Best Overall Cognitive Enhancer? Options

[Yoder]

Hey everybody!

In all of your opinions', what would you suggest is the best/most effective cognitive enhancer with the least side effects??
I don't really want to stack a lot of stuff and spend a lot of money.
In the past, I have taken adderall for ADD but the side effects increased, my attention started focusing more on unimportant issues and my blood pressure started rising after a couple years of taking so I have decided to quit taking it.

Please share your opinions!

Thanks!
-Paul

[Yoder]

Hey everybody!

In all of your opinions', what would you suggest is the best/most effective cognitive enhancer with the least side effects??
I don't really want to stack a lot of stuff and spend a lot of money.
In the past, I have taken adderall for ADD but the side effects increased, my attention started focusing more on unimportant issues and my blood pressure started rising after a couple years of taking so I have decided to quit taking it.

Please share your opinions!

Thanks!
-Paul

From the sounds of what I've read, L-Dopa and Phenelthylamine may be my best bet for alertness, motivation, and concentration??

[dream]

Hey everybody!

In all of your opinions', what would you suggest is the best/most effective cognitive enhancer with the least side effects??
I don't really want to stack a lot of stuff and spend a lot of money.
In the past, I have taken adderall for ADD but the side effects increased, my attention started focusing more on unimportant issues and my blood pressure started rising after a couple years of taking so I have decided to quit taking it.

Please share your opinions!

Thanks!
-Paul

From the sounds of what I've read, L-Dopa and Phenelthylamine may be my best bet for alertness, motivation, and concentration??

you are correct, from what I have read and been suggested to me, PEA can be an effective substitute

[eraser]

what should one take to prevent PEA from being metabolized by MAO-A and MAO-B?

[Mr Bananas]

what should one take to prevent PEA from being metabolized by MAO-A and MAO-B?

That would be a MAO-inhibitor, though its not recommended since its extremely easy to get negative side effects if you arent careful. Possible side effects are headache, hyperstimulation, serotonin syndrome... You wont be able to eat cheese, drink wine, aged food etc.

[Yoder]

I've wondered that too...

It says the half-life of PEA is 5-10 mins...? So how long would the effects last??
And what is the normal dosage??

[Yoder]

I've wondered that too...

It says the half-life of PEA is 5-10 mins...? So how long would the effects last??
And what is the normal dosage??

Anybody know...?? I've been researching and still haven't found much info.

[adam3482004]

[/quote]Check out this post I found while googling:

http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040521/msgs/350105.html

phenylthylamine works differently than other dopimanergics.

I found that when I take phenylthylamine I am truely a nicer kinder person. I am more in love with people and care about the grand scheme of things.

When I take plain old ritalin or dexdrine I couldn't give a care.

PEA is a strange chemical and is very distinct from other dopimanergic agents.

Linkadge

That sounds interesting. A dopaminergic that may not make people feel sociopathic? I'm calling bullshit on this one. I've tried stimulatant drugs before and they all pretty much cause the same flattened affect/linear way of thinking that they all do. This sucks cause I'd like to raise dopamine levels.

I'm not overly sold on this though. It's synthesized from phenylalanine, a nuerotransmitter, that if you get too much of may cause toxicity (while this wouldn't happen to the normal person, people with an inherited disorder of PKU when born actually become mentally handicapped severely after being born normal).

I definitely wouldn't take ANYTHING with phenylalanine in it while taking an MAO or other enzyme inhibitor if you want to try this out. Just my opinion.

If anyone else has some better research on this feel free to share.
Here's what's on wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenethylamin..._to_amphetamine

Note that it's not too different than you'd expect.

One confusing part of the compound phenylthylamine is that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenethylamin..._to_amphetamine

[quote]Substituted phenethylamines are a broad and diverse class of compounds that include stimulants, hallucinogens, entactogens, anorectics, bronchodilators, and antidepressants.[quote]

It appears that this derivative from phenylalanine can be made in fact be bonded with other chemical compounds, which would probably explain the posters reaction that I linked to above. In other words, I don't think you'd react diff. to this vs. the stimulants in a majorly profound way (like sampling an entirely new substance) unless it's maybe bonded with something else.

[adam3482004]

[quote name='adam3482004' date='Mar 05, 2009, 01:10 AM' post='99139']
[/quote]Check out this post I found while googling:

http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040521/msgs/350105.html

[quote]phenylthylamine works differently than other dopimanergics.

I found that when I take phenylthylamine I am truely a nicer kinder person. I am more in love with people and care about the grand scheme of things.

When I take plain old ritalin or dexdrine I couldn't give a care.

PEA is a strange chemical and is very distinct from other dopimanergic agents.

Linkadge[/quote]

That sounds interesting. A dopaminergic that may not make people feel sociopathic? I'm calling bullshit on this one. I've tried stimulatant drugs before and they all pretty much cause the same flattened affect/linear way of thinking that they all do. This sucks cause I'd like to raise dopamine levels.

I'm not overly sold on this though. It's synthesized from phenylalanine, an amino acid precursor to mainly dopamine and norepinepherine, that if you get too much of may cause toxicity (while this wouldn't happen to the normal person, people with an inherited disorder of PKU when born actually become mentally handicapped severely after being born normal).

I definitely wouldn't take ANYTHING with phenylalanine in it while taking an MAO or other enzyme inhibitor if you want to try this out. Just my opinion.

If anyone else has some better research on this feel free to share.
Here's what's on wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenethylamin..._to_amphetamine

Note that it's not too different than you'd expect.

One confusing part of the compound phenylthylamine is that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenethylamin..._to_amphetamine

[quote]Substituted phenethylamines are a broad and diverse class of compounds that include stimulants, hallucinogens, entactogens, anorectics, bronchodilators, and antidepressants.[quote]

It appears that this derivative from phenylalanine can be made in fact be bonded with other chemical compounds, which would probably explain the posters reaction that I linked to above. In other words, I don't think you'd react diff. to this vs. the stimulants in a majorly profound way (like sampling an entirely new substance) unless it's maybe bonded with something else.
[/quote]

[Yoder]

How does the stuff in 6 hour power (L-Phenylaline) differ from PEA?? and what effects does it have?

[Disi]

Hey everybody!

In all of your opinions', what would you suggest is the best/most effective cognitive enhancer with the least side effects??
I don't really want to stack a lot of stuff and spend a lot of money.
In the past, I have taken adderall for ADD but the side effects increased, my attention started focusing more on unimportant issues and my blood pressure started rising after a couple years of taking so I have decided to quit taking it.

Please share your opinions!

Thanks!
-Paul

Drugs which you are looking for may not be called "best cognitive enhancer". You are loking for drugs that stimulate alertness, concentration. And that is something different. Best "cognitive enhancer" for me is Aniracetam and it does little for your problems.

PEA? I have to take a lot of it to feel anything. And I feel like I am on "drugs" or something. Can not use this feeling for my work.

[Insum]

PEA? I have to take a lot of it to feel anything. And I feel like I am on "drugs" or something. Can not use this feeling for my work.

PEA is useless without something like deprenyl (mao-b inhibitor) or another form of mao-b inhibitor. There is no 'cheese effect' with an mao-b inhibitor. Whomever posted this previously was incorrect. Only mao-a inhibitors have this effect and you would need to watch your diet on those only.

PEA without some form of MAO-b inhibition, will be pretty useless as it's half-life is extremely short.

But I also agree with Disi. While the feeling is amazing taking a good dose of PEA with an MAO-b inhibitor, extremely motivating and pleasureful, it is not something to do at the office.

L-dopa may also make you feel sleepy so I wouldn't necessarily recommend this either.

[Disi]

PEA? I have to take a lot of it to feel anything. And I feel like I am on "drugs" or something. Can not use this feeling for my work.

PEA is useless without something like deprenyl (mao-b inhibitor) or another form of mao-b inhibitor. There is no 'cheese effect' with an mao-b inhibitor. Whomever posted this previously was incorrect. Only mao-a inhibitors have this effect and you would need to watch your diet on those only.

PEA without some form of MAO-b inhibition, will be pretty useless as it's half-life is extremely short.

But I also agree with Disi. While the feeling is amazing taking a good dose of PEA with an MAO-b inhibitor, extremely motivating and pleasureful, it is not something to do at the office.

L-dopa may also make you feel sleepy so I wouldn't necessarily recommend this either.

That's interesting. I tought that dopamine makes us alert(it makes me at least) On the separarte note-such things happen sometimes and it is hard to explain that. I recently added to my regime Idebenone and Resveratrol and after a week or so I became very sleepy. Just like after antidepressants-which should suggest that I have higher levels of serotonine. I stopped using Idebenone for a while as I have heard It can increase serotonine levels, but it didn't help much. So today I did not take resveratrol and it was a bit better. would you believe it? I have read in only one article that reveratrol prevents serototine degradation. Different people react differently

[Tone]

Perhaps you can smoke PEA freebase. I wouldnt try that, nor would i try MAO-B inhibitors with PEA, MAO-B inhibitors alone feel lousy. compare that waste of money and lousy feeling of selegiline with the clean and good feeling of stablon.

[Insum]

PEA? I have to take a lot of it to feel anything. And I feel like I am on "drugs" or something. Can not use this feeling for my work.

PEA is useless without something like deprenyl (mao-b inhibitor) or another form of mao-b inhibitor. There is no 'cheese effect' with an mao-b inhibitor. Whomever posted this previously was incorrect. Only mao-a inhibitors have this effect and you would need to watch your diet on those only.

PEA without some form of MAO-b inhibition, will be pretty useless as it's half-life is extremely short.

But I also agree with Disi. While the feeling is amazing taking a good dose of PEA with an MAO-b inhibitor, extremely motivating and pleasureful, it is not something to do at the office.

L-dopa may also make you feel sleepy so I wouldn't necessarily recommend this either.

That's interesting. I tought that dopamine makes us alert(it makes me at least) On the separarte note-such things happen sometimes and it is hard to explain that. I recently added to my regime Idebenone and Resveratrol and after a week or so I became very sleepy. Just like after antidepressants-which should suggest that I have higher levels of serotonine. I stopped using Idebenone for a while as I have heard It can increase serotonine levels, but it didn't help much. So today I did not take resveratrol and it was a bit better. would you believe it? I have read in only one article that reveratrol prevents serototine degradation. Different people react differently

5-10mg of deprenyl used 5 days per week, when I tried it, also made me feel sleepy constantly. It can effect people in different ways. An MAO-B inhibitor with PEA actually feels amazing though (body and mind)...it's a very positive experience, I have nothing bad to say about it, but I wouldn't do it often. When I tried it in the past, I used deprenyl, hordenine and maybe 2-3 grams of PEA. That was my prefered dose. It's maybe not something for anyone to try, I'd start much lower if trying it.

Stablon makes me feel great, alert, motivated and very open without any feelings of anxiety. I love it, except for the price. I have used SSRI's in the past and this definitely beats them. I cycle it because of the price and because I don't want to constantly rely on a drug to beat depression. There are other ways as well.

High dose resveratrol also made my progesterone skyrocket. Not a good thing...but this may not happen in everyone. In studies, resveratrol has been shown to elevate the hormone Progesterone though.

L-dopa will help release GH, and this burst of GH from the pituitary can cause groginess I think, not sure on that one though..L-dopa (or mucana puriens, velvet bean extract) is typically great to take before bed for a solid night sleep.

[Phi]

double the grams of PEA and you get that same positive experience. terrible if used the same as how phenibut warns about. 2-3 times a week is too much IMO.

i don't know why people take cognitive enhancers....if I can work on my mood, there's nothing else to enhance. maybe its a personal thing

[code buttons]

...there's nothing else to enhance...

You're speaking for yourself, there, bud!

[Phi]

I know, bud. I have yet to be amazed by these new types of things. All the unlocking potential for these I've found proven to already be there...just in my motivation and view on the subject.

[Rick]

When I'm thinking well, that enhances my mood.

[Phi]

I wonder if that's the difference between intj and entj

[Tone]

Stablon

hands down

period


100% positive of that

[Phi]

The dr. house method...until you run out or get caught.

A good night of rest is my favorite. I dedicate myself to waking up refreshed, and my day is entirely dependent on my sleeping habits

[Phi]

Ok, so I gave synaptine a shot...so far it's been great. I bashed piracetam before, but that's because of how the choline happened to be imbalanced. I do happen to be taking rhodiola also.

[LifeMirage]

Hey everybody!

In all of your opinions', what would you suggest is the best/most effective cognitive enhancer with the least side effects??
I don't really want to stack a lot of stuff and spend a lot of money.
In the past, I have taken adderall for ADD but the side effects increased, my attention started focusing more on unimportant issues and my blood pressure started rising after a couple years of taking so I have decided to quit taking it.

Please share your opinions!

Thanks!
-Paul

You may want to try Pyritinol or PEA.

From the sounds of what I've read, L-Dopa and Phenelthylamine may be my best bet for alertness, motivation, and concentration??

L-DOPA can be helpful for mood and motivation more so than alertness and concentration.

what should one take to prevent PEA from being metabolized by MAO-A and MAO-B?

While PEA does not require an MAO-B inhibitor (an MAO-A inhibitor would not have much of an effect) in most people you can consume various plants that contain MAO-B inhibitors or the drug deprenyl.

what should one take to prevent PEA from being metabolized by MAO-A and MAO-B?

That would be a MAO-inhibitor, though its not recommended since its extremely easy to get negative side effects if you arent careful. Possible side effects are headache, hyperstimulation, serotonin syndrome... You wont be able to eat cheese, drink wine, aged food etc.

The side effects are mostly from MAO-A inhibitors which you don't need for PEA. Deprenyl or other plant based MAO-B inhibitors are generally safe but you should use with caution if using high doses of PEA.

I've wondered that too...

It says the half-life of PEA is 5-10 mins...? So how long would the effects last??
And what is the normal dosage??

The suspected half-life of PEA is roughly 5-10 minutes naturally in the brain, however taking oral doses may effect this half-life and PEA has many active metabolites which accounts for many people noticing effects several hours if not an entire day at a proper dose for their system.

How does the stuff in 6 hour power (L-Phenylaline) differ from PEA?? and what effects does it have?

PEA? I have to take a lot of it to feel anything. And I feel like I am on "drugs" or something. Can not use this feeling for my work.

PEA is useless without something like deprenyl (mao-b inhibitor) or another form of mao-b inhibitor. There is no 'cheese effect' with an mao-b inhibitor. Whomever posted this previously was incorrect. Only mao-a inhibitors have this effect and you would need to watch your diet on those only.

PEA without some form of MAO-b inhibition, will be pretty useless as it's half-life is extremely short.

But I also agree with Disi. While the feeling is amazing taking a good dose of PEA with an MAO-b inhibitor, extremely motivating and pleasureful, it is not something to do at the office.

L-dopa may also make you feel sleepy so I wouldn't necessarily recommend this either.

You would be incorrect. PEA is quite effective at the proper dose for most people by itself.

Perhaps you can smoke PEA freebase. I wouldnt try that, nor would i try MAO-B inhibitors with PEA, MAO-B inhibitors alone feel lousy. compare that waste of money and lousy feeling of selegiline with the clean and good feeling of stablon.

You obviously are not dopamine responsive, however I'm glad to see your brain responds to stablon.

double the grams of PEA and you get that same positive experience. terrible if used the same as how phenibut warns about. 2-3 times a week is too much IMO.

i don't know why people take cognitive enhancers....if I can work on my mood, there's nothing else to enhance. maybe its a personal thing

Most people I've dealt with regarding PEA find it excellent to use 5 days a week for focus, mood, effecting dream states, etc. Many people take cognitive enhancers to protect against brain aging which occurs in everyone, others to enhance cognition.

[Yoder]

Thank you very much for the info!

I've been thinking of ordering some PEA and L-Dopa to try it out.
After the removal of my wisdom teeth, I had to take vicaprofen for pain which contains hydrocodone. I would usually take 1/2 of one to 1 every 4 hours while at work and while I would get waves of sleepiness, I noticed that I was very attentive and motivated in my projects. Doesn't hydrocodone stimulate dopamine?? Would I get similar effects from L-dopa??

Hey everybody!

In all of your opinions', what would you suggest is the best/most effective cognitive enhancer with the least side effects??
I don't really want to stack a lot of stuff and spend a lot of money.
In the past, I have taken adderall for ADD but the side effects increased, my attention started focusing more on unimportant issues and my blood pressure started rising after a couple years of taking so I have decided to quit taking it.

Please share your opinions!

Thanks!
-Paul

You may want to try Pyritinol or PEA.

From the sounds of what I've read, L-Dopa and Phenelthylamine may be my best bet for alertness, motivation, and concentration??

L-DOPA can be helpful for mood and motivation more so than alertness and concentration.

what should one take to prevent PEA from being metabolized by MAO-A and MAO-B?

While PEA does not require an MAO-B inhibitor (an MAO-A inhibitor would not have much of an effect) in most people you can consume various plants that contain MAO-B inhibitors or the drug deprenyl.

what should one take to prevent PEA from being metabolized by MAO-A and MAO-B?

That would be a MAO-inhibitor, though its not recommended since its extremely easy to get negative side effects if you arent careful. Possible side effects are headache, hyperstimulation, serotonin syndrome... You wont be able to eat cheese, drink wine, aged food etc.

The side effects are mostly from MAO-A inhibitors which you don't need for PEA. Deprenyl or other plant based MAO-B inhibitors are generally safe but you should use with caution if using high doses of PEA.

I've wondered that too...

It says the half-life of PEA is 5-10 mins...? So how long would the effects last??
And what is the normal dosage??

The suspected half-life of PEA is roughly 5-10 minutes naturally in the brain, however taking oral doses may effect this half-life and PEA has many active metabolites which accounts for many people noticing effects several hours if not an entire day at a proper dose for their system.

How does the stuff in 6 hour power (L-Phenylaline) differ from PEA?? and what effects does it have?

PEA? I have to take a lot of it to feel anything. And I feel like I am on "drugs" or something. Can not use this feeling for my work.

PEA is useless without something like deprenyl (mao-b inhibitor) or another form of mao-b inhibitor. There is no 'cheese effect' with an mao-b inhibitor. Whomever posted this previously was incorrect. Only mao-a inhibitors have this effect and you would need to watch your diet on those only.

PEA without some form of MAO-b inhibition, will be pretty useless as it's half-life is extremely short.

But I also agree with Disi. While the feeling is amazing taking a good dose of PEA with an MAO-b inhibitor, extremely motivating and pleasureful, it is not something to do at the office.

L-dopa may also make you feel sleepy so I wouldn't necessarily recommend this either.

You would be incorrect. PEA is quite effective at the proper dose for most people by itself.

Perhaps you can smoke PEA freebase. I wouldnt try that, nor would i try MAO-B inhibitors with PEA, MAO-B inhibitors alone feel lousy. compare that waste of money and lousy feeling of selegiline with the clean and good feeling of stablon.

You obviously are not dopamine responsive, however I'm glad to see your brain responds to stablon.

double the grams of PEA and you get that same positive experience. terrible if used the same as how phenibut warns about. 2-3 times a week is too much IMO.

i don't know why people take cognitive enhancers....if I can work on my mood, there's nothing else to enhance. maybe its a personal thing

Most people I've dealt with regarding PEA find it excellent to use 5 days a week for focus, mood, effecting dream states, etc. Many people take cognitive enhancers to protect against brain aging which occurs in everyone, others to enhance cognition.

[Tone]

how come people are so into all these supplements and drugs that are so weak and worthless failures?

i want to actually feel something, thats why i say stablon instead of things like piracetam


if i take something, and dont within 1 hour feel a clearing of my head, clearing of intense suffering agony dysphoria, increased energy and pleasure and well-being feelings with word and thoughts able to flow better - if i dont feel that, then i consider what i took a garbage med that is a parasite designed to scam and steal money from people.

[Insum]

I'd have to say that PEA + deprenyl combo is better than modafinil, better than anything else for focus, motivation and sense of well being. It's definitely not worthless. I haven't tried PEA on it's own at very high levels, but what I'm hearing is that it has the same effect as when combined with deprenyl. Like someone mentioned though, it's not something to take at a high level daily. But I wouldn't take something like modafinil daily either. PEA is definitely one of the better noots out there if used properly. But you're right, I have never felt much of anything from piracetam, vinpocetine, even ALCAR...none of these supps do anything very noticeable for me personally. Could be an issue with methylation though as well..

[garyhibb]

This is for mk-ultra and other inquiring minds who want to know more about deprenyl. (The other forum was locked but this looks like a good place to post.)

I have been using Cyto-Pharma's liquid deprenyl for the past 7 to 8 years and have been very happy with the results. I was in my mid-40's and feeling pretty run down most of the time (tired, concentration issues, etc.)

On the first day I took only one drop, but by 30 minutes later I knew something good was happening. Over the weeks and months that followed I did some of the best work in my career (hardware and software engineering) in about half the time it would have taken before the deprenyl. There have never been any ill effects from it, no issues with cheese or wine (when taken 12 hours apart, that is.)

Laugh if you want, my IQ went up 20 points and my mental energy went through the roof. I usually get 2 bottles (2 x 300 ml) and take about 5 drops in the morning, and once in awhile skip a day just for the heck of it. After running out I wait a few weeks to reorder (when I'm run down again.) I'll keep you posted on the 40% life span increase...

Regards,

[Phi]

double the grams of PEA and you get that same positive experience. terrible if used the same as how phenibut warns about. 2-3 times a week is too much IMO.

i don't know why people take cognitive enhancers....if I can work on my mood, there's nothing else to enhance. maybe its a personal thing

Most people I've dealt with regarding PEA find it excellent to use 5 days a week for focus, mood, effecting dream states, etc. Many people take cognitive enhancers to protect against brain aging which occurs in everyone, others to enhance cognition.

For the 5 days a week, what combination and dosage is most common or recommended. I'm sure it's somewhere, but I don't remember you making an exact recommendation.

[jack2009]

nice topic with good tips