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Smart Pills for 2013

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People will go to great lengths to increase their intelligence. Many of these people are college students or ones with very demanding jobs. Unfortunately going to these great lengths often means taking illicit substances like Adderall or Modafinil. This is not the right way to go about increasing your intelligence because it is not only illegal but dangerous.

Many people use cognitive boosting supplements every day such as caffeine and energy drinks but this has its downsides. Supplements like caffeine or stimulants are not the best way of going about increasing productivity and intelligence. Sure, caffeine may help you through your day but it is still not your best option because it only increases “alertness” for a short period of time and does nothing for your intelligence.

The good news is that there is a new age of smart supplements that is starting to catch on in the western culture. These supplements are known as “nootropics”. Nootropics are not stimulants because they do not stimulate the central nervous system. They are also very safe because they have little toxicity and several have actually been shown to help protect the brain.

How Do Nootropics Work

There are several types of nootropics. One popular group is known as the racetam family. Racetams work to increase the activity of the Acetylcholine receptors. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that is used in memory and learning functions. Increasing reuptake at the Acetylcholine receptors can help with memory, learning, focus, motivation, and advanced logical thinking.

The other popular group of nootropics is known as the ampakine family. Glutamate is the other “learning and memory” neurotransmitter and Ampakines influence the AMPA Glutamate receptors in the brain. By increasing the productivity of these receptors, it allows the brain to process information more efficiently.

Are Nootropics Safe?

Nootropics have the benefit of being very safe. 2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetamide, for instance, has been around for decades. Other nootropics like Alpha GPC and Centrophenoxine have been around for a very long time too. They have been tried and tested with very limited interactions.

In fact, many nootropics may help protect the brain. There are several nootropics that have been proven in studies to help reduce “brain aging”. Brain aging is caused by oxidative stress from free radicals in the brain. Over time, oxidative stress builds up and causes receptors to be destroyed. This is a popular theory for memory loss and Alzheimer’s. Some nootropics have shown to help reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms. It is also thought that taking nootropics frequently may help reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Where to Get Nootropics

It is very hard to find nootropics in stores. They are not yet well known enough in the west. For this reason, they can often only be purchased online. There are many shops that sell nootropic powders online. It is best to find a retailer that you feel comfortable with. One tip is to make sure the retailer has a certificate of analysis of each supplement. Also, several retailers have really bad shipping times. It is best to do your research beforehand to find the best nootropic supplier for you.