Have you seen the advertisements for supplements that promise to get you superhuman strength, cognitive boost, stamina and what not? Ever thought if are they even real?
The market is full of supplements, vitamins, drugs that claim to give unbelievable power.
Unfortunately, most of them don’t work at all, or they turn out to be a scam. Anything that promises to induce a non-human type of power is never a reliable option to try.
But the good thing is that there are several ways to improve your performance. A comparatively reliable option is to try focus pills, which are available over the counter. These focus pills do not work like magic.
They work by giving a power-boost to your cognitive abilities. In this way, any work involving a lot of concentration like studying becomes easier.
For any person who wants to excel in any exam, using the simplest things such as focus enhancing supplements is the best option.
They are easily available and don’t require a medical prescription. This article is a complete guide to some easy to use and safe cognitive boosters particularly helpful for the students.
What are the functions of Focus Pills?
Focus pills are also known as nootropics or nootropics supplements.
They are also called “smart drugs” however they aren’t psychedelic drugs.
What they mean by focus pills is a product that boosts the focusing ability of the brain. By using nootropics, the person feels active and energetic to finish any brainstorming session.
A Romanian psychologist and chemist named Corneliu E. Giurgea first used the term “nootropics” in 1972. It is derived from Greek words “nous”(mind) and “Trepein” (to turn).
Primary functions of nootropics or focus enhancing pills are as follows.
- Clarity of ideas
- Analytical skills
- Memory building
- Creativity
- Motivation
Increased use of Concentration/Focus Pills among Students
There is a rapid increase in the use of cognitive boosting pills. The international sales crossed 1 billion USD in 2015, as per a report by “The BMJ”.
The demand is getting rapidly high each year. Surprisingly, only a few of these focus pills are effective. Among students, the use of nootropics is exceptionally high for increasing their productivity.
The use of prescription-based cognitive stimulants is also frequent. But for the long-term health, it is better not to use chemically enriched drugs.
In this situation, these over the counter nootropics pills are the best for students. Their use is even more significant among students that are attending academically competitive colleges and universities.
A survey report published by “PLOS” concludes that 0.7-4.5% of the German students have used some cognitive enhancers in their study period. The subjects of this study were a part of two online surveys.
A total number of 14,06 university teachers and 3,486 students participated in the survey. The results also revealed that students are willing to use focus-enhancing pills for improved performance.
Another study published in “Nature- International Journal Of Science” explains that students are more likely to use stimulants, i.e., Dimethylamylamine and methylphenidate.
Research printed by “Pharmacotherapy” says that 5-35% of college students prefer to use ADHD stimulants for improved performance in exams.
The reason to use these stimulants was mainly to excel in academics and not for recreational purposes.
All these research studies show that students are more into using focus builders to improve their academic performance. But the selection of a useful supplement is tricky.
Which Nootropic supplements are best for studying?
There are so many brands, which come under nootropics. The variety in nootropics may confuse a person for selecting the best for him. You can either search each one of them on the Internet or read about the best options available.
For selecting the focus pills for students, one should be extra careful. Chose the one, which has a mechanism of action explained, a list of ingredients, dosage instructions and good user ratings. To save time, here is a list of best options among nootropics that you can try.
Modafinil/Adrafinil
Modafinil is available under various trade names. Modafinil is a dopamine enhancer. It increases the amount of dopamine.
It binds to the dopamine receptors differently as compared to cocaine, amphetamines, etc. That is why it produces absolutely no addiction or withdrawal symptoms which most of the other stimulants do.
A study from “Psychopharmacology (Berlin)” tells that Modafinil has a low micromolar affinity for the dopamine transporter.
It means that it inhibits the dopamine reuptake through dopamine transporter. It explains that the enhancement of dopamine by using Modafinil is similar to methylphenidate, and the amphetamines.
But the neurochemical effects are different from standard psychostimulants. It doesn’t show addiction or withdrawal effects.
Another research from “Journal Of Neuroscience” says that dopamine D1 and D2 receptors are the most prominent contributors to the wakefulness caused by Modafinil.
It means Modafinil helps to increase focus, build analytical thinking and help the student to perform better in problem-solving abilities.
You may not be able to get Modafinil easily in the USA and some other parts of the world. However, you can always get its supplement form, which is Adrafinil. It doesn’t require a prescription or a medical condition to buy Adrafinil.
For students, it is better to use the supplement Adrafinil that is a subtle form of Modafinil. The prescribed dose of Modafinil is 200 mg but using only 100 mg is sufficient for better studying.
Adrafinil uses 600-1200 mg in 24 hours. A daily dosage of Adrafinil over 1200mg is not recommended.
Oxiracetam
Oxiracetam is a name, which is famous for improving brain functions. It helps with building logic, analysis, and facts evaluation.
Students and work professionals desire all these attributes, which Oxiracetam can provide to them.
Oxiracetam promotes logic-based thinking which enables the user to understand any concept easily.
The recommended dosage of Oxiracetam is 400mg. But you can start taking less amount at the start. It is better to start with a low dose to see how it affects your body systems.
Like all other nootropics supplements, it affects the acetylcholine and cholinergic systems of the brain. It helps to improve attention, concentration, and memory with motivation.
L-theanine
You may have heard of L-theanine as an ingredient in herbal teas. It is known for its relaxing and soothing properties.
The journal “Biological Psychology” declares L-theanine as a helpful agent to reduce psychological and physiological stress in one of its studies.
L-Theanine is an amino acid that is found in tea. It blocks L-glutamic acid and glutamate receptor binding which happens to control the stress levels of the body.
The research studies 12 participants in four separate trials in which they were given L-theanine. The findings of the study suggested that oral intake of L-theanine is an effective stress reliever.
L-theanine works best in combination with caffeine, which is another natural stimulant. It makes the quality of learning, memory and mental endurance better.
Another published research from “Biological Psychology” elaborates the combination of L-theanine and caffeine to be best for cognitive boost and to improve the mood.
The suggested dose for this study was L-theanine (250 mg), and caffeine (150 mg) in a combination.
For the students, this combination of nootropics boost is the best. It is natural, inexpensive and easy to use. Students can directly take one or two cups of green tea, which has both these ingredients.
Try to find a product, which uses green tea grown in the shade. The shade-grown leaves of green tea have the highest quantity of theanine in them
The supplement form of green tea is also available at all leading health stores. L-theanine focus pills are also accessible. If you prefer to use the L-theanine pill, combine it with morning coffee for the best results.
Bacopa Monnieri
Bacopa is an herb, which is available in concentration building pills form. This plant is native to India.
Bacopa is an adaptogen. It helps the body against elevated levels of stress, but it also helps to build memory.
“Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine” studies Bacopa Monnieri for improving cognitive performance.
The traditional use of this herb is now proven by the research with human clinical trials. The effects of Bacopa at a dose of 300-450 mg per day were found significant for memory building and mental sharpness.
Another study published in the same journal declares Bacopa Monnieri extract useful to overcome anxiety, depression and improve cognitive performance in older adults.
It surely works to make learning better for any exam. It may take 3-4 weeks to show complete results.
The only side effect of Bacopa is lowering sperm count. It is studied in mice and not in humans.
But for the safe side, you should skip using Bacopa supplements if you are trying to reproduce. It does not affect testosterone levels.
This information is supported by a study on the antifertility potential of the herb (Bhrahmi/Bacopa) in a male mouse, printed in “Contraception”, a peer-reviewed journal.
Bacopa is available in many trade names. It is usually taken along with a fat source, which modifies its absorption. Bacopa supplements are available from any health store without any prescription.
Forskolin And Artichoke Extract
Forskolin is a famous name from Ayurveda. It is used in traditional medicine for thousands of years.
Forskolin is one of the best nootropic agents as it increases the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), which is necessary for better learning and memory building.
“Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry” journal has published a similar study, which supports Forskolin to be an inducer of cAMP.
It helps to regulate the expression of acetylcholinesterase and also provides complete protection against organophosphate exposure in Neuro 2A cells.
It indicates that Forskolin is a transcriptional inducer and an excellent choice for improving any cognitive task.
To make the effects of Forskolin better, artichoke extract is combined with it. Artichoke extract helps to inhibit the PDE4 enzyme which otherwise hinders the cAMP.
When this enzyme is inhibited, the otherwise affects, i.e., learning, motivation, focus, memory building, etc. are more defined.
You can easily get Forskolin separately or in combination with artichoke. For example, CILTEP is one combinational supplement of Forskolin and artichoke extract.
These nootropics supplements are not expensive, and students can easily buy them. The best is to use 1-3 capsules of Forskolin and an artichoke supplement.
Health supplements that help in focus building
Other than the specific nootropics, there are general supplements that can improve your mental capabilities. For example
Vitamin D3
Try incorporating vitamin D3 into your routine. It is a potent neurosteroid, which helps to make your learning and memory better. It also reduces the stress levels and saves you from depression and anxiety.
Nicotine
Nicotine is a powerful parasympathomimetic stimulant that is controversial for its presence in cigarettes. In small doses, it helps to make the memory better.
But the high amount of nicotine is neither safe nor recommended for daily use.
Nicotine is available in various forms, i.e., nicotine-infused toothpicks, nicotine gums, etc. Try to use a reliable form of it.
Probiotics
The idea of gut-brain makes a lot of sense for nootropics assistance than it is random jokes.
The bacterial colonies of the gut affect the activity of the brain at large.
Taking a probiotic supplement makes the digestive system better, enhances memory and influences the quick brain responses.
Melatonin
Famous as sleep induces, melatonin also helps to enhance learning and memory. Melatonin focus pills can also improve your cognitive abilities in the long run.