While the use of supplements to increase health and fitness have continued to be considered pervasive in modern society, the use of brain supplements has become quite normal. In fact, many people today use a specific class of brain supplements known as nootropics to help improve various aspects of their brain activities ranging from cognition to memory, focus, learning, mood, and motivation.
Many such supplements are referred to under various names, including smart-drugs, brain boosters, and cognitive enhancers. Thousands across the globe use nootropics for varied reasons, although they all tend to revolve around improving brain functions and capacity. As a rapidly expanding market, there are many different products available on the market for anyone looking for nootropic supplements.
Researchers in the field continue to conduct test results on different types of ingredients and combinations to determine which mix has the most desirable effectiveness. Here is a brief description of some of the new nootropic brain ingredients to research going into 2017. But first, it is important to know what exact benefits nootropic ingredients offer and how you can use them to improve several aspects of your brain activity.
Why Use Nootropic Supplements?
A brief look across product descriptions and marketing information provided for nootropic brain ingredients and supplements will reveal several advantages and benefits to using them. However, not all purported claims and hyped information have a valid foundation. It is important to keenly review such products, especially since they are intended to impact brain functions.
So why should you choose to use nootropic supplements?
As aforementioned, people use these supplements for different reasons, including some not recommended. However, there are specific benefits that nootropic supplements can deliver, particularly to those having difficulty in learning, concentration, and cognition. Some of the main uses of nootropic brain ingredients are as follows:
Learning, Cognition and Intelligence Nootropics
This is by far the most prevalent use of nootropics in today’s society. Nootropics are believed to help improve intelligence and cognition through increasing synaptic plasticity and computational power. While no single pill can suddenly make one smarter, there are many nootropics that impact one’s ability to learn, reason, comprehend, and perform mathematical calculations.
This is possible since nootropics increase certain pivotal neurotransmitters, thus improving the fundamental processes involved in neuron communication and making them more efficient. This can range from receptor modulation to make them more sensitive to acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter), to formation of more neurons and synapses.
Nootropics used to increase learning can also improve communication between the left and right brain hemispheres, resulting in changes such as verbal fluency and effortless integration of the two brain hemispheres. Noopept and Racetam are the popular nootropics offered for learning purposes.
Memory Nootropics
Nootropics are widely recognized to improve most functions related to the formation of new memories, short term working memories, and long term memories for recall. Creation and maintenance of memory involves establishing stronger connections between neurons in a process referred to as long-term potentiation.
This can be achieved in three major ways, which include increasing the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain, increasing acetylcholine and its efficiency, and increasing glutamate and its efficiency. There are various nootropics that achieve these three ways in different variations. Nootropic brain ingredients such as Huperzine A have been shown to prevent acetylcholine breakdown and Aniracetam, Piracetam, Alpha GPC, and Sunifiram also work to this effect.
Concentration and Motivation Nootropics
While memory and learning are cerebral processes that can be optimized through synaptic plasticity, concentration and mental energy are the important additions that will outline any productivity. Some people find it hard to focus on a given task for over an hour without getting distracted. Such people can use concentration and motivation nootropics to improve their ability to focus during intensive hours of mental work.
If you have short attention spans and cannot last 2 hours of working or studying, then such nootropic supplements can be of help. Modafinil and Adrafinil are the most popular concentration nootropics on the market as they improve wakefulness and keep your brain working at full efficiency for extended periods.
Brain Health and Anti-aging Nootropics
All nootropic benefits are known to be long-term. In fact, it is required of all nootropic supplements to be neuroprotective and not result in any brain harming side effects. Nootropics use different mechanisms to ensure anti-aging and improved brain health. Some increase NGF (nerve growth factor) levels, thus causing the formation of new neurons, while others promote the flow of oxygen to the brain, contributing to regular brain maintenance and a balance in neuron synapses. It is popular today for people to use nootropic powders to increase longevity.
Ingredients like Huperzine A have been shown to fight Alzheimer’s disease symptoms that result in the decline of brain power. Noopept and Piracetam have also been used to repair brain damage caused by alcohol consumption, physical trauma, and drug use. As a matter of fact, noopept was first designed to “cure hangovers” by rejuvenating your neurons after a night of heavy alcohol consumption.
Mood Enhancement Nootropics
This is another popular use of nootropics. Many people use nootropic supplements to get rid of social anxiety and nervousness. This is because nootropic ingredients exhibit various forms of anxiolytic properties. They activate the brain’s GABA receptors and since GABA is an inhibitory receptor responsible for producing a calm relaxed feeling, nootropics can help you get over anxiety. Anxiety is believed to stem from over-processing a single set of scenarios, forcing the neurons to fire several times very frequently.
Activating GABA receptors inhibits such activities and results in tranquility. Some of the excellent options for mood enhancement include Picamilon, Aniracetam, Noopept, Inositol, and Phenibut. Increasing the levels of dopamine and serotonin (neurotransmitters responsible for the “feel good” feeling) is also another way in which nootropics work to improve moods.
There are many other varied uses of nootropics, but these five are the most popular. It is recommendable to choose one from the list of supplement regimens and stick to it for maximum benefits. You may also realize better results with a combination of nootropics and natural ingredients.
Newest 2017 Nootropic Brain Ingredients
Nootropics are not something new in the market and people have been using supplements to enhance brain functions for ages. There is an ever constant research study taking place to identify new nootropic brain ingredients that work best in humans without the related side effects.
While some ingredients can quickly improve brain functions and capabilities in terms of cognition, concentration, learning, and even mood improvement, concerns about side effects and long-term undesirable characteristics such as dependency are still evident. It is therefore important to keenly research any offered nootropic supplement and/or ingredient before introducing it to your body. Some of the newest brain ingredients worth researching into 2017 include the following:
Cacao
Cacao is a food nootropic that has quickly gained favor with most nootropic researchers. It has been shown to improve cognitive abilities, especially in older adults, and also offsets the undesirable side effects that caffeine has on cerebral blood flow. It acts via several mechanisms including as a cerebral vasodilator, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotectant. Cacao results in anti-dementia (functional connectivity of the brain) and improved cerebral blood flow.
CDP Choline
This ingredient acts as a choline (which is already an essential brain nutrient) precursor. It results in the replenishing of acetylcholine levels and it is also a uridine pro-drug. CDP choline was shown to restore the mylin sheath around neuron axons, thus improving learning and memory functions of the brain.
Rhodiola Rosea
This is a Scandinavian herb that acts through neurogenesis and development of neuropeptides Y, COMT, and MAO. This herb is associated with overwhelming effectiveness in stress relief and alleviating neurotoxic chronic severe stress. It counteracts the impairment of memory caused by scopolamine due to increased stress.
Phenylpiracetam
This ingredient is a type of racetam that results in the stimulation of the central nervous system. While its action mechanism is still poorly characterized, phenyl p as it is popularly known has psycho-stimulant effects that result in enhanced memory, clarity, and verbal fluency, among other desirable brain improvements. From the test results, it is more likely that this ingredient will be established as a sole nootropic for learning, memory, and cognition.
NSI-189 phosphate
This is a pharmaceutical nicotinamide derivative that is currently under development to help relieve depression and anxiety. Its primary action mechanism is neurogenesis and its results include extreme resilience to stress and depression. Although the jury is still skeptical whether it can be used in humans, NSI-189 phosphate has already been shown to bring about a boost in hippocampal volume in animals, which is a great sign.
Tineptin Sodium
This ingredient is already a prescription medication offered in Europe as an antidepressant. Tineptin sodium is a mu-opioid agonist that causes glutamate receptor modulation for increased sensitivity. It reverses synaptic remodeling induced by stress, resulting in clean, fast, mood elevation without causing any temporary or delayed cognitive impairment.
Methyl Blue
Although methyl blue is a pharmaceutical chemical dye still under development for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, it has shown various nootropic properties. It does not interfere with neurotransmitter systems and brings about an overall improvement in cognition. It is known as a MAO inhibitor, ATP synthesizer, and a key component in electron donation and acceptance. Methyl blue results in mitochondrial enhancement and anti-dementia.
Coluracetam
Just like nicotine, coluracetam is one of the few single ingredients that results in memory improvement. It is a type of racetam that results in enhanced HACU (high-affinity choline intake) and psycho-stimulant effects. It is also associated with anti-amnesia.
Armodafinil
Otherwise referred to as Nuvigil, Armodafinil has been on the market for a short time as the perfect, more purified form of Modafinil. Although it is promoted as a wakefulness agent, its effects and benefits are quite robust, ranging from anti-fatigue to motivation, arousal, and enhanced vigilance. Armodafinil increases histamine release, inhibits catecholamine reuptakine, and modulates glutamate and hypocretin/orexin.
Nicotine
Most people are familiar with the host of side effects attributed to nicotine. However, studies have shown over and over that nicotine is the only known substance you can rely on to improve working memory without failing. Nonetheless, this is only true on healthy individuals as nicotine has harsh effects on the cardiovascular system and is not suitable for those with any heart health or respiratory issues. It is also easy for one to become tolerant to its effects, which leads to abuse. Nicotine stimulates the central nervous system and it is an agonist to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. It has psycho-stimulant effects and brings about incredible working memory.
There are several other ingredients that have been identified to contain various benefits to brain health pending further research. It is important to note that some of these ingredients are already present in current nootropic brain supplements for their perceived benefits, although more studies are still required to validate their use and acceptance. Other ingredients to keep an eye on include Carcumin, Creatine, Uridine, Bacopa Monierra, Magnesium, DHA/EPA, Vitamin D, B1, B9, and B12. Supplementation of these ingredients should not bring the expectation of immediate nootropic effects, but they generally make the neurochemical environment more efficient for improved brain functionality.
2017 Nootropics Conclusion
For the modern sophisticated world, it is very important to showcase above-par competence which is evidenced through exhibiting high levels of focus, concentration, memory, learning, and calculation. It is also valuable to show up at the workplace in the best of moods, ready for productivity, and having no signs of depression or anxiety. Nootropic supplements have become very helpful to the working class and students who seek to improve their brain capacities and activities during the day. Even with ongoing research, there is no shortage of nootropic foods and brain ingredients available to those who want improved cognition, better moods, motivation, and comprehension.
However, this abundance comes with the risk of purchasing sub-standard offers that are equally available on the market. It is therefore advisable to purchase from credible, licensed retailers or manufacturers. This way, you can be sure to get genuine quality approved nootropic brain supplements that will deliver the sought after benefits and prevent exploitation. Always remember to do a little research about new nootropic brain ingredients before using them. More importantly, consult your doctor for medical examinations to determine any potential counteractions, especially if you are using other medications or have an underlying medical issue.
