The Complete Nootropic Guide 2023
The Complete Nootropic Guide 2023
Thinking about taking a nootropic supplement for the first time? Nootropics can be confusing. After all, the brain is a complex thing. But we’ve written this to make supplements simple.
This Complete Nootropic Guide is designed to give you the most up to date information on Nootropics. From what is nootropic to how they work and how you can find the best nootropic for you.
Contents at a glance
- What is nootropic?
- What are the benefits of nootropics?
- Are nootropics safe?
- Are nootropics legal?
- What is the best nootropic?
- What is a nootropic stack?
- Best pre-made nootropic stack
- Summary
In a rush? Read the super summary...
Nootropics are supplements that help to improve cognitive performance and brain wellness.
They can support memory, focus, attention, motivation, relaxation, mood, alertness, stress resistance and more. There is a lot to gain from nootropics, but if you're just starting out, you may be put-off by nootropics that have side effects or just don't work.
It is so important to start your brain-boosting journey the right way: With a responsible, premium-quality premade nootropic stack that works.
Genius Mind is a natural nootropic containing 17 brain boosting ingredients in upgraded forms shown to be safe and tolerable – Unlock maximum mental performance without jitters, crashes or side effects.
What is a nootropic?
Nootropics in a nutshell.
Nootropics are brain-boosters.
Supplements that help to improve cognitive performance and brain wellness.
Nootropics support memory, focus, attention, motivation, relaxation, mood, alertness, stress resistance and more.
The origin of Nootropics
The term Nootropic was coined by Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea a Romanian psychologist and chemist. In 1963, Dr. Giurgea synthesised a compound called Piracetam, which he believed could enhance cognitive function without the negative side effects of traditional stimulants.
He coined the term "nootropic" to describe such compounds that could enhance cognitive function and improve memory without causing harm.
He developed six key criteria to identify a true nootropic.
Giurgea's criteria:
- Enhancement of memory and learning
- Improved cognition under stress
- Protection of brain cells (neuroprotective)
- Facilitation of cell-to-cell communication
- Backed by human research demonstrating brain bioactivity
- Absence of usual pharmacological effects of psychotropic drugs
Science has learned more and more about the brain since the 1960s, and many brain-beneficial supplements have been discovered.
The modern definition of Nootropic
Now, if a supplement helps the brain in any way, it may be considered as a "nootropic." This amounts to a long list of nootropic supplements – over 80 – that have been linked to better brain health and cognitive function.
As the list of nootropics has grown, so has the appreciation and importance of looking after our complex brains.
Healthy mind = happy mind.
Having a healthy brain can improve all aspects of your life – from work to studies, relationships to your own wellbeing. In short, we should all be looking after our brains, and nootropics can be a great aid.
What are the benefits of nootropics?
Gone are the days when brain supplements are just used by seniors seeking memory support....
Now nootropics are used by all age groups, for a wide variety of brainy benefits. In general, these uses can be divided into performance benefits and health benefits.
Cognitive Performance Benefits of Nootropics
The cognitive performance benefits associated with brain supplements and smart drugs are growing. The more that science investigates nootropics, the more brain boosting benefits are uncovered.
The Cognitive Benefits
Mental Energy - Fuel your mind.
The brain has high energy demands. When brain energy runs low, mental functions suffer. Nootropic supplements can both fuel the brain and optimise energy metabolism within the brain, helping to naturally rejuvenate cognitive performance. Bye bye brain fog.
Memory - Enhance your memory.
Traditional one-dimensional long-range memory pills have evolved into dynamic nootropics for short term memory, recall, learning and more.
Attention - - Get in the zone.
Nootropics enhance various aspects of attention, focus and concentration; these cognitive benefits can give users an edge in productivity.
Learning - Smarten up.
Students and lifelong learners can benefit from nootropics' various enhancements for cognitive learning processes like memory formation, storage, and recall.
Mood & Mental Health - Healthy brain, happy you.
Nootropics that help with relaxation, confidence, mood balance, motivation, sociability, anxiety, happiness, and more can optimise cognitive function and improve life performance.
Creativity - Get in the flow.
Brain wave-tuning nootropics can foster relaxed, free-flowing thinking that is conducive to creative thinking, artistic exploration and quiet contemplation.
Physical- Workout boost.
Although they are brain supplements, nootropics are now in sports nutrition due to their ability to improve motivation, training intensity, and focus in the gym.
Stress Resistance - Calm and ready to conquer.
Nootropics, especially the class of herbs known as adaptogens, have well-documented anti-stress benefits. Stress reduction can enhance brain performance of everyone from multitasking professionals to competitive athletes.
What are the different types of nootropics?
There are at least 81 nutrients and compounds that may be considered as brain boosting nootropics.
Nootropics can be split into a few different categories:
Vitamins
Some basic essential vitamins and minerals are important for overall brain health and sharp cognitive function.
B-complex vitamins are regarded as nootropics, especially:
Vitamin B6 - needed to make brain chemicals that help with stress.
Vitamin B9 - helps with healthy blood flow to the brain.
Vitamin B12 - helps make protective nerve sheaths.
Herbs
Herbs have been used as cognitive enhancers for centuries.
This gives them a long history of safe, effective use. Modern extraction methods and potency-enhancing techniques make traditional brain herbs safer and more effective than ever. For these reasons, botanical nootropic supplements are an effective option.
Bacopa Monnieri and Lion's Mane have been around forever, have great safety profiles, and deliver research-backed brain-boosting benefits that many beginners are looking for:
Bacopa monnieri has been shown to enhance higher order cognitive processes, which involve turning new information into stored learning and memories.
Research also suggests Bacopa may slow the rate of forgetting new knowledge. This makes it a popular beginner's nootropic for students.
Lion's Mane Mushroom has been used in traditional herbalism and cuisine for centuries, so it has an excellent safety and tolerability profile. It is linked to the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), and has been shown in human research to help with mood balance and age-related cognitive decline
Phospholipids
Phospholipids are healthy fats that are used as raw materials to repair and regenerate brain cells. They are especially important for keeping brain cell membranes fluid and flexible.
Phospholipid nootropics in supplement form help to maintain healthy brain levels of these neuro-building-block fats, supporting healthy brain structure. In addition, some phospholipids unlock more benefits by helping brain chemicals, brain energy and more.
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a good phospholipid nootropic for beginners because it is one of the best nootropics for memory, with lots of human research showing it is safe and well-tolerated.
PS is also good for beginners because it has been linked to a wide range of cognitive benefits, including:
- Memory formation, storage and retrieval.
- Attention, focus, concentration.
- Critical thinking; reasoning and problem solving.
- Communication and verbal ability.
- Maintaining a healthy mood.
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is one nootropic that does many positive things for the brain, which can help beginners get off to a great start.
Choline Sources
Choline is a natural compound that helps the body to synthesise and regulate fats. Just like with phospholipids, choline sources support healthy fats in the brain, which is itself 60% fat.
Nootropic choline sources can supply choline directly, or significantly raise brain choline levels indirectly.
Choline-related nootropics work together with phospholipid nootropics, and are crucial for the brain regeneration and repair that underlies overall brain health.
Phosphatidylcholine is one of the best choline sources, due to its strong safety profile and great brain-boosting benefits.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are organic compounds. They are the "building blocks of life."
In addition to forming proteins, aminos perform many whole-body health-optimising functions.
Some amino acids are nootropics. Amino acid nootropics have an interesting quality: They can be used as brain chemicals, while also being used as a raw material to make brain chemicals.
There are a few different amino acid brain-boosters, but one of them stand out:
Tyrosine - This brain amino is drained by stress; low levels may cause attention problems. Tyrosine helps restore brain chemicals depleted by stress, and seems to improve cognition during multitasking and stress – benefits that a lot of beginners are looking for.
What is a nootropic stack?
Stacking refers to the practice of combining certain nootropics that work well together into a single formula that may unlock greater cognitive benefits than if you took them alone.
Nootropic stacks supercharge the effect by combining nootropic compounds to create a formula that is often stronger.
They provide multiple brain-boosting benefits all in one.
For example, a memory stack might combine three or four evidence-backed nootropics that help to support memory in varied ways – for a more powerful overall memory-boosting effect.
Other stacks may boost several aspects of mental performance in one, or unleash greater brain boosting activity by uniting nootropics that help each other to work better together.
Advanced nootropic stacking strategies and experiences have long been shared on online forums like Reddit. Pre-made stacks are also available to buy in supplement form.
Best pre-made nootropic stack
Genius Mind Nootropic
Nootropic stacking experimentation like you see on Reddit and related subreddits can result in side effects, weak results and other unintended outcomes.
Pre-made nootropic stacks are a better option. They can deliver the powerful brainpower effects of stacking without the unknown variables of self-experimentation.
Genius Mind is the ultimate nootropic containing 17 brain boosting ingredients.
Genius Mind is
the ultimate nootropic
Formulated by experts - Manufactured in the UK in one of the top supplement factories in Europe
- right here in the UK in one of the top supplement factories in Europe.
The Genius Formula
The ultimate nootropic containing 17 brain boosting ingredients. It’s formula contains:
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is involved in the production of neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that transmit signals in the brain and nervous system. This helps to regulate mood, memory, and other cognitive functions.
Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba is an herb that is commonly used to enhance cognitive function and improve memory. It is believed to work by increasing blood flow to the brain, which provides the brain with more oxygen and nutrients, and by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain.
DMAE
It is thought to work by increasing the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is essential for learning and memory.
Phosphatidylserine
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a type of phospholipid that is found in high concentrations in the brain. It is believed to help with cognitive function, memory, and mood, by improving the flow of neurotransmitters and supporting the structure of brain cells.
Bacopa
Bacopa, also known as Brahmi, is an herb commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine to enhance cognitive function, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve memory and learning.
Phosphatidylcholine
Phosphatidylcholine is a phospholipid found in the brain and is essential for the healthy functioning of neurons and other cells. It is a building block of the cell membrane and helps to maintain the fluidity and structural integrity of the membrane. Phosphatidylcholine also plays a key role in neurotransmitter synthesis and release, which is critical for proper communication between brain cells. Additionally, it is a source of choline, which is a precursor to acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter involved in memory, learning, and other cognitive functions.
Rosemary
Rosemary has been found to improve memory and recall. This is due to its rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid content, which have been shown to protect the brain against oxidative stress and inflammation.
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy brain function. It is involved in the production of neurotransmitters, chemical messengers in the brain that regulate mood, attention, and other cognitive functions. Vitamin B3 also helps improve circulation and oxygenation of the brain, which is important for maintaining optimal brain health.
Zinc
Zinc plays a vital role in cognitive function and brain health. It is involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, enzymes and structural proteins in the brain. It also helps in the regulation of gene expression, synaptic plasticity and oxidative stress, which are all important for healthy brain function. Additionally, zinc is also important for the growth and development of the brain during embryonic and childhood development. Low levels of zinc have been linked to decreased cognitive function, depression and behavioural problems. By supplementing with zinc, the brain can better function and cognitive function can be improved.
Guarana
Guarana contains caffeine and other stimulants, which are known to enhance cognitive function by increasing alertness, focus, and memory.
Panax ginseng
Panax ginseng is considered a stimulant and is often used to enhance mental alertness and concentration. It has been shown to improve attention, memory, and cognitive performance in healthy individuals.
Vitamin B5
An essential nutrient that is involved in several important functions in the body, including cognitive and mental processes.
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1 helps support nerve function and is essential for transmitting signals between the brain and other parts of the body.
Sage
Sage has been shown to improve memory and cognitive function in some studies. The compound carnosic acid, which is present in Sage, has been found to have neuroprotective properties, which can help maintain brain health.
Lions Mane
Lions Mane has been shown to improve memory, focus, and overall cognitive function. This is believed to be due to its ability to stimulate the growth of new neurons and protect existing ones.
Has also been linked to improved mood and reduced anxiety and depression. This is believed to be due to its ability to increase levels of nerve growth factor (NGF), which plays a role in regulating mood.
Tyrosine
An amino acid that is involved in the production of neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, which play important roles in regulating mood, motivation, attention, and stress responses. Tyrosine has been shown to improve cognitive performance and memory under stressful conditions, and may also help to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety
With just two capsules a day, you can experience the many potential brain boosting benefits of nootropic with Genius Mind.
Genius Mind is one of the cleanest nootropics out there made in one of Europe's best GMP certified manufacturing facilities.
Vegan friendly, Non GMO, Gluten free.
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