Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- B-Vitamins and multivitamins are crucial for brain health and neurotransmitter synthesis.
- Acetylcholine’s role in ADHD can be supported with nootropics like ALCAR and CDP-Choline.
- Nootropics like Ashwagandha and Bacopa Monnieri help repair damaged neuroreceptors in ADHD.
- Noopept enhances cognition, memory, and provides neuroprotection.
- Combining specific nootropics with essential vitamins can optimize brain function for managing ADHD symptoms.
Depending on the severity of your ADHD symptoms, you may be able to use nootropics as an alternative to prescription stimulants like Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse and their variations.
I experimented for a year by using nootropics in place of the 20 mg of Ritalin I had been using 3-times a day for several years. And for the most part, I was successful in taming my Adult ADD symptoms.
Adult ADD Nootropic Stack
The ADD/ADHD stack I use includes:
- Mind Lab Pro
- Performance Lab® Energy – twice per day
- CDP-Choline – twice per day
- ALCAR – 750 mg 1-time per day
- L-Tyrosine – 500 mg 3-times per day
- Sulbutiamine – 400 mg twice per day
- Aniracetam – 750 mg twice per day
- Vinpocetine – 10 mg 3-times per day
- Performance Lab® Omega-3 – 3 GelCaps per day
- 1 tablespoon unrefined Coconut Oil or MCT Oil– 3-times per day
- Performance Lab® NutriGenesis Multi – 4 caps per day
During my one-year stimulant holiday, the ingredients in Mind Lab Pro along with L-Tyrosine, CDP-Choline, and ALCAR (included in Performance Lab Energy) kept my dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine levels high enough to maintain focus, motivation and improve my memory. Vinpocetine kept my brain blood flow at optimal levels. And Aniracetam and Sulbutiamine improved my mood.
But after a year I decided to go back to using 20 mg of Ritalin twice per day. Because my workload had me writing 10 hours per day. And maintaining working relationships with 2 or 3 clients at once.
By adding Ritalin back to my stack I was able to reduce the time it would take to complete a project from 3 days to 1 ½ days. Proof to me that my overall brain health couldn’t make it with nootropics alone.
The beauty of continuing to use L-Tyrosine, CDP-Choline, and ALCAR even after I started using Ritalin again was that I avoided the stimulant “crash” that is so common late afternoon when using stimulants. And I was able to reduce the original 20 mg Ritalin 3-times per day down to only twice per day.
And I have not experienced building up tolerance to Ritalin that is so common when using stimulants to treat ADD or ADHD.
Your situation may be different, or ADHD symptoms not as severe. Only you can decide if nootropics can replace ADHD meds. The stack I describe on this page is designed to be used with or without stimulant meds.
Whether you use this stack with meds or without, you’ll need to discover for yourself what dosages of each nootropic are ideal for you. Because the amounts that work for me may not work as well for you. You may need less NALT and/or ALCAR.
Experimenting is the key to success with nootropics. And knowing as much as you can about what’s going on in your brain that needs to be fixed. But after many years of recommending this ADHD nootropic stack to people just like us around the world, we know this works.
The pre-made nootropic stacks mentioned in this post include:
Prescription “Smart Drugs” vs. Nootropics for ADHD
This post is in response to many emails and questions I’ve been getting about how to treat Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) with nootropics.
So if you are dealing with ADHD, hopefully this post will help. Especially if you are using stimulants like Ritalin, Adderall, Vyvanse, Focalin, or any of the other stimulant prescribed for ADD/ADHD. Or you are trying to deal with ADHD naturally by avoiding prescription stimulants.
This information can also help if you are a student or executive who uses prescription “smart drugs” like Adderall or Modafinil to boost productivity.
Here we’ll dig into the causes of ADHD or ADD in your brain. Symptoms associated with ADHD. And what you can do using nootropics, or nootropics stacked with stimulants to correct ADHD symptoms.
I’ll also include ways to potentiate the effectiveness of prescription stimulants with nootropics so they work better.
If you’ve never ‘officially’ been diagnosed with ADHD, but some of this resonates with you, you could be ADHD or ADD. And this may point you to some answers.
I’ve been ADD all my life. (ADD is ADHD without the hyperactivity). But it wasn’t until about 16 years ago, that a very wise psychiatrist identified what was going on. And why I had been struggling with focus and other problems with behavior. That no amount of self-help books on focus and management could ever correct.
Ritalin turned the lights on for me. And completely changed my life for the better. This was the seed that sprouted my interest in neuroscience and nootropics. And ultimately launching Nootropics Expert®
What is ADHD & ADD?
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) are associated with attention and executive function in your brain.
Your prefrontal cortex directs behavior, thought and feeling which are all associated with working memory. This fundamental cognitive function is what most “healthy” people take for granted, are what make up executive function.
This executive function and working memory give you the ability to:
- Regulate your attention
- Inhibit inappropriate behavior and thought
- Monitor your actions
- Plan and organize your future
If you can’t focus on the task at hand, blurt things out at inappropriate times, have little control over your emotions or actions, and can’t seem to stick to that careful set of goals you wrote down, you may be ADHD.
The Role of Norepinephrine and Dopamine in ADHD
Norepinephrine and dopamine are the primary neurotransmitters involved in ADHD because they play an essential role in attention and thinking.[i]
The “inattentive” type of ADHD is related to issues with the norepinephrine, and the “hyperactive and impulsive” type of ADHD is linked to dopamine dysfunction.
These two neurotransmitters work in concert to maintain alertness, increase focus, sustain thought, effort, and motivation. The only difference between the two is the presence of a hydroxyl group. And dopamine is the precursor to norepinephrine synthesis in your brain.[ii]
Much of what we read about ADHD focuses on dopamine’s function in your brain. But norepinephrine (NE) plays a critical role in activating your reaction to events. And how you respond to the event.[iii] NE is essential for collecting information coming in through your senses. And then modulating your brain’s response.
Any disruption in this NE system can result in ADHD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), sleep disorders and more.[iv]
For example, NE working with postsynaptic α2-adrenoceptors (α2-AR) in your brain play an essential role in helping you focus and eliminate distractions when you’re paying attention to something.[v]
This is just one example of what goes wrong with ADHD brain function. My point in bringing this all up is not to overwhelm you with neuroscience.
But to make clear that simply suggesting too much or too little of a single neurotransmitter like dopamine cannot explain the complexity of ADHD.
So using a nootropic like L-Tyrosine to amp up dopamine in your brain is often not enough to take care of ADHD symptoms. Or using Adderall with someone who has a problem with alpha2-receptor binding with norepinephrine may not get much benefit.
This is the reason that experimenting with various stimulants and/or nootropics is often the only way to find a long-term solution to keeping ADHD under control. And why some respond better to a drug like Ritalin and not as well to Adderall. Or vice versa.[vi]
And recent research shows serotonin and acetylcholine are involved too. Mostly the “hyperactivity” part of ADHD which includes movement, inattention, and impulsivity.[vii]
Smart Drugs Used to Treat ADHD Symptoms
If you are truly and clinically ADHD or ADD, it is unlikely that optimizing your diet, getting plenty of sleep, using nootropics, and exercising regularly will get the symptoms of ADHD under control.
The most severe forms of ADHD often benefit from using prescription medication. Otherwise known as “smart drugs” in some circles, these meds are typically amphetamines or methylphenidate.
The amphetamine-class of ADHD prescription drugs includes Adderall (75% dextroamphetamine salts and 25% levoamphetamine salts), Dextroamphetamine, and Vyvanse (Lisdexamfetamine).
The methylphenidate-class of ADHD medications includes methylphenidate (Ritalin) and its variants like Concerta, and Focalin.
Adderall and Ritalin both work with dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain. But through different mechanisms of action.
Ritalin is a pure uptake inhibitor of dopamine and norepinephrine without any other presynaptic activity.[viii] Adderall on the other hand, has additional presynaptic activity, releasing dopamine and norepinephrine from presynaptic neurons.
The idea for the last 60 years or so, has been if we could boost dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, ADHD symptoms would go away. As long as we’re taking the medication.
Why Prescription Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Meds Often Don’t Work
In an ideal world, taking one pill 2 or 3 times a day to treat ADHD would put your life back on track. And help you function like a ‘normal’ person.
But real-world results often don’t work out as well as theory. For several reasons. For example, what if there’s not enough dopamine or norepinephrine in your brain in the first place? Then stimulants will not work as well as planned because they haven’t the neurotransmitters in place to work with.
You could also have problems with not enough or damaged neuroreceptors. Natural aging processes can slow blood flow or inhibit the production of neurotransmitters. A lack of acetylcholine could prevent your neurotransmitters from doing what they were designed to do.
This is where nootropics can help save the day in treating the symptoms of ADHD.
Optimizing Dopamine & Norepinephrine
One of main culprits contributing to ADHD symptoms is a lack of dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) in your brain. Or your brain is not using the available DA and NE effectively.
Stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin work to boost levels and use of these two critical neurotransmitters.
Production of dopamine and norepinephrine in your body and brain follows this metabolic pathway:
Phenylalanine → Tyrosine → L-DOPA → Dopamine → Norepinephrine
Dopamine is converted to norepinephrine by the enzyme dopamine β-monooxygenase, with O2 and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) as cofactors.
Norepinephrine can be further converted into epinephrine by the enzyme phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase with SAM-e as cofactor.
Nootropics to boost dopamine and norepinephrine include:
- L-Tyrosine – L-Tyrosine is the precursor to the synthesis of dopamine in your brain. L-Tyrosine enhances working memory, executive function, creative flow states, reduces stress, improves mood and is anti-anxiety.Suggested dosage of L-Tyrosine or NALT for ADHD is 350- 500 mg twice per day. I successfully stack 500 mg of NALT or L-Tyrosine 3-times per day. Once each time I dose with Ritalin, and a last dose mid-afternoon to prevent a stimulant crash later in the day.
- Mucuna Pruriens (L-Dopa) – Mucuna works as an antioxidant and heavy metal chelator, improves memory & cognition, reduces depression and boosts libido.L-Dopa is also the direct precursor to dopamine. Suggested dosage of Mucuna Pruriens is 250 – 500 mg per day. But if you’re just starting out with nootropics, I highly recommend using L-Tyrosine or NALT instead of Mucuna Pruriens. Because Mucuna can be more difficult to dose since it directly stimulates the production of dopamine. L-Tyrosine and NALT are more ‘forgiving’ when it comes to dosage.
- N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) – NAC is an amino acid that regulates the amount of glutamate and dopamine in your brain.NAC can be used to address the symptoms of ADHD. And may even help eliminate some of the negative side effects associated with prescription ADHD stimulants. Suggested dosage of NAC is 600 mg 3-times per day.
- Phosphatidylserine (PS) – PS can help improve alertness, attention, cognition, memory, recall and mood, and lower anxiety. All issues associated with ADHD.Phosphatidylserine is a phospholipid component of the membrane encasing every one of your brain cells. PS helps maintain the fluidity and permeability of brain cells. Improving the flow of dopamine and acetylcholine. Suggested dosage of PS is 100 mg 3-times per day.
- Pine Bark Extract – Pine Bark extract helps prevent decreases in dopamine and norepinephrine. And the glutathione (GSH) and GSH-disulphide reductase (GSSG-R) ratio. Neurotransmitter problems which contribute to hyperactivity in ADHD.Pine Bark extract also helps boost blood flow in the brain by increasing nitric oxide which helps dilate blood vessels. And it helps reduce oxidative stress, membrane damage, DNA damage, inflammation, and glycation.I’ve found one of the most potent forms of Pine Bark extract comes in both Mind Lab Pro® and Performance Lab® Mind.
A word of caution here in boosting the catecholamines dopamine and norepinephrine. Too much of either is not a good thing. In fact, excess levels of either will throw your neurotransmitter levels out of balance. And can cause anxiety, insomnia and panic attacks.
Taming Hyperactivity with Nootropic Supplements
The “H” in ADHD stands for hyperactivity. Boosting levels of dopamine and norepinephrine can help balance out hyperactivity. And help calm and focus your mind. But often simply boosting or balancing these neurotransmitters is not enough.
Recent studies show that serotonin and dopamine interaction also play a role in ADHD.[ix] Serotonin is involved in the uptake, synthesis and breakdown of dopamine in your brain. Problems with serotonin seem to contribute to behavior and impulse control.
Much more research needs to be done in this area of ADHD. But we can help control and balance serotonin with nootropics.
- 5-HTP – This amino acid is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan. And 5-HTP is the immediate precursor to serotonin in your brain.5-HTP can help relieve anxiety and depression, fibromyalgia, insomnia, migraines and likely the hyperactivity, depression and anxiety associated with ADHD. Suggested dosage of 5-HTP is 50 mg up to 3-times per day. Please see my dosage notes and warnings before you try supplementing with 5-HTP.
- Ginseng – Ginseng helps calm anxiety, and boost attention, concentration and memory. Ginseng provides neuro-protective effects on the dopaminergic-pathway which can help with ADHD. And ginseng is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI).Suggested dosage of Ginseng is 100 – 400 mg per day.
- L-Theanine – L-Theanine commonly found in green tea helps boost alpha and theta brain waves, is anti-anxiety, boosts cognition and memory and reduces insomnia.L-Theanine also helps boost GABA, serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain. Suggested dosage of L-Theanine is 150 mg 2 – 3-times per day.
- Rhodiola Rosea – Rhodiola Rosea helps improve alertness, energy, memory and mood, is anti-anxiety and antidepressant, reduces fatigue and boosts memory and concentration.Rhodiola influences serotonin and norepinephrine levels in your brain. Suggested dosage of Rhodiola Rosea extract is 150 – 200 mg per day.
- Saffron – Saffron acts as a dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Similar to how Ritalin works. A randomized double-blind study was conducted with 54 children 6-17 years old who were given 20 – 30 mg methylphenidate or 20 – 30 mg Saffron per day for 6 weeks. At the end of the study researchers concluded, “Short-term therapy with a saffron capsule showed the same efficacy compared with methylphenidate.”Suggested dosage of Saffron is 30 mg per day.
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) – Vitamin B6 helps your brain make serotonin, norepinephrine and melatonin. Suggested dosage of B6 is up to 100 mg per day.
- Vitamin B9 (Folate) – Folate (NOT folic acid) as a nootropic helps your brain make dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine and serotonin. Suggested dosage of Folate is 400 mcg per day.
- Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) – is a cofactor in the synthesis of neurotransmitters acetylcholine, dopamine, GABA, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Suggest dosage of B12 is 100 mcg per day.
B-Vitamins are Critical in Controlling ADHD
Take note that several of the B-Vitamin group are involved in the production of the neurotransmitters involved in ADHD. I recommend adding a good B-Vitamin Complex that include methylfolate (not folic acid) and methylcobalamin (not cyanocobalamin) to your stack. Both in a pure nootropic stack as well as when using any of the ADHD prescription stimulants.
But it’s not only the B-Vitamins that are required for a healthy, fully functioning brain. We also need each of the 13 vitamins and 13 minerals needed for everything from blood flow, neurotransmitter synthesis and release, brain signaling, and neuroprotection.
I’ve found the easiest way to make sure my ADD brain gets all the vitamins and minerals it needs every day is to also use a multivitamin/mineral supplement.
The best I’ve found so far is the multivitamin called Performance Lab® NutriGenesis Multi. It’s better than the “raw-food” multi I was using for years. And makes a difference I can actually feel.
But please note that this multi is in addition to a B-Vitamin Complex because the ADHD brain needs more of these critical nutrients than what is normally in any good multivitamin.
The Role of Acetylcholine in ADHD
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center discovered that there are three types of ADHD.
We’ve already covered the “inattentive” type that is related to issues with the norepinephrine transporter gene. And the link to the dopamine transporter gene in the “hyperactive and impulsive” type.
But the research team now report that a variation in the choline transporter gene is associated with a “combined” type of ADHD. Symptoms include both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity.
Choline is required to synthesize acetylcholine (ACh) which is needed for memory, motor-control, focus, learning, concentration, and cognition.
If you have the “combined” type of ADHD it’s likely due to a mutation in this choline transporter gene variation.
Nootropics to boost acetylcholine include:
- ALCAR (Acetyl-L-Carnitine) – ALCAR donates a methyl group in the presence of Coenzyme-A for the synthesis of acetylcholine. And it’s also a shuttle transport for fatty acids through brain cell membranes. It shuttles fatty acids into mitochondria for ATP synthesis, and shuttles toxic byproducts out.
Research from the Linus Pauling Institute shows ALCAR will restore mitochondrial function, replenish age-related changes to mitochondrial structure, and helps replenish acetylcholine levels to your brain and body.
And other studies show that ALCAR stimulates nerve growth factor. Helping support survival and growth of neurons. Which is particularly important for the ADHD brain and especially when using prescription stimulants that may be tough on neurons.
- Alpha Lipoic Acid (R-LA) – Alpha Lipoic Acid increases acetylcholine production by activation of choline acetyltransferase and increases glucose uptake. This process supplies more Acetyl-CoA for the production of acetylcholine.
Alpha Lipoic Acid enhances insulin-stimulated glucose transport and metabolism for better brain cell performance. And R-Lipoic Acid provides strong antioxidant support because it helps regenerate and recycle existing antioxidants in your brain including Vitamins C & E, glutathione, and CoQ10.
I’ve since switched the ALCAR supplement in my ADD stack to Performance Lab® Energy because this pre-formulated energy stack contains my preferred dose of ALCAR. But note that I also take another 500 mg of ALCAR with L-Tyrosine late afternoon to prevent a stimulant crash.
Performance Lab® Energy also contains Alpha Lipoic Acid and ALCAR which helps my ADD brain produce acetylcholine.
- CDP-Choline (Citicoline) – Citicoline helps synthesize phosphatidylcholine (PC), a major phospholipid found in brain cell membranes. And provides choline for the synthesis of acetylcholine while providing antioxidant activity.
The CDP-Choline (Citicoline) in my ADD stack is supplied by Mind Lab Pro® which is the base of my nootropic stack.
But a suitable alternative to MLP is Performance Lab® Mind which contains the branded form of citicoline called Cognizin®.
Performance Lab® Mind and Mind Lab Pro® also contain L-Tyrosine, Phosphatidylserine (PS), and Maritime Pine Bark extract.
Repairing Neuroreceptors Needed to Control ADHD
One of the issues with neurotransmitters and ADHD are damaged or non-existent receptors. Dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin have less receptors to bind to for cognition and mood control.
Once again, nootropics come to the rescue in helping control ADHD. You can add one of these nootropics to your stack to help boost neuron and receptor health.
- Ashwagandha – This adaptogen, Ashwagandha helps reduce anxiety and depression. And helps reconstruct axons, dendrites and synapses involved in neurotransmitter signaling in your brain.Suggested dosage of Ashwagandha extract is 250 – 500 mg per day.
- Bacopa Monnieri – Bacopa helps boost memory and cognition, improves mood, and reduces stress. This adaptogen affects brain levels of acetylcholine needed for neurotransmitter signaling.And the two active components of Bacopa Monnieri called bacosides A and B not only improves signaling of electrical impulses between neurons in your brain. Bacosides also help rebuild damaged neurons. Suggested dosage of Bacopa is up to 450 mg per day.
- Lion’s Mane – Lion’s Mane Mushroom is known for stimulating Nerve Growth Factor, improving cognition and memory, and relieving depression.Lion’s Mane stimulates the repair and creation of neurons in your brain. Neurons needed for dopamine and norepinephrine to control ADHD. Suggested dosage of Lion’s Mane Mushroom starts at 500 mg per day. Note: that there’s an effective 500 mg dose of Lion’s Mane full-spectrum fruiting body in each dose of Mind Lab Pro®
- Noopept – Noopept helps boost cognition, memory, learning, perception, logical thinking and mood. Noopept increases Nerve Growth Factor, and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) critical for neuroplasticity and Long-Term Potentiation critical for long-term memory.Noopept also prevents the release of excess glutamate in your brain. Providing potent neuroprotection for neurons and reducing damage. Suggested dosage of Noopept is 10 – 30 mg per day.
Please note that I haven’t linked through to supporting clinical studies for each of the nootropics I listed above. But you can click through to my full review of each nootropic for extensive research supporting each supplement.
Nootropics for Kids
ADHD and ADD is most often diagnosed in children. The latest statistics (2011) from the CDC in the USA shows about 11% of children 4 – 17 years of age (6.4 million) have been diagnosed ADHD.[x] And that’s just for the USA.
Although ADHD is usually first diagnosed in children, it often lasts into adulthood. I sometime wonder how my life would have been different if I had been declared ADD when I was a kid.
But it wasn’t until the late 1960’s that the American Psychiatric Association formally recognized ADHD as a mental health disorder. I wasn’t declared Adult ADD until much later.
The thing is many parents are wary about putting their children on powerful, prescription ADHD meds. Kids’ brains continue to develop until your early 20’s. So is it a problem messing with brain chemistry at such a young age? Only time will tell and if the benefits outweigh any potential risk.
Hence the reason why parents are looking for ‘natural’ alternatives like nootropics to treat ADHD in children. But are nootropic supplements any safer than prescription stimulants?
Common sense tells me that using L-Tyrosine could be safer than Ritalin for boosting dopamine. And Rhodiola Rosea could be safer than stimulants or antidepressants for taming hyperactivity.
But many children with ADHD, natural supplements may not be enough. I’m not a doctor, and don’t even play one on TV. I’m an ordinary biohacker who has learned as much as I can to help myself. And fix my own cognitive performance issues. Including Adult ADD.
So I highly recommend you find and work with an open-minded psychiatrist with your child. You may be pleasantly surprised to find you may be able to reduce or eliminate prescription ADHD meds altogether to enhance cognitive functions. And maybe not. But the long-term health of your child could be worth the time investment to find out.
In Summary
I’ve been wanting to write this post since I started Nootropics Expert®. If you are ADHD or ADD, I hope you found this useful. And I’d appreciate your feedback, and share your experience with treating ADHD with nootropics in the comments section of this post below.
Please share this post with anyone you think would benefit. Including discussions about nootropics for ADHD on reddit or Longecity.
One final note. Neurotransmitter balance is key to taming ADHD. I strongly caution you to take it slow if you’re just starting out with nootropics. Carefully read each of the extended articles in the List of Nootropics you are considering trying.
You need to be careful about side effects, prescription drug interactions, dosages and how your body reacts to each supplement to ensure healthy brain function.
But I’m confident that with careful planning and a long-term commitment, your cognitive enhancement will be just as successful as I have been in living and thriving with my Adult ADD.
Join The Discussion - 784 comments
Dianna Savino
April 21, 2018
Hi David
My son is diagnosed bipolar with adhd and generalized anxiety disorder. Also insomnia. 30 yrs old. On 60 mg Vyvanse daily and Ambien occasionally (always takes more than prescribed, so it only lasts about 8 days per month. Then he turns to drinking beer and taking 3-6 25 mg tabs of Benadryl to sleep. What I started him on: pharmepa restore pure epa omega 3 1000mg, life extension b complex vitamins, inositol, vitamin d3, magnesium and zinc. Nothing changed. I added bacopa and he shou wu. After a week he said he felt a tiny bit better. Then I read about the uridine stack. I added uridine and krill oil and took out epa omega 3. Today is day 3 and he’s just going downhill. Please tell me what I’m doing wrong! He has no motivation, very apathetic, and today woke up angry and agitated.
David Tomen
April 22, 2018
Dianna, sounds like you are understandably overwhelmed. So let’s take this a step at at time. First, click on the “Blog” tab up top, scroll through and read each post for “social anxiety” which is the same as “anxiety”, and the post on sleep.
Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) is an anticholinergic. Which means that it blocks acetylcholine in the brain. Which is a really bad idea for all kinds of reasons. Including ADHD, bipolar, anxiety and sleep. Using Bacopa to increase neural signaling will not work here because when you suppress acetylcholine, there is nothing to signal with.
You should select an Omega-3 based on EPA and DHA content rather than a source like “krill”. The human brain is made up most of DHA fatty acids. So we need an Omega-3 that supplies at least 1,000 mg of DHA per day. In this case you may want to boost it to 2 – 3,000 mg of DHA per day. Nature’s Way makes a product called Mega-DHA that is about $10. And two capsules provides 1,000 mg DHA.
You are on the right track with Life Extension’s B-Complex, Vitamin D, magnesium and zinc. Zinc requires 1.5 – 2 mg of copper because it suppresses copper. For inositol you want 2,000 mg of “myo-inositol” per day. 1,000 mg in the morning and 1,000 mg before bed. You may also want to try Lithium Orotate.
It helps to take about 400 mg of chelated magnesium about 90 minutes before bed because it helps sleep.
He shou wu is a potent MAO-B inhibitor. Which means it boosts intracellular levels of dopamine in the brain. But if the dopamine is cycled too fast, or there is not enough dopamine in the first place you’ll get things like agitation, irritability, and loss of motivation. If he is using Vyvanse, the brain is likely already starved for dopamine. An MAO-B inhibitor could make things worse.
I suggest following the ADHD protocol I outline in this post. Read the other posts I mentioned and see the synergy and overlap in symptoms including anxiety and insomnia. You’re going in the right direction so continue to tweak his stack of supplements. And please re-visit the use of Benadryl. Because continued use will make anything you try that much more difficult.
Dianna
April 26, 2018
David,
Thank you so much for the response! I’ve ordered everything you mentioned in your ADHD protocol. We started the nighttime protocol but it didn’t seem to help last night. I told him it would take time. My plan is to start with the Mind Lab Pro for a week and add in all the extras one at a time. I’ll let you know how it works! Thanks again for your help! I’m also reading all your blog posts.
Dianna
May 2, 2018
David
We’ve stopped the Benadryl. He’s been on your protocol for a little more than a week. Both the sleep and ADHD protocols. Sleep has not improved. I’m adding ashwagandha and P5P to his sleep protocol. He’s also very depressed again. I’ve been reading up on Tianeptine. I’m just not sure how it would interact with everything else I’m giving him. Btw, he’s taking everything in the ADHD protocol, just not the last dose. I thought that might be too much for him. But I’m no expert….that’s why I’m asking for your help once again.
David Tomen
May 2, 2018
Dianna, it’s been awhile since we chatted so please respond if I get this wrong. First, Tianeptine is not such a good idea for a couple of reasons. It’s bad news for anyone with addictive tendencies. One of the most popular nootropic vendors (Powder City) went out of business partly because one of their customers died from a Tianeptine overdose. Or what was blamed on Tianeptine at least. And second, it doesn’t do so well with those who are bipolar: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27274258
The last dose of my ADHD protocol (around 4 PM) is to prevent the crash that usually comes from using stimulant ADHD meds.
It will take more than a week of consistently using these nootropics for things to get better. The human brain is an amazing machine and can heal. But the damaged brain takes awhile to repair itself even given the right tools.
It took me nearly 3 years before I finally got back on track. Things started to get a little better within a few months. Some of that 3 years obviously came from trial and error and trying different supplements. But much of the time was what it took to heal.
This takes a long-term commitment and a ton of patience. All you can do is help and support the way you are doing now. But the ‘patient’ has to be willing and determined as well. I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you as a mother. I’m married with two young “adult” step-kids so experience this myself every day.
What exactly are you using for sleep?
Dianna
May 2, 2018
David
For sleep he takes 400 mg magnesium bisglycinate, 500 mg l-tryptophan from tryptopure, 1000mg myo-inositol, tart cherry juice, and added ashwaganda last night. Just got the P5p in today and was going to add that to his nighttime stack. I’m just at a loss as to why nothing is helping him sleep. I will stay away from Tianeptine but I was reading about something else called Kratom. It has helped some bipolar patients but anything that also causes insomnia scares me. It is also very addictive.
David Tomen
May 2, 2018
Dianna, I highly approve of Kratom. Just be cautious about who you get it from. Because there has been a problem with adulteration and salmonella lately. Look up a couple of the large Kratom associations here in the USA and you may find a forum with more info on a reputable vendor. Not something you want to buy at the local gas station.
And Kratom comes in various strains. Some are more stimulating than others. And some are great for sleep. Red Bali for example for sleep and antidepressant qualities. And you can’t OD on Kratom either. But it needs to be pure.
Dianna
May 2, 2018
I will do more research on Kratom. Do you think I need to add the P5p to the morning when he takes his other b vitamins or would it be ok at night?
David Tomen
May 3, 2018
Because P-5-P is involved in dopamine and serotonin synthesis I’d take it in the morning.
And BTW, Kratom is not “highly addictive”. The press and Big Pharma are running scared because Kratom is a threat to their profits for opiates. Certain strains of Kratom are very effective for pain. As I mentioned before, there is a problem with adulteration and Kratom. When addictive drugs are mixed with Kratom and not disclosed you have trouble. And I suppose some addicts can get addicted to anything. But there is nothing in Kratom that can cause addiction at normal doses. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.
andrea
April 21, 2018
Hi David
I really appreciate your post and the commitment to help others!
I’m a guy of 18 years with adhd-pi, i went to a specialist but he didn’t nothing except that he took me around 500€…
so i started lonely to use the ritalin and was fantastic!
the first day i took 20mg at once in the morning (because 10mg was far to work) and was…WOW!
1) My chronical anxiety disappeared
2) My heart started to beating normal and i felt my hands warm up ( i ever had my hands too cold or to hot)
3) i felt very very euphoric and was really amazing!
4) i started do what in 1 month i didn’t do
5) i started to be more social and don’t take care of my old anxiety
and all this was around 15 days ago and i did some mistakes…
1) I slept really badly because my new work and problems… I went to bed at the 2 a.m and wake up at 5 a.m
2) i had to change the brand for the ritalin from PCH to MYLAN because I had finished the blister
3) i also have tried 7mg of dextroamphetamine but they haven’t worked (maybe because i haven’t more dopamine or other things..)
I love the effects of ritalin of the first 5/10 days (when under the pch ritalin) and i didn’t have any comedown but now i take around of 30mg of ritalin mylan and feel a bit “awake” but nothing compared to before and i feel a bit depressed and apathic…
Now what can i do?
if needed i can also try the adderall but i don’t want mess up too much my brain…
What’s your advices David?
I can buy everything if it will help me and can you please send me your paypal email? i want to donate you at least 10€ for your work and for your help… i think it’s the minimum that i owe you…
p.s sorry for my bad english
David Tomen
April 21, 2018
Andrea, your initial good response with Ritalin is understandable and normal. But it can’t last or be recreated. You can however help Ritalin do its job by providing your brain what it needs. I suggest researching and learning how Ritalin works in your brain. Wikipedia is a good place to start.
You’ll soon learn that Ritalin boosts dopamine levels by inhibiting the reuptake of this neurotransmitter in dopamine receptors. But if you don’t have enough dopamine for Ritalin to work then you’ll get the symptoms you are experiencing now.
This is the reason I created the stack described in this post because I was having the same problem. Click on the link for each nootropic in this post and learn how it works, why you need it, and how much to take.
I had the same problem with Adderall. My brain prefers Ritalin as well. It’s the way our brain is uniquely wired.
It’ll help if you increase dopamine levels by using NALT. And increase acetylcholine by using ALCAR. The other nootropics, vitamins and minerals described here support each of those neurotransmitters.
You should experience a decrease in the negative symptoms you describe if you follow the dosage and timing instructions in this post. If budget is an issue then start with NALT, ALCAR, Vinpocetine, coconut oil and DHA and see how you feel. Add a high quality B-Vitamin complex if you can. Then add the others one at a time when you can.
David Hood
April 4, 2018
David,
I am 35 and have never been diagnosed ADD or ADHD but I know that I have one of the two. I have always had issues with focus, poor memory, poor mood and lack of motivation for certain tasks. Over the last 2-3 years, I have started researching more about ADHD when we noticed that our 1st son was having problems in 1st grade staying on task and focusing, so he was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD. I believe that I also suffer the same as he does. I have tried a couple of different things, but nothing like what you have described in this article and much of this would be very expensive for me to try at the moment. I was wondering if you know of the product Lumonol by Avanse Nutraceuticals? It contains many of the things that I have already researched, but I have seen so many mixed reviews. I just wanted to get your input on it. Also, in doing your research, what have you read about ADHD and excessive yawning?
David Tomen
April 4, 2018
David, I just checked the label on “Lumonol” and I’ve got two problems with it. 1. the company uses a “Proprietary Formula” which I hate. It hides exactly how much of each ingredient is in their product. And 2. the doses of nearly every ingredient in that stack is too low to be of much benefit. Particularly with an ADD or ADHD brain.
I recommend you do some research on what happens in the ADD and ADHD brain. And how prescription stimulants hope to help correct those deficiencies. It will give you a better understanding on what you are dealing with.
Dr. Daniel Amen has done a lifetime of research into the ADHD brain. And it is his opinion (and I agree) that not all ADD or ADHD brains are alike. There is no “one size fits all” solution. And experimenting until you find your brain is working better is the only way to approach this both with you and your son.
You may just want to start with the basics of the stack I’ve suggested in this post. Start with ALCAR, NALT, DHA, Coconut oil, and a high quality B-Vitamin and see how you do over a couple of weeks. Then if you can, try adding Mind Lab Pro.
See the dosage recommendations on each one of the nootropics I’ve mentioned. Including detailed reviews on every one of the B-Vitamins. Because you need to get the dosage and type of each right so you can judge if they are helping you.
ADD and ADHD are primarily a dopamine and brain signaling issue. If you can boost dopamine and tweak the signaling between neurons you may experience better focus, alertness, memory and even mood.
I haven’t done any research on excessive yawning. Maybe not enough oxygen? Not sure but if that is the case, then a boost in blood flow may help. Vinpocetine is a champ when it comes to blood flow.
David Hood
April 6, 2018
Thanks for the reply. I can see that the MindLab Pro product already contains 3 of the B Vitamins and NALT, so it would still be safe to start with these and then add the MindLab Pro? Or could I just start with MindLab and see how that works for me?
For my son, he is on 20MG Vyvanse and I believe it works to an extent, but mornings and evenings are brutal with him at times when the medication has worn off. I was thinking of trying something else along with Vyvanse to see if it helps. I have looked into this as well: https://vayadirect.com/assets/PI_Vayarin.pdf.
David Tomen
April 6, 2018
David, you can do the same thing with the stack I describe in this post and get the kind of results that the PDF you link to describes. But better.
You can start with Mind Lab Pro on its own and see how it works for you. But I have personally found that with a compromised brain like mine with ADD that the dosages are not high enough. The other ingredients in MLP help repair my brain. But this brain demands more dopamine and acetylcholine than can be supplied by MLP.
Your son experiences a crash when Vyvanse has “worn off” because his brain is depleted of dopamine and acetylcholine. And long-term use also likely damages neurons. The nootropics that I describe in the stack on this page is designed to restore those neurotransmitters and neurons. And it helps potentiate the prescription stimulant so it works better.
I use 10 mg Ritalin at 5 AM, 20 mg Ritalin at 8 AM and another 20 mg Ritalin at 11:30 AM. And by using the nootropic stack described on this page, I never experience a stimulant crash. Ever. But the dosing needs to be followed including the nootropics around 4 PM if you want to get the same results I’m getting. That is the only way to avoid a crash.
Affum Padmore
March 27, 2018
I read ,noopept can’t function well without cbd choline…but not (can) as stated above.
David Tomen
March 28, 2018
Affum, Mind Lab Pro does have some CDP-Choline. But when adding Noopept to your stack I find it helpful to add extra Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline. Your brain demands the extra acetylcholine because of Noopept.
Affum Padmore
March 27, 2018
Mr David
Once again I settled on this stack
Mindlabpro
NALT
ALCAR
Omega 3 DNA
Noopept.
I read noopept can function well without CDB Choline..
Mindlabpro contains contains citicoline..
Will noopept fit well into the stack. Substraction or Addition and something like dosages.
Alessandro
March 27, 2018
Thank you for all this beautiful material 🙂 can I ask your opinion on the burden that nootropics get to the kidneys?
thank you,
Alex
David Tomen
March 27, 2018
Alessandro,if you have perfectly healthy kidneys you should not have a problem as long as dosage instructions are followed closely. If someone is dealing with any type of kidney disease or malfunction I would recommend paying close attention to the “Side Effects” section of each nootropic review. And do additional research as well.
Affum Padmore
March 25, 2018
My 3 day journey on modafinil was unsuccessful.. While others says it start to kick in after an hour or less, almost about o.1%(according to my small online survey) says they fell the effect after some days which I see it to be rare. During 3 days of modafinil use
My Experience:
Day 1_half pill(100mg): I waked up at 5:20am smoke weed.(half of full roll) at 5:40am i took the pill. No effect.Not even wakefulness.
Day 2_full pill(200mg)waked up at 5:40am,no smoking,pope a pill and small wakefulness and no reaction again. I mean nothing experienced apart from some acute wakefulness.
Day 3 : no smoking and took in 400mg at 6:00am..Can feel the real wakefulness of it and nothing.
I used to smoke in the evening around 5:00pm to help me eat and sleep as well in all the 3 days.I have stop taking it because I don’t want to cause harm to the little memory I use daily.
But in my daily routine I smoked 3 time a day.(morning, afternoon and evening). I have leave by it from 2012 when I starting smoking. Sometimes I go to places where I cnt get and I’m able to stay off but only substitute it for alcohol to boost my appetite level. MY PROBLEMS: (I find it too hard to remember names of some of my mates in the same class although I hear them on daily basis. I easily forget information given to me to pass on to others.l learn and can’t remember making learning boring for me,,Anxiety,my decision making capacity on a scale of 5% will be rated 1.6%(bad for that).And I’m depressed to point that getting out bed even becomes a problem for me. I live a life of no planning,I have managed and struggle to leave up to this level until i became expose to smart drugs and Nootropics saving people life out there, l hope it can serve me also.There are soo many stack up there that I may not be able to afford all..so u choose best two stack to add to the mindlabpro to improve my recall; With ur best choice you must consider the following points for my sake:
*What can be bought online
*Can be shipped to Africa(world wide vendor).
*Pls I want know if i can obtain Ritalin online if Yes “where” reputable source and can be shipped to Africa,(dnt worry about customs),and should i continue to take the modafinil even aftet 3 days of no benefit except wakefulness or i should pause it for now.. Advise me on marijuana use..should I quite ?_ if yes , how can I do that without the withdrawal symptom and can it interfere the work of the Nootropics (mindlabpro and other stacks) in case it use alongside (I’m more interested in the recovering back of my memory)***Note: thousands of students are not interested in education anymore down here because of the problems listed above(1st and 2nd comments). I’m one of them. I was beginning to lose interest in education although I have a goal to achieve and then google lead me to smart drugs and Nootropics. I think now all I need is patients.. (This is supporting the first comment because it is unedited) I’m waiting for ur reply . With it I can take the step.1
David Tomen
March 26, 2018
Affum, I can relate to your story because I was not diagnosed Adult ADD until well into adulthood. I sometime wonder how my life would have been different if I understood this at your age.
If you’ve read my story you’ll know that I went for an entire year using the stack in this post without prescription Ritalin. And it worked very well.
You should do well with Mind Lab Pro. But I cannot stress enough that if you are truly ADD you must do more. Coconut or MCT Oil, a high quality multivitamin that has all the B-Vitamins in doses similar to what is described in each of the B-Vitamin reviews I’ve done. Or take a separate B-Complex supplement that uses folate (NOT folic acid) and methylcobalamin (NOT cyanocobalamin).
Your brain needs the basics like magnesium and zinc as well. And a high quality Omega-3 that has at least 1,000 mg of DHA. Do this every day for a month and you should notice a difference. But please understand that one magic pill will not make a difference. It will take a combination like described in this post and in this comment for you to experience relief.
Affum Padmore
March 25, 2018
Mr David
Thanks very much for to hard work. But I want bring u to the other part of the continent.
I’m from Africa _ country Ghana_ And in here everything about what your discussion is not possible. We don’t diagnose ADD or ADHD. So many of my student decide to drop out of school because of non performance and we have taking it as normal here.
I started to lose focus, concentration, depression, depression brain fog,anxiety and more over i dont even have the appettide for learning because i learn just this hour , conduct exams for me at that instant on what i just learn and i will able to produce just 15% of 50.It started when I was around 12yrs. And I will be 25 this December. I have struggle my way through life to nursing Training College and I can still see my life is falling apart. Frankly speaking, I started alcohol around 14yrs.
Edible marijuana at the time.
And I started smoking marijuana at the middle of 2012 after i failed my first secondary level final exams due.(WASSCE). I wrote a resist for the secondary level final exams and manage to pass through to here NTC:(NURSING TRAINING COLLEGE). My first year in NTC the struggle continues.
First semester I got 2 referre(failed 2 course) out of 7
2nd semester:2 referred
And I’m now in my second year first semester. The news of smart drugs and nootropics started kicking in last 4 month when I felt I have had eough. I’m afraid I cnt graduate from here.so I started by asking google what to do. So many options ..4 months now I have reading from all angle of smart drugs to nootropics. Modafinil(modalert 200mg) was the right answer I got from reddit, quora, and other I cnt remembered because of my short membrane span and inability to recall. I also searched for online vendors to buy it and afinil express was the target. Now the main problem: after I waited for 1month for my modafinil and hoping to be limitless(not like NZT but something small to help me recall after learning)because that is my fav movie.. 21/02/2018 I ordered and Thanks be to God I received it unteached in my college on 22/03/2018. I was more than happy bcos the hype of it online is so great I have trusted it a lot give my system a new lifestyle. 1st day: half pill(100mg)_No result: No focused or concentration,alertness, alittle wakefulness effect.I felt like normal.
2nd day: 1tablet(200mg)_ up dose
3rd day: 2tab(400mg)_wakefulness but no alertness or the other benefit. I don’t observe any of the side effect except for loss of appetite and small abdominal disturbances which I related it to the inability to eat but counteract it with smoking weed and within some minute I’m OK. What lead me ur site is MINDLABPRO which everysite visited rated #1 except few. But ur analysis and experience here kept me read over every comment( may because I’m on modafinil). But yet ur site is the one to give the analysis breakdown (smart drug n nootropics) that I need u. For saving time and typing.. My problems, taking modafinil and not been the wonder drug everyone is taking about to me. I fell like dying. I will definitely order for mindlabpro but maybe my dopamine and norepinephrine receptors may one way or the other not working properly. Ritalin could have be a better option in combination but I’m thinking of how to get it online. What should I do now. My life has been a standstill for about 15yrs now. I hope (with ur experience and knowledge) can help me fix my broken memory. I want to quite the MODA for now coz I don’t want any harm to the (disordered)memory I really on for now. I don’t expect much from smart drug or nootropics,at least if it can help me recall what I struggle to learn, I will greatful for that alone.Last but not the least (bcoz I will continue charting u on my journey of smart drugs and Nootropics),the stack up there are too many and I can just buy few. I choose Mindlabpro and *(ritalin, but cnt get it online so out)* What best two option cnt balance my mindlabpro..those u prescribe should be what I can buy online. And site that I can buy them from.. Is a shipment from Europe to Africa. And I want to quite marijuana too but cnt .. I stay off and lose appetite + insomnia. Too many problems. I need ur concerns.