Brain Booster, what is it?
A brain booster is a broad term for all kind of ingredients that can boost your brain. Whether we are talking about a prescription drug like Ritalin or a natural plant extract. Both fall under the category of a brain booster. Luckily we see an upcoming trend in the interest for natural plant extracts which often have far fewer negative effects than pharmaceutical solutions.
Dr. Ray Sahelian is a family practitioner in Marina Del Ray, California and the author of the book Mind Boosters. He defines brain boosters as such: “It could mean several things. It could mean herbs or nutrients that enhance clarity of thinking, alertness, focus, concentration, memory, and even mood.
It’s always a good idea to make sure to research any brain booster you are interested in experimenting with. Knowing the proper dosage and sticking to the minimum effective dose will help you get the most out of your brain booster supplementation regimen.”
Lately with public figures like Joe Rogan, Dave Asprey and Tim Ferriss speaking about their success with brain booster products it seems they are becoming more and more mainstream. Multiple articles in 2016 for instance noted the rise in popularity of nootropic, brain booster and “smart drug” type products.
All supplements are not created equal though. There are natural or synthetic compounds that can positively influence your brain in a healthy way. For the discerning cognitive enhancer it’s important to make sure you’re using the proper tools in your bio-hacking arsenal.
Is using a Brain Booster safe?
Are brain booster compounds safe? This depends on whether we are talking about appealing to the pharmaceutical industry and prescription drugs to boost your brain or if we are talking about natural plant extracts. Whether or not to determine if a prescription drug to boost your brain is safe for you, you will have to contact your local doctor. He will determine if a specific drug is suitable for you. Mostly these kind of drugs are prescribed when you have a certain medical condition.
When we are talking about supplements containing natural ingredients, we can give you advice. At MINDSCOPIC® we developed a nootropic with the help of industry experts. Also, the formula is 100% is in line with the strict EU regulation. By combining the perfect dosage form, we created a food supplement which helped many people before reach an advantage in concentration and focus.
What is the difference between nootropics and “smart drugs” and other cognitive enhancers?
The term “nootropic” and “cognitive enhancer” and “smart drugs” “are often used as if they are synonyms. In actuality nootropics are generally cognitive enhancers and could be called “smart drugs” but not all cognitive enhancers are nootropic. In order to be a true nootropic substance, the compound will have few side effects and follow a strict criteria for nootropic brain boosters set by the father of nootropics, Dr. Corneliu Giurgea. Nootropics will be cognitive enhancing, neuroprotective and relatively non-toxic with few sides. The same can’t be said for all cognitive enhancers and “smart drugs”.
Adderall for instance, prescribed for ADD, is widely considered a “smart drug” or study aid, but long term use can actually be neurotoxic which is contrary to any bio-hacking cognitive enhancer’s long term goals.
The full criteria set forth by Dr. Giurgea for nootropic brain boosters is as follows:
- The substance should enhance memory and ability to learn.
- The substance should help the brain function under disruptive conditions, such as hypoxia (low oxygen) and electroconvulsive shock.
- The substance should protect the brain from chemical and physical assaults, such as anti-cholinergic drugs and barbiturates.
- The substance should increase the efficacy of neuronal firing control mechanisms in cortical and sub cortical regions of the brain.
- The substance should lack a generalized sedative or stimulatory effect. It should possess few-no side effects and be virtually non toxic.
Will using brain boosters work overnight?
Many brain booster products, whether they are synthetic compounds or naturally occuring plant products, will take some time for you to experience full effects. Many nootropics work in a similar way to vitamins, in fact some brain booster substances are closely related in chemical structure to vitamins. These are occasionally called pseudo-vitamins.
As for when you should receive the full benefits of a brain booster, that depends on the supplement you’re using as well as factors regarding your own physiological make up and other factors. Different brain booster products have different effects. Many times you will notice some effect from the first use. Others however may not even notice the subtle cognitive lift because a truly nootropic brain booster won’t drastically affect the way you feel.
Though many brain booster products may have an immediate and mild effect, some will increase in effectiveness as you continue to use them. It’s always a good time to cycle off of brain booster supplements once in a while to prevent build up of tolerance to the effects. The body and brain have an internal homeostasis and when any outside compound, whether it’s a natural brain booster or a synthetic nootropic, will eventually result in the body and brain finding a way to return physiological functioning to baseline.
So remember, you may get immediate results from a brain booster, but continued use will most likely increase the experience of these effects. Cycling off occasionally and keeping to the minimum effective dosage will not only preserve the experience of the brain booster effects but will also save you some money in the long run.
What if a brain booster product doesn’t work for me?
There are many types of brain booster products available. From vitamins like the b-complex to various plant based products to nootropics and even pharmaceutical drugs like modafinil or Ritalin, not all brain boosters work alike. There can be several possible factors that will affect how much of a response you will receive from a specific brain booster product.
If you experience no effect from a brain booster there are a few possible reasons for this. One of course is genetic and physiologically based. We are learning more and more about the human genome and one thing that has been discovered is that certain persons, due to their genetic make up, will be more responsive or less responsive to certain drugs, supplements or brain booster products. If you receive little response to a brain booster it could possibly be due to your personal genetic make up.
Another possible reason is that you may have received a counterfeit brain booster. As interest in brain booster products grows some unscrupulous fly by night scammers will always try to make a quick buck at the expense of consumers. This is why it’s important to always make sure to verify that the brain booster you are using comes from a reliable source.
Another possibility is interaction with other brain booster products. We talk about stacking in our FAQ. Stacking is combining brain booster components in a way that increases their effectiveness through synergy. Some brain booster products may actually have an antagonistic effect however. If you haven’t fully done your research you might take one brain booster and another product cancels out the effect. This can also result from taking a brain booster that works in the same way (has the same “mechanism of action”) leading to something called cross-tolerance.
Remember when we were talking about homeostasis? Certain neurotransmitters will automatically downregulate or upregulate production of a neurotransmitter if you are using a certain brain booster to intense at too great a dose. An example of this would be caffeine. One of the ways caffeine works as a brain booster is by blocking the neurotransmitter adenosine. Adenosine is shaped very similarly to caffeine so the caffeine molecule fits right into the adenosine subreceptor spot blocking adenosine. Since adenosine signals that the body and brain have done work and are tired, your brain will produce more adenosine through a process called up-regulation. This is why drinking too much coffee builds tolerance and can eventually lead to withdrawal.
How can I get the most out of using a brain booster?
First off, make sure you’ve done your homework. Don’t put anything into your body until you’ve at least learned what it does and what it is for. Not all brain booster products are created equal and as we mentioned, some “smart drugs” aren’t so smart when you just take more. To get the most out of a brain booster supplement you should make sure to use it in the proper dosage and schedule as we mention before.
If you’re really committed to cognitive enhancing and the bio-hacker lifestyle, you should make sure using a brain booster isn’t the only tool in your bio-hacker toolbox. Brain boosters are not a “magic bullet.” They won’t make you smarter over night without studying for instance and should only be supplemental to your primary cognitive enhancement strategy.
Always make sure to maintain a proper baseline first off. A way to do this is eating a proper nutritious diet and getting proper sleep and exercise. You can also jump start your bio-hacking and brain booster battle plan by using things like biometrics available through wristbands like the Fitbit or certain smartphone or smartwatch apps. Platforms like QuantifiedSelf are also very helpful for bio-hackers looking to track their performance. Tracking your cognitive performance through regular testing is the most objective and scientific way to see how your brain booster regimen is helping. Keeping accurate notes about diet, exercise and supplements taken plotted against your performance will help you figure out your personal winning combination of tactics that lead to peak performance for you.
What are other ways to get the most out of a brain booster?
Keeping your brain active and fit is a daily challenge. Like bodybuilding, it takes diligence to maintain peak performance. Muscles are built through a process that tears down the tissue and then during recovery the ripped tissue grows back stronger. The brain operates in a very similar way. Learning new things means new connections in the neural net. A tighter neural network means a more efficient and sharper brain.
Don’t leave it all up to whatever brain booster you are using either. Remember that your brain is one of the most energy demanding of all your body systems. This makes sense considering it is the literal command center for the rest of the bodily systems. Eating well, exercising and proper sleep have a brain booster effect all their own. Relying on “smart drugs” like modafinil or ADD medication may be a short cut to getting things done but if you’re looking for maximum gains in the long term make sure to eat a heart and brain healthy diet. Choline rich food and Omega 3’s found in fish oil, eggs, nuts are vital to the brain.
Supplements are just that a supplement to what you’re already doing right. You won’t get the best results if you’re using a brain booster supplement to mask unhealthy habits elsewhere. Proper exercise is closely related to blood flow and oxygenation of the brain. Exercise and nutrition along with proper sleep are step one, step two should be your brain booster.
Do you have any further questions regarding supplements to boost your brainpower?
This article is by no means an exhaustive introduction to the subject of brain booster products. You very well may have several more unanswered questions related to various topics involving brain boosters. If you are looking for more specific information regarded to brain booster compounds in general or MINDSCOPIC® products in specific you should stay tuned to our blog for more informative reports and articles. If you have a more urgent question regarding MINDSCOPIC® or other brain booster supplements or you’re just wanting to learn more about the broad range of plant extracts that can boost your brainpower then please don’t hesitate to drop us a line at [email protected].
You can also leave questions and suggestions as a comment below this article. We’re looking forward to hearing from you and helping you on your journey to bio-hacker success using brain boosters. We do our best to respond to all email inquiries within 24 hours of receipt. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind Regards,
Team MINDSCOPIC®