If there is something we know for sure about the brain, is that there is so much more left to discover about its power and the way we can use it to improve our lives. But more and more people seem to want to hack their brains, to enjoy its benefits right here and right now. 

 

Of course, we are all brain hacking in one way or another. Playing chess is one of them. Sure, it will take time, but plying chess will improve your attention and memory. But if you are one of those who want results right now, stay tuned and listen closely to what I have to say about cognitive enhancement drugs, also known as smart drugs. 

 

What are cognitive enhancement drugs?

Did you watch Limitless? It’s that Neil Burger movie, starring Bradley Cooper as Eddie Morra. The movie follows him in his life-changing journey, as he takes a mysterious pill that allows him to use 100% percent of his brain, instead of the regular 20%. Yes, it’s a movie, and yes, things are not the same in reality, but that magic pill does exist. That magic pill is called a cognitive-enhancement drug. You can read more about this movie-reality association and smart drugs in this article.

 

Nootropics, smart drugs or cognitive enhancers are pills that help increase memory, attention, focus or intelligence. They have recently become mainstream, as studies show that more and more people are using these days. It seems that caffeine – which we could consider a lighter form of a smart drug, because it has the role of increasing our attention – is not enough anymore for people leading busy lives. They need to be even more attentive, even more, focused to deal with their busy lives, with their complicated schedule and routines. This is why they need all the benefits smart drugs can bring them.

 

The first nootropic in the world

Although smart drugs have come into the picture only recently, they have been around for some decades. The first nootropic was created in 1963, by Romanian psychologist and chemist, Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea. It was called piracetam and it is still used in some cases.

 

According to Giurgea, a substance should check a total of 5 criteria in order to be called a smart drug. The first and most important thing about a nootropic is that it should enhance memory and learning. What a nootropic should do is that it should increase mechanisms of neurological firing in the cerebral cortex and sub-cerebral cortex. Another important point about a nootropic is that it should have few to no side-effects.

 

A list of the most famous smart drugs 

If you want to find out specific information about more smart drugs, you should read this Quartz article, tackling the subject of the most common 15 nootropics. This is an extensive study, which will help anyone wanting to know more about the subject to find out which smart drug is better for their needs. The 15 nootropics are listed alphabetically, so there is no ranking, as this wishes to shed some light on the matter and present the facts, objectively.

 

Every example has three important components: you get to find out why people use the specific drug, dive deep into some evidence and studies and then some important points such as potential side-effects are mentioned.

Benefits of cognitive enhancement drugs

There are many reasons why nootropics have become mainstream. First and foremost, a smart drug helps improve focus. With everyone wanting to be at the top of their businesses, working hard seems to work better when coupled with chemical enhancers such as nootropics.

 

The second benefit of nootropics is that they enhance attention span and this is why they are recommended for those suffering from ADHD.

 

What else do nootropics they? They help enhance short-term memory. Just like focus, this is paramount for helping one succeed professionally. Nootropics also increase cognitive performance, which comes hand in hand with the above-mentioned benefits. In the realm of natural nootropics, one noteworthy substance that holds promise is magnesium L-threonate for memory enhancement. Extensively researched for its potential cognitive benefits, magnesium L-threonate has shown some positive effects on memory retention and recall. Last but not least, nootropics help enhance mood. These are the most important benefits of nootropics and the main reasons why they have been on the rise in the past years.

 

Who uses smart drugs? 

Mainly, successful people use smart drugs and they do it to stay at the top of their game. One of the best examples are people in Silicon Valley. Research shows they use nootropics to be able to keep coding for 12 hours straight without getting tired.

 

Another category of people who use smart drugs frequently is college students. They are known to resort to nootropics during exams, to be able to keep up with the piles of material they need to study.

 

Seniors also use smart drugs and they do it not because they want to be able to study more, but because they want to keep their memories sharp, without letting diseases such as Alzheimer’s get in their heads. Surprisingly or not, another category of people who use smart drugs is represented by scientists. Studies show that they use them to enhance concentration, focus, and memory. Here is the place to go if you want to get more information on nootropics.

 

Smart drugs have become very important in the society of these days. They represent the best way for people to cope with all the tasks they have to do every day because they help enhance memory, attention, and even mood.