13 replies to this topic

[Centurion]

Hi guys, just wondering if you could possibly recommend to me one or two noops I could start taking. I have exams over the coming month and need to be as sharp as I can. I do have a tendency toward slightly lower blood pressure so I can't take anything which lowers the BP. I'm also taking loratadine for hayfever at the moment.

I like the look of vasopressin, but hear from some people that it has been ineffective. I like the idea of an instant boost as I sometimes can be a little under the weather and slow in the head, particularly between exercise days when im weight training. (I will go off the weights for the exam month)

If anybody knows of a good UK supplier for their recommendations aswell, that would be great. I've dealt with QHI before and they seem ok, but they don't stock some of the things I see recommended here.

Thanks Guys

Centurion

[doug123]

As far as the "instant boost" you are looking for -- an "instant" intelligence boost -- I don't know if it is possible to find such a comound. You might want to start off with adrafinil/modafinil -- see this topic.

http://www.imminst.o...=0
Peace.

[lunarsolarpower]

I've found the best instant boost you can get for critical mental effort is to go for a 800-1600m swim followed by a well-balanced breakfast. Back when I had time to do this every day pulling top grades wasn't too hard.

Vasopression is also known as anti-diuretic hormone. I'd take a good hard look before using this type of compound as it could have cascade effects on blood pressure, ion concentrations, sodium retention, etc.

[Shepard]

If you search, you'll find a list of certain supplements with acute effects. Here are some ideas to further research:

Pyritinol
Vinpocetine
Huperzine/choline
Sulbutiamine

[paul]

I had an exam on thursday and again on friday, and probably had only 7 hours sleep in two nights thanks to modafinil. Definetly helps you concentrate and allows you to deal with lack of sleep. I take it even when im not sleep deprevated since for me my mood, mental ability and concentration are lifted.

[Ghostrider]

Modafinil is still a bit risky. No one really knows how it works in the brain. Long term effects are less known compared to something like piracetam.

http://www.imminst.o...hl=modafinil&s=

[Centurion]

I like the avatar btw shepard. I'm not so much looking for something that will increase my intelligence markedly, I know that takes time and hard work, all I really want to be able to do is concentrate. I will learn to swim soon, provided I can find somewhere to take lessons lol.

Over this summer im going to devote myself to increasing my physical fitness and mental ability, undertaking a routine of vigorous physical exercise, meditation and mental "exercises". Amidst a full working day, this could be interesting but for now, I just want to make it through the exams with good concentration I have heard good things about this Sulbutiamine. I will look it up. Anyone know of a good UK supplier?

[jackinbox]

I never tried sulbutiamine. I didn't even know it existed before this post. I'm wondering what's the advantage over plain thiamine. Relentless Improvement have it in stock so I may order some from them someday.

[alexoverhere]

i find 200mg modafinil is very helpful for my overall daily functioning. before i started taking it, i would feel sleepy throughout the day, and abuse coffee to maintain productivity.. now i never fall asleep at my desk or have to take naps at home. it's also great for those awful nights when exams or projects keep you up for most (or all) of the night.

i would suggest a daily piracetam (or oxiracetam or aniracetam -- I like oxira and pira the best) + alpha-gpc or cdp-choline stack, although this isn't something you want to try for the first time on exam day. (i also cycle huperzine-a)

lastly, i had a couple very good experiences in terms of extreme ability to focus on lectures with 600-800mg of pyritinol; however, during subsequent experiences, it hasn't had the same effect. this is probably due to my stack. you'll have to experiment to find what works for you.

[doug123]

Modafinil is still a bit risky.  No one really knows how it works in the brain.  Long term effects are less known compared to something like piracetam.

http://www.imminst.o...hl=modafinil&s=

Modafinil has been around as adrafinil and used in eldery subjects since the early 1980s. Both have an excellent record of safety.

See this:

http://www.nevapress...ull/5/3/193.pdf

[paul]

Finally some people on this forum that are for modafinil. Still appears to me that it is the only drug, regardless if it is classed as a nootropic that has clear scientific evidence that it works. Centurion if you worried about the negative reports mentioned by users in this forum then look elsewhere on the net, it has a pretty glowing report on its effectiveness and lack of side effects. It is definitely helping me.
Just a thought, if you push your body to extremes in physical exercise it gets better and stronger, may this happen by taking modafinil, you train your brain to work harder for longer and it improves?

[doug123]

paul
No one is con Modafinil, we just advise safe usage. Many people like to abuse modafinil. Of course it works, amphetamines work too, but the question how much benefit is in it.

Your second line; "when you train more you become more fit" relates to "use brain more and be smarter", "when you use steroids and train you become even more fit, but it has side effects, and gains are often lost after cycle" relates to "use brain and modafinil and be supersmart for some time with side effects, stop modafinil and it goes back to where it was" \

Comparing side effect profiles for anabolic steroids and modafinil/adrafinl is absolutely ridiculous.

There are no known long term negative side effects from modafinil or adrafinil -- and adrafinil has been in clinical use for about 20 years -- so I would not be too worried. But that's just based on scientific evidence, of course.

Peace.

Edited by nootropikamil, 15 May 2006 - 07:01 PM.

[paul]

With steroids, the drug is creating the muscle. Modafinil in itself is not making you smarter, it is just allowing your brain to work to its maximun ability for longer. This in turn will allow you to pick up more knowledge and therefore make you smarter, although not in the iq sense. Your brain may adjust to lack of sleep also, but this one is only a guess. If you start to notice side effects after a while, which i may well do, but feel it is only a very small risk, then you could always stop taking it, the new info learned would still be there.
Ps Cortex pharmaceuticals anounced, but not publically (probably fda invovement plus competition) that their group of drugs the ampakines stimulates neural growth hormone in the brain synapses, as well as acting on AMPA receptors. The hormone continues to be synthesised for days after the drug is out of the body, therefore in theory it could allow the brain to naturally make itself smarter through initial stimulation. Results from ADHD trials were very positive, better than ritalin with lower toxicity. Unfortunately this drug is still on hold by the FDA for reasons that the company hope to sort out by september, one of the major reasons being that to little an adverse effect was shown in animal testing, they want higher doses untill eventually toxicity is seen. It looks very promising to me.