Comment · Sat, September 7, 2013 · Ceretropic
Nootropics Research
Original post in this thread
SensicalOxymoron · 0 points
I'm interested in taking nootropics but I'm having trouble deciding which ones to take. I'm not comfortable taking psychoactive compounds just at the recommendation of anecdotes online. So how do I find good answers to questions like these?
1. I hear caffeine+theanine is good. What are its effects? Isn't caffeine addictive?
2. Which racetam should I take? If I'm taking a racetam, should I take choline with it? If so, in which form? Alpha-GPC, CDP choline, choline bitartrate?
3. Should I take panax ginseng? Should I take ginkgo biloba? Mucuna pruriens? Bacopa monnieri? Ashwagandha? Sulbutiamine? Huperzine A? Vinpocetine? What does each of these really do?
I've read examine.com but I don't find the cited studies convincing. I like Examine's human effect matrix but each effect's potency is based on usually just a small number of studies, rarely more than 3, and many of these studies are done on old people or people with Alzheimer's or other memory problems. But I'm a healthy young person so these studies don't seem to show that these substances would help me. I've also seen gwern but that also seems to consist of anecdotes.
Summary: how do I learn about nootropics?
What they were answering
Direct reply to the original post — see the thread post above.
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb · Ceretropic
Lots and lots of searching. Use /r/Scholar to get you the full studies you find interesting on Google Scholar.