follow-up to Piracetam by the Hoffmann-La Roche pharmaceutical group.
A nootropic is defined as a substance that has the ability to promote learning and memory, protect the brain from injury and exhibit few side effects without reducing in motor stimulation or sedation.
The term “nootropic” was coined by Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea who first developed Piracetam. He found that this drug exhibited benefits for mental function and was very safe, with extremely low toxicity and almost no side effects.
Aniracetam is a modified form of Piracetam. Both have a 2-pyrrolidinone base in their molecule, but Aniracetam has a anisoyl ring with a methoxy group where Piracetam has an acetamide group. This small difference results in some important distinctions between the mechanisms of these two nootropic agents.
First and foremost, Aniracetam is fat-soluble (lipophilic) while Piracetam is water-soluble. Fat-soluble molecules are generally better absorbed from the gastrintestinal tract when administered as oral medications. This means they generally are more bioavailable and a lower dosage is required be effective.
Also, fat-soluble molecules are more likely to cross cell membranes (which are also made of fat) without requiring a transporter.
The other main difference between aniracetam and piracetam has to do with the compounds that these drugs are metabolized into by the body. When ingested, first travels through the blood and enters the liver where it undergoes substantial hepatic first-pass metabolism.
This means it gets broken down by the liver into other compounds. In particular, it is converted into N-Anisoyl-GABA, P-Anisic Acid and 2-pyrrolidinone. Only a minimal amount of Aniracetam remains intact and passes through the blood-brain barrier in its original form.
Most of the pharmacological effects of this nootropic drug come from the effects of its metabolites. These substances cross over the blood-brain barrier where they influence different neurotransmitter systems by binding to synaptic receptors.
The next major difference between Aniracetam and Piracetam has to do with the neurotransmitter receptors affected by the actions of these substances. While Piracetam primarily works by increasing the effects of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, Aniracetam affects acetylcholine and AMPA glutamate receptors.
All racetams are known to positively modulate activity at receptors for acetylcholine in the brain. They have been shown to amplify cholinergic signalling and to increase the uptake of choline into neurons.
Aniracetam is distinct because it also is an Ampakine – a substance that modulates AMPA receptors. It binds to these receptors in a way that causes them to become desensitized at a slower rate, once again amplifying their signal.
AMPA receptors are involved in long-term memory formation through a process known as Long-Term Potentiation (LTP). Because Aniracetam can increase the stimulation of these receptors, it is believed to promote memory formation and the consolidation of memories stored in short-term memory to long-term storage.
Other nootropic effects have been identified for this compound. They include the following:
- Stimulates greater release of dopamine & serotonin
- Increases levels of BDNF – a protein invovled in neuron growth
- Protects against hypoxia, oxidative stress, electroconvulsive shock and certain neurotoxic agents
- Decreases delta activity and increases alpha and slow beta brain waves
Benefits of Using
What does it feel like when you take Aniracetam? Positive effects of this nootropic agent include increases in cognitive abilities and functioning.
Users have reported an increase in their memory along with faster recall ability and improvements in learning new information.
One of the most interesting benefits reported among users is increased verbal and linguistic ability. Users have also indicated that they experience improved mental energy, clarity, and a stronger ability to concentrate and focus.
It also demonstrates a positive effect on feelings of confidence, social activities and speaking in public. According to user reviews, it can have benefits for giving presentations, interviews, or writing/speaking based tasks or assignments.
This nootropic drug also works as an anxiolytic, meaning that it can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety in some people. Researchers have also found it to improve mood in patients with post-stroke depression as well as enhancing emotional state in patients with symptoms of degenerative cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
Depending on the person, this nootropic supplement may be either stimulating or mildly calming. Different people report different results with regards to the effects of this nootropic on energy levels, motivation and restlessness.
Aniracetam is not the strongest nootropic available, but its positive effects on mood and focus mean that it remains one of the most widely used racetams available.
- Improves memory and learning
- Heightens focus and motivation
- Enhances mood and reduces anxiety & stress
Aniracetam vs Piracetam
Some of the effects and benefits of Aniracetam are similar to those of Piracetam. Both have been observed to enhance general cognitive function, focus and memory. Aniracetam is 3 – 5 times more potent and requires a lower dosage per day to experience positive effects.
In research studies comparing the effects of these cognitive enhancers, Aniracetam dosages of 1500 mg per day have been found more effective for increasing mental function than 2400 mg dosages of Piracetam (Nootropil).
Another reason to select Aniracetam over Piracetam is due to the potential benefits for mood. Many users find the mood-lifting properties of this nootropic to have wide-ranging benefits for reducing anxiety, helping people overcome social shyness and enabling individuals to be more open to new experiences.
Aniracetam Vs Noopept:
Both of these supplements have similar cognitive effects. User reviews describe potential benefits for learning ability, better and faster memory recall, improved mental energy, focus and concentration.
However, noopept is many times more potent than Aniracetam, only requiring a dosage of 10 mg to experience nootropic effects. The cost per dosage is approximately 25% lower when using Noopept.
Aniracetam Vs Pramiracetam:
If your main overall goal with nootropic supplementation is to boost mental focus and productivity, then Pramiracetam is an attractive option.
Pramiracetam is more potent than Aniracetam and is one of the strongest Racetams available. User reveiws decribe Pramiracetam as making them feel sharper, more alert, energized, better able to handle complex reasoning and more motivated.
Pramiracetam has a strong emotional blunting effect and does not produce the positive or euphoric feeling sometimes described by Aniracetam uses.
It is also a cerebrovasodilator and can increase nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzyme activity in the cerebral cortex. This is believed to increase blood flow to the brain, resulting in improved wakefulness and awareness.
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Using Aniracetam
The standard therapeutic dosage of Aniracetam used in the treatment of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease is 750mg to 1500mg per day, taken in one or two doses a day.
It has also been used in dosages of 600mg – 3000mg per day. Taking more than 1500mg in a day does not usually produce greater benefits for the user and may cause a heightened risk of side effects.
Because this cognitive enhancer has a short half-life in comparison to other racetams, it is sometimes used more frequently. Some users report repeating their dosages 3 – 4 times daily.
Using this nootropic late in the evening can cause insomnia, delays in sleep latency and poor quality sleep. To avoid this nighttime restlessness, it is recommended to stop taking it around mid-afternoon to account for the clearance time of its metabolites.
Aniracetam can be taken by itself or as a component of a nootropic stack. Stacks are intended to enhance the effectiveness of their ingredients by providing synergistic compounds that potentiate each others’ effects.
Users are typically advised to take this in combination with at least a choline supplement such as CDP Choline or Alpha GPC.
Taking a source of the nutrient choline helps to ensure that there is sufficient availability of acetylcholine precursors to support the effects of this nootropic drug. One of Aniracetam’s mechanisms of action is to increase cholinergic receptor activity.
If there is not enough acetylcholine available in the brain, this can inhibit its effectiveness as well as result in side effects. Headaches are reported to occur when using Aniracetam without a choline source.
It is recommended to take Aniracetam with food and some type of fat source because this nootropic is fat-soluble. While research studies demonstrate that it has good absorption from the gut even on an empty stomach, it is best practice to consume it with fish oil or olive oil to optimize bioavailability.
More advanced stacks can also be used to achieve your desired effects. The most common method is by taking it together with Piracetam and Oxiracetam. These three nootropics can also be cycled according to user preference.
Is Aniracetam Safe?
There have never been any case reports of individuals experiencing serious harmful side effects when taking Aniracetam appropriately. It has a significantly better safety profile compared to other smart drugs such as Adderall, Modafinil (Provigil) and Ritalin.
In toxicology reviews, it does not raise liver enzyme levels, does not have major interactions with other drugs and has no mutagenic, taratogenic or carcinogenic effects, even with long-term use.
The LD50 of this nootropic drug is 4.5 g/kg of bodyweight orally in rats and 5.0 g/kg for mice. LD50 is a measure used to determine the lethal dose of a drug required to cause fatality in 50% of experimental animals.
In humans, this would correlate to a 750 gram dosage for someone who is 80 kilograms, which is 500 times greater than the typical dosage used in clinical therapy.
Note that the LD50 of caffeine is 192 mg/kg for rats and the LD50 of table salt is 3 g/kg. This means that Aniracetam has a lower toxicity potential than caffeine or salt.
Aniracetam also does not exhibit a potential for addiction. In monkey studies, withdrawal from the drug does not result in physiological or behavioral symptoms and monkeys are not observed to self-administer this compound.
There have not been any reported cases of overdose. Some individuals report taking megadoses to experiment with the recreational effects. These individuals report agitation, insomnia changes in perception and alertness, but no dangerous side effects.
Individuals with kidney problems (renal insufficiency) or liver problems are advised to use a lower dosage to reduce the likelihood of complications.
In human research trials, adverse effects reports are generally mild and temporary. The researchers report that those who experienced side effects did not have to discontinue using the drug as a result.
Some of the negative side effects reported include headache, insomnia, anxiety, agitation, nervousness, nausea, digestive discomfort, appetite suppression, increased perspiration, skin rash, changes in body temperature, mental fatigue, low moods and brain fog.
User reviews suggests that the frequency of side effects is highly variable and can depend on dosage as well as whether other nootropics are being used at the same time. Some people experience side effects consistently when they take this nootropic while others do not.
In case of headache, use of a choline supplement like Alpha GPC or CDP Choline is proposed to alleviate symptoms. However, some people experience worsening cognitive performance when using racetams with choline.
Individual results may vary and most in the nootropic community recommend experimenting with different nootropics to determine the best stack and dosage protocol for you.
Interested in hearing more about the experiences that people have reported when taking Aniracetam pills or powder? Visit our Aniracetam Review article here for testimonials on the positive and negative effects posted by +100 users of this nootropic.
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- Katsunuma H, Shimizu T, Ogawa K, Kubo H, Ishida H, Yoshihama A. Treatment of insomnia by concomitant therapy with Zopiclone and Aniracetam in patients with cerebral infarction, cerebroatrophy, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1998
- Shen Y, Lu T, Yang XL. Modulation of desensitization at glutamate receptors in isolated crucian carp horizontal cells by concanavalin A, cyclothiazide, aniracetam and PEPA. Neuroscience. 1999
- Stancheva SL, Alova LG. [Effect of centrophenoxine, piracetam and aniracetam on the monoamine oxidase activity in different brain structures of rats]. Farmakol Toksikol. 1988
- Nishizaki T, Matsumura T. The aniracetam metabolite 2-pyrrolidinone induces a long-term enhancement in AMPA receptor responses via a CaMKII pathway. Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 2002
- Smith AM, Wehner JM. Aniracetam improves contextual fear conditioning and increases hippocampal gamma-PKC activation in DBA/2J mice. Hippocampus. 2002
- Pizzi M, Fallacara C, Arrighi V, Memo M, Spano PF. Attenuation of excitatory amino acid toxicity by metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists and aniracetam in primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells. J Neurochem. 1993
Article last updated on: March 13th, 2018 by Nootriment
1 Comment
I just tried Aniracetam 5 minutes ago with Alpha GPC and Noopept. I am slightly dyslexic and come from non English background (CALD – culturally and linguistically diverse). Within 5 minutes, my brain feels likes it wants to absorb any new knowledge and my reading skills are way better. I used to miss or skip few sentences while reading but Aniracetam seems to have improved that very significantly. I do feel slight headache at the beginning because of that rush gushing through my brain but Alpha GPC slowly reduces it after 5 minutes. Great stuff.