6 replies to this topic

[g00n]

I am a software engineer who is currently suffering some lack of motivation and what i can only describe as "brain fog" i.e. find it very difficult to think clearly and concentrate. I am therefore looking at nootropics for a possible answer and have done some background reading and purchased some however i am still miffed over what would be an ideal starting stack and what i should be looking at to progress. I think it is probably a good idea to state what i have purchased and for you to come up with what you think would be best given the aforementioned information. This is what i have at the moment:

Vinpocetine, Aniracetam, Piracetam, ALCAR, Idebenone, Choline Citrate, DMAE, Ginkgo Biloba, Taurine, Caffiene, Rhodiola Rosea, Quercetin, Mu Huang, Red Yeast Rice (CoQ10), Lecithin, Cod Liver Oil, GABA.

Now i do not want any critique as to the supplements i have in my possession at the moment, i reaslise some may not get used at all, I just want to know how i could make best use of them and if i NEED to add anything else what it should be and why.

Thanks for your time in advance,

Alex.

[Shepard]

Age? Diet? Exercise? Sleep? Stress level? We really need a FAQ.

[g00n]

I apologise.

Age: 23
Sex: Male
Exercise: 2 x 2 hours a weak cardio (football after work). I used to lift weights quite seriously, going to start up again in Sept/Oct.
Sleep: 7-8 hours a night, i sleep well.
Stress: Of late quite high.

[doug123]

Wow; that's an intense stack. With such an intense stack I worry that you won't really know what might work and what might not. Have you ever been tested for ADD or ADHD? It seems you are self medicating and have diagnosed yourself as deficient.

Do you use and challenge your intellect at all? Trying to solve difficult engineering electrical systems for the first time? Preparing for your SAT? Got your MCAT next year and need to sharpen yourself up for it?
Getting ready for the bar exam? Just trying to pass chemistry? Or are you just trying to max out your score on Half Life 2? Beat your friend at chess? Outsmart your buddy? What kind of gains do you expect? What are, in your opinion, your weaknesses? Are you a student?

Reference dosages for some of the substance you are taking are:

Aniracetam: 750 mg twice daily
Piracetam: 2400 mg - 4800 mg daily in three divided doses
Vinpoo:20-60mg a day in two divided doses with food
ALCAR: 1-1.25 gram(s) twice a day on an empty stomach
Idebenone45mg twice daily with meal

You are correct shepard: a FAQ would be in order. I'll try to get to work on it soon..I got a midterm tomorrow so I am off to the library now...the FAQ could include stuff like reference dosages and info about possible interactions; is the individual in good heath, etc.

Peace.

[g00n]

Thanks nootropikamil,

I am not ADD/ADHD. I am not planning on using ALL of those substances, they are just what i have stockpiled. I am a software engineer! I am dependent on my brain to make a living (software engineers develop software nootropikamil... that is not exactly manual labour....).

My main weakness is my inability to concentrate and use my brain to what i know is its full potential. I feel like there is something clouding my brain, making it foggy, if that makes sense.

What kind of gains do you i expect? How can i answer that question, I have no idea what gains to expect, if anything I am expecting no gains, so anything regarding concentration increase or 'lifting this fog' would be great.

Am i a student? Not this year, but I will be full-time for 1 year starting in october and then back to the work again (don't ask how that works).

Thanks for your time/help,

Alex.

[g00n]

Just bumping this.

What i really want to know is as follows:

1. Would it be a good idea to try different substances by themselves and see what works best for me or mixing a couple of substances?
2. What substance(s) do you recommend i start with bearing in mind what i have.
3. Should i start on the dosages you have already suggested?

Thanks for your time/info again,

Alex.

[randyh]

I'm relatively new to this myself but I'll attempt to help anyway. I'm also a software engineer looking for similar gains.

1. I think it would be best to try them out one at a time just so you know what each one "feels" like and in case you have an adverse reaction to any of them.

2. I started with piracetam and a choline booster myself. (The choline boosters that I know of in your list are DMAE, choline citrate, and lecithin). You might try piracetam first and then add a choline booster if things go ok with the piracetam. After that, vinpocetine and ALCAR seem like popular picks from what I've seen.

3. Those are the recommended dosages. I would start at the minimum and see how it goes from there. I started with 1600mg of piracetam and 500mg of alphaGPC in the morning.

Another thing worth mentioning (and I'm *really* speaking outside my realm of expertise here) is that you shouldn't have too many vasodilators or too many choline boosters. In other words don't take the ginko and the vinpocetine together and choose only one of the choline boosters I mentioned above.

Again, I'm new to this too so keep that in mind when taking my advice. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will support or refute what I've recommended.

-r