23 replies to this topic

[the big b]

I'm looking for something that can help me with my lack of confidence & motivation and social anxiety, and increase my intelligence, memory, ect. Mainly because I have the GED coming up soon and then of course College.

Anyway, this has led me to nootropics, which I have researched, but I still have a few question:

1. Does my age, 17, impact in any way what kinds of Nootropics I can take?
2. Could it be dangerous taking Nootropics at my age, or for any other reasons?
3. How long must I take them before they start to take effect?
4. Can I develop tolerances or dependencies?
5. Is it nessecery to cycle my doses of certain Nootropics?

6. Should I buy in bulk and cap myself?
7. If so, how do you measure when capping?
8. Is 'Cap-M-Quick' a quality product for capping?

9. Last, but not least, what kind of Nootropics would be recommended for what I am looking for?

Any and all help is appreciated.

- The Big B

[rfarris]

8. Is 'Cap-M-Quick' a quality product for capping?

It's worth every penny it costs.

[superpooper]

Get an expensive brand of fish oil for the social anxiety. It takes 1-2 months to start working, but it worked for me and quite a few other people.

For "lack of confidence & motivation" look into taking some dopamine supplements. I recommend L-Theanine because it increases dopamine and makes you relaxed at the same time, which is an odd combination.

I don't have any recommendations for memory & cognition. I'm more educated on the mood side of the spectrum.

[xanadu]

Piracetam is excellent for memory and learning. It also seems to help with mood. Be sure to take a course of vitamins. At the minimum, a multi every day plus extra C.

[Mind]

I would also reccomend starting with natural stuff like fish oil, vitamins. Make sure you are in good health by eating right, sleeping properly, and exercising before jumping on to the synthetic bandwagon.

[LifeMirage]

I'm looking for something that can help me with my lack of confidence & motivation and social anxiety, and increase my intelligence, memory, ect. Mainly because I have the GED coming up soon and then of course College.

Anyway, this has led me to nootropics, which I have researched, but I still have a few question:

1. Does my age, 17, impact in any way what kinds of Nootropics I can take?

You may want to refrain from deprenyl, modafinil, but most others would be fine.

2. Could it be dangerous taking Nootropics at my age, or for any other reasons?

Many have been studies in young adult and even children…as long as you have no specific health issues or on any medications.

3. How long must I take them before they start to take effect?

Anywhere from within an hour to a month for the full effects.

4. Can I develop tolerances or dependencies?

No, not in my experience.

5. Is it necessary to cycle my doses of certain Nootropics?

No, but at your age its not a bad idea.

6. Should I buy in bulk and cap myself?

Its really a personally choice.

7. If so, how do you measure when capping?

With a digital gram scale in my opinion.

8. Is 'Cap-M-Quick' a quality product for capping?

Works well enough.

9. Last, but not least, what kind of Nootropics would be recommended for what I am looking for?

A number of nootropics can help with various aspects of cognition you are looking to enhance. Galantamine can help with motivation…Theanine or indreal with social anxiety….Racetams, Huperzine A, CDP or GPC Choline, Pyritinol, Idebenone, Centrophenoxine, Vinpocetine, etc can help with intelligence and memory.

[purerealm]

What exactly do you guys consume fish oil for?

[superpooper]

What exactly do you guys consume fish oil for?

From what I've read, axons are made up mostly of DHA and the hormones associated with serotonin are increased with EPA. Anyone know if this is correct???

[wassname]

You may want to refrain from deprenyl, modafinil, but most others would be fine

(original question; would nootropics be ok for a 17 year old?)
How come? something to do with development, or overcompensating?

[mitkat]

Not directed at me, but I have some thoughts.

Deprenyl - There are already lots of studies and suggestions talking about how much a 30 year old should take, how much a 40 year old should take, etc. I think it might have something to do with the balancing of the endocrinal system, and you not wanting to mess it up at a young age where it still might be changing a bit. I'm 24 and I'm not going to take it for at least five years or so.

Modafinil - I can see what maybe because of it's slightly-amphetamine like nature, it might not be good for a "growing" body a la ritalin. not to say you aren't fully grown

Again, these are just my observations.

[the big b]

Excuse me, I failed to mention I've been taking the following supplements for the last 7 months:

Creatine
Flax
Whey/Amino/BCAA
Resveratrol
Multi
Omega-3
Vitamin C

And I drink several cups of Green Tea a day.

I suppose I'll try taking the following for a month:
Bacopa Monniera
Ashwaganda
L-Tyrosine
Acetyl-L-Carnitine

And if I don't see the results I'm seeking, perhaps try some of the synthetics?

[mitkat]

Bacopa has awesome effects. I totally recommend it. Tyrosine has worked well for me too, haven't really given any of the others a serious try yet.

[superpooper]

I felt very sedated the first week I took ashwagandha. Anyone get the same?

[wassname]

Thanks Mitkat
Although I don't think Deprenyl effects the endocrinal system.
Wouldn't it affect the dopimine system, and hopefully nothing else significantly?

Heres a page on adolesent brain development http://www.duke.edu/...dolescent3.html.

The things it mentions seem to finish around 17. Since im 18 I guess mentally I'm fully developed, although if I wasn't would I know it (even if my endoctrine system is still going on high). At 24 - you're probobly safe now unless your a slow developer in dopimine system.

Edit, the report from Time suggests later (early 20s), but based on nueron pruning.

Edited by wassname, 24 December 2005 - 03:52 AM.

[Shepard]

I felt very sedated the first week I took ashwagandha.  Anyone get the same?

I felt relaxed on ashwaganda, I used it to wind down and go to sleep. Note: don't drink after taking ashwaganda. One time my band had a surprise show while I was taking it, so I didn't get to change my regimen to account for any alcohol intake. Ever see a sound guy passed out on his board halfway through the show? Kind of embarassing.

[the big b]

This has been quite a helpful thread, well I've done some small research, and decided on what I'm getting, please any comments on confliction or just a critique would be very helpful.

~Vitamin Shoppe: ($11.00) (www.vitaminshoppe.com)
*Resveratrol: Resveratrol (25 MG) (60 servs) $11.00 (Lasts 2 months)

~Bodybuilding.com: ($26.00) (www.bodybuilding.com)
*Multi: Higher Power One-A-Day (60 servs) $6.00 (Lasts 2 months)
*Omega-3: NOW Omega-3 (180 servs) $11.00 (Lasts 2 months)
*Ashwagandha: NOW Ashwagandha (90 servs) $9.00 (Lasts 1 month)

~Custom Nutrition Warehouse: ($48.00) (www.customnutritionwarehouse.com)
*Creatine: Magnesium Creatine Chelate Powder (100 Grams) $10.00 (Lasts ?)
*Bacopa Monniera: Bacopa Monnieri (20%) Powder (100 Grams) $10.00 (Lasts ?)
*Sesamin: SciVation Sesamin (90 servs) $28.00 (Lasts 1 month)

~Bulk Nutrition: ($112.00) (www.bulknutrition.com)
*Tyrosine: L-Tyrosine Powder (500 grams) $20.00 (Lasts ?)
*ALCAR: Acetyl-L-Carnitine Powder (500 grams) $25.00 (Lasts ?)
*Flax: Flax Oil (250 Softgels/1000 mg) $10.00 (Lasts under 3 months)
*Whey/Amino/BCAA: 100% Whey Protein - Gold Standard 10 lb $48.00 (Lasts over 1 month)
*Vitamin C: Vitamin C-1000 w/ Rose Hips- Sustained Release (250 Tablets/1000 mg) $9.00 (Lasts 4 months)

Thank you all very much for your time, help, and support.

[Shepard]

I would go for the Now Foods Adam multivitamin over the Higher Power. You'll also get some arguments on how well that resveratrol will work, along with the dosage.

[the big b]

I would go for the Now Foods Adam multivitamin over the Higher Power. You'll also get some arguments on how well that resveratrol will work, along with the dosage.

I haven't heard all that much on Resveratrol about dosage and how effective it is. As for Now Foods Adam, I was planning on buying it actually, but I found it has Saw Palmetto in it, which us why I stopped my previous multivitamin, something about preventing Testosterone converting to DHT creating a surplus which turns partly into Estrogen and can cause certain side effects, and being in my Teens, I try to be really careful with things that seriously mess with my hormones, I really don't think I'd look good Gynocomastia...

On a somewhat related note, I also have a receding hairline, which is how I found some interesting things on Saw Palmetto in the first place, but could anything be recommended for the receding hairline that wouldn't have such horrid side effects?

Also, if I may ask, what are decent dosages for Tyrosine, ALCAR, Bacopa, & Ashwagandha? Do I need some sort of 'shock' dosage before a steady daily amount?

[Shepard]

You are right about saw palmetto, there is the risk of estrogenic side-effects. Although, I haven't seen any evidence that it causes a significant rise in estrogen.

On the hairline, if it is already going at 17, you are probably fighting a losing battle.

You shouldn't need any shock dosage that I'm aware of, and it is kind of up to you. I take 1.5 grams of tyrosine, 2 grams of Alcar, and 500mg of Bacopa throughout the day.

[mitkat]

Thanks Mitkat
Although I don't think Deprenyl effects the endocrinal system.
Wouldn't it affect the dopimine system, and hopefully nothing else significantly?

Heres a page on adolesent brain development http://www.duke.edu/...dolescent3.html.

The things it mentions seem to finish around 17. Since im 18 I guess mentally I'm fully developed, although if I wasn't would I know it (even if my endoctrine system is still going on high). At 24 - you're probobly safe now unless your a slow developer in dopimine system.

Edit, the report from Time suggests later (early 20s), but based on nueron pruning.

Ugh. You're absolutely right, and I should of written that. It just so happens I'm engrossed in studying plant-based hormones right now and can't get them off my mind. That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it!

I don't want deprenyl in my body, fully developed dopamine system or not. Not yet, anyways. I don't want to simply assume that everything's going on scheduale in my brain, and that no other changes are going to happen that I risk affecting by experimenting with it. The idea of "probably" being safe when talking about major mood functions isn't convincing enough for me. Call me conservative.

[wassname]

Well at least your studying hard:)

Any short term effects could be reversed by not taking it anymore. And if there are any long term effects they could be good or bad, we know of one (longer life). But I guess it depends if you think improving is worth the risks.

Personally I can't wait till we can alter nuerochemical effects in certain parts of the brain, seperately. Then we could go for certain results instead of getting a package of effects!

[enlil]

I'm fairly young (23) and have just started with brain enhancement.

Started by stopping the things that I was doing that were actively harmful (alcohol, caffiene, fried food, white sugar and nicotene are sort of the "5 deadly no-nos") and getting myself on an organic, nutritious diet.

Followed that with a month and a half long body cleanse (it's amazing what cleaning your GI tract out will do for you, as well a clorophyll for the blood, etc.) and then adding in nutritional supplements like zinc, vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, vitamin E and essential oils. I'd just started adding in Acetyl-L-carnitine, DMAE, ALA, and vitamin C ester when I found this site.

After a bit of poking around here through the anecdotal evidence and what I though to be the more sober, safe approaches to nootropics, I decided to add piracetam and Alpha-GPC to my regime. LifeMirage's idea of adding one nootropic at a time seems especially important, since I have found that even adding multiple nutritional supplements to my diet all at once can shock my system into rejecting otherwise useful nutrients.

Have been doing piracetam and Alpha-GPC for about a week now. The first few days were kind of rough (felt really overstimulated, which I corrected my reducing my Alpha-GPC intake), and am now very satisfied with the effects of piracetam, particularly the unexpected ones on mood and motivation.

Also, thought I would mention the Bee Pollen is an excellent supplement (provided you're not allergic to bees...!), and it is fairly cheap. Lots of B vitamins and such, in a fairly absorbable form.

Haven't had any problems with my being young and taking piracetam. Don't expect a drug-like difference though, it's best if you're already dealing with a body that is fairly clean and smoothly running so that you can notice the subtle, synergistic effects that it has with all of the other ways you are already being nice to yourself.