Today’s top jobs are filled with professionals who need to be the best at what they do. For many of us, there is no more room for “good enough” in the hyper-competitive world of 2021. And that’s why more and more young professionals are turning to Nootropics as a means to boost brainpower and stay ahead of the game without the costly side effects of prescription medication. But as they’ve grown in popularity, “Nootropics” has become more of an umbrella term that could refer to any number of drugs that that may increase cognitive function.

Today, we’re going to be focusing on one of the original and most popular Nootropics called Piracetam. You may have heard the term “Racetam” before, and that’s because there are a whole group of Nootropics that fall into the Racetam family, with Piracetam being chief among them. So before we start breaking down all the information on Piracetam, let’s take a quick look at the Racetam family, and their effects as Nootropics.

What are Racetams?

Racetams are manufactured Nootropics and contain many of the effective properties of natural ones. Within the family of Nootropics, Racetams are identified by the similarities in their chemical structures, and they all have a wide array of therapeutic effects on the body. Many of them operate by increasing the flow of blood, oxygen, glucose, or other nutrients through the body.  The more your brain is supplied with these elements, the better your brain will function. That means heightened concentration and focus, increased brain stamina, and a reduction in the degeneration of brain cells.

For the most part, Racetams trigger the glutamate receptors that are contained within the same cells as the cholinergic receptors. Glutamate and acetylcholine, two important neurotransmitters, play a vital role in cognitive function, and human action, and are on the receiving end of these receptors.

Glutamate exists in various parts of the body, but its highest concentration is in the nervous system and the brain. It is responsible for making sure that signals between nerve cells send correctly, and it plays an extremely important role in learning and memory.

Acetylcholine, on the other hand, is the most widely used neurotransmitter in the body, and is responsible for activating cholinergic receptors. At the center of the parasympathetic nervous system, Acetylcholine works to restore the feeling of normalcy after a stressful incident, and works to restore calmness. It’s also the neurotransmitter that signals muscles to contract and/or flex, making it incredibly important for athletes. Most importantly though, the brain uses Acetylcholine for cognition, which gives us the ability to learn, retain, and connect memories and information.

Given the importance of these two neurotransmitters, it’s easy to see why Racetams can be such an important, and often overlooked way to improve your well-being.  Now let’s take a deeper dive into one Racetam in particular.

What is Piracetam?

The Racetam family of Nootropics allows the mind to have greater stamina and endurance, and among the most well-known, and widely used Racetams, is Piracetam. It was discovered back in the early 1960’s by Dr. Coreliu Giurgea, and it is considered to be one of the safest, and mildest Nootropics available. This is due to its extremely low acute toxicity level, which helps to control dosages, and makes Piracetam a good choice to introduce you to the use of Nootropics.

Piracetam increases memory retention by improving the body’s ability to stockpile helpful information as well as recall information when needed. This is a main reason why it is highly popular among students.

Serious brain injury caused by an accident or by certain medical conditions (i.e. Alzheimer’s), greatly diminishes the brains activity. The loss of memory, coordination, and the onset of depression may be symptoms of the loss of cognitive abilities, and Piracetam may be an effective treatment in preventing further neurodegeneration from these kinds of brain injuries.

Although it is perfectly legal in the United States, and may be purchased without a prescription, Piracetam is not approved by the FDA to be used medically, or as a dietary supplement. To buy Piracetam, the best and easiest place to look is online.  If you’re looking to  buy Piracetam online, there are 3 things to keep in mind:

• Quality of the supplement – If you are purchasing Piracetam powder, make sure that the seller has a “certificate of analysis” listed somewhere on their website. The information should tell you the purity and safeness of the powder form.
• Reputation of the seller – Regardless of whether or not the seller has a certificate of analysis, one must take into consideration the reputation of the seller. Do your research.
• Cost – Piracetam powder is one of the more affordable Nootropics available. However, if you prefer pill form instead of powder, you may have to purchase a brand name and pay a little bit more for the convenience.

How Piracetam Works

Piracetam is widely considered to improve the blood flow to the brain, and signals essential neurotransmitters to help with the improvement of cognitive functions, such as mental energy, information and memory retention, motivation and increased sensory awareness. Since the 1960’s, researchers have zeroed in on Piracetam’s exact mechanism of action, and their research has shown that taking Piracetam may boost the absorption of neurons in the brain, which makes it more accessible for vital nutrients to enter, and for waste to be disposed of.

With that all said, it should be noted that in order for the exact benefits of Piracetam to documented, you should first research the correct usage and dosage for you. It may take a couple of weeks of experimentation in order to find the correct dosage, and even longer for you to begin to notice improvements in memory, creativity, and mood.

Benefits of Piracetam

Piracetam is one of the most popular Nootropics available, and that’s because it has a broad list of benefits.  Here are some of them:

Treatment for Neurological Disorders

There has been research that may indicate taking Piracetam benefits in the treatment of some mental and physical ailments, such as cognitive decline due to age, alcoholism and schizophrenia.

Binge eating disorder, or BED, is a stress-related disease that has also been studied in regards to Piracetam.  BED is described as an intake of large quantities of food during an acute period of time. Because the acetylcholine levels are compromised during an episode of BED, it leads to deficits in cognition, and a sharp increase in anxiety. A study performed on animals in 2018 indicated that Piracetam regulates levels of acetylcholine, which decreased BED related cognitive deficiencies, essentially limiting the binge eating behavior and body weight.

Treatment for Depression

Studies of Piracetam have shown that it is also efficient in alleviating symptoms related to stress, anxiety, limited coordination and depression. In fact, in patients who experience drug-resistant depression symptoms, Piracetam may provide an additional therapy that shows compelling, rapid clinical improvement.

Cognitive Enhancement

Piracetam is primarily known as a cognitive enhancer, and clinical trials indicate that it is extremely effective in boosting brainpower, notably with concentration and memory. Although the effects of Piracetam in cognition are significant in individuals of all ages, it is most compelling in older adults who are experiencing a decline in cognition due to age.

Piracetam increases synaptic plasticity by improving blood flow in the brain and raising the function and production of vital brain chemicals, or by creating new connections between neurons, which are important to learning.

Piracetam users have self-reported improved focus, increased energy levels, and a boost in creativity, especially when taken as a stack with choline. Studies have bolstered the self-reports by showing that Piracetam enhances verbal learning in healthy students, in addition to those who have dyslexia.

Memory Boosting

Piracetam’s benefits are associated with increased blood flow to the brain and increased cellular membrane fluidity, which when taken with choline, enhances memory in older adults.

Neuroprotection

In many studies like this, Piracetam has shown to provide strong neuroprotective characteristics that guard the brain against age-related cognitive decline.

It can also help to protect your brain against the body’s own natural response to fighting disease, commonly known as inflammation. Piracetam’s powerful antioxidant properties fight against free radicals, which are tiny unpaired electrons that can be very damaging to your cells, thus helping to reduce inflammation throughout the body.

Negative Effects of Piracetam

Piracetam has minimal side effects, and they are typically classified as minor, or fleeting. However, people who have used Piracetam and have had negative side effects, experienced headaches, muscle spasms, weight gain, anxiety, depression, unrest, diarrhea, tiredness, insomnia, and nausea.  If you are currently taking any prescribed medication, or are under a doctor’s care for a medical condition, it is highly recommended to speak with your physician before starting any usage.  Piracetam is not recommended for those individuals that have any kidney ailments, or women who are pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Recommended Dosage for Piracetam

Due to a shortage in human studies, there is currently no standard dosage for Piracetam.  However, based on current research, there are ranges for certain applications, and we’ve listed a couple examples below:

Mental Disorders: 2.4 – 4.8 grams daily

Cognition and Memory: 1.2 – 4.8 grams daily

There are other studies that indicate a dosage of 1200mg, taken three times a day, caused a noticeable increase in cognition. Another research study expressed that one Piracetam dosage of 4800 mg, in healthy adults, was also very effective.

As mentioned, once you find the correct dosage for your body, it may take up to two weeks to begin to experience the full effects of Piracetam, but some positive effects can be felt immediately.  It has been recommended to build your dosages slowly, so that over time, your own unique biological makeup can become adjusted.

Stacking with Piracetam

Although Piracetam may be used as an individual Nootropic, it is most effective by stacking with other supplements.  We’ve listed two of the most popular stacks below.

Piracetam and Choline Stack

An essential supplement to take with Piracetam is Choline, because of the way Acetylcholine affects the brain. It is possible, while taking Piracetam, that the levels of Acetylcholine in the brain may become lessened, which then leads to headaches and brain fog.  Therefore, supplementing with Choline will help to alleviate those negative side effects and will also allow Piracetam to be more effective.

Piracetam and Aniracetam Stack

Know for its great effects on creativity, mood, focus and memory, Aniracetam is another excellent Nootropic in the Racetam family that works together with Piracetam. When taken on its own, Aniracetam users may experience anxiety, tension in muscles, and uneasiness. But Piracetam may help to get rid of those effects, and when taken together, Piracetam and Aniracetam help promote a better mood, for people who need a boost in confidence.

Conclusion

Piracetam is a pioneering Nootropic that was discovered decades ago, and is among the most well known Nootropics in the Racetam family.  Its benefits range from improved mental energy, information and memory retention, motivation, and increased sensory awareness. Due to its low acute toxicity level, many people consider it a good option for those who have never taken a Nootropic before. It is one of the more popular Nootropics among students because of its ability to help with information retention and recall, and it may also aid in reducing muscular stress and healing time, making it popular for athletes looking to get back in the game. Most importantly though, Piracetam has shown an amazing ability to slow down neurodegeneration of the brain caused by serious injuries, neurological disorders, acute medical conditions, or traumatic accidents.

Most people who take Piracetam experience very few side effects, but those that do, include anxiety, depression, unrest, and headaches, among others.  It is important to discuss with your primary care physician before starting Piracetam or any supplement that may interfere with any medications you are taking.  In addition, Piracetam is not recommended for those individuals who have kidney disease, pregnant women, or women who are currently breastfeeding.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products discussed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.