questions about piracetam and alpha-gpc Options

[eraser]

hi,

i just ordered some piracetam powder in bulk and i've also ordered some alpha-gpc. i've tried piracetam once before with excellent results, the problem being that they did not last for more than a few weeks. i believe this may have been because i decided to remove alpha-gpc from the regimen and the choline bitartrate that i replaced it with wasn't cutting it. i also may have noticed the alteration before this. i made some dosing changes, tried taking the alpha-gpc again (i may have only done this for a day or two, so perhaps it didn't fully build up within my system) but alas, i couldn't get the same results that i had within the first few weeks, and was almost out of piracetam, so i stopped taking it altogether. i also became somewhat dehydrated and sickly around the time that i stopped taking it, and several days after i noticed some of the initial effects (like influxes of memories flashing triggered by objects or things in my environment, cross-association and visual supplementation that wasn't as present before) but i'm not sure if this sicklyness had to do with the piracetam/alpha-gpc withdrawal or was unrelated. nonetheless, the initial results were so helpful and impressive to me that i've decided to give it another shot.

my main questions are:

1. being 19 years old, do i really know what i'm getting into by taking alpha-gpc on a daily basis? i did not seem to have any negative side effects from taking it, though would it be safe to take on a daily basis? what if i continued it for years, with how much certainty am i not doing harm to myself? would i be best to use a more basic form of a choline precursor?

2. does any sort of tolerance develop with piracetam? how could i attenuate/prevent this?

3. what would the nature of the long term benefits from this treatment be? if my brain was structurally altered by this regimen, could i expect to retain some degree of effect after i stop taking them, say, after six months? are the structures created dependent on the substances i'm adding to my brain's equation, and will they still function once created but without the addition of piracetam/alpha-gpc? (i'm mostly interested in cross-hemispheric communication, here).


thanks in advance,

m

[GodConsciousness]

alpha gpc is generally considered to be superior to cdp choline in bioavailability.

[eraser]

alpha gpc is generally considered to be superior to cdp choline in bioavailability.

ok, sorry for dragging this on and on, but i have one more issue. it seems increasing acetylcholine in general stimulates human growth hormone. now this kind of worries me because i'm under 25. and gah! on the one hand, here i have the regimen thats working perfectly for me, on the other, i have absolutely no idea what long term stimulation of growth hormone might do to me. this is kind of worrying. maybe i'll go for the six-month hopefully-lasting treatment and call it quits. if anyone has any input on what these numbers might mean, or what stimulating HGH to the extent that 'enhancing cholinergic tone' via alpha-gpc/cdp-choline (i've decided to cycle the two, and perhaps take a break on weekends), please let me know as i could use some informed advice on this.

Effects of direct and indirect acetylcholine receptor agonists on growth hormone secretion in humans.

Mazza E, Ghigo E, Boffano G, Valetto M, Maccario M, Arvat E, Bellone J, Procopio M, Müller EE, Camanni F.

Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, University of Turin, Italy.

Cholinergic pathways in the central nervous system positively influence growth hormone (GH) secretion. In fact pyridostigmine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, enhances both basal and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)-induced GH secretion while, conversely, pirenzepine, an antagonist of muscarinic M1 receptors, inhibits the GH response to GHRH and to other physiological and pharmacological stimuli. The effect of the cholinergic system on GH secretion probably takes place via inhibition of the release of endogenous somatostatin. In this study in 36 normal adults (26 males and 10 females, age 22-35 years) we compared the effects of three cholinesterase inhibitors (pyridostigmine, 120 mg p.o., n = 19; neostigmine, 10 micrograms/kg i.v., n = 6; physostigmine, 12.5 micrograms/kg i.v., n = 6) and bethanechol, a direct muscarinic receptor agonist that is mainly active on muscarinic M3 receptors (25 micrograms/kg i.v., n = 5), on both basal and GHRH (1 microgram/kg i.v.)-stimulated GH secretion. Pyridostigmine, neostigmine and physostigmine induced a significant GH increase (peak vs. basal levels, mean +/- S.E.: 10.4 +/- 1.6 vs. 0.6 +/- 0.2 micrograms/l, P = 0.0001; 13.3 +/- 1.2 vs. 0.5 +/- 1.1 micrograms/l, P = 0.004; and 14.9 +/- 3.1 vs. 2.7 +/- 1.1 micrograms/l, P = 0.025;, respectively). These drugs also induced a similar potentiation of the GH response to GHRH (peak: 48.3 +/- 5.6 vs. 16.2 +/- 2.2 micrograms/l, P = 0.0001; 49.2 +/- 2.2 vs. 19.9 +/- 5.1 micrograms/l, P = 0.006; and 76.9 +/- 12.4 vs. 18.1 +/- 5.3 micrograms/l, P = 0.001, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Author: Ceda GP, Ceresini G, Denti L, Marzani G, Piovani E, Banchini A, et al
Date: 3/1992
Journal: Horm Metab Res
Chair of Gerontology and Geriatrics, University of Parma, Italy. Growth hormone (GH) secretion is decreased during aging in humans and in rodents. This decrease may be due to increased hypothalamic somatostatin release, which is inhibited by cholinergic agonists, or to decreased secretion of GHRH. Alpha-glyceryl-phosphorylcholine (alpha-GFC) is a putative acetylcholine precursor used in the treatment of cognitive disorders in the elderly. In order to learn what effect alpha-GFC had on GH secretion, GH-release hormone (GHRH) was given to young and old human volunteers, with or without the addition of alpha-GFC. GH secretion was greater in the younger subjects than in the old individuals, and both groups had a greater GH response to the GHRH+alpha-GFC than to GHRH alone. The potentiating effect of alpha-GFC on GH secretion was more pronounced in the elderly subjects. These findings confirm the observation that aged individuals respond less well to GHRH than younger subjects, and provides further evidence that increased cholinergic tone enhances GH release.