Nootropics for Energy
Nootropics are substances that may improve brain function. Using nootropics for energy has become popular among exercise enthusiasts, performance trainers, and athletes. Learn how these compounds may improve muscle recovery.
What are Nootropics
Nootropics enhance cognitive function. They are made up of smart drugs, supplements, and natural nootropics from herbs and plants.
How Do Nootropics Work
Nootropics improves the mind by maintaining, repairing, and producing neurotransmitters needed for cognition and mood. They also provide essential nutrients that increase energy, blood, and oxygen flow to the brain [R].
Nootropics for Energy & Physical Performance
Fatigue is a result of increased inflammation from exercised induced damage to muscles and the central nervous system [R]. Nootropics are thought to reduce inflammation and increase blood flow and to the muscles.
Healthy males given 50 mg of theanine after bicycling for 60 minutes experienced accelerated mental regeneration [R].
Nitric oxide increases blood flow to the muscles helping to improve athletic performance and reduce fatigue [R].
Carnitine may also enhance blood flow and oxygen to muscle tissue. Muscle injury, soreness along with physical and mental fatigue will become alleviated [R].
Theanine in black and green tea is associated with changes in blood pressure and producing nitric oxide [R, R, R].
Lion’s Mane mushroom increased blood flow and reduced fatigue. It may also produce nitric oxide and reduce free radical production [R].
What to Look for in a Nootropic
Nootropics are not regulated by the FDA. Look for a product that is third-party tested, has Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and does not contain stimulants or additives.
How to Take Nootropics
Nootropics can be taken individually or together. These nootropic stacks consist of two or more nootropics. This is not recommended for those who are just starting out. Instead, start with as low of a dosage as possible.
Side Effects of Nootropics
Many nootropics have reported side effects that have occured. They vary by product and consist of the following: constipation, stomach upset, diarrhea, headache, drowsiness, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea, seizures, stomach cramps, dizziness, dry mouth, excessive saliva, loss of appetite, changes in blood pressure, mood changes, allergic reactions, sweating, blurred vision, slurred speech, and fainting
[R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R].
Contraindications of Nootropics
Nootropics may interact with other drugs and those with certain medical conditions including but not limited to the following [R, R],
● Psychiatric drugs
● ADHD drugs
● Anticholinergic drugs
● Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, or cholinergic drugs.
If you are pregnant, breast-feeding, have any health conditions and/or are on any medications it may want to seek medical advice to learn how these products may affect you.
Risks of Nootropics
Nootropics are not regulated and have been found to have unsupported marketing claims. Some have been found to be unsafe and in violation of the FDA’s standards [R, R, R, R].
Those with a history of mental health or substance abuse problems may be at more risk for adverse side effects [R].
There is no information on the effects of nootropic use past a few months.
Final Thoughts on Nootropics
The benefits of nootropics provide a great deal of improvements for brain health which can also be extended to improve muscle fatigue. Despite these benefits there is still a lot we don’t know about these supplements and their long term effects. Those with health conditions and on
medications should take caution before using these products. When in doubt ask your medical provider.
Resources
1. Suliman, Noor Azuin, Che Norma Mat Taib, Mohamad Aris Mohd Moklas, Mohd Ilham Adenan, Mohamad Taufik Hidayat Baharuldin, and Rusliza Basir. 2016. “Establishing Natural Nootropics: Recent Molecular Enhancement Influenced by Natural Nootropic.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: eCAM 2016 (August): 4391375. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5021479/
2. Vargas, Nicole T., and Frank Marino. 2014. “A Neuroinflammatory Model for Acute Fatigue during Exercise.” Sports Medicine 44 (11): 1479–87.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25164464/
3. Jäger, Ralf, Martin Purpura, Kurt-Reiner Geiss, Thorsten Barthel, Reinhard Schnittker, and Michael Weiß. 2008. “Improving Mental Regeneration after Physical Exercise.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 5 (1): P3.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3313114/
4. Bescós, Raúl, Antoni Sureda, Josep A. Tur, and Antoni Pons. 2012. “The Effect of Nitric-Oxide-Related Supplements on Human Performance.” Sports Medicine 42 (2): 99–117. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22260513/
5. Fielding, Roger, Linda Riede, James P. Lugo, and Aouatef Bellamine. 2018. “L-Carnitine Supplementation in Recovery after Exercise.” Nutrients 10 (3).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5872767/
6. Mineharu, Yohei, Akio Koizumi, Yasuhiko Wada, Hiroyasu Iso, Yoshiyuki Watanabe, Chigusa Date, Akio Yamamoto, et al. 2011. “Coffee, Green Tea, Black Tea and Oolong Tea Consumption and Risk of Mortality from Cardiovascular Disease in Japanese Men and Women.” Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 65 (3): 230–40. http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2009/12/04/jech.2009.097311
7. Peters, U., C. Poole, and L. Arab. 2001. “Does Tea Affect Cardiovascular Disease? A Meta-Analysis.” American Journal of Epidemiology 154 (6): 495–503.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11549554
8. Lorenz, Mario, Janka Urban, Ulrich Engelhardt, Gert Baumann, Karl Stangl, and Verena Stangl. 2009. “Green and Black Tea Are Equally Potent Stimuli of NO Production and Vasodilation: New Insights into Tea Ingredients Involved.” Basic Research in Cardiology 104 (1): 100–110. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19101751
9. Abdullah, Noorlidah, Siti Marjiana Ismail, Norhaniza Aminudin, Adawiyah Suriza Shuib, and Beng Fye Lau. 2012. “Evaluation of Selected Culinary-Medicinal Mushrooms for Antioxidant and ACE Inhibitory Activities.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: eCAM 2012: 464238.
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2012/464238/
10. “Deanol: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning.” n.d. Accessed October 31, 2020. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-524/deanol. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-524/deanol
11. “Citicoline: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning.” n.d. Accessed October 31, 2020. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1090/citicoline. 12. Frank, Kurtis, Kamal Patel, Gregory Lopez, and Bill Willis. 2020. “L-Carnitine Research Analysis,” October. https://examine.com/supplements/l-carnitine/.
13. “L-Carnitine: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning.” n.d. Accessed October 31, 2020. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1026/l-carnitine. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1026/l-carnitine
14. “Theanine: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning.” n.d. Accessed October 31, 2020. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1053/theanine. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1053/theanine
15. Frank, Kurtis, Kamal Patel, Gregory Lopez, and Bill Willis. 2020. “Creatine Research Analysis,” April. https://examine.com/supplements/creatine.
https://examine.com/supplements/creatine
16. Aguiar, Sebastian, and Thomas Borowski. 2013. “Neuropharmacological Review of the Nootropic Herb Bacopa Monnieri.” Rejuvenation Research 16 (4): 313–26. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746283
17. “Rhodiola: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning.” n.d. Accessed October 31, 2020. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-883/rhodiol. 18. “Panax Ginseng: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning.” n.d. Accessed October 31, 2020.
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1000/panax-ginsen. 19. “Ginkgo: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning.” n.d. Accessed October 31, 2020. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-333/ginkg. 20. Frank, Kurtis, Kamal Patel, Gregory Lopez, and Bill Willis. 2020. “Curcumin Research Analysis,” May. https://examine.com/supplements/curcumin/
21. Nakatsugawa, Munehide, Hiroki Takahashi, Chikako Takezawa, Kazutaka Nakajima, Kazutoki Harada, Yoshitaka Sugawara, Shuichi Kobayashi, Tatsuo Kondo, and Shosaku Abe. 2003. “Hericium Erinaceum (yamabushitake) Extract-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Monitored by Serum Surfactant Proteins.” Internal Medicine 42 (12): 1219–22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14714963
22. Maes, M. F., H. M. van Baar, and C. J. van Ginkel. 1999. “Occupational Allergic Contact Dermatitis from the Mushroom White Pom Pom (Hericium Erinaceum).” Contact Dermatitis 40 (5): 289–90. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1034449
23. “Huperzine A: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning.” n.d. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-764/huperzine-a 24. Talih, Farid, and Jean Ajaltouni. 2015. “Probable Nootropicinduced Psychiatric Adverse Effects: A Series of Four Cases.” Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience 12 (11-12): 21–25. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4756795/
25. Frank, Kurtis, Kamal Patel, Gregory Lopez, and Bill Willis. 2018. “Huperzine-A Research Analysis,” July. https://examine.com/supplements/huperzine-a.
26. “FTC and FDA Send Warning Letters to Companies Selling Dietary Supplements Claiming to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease and Remediate or Cure Other Serious Illnesses Such as Parkinson’s, Heart Disease, and Cancer.” 2019. February 11, 2019.
27. Office of Regulatory Affairs. 2019. “Unproven Alzheimer’s Disease Products.” 2019. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/health-fraud-scams/unproven-alzheimers-disease-produ cts.
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/health-fraud-scams/unproven-alzheimers-disease-produ cts
28. Center for Food Safety, and Applied Nutrition. 2019. “Peak Nootropics LLC Aka Advanced Nootropics - 557887 - 02/05/2019.” 2019.
https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/wa rning-letters/peak-nootropics-llc-aka-advanced-nootropics-565256-02052019 29. Center for Food Safety, and Applied Nutrition. 2020. “TEK Naturals - 565026 - 02/05/2019.” 2020.
30. Onaolapo, Adejoke Yetunde, Adebimpe Yemisi Obelawo, and Olakunle James Onaolapo. 2019. “Brain Ageing, Cognition and Diet: A Review of the Emerging Roles of Food-Based Nootropics in Mitigating Age-Related Memory Decline.” Current Aging Science 12 (1): 2–14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6971896/