If you’ve taken an interest in boosting your brainpower, you might have stumbled across the term “nootropics”. What are Nootropics? Nootropics describes a variety of drugs and supplements designed to improve brain function. Nootropics are said to improve focus and alertness, mental cognition, learning and memory, and more.

Some are FDA-approved drugs meant to treat degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s, for example. Some treat conditions like narcolepsy. Others are supplements that require no FDA approval but have nonetheless shown promise in enhancing brain function. These include omega-3, phosphatidylserine, and even caffeine, for example.

Nootropics are not just for individuals battling the cognitive decline associated with dementia or Alzheimer’s anymore. Some drugs have been tested and approved for use in healthy adults. There are also tons of OTC supplements designed to help boost brain power with daily use. If you want to tweak your brain and increase mental capacity, nootropics could be the answer. What are nootropics and how can you choose the right products for your needs? Here are a few things to consider.

What are Nootropics?

Nootropics are a broad category covering substances, often ingested orally, which enhances cognitive function and performance. Both FDA-approved drugs and supplements that fall outside the scope of FDA approval are recognized as nootropics. How can this be so? Basically, any compound that is neurologically active and enhances cognition can be considered a nootropic.

Nootropics are sometimes referred to as “smart drugs” and “brain boosters“. A lot of hype has been made about the Silicon Valley notables who swear by the restorative properties of different nootropics. These brainy people might be a step ahead of the average thinker already, but apparently, that doesn’t mean they’re any less interested in preserving the brainpower already at their disposal or even taking it to the next level.

What Can Nootropics Do?

As you age, your body begins to decline in a number of ways. You get aches and pains and you have a harder time losing weight and staying in shape. Reflexes wane, and often, brain function begins to decline. You might have trouble focusing or learning new things. You might become forgetful. The old tropes about losing your keys or forgetting appointments didn’t come from nowhere.

Contrary to popular belief, the brain is not a muscle, but that doesn’t mean you can’t feed and exercise it. Just as your body benefits from eating well and being active, your brain can improve with targeted mental activities. Nootropics were designed to increase mental capacity and help you make the most of your brain.

While different drugs and supplements have different indications, you can use nootropics to increase awareness, focus, and memory. You can also use them to enhance performance, creativity, and overall cognition. This is accomplished in a number of ways, such as by reducing inflammation that can impair brain function; improving blood circulation to the brain in order to increase the delivery of needed nutrients, oxygen, and energy; and increasing neuroplasticity.

If you’re wondering what are nootropics good for, the answer could be wide-ranging. You may have to seek out specific drugs or supplements for targeted needs. You can also try mixing and matching to find the combination that works best for you.

What are Nootropics but most important Which Nootropics are Right for Me?

You’ve asked, “What are nootropics, and how do they work?” Now that you know, it’s time to figure out which ones are best suited to tweak your brain and improve your mental capacity. You can and should speak to your primary physician about whether or not prescription drugs are right for you. In studies, drugs like donepezil and modafinil, which were initially used for memory and wakefulness, respectively, were shown to enhance cognitive performance in helicopter and airline pilots (during trials using flight simulators).

Then there are supplements like fish oils, caffeine, phosphatidylserine, gingko biloba, creatine, and more that have shown promise in reducing inflammation and improving circulation, increasing energy and alertness, enhancing focus, retention, and recall, and generally preserving brain health and boosting cognitive abilities. These require no prescription and are usually safe to use daily. Whether you’re perfectly healthy and you want to get the most out of your brain or you’re dealing with degenerative diseases that will one day rob you of your cognitive abilities, it’s time to consider what nootropics can do for you.

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