• Log in with Facebook Log in with Twitter Log In with Google      Sign In    
  • Create Account
  LongeCity
              Advocacy & Research for Unlimited Lifespans

Photo
- - - - -

Vinpocetine Research


  • Please log in to reply
5 replies to this topic

#1 LifeMirage

  • Life Member
  • 1,085 posts
  • 3

Posted 20 November 2002 - 09:33 PM


Almost Everything You Want to Know About Vinpocetine

By Dr. Gail Valentine

What is Vinpocetine?
Vinpocetine is an extract from the seeds of the periwinkle plant (Vinca minor), a common, vinelike evergreen ground cover. The roots creep along, blooming abundantly in the spring and sporadically throughout the rest of the growing season. Known by its typically violet color, Vinca has been planted in gardens for hundreds of years. It has a long history of use as a traditional tonic to alleviate weariness, especially the type associated with advanced age, and also as an astringent for excessive menses, bleeding gums, mouth sores, and more.

There are many active ingredients in Vinca minor, but vinpocetine is the one about which the most interesting and promising research has been conducted; there are many hundreds of studies with lab animals and human subjects, especially in recent European literature.

Vinpocetine is a derivative of the alkaloid vincamine. Like vincamine, it is found in small amounts in the seeds of periwinkle as well as other plants, such as voaconga and Crioceras longiflorus. Throughout the world, vincamine has been used to treat senile dementia with significant success. Studies have found vinpocetine to demonstrate many of the same functions as those of vincamine, but without the side effects. Moreover, it has been shown to be at least 2 times (and up to 3-4 times) more potent than vincamine for improving cerebral circulation, memory, and other functions in humans. No interactions with pharmaceutical drugs have been reported.

How does Vinpocetine work?
Numerous scientific studies have shown vinpocetine to be of benefit for the prevention and improvement of many different kinds of ailments. It enhances cognitive functions, including those involving long- and short-term memory, and it has also been shown to be valuable in protecting heart, visual, and hearing functions, among other benefits.
In broadest terms, vinpocetine is a powerful memory enhancer. It achieves this principally by facilitating cerebral metabolism and improving blood flow in the brain. It works by causing mild dilation of blood vessels, thereby allowing for increased cerebral blood flow, which results in increased oxygenation and glucose utilization.
This makes vinpocetine an ideal candidate not only for the improvement and prevention of certain disease processes in need of increased blood flow and oxygenation, but also for athletes who want to enhance their performance by increasing brain oxygenation, such as skiers, mountain climbers, and high-altitude hikers.

In addition to more efficient brain circulation, vinpocetine has been found to increase brain-cell energy through its effect on the production of ATP (the cellular energy molecule).

Since many brain disorders have been found to be caused by poor circulation or by neuronal damage due to inadequate oxygen and inadequate amounts of energy, it makes sense to consider vinpocetine in one's daily cognitive supplement program.

What benefits can I expect?
Acclaim for vinpocetine's use is widespread throughout the world - in Europe, Japan, Korea, China, and elsewhere. Unequivocally, vinpocetine has some extraordinary characteristics. There is strong evidence that vinpocetine can help:

1. Improve Cognition:
Improve memory, long- and short-term, Enhance alertness, awareness, and preparedness, Act as a neuroprotector, Prevent or reverse ischemic (lack of oxygen) damage to brain, muscle, liver, & elsewhere, Diminish senile cerebral dysfunction.

2. Improve Hearing Function:
Prevent or relieve hearing loss due to various causes, Prevent or relieve tinnitus (ringing/buzzing in the ears), Prevent or relieve vertigo (dizziness).

3. Improve Visual Function:
Improve night vision, Improve wound healing of eyes due to burns, Prevent or relieve glaucoma, Prevent or improve age-related macular decline.

4. Improve Cardiovascular Function:
Diminish atherosclerotic plaque, Improve cardiac output and nutritive blood flow to various organs, Improve dilation of blood vessels, Increase the flexibility of red blood cells, Scavenge toxic metals in the body, such as aluminum and lead.
What is the right amount of Vinpocetine for me?
This depends on your personal needs, goals, body chemistry, and so forth. Depending on whether your goals are more cognitive-oriented, visual- or hearing-oriented, or athletic performance-oriented, you may prefer either a vinpocetine formulation or vinpocetine alone. Generally a formulation is designed to provide optimal attainment of a particular goal. I tend to recommend formulations over single ingredients alone.

Some Guidelines:
Most studies showing positive benefits from vinpocetine have been done at amounts of 10-30 mg daily, and some at 40 mg daily. All studies done at 30 mg daily showed additional benefits compared with lesser daily amounts. Depending on your body chemistry, you could start with 10 mg daily and work up, or you could start with 30 mg daily. My suggestion for most people is work up to 30-40 mg daily over a couple of weeks or more. Too much, too soon of many supplements can disrupt normal intestinal flora (bacteria) and most commonly cause gastrointestinal upset or diarrhea. *

*Individuals with medical conditions should seek guidance from their health care providers.

Will I get more benefits if I take more Vinpocetine?
Most nootropics (supplements that positively affect cognitive function) have ideal levels for positive effects. These may vary slightly from person to person, but they generally follow what is known as a dose-response curve. The desirable effects may decline if too much of the supplement is taken. Many of the studies done with vinpocetine show the dose-response curve leveling off or declining above 40 mg/day or more. Although everyone's body chemistry is different, I would not advise taking more than the recommended amount, as a general rule.

Should I cut back on Vinpocetine after a while?
There is evidence that when vinpocetine is maintained at higher levels (10 mg 3-4 times per day), maximum benefits are seen. And when lower levels of vinpocetine are implemented, benefits decline. Thus, vinpocetine is dose-related, but only up to about 40 mg/day. Taking significantly more than this may result in a loss of efficacy. Taking too much vinpocetine can be like taking too little.

There are other cognitive-enhancing supplements where a loading dose (an initially higher amount) is appropriate. Then after a time period, cutting back to a lower maintenance dose is appropriate, such as with phosphatidylserine. However, there is no evidence that this is true for vinpocetine. The data supports that regularly maintaining the higher levels of vinpocetine.

Is Vinpocetine OK to use with other supplements?
All the studies that have been done on vinpocetine and its effects when used with other compounds have shown it to be innocuous. Many individuals are taking multiple cognitive supplements and other nutrient supplements along with vinpocetine without any untoward effects.

Is Vinpocetine safe? Does it have any side effects?
Vinpocetine is extracted as a single specific substance from the periwinkle plant and is not the whole of the plant. Vinpocetine in some studies has been found to have fewer side effects than placebo, making it essentially side-effect-free. There are some reports in the literature, however, of mild gastrointestinal upset at 60 and 180 mg/day. However, I cannot find any studies that implicate vinpocetine with any clinically relevant side effects at 30-40 mg/day.

Is Vinpocetine natural?
If natural means produced by nature, safe, and without side effects, then vinpocetine is as natural a substance as can be obtained.

How soon will I notice the effects of Vinpocetine?
This is extremely variable and may be associated with an individual's body chemistry and self-awareness. Some people have reported noticing an improvement in only hours. The improvement may be subtle, and it is more commonly noticed over weeks or months. Some people report feeling a mild excitation, improvement in remembering things related to daily living, or better performance at mental tasks or mental games. Dr. Ward Dean, a cognitive expert and life extension physician, says about vinpocetine, "It's one of the few cognitive enhancers with which I can actually notice a difference." Additionally, it can be difficult to ascertain how much vinpocetine is helping when we are in a progressively declining state with regard to memory, vision, and hearing, for example, since these functions diminish with age.


Source: www.life-enhancement.com

Edited by prometheus, 02 March 2006 - 08:19 AM.


#2 raver

  • Guest
  • 7 posts
  • 0

Posted 26 April 2003 - 01:54 PM

For those who are into "brain building on a budget" (like me) could I suggest you check out the puritansale.com site for 10mg Vinpocetine caps. They are having a sale to include their new Vinpocetine product (90x10mg) or 90 caps for $5.40 US - NO PRESCRIPTION! That is less than SIX cents per pill! Free delivery for orders over $40us, and cheap vitamins also (ie. - melatonin 480x 3mg for $7.30US, Dhea 200x 25mg for $7.65US, etc). They are a vitamin manufacturer in Denver with a good reputation for quality and integrety, and I have been pleased with both their service and products.

They do not have many other Nootropics however (like Deprenyl) but they offer something called Neuro-PS or Phosphatidylserine (PS) 60 pills for $14.95US which I understand is a "very expensive" neurological prescription drug with a terrific human study record in Europe, but is not approved or sold in quanity in the US. Their ad says PS plays a role in neurotransmissions and supports brain functions and "supports cognitive function". The ad also says PS is a natural substance found in brain cell membranes. I am adding both PS and Vinpocetin to the Deprenyl and Ginko I currently take.

Six cents for vinpocetine and 25 cents for PS is less than half price the next lowest on the web currently. (el bargin!) Does anyone know of a good deal on Cyprenil w/o a US prescription? TIA - $55 for 300mg/12ml is cheapest I see.

Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?

raver

Edited by raver, 30 April 2003 - 09:07 PM.


sponsored ad

  • Advert
Click HERE to rent this advertising spot for BRAIN HEALTH to support LongeCity (this will replace the google ad above).

#3 bacopa

  • Validating/Suspended
  • 2,223 posts
  • 159
  • Location:Boston

Posted 05 October 2003 - 05:34 PM

Is Vinpocetine considered a strong Nootropic?

#4 Matt

  • Guest
  • 2,862 posts
  • 149
  • Location:United Kingdom
  • NO

Posted 19 June 2005 - 01:21 AM

I'll be using vinpocetine when it arrives here! Just ordered it ;)

I hope I don't get stomach cramps from this supp..

I used to get a lot of stomach probs and feeling sick a lot, but I think that was mainly associated with my terrible eating habbits before. I dont really get any stomach probs anymore. I hope they don't return when taking this.

I also hope that I DO notice an improve. As I'm doing a lot of learning lately, I should be able to tell after a few days of taking it?

#5 Matt

  • Guest
  • 2,862 posts
  • 149
  • Location:United Kingdom
  • NO

Posted 19 June 2005 - 04:09 PM

I might start myself at 10mg and work my way up rather than going for 40mg straight away.

sponsored ad

  • Advert
Click HERE to rent this advertising spot for BRAIN HEALTH to support LongeCity (this will replace the google ad above).

#6 Matt

  • Guest
  • 2,862 posts
  • 149
  • Location:United Kingdom
  • NO

Posted 15 July 2005 - 08:50 PM

I've started Vinpocetine the other day and am taking 20mg daily for now. Havn't noticed any side effects at all, yet. I'll post again in around 1 month after I see how I get on with vincpocetine and if I notice any improvements.

EDIT: 16/07/05

I have noticed a slight stomach upset after taking vinpocetine for nearly 3 days. I have noticed a slight loss of appetite but nothing major.

I also have noticed some improvements in terms of alertness, ability to concentrate better. My mind seems more clear... These are little improvements but noticeable difference. I hope I continue to see benifits as I continue taking vinpocetine [thumb]

Edited by Matt, 16 July 2005 - 11:11 PM.





1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users