What Are Nootropics?

The term nootropics comes from the words for mind (nous) and turning/bending (trepein). The word includes everything from caffeine to prescription medicine. Some people even include a healthier diet, better sleep, and exercise in their definition of the word. However, for most people the expression is a synonym for cognitive enhancers. In short, nootropics are substances intended to have a beneficial effect on the mind.

What are the main effects of Nootropics?

The benefits of nootropics are diverse but the most common have to do with brain health, brain performance, and mood.

A few examples are Bacopa Monnieri and Alpha GPC for learning and memory and L-Carnitine for reasoning and energy.

There are several different reasons as to why nootropic substances improve different functions. Some are used as building blocks in the body’s own production of compounds helping cognitive function, others can be used as fuel or facilitate body functions such as blood flow or metabolism. Knowing what you want to achieve and when will make it possible for you to use the right nootropic for the right occasion. Researching the effects of what the nootropics do will help you find your edge.

Stacking

When you use several nootropic agents together it is called stacking, and doing so allows the different nootropics to complement each other. An example would be that high concentrations of the compound l-theanine (found in green and black tea) is known to reduce the anxiety that can be caused by caffeine.

A common recommendation is to personally try the easier, more readily available kinds of nootropics (like green tea, LGND or creatine) and compare the effects on your performance over time.

Read all about the nootropics in LGND here.

Be a legend.