Natural plant extracts such as Gingko Biloba have long been used as folk remedies for improving memory and general cognitive power.
Today, a more sophisticated understanding of brain chemistry has allowed us to specifically target all processes related to cognition via smart pills.
These supplements and drugs can be employed to safely and effectively make learning easier, aid in the formation of memories, and heighten mental focus.
Pills that make you smarter aren’t just Hollywood fiction – these supplements can produce real-world gains to intelligence, legally and affordably. While they may not turn you into a genius or increase your IQ overnight, they are proven to amplify your natural cognitive abilities.
Here’s what we know about how smart pills work, plus some starter recommendations for different intelligence-boosting products to explore.
Mental Function
Mental Function
Brain Health
Promotes brain health & communication
Supports memory, reasoning & cognition
oosts focus, mental clarity & attention
Varies depending on supplement
Varies depending on supplement
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How Smart Pills Work
All of the functions of the brain, and all of the physical processes it governs throughout the body, happen as the result of chemical reactions.
Nerve and neurons within the brain communicate with one another by sending and receiving chemical messages.
These messages are responsible for creating or calming stress responses, igniting impulses which fire muscle movement and metabolic reactions, forming memories, drawing connections between stored information, and affecting our mood.
The substances which deliver these messages are either generated by hormones within the body, or taken from food which is consumed. Supplements which are intended to enhance these processes are commonly known as smart pills or nootropics. They work by producing, regulating, or inhibiting these neurochemicals to create a desired effect.
Smart Pills for Mental Performance
We often see smart pills taken as a remedy for a lack of mental clarity, focus and low energy. Conditions like clinical depression often come with lethargic energy and a sense of ennui.
Even if you have not been diagnosed with a mood disorder, we have all felt those moments when focusing on our work is almost impossible and procrastination becomes the norm.
Regular daily tasks become difficult to execute, further adding to symptoms. Low energy is also tied to social anxiety and lack of confidence. A smart pill which boosts energy levels, such as Sulbutiamine, can leverage higher metabolism, increased signaling, and the release of more dopamine to provide energy and combat these symptoms.
This supplement is also observed to improve confidence and motivation, allowing you to focus and follow through on your goals.
Smart drugs are also taken to regulate scattered or hyperactive mental energy. For example, ADHD patients who have trouble focusing their thoughts might benefit from taking a eugeroic compound like Modafinil or Adrafinil.
“Vigilance” drugs like this can create a steady level of dopamine which results in a very focused mental state and hours of uninterrupted concentration.
Smart Pills for Memory
One of the most common reasons that people take smart pills is to enhance memory function when studying. This usage might apply as a general daily supplement to increase performance at work or school. One of the best-selling supplements for this purpose is known as Piracetam.
Piracetam was in fact the very first nootropic supplement ever discovered in 1964. Research trials have demonstrated that Piracetam can improve memory test scores and boost reasoning skills, leading many users to feel smarter after taking it. Piracetam has a very low risk of side effects as it is less toxic to the human body than table salt.
Other nootropics have been designed as derivatives of Piracetam offering benefits in different areas of cognitive behavior. Aniracetam is a Piracetam analog that is specifically found to improve memory via Glutamatergic pathways while also promoting a better mood and feelings of well-being.
Oxiracetam is a nootropic favored by students in highly technical fields of study such as math or science because it boosts working memory function and the ability to process and perform calculations with complex information. Another supplement known as Pramiracetam is used to heighten focus and concentration creating effects that are often compared favorably t o Adderall XR.
Natural Smart Pills
For those who prefer to use natural or herbal supplements, there are also intelligence-boosting compounds like Forskolin which are available. Dating back over thousands of years of use, the natural plant extract Forskolin is frequently taken as a memory aid.
By boosting the brain’s levels of cAMP, this supplement can increase the efficacy of physical processes related to long term memory formation. While these pills can be hard to find at a common pharmacy, the active compound is included in CILTEP, a well-known memory boosting nootropic stack.
Eliminate Stress and Feel Smarter
Much of what we consider to be “fluid intelligence” also relies upon the absence of stress reactions which impede normal cognition. Our ability to learn, adapt, and respond to the challenges of life is greatly inhibited when stressful situations begin to overwhelm our mental capacities.
If you have ever found yourself fixated on certain thoughts or ideas without being able to let them go, you can appreciate how this can derail your intellectual abilities. So, smart pills which alleviate stress can also indirectly increase intelligence.
One category of pills that make you smarter in this way are anti-anxiety GABA supplements. GABA is the natural chemical the body produces to limit the over-firing of nerve cells due to stress. While it can’t be effectively supplemented directly, amino acids like L-Theanine and L-Glutamine can generate more GABA in the brain.
Long Term Effects
Most of the seemingly inevitable degenerative diseases associated with old age arise as a result of chronic deficiencies of particular neurochemicals. The brain pills which are most frequently taken for neural longevity are choline-based.
This water-soluble B vitamin stimulates the production of acetylcholine in the brain, a neurotransmitter which fosters healthy long-term growth of connections in the brain. This ability of the brain to successfully grow and adapt to changes over time is called neuroplasticity.
Choline supplements like Alpha GPC and CDP Choline can create these healthy conditions, and possibly even stave off the onset and symptoms of severe cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s Disease.
Do Smart Pills Have Side Effects?
With literally hundreds of nootropic smart pills on the market, it’s impossible to succinctly quantify the individual side effects of them all. However, the vast majority of pills that make you smart carry few side effects when taken as directed.
The whole concept behind using nootropics is based upon strengthening the brain’s natural mechanisms for intelligence and mood. For this reason, the body is generally very well adapted to these types of therapies.
Before you take any new supplement, do the research and proceed respectfully. Always follow suggested dosage guidelines, erring on the side of smaller doses at the beginning of your therapy. If you ever feel pain, disorientation, dizziness, nausea, irregular heartbeat, or trouble sleeping, discontinue your use of the supplement.
There are a wealth of natural nootropic smart pills to choose from. With a little experimentation, you’ll be able to find supplements that deliver the right cognitive benefits for your individual needs.
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Article last updated on: April 16th, 2018 by Nootriment