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Supplements To Boost Your Brain Power!

Nootropics, or supplements for your brain, are making waves in the fitness industry. Here’s why you should add these “smart supps” to your daily regimen!

Lifting weights might seem like a physical pursuit, but your mind has a massive influence on your muscles. If you’ve ever had a cup of coffee or Red Bull before a workout, you know the positive impact caffeine can have on your focus, drive, and overall training session. Caffeine is just one ingredient in a broad category of supplements called nootropics that may boost your brainpower, affecting things like focus and fatigue.

Nootropics provide major training benefits, but many of them have benefits outside the gym, too! These cognitive enhancers are known for their positive effects on mental performance, and some have even been suggested to improve memory, speed up the recall of information, and increase energy and focus. Think of them as gains for your brain!

Adding nootropics to your supplement stack can provide the following benefits:

1. Improved Memory

Who wouldn’t benefit from a better memory? (There might be someone out there, but if so, I forgot who it is.) Say goodbye to the days of walking into a room and forgetting why you went in there in the first place. Nootropics may help boost your memory, making it easier for you to remember where you put your keys. Creatine, choline, and piracetam are commonly used as memory enhancers.

2. Enhanced Focus

Most of us probably turn to caffeine—a popular nootropic—to enhance focus and attention, so it makes sense that this class of supplements can be used to improve alertness and are stimulatory in nature. Furthermore, some evidence suggests that acute ingestion of a cocktail of nootropic supplements may prevent declines in reaction time usually associated with fatiguing exercise.1

3. Reduced Fatique

Nootropics can help prevent fatigue by blocking receptors in the brain, or by providing more efficient production of energy. By reducing fatigue, you can work longer and more efficiently. Creatine and rhodiola rosea are two effective agents for this.

4. Decreased Stress Response

An intense bout of exercise is sure to increase cortisol levels, which we all know can be detrimental to your gains. However, nootropics—specifically phosphatidylserine—can blunt the cortisol response, preserving your hard-earned muscles. We typically see the highest cortisol response with prolonged exercise, so if you’ve amped up your cardio, this can be a positive addition to your stack.

5. Supplements For Optimal Brain Power

Nootropics are typically single compounds, and while one ingredient on its own may offer brain benefits, some of them can be combined (or “stacked”) to offer even greater effects! Here’s a look at the most potent ingredients and combinations.

6. Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine is an important chemical with widespread functions in the body. It’s key in the maintenance of cellular functions, especially within the brain. There’s a decent amount of literature showing its positive effects in elderly individuals both with and without cognition and memory impairments.2,3

Phosphatidylserine has also been shown to improve cognitive function before a bout of exercise.4 By supplementing with phosphatidylserine, individuals may potentially be able to obtain better results from exercise (by staying focused and alert) and at the same time improve mood and mental function.

And for all of you struggling through calculus, supplementing with phosphatidylserine has been shown to increase cognitive function during math problems (faster times completing calculations and increased number of correct answers).

As mentioned above, phosphatidylserine can also blunt the cortisol response following aerobic activity.5 So, not only will you be able to answer the question, “What is the square root of 2 to the negative 9 plus 3 power?” without the use of a calculator, you’ll be able to maintain your muscle mass!

Supplements:

1. L-THEANINE + CAFFEINE

L-theanine, a nonprotein amino acid common in green tea leaves, can have a significant impact on reducing stress levels. Add caffeine to the mix, and you may experience greater improvements in mood, reduced levels of stress, and an increased ability to focus.

Studies looking at the effects of both L-theanine and caffeine have found a rise in focus, motivation, and mood, improved alpha wave levels (a sign of relaxation), and reduced heart rate and blood pressure.6-8 It seems as though adding theanine to the mix negates many of the side effects of excessive caffeine usage while enhancing the positives.

2. CREATINE

My all-time favorite supplement comes up with another win! For the same reasons we take creatine to improve muscle mass and strength, creatine can also enhance memory and overall brain function.

Sound strange? It’s really quite simple: Your brain, just like your muscles, uses ATP for energy. So it makes sense that increasing the availability of PCr (phosphocreatine) in your brain would help with ATP synthesis and energy formation.

Studies have demonstrated creatine supplementation as an effective way to improve both short-term memory and reasoning skills, suggesting its use as both a brain and performance booster.

3. HUPERZINE A

This popular herbal nootropic can help increase levels of acetylcholine within the brain. Increasing this important neurotransmitter means improved memory and enhanced cognitive functions. Because you don’t need a large dose of this ingredient to see beneficial effects, you’ll start to note its presence in more pre- and post-workout blends.

4. CHOLINE + PIRACETAM

Choline is found in a lot of the foods we eat, but typically not in a large enough dose to have any meaningful benefit. Supplementing with choline alone can be a powerful nootropic because it serves as a direct precursor to acetylcholine—which can improve memory formation. Combining it with piracetam can not only lead to further improvements in memory, but may also help treat neuro-degenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s and dementia, in the elderly.10,11

Piracetam works by increasing acetylcholine uptake and utilization in specific regions of the brain responsible for memory formation.12 Like choline, piracetam can work on its own, but delivers a much stronger punch when combined with choline.

5. BACOPA MONNIERI

Similar to choline and huperzine A, bacopa monnieri improves acetylcholine release, which can help enhance your memory. The traditional Ayurvedic herb can also reduce stress on dopaminergic systems, helping to increase feelings of happiness and pleasure. Supplementing with bacopa monnieri may lead to improved short- and long-term memory, better reasoning test performance, enhanced attention, and reduced anxiety.13-14

6. RHODIOLA ROSEA

While its traditional use may have been to prevent altitude sickness and to help cope with cold climates, Rhodiola Rosea is finding new uses as a mood enhancer and antifatigue agent. Rhodiola helps to increase serotonin levels, which can improve your overall mood and may improve reasoning skills as well.15

7. ASIAN GINSENG

Quite possibly the most researched nootropic, Asian ginseng has been shown to improve memory, enhance focus and attention, and boost mood. It may even be able to improve performance (both reaction time and endurance).16-18

8. NOOTROPICS DOSING CHART

NOOTROPIC NEWS

The field of nootropics is a blossoming field, and as such, few well-controlled clinical trials exist. While admittedly some of the science has focused on animal models, there are still some important points to take away: Supplementation stands a chance to improve higher-order thinking and cognition, improve focus, enhance mood, and subdue feelings of pain and fatigue.

For those days when you’re feeling more fatigued than usual, or having a hard time making it through your workouts, consider using this new class of “smart” supplements to give your body and mind an extra boost!