Posted 06 November 2005 - 04:48 PM
As I understand the world of acetylcholine (which isn't much understanding), acetylcholine provides the fuel for the 'racetams.
There are two ways to make sure there is plenty of acetylcholine for the 'racetams. A straightforward way is to take a choline-donor. A-GPC, CDP-choline, DMAE, lecithin, centrophenoxine, and probably a hundred other ones. A-GPC, CDP-C, and centrophenoxine also have other benefits.
I don't really understand the acetylcholine cycle, but as I have read, acetylcholine does not last forever. There is another enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AchE) that destroys acetylcholine. Please don't ask me why this process happens -- I don't understand it.
So, the second way to shore up the acetylcholine supply is to inhibit AchE production so that it doesn't destroy the existing acetylcholine. In the nootropic community there are two common drugs that will provide this service. One is huperzine-A and the other is galantamine. Each has other benefits in addition to inhibiting AchE. In the case of galantamine, you get that other phrase modulating nicotinic receptors that I don't understand, but I suspect that it gives you some of the benefits of smoking tobacco, without any of the (manifold) drawbacks.
Now, back to your question about which choline should be taken with galantamine. I don't think that there is any issue between the two. I think that you (for the purpose of providing acetylcholine for your 'racetams) can take choline-donors (any of them), or you can go at it the other direction and take an AchE inhibitor like hup-a and/or galantamine. In my case -- and yours -- I choose both solutions. I take A-GPC, CDP-C, and centrophenoxine to provide acetylcholine. I also take hup-a (and soon to add galantamine) to conserve the acetylcholine I already have, so that AchE doesn't destroy it. I'm taking (what is to me) monster amounts of 'racetams these days (4- to 5-g of PIR, 1- to 1.5-g OXR, 0.75- to 1.5g of ANR) so I need all the acetylcholine I can get.
I think that your confusion about which choline to take with galantamine is not a biochemistry issue, but more of a financial issue. Some of those choline-donors that we've discussed have other benefits. However, one way or another, most of those choline donors would do the job for providing acetylcholine for your 'racetams. For instance, CDP-choline suggests it may help improve memory, glaucoma, amblyopia, etc. Unfortunately, CDP-choline (aka citicoline) is far more expensive than some of the other choline-donors.
So, my point is that any of the choline-donors will work, but if you're only thinking about which choline-donor will provide acetylcholine to spur your 'racetams, then maybe you don't need to buy fancy, expensive CDP-C. On the other hand, it will do the job of supplying acetylcholine, as well as providing other benefits.
If I've made a mistake here, please educate me.