I’ve never been able to tolerate stimulants for my ADHD so I’ve spent the last two decades exploring alternatives.
The most effective thing I’ve found is a combination of daily exercise, meditation, mindful walking and lots of time in nature, along with running purpose-driven businesses that I’m naturally motivated to work on.
The problem with stimulants is they increase heart rate and blood pressure and, therefore, tend to over-activate the nervous system; this is true of natural stimulating herbs like Ma Huang (Ephedra) used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as powerful ADHD stimulants like Ritalin, Dexedrine, Adderall and Modafinil used in Western psychiatry.
So, is there a limitless pill for ADHD?
Unfortunately, no… trust me, I have spent a long time looking! The problem is that there is no biologically free lunch, and anything that highly stimulates your nervous system will have limitations and downsides.
The reality is there are few things that work as well for ADHD as dopamine-reuptake stimulants, and that’s why they are the go-to medications for treating ADHD. But there is a class of nootropics or smart drugs for ADHD that you probably haven’t heard of that have the potential to boost focus and energy with potentially fewer side effects.
The Piracetam Class of Nootropics
Piracetam is the most researched nootropic compound for cognitive enhancement but there are many nootropics in the category called Racetams, which are derived from Piracetam.
Piracetam is a derivative of the neurotransmitter GABA, and it has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, boosting mood, energy, and focus for most people.
Racetams have been safely used for decades as cognitive enhancer for improving mood, memory, concentration, creativity and reducing anxiety. Racetams work by increasing levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory formation.
They must be taken with a quality choline supplement such as Alpha GPC or CDP-Cholinen to be fully effective at a 1:4 ratio (1 gram Alpha GPC : 4 grams Piracetam).
Most of the research into piracetam as a cognitive enhancer has been done in Russia, and I could only find one study on ADHD that found that “Piracetam as a short-term adjuvant treatment to methylphenidate can have considerable therapeutic effect and safety profile in children with ADHD and deserves further exploration to assess its potentialities in ADHD treatment.”
Generally, what works best with this kind of Nootropics is to cycle them, taking them only 2-3 times a week to avoid building up tolerance.
Here are some of other well-known Racetams and how they are used:
1. Phenylpiracetam:
Phenylpiracetam was famously used by the Russian cosmonauts on the International Space Station (ISS) to boost mental and physical performance.
It increases blood flow and significantly boosts athletic performance, which resulted in it being banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency for the Olympics and professional sports.
Generally, a dose of phenylpiracetam is 100 mg twice per day and it tends to work much faster than other Racetams.
2. Noopept:
Noopept is a peptide-derived nootropic that stimulates dopamine, nicotinic and serotonin receptors.
This racetam shows a lot of promise for helping ADHD, and it is the easiest smart drug to find online. It has been shown to boost cognition, memory and mood while increasing Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
3. Aniracetam:
Aniracetam improves focus and concentration. It can significantly boost acetylcholine by 200-300% as well as affect dopamine and serotonin, so it is often used to decrease anxiety and depression.
4. Pramiracetam:
Pramiracetam is a GABA-like derivative of Piracetam that is considered to be very potent. It boosts acetylcholine and has been shown to improve memory and verbal recall.
5. Coluracetam:
Like other racetams, Coluracetam increases the effectiveness of glutamate in the brain, resulting in enhanced cognitive performance, memory and learning ability.
6. Nefiracetam:
Nefiracetam boosts GABA and glutamate producing a calming effect. It improves neuroplasticity, learning and memory while also preventing symptoms of cognitive decline.
7. Oxiracetam:
Oxiracetam is used as a stimulant that can boost mood and motivation while also shown to improve memory and reduce brain fog.
The Piracetam Protocol For ADHD:
These 5 nootropics can be stacked and used in synergy to help ADHD:
1. Piracetam: Choose a Racetam derived from Piracetam that you want to start with for experimenting with nootropics.
2. Alpha GPC (Choline): A nootropic that increases acetylcholine transmission and has been shown to increase focus or improve cognition. Syngeristic with Piracetam.
3. ALCAR (Acetyl-L-Carnitine): Targets your brain metabolism, boosts mitochondria energy, and acts as a neuroprotectant.
4. Rhodiola: A powerful adaptogen that can work in synergy with Pitacetam and adds an adaptogen balancing effect to the protocol.
5. Potassium: Helps with absorption and boosting aldosterone and adrenal functioning which makes Piracetam more effective.
Other nootropics that can help boost focus, energy and mood:
Dave Asprey Protocol: Popular biohacker Dave Asprey takes 800 mg of Aniracetam and 100 mg of Phenylpiracetam most mornings to write his books.
Huperzine-A: A popular nootropic that improves cognition, memory, learning and recall. It is also an antioxidant and helps neuroplasticity.
Phosphatidylserine: Small studies have shown that 200 mg helped children with ADHD improve their focus while also on stimulants.
DMAE – A naturally occurring compound found primarily in small fish, multiple studies have demonstrated the cognitive enhancement properties of DMAE.
