14 replies to this topic

[hammyaz]

I have been on this stack for six months. I notice a significant improvement in my motivation, verbal fluidity, energy and memory. It took several months to get the individual doses right for me, though I am still experimenting with various items. I cap most of this myself. I appreciate the abundance of information available on this site. Thank you.

In the morning:
Piracetam ~ 500mg
Choline Bitrate ~ 250mg
Insitol ~ 250mg
DMAE ~ 320mg
ALCAR ~ 250mg
Lion’s Mane ~ 500mg
Ginkgo Biloba ~ 60mg
Fish Oil ~ 2000mg
Multi-Vitamin
Caffiene ~ 100mg [as needed]

In the afternoon:
ALA ~ 300mg [3x a week]
Piracetam ~ 500mg
Fish Oil ~ 1000mg
Caffiene ~ 100mg [as needed]

Before Bed:
Bacopa ~ 165mg
Ashwagandha ~ 400mg

[aLurker]

Since you report that you have success with this stack I'd like to know how you assembled it.
Several of the dosages are way below dosages usually used in studies (for instance Piracetam, ALCAR, Bacopa etc.). How did you arrive at these dosages and how did you determine if an individual supplement worked or not?
Did you try each one separately first and determined the correct dosage or did you start with one noot and added more to the stack gradually?

Glad to see that you're enjoying great results!

[hammyaz]

Since you report that you have success with this stack I'd like to know how you assembled it.
Several of the dosages are way below dosages usually used in studies (for instance Piracetam, ALCAR, Bacopa etc.). How did you arrive at these dosages and how did you determine if an individual supplement worked or not?
Did you try each one separately first and determined the correct dosage or did you start with one noot and added more to the stack gradually?

Glad to see that you're enjoying great results!

I have been taking these items [and others]over the past ten years. I started with Piracetam and Choline at the average recommended dosage found on this and other sites. I then raised and lowered the doses to determine my "inverted U". Other items were then added one at a time, while also adjusting their dose up and down.

Smaller doses seem to work better for me. I have tried many, many different substances in various combinations, but right now this is working great.

[health_nutty]

Since you report that you have success with this stack I'd like to know how you assembled it.
Several of the dosages are way below dosages usually used in studies (for instance Piracetam, ALCAR, Bacopa etc.). How did you arrive at these dosages and how did you determine if an individual supplement worked or not?
Did you try each one separately first and determined the correct dosage or did you start with one noot and added more to the stack gradually?

Glad to see that you're enjoying great results!

I have been taking these items [and others]over the past ten years. I started with Piracetam and Choline at the average recommended dosage found on this and other sites. I then raised and lowered the doses to determine my "inverted U". Other items were then added one at a time, while also adjusting their dose up and down.

Smaller doses seem to work better for me. I have tried many, many different substances in various combinations, but right now this is working great.

I'm very interested in how you went about determining the proper dosage for Piracetam. Did you go by how you felt (clarity, focus, etc)? or by some mental performance test?

[aLurker]

Thank you for sharing your results with us.

Which supplements do you personally think you've benefited the most from?

What are some of the things you've learned from trying out different stuff?

[hammyaz]

Since you report that you have success with this stack I'd like to know how you assembled it.
Several of the dosages are way below dosages usually used in studies (for instance Piracetam, ALCAR, Bacopa etc.). How did you arrive at these dosages and how did you determine if an individual supplement worked or not?
Did you try each one separately first and determined the correct dosage or did you start with one noot and added more to the stack gradually?

Glad to see that you're enjoying great results!

I have been taking these items [and others]over the past ten years. I started with Piracetam and Choline at the average recommended dosage found on this and other sites. I then raised and lowered the doses to determine my "inverted U". Other items were then added one at a time, while also adjusting their dose up and down.

Smaller doses seem to work better for me. I have tried many, many different substances in various combinations, but right now this is working great.

I'm very interested in how you went about determining the proper dosage for Piracetam. Did you go by how you felt (clarity, focus, etc)? or by some mental performance test?

Just by how it affected me. On the higher dose I seemed to lose clarity. Taking the smaller dose, but spreading it out over the day works great for me. I become mentally "slower" if I miss a dose. Funny, but that "slower" feeling was probably my normal, pre-piracetam operating level. I just did not notice.

The fish oil gives me a nice mental energy boost as well.

[hammyaz]

Thank you for sharing your results with us.

Which supplements do you personally think you've benefited the most from?

What are some of the things you've learned from trying out different stuff?

I feel I benefit the most from the Piracetam, Choline and Fish oil. Though, each item in my stack has been added because it offers a different benefit, and enhances the "whole", for me. I think of each item as a link in the brain enhancing chain. My goal, is not just life extension, but to increase the efficiency of my operating system [brain].

My experience with brain enhancing substances shows me this science is very subjective. Our mental function degrades over time due to our bodies becoming less efficient at growing/repairing itself. Since we are all different, we all have different biological needs. This is why some substances work well of some but not for others. My advice it to try everything that interests you and keep what you like.

I have a couple of teen aged children who I started on a nootropic stack designed for them. I now have one year of pre-nootropic grades and standardized state testing to use as a baseline. I am anxious to see if there is a difference.

[eternaltraveler]

its not a very safe thing to put children on substances with dubious potential benefits with poorly studied long term effects (especially in kids).

Out of your list I wouldn't consider putting kids on anything other than a multivitamin and perhaps fish oil.

[Mindweaver]

I second what eternaltraveler says, you shouldn't be using perfectly healthy children as your "baseline" in your nootropic experiment. Use yourself, and if you're really interested, ask your friends to try some stuff out. It's one thing to experiment with hardly-studied, powerful psychotropic drugs on yourself, it's a whole different story when you're experimenting on your own children's developing mind.

That's like saying, "I want to see if mushrooms will bring me to baseline, so I'll feed my children a few and see if it brings them above/below theirs." Come on, use your common sense as a father/mother....

[hammyaz]

I second what eternaltraveler says, you shouldn't be using perfectly healthy children as your "baseline" in your nootropic experiment. Use yourself, and if you're really interested, ask your friends to try some stuff out. It's one thing to experiment with hardly-studied, powerful psychotropic drugs on yourself, it's a whole different story when you're experimenting on your own children's developing mind.

That's like saying, "I want to see if mushrooms will bring me to baseline, so I'll feed my children a few and see if it brings them above/below theirs." Come on, use your common sense as a father/mother....

I totally agree, and did I write what they were taking? "No".

An assumption is made that both children are "perfectly healthy" without actually knowing that. One child is mentally challenged, and Piracetam for example, has been indicated to increases performance on a variety of cognitive tasks among this group.

"Experimenting" on people is what physicians do everyday, and on nearly every patient they see. Physicians change medications and dosages regularly to "see what works". They inject substances into our bodies and subject us to "tests" hoping to diagnose a malady.

Are Zyprexa, Abilify, Concerta, Effexor, Lamictal, Klonopin, Adderall or Depakote good for my child because a physician prescribed them at one time or another? Some would say "No".

I think it make sense, even though it may not be common, to help my child have a better quality of life.

I do not want to turn this post into a negative string. Thank you for the thoughts and I apologize for offense.

[Mindweaver]

"Experimenting" on people is what physicians do everyday, and on nearly every patient they see. Physicians change medications and dosages regularly to "see what works". They inject substances into our bodies and subject us to "tests" hoping to diagnose a malady.

Umm, noone's injected anything into my body for experimentation, and that's because they don't have my consent. Children aren't old enough to decide if they want to be 'experimented' on. I'm sure if I described the effects of MDMA to a child, they would have no problem with me testing it on them. Does that make it right? Not at ALL. They aren't old enough to have the judgement needed to decide if its ok for them to be Guinea pigs for their father.

Are Zyprexa, Abilify, Concerta, Effexor, Lamictal, Klonopin, Adderall or Depakote good for my child because a physician prescribed them at one time or another? Some would say "No".

No, they aren't healthy to be prescribed to children, which is why I'm totally against prescription drugs being used for children.. Adderall/Ritalin/Speed being prescribed for ADD is ridiculous, because it leaves them burnt out as adults if taken on the daily as children.

I think it make sense, even though it may not be common, to help my child have a better quality of life.

That's fine, but you should consult your physician with your motives to make sure everything is OK. At least get approval from someone...

[hammyaz]

"Experimenting" on people is what physicians do everyday, and on nearly every patient they see. Physicians change medications and dosages regularly to "see what works". They inject substances into our bodies and subject us to "tests" hoping to diagnose a malady.

Umm, noone's injected anything into my body for experimentation, and that's because they don't have my consent. Children aren't old enough to decide if they want to be 'experimented' on. I'm sure if I described the effects of MDMA to a child, they would have no problem with me testing it on them. Does that make it right? Not at ALL. They aren't old enough to have the judgement needed to decide if its ok for them to be Guinea pigs for their father.

Are Zyprexa, Abilify, Concerta, Effexor, Lamictal, Klonopin, Adderall or Depakote good for my child because a physician prescribed them at one time or another? Some would say "No".

No, they aren't healthy to be prescribed to children, which is why I'm totally against prescription drugs being used for children.. Adderall/Ritalin/Speed being prescribed for ADD is ridiculous, because it leaves them burnt out as adults if taken on the daily as children.

I think it make sense, even though it may not be common, to help my child have a better quality of life.

That's fine, but you should consult your physician with your motives to make sure everything is OK. At least get approval from someone...

Thanks for your reply, you make a strong point. During our last regular doctor visit, I did discuss this with our physician, who is fortunately a very forward thinking professional who is taking some nootropics himself. For the time being he suggested Priacetam, Choline and Fish Oil. We'll see what happens I guess.

[Mindweaver]

Interesting, I didn't mean to sound too harsh, !

I am interested, however, in what you think of Bacopa + Lion's Mane + Ashwagandha + Ginkgo. I'm trying to restore some neuronal function lost through drug abuse (in the brain) and I've purchased Lion's Mane (Swanson brand, which do you use?) and Ashwagandha, and have heard a lot about Bacopa/Ginkgo, and have used Ginkgo in the past. I remember it definitely increased blood flow to my brain, I felt like I was actually able to feel its effects, but I'm wondering what you think of it's synergy with the other herbs I mentioned?

[VoidPointer]

you said;

Are Zyprexa, Abilify, Concerta, Effexor, Lamictal, Klonopin, Adderall or Depakote good for my child because a physician prescribed them at one time or another? Some would say "No".

No, they aren't healthy to be prescribed to children, which is why I'm totally against prescription drugs being used for children.. Adderall/Ritalin/Speed being prescribed for ADD is ridiculous, because it leaves them burnt out as adults if taken on the daily as children.

I would like to see some proof of that hypothesis, as I the evidence I have seen regarding stimulants like methylphenidate does not at all support your statement. There has been 50 + years of data regarding that class of drug.

Also Ritalin(MPH) is not an amphetamine.

[VoidPointer]

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