Hello reddit, I believe I have found something that is really helping me with 3am awakening. I have a friend who is a Functional Medicine Practitioner, and she stated to me that consistently awakening at 3am can be due to cortisol levels. She is also someone who treats hormone levels.
I looked into her theory/statement about cortisol levels and decided it would be worth trying something over-the-counter to see if it helps. I found an article by googling cortisol called, "5 Best Supplements to Reduce Cortisol," by Christopher Walker. The top supplement that is recommended is phosphatidylserine.
I don't have a large budget for supplements, so I searched Walmart for a phosphatidylserine supplement and found something that was In Stock (I wanted to pick it up immediately) called "Brain Food" from vitafusion. It has 100mg of phosphatidylserine and costs about $17. I also struggle from adult ADHD, anxiety and depression. I could tell I was feeling very anxious yesterday - so I took my OTC Olly supplement called "Ultra Goodbye Stress," which includes ashwagandha, lemon balm, l-theanine and GABA. This is helpful to take the edge off - but I often still feel the tinges of anxiety, even when I take Olly "Ultra Goodbye Stress."
Then I took the vitafusion Brain Food gummies with 100mg of phosphatidylserine (around 4pm) - and I am telling you - HUGE difference! It calmed me down EXTREMELY effectively, to the point that I was calm and not feeling doom about my future!!! I took an additional dose of vitafusion Brain Food @ 9pm for sleep support - and I slept through the ENTIRE NIGHT!
Now, I know it was only one night - but I literally NEVER sleep through the night without a healthy dose of benadryl and/or xanax. I generally wake up at 3am with PANIC - pure PANIC! And this is consistent pretty much EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. So even though I only have one data point - it is actually remarkable that I stayed asleep all night long.
I have also read that Zinc and Citicoline can help to oppose high levels of cortisol. I will be trying these as well - and I will let you all know how it goes!
I take prescriptions for depression and anxiety (wellbutrin, zoloft, and xanax) - these are extremely helpful - but also come with side-effects and hangovers. I would absolutely LOVE to get off these prescription meds and be able to take something OTC that helps me.
Has anyone else tried phosphatidylserine to help with sleep support? Has it helped you?
Has anyone tried Zinc and/or citicoline for sleep/anxiety and to reduce cortisol? What has your experience been?
I will let you know if the phosphatidylserine continues to work for me. I also know that I need to reduce my caffeine intake (I drink coffee and Diet Coke) - which I am working on as well. Just curious if anyone else has had good results with phosphatidylserine for insomnia.
Thank you!
01/01/2022 UPDATE - I wanted to update my post because I am not having as good of results with Phosphatidylserine (PS) supplements anymore :-( I am so bummed out - because I REALLY thought it was helping! HOWEVER - I seem to have stumbled upon something else that is a BLEND (including phosphatidylserine) that seems to be helping MORE than just PS alone.
I have recently started to take a supplement called:
MRM Nutrition Neuro-Max II. The supplement contains a blend of 8 different ingredients including:

1. 10mg Niacin,
2. 350mg Tyrosine,
3. 100mg Phosphatidylserine (PS),
4. 150mg Bacopa,
5. 60mg Ginkgo biloba,
6. 50mg Lion's Mane mushroom,
7. 50mg Ashwagandha, and
8. 50mcg Huperzine A.

I am hoping this continues to work for me! I will let you know.

I am looking for advice on these stacks as they've evolved and schedule to get my cortisol under control and restore my libido which zero at the moment and hasn't been for the past few months due to various life stressors (work, sick family members, kids, etc). I've researched issues with ED and have Viagra to experiment with, but it doesn't work all the time. I will say that I can get it up on my own and with great results, which confirms all the more that it's psychological ED due to stress. Most of the stress though is around that I won't be able to get it up. My wife and I have talked about it and she's aware of it, but occasionally she freaks out because I should be hard, but it's just not happening and it makes her feel bad about herself.
I've started to look at lifestyle and Nootropics to help since I've experimented with each of these on their own and have started combining them into a stack and tweaking it to help with my goals of truly relaxing more, being able to focus during work, and get my libido back.
I have been exercising regularly with 3-5 miles of walking 4-5 times per week.
Each morning for the past 3 months I have a veggies smoothie with the following:

• 1/4 lemon
• 1/2 inch beetroot
• 1/4 green apple
• 1/2 cup kale
• 1/4 cup spinach
• 1/4 cup arugula
• 1/2 tsp chia seeds

For 3 weeks in July, this was my stack and I really liked it.
7:30am

• 200mg L-theanine] (Suntheanine)
• 400mg Rhodiola Rosea (Life Extension)
• 5000 IU Vitamin D (Now)
• 1200 mg L-citruline (Now Sports)
• 750 mg Panax Ginseng (Herb Tonics Red Korean)
• 450mg Bacopa Monnieri (Double Wood)

I'll note that the Ginseng dose is half what the bottle recommends and I find that it worked well with a calm energy.
I took a break from this stack the week before last as I was on predinsone to help get over a cold.
As I resumed this past week, I adjusted my stack a little with the following for 4 days, but I think I was overstimulated on it, so trying to regroup and try another approach.
7:30am

• 200mg L-theanine (Suntheanine)
• 400mg Rhodiola Rosea (Life Extension)
• 5000 IU Vitamin D (Now)
• 1200 mg L-citruline (Now Sports)
• 750 mg Panax Ginseng (Herb Tonics Red Korean)
• 500mg Tongkat Ali (Double Wood)
• 650mg Tribulus (Toniq)

Obviously, the Panax Ginseng, Tongkat Ali and Tribulus were to boost libido. I understand it takes time too, but I think I just felt overstimulated, which could be a given with all of these.
I recently learned about Phosphatidylserine ordered some and had my first dose of it last night and I think the results are promising. I've read and watched that pairing PS with Ashwaghanda can be a good combination.
I've also learned that I might need to space doses out a bit during the day vs taking everything in the morning.
This is the stack I took yesterday, which I had good results, and what I for the upcoming week(s):
7:30am

• 200mg L-theanine (Suntheanine)
• 400mg Rhodiola Rosea (Life Extension)
• 5000 IU Vitamin D (Now)
• 1200 mg L-citruline (Now Sports)
• 750 mg Panax Ginseng (Herb Tonics Red Korean)
• 650mg Ashwaghanda (Toniq)
• 300mg Phosphatidylserine (Double Wood)

1pm

• 450mg Bacopa Monnieri (Double Wood)

4pm

• 300mg Phosphatidylserine (Double Wood)
• 650mg Ashwaghanda (Toniq)

9pm

• 300mg Phosphatidylserine (Double Wood)

I'd appreciate any advice on the stack.

TLDR: Caffeine dependency is bad. After quitting, things got better. Months-long PAWS is real.
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I'm currently 3.5 months (almost entirely) decaf. My last day of being full-caf was Halloween. Since then, the only caffeine I've had came from a small piece of chocolate fudge that I ate on christmas, a small hot chocolate I had while out with some friends in a ski town on new year's, and two days ago, when I drank a small chocolate-flavored protein drink. The only reason I mention that is because I've been experiencing extreme episodes of anxiety and depression lately (among other things), and yesterday when I drank that protein drink, my anxiety and depression almost completely went away and my mood did a full 180 -- I suddenly didn't feel so dark, I was laughing, I had energy, I could focus.
I had expected that I would deal with depression and anxiety for weeks after quitting caffeine, but I was starting to believe that, after 3 months without caffeine, maybe I really just had treatment resistant depression and that I was self-medicating with caffeine (I do have other mental health issues going on). But after seeing how the tiny amount of caffeine in that protein drink erased all my symptoms, it hit me that I was still dealing with prolonged caffeine withdrawals.

My Story with Caffeine

My caffeine consumption started as a kid with soda. From the first time I had soda, I was a fiend -- remember often being told by my mom to stop because I had drank several cans in one day.
By middle school, I started struggling with sleep problems and depression and also developed a fierce love for chocolate milk -- I wasn't drinking soda as much (and eventually not at all), but I would have nearly a liter of chocolate milk at night with dinner, having rationalized it given that I was an athlete and I read online that chocolate milk was a great recovery drink. By 8th grade, I couldn't fall asleep at night, and I would wake up completely exhausted. When I did sleep, no amount would result in me feeling rested when I woke up. I started having issues with excessive sweating. I had really bad social anxiety. I couldn't focus at school anymore. I was extremely depressed. I should add that I don't attribute all of this to caffeine -- I had some major shit going on in my life at that point, but the caffeine fucking up my sleep certainly wasn't helping.
This pattern continued throughout high school. As a kid, I was extremely sharp and focused -- I could sit down and read a book all the way through without stopping. Today, that seems like a super power to me. 5+ hours of sustained focus? Are you kidding me? I did extremely well in school -- I was even moved forward a grade. I was good at math and I liked it. I loved learning in general. By middle and high school, however, I was shockingly unmotivated to do anything and was caught a couple times cheating or severely slacking on homework assignments/projects. I had become a B/C student, doing the bare minimum to get by. I slept terribly, spent most of my days exhausted, and then came home and took a nap.
My senior year started, and I had enrolled myself in entirely AP and honors classes, fervently hoping (like the procrastinator I became) that I could just cram an entire academic career of excellence into one semester so that I could get into a good college. I thought I wanted to do political science at the time, so I even got an internship with a congressman. I got a part time job as a life guard working 20+ hours a week as well. Early on in that semester, I was depressed and struggling. I couldn't focus on anything and had no motivation -- when I sat down to do my homework, it was like my brain would flat out refuse. And then, I discovered something almost magical.
I was tired and dreading my AP calculus homework one day, but knew I needed to get it done. Inspired by my mom -- a lifetime daily coffee drinker -- I drove to starbucks and ordered my first latte. It was a white chocolate mocha. I sat down with my homework and started drinking my coffee. What I then experienced was unbelievable -- it was like coffee fixed something broken inside my brain. I proceeded to not only do my homework, but enjoy it. I was digging into the concepts I was learning about and enjoyed trying to understand what was in front of me. It felt like my brain finally woke up and I was suddenly meaningfully engaged. I hadn't felt like this since I was a kid.
That was the beginning for me. Caffeine gave me instant access to the feeling of being an eager and joyful participant in my life. Where I was formerly depressed, unfocused, and apathetic, caffeine made me deeply enjoy learning, creating, solving problems, and accomplishing tasks. It was like caffeine put my brain into a gear that I had desperately been trying to figure out how to access.
That semester, I got a 4.2 GPA. I got accepted into my state university and went on a caffeine propelled 5-year tear to end up with a MS in Aerospace Engineering, graduating with a 3.92 GPA from a top 10 nationally ranked aerospace engineering graduate program. By all outward measures, caffeine was helping me absolutely crush it. Inwardly, I was a mess.
I was drinking 2-4 cups of coffee per day. I started having extreme problems with stress. By my sophomore year, I started getting horrible insomnia. My body was locked in a chemically induced fight or flight mode, and I couldn't calm down for the life of me. Caffeine hyper activated my left brain and sucked me up into my head, where I'd connect to the world only through words and analysis. It turns out that being able to relax with someone, feel your emotions, let go of analysis, and have fun are all pretty important parts of intimacy and connection -- I spent those years struggling enormously with relationships and connection in my life. (Again, not caused by caffeine alone, but certainly not helped by it.)
Caffeine was raising the anxiety in my body so high that I couldn't make out my other feelings through the noise. I was living on a kind of artificial passion for my life. Eventually, I started to realize that I wasn't sure what I actually liked -- you can put pretty much anything in front of me and a cup of coffee and I'll enjoy doing it, and I had spent years doing that. Taking it even farther, I was starting to realize that although I could excel at it, I didn't really like engineering very much.
I started to realize that caffeine was turning me into an emotional pressure cooker -- being constantly caffeinated from sun up to sun down, I was going months without feeling anything besides the effects of caffeine -- the lift in the morning and the crash at night. Un-felt and unprocessed emotions in the background were building up and my sense of something being wrong in my life kept increasing.
Eventually, things rounded an unpleasant corner. I developed PTSD from an event my senior year of college, and my dependency on coffee started to have horrible consequences for me. My anxiety was skyrocketed. Instead of causing me to focus, caffeine now caused me to panic and my attention to scatter. I kept trying to quit but couldn't get through the withdrawal. The first time I tried to quit, it took me 23 days before I had one day where I didn't feel extremely depressed. During that period, I was almost completely unable to work. Rationalizing that I needed to be able to work and caffeine was helping, I returned to it. I tried to quit a handful of times between 2017 and 2020, all of them unsuccessful.
Then, things started getting really bad. I started getting "can't-fall-asleep-till-8am" kind of insomnia. I had amassed an entire flight of supplements ranging from CBD to L-theanine, hoping I could offset the negative impacts of caffeine with other supplements. Some helped, but it was kind of like throwing a bucket of water on a bonfire. By March of last year, I had had 8 panic attacks in a month because of caffeine.
I started playing around with gradually getting off caffeine by introducing nootropics into my life that would give me the same effect. I then had a nightmarish experience on Aniracetam that served as the nail in the coffin for me. I hit a kind of bottom and realized how insane things had gotten for me. I'm in a 12-step program for non-substance related behaviors, and it was shocking to me that I had been in a 12-step program for almost a year and not been able to see what was happening in this area of my life. I was entering into true addiction territory.
I also felt pretty estranged and ashamed talking to people about it -- who the fuck has these kinds of problems with caffeine? Isn't it a mostly harmless thing that only takes a few days to get off of? Why was I so depressed for weeks after stopping?
That's around when I started doing more research. I found people on YouTube talking about how they had very similar experiences with caffeine and the PAWS lasted months for them. I then tried to quit cold turkey, but the PAWS was too intense and I went back to caffeine after seeing I was entering seriously scary mental health territory. I decided to slowly ween myself off over months. Given that I had been consuming several hundred milligrams of caffeine per day for almost 8 years, getting off gradually was enormously helpful.
In June, I started lowering my caffeine intake. I went from full to half caf, then quarter caf, then I switched to tea, and then I switched to chocolate. By october I was only having the occasional caffeinated drink or chocolate. Something I noticed during my taper, which I think is worth noting for people on here who may identify with my experience, is that things would get better when I decreased my caffeine amount, but would then gradually get worse as I stayed at the same amount. In other words, my anxiety would improve when i went down, but then slowly get worse again as I stayed at the same amount. When my anxiety started to get bad again, it was a sign that it was time to cut down.
I had scary experience of paranoia after drinking a bit too much caffeine on Halloween last year that I took as the sign I was ready to stop. Other than what I mentioned in the beginning of this post, I haven't had any caffeine since.

The last 100+ days Decaf

I was prepared this time around for dealing with weeks of depression and difficult focusing. Having slowly weened myself off, however, the depression was nowhere near as bad as when I tried to quit cold turkey. Here's a summary of my experience so far:
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1. Sleep. The first positive change to appear was with my sleep quality. After about 2 weeks, I noticed I was sleeping deeper than I ever remember. While I was caffeinated all the time, I had to take a nap daily; now, I rarely feel like I need a nap and actually wake up feeling rested.
2. More emotional. The next thing I noticed was that I started to feel better -- not just the positive emotions, however. I started to feel everything better. I had a lot difficult emotions coming up. Years of numbing myself out meant I had (and still have) quite a bit of unprocessed feelings trying to burst forward. On the plus side, I found myself enjoying being around friends more. I was laughing a lot more and have felt an increase in my ability to be authentic and vulnerable.
3. Focus. I started noticing natural focus returning after about a month. I occasionally could sit down and actually focus on doing something. I still struggle with focus, but it has improved tremendously since my first couple weeks decaf. I actually sat down and read 45 pages of a book straight through. That was miraculous for me.
4. Mood swings. This is really the biggest one for me. I started getting powerful mood swings. One day, I'd feel great. My head would feel clear and sharp, and my mood would be positive. Then, I would swing into really intense depression for sometimes several days. This is still going on today. These "flatlines" also include persistent irritability, negativity, and lack of motivation.
5. Anxiety. Along with the depression, I've gotten really intense, persistent anxiety that lasts for days. It has been getting better, on average, week by week, but is still something I struggle with.
6. Whiplash, i.e. finally feeling the true effects of years of adrenal abuse. I absolutely have severe adrenal fatigue -- my body is now recoiling from over 5 years of extreme stress. My whole body feels tapped out and I currently have a frustratingly powerful aversion to any kind of stress. I don't want to do almost anything -- if it requires significant mental energy or would stress me out, my body will resist strongly. I have no problems with exercise, playing games, playing music, or doing fun things -- if something feels like work, however, its extremely challenging to work through the resistance I feel. My body just wants to rest and recover. My capacity and desire to do creative things has certainly been getting better week-by-week, however.
7. Progress. I am absolutely getting better on average, week by week, in almost every area of my life. Progress has been slow and very non-linear for me, however.

Things that helped with PAWS

PAWS are real and have lasted 3+ months for me. Only time will tell how much of my current difficulties are caffeine related vs. being caused by other things. I'm in therapy and trying to do a lot to take care of myself, so hopefully things keep improving. Here's the things that helped:

1. Recognizing and avoiding catastrophizing. In the midst of PAWS, its really easy to narrow down and start obsessing over whether I'm going to be like this forever. It's been really helpful to recognize when that's happening and remind myself that my current depression and anxiety are at least in part being caused by PAWS and won't last forever.
2. Good sleep hygiene.
3. Reading/Listening to people's success stories. Reconnecting with hope is extremely important. It helps me take my unpleasant feelings less seriously and reconnect with the fact that they are part of the healing process.
4. Cardiovascular Exercise. It truly is the most effective anti-depressant I know of. 20 minutes of HR above 150 exercise will stabilize my mood for the day like nothing else.
5. Healthy Diet. You know the spiel, avoid sugar and processed carbohydrates. Eat veggies and clean protein (pasture raised or grass fed if you can). It makes a big difference.
6. Supplements. Here's the supplements that have produced tangible benefits for me. I would encourage you to (safely) experiment with different supplements to see if you find anything that helps.
   1. Magnesium, taken before bed. Helps with my sleep.
   2. Phosphatidylserine, taken before bed. Sold as PS 100 at grocery stores (you can for sure get it from sprouts or whole foods). It's an endogenous phospholipid that inhibits cortisol production. Super helpful for night time stress and anxiety.
   3. CDB. Helpful with sleep and anxiety.
   4. Fish/Krill Oil.
   5. B Vitamin complex.
   6. Vitamin D3.

Important Takeaways

Decaf is not a panacea. Caffeine certainly caused some problems for me and made others a lot worse, but getting off of it is not a one sized fits all solution for the things in my life that suck. Speaking only for myself, my issues have been severe enough that I'm now in 12-step groups (not for caffeine) and regular therapy. Abstaining from caffeine right now is crucial for my long term healing, but I'm focusing now on what's going on in my life that created the conditions for caffeine (and other things) to become so problematic for me.
It takes time. Progress has been non-linear and slow, but it has been happening.
PAWS is real and it sucks. But if you do it right, you only have to go through it once. Don't give up.
Those are the major things so far. Overall, getting off caffeine has been one of the best decisions I've made. I have nothing morally against caffeine, but I can see that it took a very unhealthy role in my life. With that said, I still love coffee and tea. My longer term goals are to be completely decaf for a year and never associate work or creativity with caffeine again. I'd like to be able to have a chai or something with friends when out for breakfast occasionally or have some chocolate every once and awhile, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
Thank you all for being a part of this sub. Reading your stories has been profoundly helpful for me on my own journey. Wish you all the best. Thanks for reading.

^{Preface: I'm a 4'th year medical student with a passion for self-improvement and optimization. This includes my IRL skills as well as my gaming. How to improve faster, how to be more efficient with my time, how to reach new heights, feel and play better; these are the things that interest me and I try to find ways to do it through science. Some of you may have seen my previous posts on Meditation and Flow. You might have also noticed that I post on multiple competitive gaming subreddits. I do this because these are games I personally enjoy, have coached and/or have competed in and also because these tips and tricks are not title dependent. Everyone can benefit and even apply it for things IRL. I prefer this be looked at as a conversation where you can tell me about your experiences, what has worked for you and other tips and tricks so that I may learn as well. I'm genuinely pleasantly surprised with the responses and the chance to meet like-minded individuals!}
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On most of my posts I get asked about nootropics. I had read a bit on the topic before but never fully dived in so I took the opportunity to actually sit down for a couple days and look over the available research of the most popular substances. If you are anything like me (skeptical, and poor af) you want to make an informed to decision and only commit if it's worth the money. If you have money and want to some of them out then go ahead, there are reddit communities that experiment on this.
Let's get right into the nitty gritty. "The term "nootropic" was coined by Corneliu Giurgea in 1972 to describe a new classification of molecules that acted selectively towards the brain's higher-level integrative activity." - Wikipedia
I will also make it like a Tier List (this is completely based on my opinion after reading the literature).
S tier - This is what I will use/incorporate
A tier - Considerable
B tier - Not enough pro's
C tier - Nah
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NE = Noradrenaline/Norepinephrine
DA = Dopamine
Ach = Acetylcholine
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Note: I originally had a section on CNS stimulants Ritalin, Adderall and Provogil. After reading some concerns I've decided to remove the section. I had explicitly written that I do not support their use outside of medical setting but the risk of people reading over it and misinterpreting is too large.
I. Tier List

• Caffeine/L-Theanine - S
  • Caffeine is a CNS stimulant that reduces fatigue and drowsiness. At normal doses, caffeine has variable effects on learning and memory, but it generally improves reaction time, wakefulness, concentration, and motor coordination.
  • Caffeine is a methylxanthine that works by blocking the adenosine receptor. Adenosine is a molecule that builds up during the day and signals tiredness. If you block the receptor then your body doesn't register being tired. It also tends to cause vasoconstriction in the blood vessels in the brain.
  • L-theanine is an amino acid that promotes relaxation. Found in tea.
  • When used in combination you get the stimulation of caffeine and the soothing effect of L-theanine to produce a state of optimal relaxed focus.
  • Biggest effect is one hour post dose. Combining L-theanine with caffeine, at levels and ratios equivalent to one to two cups of tea, eliminated the vasoconstrictive effect and behavioral effects of caffeine. This supports previous findings of an interaction between these substances, despite a lack of effects of L-theanine in isolation.
  • Increased speed on several tasks, improved semantic memory and increased alertness.
  • "Caffeine and L-theanine, at doses equivalent to one to two cups of tea, are capable of modulating cerebral haemodynamics, cognitive performance, mood and autonomic measures. When combined with 75 mg caffeine, 50 mg L-theanine abolished a reduction in oxy-Hb observed following 75 mg caffeine in isolation, with this effect still apparent at the end of the assessment period". https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4480845/#:~:text=Conclusions,of%20L%2Dtheanine%20in%20isolation.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24946991/
  • https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47643925_The_combination_of_L-theanine_and_caffeine_improves_cognitive_performance_and_increases_subjective_alertness
  • Suntheanine is the most purest form of L-Theanine
  • Caffeine and L theanine doses in Tea
  • Black Tea is closest one to reach good levels but requires 400mL serving
• Creatine Monohydrate - S
  • "Creatine’s main function is to immediately supply energy to tissues with increased energy demands, such as muscle and brain. This can be achieved by phosphocreatine’s high energy phosphate bonds that are available for immediate ATP replenishment in energy demanding circumstances".
  • This is what many gym-goers use post workout. I personally use it as it is the only actual gym supplement that has been backed by science and is worth the money.
  • There is evidence that short term memory and intelligence/reasoning may be improved by creatine administration. Other cognitive domains such as long-term memory, spatial memory, memory scanning, attention, executive function, response inhibition, word fluency, reaction time and mental fatigue, the results were conflicting/inconclusive.
  • Seeing as it has definite benefits for fitness and has some cognitive benefit I grade it S. If I were judging solely on cognitive benefits then it would be A/B tier
  • Could also help those in high stress scenarios.
  • Creatinine positive effect forvegetarians.
  • To start loading, take 0.3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day for 5–7 days, then follow with at least 0.03 g/kg/day either for three weeks (if cycling) or indefinitely (without additional loading phases).
  • For a 180 lb (82 kg) person, this translates to 25 g/day during the loading phase and 2.5 g/day afterward, although many users take 5 g/day due to the low price of creatine and the possibility of experiencing increased benefits. Higher doses (up to 10 g/day) may be beneficial for people with a high amount of muscle mass and high activity levels or for those who are non-responders to the lower 5 g/day dose.
• Zeaxanthin/Lutein - S
  • Two important carotenoids, which are pigments produced by plants that give fruits and vegetables a yellow to reddish hue. Lutein is the most prevalent carotenoid within the brain, where it is believed to be neuroprotective through its role as an antioxidant. They are also concentrated in the retina which is important for eye health.
  • Mostly found in Spinach/Kale
  • Suggested that increasing macular pigment density through supplementation correlates with improved cognitive function.
  • CFF thresholds (∼12%) and visual motor reaction time (∼10%) compared to placebo. 26mg Zea / 8mg Lutein/190 mg mixed omega 3 fatty acid. In young healthy adults.
  • Increased memoryin healthy young adults.
  • BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) is important for brain health and it has been shown to increase with Zea/Lutein likely to a decrease in inflammation.
  • You could buy supplements or just eat 2+ servings of Kale/Spinach daily. It's also found in eggs. Therefore my usual breakfast is eggs served with vegetables and spinach.
• Bacopa Monnieri - A
  • Effects: anti-oxidant neuroprotection (via redox and enzyme induction), acetylcholinesterase inhibition and/or choline acetyltransferase activation, β-amyloid reduction, increased cerebral blood flow, and neurotransmitter modulation.
  • Helps mostly with memory.
  • Mostly studied with older individuals but has shown effect on young and healthy.
  • The standard dose for Bacopa monnieri is 300mg, assuming that the total bacoside content (the active compound) is 55% of the extract, by weight.
  • Need to take 4-6 weeks
• Rhodiola Rosea + Ginkgo Biloba - A
  • Rhodiola has the most effect on individuals with fatigue. I would use this mix if I weren't opting for caffeine/L-theanine.
  • Reduced reaction time in healthy men.
  • Ginko Biloba + Rhodiola benefits together
  • Improvement in mental speed/mental resources of Rhodiolah
  • The possible mechanisms of R. rosea L. are largely through antioxidant, cholinergic regulation, anti-apoptosis activities, anti-inflammatory, improving coronary blood flow, and cerebral metabolism.
  • Animal study that suggests improvement in memory and learning
  • Supplementation of rhodiola rosea tends to refer to either the SHR-5 extract in particular or an equivalent extract, any that confers both 3% rosavins and 1% salidroside.
  • Usage of rhodiola as a daily preventative against fatigue has been reported to be effective in doses as low as 50mg.
  • Acute usage of rhodiola for fatigue and anti-stress has been noted to be taken in the 288-680mg range.
  • Ginkgo biloba can be supplemented for cognitive enhancement, or to alleviate cognitive decline. Mostly affects memory.
  • There is no conclusive evidence that it helps cognition of young healthy adults. It aids in slowing cognitive decline. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17480002/
  • If you desired to take it for cognitive enhancement, take 120-240mg, one to four hours before performance. To alleviate cognitive decline in older adults, take 40-120mg, three times a day.
  • The supplement form of Ginkgo biloba is also called EGb-761 extract. It should be a 50:1 concentrated extract.
  • Ginkgo biloba should be taken with meals.
• Phosphatidylserine - A
  • It is vital for cognitive function, but is not necessarily needed as the body synthesizes it. However, Phosphatidylserine (PS) supplementation in older individuals seems to improve memory and cognitive capacity.
  • Standard dose is 100mg taken 3x daily.
  • 2 months of supplementation of 200mg Phosphatidylserine (PS) appears to improve symptoms of global and subscale attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in children with ADHD, and secondary to improving symptoms of ADHD an improvement in short-term auditory memory and impulsivity was noted.
  • Increased effect when supplemented with fish oil (DHA & EPA)
  • In otherwise healthy young adults given 400mg PS for 2 weeks, a significant improvement in processing speed (20%) and accuracy (13% more correct responses, 39% less wrong responses) is noted relative to placebo and independent of mood state
  • Stress seems to be reduced independent of cortisol levels and heart rate.
  • Acetylcholine increase in aged rats but not young rats
  • Studies in non-aged rats was able to significantly enhance brightness discrimination (indicative of memory formation) without significantly affecting anxiety or depressive symptoms.
• Ashwaganda - A
  • Large effect on anxiety, depression, motivation, general mood and overall well-being.
  • Not directly correlated with increased cognition but well being has a huge impact on performance
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/
• Caffeine alone - A
  • Dosage. For physical performance 200mg. For cognitive start from 50-75mg. If a chronic user starts at 100mg.
  • Do not use in the afternoon/night. Disrupts sleep cycles.
• L - Theanine alone - B
  • Alone works well for stressed individuals.
  • 200mg dose
• N - acetyl - L -Tyrosine - B
  • L-Tyrosine is an amino acid found in the diet that is metabolized to produce catecholamines such as dopamine and adrenaline. It is also used in the production of thyroid hormones. For these reasons, weight loss and preworkout supplements often include it. When it comes to the topic of actually increasing Da and NE outright, L-tyrosine does not seem to hold much promise. The synthesis of catecholamines is highly regulated in the body, so simply increasing the amount of L-tyrosine in your body does not necessarily increase catecholamine production.
  • Studies in humans showing most anti-stress promise for acute supplemental L-Tyrosine use a dosage range of 100-150mg/kg bodyweight which can be taken 60 minutes before exercise; this is a dosage range of 9-13.5g for a 200lb person and 7-10g for a 150lb person.
  • DO NOT take if you are hypo or hyperthyroid, taking MAO medications or levodopa.
  • Seems to be useful for stressful situations. I'm thinking tournaments.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2736402/
• Panax Ginseng - B
  • Panax Ginseng tends to be taken in doses of 200 to 400mg daily for general 'preventative' medicine, although some studies on the inclusion of Panax Ginseng in a multivitamin suggest doses as low as 40mg might be bioactive. The 400mg dose appears to confer most cognitive benefit. (better reaction time). Once daily.
  • This study showed a 7.5% improvement in memory when taking panax + ginkgo.
  • Seems to work well for fatigued individuals. Like a weaker version of Rhodiola Rosea.
• Racetams – Piracetam - B
  • GABA derivative but doesn’t behave as GABA. Acts on AMPA and maybe NMDA receptor. May increase cerebral blood flow, neuroprotective, antioxidative, antiapoptotic activity, being looked at for stroke patients and hemorrhagic shock. Increases membrane fluidity in aged brain.
  • Mostly helpful for cognitive decline and individuals with cerebral accidents.
  • No real improvement in healthy individuals
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10555876/
• CDP - Choline - B
  • CDP-choline activates the biosynthesis of structural phospholipids in the neuronal membranes, increases cerebral metabolism and acts on the levels of various neurotransmitters. Has a neuroprotective effect in situations of hypoxia and ischemia, as well as improved learning and memory performance in animal models of brain aging.
  • Eggs, milk, peanuts, and some types of fish (cod, salmon, and tilapia, for example) are good natural sources of choline.
  • Recommended daily 550 mg/day for 14-18 year old males
  • One large hard boiled egg 147mg
  • Just eat the foods
• Lions Mane - B
  • Currently, the only human study has used an oral dose of 1,000mg Lion's Mane (96% purity extract) thrice daily for a cumulative total of 3,000mg extract. While it is unknown if this is the optimal dose or not, it appeared to be effective.
  • Promote neuronal prolongation and formation of myelin
  • Helped against dementia, anxiety and depression
  • Only the MMSE (mini mental exam) showed improvement
• Di-Caffeine Malate - C
  • 0 research. Supposedly slower release of caffeine, avoids crash, less GI symptoms
• Huperzine A - C
  • It is known as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, which means that it stops an enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine which results in increases in acetylcholine.
  • Studied for use in Alzheimer. No studies in young healthy.
  • Increased neurogenesis.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23454433/
• Vitamins B 6, 9, 12 - C
  • These are imperative for cognitive function but they are only useful as a nootropic if you are deficient. With a balanced diet you should not have any need to supplement.
• Nicotine - C
• Nicotine has cognitive-enhancing effects. Attention, working memory, fine motor skills and episodic memory functions are particularly sensitive to nicotine’s effects. Long term it leads to the opposite end of the spectrum and causes dependance since it also mimics dopamine. This is why smoking makes you feel a little high and focused.
• Cigarettes have way too many other toxic chemicals.
• Thinking gums and patches? Not worth the dependance.
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6018192/#:~:text=Results,particularly%20sensitive%20to%20nicotine's%20effects.
• Noopept - C
  • Similar to Piracetam. Works mostly on memory of those with defective memory.

III. Conclusion
Many of of nootropic supplements are basically overhyped and based on assumptions since most studies are done on older and aging individuals for the prevention of cognitive decline. I will definitely use the S tier substances. I am going to consider Bacopa, Ashwaganda and Phosphatidylserine. Ashwaganda should be heavily considered in those with irritable moods, depression, anxiety etc. I will consider it also for the physical performance enhancement in my exercise routines. Rhodiola/Gingko should be heavily considered in those with chronic fatigue and low mood. Phosphatidyl should be considered in those with ADHD. For those in tournaments and high stress levels L-theanine and L-tyrosine are good options. Overall, many of the substances can be attained through proper healthy diet.
I looked into these two popular gamer nootropic supplements and found neither to my liking and rather incomplete. Genius Gamer has Lutein and Zea but other than that it is trash from the looks of it (theacrine and methyliberine are basically the same thing and act as caffeine). Esport Lab Pro has the caffeine/L-theanine combination plus Rhodiola and Phosphatidyl serine but the rest is meh. And at 60 bucks for a month of supplements it's a big no no from my part. Much simpler to pick and choose a few substances that you like, buy it in bulk/powder and just take at home. Here are the gamer nootropic supplements with their link for you to look at yourself:
Genius Gamer
Contents:
Vit B 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12 .4/.4/5/2.5/.5/1.5
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine 88
Cognizine Cytocholine 50
Caffeine Vitashure 21
Dicaffeine Malate 19
Methyliberine 16
Theacrine 16
Lutein Lutemax 5
Zeaxanthin Lutemax 1
​
Esport Lab pro
Contents:
Vit B 3, 6, 12 10/10/500
L-tyrosine 500
Asian Ginseng 400
Caffeine Anhydrous 160
Taurine 500
L-Theanine 100
Phosphatidylserine 100
Acetyl-L Carnitine 500
CDP-choline 125
Huperzine A 50
DMAE Bitatrate 250
Rhodiola Root 200
​
As always thank you for reading and please share with me your thoughts, experiences, suggestions, etc. I'm very approachable and usually reply quickly since I only use this platform as my social media fix. Have a good day!

^{Preface: I'm a 4'th year medical student with a passion for self-improvement and optimization. This includes my IRL skills as well as my gaming. How to improve faster, how to be more efficient with my time, how to reach new heights, feel and play better; these are the things that interest me and I try to find ways to do it through science. Some of you may have seen my previous posts on Meditation and Flow. You might have also noticed that I post on multiple competitive gaming subreddits. I do this because these are games I personally enjoy, have coached and/or have competed in and also because these tips and tricks are not title dependent. Everyone can benefit and even apply it for things IRL. I prefer this be looked at as a conversation where you can tell me about your experiences, what has worked for you and other tips and tricks so that I may learn as well. I'm genuinely pleasantly surprised with the responses and the chance to meet like-minded individuals!}
​
On most of my posts I get asked about nootropics. I had read a bit on the topic before but never fully dived in so I took the opportunity to actually sit down for a couple days and look over the available research of the most popular substances. If you are anything like me (skeptical, and poor af) you want to make an informed to decision and only commit if it's worth the money. If you have money and want to some of them out then go ahead, there are reddit communities that experiment on this.
Let's get right into the nitty gritty. "The term "nootropic" was coined by Corneliu Giurgea in 1972 to describe a new classification of molecules that acted selectively towards the brain's higher-level integrative activity." - Wikipedia
I will also make it like a Tier List (this is completely based on my opinion after reading the literature).
S tier - This is what I will use/incorporate
A tier - Considerable
B tier - Not enough pro's
C tier - Nah
​
NE = Noradrenaline/Norepinephrine
DA = Dopamine
Ach = Acetylcholine
​
Note: I originally had a section on CNS stimulants Ritalin, Adderall and Provogil. After reading some concerns I've decided to remove the section. I had explicitly written that I do not support their use outside of medical setting but the risk of people reading over it and misinterpreting is too large.
I. Tier List

• Caffeine/L-Theanine - S
  • Caffeine is a CNS stimulant that reduces fatigue and drowsiness. At normal doses, caffeine has variable effects on learning and memory, but it generally improves reaction time, wakefulness, concentration, and motor coordination.
  • Caffeine is a methylxanthine that works by blocking the adenosine receptor. Adenosine is a molecule that builds up during the day and signals tiredness. If you block the receptor then your body doesn't register being tired. It also tends to cause vasoconstriction in the blood vessels in the brain.
  • L-theanine is an amino acid that promotes relaxation. Found in tea.
  • When used in combination you get the stimulation of caffeine and the soothing effect of L-theanine to produce a state of optimal relaxed focus.
  • Biggest effect is one hour post dose. Combining L-theanine with caffeine, at levels and ratios equivalent to one to two cups of tea, eliminated the vasoconstrictive effect and behavioral effects of caffeine. This supports previous findings of an interaction between these substances, despite a lack of effects of L-theanine in isolation.
  • Increased speed on several tasks, improved semantic memory and increased alertness.
  • "Caffeine and L-theanine, at doses equivalent to one to two cups of tea, are capable of modulating cerebral haemodynamics, cognitive performance, mood and autonomic measures. When combined with 75 mg caffeine, 50 mg L-theanine abolished a reduction in oxy-Hb observed following 75 mg caffeine in isolation, with this effect still apparent at the end of the assessment period". https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4480845/#:~:text=Conclusions,of%20L%2Dtheanine%20in%20isolation.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24946991/
  • https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47643925_The_combination_of_L-theanine_and_caffeine_improves_cognitive_performance_and_increases_subjective_alertness
  • Suntheanine is the most purest form of L-Theanine
  • Caffeine and L theanine doses in Tea
  • Black Tea is closest one to reach good levels but requires 400mL serving
• Creatine Monohydrate - S
  • "Creatine’s main function is to immediately supply energy to tissues with increased energy demands, such as muscle and brain. This can be achieved by phosphocreatine’s high energy phosphate bonds that are available for immediate ATP replenishment in energy demanding circumstances".
  • This is what many gym-goers use post workout. I personally use it as it is the only actual gym supplement that has been backed by science and is worth the money.
  • There is evidence that short term memory and intelligence/reasoning may be improved by creatine administration. Other cognitive domains such as long-term memory, spatial memory, memory scanning, attention, executive function, response inhibition, word fluency, reaction time and mental fatigue, the results were conflicting/inconclusive.
  • Seeing as it has definite benefits for fitness and has some cognitive benefit I grade it S. If I were judging solely on cognitive benefits then it would be A/B tier
  • Could also help those in high stress scenarios.
  • Creatinine positive effect forvegetarians.
  • To start loading, take 0.3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day for 5–7 days, then follow with at least 0.03 g/kg/day either for three weeks (if cycling) or indefinitely (without additional loading phases).
  • For a 180 lb (82 kg) person, this translates to 25 g/day during the loading phase and 2.5 g/day afterward, although many users take 5 g/day due to the low price of creatine and the possibility of experiencing increased benefits. Higher doses (up to 10 g/day) may be beneficial for people with a high amount of muscle mass and high activity levels or for those who are non-responders to the lower 5 g/day dose.
• Zeaxanthin/Lutein - S
  • Two important carotenoids, which are pigments produced by plants that give fruits and vegetables a yellow to reddish hue. Lutein is the most prevalent carotenoid within the brain, where it is believed to be neuroprotective through its role as an antioxidant. They are also concentrated in the retina which is important for eye health.
  • Mostly found in Spinach/Kale
  • Suggested that increasing macular pigment density through supplementation correlates with improved cognitive function.
  • CFF thresholds (∼12%) and visual motor reaction time (∼10%) compared to placebo. 26mg Zea / 8mg Lutein/190 mg mixed omega 3 fatty acid. In young healthy adults.
  • Increased memoryin healthy young adults.
  • BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) is important for brain health and it has been shown to increase with Zea/Lutein likely to a decrease in inflammation.
  • You could buy supplements or just eat 2+ servings of Kale/Spinach daily. It's also found in eggs. Therefore my usual breakfast is eggs served with vegetables and spinach.
• Bacopa Monnieri - A
  • Effects: anti-oxidant neuroprotection (via redox and enzyme induction), acetylcholinesterase inhibition and/or choline acetyltransferase activation, β-amyloid reduction, increased cerebral blood flow, and neurotransmitter modulation.
  • Helps mostly with memory.
  • Mostly studied with older individuals but has shown effect on young and healthy.
  • The standard dose for Bacopa monnieri is 300mg, assuming that the total bacoside content (the active compound) is 55% of the extract, by weight.
  • Need to take 4-6 weeks
• Rhodiola Rosea + Ginkgo Biloba - A
  • Rhodiola has the most effect on individuals with fatigue. I would use this mix if I weren't opting for caffeine/L-theanine.
  • Reduced reaction time in healthy men.
  • Ginko Biloba + Rhodiola benefits together
  • Improvement in mental speed/mental resources of Rhodiolah
  • The possible mechanisms of R. rosea L. are largely through antioxidant, cholinergic regulation, anti-apoptosis activities, anti-inflammatory, improving coronary blood flow, and cerebral metabolism.
  • Animal study that suggests improvement in memory and learning
  • Supplementation of rhodiola rosea tends to refer to either the SHR-5 extract in particular or an equivalent extract, any that confers both 3% rosavins and 1% salidroside.
  • Usage of rhodiola as a daily preventative against fatigue has been reported to be effective in doses as low as 50mg.
  • Acute usage of rhodiola for fatigue and anti-stress has been noted to be taken in the 288-680mg range.
  • Ginkgo biloba can be supplemented for cognitive enhancement, or to alleviate cognitive decline. Mostly affects memory.
  • There is no conclusive evidence that it helps cognition of young healthy adults. It aids in slowing cognitive decline. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17480002/
  • If you desired to take it for cognitive enhancement, take 120-240mg, one to four hours before performance. To alleviate cognitive decline in older adults, take 40-120mg, three times a day.
  • The supplement form of Ginkgo biloba is also called EGb-761 extract. It should be a 50:1 concentrated extract.
  • Ginkgo biloba should be taken with meals.
• Phosphatidylserine - A
  • It is vital for cognitive function, but is not necessarily needed as the body synthesizes it. However, Phosphatidylserine (PS) supplementation in older individuals seems to improve memory and cognitive capacity.
  • Standard dose is 100mg taken 3x daily.
  • 2 months of supplementation of 200mg Phosphatidylserine (PS) appears to improve symptoms of global and subscale attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in children with ADHD, and secondary to improving symptoms of ADHD an improvement in short-term auditory memory and impulsivity was noted.
  • Increased effect when supplemented with fish oil (DHA & EPA)
  • In otherwise healthy young adults given 400mg PS for 2 weeks, a significant improvement in processing speed (20%) and accuracy (13% more correct responses, 39% less wrong responses) is noted relative to placebo and independent of mood state
  • Stress seems to be reduced independent of cortisol levels and heart rate.
  • Acetylcholine increase in aged rats but not young rats
  • Studies in non-aged rats was able to significantly enhance brightness discrimination (indicative of memory formation) without significantly affecting anxiety or depressive symptoms.
• Ashwaganda - A
  • Large effect on anxiety, depression, motivation, general mood and overall well-being.
  • Not directly correlated with increased cognition but well being has a huge impact on performance
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/
• Caffeine alone - A
  • Dosage. For physical performance 200mg. For cognitive start from 50-75mg. If a chronic user starts at 100mg.
  • Do not use in the afternoon/night. Disrupts sleep cycles.
• L - Theanine alone - B
  • Alone works well for stressed individuals.
  • 200mg dose
• N - acetyl - L -Tyrosine - B
  • L-Tyrosine is an amino acid found in the diet that is metabolized to produce catecholamines such as dopamine and adrenaline. It is also used in the production of thyroid hormones. For these reasons, weight loss and preworkout supplements often include it. When it comes to the topic of actually increasing Da and NE outright, L-tyrosine does not seem to hold much promise. The synthesis of catecholamines is highly regulated in the body, so simply increasing the amount of L-tyrosine in your body does not necessarily increase catecholamine production.
  • Studies in humans showing most anti-stress promise for acute supplemental L-Tyrosine use a dosage range of 100-150mg/kg bodyweight which can be taken 60 minutes before exercise; this is a dosage range of 9-13.5g for a 200lb person and 7-10g for a 150lb person.
  • DO NOT take if you are hypo or hyperthyroid, taking MAO medications or levodopa.
  • Seems to be useful for stressful situations. I'm thinking tournaments.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2736402/
• Panax Ginseng - B
  • Panax Ginseng tends to be taken in doses of 200 to 400mg daily for general 'preventative' medicine, although some studies on the inclusion of Panax Ginseng in a multivitamin suggest doses as low as 40mg might be bioactive. The 400mg dose appears to confer most cognitive benefit. (better reaction time). Once daily.
  • This study showed a 7.5% improvement in memory when taking panax + ginkgo.
  • Seems to work well for fatigued individuals. Like a weaker version of Rhodiola Rosea.
• Racetams – Piracetam - B
  • GABA derivative but doesn’t behave as GABA. Acts on AMPA and maybe NMDA receptor. May increase cerebral blood flow, neuroprotective, antioxidative, antiapoptotic activity, being looked at for stroke patients and hemorrhagic shock. Increases membrane fluidity in aged brain.
  • Mostly helpful for cognitive decline and individuals with cerebral accidents.
  • No real improvement in healthy individuals
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10555876/
• CDP - Choline - B
  • CDP-choline activates the biosynthesis of structural phospholipids in the neuronal membranes, increases cerebral metabolism and acts on the levels of various neurotransmitters. Has a neuroprotective effect in situations of hypoxia and ischemia, as well as improved learning and memory performance in animal models of brain aging.
  • Eggs, milk, peanuts, and some types of fish (cod, salmon, and tilapia, for example) are good natural sources of choline.
  • Recommended daily 550 mg/day for 14-18 year old males
  • One large hard boiled egg 147mg
  • Just eat the foods
• Lions Mane - B
  • Currently, the only human study has used an oral dose of 1,000mg Lion's Mane (96% purity extract) thrice daily for a cumulative total of 3,000mg extract. While it is unknown if this is the optimal dose or not, it appeared to be effective.
  • Promote neuronal prolongation and formation of myelin
  • Helped against dementia, anxiety and depression
  • Only the MMSE (mini mental exam) showed improvement
• Di-Caffeine Malate - C
  • 0 research. Supposedly slower release of caffeine, avoids crash, less GI symptoms
• Huperzine A - C
  • It is known as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, which means that it stops an enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine which results in increases in acetylcholine.
  • Studied for use in Alzheimer. No studies in young healthy.
  • Increased neurogenesis.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23454433/
• Vitamins B 6, 9, 12 - C
  • These are imperative for cognitive function but they are only useful as a nootropic if you are deficient. With a balanced diet you should not have any need to supplement.
• Nicotine - C
• Nicotine has cognitive-enhancing effects. Attention, working memory, fine motor skills and episodic memory functions are particularly sensitive to nicotine’s effects. Long term it leads to the opposite end of the spectrum and causes dependance since it also mimics dopamine. This is why smoking makes you feel a little high and focused.
• Cigarettes have way too many other toxic chemicals.
• Thinking gums and patches? Not worth the dependance.
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6018192/#:~:text=Results,particularly%20sensitive%20to%20nicotine's%20effects.
• Noopept - C
  • Similar to Piracetam. Works mostly on memory of those with defective memory.

III. Conclusion
Many of of nootropic supplements are basically overhyped and based on assumptions since most studies are done on older and aging individuals for the prevention of cognitive decline. I will definitely use the S tier substances. I am going to consider Bacopa, Ashwaganda and Phosphatidylserine. Ashwaganda should be heavily considered in those with irritable moods, depression, anxiety etc. I will consider it also for the physical performance enhancement in my exercise routines. Rhodiola/Gingko should be heavily considered in those with chronic fatigue and low mood. Phosphatidyl should be considered in those with ADHD. For those in tournaments and high stress levels L-theanine and L-tyrosine are good options. Overall, many of the substances can be attained through proper healthy diet.
I looked into these two popular gamer nootropic supplements and found neither to my liking and rather incomplete. Genius Gamer has Lutein and Zea but other than that it is trash from the looks of it (theacrine and methyliberine are basically the same thing and act as caffeine). Esport Lab Pro has the caffeine/L-theanine combination plus Rhodiola and Phosphatidyl serine but the rest is meh. And at 60 bucks for a month of supplements it's a big no no from my part. Much simpler to pick and choose a few substances that you like, buy it in bulk/powder and just take at home. Here are the gamer nootropic supplements with their link for you to look at yourself:
Genius Gamer
Contents:
Vit B 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12 .4/.4/5/2.5/.5/1.5
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine 88
Cognizine Cytocholine 50
Caffeine Vitashure 21
Dicaffeine Malate 19
Methyliberine 16
Theacrine 16
Lutein Lutemax 5
Zeaxanthin Lutemax 1
​
Esport Lab pro
Contents:
Vit B 3, 6, 12 10/10/500
L-tyrosine 500
Asian Ginseng 400
Caffeine Anhydrous 160
Taurine 500
L-Theanine 100
Phosphatidylserine 100
Acetyl-L Carnitine 500
CDP-choline 125
Huperzine A 50
DMAE Bitatrate 250
Rhodiola Root 200
​
As always thank you for reading and please share with me your thoughts, experiences, suggestions, etc. I'm very approachable and usually reply quickly since I only use this platform as my social media fix. Have a good day!

^{Preface: I'm a 4'th year medical student with a passion for self-improvement and optimization. This includes my IRL skills as well as my gaming. How to improve faster, how to be more efficient with my time, how to reach new heights, feel and play better; these are the things that interest me and I try to find ways to do it through science. Some of you may have seen my previous posts on Meditation and Flow. You might have also noticed that I post on multiple competitive gaming subreddits. I do this because these are games I personally enjoy, have coached and/or have competed in and also because these tips and tricks are not title dependent. Everyone can benefit and even apply it for things IRL. I prefer this be looked at as a conversation where you can tell me about your experiences, what has worked for you and other tips and tricks so that I may learn as well. I'm genuinely pleasantly surprised with the responses and the chance to meet like-minded individuals!}
​
On most of my posts I get asked about nootropics. I had read a bit on the topic before but never fully dived in so I took the opportunity to actually sit down for a couple days and look over the available research of the most popular substances. If you are anything like me (skeptical, and poor af) you want to make an informed to decision and only commit if it's worth the money. If you have money and want to some of them out then go ahead, there are reddit communities that experiment on this.
Let's get right into the nitty gritty. "The term "nootropic" was coined by Corneliu Giurgea in 1972 to describe a new classification of molecules that acted selectively towards the brain's higher-level integrative activity." - Wikipedia
I will also make it like a Tier List (this is completely based on my opinion after reading the literature).
S tier - This is what I will use/incorporate
A tier - Considerable
B tier - Not enough pro's
C tier - Nah
​
NE = Noradrenaline/Norepinephrine
DA = Dopamine
Ach = Acetylcholine
​
Note: I originally had a section on CNS stimulants Ritalin, Adderall and Provogil. After reading some concerns I've decided to remove the section. I had explicitly written that I do not support their use outside of medical setting but the risk of people reading over it and misinterpreting is too large.
I. Tier List

• Caffeine/L-Theanine - S
  • Caffeine is a CNS stimulant that reduces fatigue and drowsiness. At normal doses, caffeine has variable effects on learning and memory, but it generally improves reaction time, wakefulness, concentration, and motor coordination.
  • Caffeine is a methylxanthine that works by blocking the adenosine receptor. Adenosine is a molecule that builds up during the day and signals tiredness. If you block the receptor then your body doesn't register being tired. It also tends to cause vasoconstriction in the blood vessels in the brain.
  • L-theanine is an amino acid that promotes relaxation. Found in tea.
  • When used in combination you get the stimulation of caffeine and the soothing effect of L-theanine to produce a state of optimal relaxed focus.
  • Biggest effect is one hour post dose. Combining L-theanine with caffeine, at levels and ratios equivalent to one to two cups of tea, eliminated the vasoconstrictive effect and behavioral effects of caffeine. This supports previous findings of an interaction between these substances, despite a lack of effects of L-theanine in isolation.
  • Increased speed on several tasks, improved semantic memory and increased alertness.
  • "Caffeine and L-theanine, at doses equivalent to one to two cups of tea, are capable of modulating cerebral haemodynamics, cognitive performance, mood and autonomic measures. When combined with 75 mg caffeine, 50 mg L-theanine abolished a reduction in oxy-Hb observed following 75 mg caffeine in isolation, with this effect still apparent at the end of the assessment period". https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4480845/#:~:text=Conclusions,of%20L%2Dtheanine%20in%20isolation.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24946991/
  • https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47643925_The_combination_of_L-theanine_and_caffeine_improves_cognitive_performance_and_increases_subjective_alertness
  • Suntheanine is the most purest form of L-Theanine
  • Caffeine and L theanine doses in Tea
  • Black Tea is closest one to reach good levels but requires 400mL serving
• Creatine Monohydrate - S
  • "Creatine’s main function is to immediately supply energy to tissues with increased energy demands, such as muscle and brain. This can be achieved by phosphocreatine’s high energy phosphate bonds that are available for immediate ATP replenishment in energy demanding circumstances".
  • This is what many gym-goers use post workout. I personally use it as it is the only actual gym supplement that has been backed by science and is worth the money.
  • There is evidence that short term memory and intelligence/reasoning may be improved by creatine administration. Other cognitive domains such as long-term memory, spatial memory, memory scanning, attention, executive function, response inhibition, word fluency, reaction time and mental fatigue, the results were conflicting/inconclusive.
  • Seeing as it has definite benefits for fitness and has some cognitive benefit I grade it S. If I were judging solely on cognitive benefits then it would be A/B tier
  • Could also help those in high stress scenarios.
  • Creatinine positive effect forvegetarians.
  • To start loading, take 0.3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day for 5–7 days, then follow with at least 0.03 g/kg/day either for three weeks (if cycling) or indefinitely (without additional loading phases).
  • For a 180 lb (82 kg) person, this translates to 25 g/day during the loading phase and 2.5 g/day afterward, although many users take 5 g/day due to the low price of creatine and the possibility of experiencing increased benefits. Higher doses (up to 10 g/day) may be beneficial for people with a high amount of muscle mass and high activity levels or for those who are non-responders to the lower 5 g/day dose.
• Zeaxanthin/Lutein - S
  • Two important carotenoids, which are pigments produced by plants that give fruits and vegetables a yellow to reddish hue. Lutein is the most prevalent carotenoid within the brain, where it is believed to be neuroprotective through its role as an antioxidant. They are also concentrated in the retina which is important for eye health.
  • Mostly found in Spinach/Kale
  • Suggested that increasing macular pigment density through supplementation correlates with improved cognitive function.
  • CFF thresholds (∼12%) and visual motor reaction time (∼10%) compared to placebo. 26mg Zea / 8mg Lutein/190 mg mixed omega 3 fatty acid. In young healthy adults.
  • Increased memoryin healthy young adults.
  • BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) is important for brain health and it has been shown to increase with Zea/Lutein likely to a decrease in inflammation.
  • You could buy supplements or just eat 2+ servings of Kale/Spinach daily. It's also found in eggs. Therefore my usual breakfast is eggs served with vegetables and spinach.
• Bacopa Monnieri - A
  • Effects: anti-oxidant neuroprotection (via redox and enzyme induction), acetylcholinesterase inhibition and/or choline acetyltransferase activation, β-amyloid reduction, increased cerebral blood flow, and neurotransmitter modulation.
  • Helps mostly with memory.
  • Mostly studied with older individuals but has shown effect on young and healthy.
  • The standard dose for Bacopa monnieri is 300mg, assuming that the total bacoside content (the active compound) is 55% of the extract, by weight.
  • Need to take 4-6 weeks
• Rhodiola Rosea + Ginkgo Biloba - A
  • Rhodiola has the most effect on individuals with fatigue. I would use this mix if I weren't opting for caffeine/L-theanine.
  • Reduced reaction time in healthy men.
  • Ginko Biloba + Rhodiola benefits together
  • Improvement in mental speed/mental resources of Rhodiolah
  • The possible mechanisms of R. rosea L. are largely through antioxidant, cholinergic regulation, anti-apoptosis activities, anti-inflammatory, improving coronary blood flow, and cerebral metabolism.
  • Animal study that suggests improvement in memory and learning
  • Supplementation of rhodiola rosea tends to refer to either the SHR-5 extract in particular or an equivalent extract, any that confers both 3% rosavins and 1% salidroside.
  • Usage of rhodiola as a daily preventative against fatigue has been reported to be effective in doses as low as 50mg.
  • Acute usage of rhodiola for fatigue and anti-stress has been noted to be taken in the 288-680mg range.
  • Ginkgo biloba can be supplemented for cognitive enhancement, or to alleviate cognitive decline. Mostly affects memory.
  • There is no conclusive evidence that it helps cognition of young healthy adults. It aids in slowing cognitive decline. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17480002/
  • If you desired to take it for cognitive enhancement, take 120-240mg, one to four hours before performance. To alleviate cognitive decline in older adults, take 40-120mg, three times a day.
  • The supplement form of Ginkgo biloba is also called EGb-761 extract. It should be a 50:1 concentrated extract.
  • Ginkgo biloba should be taken with meals.
• Phosphatidylserine - A
  • It is vital for cognitive function, but is not necessarily needed as the body synthesizes it. However, Phosphatidylserine (PS) supplementation in older individuals seems to improve memory and cognitive capacity.
  • Standard dose is 100mg taken 3x daily.
  • 2 months of supplementation of 200mg Phosphatidylserine (PS) appears to improve symptoms of global and subscale attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in children with ADHD, and secondary to improving symptoms of ADHD an improvement in short-term auditory memory and impulsivity was noted.
  • Increased effect when supplemented with fish oil (DHA & EPA)
  • In otherwise healthy young adults given 400mg PS for 2 weeks, a significant improvement in processing speed (20%) and accuracy (13% more correct responses, 39% less wrong responses) is noted relative to placebo and independent of mood state
  • Stress seems to be reduced independent of cortisol levels and heart rate.
  • Acetylcholine increase in aged rats but not young rats
  • Studies in non-aged rats was able to significantly enhance brightness discrimination (indicative of memory formation) without significantly affecting anxiety or depressive symptoms.
• Ashwaganda - A
  • Large effect on anxiety, depression, motivation, general mood and overall well-being.
  • Not directly correlated with increased cognition but well being has a huge impact on performance
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/
• Caffeine alone - A
  • Dosage. For physical performance 200mg. For cognitive start from 50-75mg. If a chronic user starts at 100mg.
  • Do not use in the afternoon/night. Disrupts sleep cycles.
• L - Theanine alone - B
  • Alone works well for stressed individuals.
  • 200mg dose
• N - acetyl - L -Tyrosine - B
  • L-Tyrosine is an amino acid found in the diet that is metabolized to produce catecholamines such as dopamine and adrenaline. It is also used in the production of thyroid hormones. For these reasons, weight loss and preworkout supplements often include it. When it comes to the topic of actually increasing Da and NE outright, L-tyrosine does not seem to hold much promise. The synthesis of catecholamines is highly regulated in the body, so simply increasing the amount of L-tyrosine in your body does not necessarily increase catecholamine production.
  • Studies in humans showing most anti-stress promise for acute supplemental L-Tyrosine use a dosage range of 100-150mg/kg bodyweight which can be taken 60 minutes before exercise; this is a dosage range of 9-13.5g for a 200lb person and 7-10g for a 150lb person.
  • DO NOT take if you are hypo or hyperthyroid, taking MAO medications or levodopa.
  • Seems to be useful for stressful situations. I'm thinking tournaments.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2736402/
• Panax Ginseng - B
  • Panax Ginseng tends to be taken in doses of 200 to 400mg daily for general 'preventative' medicine, although some studies on the inclusion of Panax Ginseng in a multivitamin suggest doses as low as 40mg might be bioactive. The 400mg dose appears to confer most cognitive benefit. (better reaction time). Once daily.
  • This study showed a 7.5% improvement in memory when taking panax + ginkgo.
  • Seems to work well for fatigued individuals. Like a weaker version of Rhodiola Rosea.
• Racetams – Piracetam - B
  • GABA derivative but doesn’t behave as GABA. Acts on AMPA and maybe NMDA receptor. May increase cerebral blood flow, neuroprotective, antioxidative, antiapoptotic activity, being looked at for stroke patients and hemorrhagic shock. Increases membrane fluidity in aged brain.
  • Mostly helpful for cognitive decline and individuals with cerebral accidents.
  • No real improvement in healthy individuals
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10555876/
• CDP - Choline - B
  • CDP-choline activates the biosynthesis of structural phospholipids in the neuronal membranes, increases cerebral metabolism and acts on the levels of various neurotransmitters. Has a neuroprotective effect in situations of hypoxia and ischemia, as well as improved learning and memory performance in animal models of brain aging.
  • Eggs, milk, peanuts, and some types of fish (cod, salmon, and tilapia, for example) are good natural sources of choline.
  • Recommended daily 550 mg/day for 14-18 year old males
  • One large hard boiled egg 147mg
  • Just eat the foods
• Lions Mane - B
  • Currently, the only human study has used an oral dose of 1,000mg Lion's Mane (96% purity extract) thrice daily for a cumulative total of 3,000mg extract. While it is unknown if this is the optimal dose or not, it appeared to be effective.
  • Promote neuronal prolongation and formation of myelin
  • Helped against dementia, anxiety and depression
  • Only the MMSE (mini mental exam) showed improvement
• Di-Caffeine Malate - C
  • 0 research. Supposedly slower release of caffeine, avoids crash, less GI symptoms
• Huperzine A - C
  • It is known as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, which means that it stops an enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine which results in increases in acetylcholine.
  • Studied for use in Alzheimer. No studies in young healthy.
  • Increased neurogenesis.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23454433/
• Vitamins B 6, 9, 12 - C
  • These are imperative for cognitive function but they are only useful as a nootropic if you are deficient. With a balanced diet you should not have any need to supplement.
• Nicotine - C
• Nicotine has cognitive-enhancing effects. Attention, working memory, fine motor skills and episodic memory functions are particularly sensitive to nicotine’s effects. Long term it leads to the opposite end of the spectrum and causes dependance since it also mimics dopamine. This is why smoking makes you feel a little high and focused.
• Cigarettes have way too many other toxic chemicals.
• Thinking gums and patches? Not worth the dependance.
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6018192/#:~:text=Results,particularly%20sensitive%20to%20nicotine's%20effects.
• Noopept - C
  • Similar to Piracetam. Works mostly on memory of those with defective memory.

III. Conclusion
Many of of nootropic supplements are basically overhyped and based on assumptions since most studies are done on older and aging individuals for the prevention of cognitive decline. I will definitely use the S tier substances. I am going to consider Bacopa, Ashwaganda and Phosphatidylserine. Ashwaganda should be heavily considered in those with irritable moods, depression, anxiety etc. I will consider it also for the physical performance enhancement in my exercise routines. Rhodiola/Gingko should be heavily considered in those with chronic fatigue and low mood. Phosphatidyl should be considered in those with ADHD. For those in tournaments and high stress levels L-theanine and L-tyrosine are good options. Overall, many of the substances can be attained through proper healthy diet.
I looked into these two popular gamer nootropic supplements and found neither to my liking and rather incomplete. Genius Gamer has Lutein and Zea but other than that it is trash from the looks of it (theacrine and methyliberine are basically the same thing and act as caffeine). Esport Lab Pro has the caffeine/L-theanine combination plus Rhodiola and Phosphatidyl serine but the rest is meh. And at 60 bucks for a month of supplements it's a big no no from my part. Much simpler to pick and choose a few substances that you like, buy it in bulk/powder and just take at home. Here are the gamer nootropic supplements with their link for you to look at yourself:
Genius Gamer
Contents:
Vit B 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12 .4/.4/5/2.5/.5/1.5
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine 88
Cognizine Cytocholine 50
Caffeine Vitashure 21
Dicaffeine Malate 19
Methyliberine 16
Theacrine 16
Lutein Lutemax 5
Zeaxanthin Lutemax 1
​
Esport Lab pro
Contents:
Vit B 3, 6, 12 10/10/500
L-tyrosine 500
Asian Ginseng 400
Caffeine Anhydrous 160
Taurine 500
L-Theanine 100
Phosphatidylserine 100
Acetyl-L Carnitine 500
CDP-choline 125
Huperzine A 50
DMAE Bitatrate 250
Rhodiola Root 200
​
As always thank you for reading and please share with me your thoughts, experiences, suggestions, etc. I'm very approachable and usually reply quickly since I only use this platform as my social media fix. Have a good day!

^{Preface: I'm a 4'th year medical student with a passion for self-improvement and optimization. This includes my IRL skills as well as my gaming. How to improve faster, how to be more efficient with my time, how to reach new heights, feel and play better; these are the things that interest me and I try to find ways to do it through science. Some of you may have seen my previous posts on Meditation and Flow. You might have also noticed that I post on multiple competitive gaming subreddits. I do this because these are games I personally enjoy, have coached and/or have competed in and also because these tips and tricks are not title dependent. Everyone can benefit and even apply it for things IRL. I prefer this be looked at as a conversation where you can tell me about your experiences, what has worked for you and other tips and tricks so that I may learn as well. I'm genuinely pleasantly surprised with the responses and the chance to meet like-minded individuals!}
​
On most of my posts I get asked about nootropics. I had read a bit on the topic before but never fully dived in so I took the opportunity to actually sit down for a couple days and look over the available research of the most popular substances. If you are anything like me (skeptical, and poor af) you want to make an informed to decision and only commit if it's worth the money. If you have money and want to some of them out then go ahead, there are reddit communities that experiment on this.
Let's get right into the nitty gritty. "The term "nootropic" was coined by Corneliu Giurgea in 1972 to describe a new classification of molecules that acted selectively towards the brain's higher-level integrative activity." - Wikipedia
I will also make it like a Tier List (this is completely based on my opinion after reading the literature).
S tier - This is what I will use/incorporate
A tier - Considerable
B tier - Not enough pro's
C tier - Nah
​
NE = Noradrenaline/Norepinephrine
DA = Dopamine
Ach = Acetylcholine
​
Note: I originally had a section on CNS stimulants Ritalin, Adderall and Provogil. After reading some concerns I've decided to remove the section. I had explicitly written that I do not support their use outside of medical setting but the risk of people reading over it and misinterpreting is too large.
I. Tier List

• Caffeine/L-Theanine - S
  • Caffeine is a CNS stimulant that reduces fatigue and drowsiness. At normal doses, caffeine has variable effects on learning and memory, but it generally improves reaction time, wakefulness, concentration, and motor coordination.
  • Caffeine is a methylxanthine that works by blocking the adenosine receptor. Adenosine is a molecule that builds up during the day and signals tiredness. If you block the receptor then your body doesn't register being tired. It also tends to cause vasoconstriction in the blood vessels in the brain.
  • L-theanine is an amino acid that promotes relaxation. Found in tea.
  • When used in combination you get the stimulation of caffeine and the soothing effect of L-theanine to produce a state of optimal relaxed focus.
  • Biggest effect is one hour post dose. Combining L-theanine with caffeine, at levels and ratios equivalent to one to two cups of tea, eliminated the vasoconstrictive effect and behavioral effects of caffeine. This supports previous findings of an interaction between these substances, despite a lack of effects of L-theanine in isolation.
  • Increased speed on several tasks, improved semantic memory and increased alertness.
  • "Caffeine and L-theanine, at doses equivalent to one to two cups of tea, are capable of modulating cerebral haemodynamics, cognitive performance, mood and autonomic measures. When combined with 75 mg caffeine, 50 mg L-theanine abolished a reduction in oxy-Hb observed following 75 mg caffeine in isolation, with this effect still apparent at the end of the assessment period". https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4480845/#:~:text=Conclusions,of%20L%2Dtheanine%20in%20isolation.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24946991/
  • https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47643925_The_combination_of_L-theanine_and_caffeine_improves_cognitive_performance_and_increases_subjective_alertness
  • Suntheanine is the most purest form of L-Theanine
  • Caffeine and L theanine doses in Tea
  • Black Tea is closest one to reach good levels but requires 400mL serving
• Creatine Monohydrate - S
  • "Creatine’s main function is to immediately supply energy to tissues with increased energy demands, such as muscle and brain. This can be achieved by phosphocreatine’s high energy phosphate bonds that are available for immediate ATP replenishment in energy demanding circumstances".
  • This is what many gym-goers use post workout. I personally use it as it is the only actual gym supplement that has been backed by science and is worth the money.
  • There is evidence that short term memory and intelligence/reasoning may be improved by creatine administration. Other cognitive domains such as long-term memory, spatial memory, memory scanning, attention, executive function, response inhibition, word fluency, reaction time and mental fatigue, the results were conflicting/inconclusive.
  • Seeing as it has definite benefits for fitness and has some cognitive benefit I grade it S. If I were judging solely on cognitive benefits then it would be A/B tier
  • Could also help those in high stress scenarios.
  • Creatinine positive effect forvegetarians.
  • To start loading, take 0.3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day for 5–7 days, then follow with at least 0.03 g/kg/day either for three weeks (if cycling) or indefinitely (without additional loading phases).
  • For a 180 lb (82 kg) person, this translates to 25 g/day during the loading phase and 2.5 g/day afterward, although many users take 5 g/day due to the low price of creatine and the possibility of experiencing increased benefits. Higher doses (up to 10 g/day) may be beneficial for people with a high amount of muscle mass and high activity levels or for those who are non-responders to the lower 5 g/day dose.
• Zeaxanthin/Lutein - S
  • Two important carotenoids, which are pigments produced by plants that give fruits and vegetables a yellow to reddish hue. Lutein is the most prevalent carotenoid within the brain, where it is believed to be neuroprotective through its role as an antioxidant. They are also concentrated in the retina which is important for eye health.
  • Mostly found in Spinach/Kale
  • Suggested that increasing macular pigment density through supplementation correlates with improved cognitive function.
  • CFF thresholds (∼12%) and visual motor reaction time (∼10%) compared to placebo. 26mg Zea / 8mg Lutein/190 mg mixed omega 3 fatty acid. In young healthy adults.
  • Increased memoryin healthy young adults.
  • BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) is important for brain health and it has been shown to increase with Zea/Lutein likely to a decrease in inflammation.
  • You could buy supplements or just eat 2+ servings of Kale/Spinach daily. It's also found in eggs. Therefore my usual breakfast is eggs served with vegetables and spinach.
• Bacopa Monnieri - A
  • Effects: anti-oxidant neuroprotection (via redox and enzyme induction), acetylcholinesterase inhibition and/or choline acetyltransferase activation, β-amyloid reduction, increased cerebral blood flow, and neurotransmitter modulation.
  • Helps mostly with memory.
  • Mostly studied with older individuals but has shown effect on young and healthy.
  • The standard dose for Bacopa monnieri is 300mg, assuming that the total bacoside content (the active compound) is 55% of the extract, by weight.
  • Need to take 4-6 weeks
• Rhodiola Rosea + Ginkgo Biloba - A
  • Rhodiola has the most effect on individuals with fatigue. I would use this mix if I weren't opting for caffeine/L-theanine.
  • Reduced reaction time in healthy men.
  • Ginko Biloba + Rhodiola benefits together
  • Improvement in mental speed/mental resources of Rhodiolah
  • The possible mechanisms of R. rosea L. are largely through antioxidant, cholinergic regulation, anti-apoptosis activities, anti-inflammatory, improving coronary blood flow, and cerebral metabolism.
  • Animal study that suggests improvement in memory and learning
  • Supplementation of rhodiola rosea tends to refer to either the SHR-5 extract in particular or an equivalent extract, any that confers both 3% rosavins and 1% salidroside.
  • Usage of rhodiola as a daily preventative against fatigue has been reported to be effective in doses as low as 50mg.
  • Acute usage of rhodiola for fatigue and anti-stress has been noted to be taken in the 288-680mg range.
  • Ginkgo biloba can be supplemented for cognitive enhancement, or to alleviate cognitive decline. Mostly affects memory.
  • There is no conclusive evidence that it helps cognition of young healthy adults. It aids in slowing cognitive decline. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17480002/
  • If you desired to take it for cognitive enhancement, take 120-240mg, one to four hours before performance. To alleviate cognitive decline in older adults, take 40-120mg, three times a day.
  • The supplement form of Ginkgo biloba is also called EGb-761 extract. It should be a 50:1 concentrated extract.
  • Ginkgo biloba should be taken with meals.
• Phosphatidylserine - A
  • It is vital for cognitive function, but is not necessarily needed as the body synthesizes it. However, Phosphatidylserine (PS) supplementation in older individuals seems to improve memory and cognitive capacity.
  • Standard dose is 100mg taken 3x daily.
  • 2 months of supplementation of 200mg Phosphatidylserine (PS) appears to improve symptoms of global and subscale attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in children with ADHD, and secondary to improving symptoms of ADHD an improvement in short-term auditory memory and impulsivity was noted.
  • Increased effect when supplemented with fish oil (DHA & EPA)
  • In otherwise healthy young adults given 400mg PS for 2 weeks, a significant improvement in processing speed (20%) and accuracy (13% more correct responses, 39% less wrong responses) is noted relative to placebo and independent of mood state
  • Stress seems to be reduced independent of cortisol levels and heart rate.
  • Acetylcholine increase in aged rats but not young rats
  • Studies in non-aged rats was able to significantly enhance brightness discrimination (indicative of memory formation) without significantly affecting anxiety or depressive symptoms.
• Ashwaganda - A
  • Large effect on anxiety, depression, motivation, general mood and overall well-being.
  • Not directly correlated with increased cognition but well being has a huge impact on performance
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/
• Caffeine alone - A
  • Dosage. For physical performance 200mg. For cognitive start from 50-75mg. If a chronic user starts at 100mg.
  • Do not use in the afternoon/night. Disrupts sleep cycles.
• L - Theanine alone - B
  • Alone works well for stressed individuals.
  • 200mg dose
• N - acetyl - L -Tyrosine - B
  • L-Tyrosine is an amino acid found in the diet that is metabolized to produce catecholamines such as dopamine and adrenaline. It is also used in the production of thyroid hormones. For these reasons, weight loss and preworkout supplements often include it. When it comes to the topic of actually increasing Da and NE outright, L-tyrosine does not seem to hold much promise. The synthesis of catecholamines is highly regulated in the body, so simply increasing the amount of L-tyrosine in your body does not necessarily increase catecholamine production.
  • Studies in humans showing most anti-stress promise for acute supplemental L-Tyrosine use a dosage range of 100-150mg/kg bodyweight which can be taken 60 minutes before exercise; this is a dosage range of 9-13.5g for a 200lb person and 7-10g for a 150lb person.
  • DO NOT take if you are hypo or hyperthyroid, taking MAO medications or levodopa.
  • Seems to be useful for stressful situations. I'm thinking tournaments.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2736402/
• Panax Ginseng - B
  • Panax Ginseng tends to be taken in doses of 200 to 400mg daily for general 'preventative' medicine, although some studies on the inclusion of Panax Ginseng in a multivitamin suggest doses as low as 40mg might be bioactive. The 400mg dose appears to confer most cognitive benefit. (better reaction time). Once daily.
  • This study showed a 7.5% improvement in memory when taking panax + ginkgo.
  • Seems to work well for fatigued individuals. Like a weaker version of Rhodiola Rosea.
• Racetams – Piracetam - B
  • GABA derivative but doesn’t behave as GABA. Acts on AMPA and maybe NMDA receptor. May increase cerebral blood flow, neuroprotective, antioxidative, antiapoptotic activity, being looked at for stroke patients and hemorrhagic shock. Increases membrane fluidity in aged brain.
  • Mostly helpful for cognitive decline and individuals with cerebral accidents.
  • No real improvement in healthy individuals
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10555876/
• CDP - Choline - B
  • CDP-choline activates the biosynthesis of structural phospholipids in the neuronal membranes, increases cerebral metabolism and acts on the levels of various neurotransmitters. Has a neuroprotective effect in situations of hypoxia and ischemia, as well as improved learning and memory performance in animal models of brain aging.
  • Eggs, milk, peanuts, and some types of fish (cod, salmon, and tilapia, for example) are good natural sources of choline.
  • Recommended daily 550 mg/day for 14-18 year old males
  • One large hard boiled egg 147mg
  • Just eat the foods
• Lions Mane - B
  • Currently, the only human study has used an oral dose of 1,000mg Lion's Mane (96% purity extract) thrice daily for a cumulative total of 3,000mg extract. While it is unknown if this is the optimal dose or not, it appeared to be effective.
  • Promote neuronal prolongation and formation of myelin
  • Helped against dementia, anxiety and depression
  • Only the MMSE (mini mental exam) showed improvement
• Di-Caffeine Malate - C
  • 0 research. Supposedly slower release of caffeine, avoids crash, less GI symptoms
• Huperzine A - C
  • It is known as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, which means that it stops an enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine which results in increases in acetylcholine.
  • Studied for use in Alzheimer. No studies in young healthy.
  • Increased neurogenesis.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23454433/
• Vitamins B 6, 9, 12 - C
  • These are imperative for cognitive function but they are only useful as a nootropic if you are deficient. With a balanced diet you should not have any need to supplement.
• Nicotine - C
• Nicotine has cognitive-enhancing effects. Attention, working memory, fine motor skills and episodic memory functions are particularly sensitive to nicotine’s effects. Long term it leads to the opposite end of the spectrum and causes dependance since it also mimics dopamine. This is why smoking makes you feel a little high and focused.
• Cigarettes have way too many other toxic chemicals.
• Thinking gums and patches? Not worth the dependance.
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6018192/#:~:text=Results,particularly%20sensitive%20to%20nicotine's%20effects.
• Noopept - C
  • Similar to Piracetam. Works mostly on memory of those with defective memory.

III. Conclusion
Many of of nootropic supplements are basically overhyped and based on assumptions since most studies are done on older and aging individuals for the prevention of cognitive decline. I will definitely use the S tier substances. I am going to consider Bacopa, Ashwaganda and Phosphatidylserine. Ashwaganda should be heavily considered in those with irritable moods, depression, anxiety etc. I will consider it also for the physical performance enhancement in my exercise routines. Rhodiola/Gingko should be heavily considered in those with chronic fatigue and low mood. Phosphatidyl should be considered in those with ADHD. For those in tournaments and high stress levels L-theanine and L-tyrosine are good options. Overall, many of the substances can be attained through proper healthy diet.
I looked into these two popular gamer nootropic supplements and found neither to my liking and rather incomplete. Genius Gamer has Lutein and Zea but other than that it is trash from the looks of it (theacrine and methyliberine are basically the same thing and act as caffeine). Esport Lab Pro has the caffeine/L-theanine combination plus Rhodiola and Phosphatidyl serine but the rest is meh. And at 60 bucks for a month of supplements it's a big no no from my part. Much simpler to pick and choose a few substances that you like, buy it in bulk/powder and just take at home. Here are the gamer nootropic supplements with their link for you to look at yourself:
Genius Gamer
Contents:
Vit B 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12 .4/.4/5/2.5/.5/1.5
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine 88
Cognizine Cytocholine 50
Caffeine Vitashure 21
Dicaffeine Malate 19
Methyliberine 16
Theacrine 16
Lutein Lutemax 5
Zeaxanthin Lutemax 1
​
Esport Lab pro
Contents:
Vit B 3, 6, 12 10/10/500
L-tyrosine 500
Asian Ginseng 400
Caffeine Anhydrous 160
Taurine 500
L-Theanine 100
Phosphatidylserine 100
Acetyl-L Carnitine 500
CDP-choline 125
Huperzine A 50
DMAE Bitatrate 250
Rhodiola Root 200
​
As always thank you for reading and please share with me your thoughts, experiences, suggestions, etc. I'm very approachable and usually reply quickly since I only use this platform as my social media fix. Have a good day!

^{Preface: I'm a 4'th year medical student with a passion for self-improvement and optimization. This includes my IRL skills as well as my gaming. How to improve faster, how to be more efficient with my time, how to reach new heights, feel and play better; these are the things that interest me and I try to find ways to do it through science. Some of you may have seen my previous posts on Meditation and Flow. You might have also noticed that I post on multiple competitive gaming subreddits. I do this because these are games I personally enjoy, have coached and/or have competed in and also because these tips and tricks are not title dependent. Everyone can benefit and even apply it for things IRL. I prefer this be looked at as a conversation where you can tell me about your experiences, what has worked for you and other tips and tricks so that I may learn as well. I'm genuinely pleasantly surprised with the responses and the chance to meet like-minded individuals!}
​
On most of my posts I get asked about nootropics. I had read a bit on the topic before but never fully dived in so I took the opportunity to actually sit down for a couple days and look over the available research of the most popular substances. If you are anything like me (skeptical, and poor af) you want to make an informed to decision and only commit if it's worth the money. If you have money and want to some of them out then go ahead, there are reddit communities that experiment on this.
Let's get right into the nitty gritty. "The term "nootropic" was coined by Corneliu Giurgea in 1972 to describe a new classification of molecules that acted selectively towards the brain's higher-level integrative activity." - Wikipedia
I will also make it like a Tier List (this is completely based on my opinion after reading the literature).
S tier - This is what I will use/incorporate
A tier - Considerable
B tier - Not enough pro's
C tier - Nah
​
NE = Noradrenaline/Norepinephrine
DA = Dopamine
Ach = Acetylcholine
​
Note: I originally had a section on CNS stimulants Ritalin, Adderall and Provogil. After reading some concerns I've decided to remove the section. I had explicitly written that I do not support their use outside of medical setting but the risk of people reading over it and misinterpreting is too large.
I. Tier List

• Caffeine/L-Theanine - S
  • Caffeine is a CNS stimulant that reduces fatigue and drowsiness. At normal doses, caffeine has variable effects on learning and memory, but it generally improves reaction time, wakefulness, concentration, and motor coordination.
  • Caffeine is a methylxanthine that works by blocking the adenosine receptor. Adenosine is a molecule that builds up during the day and signals tiredness. If you block the receptor then your body doesn't register being tired. It also tends to cause vasoconstriction in the blood vessels in the brain.
  • L-theanine is an amino acid that promotes relaxation. Found in tea.
  • When used in combination you get the stimulation of caffeine and the soothing effect of L-theanine to produce a state of optimal relaxed focus.
  • Biggest effect is one hour post dose. Combining L-theanine with caffeine, at levels and ratios equivalent to one to two cups of tea, eliminated the vasoconstrictive effect and behavioral effects of caffeine. This supports previous findings of an interaction between these substances, despite a lack of effects of L-theanine in isolation.
  • Increased speed on several tasks, improved semantic memory and increased alertness.
  • "Caffeine and L-theanine, at doses equivalent to one to two cups of tea, are capable of modulating cerebral haemodynamics, cognitive performance, mood and autonomic measures. When combined with 75 mg caffeine, 50 mg L-theanine abolished a reduction in oxy-Hb observed following 75 mg caffeine in isolation, with this effect still apparent at the end of the assessment period". https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4480845/#:~:text=Conclusions,of%20L%2Dtheanine%20in%20isolation.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24946991/
  • https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47643925_The_combination_of_L-theanine_and_caffeine_improves_cognitive_performance_and_increases_subjective_alertness
  • Suntheanine is the most purest form of L-Theanine
  • Caffeine and L theanine doses in Tea
  • Black Tea is closest one to reach good levels but requires 400mL serving
• Creatine Monohydrate - S
  • "Creatine’s main function is to immediately supply energy to tissues with increased energy demands, such as muscle and brain. This can be achieved by phosphocreatine’s high energy phosphate bonds that are available for immediate ATP replenishment in energy demanding circumstances".
  • This is what many gym-goers use post workout. I personally use it as it is the only actual gym supplement that has been backed by science and is worth the money.
  • There is evidence that short term memory and intelligence/reasoning may be improved by creatine administration. Other cognitive domains such as long-term memory, spatial memory, memory scanning, attention, executive function, response inhibition, word fluency, reaction time and mental fatigue, the results were conflicting/inconclusive.
  • Seeing as it has definite benefits for fitness and has some cognitive benefit I grade it S. If I were judging solely on cognitive benefits then it would be A/B tier
  • Could also help those in high stress scenarios.
  • Creatinine positive effect forvegetarians.
  • To start loading, take 0.3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day for 5–7 days, then follow with at least 0.03 g/kg/day either for three weeks (if cycling) or indefinitely (without additional loading phases).
  • For a 180 lb (82 kg) person, this translates to 25 g/day during the loading phase and 2.5 g/day afterward, although many users take 5 g/day due to the low price of creatine and the possibility of experiencing increased benefits. Higher doses (up to 10 g/day) may be beneficial for people with a high amount of muscle mass and high activity levels or for those who are non-responders to the lower 5 g/day dose.
• Zeaxanthin/Lutein - S
  • Two important carotenoids, which are pigments produced by plants that give fruits and vegetables a yellow to reddish hue. Lutein is the most prevalent carotenoid within the brain, where it is believed to be neuroprotective through its role as an antioxidant. They are also concentrated in the retina which is important for eye health.
  • Mostly found in Spinach/Kale
  • Suggested that increasing macular pigment density through supplementation correlates with improved cognitive function.
  • CFF thresholds (∼12%) and visual motor reaction time (∼10%) compared to placebo. 26mg Zea / 8mg Lutein/190 mg mixed omega 3 fatty acid. In young healthy adults.
  • Increased memoryin healthy young adults.
  • BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) is important for brain health and it has been shown to increase with Zea/Lutein likely to a decrease in inflammation.
  • You could buy supplements or just eat 2+ servings of Kale/Spinach daily. It's also found in eggs. Therefore my usual breakfast is eggs served with vegetables and spinach.
• Bacopa Monnieri - A
  • Effects: anti-oxidant neuroprotection (via redox and enzyme induction), acetylcholinesterase inhibition and/or choline acetyltransferase activation, β-amyloid reduction, increased cerebral blood flow, and neurotransmitter modulation.
  • Helps mostly with memory.
  • Mostly studied with older individuals but has shown effect on young and healthy.
  • The standard dose for Bacopa monnieri is 300mg, assuming that the total bacoside content (the active compound) is 55% of the extract, by weight.
  • Need to take 4-6 weeks
• Rhodiola Rosea + Ginkgo Biloba - A
  • Rhodiola has the most effect on individuals with fatigue. I would use this mix if I weren't opting for caffeine/L-theanine.
  • Reduced reaction time in healthy men.
  • Ginko Biloba + Rhodiola benefits together
  • Improvement in mental speed/mental resources of Rhodiolah
  • The possible mechanisms of R. rosea L. are largely through antioxidant, cholinergic regulation, anti-apoptosis activities, anti-inflammatory, improving coronary blood flow, and cerebral metabolism.
  • Animal study that suggests improvement in memory and learning
  • Supplementation of rhodiola rosea tends to refer to either the SHR-5 extract in particular or an equivalent extract, any that confers both 3% rosavins and 1% salidroside.
  • Usage of rhodiola as a daily preventative against fatigue has been reported to be effective in doses as low as 50mg.
  • Acute usage of rhodiola for fatigue and anti-stress has been noted to be taken in the 288-680mg range.
  • Ginkgo biloba can be supplemented for cognitive enhancement, or to alleviate cognitive decline. Mostly affects memory.
  • There is no conclusive evidence that it helps cognition of young healthy adults. It aids in slowing cognitive decline. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17480002/
  • If you desired to take it for cognitive enhancement, take 120-240mg, one to four hours before performance. To alleviate cognitive decline in older adults, take 40-120mg, three times a day.
  • The supplement form of Ginkgo biloba is also called EGb-761 extract. It should be a 50:1 concentrated extract.
  • Ginkgo biloba should be taken with meals.
• Phosphatidylserine - A
  • It is vital for cognitive function, but is not necessarily needed as the body synthesizes it. However, Phosphatidylserine (PS) supplementation in older individuals seems to improve memory and cognitive capacity.
  • Standard dose is 100mg taken 3x daily.
  • 2 months of supplementation of 200mg Phosphatidylserine (PS) appears to improve symptoms of global and subscale attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in children with ADHD, and secondary to improving symptoms of ADHD an improvement in short-term auditory memory and impulsivity was noted.
  • Increased effect when supplemented with fish oil (DHA & EPA)
  • In otherwise healthy young adults given 400mg PS for 2 weeks, a significant improvement in processing speed (20%) and accuracy (13% more correct responses, 39% less wrong responses) is noted relative to placebo and independent of mood state
  • Stress seems to be reduced independent of cortisol levels and heart rate.
  • Acetylcholine increase in aged rats but not young rats
  • Studies in non-aged rats was able to significantly enhance brightness discrimination (indicative of memory formation) without significantly affecting anxiety or depressive symptoms.
• Ashwaganda - A
  • Large effect on anxiety, depression, motivation, general mood and overall well-being.
  • Not directly correlated with increased cognition but well being has a huge impact on performance
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/
• Caffeine alone - A
  • Dosage. For physical performance 200mg. For cognitive start from 50-75mg. If a chronic user starts at 100mg.
  • Do not use in the afternoon/night. Disrupts sleep cycles.
• L - Theanine alone - B
  • Alone works well for stressed individuals.
  • 200mg dose
• N - acetyl - L -Tyrosine - B
  • L-Tyrosine is an amino acid found in the diet that is metabolized to produce catecholamines such as dopamine and adrenaline. It is also used in the production of thyroid hormones. For these reasons, weight loss and preworkout supplements often include it. When it comes to the topic of actually increasing Da and NE outright, L-tyrosine does not seem to hold much promise. The synthesis of catecholamines is highly regulated in the body, so simply increasing the amount of L-tyrosine in your body does not necessarily increase catecholamine production.
  • Studies in humans showing most anti-stress promise for acute supplemental L-Tyrosine use a dosage range of 100-150mg/kg bodyweight which can be taken 60 minutes before exercise; this is a dosage range of 9-13.5g for a 200lb person and 7-10g for a 150lb person.
  • DO NOT take if you are hypo or hyperthyroid, taking MAO medications or levodopa.
  • Seems to be useful for stressful situations. I'm thinking tournaments.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2736402/
• Panax Ginseng - B
  • Panax Ginseng tends to be taken in doses of 200 to 400mg daily for general 'preventative' medicine, although some studies on the inclusion of Panax Ginseng in a multivitamin suggest doses as low as 40mg might be bioactive. The 400mg dose appears to confer most cognitive benefit. (better reaction time). Once daily.
  • This study showed a 7.5% improvement in memory when taking panax + ginkgo.
  • Seems to work well for fatigued individuals. Like a weaker version of Rhodiola Rosea.
• Racetams – Piracetam - B
  • GABA derivative but doesn’t behave as GABA. Acts on AMPA and maybe NMDA receptor. May increase cerebral blood flow, neuroprotective, antioxidative, antiapoptotic activity, being looked at for stroke patients and hemorrhagic shock. Increases membrane fluidity in aged brain.
  • Mostly helpful for cognitive decline and individuals with cerebral accidents.
  • No real improvement in healthy individuals
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10555876/
• CDP - Choline - B
  • CDP-choline activates the biosynthesis of structural phospholipids in the neuronal membranes, increases cerebral metabolism and acts on the levels of various neurotransmitters. Has a neuroprotective effect in situations of hypoxia and ischemia, as well as improved learning and memory performance in animal models of brain aging.
  • Eggs, milk, peanuts, and some types of fish (cod, salmon, and tilapia, for example) are good natural sources of choline.
  • Recommended daily 550 mg/day for 14-18 year old males
  • One large hard boiled egg 147mg
  • Just eat the foods
• Lions Mane - B
  • Currently, the only human study has used an oral dose of 1,000mg Lion's Mane (96% purity extract) thrice daily for a cumulative total of 3,000mg extract. While it is unknown if this is the optimal dose or not, it appeared to be effective.
  • Promote neuronal prolongation and formation of myelin
  • Helped against dementia, anxiety and depression
  • Only the MMSE (mini mental exam) showed improvement
• Di-Caffeine Malate - C
  • 0 research. Supposedly slower release of caffeine, avoids crash, less GI symptoms
• Huperzine A - C
  • It is known as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, which means that it stops an enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine which results in increases in acetylcholine.
  • Studied for use in Alzheimer. No studies in young healthy.
  • Increased neurogenesis.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23454433/
• Vitamins B 6, 9, 12 - C
  • These are imperative for cognitive function but they are only useful as a nootropic if you are deficient. With a balanced diet you should not have any need to supplement.
• Nicotine - C
• Nicotine has cognitive-enhancing effects. Attention, working memory, fine motor skills and episodic memory functions are particularly sensitive to nicotine’s effects. Long term it leads to the opposite end of the spectrum and causes dependance since it also mimics dopamine. This is why smoking makes you feel a little high and focused.
• Cigarettes have way too many other toxic chemicals.
• Thinking gums and patches? Not worth the dependance.
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6018192/#:~:text=Results,particularly%20sensitive%20to%20nicotine's%20effects.
• Noopept - C
  • Similar to Piracetam. Works mostly on memory of those with defective memory.

III. Conclusion
Many of of nootropic supplements are basically overhyped and based on assumptions since most studies are done on older and aging individuals for the prevention of cognitive decline. I will definitely use the S tier substances. I am going to consider Bacopa, Ashwaganda and Phosphatidylserine. Ashwaganda should be heavily considered in those with irritable moods, depression, anxiety etc. I will consider it also for the physical performance enhancement in my exercise routines. Rhodiola/Gingko should be heavily considered in those with chronic fatigue and low mood. Phosphatidyl should be considered in those with ADHD. For those in tournaments and high stress levels L-theanine and L-tyrosine are good options. Overall, many of the substances can be attained through proper healthy diet.
I looked into these two popular gamer nootropic supplements and found neither to my liking and rather incomplete. Genius Gamer has Lutein and Zea but other than that it is trash from the looks of it (theacrine and methyliberine are basically the same thing and act as caffeine). Esport Lab Pro has the caffeine/L-theanine combination plus Rhodiola and Phosphatidyl serine but the rest is meh. And at 60 bucks for a month of supplements it's a big no no from my part. Much simpler to pick and choose a few substances that you like, buy it in bulk/powder and just take at home. Here are the gamer nootropic supplements with their link for you to look at yourself:
Genius Gamer
Contents:
Vit B 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12 .4/.4/5/2.5/.5/1.5
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine 88
Cognizine Cytocholine 50
Caffeine Vitashure 21
Dicaffeine Malate 19
Methyliberine 16
Theacrine 16
Lutein Lutemax 5
Zeaxanthin Lutemax 1
​
Esport Lab pro
Contents:
Vit B 3, 6, 12 10/10/500
L-tyrosine 500
Asian Ginseng 400
Caffeine Anhydrous 160
Taurine 500
L-Theanine 100
Phosphatidylserine 100
Acetyl-L Carnitine 500
CDP-choline 125
Huperzine A 50
DMAE Bitatrate 250
Rhodiola Root 200
​
As always thank you for reading and please share with me your thoughts, experiences, suggestions, etc. I'm very approachable and usually reply quickly since I only use this platform as my social media fix. Have a good day!

^{Preface: I'm a 4'th year medical student with a passion for self-improvement and optimization. This includes my IRL skills as well as my gaming. How to improve faster, how to be more efficient with my time, how to reach new heights, feel and play better; these are the things that interest me and I try to find ways to do it through science. Some of you may have seen my previous posts on Meditation and Flow. You might have also noticed that I post on multiple competitive gaming subreddits. I do this because these are games I personally enjoy, have coached and/or have competed in and also because these tips and tricks are not title dependent. Everyone can benefit and even apply it for things IRL. I prefer this be looked at as a conversation where you can tell me about your experiences, what has worked for you and other tips and tricks so that I may learn as well. I'm genuinely pleasantly surprised with the responses and the chance to meet like-minded individuals!}
​
On most of my posts I get asked about nootropics. I had read a bit on the topic before but never fully dived in so I took the opportunity to actually sit down for a couple days and look over the available research of the most popular substances. If you are anything like me (skeptical, and poor af) you want to make an informed to decision and only commit if it's worth the money. If you have money and want to some of them out then go ahead, there are reddit communities that experiment on this.
Let's get right into the nitty gritty. "The term "nootropic" was coined by Corneliu Giurgea in 1972 to describe a new classification of molecules that acted selectively towards the brain's higher-level integrative activity." - Wikipedia
I will also make it like a Tier List (this is completely based on my opinion after reading the literature).
S tier - This is what I will use/incorporate
A tier - Considerable
B tier - Not enough pro's
C tier - Nah
​
NE = Noradrenaline/Norepinephrine
DA = Dopamine
Ach = Acetylcholine
​
Note: I originally had a section on CNS stimulants Ritalin, Adderall and Provogil. After reading some concerns I've decided to remove the section. I had explicitly written that I do not support their use outside of medical setting but the risk of people reading over it and misinterpreting is too large.
I. Tier List

• Caffeine/L-Theanine - S
  • Caffeine is a CNS stimulant that reduces fatigue and drowsiness. At normal doses, caffeine has variable effects on learning and memory, but it generally improves reaction time, wakefulness, concentration, and motor coordination.
  • Caffeine is a methylxanthine that works by blocking the adenosine receptor. Adenosine is a molecule that builds up during the day and signals tiredness. If you block the receptor then your body doesn't register being tired. It also tends to cause vasoconstriction in the blood vessels in the brain.
  • L-theanine is an amino acid that promotes relaxation. Found in tea.
  • When used in combination you get the stimulation of caffeine and the soothing effect of L-theanine to produce a state of optimal relaxed focus.
  • Biggest effect is one hour post dose. Combining L-theanine with caffeine, at levels and ratios equivalent to one to two cups of tea, eliminated the vasoconstrictive effect and behavioral effects of caffeine. This supports previous findings of an interaction between these substances, despite a lack of effects of L-theanine in isolation.
  • Increased speed on several tasks, improved semantic memory and increased alertness.
  • "Caffeine and L-theanine, at doses equivalent to one to two cups of tea, are capable of modulating cerebral haemodynamics, cognitive performance, mood and autonomic measures. When combined with 75 mg caffeine, 50 mg L-theanine abolished a reduction in oxy-Hb observed following 75 mg caffeine in isolation, with this effect still apparent at the end of the assessment period". https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4480845/#:~:text=Conclusions,of%20L%2Dtheanine%20in%20isolation.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24946991/
  • https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47643925_The_combination_of_L-theanine_and_caffeine_improves_cognitive_performance_and_increases_subjective_alertness
  • Suntheanine is the most purest form of L-Theanine
  • Caffeine and L theanine doses in Tea
  • Black Tea is closest one to reach good levels but requires 400mL serving
• Creatine Monohydrate - S
  • "Creatine’s main function is to immediately supply energy to tissues with increased energy demands, such as muscle and brain. This can be achieved by phosphocreatine’s high energy phosphate bonds that are available for immediate ATP replenishment in energy demanding circumstances".
  • This is what many gym-goers use post workout. I personally use it as it is the only actual gym supplement that has been backed by science and is worth the money.
  • There is evidence that short term memory and intelligence/reasoning may be improved by creatine administration. Other cognitive domains such as long-term memory, spatial memory, memory scanning, attention, executive function, response inhibition, word fluency, reaction time and mental fatigue, the results were conflicting/inconclusive.
  • Seeing as it has definite benefits for fitness and has some cognitive benefit I grade it S. If I were judging solely on cognitive benefits then it would be A/B tier
  • Could also help those in high stress scenarios.
  • Creatinine positive effect forvegetarians.
  • To start loading, take 0.3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day for 5–7 days, then follow with at least 0.03 g/kg/day either for three weeks (if cycling) or indefinitely (without additional loading phases).
  • For a 180 lb (82 kg) person, this translates to 25 g/day during the loading phase and 2.5 g/day afterward, although many users take 5 g/day due to the low price of creatine and the possibility of experiencing increased benefits. Higher doses (up to 10 g/day) may be beneficial for people with a high amount of muscle mass and high activity levels or for those who are non-responders to the lower 5 g/day dose.
• Zeaxanthin/Lutein - S
  • Two important carotenoids, which are pigments produced by plants that give fruits and vegetables a yellow to reddish hue. Lutein is the most prevalent carotenoid within the brain, where it is believed to be neuroprotective through its role as an antioxidant. They are also concentrated in the retina which is important for eye health.
  • Mostly found in Spinach/Kale
  • Suggested that increasing macular pigment density through supplementation correlates with improved cognitive function.
  • CFF thresholds (∼12%) and visual motor reaction time (∼10%) compared to placebo. 26mg Zea / 8mg Lutein/190 mg mixed omega 3 fatty acid. In young healthy adults.
  • Increased memoryin healthy young adults.
  • BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) is important for brain health and it has been shown to increase with Zea/Lutein likely to a decrease in inflammation.
  • You could buy supplements or just eat 2+ servings of Kale/Spinach daily. It's also found in eggs. Therefore my usual breakfast is eggs served with vegetables and spinach.
• Bacopa Monnieri - A
  • Effects: anti-oxidant neuroprotection (via redox and enzyme induction), acetylcholinesterase inhibition and/or choline acetyltransferase activation, β-amyloid reduction, increased cerebral blood flow, and neurotransmitter modulation.
  • Helps mostly with memory.
  • Mostly studied with older individuals but has shown effect on young and healthy.
  • The standard dose for Bacopa monnieri is 300mg, assuming that the total bacoside content (the active compound) is 55% of the extract, by weight.
  • Need to take 4-6 weeks
• Rhodiola Rosea + Ginkgo Biloba - A
  • Rhodiola has the most effect on individuals with fatigue. I would use this mix if I weren't opting for caffeine/L-theanine.
  • Reduced reaction time in healthy men.
  • Ginko Biloba + Rhodiola benefits together
  • Improvement in mental speed/mental resources of Rhodiolah
  • The possible mechanisms of R. rosea L. are largely through antioxidant, cholinergic regulation, anti-apoptosis activities, anti-inflammatory, improving coronary blood flow, and cerebral metabolism.
  • Animal study that suggests improvement in memory and learning
  • Supplementation of rhodiola rosea tends to refer to either the SHR-5 extract in particular or an equivalent extract, any that confers both 3% rosavins and 1% salidroside.
  • Usage of rhodiola as a daily preventative against fatigue has been reported to be effective in doses as low as 50mg.
  • Acute usage of rhodiola for fatigue and anti-stress has been noted to be taken in the 288-680mg range.
  • Ginkgo biloba can be supplemented for cognitive enhancement, or to alleviate cognitive decline. Mostly affects memory.
  • There is no conclusive evidence that it helps cognition of young healthy adults. It aids in slowing cognitive decline. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17480002/
  • If you desired to take it for cognitive enhancement, take 120-240mg, one to four hours before performance. To alleviate cognitive decline in older adults, take 40-120mg, three times a day.
  • The supplement form of Ginkgo biloba is also called EGb-761 extract. It should be a 50:1 concentrated extract.
  • Ginkgo biloba should be taken with meals.
• Phosphatidylserine - A
  • It is vital for cognitive function, but is not necessarily needed as the body synthesizes it. However, Phosphatidylserine (PS) supplementation in older individuals seems to improve memory and cognitive capacity.
  • Standard dose is 100mg taken 3x daily.
  • 2 months of supplementation of 200mg Phosphatidylserine (PS) appears to improve symptoms of global and subscale attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in children with ADHD, and secondary to improving symptoms of ADHD an improvement in short-term auditory memory and impulsivity was noted.
  • Increased effect when supplemented with fish oil (DHA & EPA)
  • In otherwise healthy young adults given 400mg PS for 2 weeks, a significant improvement in processing speed (20%) and accuracy (13% more correct responses, 39% less wrong responses) is noted relative to placebo and independent of mood state
  • Stress seems to be reduced independent of cortisol levels and heart rate.
  • Acetylcholine increase in aged rats but not young rats
  • Studies in non-aged rats was able to significantly enhance brightness discrimination (indicative of memory formation) without significantly affecting anxiety or depressive symptoms.
• Ashwaganda - A
  • Large effect on anxiety, depression, motivation, general mood and overall well-being.
  • Not directly correlated with increased cognition but well being has a huge impact on performance
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/
• Caffeine alone - A
  • Dosage. For physical performance 200mg. For cognitive start from 50-75mg. If a chronic user starts at 100mg.
  • Do not use in the afternoon/night. Disrupts sleep cycles.
• L - Theanine alone - B
  • Alone works well for stressed individuals.
  • 200mg dose
• N - acetyl - L -Tyrosine - B
  • L-Tyrosine is an amino acid found in the diet that is metabolized to produce catecholamines such as dopamine and adrenaline. It is also used in the production of thyroid hormones. For these reasons, weight loss and preworkout supplements often include it. When it comes to the topic of actually increasing Da and NE outright, L-tyrosine does not seem to hold much promise. The synthesis of catecholamines is highly regulated in the body, so simply increasing the amount of L-tyrosine in your body does not necessarily increase catecholamine production.
  • Studies in humans showing most anti-stress promise for acute supplemental L-Tyrosine use a dosage range of 100-150mg/kg bodyweight which can be taken 60 minutes before exercise; this is a dosage range of 9-13.5g for a 200lb person and 7-10g for a 150lb person.
  • DO NOT take if you are hypo or hyperthyroid, taking MAO medications or levodopa.
  • Seems to be useful for stressful situations. I'm thinking tournaments.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2736402/
• Panax Ginseng - B
  • Panax Ginseng tends to be taken in doses of 200 to 400mg daily for general 'preventative' medicine, although some studies on the inclusion of Panax Ginseng in a multivitamin suggest doses as low as 40mg might be bioactive. The 400mg dose appears to confer most cognitive benefit. (better reaction time). Once daily.
  • This study showed a 7.5% improvement in memory when taking panax + ginkgo.
  • Seems to work well for fatigued individuals. Like a weaker version of Rhodiola Rosea.
• Racetams – Piracetam - B
  • GABA derivative but doesn’t behave as GABA. Acts on AMPA and maybe NMDA receptor. May increase cerebral blood flow, neuroprotective, antioxidative, antiapoptotic activity, being looked at for stroke patients and hemorrhagic shock. Increases membrane fluidity in aged brain.
  • Mostly helpful for cognitive decline and individuals with cerebral accidents.
  • No real improvement in healthy individuals
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10555876/
• CDP - Choline - B
  • CDP-choline activates the biosynthesis of structural phospholipids in the neuronal membranes, increases cerebral metabolism and acts on the levels of various neurotransmitters. Has a neuroprotective effect in situations of hypoxia and ischemia, as well as improved learning and memory performance in animal models of brain aging.
  • Eggs, milk, peanuts, and some types of fish (cod, salmon, and tilapia, for example) are good natural sources of choline.
  • Recommended daily 550 mg/day for 14-18 year old males
  • One large hard boiled egg 147mg
  • Just eat the foods
• Lions Mane - B
  • Currently, the only human study has used an oral dose of 1,000mg Lion's Mane (96% purity extract) thrice daily for a cumulative total of 3,000mg extract. While it is unknown if this is the optimal dose or not, it appeared to be effective.
  • Promote neuronal prolongation and formation of myelin
  • Helped against dementia, anxiety and depression
  • Only the MMSE (mini mental exam) showed improvement
• Di-Caffeine Malate - C
  • 0 research. Supposedly slower release of caffeine, avoids crash, less GI symptoms
• Huperzine A - C
  • It is known as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, which means that it stops an enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine which results in increases in acetylcholine.
  • Studied for use in Alzheimer. No studies in young healthy.
  • Increased neurogenesis.
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23454433/
• Vitamins B 6, 9, 12 - C
  • These are imperative for cognitive function but they are only useful as a nootropic if you are deficient. With a balanced diet you should not have any need to supplement.
• Nicotine - C
• Nicotine has cognitive-enhancing effects. Attention, working memory, fine motor skills and episodic memory functions are particularly sensitive to nicotine’s effects. Long term it leads to the opposite end of the spectrum and causes dependance since it also mimics dopamine. This is why smoking makes you feel a little high and focused.
• Cigarettes have way too many other toxic chemicals.
• Thinking gums and patches? Not worth the dependance.
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6018192/#:~:text=Results,particularly%20sensitive%20to%20nicotine's%20effects.
• Noopept - C
  • Similar to Piracetam. Works mostly on memory of those with defective memory.

III. Conclusion
Many of of nootropic supplements are basically overhyped and based on assumptions since most studies are done on older and aging individuals for the prevention of cognitive decline. I will definitely use the S tier substances. I am going to consider Bacopa, Ashwaganda and Phosphatidylserine. Ashwaganda should be heavily considered in those with irritable moods, depression, anxiety etc. I will consider it also for the physical performance enhancement in my exercise routines. Rhodiola/Gingko should be heavily considered in those with chronic fatigue and low mood. Phosphatidyl should be considered in those with ADHD. For those in tournaments and high stress levels L-theanine and L-tyrosine are good options. Overall, many of the substances can be attained through proper healthy diet.
I looked into these two popular gamer nootropic supplements and found neither to my liking and rather incomplete. Genius Gamer has Lutein and Zea but other than that it is trash from the looks of it (theacrine and methyliberine are basically the same thing and act as caffeine). Esport Lab Pro has the caffeine/L-theanine combination plus Rhodiola and Phosphatidyl serine but the rest is meh. And at 60 bucks for a month of supplements it's a big no no from my part. Much simpler to pick and choose a few substances that you like, buy it in bulk/powder and just take at home. Here are the gamer nootropic supplements with their link for you to look at yourself:
Genius Gamer
Contents:
Vit B 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12 .4/.4/5/2.5/.5/1.5
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine 88
Cognizine Cytocholine 50
Caffeine Vitashure 21
Dicaffeine Malate 19
Methyliberine 16
Theacrine 16
Lutein Lutemax 5
Zeaxanthin Lutemax 1
​
Esport Lab pro
Contents:
Vit B 3, 6, 12 10/10/500
L-tyrosine 500
Asian Ginseng 400
Caffeine Anhydrous 160
Taurine 500
L-Theanine 100
Phosphatidylserine 100
Acetyl-L Carnitine 500
CDP-choline 125
Huperzine A 50
DMAE Bitatrate 250
Rhodiola Root 200
​
As always thank you for reading and please share with me your thoughts, experiences, suggestions, etc. I'm very approachable and usually reply quickly since I only use this platform as my social media fix. Have a good day!

(I'm not an experienced reddit user - please let me know if this should be posted somewhere else)
I've done some research on the effects of these supplements individually, but I'm curious as to anybody else's experience with them in combination (and I'd be particularly grateful if there's an issue with interactions/whether anything is superfluous/whether I would benefit from adding something else). For a bit of context, my general routine is to have breakfast upon waking with my standard multivitamin, fish oil, Arginine and Citruline, 450mg Ashwaghanda and 100mg rhodiola (the latter two are to assist in getting me in a relaxed state, noting that cortisol is at its highest upon waking). I'll have a cup of green tea with breakfast usually.
Then I'd say about 90 minutes later I have the following (this is what I've been using for cognition and mood-enhancement):

• 200mg L-theanine
• 600mg Alpha-GPC (2 x 300mg capsules)
• 500mg L-Tyrosine
• 450mg Ashwaghanda
• 500mg rhodiola
• "Neuro Optimizer" (2 capsules, but a serving size is 4 capsules). The ingredients in this product are below:
  • Serving Size: 4 Capsules
  • Serving Per Container: 30
  • Amount Per Serving
    • Vitamin B5 (as calcium D-Pantothenate) 10 mg
    • Acetyl L-Carnitine (from Acetyl-L-Carnitine Hydrochloride) 500 mg
    • L-Glutamine 500 mg
    • Taurine500 mg
    • Cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine (Cognizin) 300 mg
    • Phosphatidlycholine 120 mg
    • Phosphatidylserine (PS) 100 mg
    • Alpha Lipoic Acid (Thioctic Acid)5 0 mg

I have this stack twice per day (occasionally three times) - and it's always between meals. Sometimes I'll have a banana and a cup of black tea with almond milk with it.
In case it is relevant, I am also taking LDN (1.5mg) before bed each night with 3mg melatonin, 1000mg GABA, approx 100mg magnesium from "MagMind" (mag L-Threonate), 100mg 5-HTP, and a standard ZMA supplement (glycinate, powder form). I also take "Armour Thyroid" (45mg) in the morning (recently discovered my thyroid was slightly underactive - Hashimoto's thyroiditis (autoimmune issue - antibodies attacking thyroid) - the issue for me was high RT3. This was my main reason for taking LDN, and I have also stopped (for the most part) eating gluten and dairy.
I would very much appreciate some thoughts and any recommendations in terms of adding/getting rid of some supplements. In terms of how I feel, I wouldn't say I've noticed any drastic positive effects (I've been having this stack for about 3 months). I recently stopped drinking caffeinated coffee (it's only been about two weeks), but I still consume caffeine from black and green tea. The concern for me was the cortisol spike associated with caffeinated coffee. I still drink decaf. As you can probably tell I'm looking to minimise cortisol and stress (and doing so helps with sleep), maximise cognition/focus/mental acuity and optimise mood.
Thank you very much.

What Is Focus Point? Focus point is a comprehensive formula containing the following ingredients to assist in cognitive health and function:
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid that is a major component of cell membranes, making it a highly valuable nutrient for enhancing cognitive function. Without sufficient levels of PS, brain cells do not transmit nerve impulses properly. Studies have also demonstrated it may be effective for combating exercise-induced stress and prevent the physiological deterioration accompanied by over training. In its relation to healthy sleep phosphatidylserine may assist in the deduction of cortisol production in the body, allowing unhealthy levels of cortisol to decrease resulting in more restful sleep.
Huperzine-A is a compound originally extracted from the Chinese club moss plant and is isolated and highly purified. Huperzine-A is commonly taken to assist in memory and cognitive function through increased production of acetylcholine, a compound that our nerves use to communicate in the brain, muscles and other areas. As an antioxidant huperzine may also assist preventing cell degradation.
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NALT) is a modified version of L-Tyrosine, an amino acid found naturally in the body. L-Tyrosine plays a role in the production of noradrenaline & dopamine. It can also convert to L-Dopa in the body using. Supplementation of L-Tyrosine can assist with enhanced mental performance and assist with stress levels.
Alpha-GPC is a natural choline compound that is found in the brain, it differs from typical choline supplementation as it provides better bio availability for delivery of Choline. It is able to more readily cross the blood-brain barrier and is a biosynthetic precursor of acetyl-choline neurotransmitter. Alpha-GPC is considered to be the best source of Choline as a nootropic and it functions by increasing the amount of available Choline, which naturally converts to and influences the production of acetyl-choline. Acetylcholine is a powerful neurotransmitter that is responsible for learning, memory, and other important cognitive functions. Alpha-GPC is considered a nootropic dietary supplement that has been shown to enhance memory and cognition.
Citicoline is a nootropic supplement also known as CDP-Choline or cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine. Citicoline is a naturally occurring compounds found in the cells of our body. Citicoline is made from Cytidine and Choline, bound via two phosphate groups. The present of cytidine and choline together allows it to be converted into uridine which supports the acetylcholine and phospholipid metabolism. Phospholipids are essential to the creation of cell membranes and support adequate function in cells. The mechanisms behind Citicoline may support improvements in attention, brain metabolism, and memory.
Caffeine is produced in many forms, synthetically and derived form natural sources such as coffee bean, tea leaves, kola nut to name a few. Caffeine is the most common legal psychoactive compound in use. Caffeine can assist in a increase in mental alertness.
L-Theanine is an amino acid commonly found and derived from Green Tea leaves. This amino acid has shown to help with alertness, promoting calming & soothing effects, and blocking the excess binding of Glutamic Acid to Glutamate receptors in the brain. It has been shown to have similar effects to caffeine without the negative effects of jitteriness, anxiety, or drowsiness. It is commonly used with Caffeine due to synergistic effects all while promoting alertness, focus, and calmness.
Vitamin B both B6 (Pyridoxine) & B12 (Cyanocobalamin) and building blocks of a healthy body. They have a direct impact on energy levels, cognitive function, and cell metabolism.
Focus Point Cognitive Capsules