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Nootropics & focus

Nootropics and focus

Throughout history, humankind has sought various tools to regulate the human body's hormonal reactions, performance, and alertness. One of the most interesting prospects involves boosting brain performance, cognitive function and memory using various substances and medicinal plants.


In 1964, a Romanian psychologist and chemist Corneliu E. Giurgea (1923–1995) developed a chemical compound which he named piracetam. Giurgea found that this new chemical compound affected brain neurons, boosted their blood flow and increased oxygen consumption.


A few years later, Giurgea devised the term nootropic, meaning smart drug (derived from the Ancient Greek words noos, meaning mind, and tropos, meaning turning or aligning). Nootropics have been found to improve memory and mood and enhance alertness. They should not be confused with simple cognitive enhancers as nootropics are often neuroprotective and generally well-tolerated.

NOOTROPICS (SUPPLEMENTS)

Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR)

  • Protects the brain from damage, acts as an antioxidant
  • Enhances cognitive functions and the function of mitochondria
  • Reduces mental fatigue and improves concentration, especially in people with chronic fatigue
  • Improves overall cognition in the elderly

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA)

  • Protects the brain and mitochondria from damage

Water hyssop (Bacopa monnieri)

  • Enhances memory
  • Enhances cognitive functions such as attention speed

CDP-choline (citicoline)

  • Prevents memory deterioration and enhances memory and learning
  • Improves attentional performance

DHA (omega-3 fatty acid)

  • Enhances memory and reaction time
  • Slows down the aging of the brain and enhances learning
  • Increases cerebral blood flow

Phosphatidylserine

  • Enhances memory and prevents memory deterioration
  • In children, it alleviates ADHD symptoms and enhances short-term memory
  • Curbs the production of cortisol under strain and speeds up recovery from physical strain

Carnosine

  • Neuroprotective; protects the brain against oxidative stress
  • Tests conducted on rats found it to boost the production of GABA in the brain
  • May slow down the aging of the brain

Caffeine (coffee, tea)

  • Enhances long-term memory
  • Prevents dementia
  • When consumed together with theanine, it comprehensively enhances cognitive functions

Choline

  • Enhances cognitive performance

Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba)

  • May enhance memory and observation skills due to improved cerebral blood flow

Creatine (monohydrate)

  • Enhances general brain performance
  • May improve the short-term memory and intelligence of stressed individuals and/or healthy individuals with the biggest potential of aging

Tyrosine

  • A precursor of dopamine and noradrenaline
  • Building blocks for thyroid hormones
  • Several studies have found improvements in mood, cognition and physical performance under stress, fatigue and sleep deprivation
  • Decreases cortisol levels when under acute stress

Gotu Kola

  • Neuroprotective
  • May reduce anxiety and reactions to loud noises

L-Theanine

  • Able to pass through the blood-brain barrier and thus has a direct impact on the brain
  • Enhances memory and observation skills when consumed together with green tea
  • Increases the frequency of alpha waves in the brain; enhances observation skills and cognitive functions when consumed together with caffeine

Lion’s mane

  • Stimulates the synthesis of nerve growth factor (BDNF) in the brain
  • Enhances cognitive functions in individuals with a mild deterioration of cognitive skills
  • May reduce depression and anxiety

COMBINATION OF CAFFEINE & L-THEANINE

  • Enhances concentration skills
  • Enhances alertness and the ability to switch between tasks efficiently
  • Ingredients: 100 mg caffeine (one cup of coffee)  & 200 mg theanine