Post: #101

(01-04-2013 01:33 PM)DVY Wrote:  A couple people I knew from Vegas would crush up Ritalin/Addeal and snort it when drinking.

They got all cracked out, but had super-human drinking abilities. Thoughts?

I know a few guys who do that too. Not sure of the science behind it, but they claim that it speeds up your metabolism and your body processes the alcohol faster.

I also realized that if I take Adderall during the day my tolerance is noticeably higher if I go out drinking that night.

Post: #102

Anyone here have any experience with Modafinil? I've been watching Good looking loser and Tim Ferris and I might give it a shot..always been fascinated with elevating brain function..loved the film Limitless

Post: #103

Trying noopept. Appears to be doing something.

Post: #104

A good quality fish oil.I take omega via. Research also suggests that lions mane mushroom improves cognitive function. I would buy from fungiperfecti. Paul stamets is the premier mushroom prophet. He was featured in discover magazine recently.

Mushrooms are amazing. There are species that are used to clean up oil spills and some are being used to suck up radioactive cessium in fukishima. Other species produce antibiotics and anti virals. Others can even can produce diesel like fuels from trash.

Post: #105

(06-25-2013 10:48 AM)Moma Wrote:  Anyone here have any experience with Modafinil? I've been watching Good looking loser and Tim Ferris and I might give it a shot..always been fascinated with elevating brain function..loved the film Limitless

Awesome stuff, this nootropic is in a class of it's own.

It has effects similar to stimulants (e.g. ritalin, caffeine) in that focus is slightly increased and appetite reduced, but it's main effect is that it reduces your need for sleep by 75%.

If you did an all-nighter (usually need at least 2 separate doses of 200mg each) and stayed up til the next night, the subsequent sleep debt would only be an extra 2 hours of sleep that night (instead of an extra 8 hours sleep, you only sleep an extra 2 hours). It is in effect pseudo-life extension.

I find that it's difficult to stay focused on being productive for 2 whole days and a night however, so it becomes pointless to pull all-nighters for me. Tolerance also quickly builds up if you take 600mg+ a week, so I now use it in two different ways:

1) Daytime use to increase focus (my productivity increases by at least 80% on days when I take it)

2) Reducing sleep debt - if I've been missing out on a few hours of sleep here and there, I just pop some modafinil to feel good as new and maintain my normal sleep schedule

Modafinil is by far my favourite nootropic, but I also have to recommend piracetam as a close second. Daily use, cheap as hell and massively boosts creative problem-solving, A+.

Post: #106

(06-25-2013 03:58 PM)Valentine Wrote:  

(06-25-2013 10:48 AM)Moma Wrote:  Anyone here have any experience with Modafinil? I've been watching Good looking loser and Tim Ferris and I might give it a shot..always been fascinated with elevating brain function..loved the film Limitless

Awesome stuff, this nootropic is in a class of it's own.

It has effects similar to stimulants (e.g. ritalin, caffeine) in that focus is slightly increased and appetite reduced, but it's main effect is that it reduces your need for sleep by 75%.

It sounds useful short term, but it's a little hard to believe just permanently reduces your sleep need without any side-effects.

I know when I was taking Ritalin, I didn't crash the first day without it after I used it-- it was the _second_ day.

For instance, if I took Ritalin Monday and was more productive, then didn't take it Tuesday I still felt good. But Wednesday and still not taking it was when i would feel slow as my neurotrasmitters re-regulated.

Post: #107

(06-25-2013 03:58 PM)Valentine Wrote:  Awesome stuff, this nootropic is in a class of it's own.

It has effects similar to stimulants (e.g. ritalin, caffeine) in that focus is slightly increased and appetite reduced, but it's main effect is that it reduces your need for sleep by 75%.

If you did an all-nighter (usually need at least 2 separate doses of 200mg each) and stayed up til the next night, the subsequent sleep debt would only be an extra 2 hours of sleep that night (instead of an extra 8 hours sleep, you only sleep an extra 2 hours). It is in effect pseudo-life extension.

I find that it's difficult to stay focused on being productive for 2 whole days and a night however, so it becomes pointless to pull all-nighters for me. Tolerance also quickly builds up if you take 600mg+ a week, so I now use it in two different ways:

1) Daytime use to increase focus (my productivity increases by at least 80% on days when I take it)

2) Reducing sleep debt - if I've been missing out on a few hours of sleep here and there, I just pop some modafinil to feel good as new and maintain my normal sleep schedule

Modafinil is by far my favourite nootropic, but I also have to recommend piracetam as a close second. Daily use, cheap as hell and massively boosts creative problem-solving, A+.

Where did you get it and for how much?

Post: #108

(06-25-2013 05:40 PM)iknowexactly Wrote:  It sounds useful short term, but it's a little hard to believe just permanently reduces your sleep need without any side-effects.

I know when I was taking Ritalin, I didn't crash the first day without it after I used it-- it was the _second_ day.

For instance, if I took Ritalin Monday and was more productive, then didn't take it Tuesday I still felt good. But Wednesday and still not taking it was when i would feel slow as my neurotrasmitters re-regulated.

Look into the research yourself as well but the many studies have been done and there are little if any side effects for even up to 40 hours of sleep deprivation. Modafinil has been termed a 'wakefulness-promoter' rather than a classic stimulant like Ritalin which doesn't reduce sleep need and instead merely makes you feel fully alert.

The downside with Modafinil is that tolerance builds up quickly. I take around 400mg a week, I'd limit dosage to 600mg so that you can enjoy the extra time per week permanently.

Here's some more info:
http://www.gwern.net/Modafinil
http://www.bulletproofexec.com/why-you-a...eficiency/
http://boldanddetermined.com/2012/07/12/...modafinil/
http://sebastianmarshall.com/my-experien...-modafinil

(06-25-2013 06:52 PM)Moma Wrote:  Where did you get it and for how much?

An online pharmacy, though it is fairly easy to get prescribed if you describe the symptoms of shift work sleep disorder. I paid about 60p per 200mg so it's a pretty cheap nootropic.

Post: #109

I find it somewhat strange that I read through this whole thread, and found little attention given to the benefits of coconut oil for brain health. Of course, besides considering nutrition, I believe that adequate sleep and excerise are also important.

Regarding nutrition, ketogenic diets have ben shown to reduce the instances of seizures – that is a diet that is high in fat and low in carbs. Ketogenic diets are intended to assist in kicking some of the various carb addictions that many of us will suffer if we follow a standard American diet.

Coconut oil has been used in the treatment of alzheimers.

There are three kinds of Omega 3’s, and the most important are EPA and DHA, which you can receive from fish or from supplements. ALA is gotten mostly from plants, and is converted to EPA and DHA (but humans do NOT convert this as well as some animals, such as cows). I suggest cod liver oil and sardines – few times a week for assisting to maintain sufficiently high EPA and DHA levels.

I’m all for attempting all natural when possible and thinking about the long-term benefits in following some kind of lifestyle that is sustainable, which may also include various kinds of brain exercise activities, yet maybe every once in a while it may also be o.k. to use some kind of short-term stimulant… such as some of the drugs that were mentioned in this thread – though I would hesitate to take any of those drugs more than a couple of times a month, unless you really need them for some medical treatment – because I frequently worry about the long-term side effects that have NOT been discovered with the particular drug but frequently seem to be found out with other drugs after the fact. In those cases, I extrapolate that if our bodies are NOT biologically trained in using various man made drugs, then don’t make any drugs a habit.. unless you are fairly assured about the necessity and/or benefits that you are receiving from it.

Post: #110

I take Omega 3 and the Focus Formula
http://www.amazon.com/Windmill-Products-...us+formula

The Focus Formula appears to work for me. My job requires a lot of focus, and I can focus better when I take one pill every morning.

Post: #111

This may have been covered, but anyone tried this:



http://www.amazon.com/Onnit-Labs-Nootrop...B007N9217Q

Quote:The idea behind the Alpha BrainTM dietary supplement was to create the first ever fully balanced nootropic. Alpha GPC and Huperzia Serrata maximize acetylcholine levels while other ingredients assist in elevating dopamine and GABA levels, crucial components to remaining calm, focused, and mentally driven. Our vinpocetine assists in delivering oxygen and nutrients to the brain via increased blood flow, and the combination of neuro-specific antioxidants, led by our proprietary AC-11¨ helps to clear away mental fog and reduce free radical burden. The result experienced by many of our satisfied customers is an extraordinary combination of lucid dreams, mental drive, focus, memory, and mental acuity.

Thoughts?

Post: #112

(11-11-2013 12:04 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Thoughts?

Not to be Hating, but I do NOT take products merely because of their claims (including the name "alpha brain"). It is like if they label it Alpha then what? The product advert can claim whatever it wants. I am quite skeptical right from the start when a product does NOT show its list of ingredients on the Amazon page, so then I did a
Google search, and I find this article, which in the body of the article describe some of the ingredients.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/alpha-brai...633865.htm


But, I remain skeptical and I am fairly turned off by the idea of something promoting itself as vegetarian.. i guess that is another way of saying that I am hating on the idea of vegetarian being good for guys or our brains.

I'm also hating the idea of extracting a variety of items from foods, rather than eating the whole foods may be better.... and maybe a little supplementation is o.k., but in my humble opinion our concentration should be on getting most our nutrients from foods and avoiding certain bad foods that contain many ingredients that we do NOT know.

I think that the studies on the brain using ketones as fuel in epilepsy cases would go somewhat against the idea of vegetarianism... however, even vegetarians could increase their consumption of coconut oil, which has been shown to be good. It does NOT seem that any of the ingredients in "Alpha Brain" is coconut? hm? But then the ingredients contained there-in are foreign to me, and I do NOT even know how much of the active ingredients are in the pill. Then the article says trust the company.

There has been some recent press on a variety of supplements that contain fillers and do NOT contain the claimed active ingredients, but companies are NOT being named in the recent press... so consumers do NOT know which companies to trust.

Example of one article in line with some of the recent press:
http://www.ibtimes.com/are-herbal-supple...rice-weeds

@G Those are some of my thoughts. Have you tried this Alpha Brain product out or found any other supplement or practices that you find particularly convincing or useful?

Post: #113

Did try Alpha Brain after listening to Onnit being plugged on the Joe Rogan Podcast.
Not bad, found the effects subtle, but still noticeable, and I found my attention wandered less when I took one before/after breakfast.
I didn't take it every day, because I didn't have a consistent routine, so I can't say what the cumulative effect of
1 a day for 30 days would be like (or 2 a day for 15 days-why only 30 in a bottle? are they worried about overdosing?)
Overall though, did notice I could read/focus better and for longer on days when I was taking it than not.
Still, I think it's either a bit overhyped, or the effects Rogan and Aubrey Marcus talk about are a result of longer-term use.
Didn't get any lucid or vivid dreams, but meh, I doubt anyone buys it for that.
I might get another bottle if only to test it out properly

Post: #114

I'd say Phenibut and Selegeline + PEA combo. Noopept seems promising, as well.

Post: #115

Adderall is the best short term drug for your brain but it will fry your dopamine receptors with frequent use.
Pramiracetem supposedly gives photographic memory if used for 6+ months.

Post: #116

Bumping this thread. Any recent review of Alpha brain? I’d like to try something to help me focus studying. I’ve tried Super HD from GNC before, it’s a diet supplement that gave me intense focus. I stopped taking it because I noticed I was easily getting agitated. I want to try something else again, but not adderall or provigil. Looking for other recommendations. I drink a lot of coffee but recently it’s no longer cutting it.

Post: #117

(12-18-2018 05:16 AM)Krabbypatty Wrote:  Bumping this thread. Any recent review of Alpha brain? I’d like to try something to help me focus studying. I’ve tried Super HD from GNC before, it’s a diet supplement that gave me intense focus. I stopped taking it because I noticed I was easily getting agitated. I want to try something else again, but not adderall or provigil. Looking for other recommendations. I drink a lot of coffee but recently it’s no longer cutting it.

You can try Modafinil (or Armodafinil) as written above. Been using for two years haphazardly, almost always working. Pop a pill at 6-7AM then I am good for the day. Slight but noticable concentration improvement and reduced appetite (which is crucial for me, as I cant focus after my first meal). One minor drawback is it can increases anxiety on some (such as caffeine).

It's still cheapish, though it depends on where you live. There are numerous online "pharmacies" selling it without prescription.

Post: #118

Although it is not the answer that people were looking for, but as someone who sometimes forgets to just drink water, water can be a powerful brain supplement. The problem is that I am naturally a very focused person and the day could never be long enough for me, but yeah I forget to drink water. So if you are a person who is naturally very focused and complains about headaches, always always drink some water.

Post: #119

Never tried Alpha Brain or any other of these questionable supplements.

If you go over to r/nootropics the consensus for a quick and safe nootropic stack seems to be caffeine plus theacrine. Caffeine for the stimulating effect, theacrine to calm and help you focus. I personally have not done this stack yet, however I take the natural version all the time, which is matcha green tea. With that stuff I definitely can work better.

Post: #120

Sleep.

Hydrate.

Wake with the sun.

Don't drink, smoke, or use drugs.

Engage in meaningful, recurring actions that show your loved ones that you love them.

Realize when you're in a culture that isn't a good match for you, and GTFO, there's a whole world to choose from.

Realize your actions may not be your own, you're constantly being marketed to in order to convince you to buy drugs, stay out late drinking, take on debt to buy new cars, buy a house you can't afford, pay for a sometimes worthless education, and do a job you hate every day in order to pay for it all. If you're unable to filter through this constant marketing assault, your mental health will be affected.

Engage in work with a good short term and long term ROI.

Be thankful.

Post: #121

Caffeine has unparalleled efficacy, evidence, and demonstrated safety. Fr both cognitive and athletic performance.

By the way, has the Army produced their research paper to show the optimal dosages and times to take it? That paper came out earlier this year and I believe was going to be an app as a human service project.

Post: #122

Was there a definite answer on whether modafinil has other effects (increased anxiety, increased focus/motivation,makes you anti-social) or does it just keep you alert for a period of time? was always wondering that also guessing whatever supplement cernovich posted in the beginning is pretty solid

Post: #123

Say what you want about Adderall, but the shit works. I work in sales and most of the top performers use a lot of it often. I use it infrequently as I worry about the long term effects.

Post: #124

I've heard if you're working on a big project, 12 hours a day for a stint Adderall gives you an edge. Its hard to stay mentally focussed on computer screens and meetings for that long. I would consider it if I had something short term where I needed total focus. I would be wary of taking it for an extended period of time. All that said I've never used it.

@KidTwist - Props to Caffeine. An Americano is my personal favourite delivery method.

Also, gym works, and healthy living.

Post: #125

Probably Modafinil (and other related ones). Read a study that it yielded better results, and more creative/ productive thinking than Adderall or caffeine. Moda improves brain function, speed just is a basic stimulant meanwhile.

Add to that some caffeine and you'll be good.

All things considered, the best thing is to take vitamins, eat healthy, get adequate sleep and work out. There's no substitute really.