Essay Example on 5 Top Nootropics: Caffeine, Creatine, Bacopa, L-Theanine, Rhodiola

Introduction

The top nootropics based on scientific evidence and general popularity in the United States are the caffeine, Creatine, Bacopa Monnieri, L-Theanine, and Rhodiola Rosea. Caffeine is one of the most popular substances in the world with a large consumption rate. It is found in many naturally occurring plants like tea, coffee, kola nuts, cocoa, and guarana. Medical experts add the ingredient in some medications used to treat different issues while beverages companies add it to their energy and soft drinks. As a medical alternative, caffeine is used independently or with other medications to maximize its effective on a patient’s sickness. Caffeine is a natural stimulant and helps improve an individual’s thinking skills as it enables a person’s brain to access more neurotransmitters in the brain like the acetylcholine. Users feel alert and are able to perform their duties which require their short-term memory. Creatine is grouped as an amino acid. Body-builders use creatine to trigger the growth of their muscles and enhance their thinking abilities. Creatine penetrates the blood system and combines with phosphate and forms a powerful molecule which the brain uses to modify and move the cells to the different parts in the body. People with anxiety issues and those who may need to trigger their thinking skills may use creatine in moderate doses.

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Bacopa Monnieri is used as a medical supplement and helps improve the brain function by enhancing the memories and reducing the reaction times. Once a person consumes Bacopa Monnieri, the drug gets absorbed into the blood system by sending signals to the hippocampus which triggers the memories. Effects of the drug are not immediately realized as it takes a considerable longer time to be absorbed into the brain. On the other hand, L-Theanine occurs naturally in tea and takes the form of an amino acid. Consumption of this nootropic increases the alpha-waves present in the brain which help improve the creativity levels. Users have been combining L-theanine with caffeine to improve the effects on their bodies. This is because, when combined, they help enhance the performance of a person. The Rhodiola Rosea has been marketed and positioned in the market as a naturally occurring herb that helps the body manage stress. This is because the nootropic improves a person’s moods while reducing anxiety levels. College students are some regular users of the Rhodiola Rosea as they claim that it helps reduce the mental fatigue that may affect their ability to perform well in examinations, especially after studying for long periods.

Ways Popularity changes over Different Population Types

The popularity of nootropics change depending on different factors with the age of users being the major influence, while issues like pre-existing conditions affecting the effects the drugs have on the person consuming them. Amongst the youths, the nootropics are considered ‘wonder’ or ‘smart’ drugs since they bring a euphoric effect on the users. The widely available nootropics can be found as over-the-counter while others can be bought from the black market. The fact that students can study better and their memories improved, giving them the comparative advantage of performing well in their studies makes the nootropics a preference for learners. Caffeine is a mild nootropic and students can use the quantity they desire since there is no limitation as to what they can consume. Purchasing coffee and tea is fast and easy since retailers who stock these commodities have no minimum quantity their customers can buy. On the other hand, some nootropics can only be bought under a doctor’s prescription which may require users to visit a healthcare facility.

People with underlying medical conditions have not been left out as they can consume nootropics with little or mild effects to their health. Companies have also been strategic in targeting this market segment by creating formulas with herbal remedies and citicoline. The consumption of citicoline is through the veins or as a supplement. Medical boards have also approved some of the nootropics to ensure their effects would not be detrimental to the consumers’ with underlying medical conditions. For instance, people suffering from anxiety find comfort in a nootropic like Creatine since it helps them calm their nerves. This kind of medication can be used by people with different ages. Some of the nootropics that have extreme effects on users are also available in the market because they are presented as nutritional supplements. Due to the effects Bacopa Monnieri has on the hippocampal membrane in the brain, people suffering from diseases like Alzheimer can use this drug as a treatment option. Continued use may lead to overreliance especially if the patient feels some form of relief or their memories start forming afresh. L-theanine is also found as an over-the-counter drug and helps boost the brain, meaning any person, irrespective of their age, can access this nootropic with ease.

Details of Nootropics

Caffeine

Caffeine is one of the most consumed nootropics in the United with the commodity being readily available in breakfast tables. Both children and adults take caffeine before they begin their day. Caffeine affects the central nervous system making the consumer become addicted to the commodity. Failure to take caffeine results in headaches as the blood levels in the brain are accustomed to the drug. This nootropic affects the brain by making it alert. It makes a person feel less tired as they feel energetic to undertake different projects. Overdose on caffeine results into vomiting, nausea, hallucinations, convulsions, and confusion. This means a person has to take the drug in moderation to avoid the negative impact on their body. In extreme cases, an overdose in caffeine can lead to death especially if a person takes energy drinks which contain high levels of the nootropic. Caffeine also affects the digestive and excretory systems in the body. The acid levels in the stomach increase and issues like acid refluxes, urination, and heartburn. The respiratory and circulatory systems also feel the negative effect since the caffeine gets in the bloodstream a short time after consumption. Caffeine may also affect the heart rhythms. The absorption rate of calcium in the bone is also affected.

Creatine

Creatine is found in the body but can also be manufactured in the laboratory. It is mainly used to enhance performance and increase the muscle mass. Professional sports organizations like the Olympic Committee support its use as it helps the athletes as well as manage depressive feelings. Consumption of around 25 grams is safe for the body when taken daily but users gain weight, experience pain in their stomachs, diarrhea, and have nausea. People with an underlying condition like bipolar disorders, diabetes, kidney diseases, and Parkinson’s should not consume creatine.

Bacopa Monnieri

This nootropic has been used in the management of Alzheimer’s to help improve the patients’ memories but is not effective when consumed for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Bacopa Monnieri helps the body when consumed in moderation and for a period of about four months but it leads to fatigue, stomach cramps, and dry mouth. Breastfeeding and pregnant women should not consume this drug. Bacopa Monnieri may also affect the heart rate and result into blocakages in the gastrointestinal tract.

L-Theanine

L-Theanine is mainly used in the management and treatment of depression, stress, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Consumers take it by mouth and gets absorbs in the nerves connected to the brain. It helps increase the mental performance of a person justifying why students prefer taking this drug before and during their exams. Taking L-Theanine in low dosages may be safe to the body by when used for longer periods may lead to headaches, fatigue, and sleepiness. People with an underlying condition like low blood pressure should not consume L-Theanine as it risks decreasing the pressure in blood limiting it from reaching all organs.

Rhodiola Rosea

Rhodiola Rosea’s root has medicinal uses which can be traced back to Europe and Artic regions in the world. The nootropic helps renew and rebuild cells improves the memory, and regulating the heartbeat. The drug is safe when taken in moderation but causes dizziness. People with underlying conditions like low blood pressure, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases, or are pregnant and breastfeeding should not use this commodity.

Physiology affected by Nootropics

Nootropics affect the circulation of blood after it gets absorbed in the body. It helps increase energy and alertness since there is more oxygen flowing to the body. Nootropics affect the cognitive function in the body as the veins and small arteries get more blood. More fatty acids that fuel the production of mitochondria in the brain are made in large capacities. This helps improve the metabolic activities that take place in the brain.

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