Piracetam for social anxiety

Piracetam

David Tomen
Author:
David Tomen
14 minute read
Piracetam has been shown to increase Cerebral Circulation, improve creativity and verbal fluency, boost memory, learning and recall, improve mood, and for the treatment of Tardive Dyskinesia


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, the drug 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 cognitive function and learning and memory.

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: Randomized controlled trials show Piracetam increases blood flow in the brain.[vi] Better blood flow delivers more oxygen and nutrients to neurons improving cognition, memory and focus.

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]

Piracetam
Piracetam

 

 

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 piracetam like drugs (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 therapy significantly improves learning and memory.

Piracetam also increases regional 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.

Piracetam-improves-cerebral-circulation

How does Piracetam work in the Brain?

Piracetam boosts brain health and function in several ways. But two in particular stand out.

  1. 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 the pharmacological properties of Piracetam treatment 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. Studies show that nootropics like piracetam might act in part by restoring age-related deficits of central muscarinic cholinergic receptor density. 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.

  1. Piracetam increases cerebral blood flow. Several studies have shown how Piracetam positively influences brain blood flow. Cerebral blood flow is critical for cognitive function and the highly optimized brain. Blood delivers oxygen and local cerebral glucose utilization 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 treatment 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 declinesPiracetam boosts acetylcholine

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 benefits

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-improves-brain-blood-flow

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 within 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.

And clinical research shows Piracetam may reduce the incidence of painful sickle cell disease crises in those suffering from sickle cell anemia.. But the research is limited and some studies dispute the clinical efficacy of using Piracetam for sickle cell anemia.

Piracetam boosts the use of 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.

Piracetam-improves-memory-and-creativity

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.

Piracetam Clinical Research

Piracetam-reduces-social-anxietyWe 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 disorders 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 and for boosting brain function.[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 I 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 the metabolic enhancer Piracetam is able to repair mitochondria in those with mild Alzheimer’s and return cell function back to normal.[xxii]

Piracetam for the Treatment of Tardive Dyskinesia

Tardive Dyskinesia is a serious, and often disabling movement disorder often caused by meds that are used to block dopamine receptors.

There is no current standard treatment for this disorder in mainstream medicine.

But this is where nootropics come to the rescue once again. A study conducted at Be’er Sheva Mental Health Center at Ben-Gurion University in Israel with 40 patients suffering with Tardive Dyskinesia.

Study participants were randomly assigned either 4,800 mg/day of Piracetam or a placebo for 4 weeks. The study authors concluded at the end of the study “Piracetam appears to be effective in reducing symptoms of tardive dyskinesia.”

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.Piracetam-dosage

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]

Where to buy Piracetam

Piracetam is sold in tablet, capsule and powder form. Tablets and capsules are usually 800 mg each.

I recommend Cosmic Nootropic – Piracetam or Science.bio – Piracetam who sell Piracetam as a “research” compound. It is sold to be used in an academic laboratory research setting. They go on to state “nothing we sell is intended for nor is it manufactured for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes in humans.”

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

Nootropics Expert Tested and ApprovedI 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 enhance cognitive functioning, 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.

I recommend Cosmic Nootropic – Piracetam or Science.bio – Piracetam

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may also contain other affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

[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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Join The Discussion - 205 comments

Milan
November 6, 2022

Apologises, borage oil with Linoleic acid 700 mg and Alpha Lipoic acid 300 mg is what i meant.

Milan
November 6, 2022

Hi, thanks for you’re suggestion, these doctors are also doing research on this. What they gave me is: 2000 iu Vitamin D, B6 50 Mg, smaller B-Complex with 700 mg Alpha Lipoic acid, 560 mg of Reshi mushroom combination with Vitamin C and 800 mg Piracetam without Choline in the beginning.

Begin to use 1600 mg with Choline a day, if you notice positive effects. Using Lions Mane is my own choice, if i decide to do that, could I take 500 mg or 1g with Piracetam? 800 mg Piracetam without Choline, will i get negative side effects in days or weeks?

Thank you

    David Tomen
    November 7, 2022

    Milan, if you get a racetam-headache you’ll know you need to start supplementing with CDP-Choline. Alpha Lipoic Acid will not do it on its own.

Michael King
November 3, 2022

Is it legal (FDA approved) in America and if not whats a good place to order it?

    David Tomen
    November 3, 2022

    Michael, Piracetam is not “illegal” in the USA. But like the rest of the racetams it is not considered a dietary supplement either. The racetams are sold as “research compounds” usually “not for human consumption”. That is the FDA talking courtesy of Big Pharma. And I am not aware of anyone selling Piracetam in the USA right now.

Eddy
October 29, 2022

Please my friend, i don’t mean to be annoying with writing many posts, but i saw that the commens are waiting for moderation, that’s why i make more attempts than usual. I have seen that you have not included Piracetam for Depression, but i watched an interview of a doctor explaining that Piracetam.
works on literally everything and my doctor who is a quality and have successfully treated many patients post covid, gave me 800 mg only 1 tablet without Choline to take for 3 months, what is you’re opinion of this and could this dose work in 2 weeks, like reportedly it does for many? Aniracetam as i have understood, can already work in 1 week for many.

    David Tomen
    October 29, 2022

    Eddy, the recommended nootropic dosage for Piracetam is 1,600 mg 3-times per day with a choline supplement each time you take it. Either 300 mg Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline. Most report a noticeable benefit from Piracetam after about 2 weeks.

    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.

    Aniracetam on the other hand seems to provide its benefits much quicker. And the dose is far less. The recommended dosage for Aniracetam is 750 mg 2 or 3-times per day. Again, with a choline supplement each time you take Aniracetam.

    800 mg of Piracetam without a choline supplement is unlikely to provide the type of benefit you’d expect from using this racetam.

    Scroll up to the section above called “How does Piracetam feel?” for the expected benefits that people report.

      Milan
      October 30, 2022

      Thanks for answer. This will be my name forward, heheh.

      She told me to take Piracetam a couple of months to clear up my mind a bit, but it’s weird that she would give me this dose if it has minimal effect like you are saying. She’s a quality doctor, a lot of people come to her. My other option is Lion’s Mane, i have already used Reishi for many months with noticeable benefits, It helped a lot for sleep, calming down the inflammations and so on.

      They think i have long covid syndrom,neuropathy and possibly PTSD from this experience, it has been a long time. Would you reccomend Lions Mane for this? 1g in capsule form from the company Freshcap whole fruiting body is what i bought.

      Thank you and all the best.

        David Tomen
        November 3, 2022

        Milan, I have developed a protocol for Long-COVID which I will share with you if you schedule a consultation with me. I haven’t had the time to write an article about it yet.

        But that dose for Piracetam is standard when prescribed as a drug. The recommended dosage I published is for nootropic use and based on decades of reports by other neurohackers.

      Milan
      October 30, 2022

      Also, i got, told that Piracetam is more researched than Lions Mane and it would be my own choice taking Lions, in a way experimenting. is this true?

      I have seen many science backed studies, mostly on Animals though. According to an article atleast, Freshcap is a top 3 company in the US and Canada and some claimed that their content is similar to the Realmushrooms company.

        David Tomen
        November 3, 2022

        Milan, I do not not a thing about the company so can not comment on whether they are trustworthy or not. The father and son who own and run Real Mushrooms have been growing mushrooms for decades and are pioneers in that field.

        You would need to put in the time to research to find out if Piracetam has more peer-reviewed studies backing it than Lion’s Mane. It very well could be. But Piracetam has only been around since 1964. Lion’s Mane Mushroom has been around for at least 3 – 4,000 years.

        Milan
        November 6, 2022

        Hi David, I didn’t realize that Alpha Lipoic acid boosts Acetylcholine. So, do I really need the choline with 300 mg Alpha Lipoic Acid? Thanks

        David Tomen
        November 7, 2022

        Milan, Alpha Lipoic Acid increases acetylcholine (ACh) production by activation of choline acetyltransferase and increases glucose uptake, thus supplying more acetyl-CoA for the production of acetylcholine.

        But that is assuming you have enough choline in your brain for choline acetyltransferase to work with. If not, then it’s a good idea to use CDP-Choline or Alpha GPC to supply that choline.

Milan
October 29, 2022

Hi, i wrote a comment yesterday, i saw that it’s waiting for moderation, does it take many days before it shows up eventually? Thank you, best regards.

    David Tomen
    October 29, 2022

    Milan, I get to comments and questions as quickly as I can. Sorry for the delay.

Oki
October 28, 2022

Hey David, how are you. Can i ask you, i have had several issues after the vaccine, i had high pulse and insomnia for 6 months and found that taking Reishi has helped a lot in calming it down and getting back the sleep after a long time. A year later, [edited for length]

    David Tomen
    October 29, 2022

    Oki, I cannot read a block of text. Please ask your question in 2 or 3 sentences so I can easily understand what you are trying to fix.

Ed
April 25, 2022

Hi David,

Do you have any suggestions on how I can “turn off” the effects of Piracetam before bed? In terms of cognitive benefits, 3600-4800mg of Piracetam/day has been a game changer for me. However, after months of experimentation, I’ve found that Piracetam is directly responsible for causing me severe insomnia (which lasts for 3-4 days after the last dosage).

Specifically, it causes me to wake up after only 3-5 hours of sleep, and I am completely unable to fall back asleep no matter what I do or take. I have tried numerous sleep supplements to try and fix this issue (including your recommended sleep stack). However, nothing seems to work. I have also tried the fat soluble Aniracetam as a Piracetam substitute, but at least for my brain, it doesn’t even come close to what Piracetam does.

And so, I’m basically stuck in this conundrum of either not taking Piracetam and losing my brain, or taking Piracetam and losing my brain (through lack of sleep). Could you please recommend any supplements that can safely counteract the effects of Piracetam during my sleeping hours?

    David Tomen
    April 25, 2022

    Ed, I do not know of any way to ‘counteract” Piracetam’s effects. I don’t think you can other than not using it. You may want to try a search of one of the forums and see if anyone has a suggestion. Try https://www.longecity.org/forum/ or Redditt.

      Ed
      April 25, 2022

      Got it, thank you David – I will check the forums again. Please let me know if you think of anything.

      Thank you,
      Ed

Wong
April 15, 2022

Hi David! So you can’t feel fatigue as side effect from using piracetam?

    David Tomen
    April 15, 2022

    Wong, it could feel like fatigue if you are deficient in acetylcholine.

      Leonardo
      June 10, 2023

      I have been using piracetam and cdp choline for 2 weeks. But I always feel tired.

        David Tomen
        June 12, 2023

        If you only starting feeling tired since you started using Piracetam, then it could be Piracetam is the wrong supplement for you.

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