Piracetam (2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine-acetamide, Nootropil) is a water-soluble ampakine nootropic in the racetam-class of compounds.
Piracetam was first synthesized by Dr. Corneliu Giurgea at Belgian-based pharmaceutical company UCB Pharma in the 1964. Piracetam is considered the first true nootropic ever developed.
As a cyclic derivative of GABA, Piracetam was first intended to be a calming type of drug for motion sickness. But in spite of its connection with GABA, Piracetam didn’t show any behavior associated with this calming neurotransmitter. And cannot directly affect GABA receptors.[i]
Instead, Dr. Giurgea discovered that Piracetam was able to boost cognition even in healthy people. The company launched this new ‘drug’ as ‘Nootropil’ in Europe in the early 1970’s. The success of Nootropil soon allowed UCB Pharma to expand its operations which led to many new pharmaceutical drugs.
Dr. Giurgea coined the term “nootropic” to describe this class of cognition-optimizing compounds.[ii] Nootropic was derived from the Greek words for “mind” (noos) and “towards” (tropein).
Piracetam is sold as a prescription drug (Nootropil and Lucetam) in Europe. In South America, Piracetam is sold under the names Noostan (Argentina), Breinox (Venezuela and Ecuador), and Nootropil (Mexico). Piracetam is also branded as Lucetam, Oikamid, Smart, Geratam, Biotropil, Neurobasal, Stimulan and Nocetan in countries around the world.
In the United States, Piracetam is sold as an OTC supplement as Piracetam and Nootropil.
Dozens of racetam derivatives have since been developed based on the original Piracetam. All synthetic compounds, racetams share a pyrrolidone nucleus.
Piracetam modulates AMPA receptors, and boosts the function of acetylcholine in the brain. A favorite racetam among the nootropics community. Neurohackers use Piracetam to boost memory and learning.
If you’re going to start experimenting with racetams, my recommendation at Nootropics Expert is to start with Piracetam. Because it works, it’s safe and it’s cheaper than all the other nootropics in the racetam-family.
Piracetam helps:
- Inflammation: Piracetam is a potent analgesic (anti-pain). This analgesic effect is related to inhibition of inflammatory markers including IL-1β. And the prevention of reduced glutathione, ferric reducing ability and free radical scavenging[iii]
- Neurotransmitters: Piracetam potentiates the flow of, and increases the effect of acetylcholine (ACh) in the brain.[iv] And studies have shown it significantly improves learning and memory.[v]
- Cerebral Blood Flow: Piracetam increases blood flow in the brain.[vi] Better blood flow delivers more oxygen and nutrients to neurons improving cognition, memory and focus.
Table of Contents
Overview
Piracetam (2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine-acetamide, Nootropil) was the first in the racetam-family of nootropic compounds. It is a water-soluble ampakine nootropic. AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic) refers to one of three glutamate receptors in your brain.[vii]
Developed by a fellow of famous Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, Dr. Corneliu Giurgea first synthesized Piracetam at Belgian-based pharmaceutical company UCB Pharma in the 1964.
Since the discovery of Piracetam, dozens of nootropics have been created in the racetam-class of compounds. And all have a pyrrolidone nucleus at their core.
Piracetam is a cyclic derivative of GABA. But oddly enough, it doesn’t affect GABA receptors in the brain. Instead, Piracetam was found to modulate AMPA and NMDA receptors and improve the function of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh).
AMPA and NMDA receptors along with acetylcholine are associated with learning and memory.[viii] And when Piracetam is stacked with a choline supplement its effects are even more pronounced. Researchers have shown in hundreds of clinical studies that Piracetam significantly improves learning and memory.
Piracetam also increases cerebral blood flow. Blood delivers oxygen and glucose needed for cellular metabolism, and helps carry away cellular waste. Critical for the highly optimized brain.
Piracetam is sold as a prescription drug in many countries around the world. In the United States, Piracetam is sold as an unregulated OTC research compound.
How does Piracetam work in the Brain?
Piracetam boosts brain health and function in several ways. But two in particular stand out.
- Piracetam modulates AMPA and NMDA receptors in the brain. And improves the flow of acetylcholine (ACh) and sensitivity and density of ACh receptors.[ix]
This German study conducted with lab mice showed Piracetam elevated NMDA receptor density. And normalized the way those receptors worked with L-Glutamate similar to that of a healthy brain.
Deficits at the level of NMDA receptors could be one of the mechanisms of action underlying age-related cognitive decline. And the researchers concluded that Piracetam showed cognition-enhancing properties.[x]
This effect on NMDA receptor sites is directly related to our interest in using Piracetam for Long-Term Potentiation and the support of long-term memory formation.
Neuroplasticity is dependent on activation of NMDA receptors.[xi] And this neuroplasticity is at the heart of memory formation. Reviews of Piracetam used by neurohackers frequently report the return of long-lost memories. Further proof of the efficacy in using Piracetam to support learning and memory.
- Piracetam increases cerebral blood flow. Several studies have shown how Piracetam positively influences brain blood flow. Cerebral blood flow is critical for the highly optimized brain. Blood delivers oxygen and glucose needed for cellular metabolism, and helps carry away cellular waste.[xii]
Strokes can be caused by an interruption in cerebral blood flow. Starving parts of the brain of oxygen and glucose. This double-blind, placebo-controlled study was done with 24 stroke patients. One group received 2,400 mg of Piracetam twice daily, and the other a placebo.
Before treatment, both groups were comparable in performance during language tasks. The study found that Piracetam improved recovery of various language functions. And this effect was attributed to increased blood circulation to areas of the brain related to language. The placebo group showed very little improvement in areas of language.[xiii]
How things go bad
As we get older, our brain chemistry and metabolism changes. And it seems these changes are affecting younger and younger people.
↓ Recall, reaction time and learning capacity declines
↓ ATP energy levels decline
↓ Density of AMPA and NMDA receptors decline
↓ Acetylcholine levels decline
↓ Cerebral blood flow declines
All of these changes are contributing factors to age-related cognitive decline. Early signs of these effects can be seen in poor decision-making, difficulty learning, and even recalling simple things like an important appointment.
But even if you’re not concerned with the signs of aging, Piracetam can help.
Piracetam to the rescue
Piracetam helps increase blood flow in the brain, improves oxygen levels, enhances glucose use in brain cells, maintains brain cell mitochondria and ATP synthesis.
Piracetam is also a potent modulator of AMPA-sensitive glutamate receptors in neurons. It increases the density of specific binding sites for AMPA in neuronal synapses.[xiv]
Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in your brain. This glutamate activity by Piracetam affects alertness, focus, attention, memory and learning. And one of the reasons why neurohackers consistently report that Piracetam improves mental performance and memory.
Piracetam increases high-affinity choline uptake (HACU) which is the process that occurs in cholinergic nerve endings and facilitates acetylcholine (ACh) formation. Boosting ACh with Piracetam produces a powerful effect on learning and memory.[xv]
Piracetam also boosts choline receptor density in the frontal cortex. The area of your brain used for working memory and decision-making.[xvi]
ATP energy is critical to your brain’s survival. Brain cells must produce all of their own ATP from glucose and oxygen. This brain energy carbohydrate metabolism depends on cerebral blood flow, oxygen uptake and glucose. Piracetam enhances this glucose utilization, and increases ATP synthesis needed to power brain cell mitochondria.[xvii]
And Piracetam has analgesic (anti-pain) benefits. This anti-pain action is linked to Piracetam’s anti-inflammatory properties.[xviii] Inflammation can cause pain, and studies have shown Piracetam can have profound effect on pain.
Piracetam boosts acetylcholine so you should add a good choline source. Try Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline with Piracetam. And give your brain the choline it needs.
How does Piracetam feel?
Most neurohackers report a noticeable benefit from Piracetam after about 2 weeks. Consider that Piracetam is modulating your brain’s chemistry. And this change is unlikely to occur immediately.
Your brain needs some time to adjust to the new change in acetylcholine (ACh) levels and how it uses it. Increased cerebral blood flow takes a while to bring up levels of oxygen and nutrients. And for your neuronal cells to respond. Your mileage may vary depending on your own neuro-chemical makeup.
Many suggest starting with an ‘attack dose’ for the first 3-days. A 3,000 mg ‘attack dose’ of Piracetam for example to start with theoretically gets more of the supplement into your system right away. So it takes less time to build up before you start feeling the effects.
From there step down to a maintenance dose and vary the quantity until you find your own sweet spot.
Once you begin to notice the effects of Piracetam you’re likely to feel a mood boost, less social anxiety, heightened creativity, improved verbal fluency and better memory.
Piracetam does boost your brain’s use of acetylcholine. So you will likely find that adding a good choline source (Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline) to your Piracetam stack helps.
The Research
We have plenty of evidence that Piracetam improves memory in animals and people who are suffering from many types of cognitive impairment. Keep in mind that most of the scientific research available for nootropics is done with sick people trying to get well.
The return on investment for research at institutions and universities comes from treating diseases. And not from helping ordinary biohackers like us trying to get a competitive advantage at work or in school.
We can however extrapolate the findings from these studies and learn if and how something like Piracetam can help our memory and cognition. Once-in-awhile someone does take the time to conduct such a study on healthy people. Like this one done with normal, healthy volunteers.
Researchers gave this healthy group of participants four 400 mg capsules of Piracetam 3-times per day (4,800 mg total) for 14 days. No effects on memory were observed after 7 days during this experiment. But after 14 days verbal learning had significantly increased.[xix]
Piracetam Improves Cognition
Researchers in Belgium (where Piracetam originated) conducted an analysis of 19 double-blind, placebo-controlled studies done with patients suffering dementia or cognitive impairment and who took Piracetam.
The results of this meta-analysis demonstrated the difference between people who used Piracetam or used a placebo. The end result of this analysis provided compelling evidence for the usefulness of Piracetam in a diverse group of people with cognitive impairment.[xx]
Several studies and user reviews have shown that Piracetam dosage makes a difference. And unlike some other nootropics where you start at a lower dose and work your way up, with Piracetam we recommend you start at a higher suggested dose.
This study in Germany with 78 elderly patients showed that there was a significant difference in cognition improvement while dosing Piracetam at 1,600 mg 3-times per day. There was no difference in cognition with patients who received 800 mg 3-times per day.[xxi] Dosage matters when using Piracetam.
Piracetam Enhances ATP Production
Piracetam is used around the world to treat cognitive impairment in aging, brain injuries, dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Several studies show that Piracetam enhances ATP production, mitochondrial membranes and neurite outgrowth in neurons.
In this study, scientists investigated the effects of Piracetam on mitochondrial function. Human brain cells were treated with Piracetam under normal conditions and under conditions imitating aging and damage by ROS (reactive oxygen species). And with cells representing early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease.
The cells representing Alzheimer’s conditions showed impaired mitochondrial function under baseline conditions. Piracetam was able to restore this impairment in cells and shift mitochondrial function back to normal.
The researchers showed that Piracetam is able to repair mitochondria in those with mild Alzheimer’s and return cell function back to normal.[xxii]
Piracetam recommended dosage
Recommended Piracetam dosage is 1,600 mg 3-times per day. One Piracetam dose in the morning, and one in the early afternoon, and one later in the afternoon.
You will likely want to start with an ‘attack dose’ when you’re first starting out with Piracetam. Refer to the “How does Piracetam feel?” section of this article for more on ‘attack doses’.
Dosing Piracetam varies widely between neurohackers. Experimenting and finding the dose where you experience the most benefit is key. You may find a lower dose works well for you. Or you may find you need to increase your dose even more. Dosing Piracetam is directly related to your own unique neurochemistry.
Piracetam Side Effects
Piracetam is non-toxic. So is considered well-tolerated and safe.
As with many of the racetams, Piracetam can cause headaches because it boosts the use of acetylcholine in your brain. Choline supplements like Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline can help you avoid this side effect.
Many neurohackers find that stacking Piracetam with a choline supplement boosts the effect with improved memory and cognition. And this is supported in several research studies.[xxiii]
Type of Piracetam to buy
Piracetam is sold in tablet, capsule and powder form. Tablets and capsules are usually 800 mg each.
Science.bio offers Piracetam powder and you can get a third-party analysis for that batch of powder before you purchase.
In Europe, Asia, South America and some other countries around the world, Piracetam is a prescription drug. And sold under many different brand names (including Nootropil). Refer to the Introduction of this article for some of these brand names.
Nootropics Expert Recommendation
Piracetam 1,600 mg 3-times per day
I recommend using Piracetam as a nootropic supplement.
Your body does not make Piracetam on its own. So to get its benefits you must take it as a supplement.
If you’re going to start experimenting with racetams, our recommendation at Nootropics Expert is to start with Piracetam. Because it works, it’s safe and it’s cheaper than all the other nootropics in the racetam-family.
Piracetam is especially helpful for those suffering from most types of age-related cognitive decline.
Piracetam is also particularly useful to students and executives who want to boost cognition, learning and memory.
You should use Piracetam with a good choline supplement like Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline. It helps boost neural acetylcholine, so demands the presence of more choline in your brain.
You can safely boost daily intake of Piracetam to 9,600 mg if needed. Studies have shown that Piracetam is completely non-toxic even at high doses. You may find however that a lower dose than our recommended amount works better for you.
Try Science.bio for high quality, third-party tested Piracetam.
[i] Genton P., Van Vleymen B. “Piracetam and levetiracetam: close structural similarities but different pharmacological and clinical profiles.”Epileptic Disorders. 2000 Jun;2(2):99-105. (source)
[ii] Shorvon S. “Pyrrolidone derivatives.” Lancet. 2001 Dec 1;358(9296):1885-92. (source)
[iii] Navarro S.A., Serafim K.G., Mizokami S.S., Hohmann M.S., Casagrande R., Verri W.A. Jr. “Analgesic activity of piracetam: effect on cytokine production and oxidative stress.” Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior. 2013 Apr;105:183-92. (source)
[iv] Bering B., Müller W.E. “Interaction of piracetam with several neurotransmitter receptors in the central nervous system. Relative specificity for 3H-glutamate sites.” Arzneimittelforschung. 1985;35(9):1350-2. (source)
[v] Genton P., Van Vleymen B. “Piracetam and levetiracetam: close structural similarities but different pharmacological and clinical profiles.”Epileptic Disorders. 2000 Jun;2(2):99-105. (source)
[vi] Malykh A.G., Sadaie M.R. “Piracetam and piracetam-like drugs: from basic science to novel clinical applications to CNS disorders.”Drugs. 2010 Feb 12;70(3):287-312. (source)
[vii] Purves D., Augustine G.J., Fitzpatrick D., et al., editors. “Glutamate Receptors” Neuroscience. 2nd edition. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates; 2001. (source)
[viii] Ahmed A.H., Oswald R.E. “Piracetam defines a new binding site for allosteric modulators of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors.” Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 2010 Mar 11;53(5):2197-203. (source)
[ix] Stoll L., Schubert T., Müller W.E. “Age-related deficits of central muscarinic cholinergic receptor function in the mouse: partial restoration by chronic piracetam treatment.” Neurobiology of Aging. 1992 Jan-Feb;13(1):39-44. (source)
[x] Cohen S.A., Müller W.E. “Effects of piracetam on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor properties in the aged mouse brain.” Pharmacology. 1993 Oct;47(4):217-22. (source)
[xi] Williams J.M., Guévremont D., Kennard J.T., Mason-Parker S.E., Tate W.P., Abraham W.C. “Long-term regulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits and associated synaptic proteins following hippocampal synaptic plasticity.” Neuroscience. 2003;118(4):1003-13. (source)
[xii] Kojiro I., Secher N.H. “Cerebral blood flow and metabolism during exercise” Progress in Neurobiology Volume 61, Issue 4, July 2000, Pages 397–414 (source)
[xiii] Kessler J., Thiel A., Karbe H., Heiss W.D. “Piracetam improves activated blood flow and facilitates rehabilitation of poststroke aphasic patients.” Stroke. 2000 Sep;31(9):2112-6. (source)
[xiv] Copani A., Genazzani A.A., Aleppo G., Casabona G., Canonico P.L., Scapagnini U., Nicoletti F. “Nootropic drugs positively modulate alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid-sensitive glutamate receptors in neuronal cultures.” Journal of Neurochemistry. 1992 Apr;58(4):1199-204. (source)
[xv] Pepeu G., Spignoli G. “Nootropic drugs and brain cholinergic mechanisms.” Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry. 1989;13 Suppl:S77-88. (source)
[xvi] Pilch H., Müller W.E. “Piracetam elevates muscarinic cholinergic receptor density in the frontal cortex of aged but not of young mice.”Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1988;94(1):74-8. (source)
[xvii] Grau M., Montero J.L., Balasch J. “Effect of Piracetam on electrocorticogram and local cerebral glucose utilization in the rat.”General Pharmacology. 1987;18(2):205-11. (source)
[xviii] Navarro S.A., Serafim K.G., Mizokami S.S., Hohmann M.S., Casagrande R., Verri W.A. Jr. “Analgesic activity of piracetam: effect on cytokine production and oxidative stress.” Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior. 2013 Apr;105:183-92. (source)
[xix] Dimond S.J., Brouwers E.M. “Increase in the power of human memory in normal man through the use of drugs.” Psychopharmacology(Berl). 1976 Sep 29;49(3):307-9. (source)
[xx] Waegemans T., Wilsher C.R., Danniau A., Ferris S.H., Kurz A., Winblad B. “Clinical efficacy of piracetam in cognitive impairment: a meta-analysis.” Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. 2002;13(4):217-24. (source)
[xxi] Kretschmar J.H., Kretschmar C.H. “[On the dose-effect relationship in the therapy with piracetam (author’s transl)].” in German Arzneimittelforschung. 1976;26(6):1158-9. (source)
[xxii] Stockburger C., Kurz C., Koch K.A., Eckert S.H., Leuner K., Müller W.E. “Improvement of mitochondrial function and dynamics by the metabolic enhancer piracetam.” Biochemical Social Transactions. 2013 Oct;41(5):1331-4. (source)
[xxiii] Platel A., Jalfre M., Pawelec C., Roux S., Porsolt R.D. “Habituation of exploratory activity in mice: effects of combinations of piracetam and choline on memory processes.” Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior. 1984 Aug;21(2):209-12. (source)
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Hi David
I’ve seen you comment about being cautious using Piracetam on younger people. I have a 6yr old and I’d like to use Piracetam for ADHD symptoms. In my research I found this study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15071842/. What are your thoughts on this? Can you tell me what I should be aware of if using it on a child?
Thank you
Rica, that study is proof that Piracetam has been used successfully with children as young as 6. You would need to use a study like that to determine a safe dosage. But one thing to keep in mind is higher than normal dosages are often used during these studies because they are short term. And the researchers are looking for an effect in the short term. So that translates into start with a much lower dose.
The other thing to look for is ‘how the nootropic works’ in the brain. Does it “change” anything? That’s where you’d need to be careful that you don’t start messing with normal development. If all the nootropic did was potentiate the effectiveness of a receptor for example is one thing. But if it increase the number of receptors then you’re getting into change territory.
You made an excellent point and something to think about “change”. With a 6 yr old whose body is rapidly changing I feel very reluctant to give meds or heavy supplements.
I will hold off on Piracetam for now. Thank you again for the help.
Hey David,
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Is it necessary to take breaks from taking Piracetam form time to time? So you don’t develop a dependency? And if so, would it be wise to stop it abruptly, or would you recommend, slowly phasing it out and restating later with an attack dose?
Thak you in advance.
Brain, I’ve never heard of someone developing a tolerance to Piracetam. There are only one or two racetams where that could be an issue.
You should not experience any difficulty abruptly stopping Piracetam. Review the mechanism of action with this nootropic and I think you’ll understand why. The only thing you may experience is slipping back to a state of cognition that is not as good as when you’re using Piracetam.
It’s unlikely you’ll slide all the way back to before you started. But you may notice a difference. While inconvenient, it’s not life threatening nor uncomfortable.
Gotcha! Thank you Sir!
According to a recent study in JAMA:
Although approved as a prescription drug in Europe, piracetam is not approved in the United States for any conditions,and can cause a slew of psychological side effects, including anxiety, depression and insomnia, according to the new study, published today (Nov. 25) in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
https://www.livescience.com/brain-boosting-supplements-contain-unapproved-drug.html
Perhaps you are being irresponsible in promoting piracetam.
A lot of unknowns here.
Steve, that particular piece has been copied and posted by at least 6 – 8 different sites over the last couple of weeks. But please keep in mind that I am not “promoting” Piracetam. I’m reporting on what it is, where it comes from, why it is used, side effects, and dosage recommendations if you decide to try it.
It’s entirely your responsibility as is everyone else who visits Nootropics Expert to decide what to use and what to avoid. The information is here and backed by clinical studies so you can make wise choices.
The ‘authorities’ as well as mainstream medicine advises against ALL dietary supplements. Because they have not been “approved by the FDA”. So you have a choice to believe what the drugs companies say. Or the research and what thousands of clinical studies and millions of users have to report.
Hi David,
Thank you for your reply. I appreciate what you are saying about personal responsibility. It is as you say up to each one of us.
Multi-vitamins, fish oil, ginko and other such supplements are very helpful in many situations, and the fact that the FDA or drug companies don’t approve is no reason to stop taking them if appropriate for the individual.
However, piracetam specifically, is not approved as a “drug”, not even talking at all about its status as a supplement. It is approved as a drug in Europe.
Also the side effects listed in my previous post were based on a specific JAMA study published recently and I believe are important data.
These side effects are specific, explicit and shown to be real in the JAMA study. Though not all people will suffer such side effects, they are real.
The study also pointed out that some brands of piracetam suggest taking amounts per day which go beyond even the perscription limits for piracetam as a drug (in the EU). This is also important to consider.
As you simply want to give people data and therefore an informed choice, these data from the JAMA should be of interest to you and your readers, I think.
Thank you for your time and attention
Steve, of course there are side effects with this racetam as there are with every single nootropic I’ve reviewed so far. Including all of the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and others.
I absolutely agree that nothing should be in a capsule or supplement container that is not clearly stated on the bottle or package label. Anyone ‘sneaking’ something into a supplement should be put out of business for all kinds of reasons.
But did you know that certain nootropics we take for granted here in the USA are prescription drugs in other countries? You cannot buy Alpha GPC in certain European and Middle Eastern countries because it is only available as a prescription drug.
I don’t know how many people die every year from prescription drug reactions because the headlines are overwhelmed with news from opiate deaths. But the number is staggering. And I don’t seem to recall a single death reported from someone using Piracetam.
Thank you David. I appreciate you being open to discussing this.
God bless you!
Steve
Hi David,
Does Piracetam has negative effects on young developing brain (under 30)? Or any pre-caution when taking Piracetam for anyone under 30? (Possibly anything similar to what Modafinil do to the developing brain in long term)
Thanks.
I’d be careful with Piracetam if you are younger than 21 years. The racetams are far safer to use even by younger people than prescription meds like Modafinil.
Hi David, can you clarify what exactly do you mean by “I’d be very careful” in this context?
For instance, I’m a 19-year-old who has had problems with motivation/concentration/ADD his whole life. and I currently take:
A multi-vitamin
Omega3
Sulbutiamine 400mg/day
Ginkgo Biloba 260mg/day
L-carnitine 1000mg/day
Alpha Lipoic Acid 300mg/day
(I eat a lot of Eggs for the Choline, since I can’t find a choline supplement where I live)
That being said, With this stack, should I NOT take the recommended 1600mg 3x/day dosage of Piracetam that is recommended, given my age?
if so, what dosage would you recommend?
and if I should change anything with the rest of my stack.
Much appreciated.
Ahmed, the human brain continues to develop into your twenties. Like the rest of your body it’s creating new neural networks and fleshing out each segment responsible for various functions. This natural process is not something to be messed with or interrupted because the consequences are not predictable.
That said, the supplements you are using are natural and you normally get them from food or a herb. All you’re doing is “supplementing” what you may not be getting from food.
The one thing that you’re missing in your stack and is important for the ADD brain is something to increase dopamine. I suggest adding L-Tyrosine to boost dopamine.
I often see people mention Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline as choline sources when using Piracetam. What about soy lecithin? It’s what I have easy access to. It’s a precursor to choline. Will it be as effective as one of the other mentioned choline sources, or should i not bother with lecithin and go for one of the others?
David, soy lecithin is not an effective source of choline. And lecithin is NOT a precursor to choline. Supplements like Phosphatidylcholine are derived from soy or sunflower lecithin during processing. With an emphasis on “derived from”. It’s not precursor.
Alpha GPC and CDP-Choline on the other had are precursors to acetylcholine because they produce a choline molecule in the synthesis of acetylcholine.
You can read more about choline and its sources here: https://nootropicsexpert.com/advanced-guide-to-choline-in-nootropic-stacks/. That post explains in detail how the synthesis of acetylcholine works and where those two nootropics come into play. No where in that cycle does lecithin appear.
Piracetam potentiates the flow of, and increases the effect of acetylcholine (ACh) in the brain. And that’s where Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline come into play.
Some racetams have made me sleepy after a few minutes. What can it be?
(Piracetam;Oxiracetam)
Maicon, without knowing more about how you used them it’s likely because you didn’t take it with a choline supplement. And you deplete your brain of acetylcholine.
David
I am new to racetams, so I have a couple of questions. On several websites, including this one, it is suggested that it’s better to start with piracetam before moving on to the other forms of racetams.
—How long would you recommend taking piracetam before
moving on to other racetams?
—Are there any racetams that should and should not be
stacked together?
I’m sure I’ll have more questions in the future. I appreciate your response.
Thanks.
Starting the racetams is not a ‘hard and fast’ rule in my opinion. And since I wrote this review. It is a good safe starting point with the racetams but the rest are safe as well if dosage recommendations are followed closely.
I would hesitate to mix any of the racetams. At most I’d use two but adjust dosages down to the lowest recommended dose for each or less. And possibly increasing the choline supplement to support them.
David
Thanks much for your response. It is very helpful. As I continue my research I’m sure I’ll additional questions. Will check back when I put together the stack I intend to use.
Thanks again..
David,
I’ve been using Aniracetam for the past month or so, works well for me. I found a stack someone recommended and decided to experiment with it. 750mg of Aniracetam with 800mg of Piracetam twice daily. I’ve taken this 3 days in a row now and have felt “ON” , i’m highly motivated at work, more social, handling stress better etc. Is this sustainable? Can i cycle this with say Oxiracetam and Piracetam as i’m not taking a full dose of Piracetam. Also which racetams stack well together.
Erik, it is sustainable as long as you are following the dosage recommendations. You may get to a ‘new normal’ and thing they are not working as well. So watch for that.
You can try switching out Oxiracetam and Piracetam to mix it up a little. I wouldn’t suggest stacking them.
Hi there, Thanks for this blog. I’ve decided to give piracetam a try. What legid and sage vendors would you recommend. Thanks
Erik
Erik, I’ve been using Nootropics Depot for racetams lately and been happy with their prices and service.
Hey David, thank you for all your work. I am new to nootropics and I’m. Hoping to get some of your feedback regarding my stack I am a 23 year old male, I have always struggled with focus, concentration, sociability, high levels of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, the whole 9 yards and so far my stack has done wonders for me in the sense of feeling well, and it has helped getting my stuff done too! Daily, I take:
Lions mane (love this one)
L-thaenine …600mg
NAC …1200mg
Phosphatydilserine …300mg
Bacopa stand.20%bac …900mg
Alpha GPC …600mg- 1200mg
Vinpocetine… 30-60mg
Sulbutiamine(every other day) 400 mg
Huperzine A (also cycled) 200mcg
I used to take alpha brain before I even knew what nootropics we’re back in high school, so my body knows some of these substances already, it’s been about a week and a half on this stack and so far nothing but positive results, I want to try Piracetam is this ok?
Thanks again David.
Eddie, Piracetam may be a good choice with this stack. You’re already using adequate Alpha GPC so my only other suggest is to follow the dosage recommendations in the piracetam review > https://nootropicsexpert.com/piracetam/. And see how it works for you.
Thank you!
Our family has Lyme and the brain fog that goes with it. Also Adrenal Fatigue. Is Piracetam safe for us? Does it increase Glutamate in the brain?
Christy, Piracetam does NOT raise glutamate in the brain. But it does modulate glutamate receptors so they work more like would in a healthy brain.
Hello David, I’ve just started experimenting with nootropics so there’s probably still much I’m missing in my understanding. I’ve been taking Piracetam for a few weeks, getting a _very_ subtle effect from it (relatively high doses), yet still noticeable and posive (mostly a slight mood boost).
Now, I’ve had a couple of recent experiences with it where things have gone wrong, namely entering a state of absolute lack of motivation: my processing and language capabilities are unimpaired as far as I can tell, I got enough energy, no headaches or brain fog, but zero drive to keep going, which is obviously detrimental for my work. Now, it’s hard for me to know what is the actual cause or mechanisms by which this is happening since I’m also taking other things like DHA, Ashwagandha and L-Theanine to regulate potential jitteriness, and coffee. First time this happened I was also on Modafinil (not drinking coffee, but I did have a sip of green tea and that moment everything went wrong)…
So, maybe you can help me understand what might be the cause of this reaction, it’s very close to a depression and I’ve never suffered from depression before… Might it be a bad synergy between the Piracetam and caffeine (today I was feeling great until I had coffee)? Might it be a too high dose of Piracetam (about 7g split during the day but before afternoon)?…
Also, I’m curious about the mechanisms of action and making my best to undertand how all of this works. I’ve come to understand that I might be Acetylcholine dominant, so can these depression incidents be attributed to an an excess in ACh by itself? Or maybe something is causing a lowering in my Dopamine levels?… Any light you might throw in on this matter I will highly appreciate it.
Thanks.
Carlos, please read this review on Piracetam again carefully. And pay special attention to the sections “How does Piracetam work in the brain?” and “Piracetam to the rescue”.
You’ll notice mention over and over again of Piracetam’s affect on acetylcholine formation. But if you do not supply the raw ingredients or precursors for acetylcholine synthesis you’ll run into trouble using Piracetam.
You must stack Piracetam with a good choline source like Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline for this nootropic to function as designed. It doesn’t make any difference whether you are “acetylcholine dominant” or not. Piracetam demands to be stacked with a choline source.
And as a side note; acetylcholine does affect dopamine signaling. Not enough acetylcholine will have negative effects on the dopamine system in your brain.
Do you believe combining 9.8 grams of piracetam with 3grams of aniracetam is ‘too much’?Does the body build tolerace to these drugs?
3 grams of Aniracetam is twice as much as the highest recommended dosage which is a problem. Both affect AMPA receptors which could also be a problem. So I don’t suggest taking them together. Esp. at that high a dosage of each.
Some people do develop a tolerance to the racetams. I’ve not found that to be a problem with Aniracetam. But then I do plenty to replenish dopamine receptors and synapses which may be why I don’t need to deal with tolerance.
Hello David,
do you believe the max dosage of piracetam can be used safely long term?(9.8 grams).or 4.8 grams is better for long term use?im worried about kidney health because the deug is excreted through the kidneys but then again it is supposedly non toxic.
Stay on the cautious side and keep it at or below 4.8 grams. Some find success with even lower doses of Piracetam. I would worry about negative effects on the brain as well as the kidneys at higher doses.
Hi David , i’m from malaysia . my husband accident on march 2016 and remove skull at right side. while in ICU he got piracetam. and i got to give him around a years . but i’m not sure if its have good effect for schizophrenia . do you have any suggestion ? he even have cronic sign like : not bathing , not cleaning self like teeth brush and also changing clothes .
Maira, It’s interesting that your husband was given Piracetam while in the ICU. There have been some positive studies on Piracetam for schizophrenia: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10583700.
A search of the forums including Longecity also show some success with Piracetam. But tolerance seems to be an issue.
Thanks for the reply! I better order some more then as the packs are going to go quickly!
So just to confirm the attack dose will total 9000mg?
I come back and post my results
Thanks
James, that’s only the “attack dose” for Piracetam. If you’ve never used any of the racetams before I would be cautious about starting with such an aggressive dosage regimen. Piracetam is considered safe and has been used for many decades. But you first need to see how your body reacts when starting a new nootropic.
Hi David,
Apologies I did see you reply, and started on the above regime, will no adverse effects.
I also take choline at night, which makes for vivid dreams, it’s only been a few weeks so difficult to tell if there’s been a change, but I feel my memory has improved, could be placebo? I know it takes weeks for Piracetam to build up in the body and start taking effect so let’s see.
James, if you are experiencing vivid dreams it likely means your brain is working better than before. Long-term memories are consolidated at night. So a better working brain should result in better memory retention.
This is the kind of change that is subtle. You may not notice it right away. But one day you’ll realize you remembered some little detail that you would otherwise not have retained. And you’ll know you’re on the right track with your nootropic stack.
Hi David,
Just to confirm for dosing for piracetam. For the attack dose is it 3 x 3,000 mg and also the maintenance dose is this 1600mg per dose or 1600mg x 3.
Cheers
James
London UK
James, the attack dosage or the regular dosage for Piracetam is 3-times per day. One dose in the morning, one around noon and the last dose later in the afternoon.
Hi David,
In your dosage notes you recommend to take a choline source along with piracetam. So following your recommendation of three doses a day would I also take 3 doses of choline source (say alpha GPC) or just one? At what dosage should I take the Alpha GCP? (I have 300mg capsules).
Thanks again.
Paul, try 300 mg of Alpha GPC each time you use Piracetam. If you find you get a headache try doubling your Alpha GPC dose. If that doesn’t work then it means you’re likely low in the B-Vitamins needed for acetylcholine synthesis.
Hi David,
I have been researching about Nootropics for a while now and I need your advice. My goal is the following:
Overall – Improve raw brain power.
Specifically:
A) Short-term goal
– Mood
– Attention
– Verbal Fluency
– Working memory
B) Long term goal
– Memory retention and recall
– Speedup learning new things
– Better non-linear thinking
– Faster processing of info
– Brain’s ability to recognize patterns in things
– Mental math
– Brain’s capabilities to make me successful as an engineer
Based on the above goals, I have started taking:
1. Fish Oil – 1.2g
2. Alpha-gpc – 300mg
3. Piracetam – 2.4g
4. Bacopa 50% bacoside – 300mg pill
5. Vitamin D – 4000 IU
6. Melatonin – 3 mg (occasionally)
I would love to have your advice about my current stack and if I can change/add anything to it. My concern is about Piracetam-the information is not consistent with no real info. on dosage, longterm effect, and if it does improve my brain at all or not.
I am a very hard worker and have achieved more than what many of my peers have. My achievements are because of a lot of hard work but I feel insecure about my brain’s raw power. I feel that I have to put much more effort in many things than some of my ‘brilliant’ peers. Having a little added ‘brain power’ can help me achieve a lot more. I am not seeking nootropics as a easy way out in life, rather as a way to take on much harder challenges.
I would really appreciate your advice.
Thanks!
Sparsh, you may want to divide your Piracetam dose into 2 or 3 and use 200 mg of Alpha GPC each time. Possibly even increase Piracetam by 1 gram. I would add magnesium, a highly bio-available B-Complex and use coconut or MCT Oil each time you dose. Please check dosage instructions for each of these in the individual reviews for each nootropic.
Your brain needs the basic fundamentals for synthesizing neurotransmitters, and increasing the efficiency of receptors to make things like Piracetam work better. You’re off to a good start but need to build on what you are already doing.
Rather than making a book out of my response here I suggest you study several of the posts I wrote here: https://nootropicsexpert.com/blog/. Specifically, the posts on learning and memory, flow state, BDNF, and “13 vitamins essential …”. It’ll give you some ideas on how this all works and suggestions on what to add to your stack as well.
Don’t make massive changes all at once. Add something and see how it works for a few days. Then try something else. But the vitamins and minerals are essential no matter what you try.
I just realized, I did not thank you for your reply. Just wanted to let you know that you are a huge help! Thanks a gallon. I will hopefully get your book too in the near future. Until then, will ask a few questions on your blog – once in a while.
I appreciate it Sparsh. Good luck and thanks for visiting.
Hi David, My x wife and my son both have Schizophrenia. after many doctor visits and medication , nothing has really worked. Is there any hope in trying Piracetam ?
Henry, there have been some positive studies on Piracetam for schizophrenia: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10583700.
A search of the forums including Longecity also show some success with Piracetam. But tolerance seems to be an issue.
Dear David,
I have been reseaching a bit on piracetam since our sons epileptologist suggested to try it out. Now the thing is, my son (2,5 years old) has a very rare genetic mutation on the GRIN2B gene, which codes the NR2B subunits on the NMDA receptors. In his particular case the mutation causes inability to bind glutamate to the NMDA receptors and a slight decrease in binding of glycine. Very simplified, this causes hypofunction (or in his case more of a no-function due to inability to activate the NMDA receptors that containg NR2B subunits. So since I am quite new to all of this, I’m in search of someone that could help me understand the action of piracetam and how it at least in theory could affect a person with hypoactive nr2b containing NMDA receptors. Do you perhaps have any knowledge in this regard? TIA
Amela, we have 40 years of research on Piracetam to draw from. So what I’m about to point out only touches the surface of what’s available. Hopefully, it’ll get you started in your research.
Piracetam elevates NMDA receptor density and enhances affinity of L-glutamate for the NMDA receptor: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8234409
Piracetam alters the brain cell membrane by increasing its fluidity: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16459490
Piracetam doesn’t seem to have much anti-epileptic effect on its own, but does potentiate the effect of conventional anti-epileptics: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00702-004-0155-6
Which brings me to a nootropic I have not yet reviewed. It’s a derivative of Piracetam called Levetiracetam which one study called “The New Anti-epileptic Drug”: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1737842/pdf/v072p00426.pdf. You can read more about how Piracetam works in this pdf: http://www.ptfarm.pl/pub/File/Acta_Poloniae/2005/5/405.pdf.
Follow through on some of the links in the reference section of my main Piracetam article which will take you to more clinical studies. And can provide a clearer understanding of what science knows about Piracetam so far. Seems your epileptologist is onto something here which is encouraging in our current medical environment. Dosing Piracetam with someone this young on the other hand will mean working closely with your doctor. Please do NOT follow the dosage instructions I’ve provided in this article for someone so young.