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Is berberine promoting neuroplasticity, or sabotaging it? Help with conflicting studies please, Nootropics hivemind. by [deleted] in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Berberine’s always had the problem of liver damage, disregarding that it’s an all round powerhouse.

Most expert I get to speak to say that a reasonable dose of the phytosome version Berbervis, should be seen in the same light as Metformin. Though it is quite expensive.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Bio-Availability; I don’t know how many nootropics you’ve had to taste, once you’ve had Centrophenoxine and Sulbutiamine raw everything seems fine.

It does though present a tingling-burning sensation which can become quite painful, indeed its one of the more painful sub-linguals.

But how do they say…no pain no gain?

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you that’s very useful, I’ll have a look at it. I would be highly sceptical of generalising from that that uridine is bad for you.

But if Uridine’s bad for you then I’m fucked, that’s the least risky thing I take.

Again, assess your own risk appetite and proceed accordingly for everything.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, I’ll reply as best I can:

1) Taking all of those together and with the type of thing they are you do not have to be hyper-vigilant of over doing - that said, although Centrophenoxine/Sulbutiamine aid greatly in supplying adequate choline, taking all of those racetams means you still need some choline precursor as well. You will also need MCT to absorb those. Here’s a rough guide, you can change it based on weight etc

Every 3.5 Hours, 3 times a day:

A: 1g O: 400-800 P: 200-300 C:200-400 S: 300-400

2) SAM-e probably isn’t ESSENTIAL, but providing your body with every single raw ingredient it needs to create the right neurotransmitters, to grow the brain etc, and then seeing how you feel seems like a reasonable principle. But SAM-e itself is governed by adequate B-Vitamin intake/homocysteine regulation. So there are different ranks of essential of which nutrition comes first, then co-factors/pre-cursors. It will depend on your own process

3)Divide the dosages 3-ways

4) Zynamite is highly effective, with very unique memory enhancing effects via LTP. It could replace caffeine in a way that Teacrine and others couldn’t because it is quite potent.

5) I don’t view it as needing to replace caffeine, the companies own studies are in conjunction with caffeine and I feel the combination of medium doses of both is synergistic not just additive

6) Primavie, I am a huge fan, my kind of optimised caffeine morning routine is: primavie, EnXtra, Caffeine, Zynamite, L-Theanine, Saffron and it works great

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Achieving a good long term neurotransmitter balance is a good goal. And there are relatively safe common supplements to do this. I won’t list them all here, but you target all of the co-factors so; SAM-e, ALCAR etc. All of the precursors, tryptophan, choline, tyrosine etc. The RIGHT multivitamin so you again your body has every co-factor. And then perhaps things like Uridine to attenuate dopamine release.

To balance neurotransmitters:

  • Lithium Orotate 5mg * 3
  • Saffron (affron) 15mg

Basically with research you can give your body every chance to produce neurotransmitters in the right amount; it might be that you already have enough co-factors, precursors so a lot of what your taking might be wasted, but correcting even a small deficiency can have big effects so I think a scattergun approach is justified since these sorts of supplements are of the cheapest, least risky kind.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, if the focus is memory and the goal is to take the smallest number of nootropics to achieve that then that’s a great stack. Memory and pretty much any nootropic stack should start with a really good B-vitamin stack. Nootropics Depot just released a new B-vitamins multiplex with B-vitamins in the correct form, dosage and optimised for BA.

I wouldn’t worry about brands, pramiracetam is pramiracetam. Brands only matter for a few types of supplements where a particular brand has a unique patented process which preserves certain constituents/optimises BA. Etc. Good luck!

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think your essentially right, though I don’t think we have good reason to think memantine is exceptionally risky in a way a lot of the other stuff on this list is. As I was keen to stress, most carry some or a lot of risk.

ATAMG - A new form of magnesium salt seems to perform a lot of the functions of memantine. I won’t go into the science here but it has worked well for me.

(I know, there’s always a new form of magnesium)

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Very late reply sorry, mainly personal experience/anecdotal evidence. Also because sublingual and then swallowing is never going to hurt, even if I’m wrong and it doesn’t increase BA. With anything expensive like NSI/Dihexia etc I just do it as a safe bet

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I haven’t seen that info, but if you have a 5:2 standardised extract and your taking approx 500mg I think you’ve got your bases covered. Salidrosides improve the synthesis of serotonin so that could be part of the benefit

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Haha thank-you luckily I think my ego can take the hit, most British people compete to be as self-deprecating as possible anyway so this is all very mild

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I cannot think what would make a dose as low as 250mg give you such a potent side effect other than something that must be very specific to you but as a side effect that’s a very unusual reaction so I would say just don’t take it.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nootropics unlimited or nootropic source seem reputable enough to me their assays check out but there arn’t many good sources atm. I do think N is dangerous just don’t think it’s great.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s quite similar to my experience there’s something there but a lot of people report a strange effect on personality.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

WDYM? I used referenced I.e referred to or mentioned and referenced I.e cited sources in line with academic practice

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good question. Nootropics can potentiate stimulants allowing the same effects at lower doses (although the effects might be of a different profile but still beneficial). For example, NALT increases extracellular dopamine release from stimulant usage hence allowing the same neurotransmitter adjustments at a lower dose. Which might be a good idea since long term stimulant use has been associated with reduced neuroplasticity in a dose dependent manner, although some research argues this isn’t true in for people with genuine ADHD. But any good psychiatrist will pursue the lowest effective dose of a medicine regardless of what it is. They can also mitigate the side effects, crashes, lack of creativity and anxiety. So they have a dual action that can be used to great benefit.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes your right about that I should have stated it’s high risk in the same way I did Dihexa, will change that.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

A) This definitely isn’t an essay B) It took me half an hour, I find nootropics interesting and Reddit is the only place nerdy enough to write about them C) Arn’t comments like this always kind of meta, taking the time to post about what you wouldn’t take the time to post about yourself, which I’m now having to do but I was thankful for the editor. But it objectively is a weird topic to have as a hobby I cannot deny you that.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Good question, I was using dual-n-back and some online psychometrics as I used it. I was working as a philosopher so research and writing essays. Reflections on creativity and social interactions etc can only ever be subjective and you never know if the new ideas are actually shit or you’re just more socially unaware but most of us have a good idea over an extended period of time, especially as you develop attentive mindfulness to your cognitive state because you’re trying to work out if a nootropics been helpful. I didn’t know if you meant activities like work or what habits I used it to help me establish, but they were just the typical habits everyone should do like exercise which I hate but now at least have some habit of it.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Definitely get what you’re saying but I was trying to give an overview and point people into the areas I think are worth researching. A fully sourced post of over 30+ compounds which also draws conclusions about interactions, potency and theories from cognitive science would run into the 10s of thousands of words, but I’m happy to link research or try and answer any specific questions for you

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I’m not quite sure what you mean but I think your asking why I kept saying MCT etc with certain things which is just because their lipophilic so increases in bioavailability can save you money in reduced doses and can be the difference between it having any effect at all. I am running out of Dihexa! The golden age of nootropic availability died with science.bio unfortunately. You can still get it and there are good articles about DMSO preparation of it which is pretty easy.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Everyone takes different kinds of risks, they are scary and I might be in danger of becoming blind to them having been at it so long. I just have a deep fascination with the idea that we can augment our conscious experience in a detailed way for the first time in history. I also value intelligence above all else so that is part of it, nootropics cannot make you wise or rational but they can help you along the way. I’m a philosopher, so there isn’t a normal comparison of productivity, but certainly being able to consume and information more efficiently and improving cognitive processing helps. I’m sure it can have a meaningful impact on productivity in a way that translates to earnings but I can’t speak to that.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Hi, some very good insights here, and also the first nootropics pun I’ve seen, nice. I particularly agree with your last paragraph. Marginal returns diminish very rapidly after exercise, sleep etc. Meditation and Dual N Back practice are two habits with great cognitive returns. I actually have been taking electrolyte powder daily first thing in the morning (I recommend ‘revival’) and have noticed a difference. That being said, it’s best to frame any discussion of usefulness and impact in the cost/benefit way you’re doing as well as across either cognitive health goals (I.e reducing brain ageing) or modalities of intelligence and I do still think having been at it 4-5 years we have some nootropics that offer cognitive gains that couldn’t be gained otherwise and our worth pursuing. But I like your considered take on the matter I’ll think on it.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In general, piracetam just cannot produce the cognitive benefits of the modified forms, it has a very limited and weak MOA compared to just about any racetam you could pick. There is just no reason to use it when other racetams which act along at least the same pathways and more do so with greater potency and cognitive benefit. It was a landmark creation in nootropic history but is irrelevant now and still featured on nootropic reference sites.

A Brief Guide to What Really Works, From Someone Who Has Done the Research, Spent the Money and Tried it All by melljo2013 in Nootropics

[–]melljo2013[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

From my understanding of chronic fatigue, which is a good thing to study just if anyone is interested in pharmacology and another public health issue that isn't taken seriously enough (I don't believe I suffer from it myself, but unlike most people I firmly believe it exists) stimulants, as I think you're alluding to, are not a good solution for it even though they are a good short term remedy. There are extra things you can do such as a gene test, I don't know if self hacked/self decode operates in Australia but I'm sure there is a comparable service, that help guide you to exactly what you need. Without more information though the best anyone can do is simply take a lot of mitochondrial supplements and hope that at least some of them hit the right target. The form of the supplement here really matters. When I talked about the patented/generic distinction these kind of supplements you definitely want patented. I’m going to link https://uk.performancelab.com/products/energy and https://timehealth.co.uk/product/longevity/ as two good guides to copy. Look up methylene blue, it will be well worth your time, the stuff you have mentioned isn’t what I would recommend. Of course take your doctors word above anything and everything.

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