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What I learned gathering nootropic ratings (2022)

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Re: What I learned gathering nootropic ratings (2022)

#141
post #140
post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Without many large random trials That, historically, does not work well for neurochemistry. Large random trials are good for an average biological response of profitable chemicals, but it seems there are significant differences in neurochemistry, between people, that these don't capture. If you've ever had a prescription for most anything mental related, like ADHD, depression, etc, there's never just one drug, ther…

I hear what you are saying, but I have a hard time thinking it is an argument against RCTs. Notably, Adderall is a strong counter to this idea. It is clearly effective per all of the tests it has been through. Not surprisingly, it is one of the only ones listed in this website that works. Quite well. There is an argument that people should treat their own lives as an experiment. Where you track the things you do and…

> Adderall is a strong counter to this idea. It is clearly effective per all of the tests it has been through.

That's a good example, because the statement "clearly effective" is absolutely false, as will be stated by a doctor when they prescribe it to you, and can be found in the documentation that comes with the medication. It is not appropriate or effective for some people, and is detrimental for others (accounts of both are found trivially online).

Re: What I learned gathering nootropic ratings (2022)

#142
post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I unironically offer the opinion that the pill that you're looking for is amphetamines.

Terrible advice. The muscles need blood (nutrients), and you're going to take something that vasoconstricts? You're then going to couple that with an increased heart rate? I unironically offer the opinion that half a teaspoon of creatine is a much better alternative.

Caffeine is also a vasoconstrictor, and included in large amounts in most pre-workouts.

Re: What I learned gathering nootropic ratings (2022)

#143

I've tried everything, and the only things that make any noticeable difference in my experience: Modafinil, Racetams, Noopept, Phenibut Noopept seems to be curiously missing from this list?

Phenibut will FUCK you up. Ever take a big dose? Its like being piss drunk. Very fun substance also nasty as fuck and undoubtably bad for your brain. (I got weird neurological "withdrawal" symptoms after like 3 days of taking it)

I've hospitalized myself from an accidental overdose on it, don't have to tell me lol.

Spent 8 continuous hours vomiting with the worst nausea I've ever felt in my life.

Lesson hard learned. I've been using Phenibut for nearly 10 years, I only take it on the weekends.

I quite enjoy high doses, feels much better than drinking without negative physical side effects. I don't drink alcohol in general, to be honest.

Re: What I learned gathering nootropic ratings (2022)

#144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good simple nootropic, but I like the cup of coffee even better with a 200mg capsule of a high quality L-Theanine to give a zen-like calm to the stimulation of the caffeine. Underrated as heck IMHO.

Any brands that you would consider high quality? I'm currently using Nutricost, but only because it was the cheapest, and I didn't know they were allowed to fiddle with quality on these things.

Nootropics Depot [0] appears to be a high-quality vendor. They claim to test every batch of every ingredient in-house for all of their supplements.

[0] https://nootropicsdepot.com/l-theanine-capsules/

Re: What I learned gathering nootropic ratings (2022)

#145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you give some examples of the stimulants?

Modafinil 50-100mg or micro dose of long release amphetamine like Vyvanse.

Was just about to say this, Modafinil is my stimulant drug of choice. 100mg. Really smooth and lasts all day. I do need to take amitryptiline to help sleep but I have noise intolerance related sleep issues anyway and the combination of the two meds is complementary. My only regret is not starting sooner - I had a rather anti drug bias and saw needing medication as a weakness.

Re: What I learned gathering nootropic ratings (2022)

#146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good simple nootropic, but I like the cup of coffee even better with a 200mg capsule of a high quality L-Theanine to give a zen-like calm to the stimulation of the caffeine. Underrated as heck IMHO.

Any brands that you would consider high quality? I'm currently using Nutricost, but only because it was the cheapest, and I didn't know they were allowed to fiddle with quality on these things.

Any difference from the 2-for-1 from Walgreens (private labeled)? Or is that the problem? We don’t really know what we’re getting?

Re: What I learned gathering nootropic ratings (2022)

#147

Another win for exercising. It's crazy to me how many people have miserable health, complain about their body and mental state endlessly, but still put up any roadblock they can think of to avoid exercising of any form.

And yet, nobody mentions how supplements can't generally damage you, but a few days in a gym can fuck you up for an entire year, even with a lot of experience. I basically never met anybody who does regular resistance training without having some sort of pain somewhere, all the time. Maybe if you are underdoing it its possible but if you follow the muscle building theory, you are certainly going to get fucked eventua…

I guess my response would be that yes, you will develop lots of random little aches and pains and small injuries, but the counterpoints are:

- Before I exercised regularly, I developed aches and pains in upper and lower back, also a shoulder for some reason. These all went away thanks to pull-ups and pushups. Lack of exercise will also wreck your body—if you have not experienced this I have to assume you are very young.

- Exercise also causes lots of random little injuries. For example basketball gave me an ankle and a knee that have never been quite the same. But, I find that exercise itself helps dampen the pain response and makes them more bearable. I have ankle and knee warmup routines that help a lot.

Among people I have met, exercisers with injuries have full lives who are able to live around their injuries. Non-exercisers also develop little pains over time of being sedentary, and end up being much more constrained in what they can do.

Re: What I learned gathering nootropic ratings (2022)

#148
post #141
post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hear what you are saying, but I have a hard time thinking it is an argument against RCTs. Notably, Adderall is a strong counter to this idea. It is clearly effective per all of the tests it has been through. Not surprisingly, it is one of the only ones listed in this website that works. Quite well. There is an argument that people should treat their own lives as an experiment. Where you track the things you do and…

> Adderall is a strong counter to this idea. It is clearly effective per all of the tests it has been through. That's a good example, because the statement "clearly effective" is absolutely false, as will be stated by a doctor when they prescribe it to you, and can be found in the documentation that comes with the medication . It is not appropriate or effective for some people, and is detrimental for others (accounts…

Adderall has some fairly clear cases where you shouldn't prescribe it, but this is largely not a secret list of "your unique biochemistry means we have no idea whether it will work for you" level of uncertainty. And, at large, this learning has been reinforced by RCTs. Such that I still don't see this as an argument against them?

Re: What I learned gathering nootropic ratings (2022)

#149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Humans are evolutionarily adapted to running. Yes, going from a modern sedentary lifestyle to running will feel rough for a few months as you acclimate (and most people don't start off at the slow 11 min. / mile [7 min. / km] pace they should). But there's a reason marathons are so popular, running and exercise starts to feel really good.

> Yes, going from a modern sedentary lifestyle to running will feel rough for a few months as you acclimate Right. Which is why people don't exercise. That's a lot to ask of people with other things on their plate. To be clear, I know I should exercise. I just find it very difficult to do so, and it's very easy to convince yourself you should do something else with that energy. I think team sports are probably the be…

Many people find the data and record-breaking in running a good reward system. There's all kinds of goals to try to achieve, from your best time at 10 different distances, to weekly miles, to a longer and longer distance like a marathon.

Team sports are harder to work into a schedule, which is why running is easier to start for many people because it just requires a pair of shoes and leaving the house yourself. For others, there's a parallel social angle where you can also make many friends you see regularly at clubs and enjoy the same activity together.

Re: What I learned gathering nootropic ratings (2022)

#150
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the big road block for many people is that exercise itself also hurts? I know that is a hurdle I have with my kids. They complain that jogging/running hurts. It is hard to convince people that that never really changes, and that it also hurts for the people that are doing it every day. Obviously acute pains are a different thing, but there is a reason recovery is a vital part of exercise. We all have to recov…

My issue with exercise is that it's boring as sin. I rather do manual labor or play a sport than go to a gym. There is just something that feels so artificial about running on a human-designed hamster wheel or picking up heavy objects and putting them back down for no reason real, useful reason.

You have my sympathies. It can be boring. Boredom is not, necessarily, a bad thing, though? Certainly, some folks could use a bit more boredom in the day. :D

I'll also posit that you do the boring stuff now so that you can do the exciting stuff later.

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