Almost everyone in America uses a nootropic, whether they know it or not. The caffeine that so many of us can’t start our day without is a proven nootropic that studies have repeatedly shown helps with learning and short-term memory. So if you’re thinking, “I’d never use a nootropic,” put your coffee cup down before you do so.
Nootropics have come into vogue because they show promising results. And while some nootropic use has resulted from people abusing medications as Adderall prescribed for someone else, many companies are manufacturing and selling nootropics to people looking to improve their thinking, ability to focus, and overall brain performance.
What Nootropics Do
Nootropics, or so-called smart drugs, work to enhance various functions of the brain to make them work better. Most often, they target glutamate and other neurotransmitters to amp up their performance. Sometimes, nootropics suppress neurotransmitters to the same end.
While the science showing how nootropics work to improve cognitive function and help, say, enhance a study session is still advancing, smart drugs have already shown themselves to be remarkably beneficial in people with cognitive disabilities. Scientists continue working to understand nootropics and their effects on our brains.
But just because science can’t yet definitively say how nootropics do their work does not mean they are snake oil. There is overwhelming anecdotal evidence supporting them, and just because there isn’t a scientific consensus on them does not mean there is no science behind them.
Are They Bad for You?
They can be, but anything at all can be bad for you if misused. People who take nootropics to improve their studies or overall cognitive function and do so while aware of the risks and according to usage instructions should have no ill effects other than the possible side effects of the drug in question.
Since that is the case with any medication and even some herbal and homeopathic treatments, it is hardly a cause for alarm, provided you know what you’re getting into.
What Do They Do to the Brain?Add Your Heading Text Here
The brain sends signals across itself and to the body using neurotransmitters, essentially the bike messengers of the brain. They allow chemical messages to be transmitted from neuron to neuron (hence the name) and from neurons to muscles. Without neurotransmitters, the brain would be completely cut off from the body, unable to tell our heart to beat, our intestines to do their work, or our legs to propel us around the house.
Nootropics work to increase the supply and efficiency of the seven neurotransmitters: acetylcholine, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, histamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Different nootropics stimulate and enhance different neurotransmitters, and results will vary based on diet, genetic predisposition, and the like.
It bears mentioning that proper diet, exercise, and sleep habits will contribute significantly to brain (and body) health. That said, if you’re studying and looking for a nootropic to help you, you very well may be in an academic situation where those things aren’t always practical.
How They Work
Nootropics increase the mental function of memory, creativity, motivation, and attention. These last two are huge parts of our ability to focus, which is why so many people who use nootropics sing their praises concerning their ability to focus on the task at hand when they have taken these smart drugs.
Specifically, nootropics raise the level of neurotransmitters and increase the blood flow to the brain. When your brain gets more blood, it’s getting more oxygen and nutrients. The logical leap is there: if you feed anything better, it will be healthier and function at a higher level.
Why You Want Them for Studying
Students have been looking for ways to improve their academic performance since somebody posted the first dean’s list. Some tactics have been laughable (“if you smoke weed while you study, and then smoke the same amount before your test, you’ll do better”), but some have genuinely helped.
With nootropics, there is some science behind their use. And doesn’t it track that if you give your brain a little boost, it will work better? Since studying involves learning and learning involves short-term and long-term memory creation, working to raise the brain’s ability to hold information can only be helpful.
Add to that the cramming nature of a lot of studying, which involves much more short-term memory, and you have a perfect storm of why nootropics can benefit a student as he learns his material.
Finally, the improvement as mentioned earlier to one’s focus is a boon, as well, since a good deal of studying (especially in a college dorm) hinges on the ability of the studier to remain undistracted. That can be tough for the most dedicated academic, and nootropics work to make it a bit more manageable.
The Seven Best Nootropics for Studying
Several nootropics emerge as high-quality candidates for use when looking at the vast amount available in stores and online. All these listed below have demonstrated some beneficial qualities related to studying, and many of them have added benefits that go beyond brain health and efficiency.
Best Overall: Organic Ashwagandha Root Powder
Ashwagandha is a root used in eastern medicine for millennia. And it’s not a substance we only recently decided helped with brain stuff. Indian medicine has used it for that and other purposes all along, so this is a nootropic with something of a track record.
Considered an adaptogen, ashwagandha helps the body manage and adapt to stress. And its properties related to improving concentration have some science behind them, as well. It has also been shown to positively affect blood sugar levels, and it may help some people with depression manage that condition.
Mental recall is the primary nootropic use for ashwagandha with studying, so its appearance on this list is not surprising. What may surprise current users are the myriad other benefits listed above. Ashwagandha is a proven aid, and this extract also includes black pepper, purported to aid in the absorption of the ashwagandha itself.
- Shown to improve athletic endurance.
- Effectively treats OCD and ADHD.
- May improve sleep quality.
- May increase thyroid hormones.
- Anecdotal evidence says that it tastes terrible.
Runner-Up: Jiva Botanicals Bacopa monnieri
Bacopa monnieri is an ancient herb used in Ayurvedic medicine to enhance brain function. More than one study has shown that it can improve one’s memory and ramp up the speeds at which the brain processes information– and those two things together seem perfect for studying.
Part of the mechanism of this particular nootropic system rests in bacosides, compounds found in Bacopa monnieri. Bacosides improve the signals to and from the hippocampus, which is where the brain processes memories. Having a memory boost before a study session can make the process much more efficient, allowing students to retain more information for more extended periods.
Best Budget Option: Nature’s Trove L-Theanine 200mg
Similar to the neurotransmitter glutamate, L-Theanine appears to increase levels of serotonin and dopamine. Most often found in tea, L-Theanine, in human studies, increased attention levels and allowed test subjects to demonstrate higher levels of verbal proficiency.
These two improvements alone could vastly improve one’s study skills. When combined with caffeine– as it almost always is with a cup of tea– L-Theanine raised test subjects’ alertness levels and specifically improved numeric memory, making L-Theanine a candidate for math majors everywhere.
A randomized study in 2007 found that this nootropic can also lower stress and anxiety, two things that often go hand-in-hand with studying for a big test.
- GRAS-rated (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the FDA.
- This may ease symptoms of mental illnesses, including schizophrenia.
- Side effects seem to be generally rare and mild when they do occur.
- It may cause nausea and vomiting when first ingested, though this should ease as your body adjusts.
- May interact poorly with blood pressure medications.
Best Money-Is-No-Object Choice: Omnit Alpha Brain
Omnit’s Alpha Brain also uses Bacopa monnieri and other nootropics to give your brain a boost. It has been shown to increase alpha waves in the brain. Alpha waves are associated with relaxed mental states, so our brains can better handle anxiety and stress by increasing them.
Actively working to raise oxygen levels in the brain, Alpha Brain helps the brain function at higher levels. Again, feeding the brain better makes it function more efficiently, which can only be a good thing for studying in particular and academia in general.
Alpha Brain also provides choline, something our bodies need but don’t make enough of, so we have to get it from an outside source. Choline is similar to vitamin B and helps neurons communicate better– another good thing when we’re talking about studying.
- With no caffeine, Alpha Brain will not leave you with an afternoon crash.
- Alpha Brain contains all-natural ingredients.
- Paleo- and keto-friendly.
- If taken later in the day, Alpha Brain can disrupt sleep.
- Like many nootropics, it may not work for everyone, and you will likely need to experiment with your dosages.
Best Choice for Versatility: Host Defense Lion's Mane Mushroom Powder
Specifically cited as a source of neuroprotection and neuroregeneration, Lion’s Mane (Hericium Erinaceus) aims to help clear the brain fog many of us endure from time to time. There is also a benefit to memory.
At least one study has shown a nerve growth factor (NGF) in this nootropic, which is necessary for the brain’s maintenance of the cholinergic system, which is a part of the way we form memories. When the neurons involved degenerate, we experience memory loss and other issues, so maintaining these with a nootropic seems warranted.
While Lion’s Mane isn’t the most popular nootropic for studying, it is helpful for it. Still, it’s on this list because, in addition to its memory-enhancement properties, it also helps with mood, alleviates inflammation, assists with gut health and blood circulation, and inhibits HIV’s reproductive abilities.
- Certified as an organic product and cultivated with sustainability in mind.
- May aid in the fights against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
- One dose per day is sufficient, unlike some other nootropics.
- Claims that it helps metabolism arise only from animal trials and may not translate to the same result in humans.
- No safe dosage is set due to the lack of trials to find that level.
Toniiq Alpha GPC
Alpha-GPC is a supplement that works to increase levels of acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine helps decrease the heart rate, has digestive tract functions, and plays a large role in the parasympathetic nervous system.
But its function in the brain relates to memory and learning. It’s a transmitter in many synapses, so increasing its levels in the brain leads to better creation and retention of memories. Since studying and learning involve converting short-term memories into long-term knowledge, acetylcholine can help improve this process.
Like many nootropic products, Alpha-GPC also helps to increase blood flow to the brain. It has also been used– in prescription strength– to combat dementia due to decreased blood supply.
- 99% standardized purity.
- A higher-than-average purity level provides for better and more efficient absorption.
- It can help ease anxiety and combat fatigue.
- Better results may come with stacking Toniiq Alpha GPC, which may put off some potential users.
- It is not recommended for long-term use (more than six months at a time).
Nootropics Depot Uridine Monophosphate
Uridine Monophosphate is created in the liver. However, the body uses it up pretty quickly, so it often doesn’t make its way to the brain. Using a Uridine supplement is a way to combat this. Since uridine can cross the blood-brain barrier easily, it can make its way there, where it helps make the transmission of nerve signals a more efficient process.
Improving the communication between your brain cells means your brain works at a higher level, and can you think of a better way to improve the quality of your study sessions?
Several different studies have shown uridine to help with the growth and regeneration of brain cells and raise the brain’s levels of proteins the cells use in communication with each other. When these protein levels get to a certain low point, synapses can begin to die off.
- Enhances dendrites, which are part of our memory systems.
- May protect neurons from injury.
- Can alleviate neuropathy symptoms.
- The benefits and risks of long-term use are as yet unexplored.
- May cause additional side effects in consumers suffering from depression.
Conclusion
Nootropics have shown much promise in clinical trials and through anecdotal evidence. While studies indicate they may not work as well in some people as in others, their benefits to increasing one’s ability to study and do so efficiently are hard to dispute. If you are looking to supplement your study habits with a nootropic, these are good places to start.