Noopept
Table of Contents
My Thoughts
Like most of the nootropics community, I'm a big fan of Noopept. It offers the complete package when it comes to nootropic effects, on par with other big hitters like piracetam or pramiracetam.
But where it really comes through for me is with its potency and speed. A mere 10 mg is often all it takes. Noopept is also extremely fast acting, and only needs minutes to achieve full effect.
When I'm short on time, which is sadly pretty much always, and need something now, Noopept is my go to.
What Is Noopept
Plain and simply, Noopept is one of the most potent and effective nootropics in the market. It does it all.
Noopept can improve general memory [1][2], learning capacity [3] and memory recall speed [4][5]. It can have positive influences on mood and anxiety [6]. It even has neuroprotective properties [4], protecting cells against damage, degeneration, and impairment.
No one should be surprised that Noopept gets as much attention from the nootropics community as it does.
First synthesized in Russia [8], Noopept quickly grew in popularity and is now patented in the US and distributed worldwide. In addition to being recognized for its nootropic properties, several countries prescribe it to combat age and disease-related cognitive decline [1][9].
Noopept has close ties to and is sometimes confused as a racetam nootropic, mainly due to the similar effects it can provide. In reality, it is a peptide.
One property that definitely sets it apart from the crowd is how fast it becomes active. Other nootropics can sometimes take many days if not longer for their effects to fully manifest. Not so with Noopept. It kicks in almost immediately [10]. We're talking minutes.
When it comes to potency, Noopept is king of the hill. It works in a similar way to piracetam but is at least 1000 times stronger [4]. Some studies say that number may even be as high as 5000 [11].
This doesn't mean you will be able to focus or remember things 1000 times better. However, you can take a much smaller dose of Noopept to achieve the same results as you would with piracetam. Thanks in part to that potency per milligram, Noopept is very affordable.
How Does It Work
When Noopept is introduced into your system, it is absorbed by your body's gastrointestinal tract [12]. Once it reaches the bloodstream, it moves very quickly and crosses the blood-brain barrier with ease [13].
By moves quickly, I mean quickly. It's one of the fastest acting nootropic supplements around. It takes a mere 15 to 20 minutes for the compound to reach its maximum concentration [10], and users often start feeling the effect well before that.
Once it reaches the brain, Noopept heads for and binds to the receptor sites of the glutamate neurotransmitter [14]. The supplement then starts to prevent the breakdown of glutamate. At the same time, it makes the receptor sites more sensitive to it [14].
Seeing how glutamate is believed to be one of the most powerful neurotransmitters when it comes to expanding and supporting cognitive function, that is a very good thing.
Another somewhat related Noopept mechanism of action is an increase of Alpha and Beta 1 brain wave functions (or electroencephalogram activity for those who can pronounce it) in the left frontal cortex [14].
Alpha activity also increases in the right cortex and hippocampus [14], a part of the brain crucial to the formation and storage of short-term and long-term memories. These changes can be hugely beneficial to overall memory improvements.
One last thing Noopept can do for you is to increase the amount of oxygen in the brain and improve how well it metabolizes glucose [15].
Glucose is a primary source of energy the brain relies on. An improved metabolism means there is more of it available for the brain to use. This action translates to the improved concentration, focus, and mental clarity brought on by Noopept.
Benefits and Effects
There are many benefits to using Noopept. Some people turn to it trying to better their memory [1][2] or learning abilities [3]. Others hope to increase their mood [6]. Others still seek something that has neuroprotective properties [4].
The good news is, no matter which benefit you seek, you have come to the right place.
Noopept is perhaps best known for its memory enhancing abilities [1][2]. A good number of scientific studies, and yours truly, can back that up. It helps a great deal with memory formation but unlike piracetam and some other of its nootropic brethren, Noopept also positively affects memory consolidation and retrieval [4][5].
It does the equivalent of streamlining any signals sent by our senses to the brain, resulting in better and more effortless memory formation.
Whenever I use Noopept, I feel I can process more information and do so faster. I also often recall things that I thought I forgot. The title of that song I liked that was playing at the store the other day? With Noopept, I can tell you exactly what it is.
Memory lapses, if not completely eliminated, are far rarer.
Mood stabilization and anxiety reduction are two more benefits of Noopept [6]. For example, it does a much better job than piracetam when it comes to reducing anxiety or feelings of irritability [16].
There is even some indication that Noopept might be useful in reducing depression [17], though not enough testing has been done to make this claim conclusive. But, usually, where there is smoke, there is fire.
Noopept has pretty high neuroprotective properties and can prevent oxidative damage to the brain [4].
Several studies have shown how taking this drug can prevent further cognitive decline in individuals suffering from Alzheimer's, dementia and age-related deterioration [12][18][19]. In fact, in countries like Russia and several of its neighbors, Noopept is prescribed as a treatment for these conditions.
As if the list of benefits isn't long enough, Noopept also increases the levels of BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) and NGF (Nerve Growth Factor) [20]. Both are proteins that contribute to the creation, growth, and maintenance of all nerve cells, including those of the brain.
BDNF is actually considered to be one of the most important molecules in short and long-term memory formation [21]. Increasing the levels of NGF and BDNF promotes the performance of neural networks and creates new neural connections, resulting in all kinds of improved mental abilities.
Think of these proteins as fertilizer for the brain.
Stacking
Noopept has is an excellent compound on its own. But it is also stackable with several other nootropics. The results can be either complementary or synergistic.
Stacking is not something beginners should be jumping on right away. But, as your knowledge of and experience with nootropics increases, stacking can take your cognitive enhancement to a whole new level.
Most Noopept stacks include a choline supplement as an initial building block. Good choices are either alpha GPC or Citicoline. Amongst other benefits, this will help reduce potential headaches sometimes experienced by people new to Noopept or by those pushing its limits.
Other than choline, your goals will drive what other ingredients to add.
For example, Noopept stacks very well with adrafinil. It's an excellent combination if your goal is to fight off fatigue, get a bump in energy, or get even more help with focus and clarity.
On the other hand, maybe you're entirely happy with the effects Noopept gives, but wish they were just a little more powerful. Then try stacking with piracetam or its cousin nootropic pramiracetam. Both nootropics are potentiators (make what they are mixed with more potent and powerful).
This stack will also yield synergistic benefits.
Pramiracetam has similar effects to Noopept, but they work on different neurotransmitters: glutamine and acetylcholine. You can get a huge boost in cognitive processes by simultaneously enhancing the functionality of both receptor sites.
So many possibilities.
I have a couple of favorite stacks that I can share. The first is pretty much what I described above.
- 10 mg of Noopept (get it here)
- 300 mg of Alpha GPC
- 2 g of piracetam
The second stack is not something I use personally but is a favorite of my significant other. She is a fairly anxious person and swears by this formula. It not only reduces her anxiety and improves her mood (which I appreciate) but also tends to boost her mental performance and creativity.
- 10 mg of Noopept (get it here)
- 300 mg of Alpha GPC
- 1 mg of aniracetam
- 300 mg of sulbutiamine
One word of caution about the second stack. You can build up a tolerance to sulbutiamine. Hence, it's important to cycle.
Dosage
Noopept is as potent of a nootropic as they come. Because of this, the recommended dosage is small, in the 10 to 30 mg per day range.
Each person's optimal dosage may be different, so experiment a little to find yours. However, you should never take any more than 40 mg per day.
If possible, go for several smaller doses instead of one large. Your body metabolizes Noopept quite quickly [22]. Multiple small doses will help you maintain a more consistent level of it in your system for longer. Personally, I find spreading things out works much better.
When you first begin taking Noopept, go slow. Like I said, this is a supplement that packs a punch. 5 mg per dose, three times per day, for the first little while is a good starting point.
Only increase the amount when you feel you are ready.
In all my digging around, I have not been able to find any research on the long-term effects of taking Noopept. There are some reports of a level of tolerance developing after prolonged and repeated use [10]. If you're planning on using it over extended periods of time, cycle it.
Eight weeks seems to be the maximum use time, after which you should take a break of about three weeks to get back to initial tolerance levels.
One last thing to be aware of is that Noopept can interfere with sleep. If you're hoping to catch some decent shut-eye, cut yourself off early enough in the evening, so the effects fully go away by the time your head hits the pillow.
I'm sleep-deprived enough as is, so to be safe, I don't take Noopept any later than my bedtime minus the 5 hours Noopept is active for plus an extra hour. So, for example, if I go to bed at 2 am, my cutoff is 8 pm.
Side Effects
Thinking about all the good things Noopept does for you, and considering its potency, this is a nootropic with very few side effects. I don't know why exactly, but I continue to be amazed by this.
Almost all reported problems are of either headaches, dizziness, irritability, or restlessness [10][12]. These can occur when the amount of Noopept taken is at the higher end of the dosage range.
If you find yourself suffering from any of these, just scaling things back a notch could very well fix the problem.
Headaches can also be a sign of your brain chemistry running low on choline. Try stacking Noopept with a choline supplement.
Some of us may also experience insomnia. This can happen with many nootropics if they are taken too late in the evening or at night. There is no hard set rule how late is too late, so if you find you can't sleep, you'll have to experiment a bit with your usage time.
Noopept is non-addictive and does not appear capable of creating psychological dependence with its users [10]. It, therefore, has a low potential for abuse.
That said, you can develop a tolerance to it after several weeks of continuous use. This means you would have to use progressively larger doses to achieve the same results.
Tolerance to Noopept may also transfer to other racetam nootropics, reducing their effectiveness as well.
Eight straight weeks of taking Noopept seems to be the recommended absolute maximum. After that, it will take about three weeks for the tolerance to go away entirely.
Where to Buy Noopept
As tends to be the case with many nootropics, Noopept is not usually available at brick and mortar stores. Sourcing it online is the way to go, and it is an easy product to find there.
That said, you'll need to be a little careful. Many nootropic supplements are not regulated by government agencies like the U.S. FDA. Noopept is no different. No laws and government regulation mean self-regulation by the manufacturers.
For piece of mind, I strongly recommend you buy from a vendor that submits its supplements for 3rd party analysis and verification. This stuff is going into your body. There's no need to take a risk with a shady product.
Personally, I like to use Absorb Health for all my cognitive enhancement needs. It's a well-established source that has been tried, tested, and is quite popular in the nootropics community.
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