Smart drugs. Brain boosters cognitive enhancement supplements. Whatever they are called, nootropics have become the obsession of Silicon Valley executives, college students with all-nighters, and anyone who has ever stared at a spreadsheet with a blank stare, and said, There must be a better way.
It is as follows: the concept is not novel. Hacking the brain is an ancient practice that humans have been engaging in. Bacopa monnieri was used in ancient Ayurvedic medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine was based on Ginkgo biloba. The morning tea ritual by your grandmother? That counts too.
Today the industry has become a multi-billion dollar monster. Groaning shelves bear the burden of capsules that claim to sharpen the focus, deepen the memory, enhance the mood. The bulk of it is noise. Part of it is truly intriguing.
What then even is a nootropic?
The word was coined by Romanian psychologist Corneliu Giurgea in 1972, and is a combination of noos (mind) and tropein (to bend or turn) in Greek. In his original definition, a substance had to be able to improve learning, provide defense to the brain, be extremely low in toxicity and not serve as a sedative or stimulant.
By this definition your double espresso does not qualify. Sorry.
A combination of caffeine and L-theanine, however? It’s a whole other thing. L-theanine – which L-theanine is a natural source of green tea – removes caffeine jitteriness but does not reduce caffeine alertness. It is among the most thoroughly researched couples in the space. Simple. Cheap. It actually works.
The Heavy Hitters Who You Should Know.
Racetams were some of the first synthetic nootropics. Piracetam, the grandfather of all, is still highly used in Europe in case of cognitive decline. The mechanism has not yet been completely pinpointed and it is this that displeases the scientists but has not stopped millions of people taking it anyway.
Lion’s Mane mushroom is in a dire situation. It could be arousing Nerve Growth Factor production – in effect, what your brain hopes to do is to maintain and grow neurons. In one 2009 Japanese clinical trial, there were significant improvements in mild cognitive impairment after 16 weeks of supplementation. That’s not nothing.
Bacopa monnieri is monnieri gold which burns slowly. Do not look to fireworks on the first day. Give it 8–12 weeks. The research indicates that it may enhance the memory consolidation and alleviate anxiety – but here patience is the order of the day.
Ashwagandha is more adaptogenic, rather than cognitive. However, when it is stress that is tanking your concentration (and in most cases, it is) controlling the levels of cortisol actually matter. Stress and cognitive performance are more entwined than one would like to concede.
The Synthetic Side: Do It With Your Eyes Open.
The drug is talked about as though it is a real life NZT-48 in Limitless. It is a wake-stimulating medication which was initially created to treat narcolepsy. It is used off-label by people to have increased focus time. Does it work? Generally, yes — to keep you awake and on the job when you are on a long haul. Is it a genius pill? Absolutely not.












