Piracetam: Everything You Need to Know

When it comes to brain health, nootropics or ‘brain supplements’ are increasingly becoming popular among people all over the world. One of those is Piracetam. But what are its benefits, and what are people are saying about this popular nootropic?

What is Piracetam?

Piracetam is undoubtedly one of the most popular nootropic drugs available and belongs to the Racetams group of smart drugs. Synthetically derived from the neurotransmitter GABA, Piracetam is seen as one of the original nootropic drugs, although not the most potent.

Piracetam was formulated more than 50 years ago in 1964, making it one of the first nootropics on the market and definitely well-studied. It is used by people of all ages, although research shows that the elderly are more likely to benefit.

You may be wondering:

Can it effectively treat different forms of neurodegeneration?

Piracetam is very well-studied nootropic and piracetam treatment is used to treat dementia, Alzheimer’s, dyslexia, and other cognitive disorders. It is believed that as a brain booster, Piracetam is a nootropic that boosts brain function and improves focus, memory, alertness, and concentration. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of research on the effects of Piracetam on young, healthy people, however, there is quite a lot of research on elderly individuals, especially those suffering from dementia, schizophrenia and other forms of neurodegeneration.

Is Piracetam The Strongest Nootropic Drug? Piracetam is not the strongest nootropic drug available, although definitely the most popular. There are a number of other nootropics that are stronger, such as Oxiracetam, Aniracetam, and Noopept. They each offer various benefits, similar to Piracetam, but is not as well-studied or known among patients.

How does Piracetam Work?

The brain is a very complicated system and we still do not quite know how it works. There’s so much more to discover, but we do know that there are neurotransmitters and receptors. Neurotransmitters work to carry a signal or message all the way to a receptor, and these constant connections between neurotransmitters and receptors are what allow us to think, do and react. Basically, everything we do requires these connections.

So, where does Piracetam come in?

Piracetam works by increasing the effects of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is responsible for memory, sensory perception, learning, and muscle movement, among others. It increases the effects of this neurotransmitter at the receptors, thereby increasing its effects. Additionally, Piracetam enhances cerebral blood flow, which helps in delivering oxygen and glucose needed for cellular metabolism and carrying away cellular waste. Piracetam might work differently for people, but the results are almost the same; increased memory in the long run, as well as alertness, creativity, and mental clarity.

Some people also don’t give Piracetam enough time to work, as it should preferably be taken for at least two weeks to see significant results. The cognitive increases may be subtle but they will become more effective over time. People who study, for example, may notice subtle changes more than regular people, as they rely on their focus and mental clarity to study effectively.

A few minutes after you ingest Piracetam, it gets to work. You may feel more energetic at first, as well as more alert and focused. Long-term benefits include reducing the risk of certain diseases and enhancing your memory. Piracetam works with two brain neurotransmitters: glutamate and acetylcholine. It balances the levels between them and enhances their ‘communication’. Furthermore, Piracetam supports mitochondrial function, enhancing ATP production and restoring impaired mitochondrial function in brain cells.

What’s the bottom line?

Piracetam works to boost verbal learning, modify concentration and alertness, increase memory, and reduce the risk of neurological disorders. It also improves muscarinic cholinergic receptor density, which is crucial for cognitive function, especially in aging. It also improves blood flow and oxygen levels in the brain.

Piracetam Brands and Generics

There are various brand names on the market for Piracetam, including Lucetam, Boost, Breinox, Nootropyl, and Nootropil.

The Benefits of Piracetam on Cognitive Function

With Piracetam being so popular, many people wonder what the benefits are. Piracetam has quite a few benefits to offer, from a heightened creativity to memory improvement. It is used to treat cognitive impairment in aging, brain injuries, dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease. Additionally, piracetam is utilized in the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke and acute ischemic stroke. Chronic piracetam treatment has shown potential therapeutic benefits for a wide range of medical conditions.

Piracetam works to boost verbal learning, modify concentration and alertness, increase memory, and reduces the risk of neurological disorders through its neuroprotective and anticonvulsant effects. These neuroprotective and anticonvulsant properties help protect against nerve damage and reduce the severity of seizures.

Enhancing memory

This is probably one of the most popular benefits of Piracetam. It serves as a memory enhancer and this is the reason why so many people buy this nootropic. Studies have shown that although the benefit of memory enhancement is not immediately noticeable, it becomes quite effective after about 14 days of taking the supplement.

Anxiety and Depression

Research has shown that Piracetam reduces depression in patients with cerebrovascular disorders (restricted blood flow to the brain). It was also better at reducing symptoms of agitation and paranoia in people with mental disorders than Oxiracetam.

Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Treatment

Although studies are ongoing, research has shown that Piracetam can be effective in treating patients with dementia. Additionally, it has been found to improve cognitive function in individuals with mild diffuse cerebral impairment. Nootropics have long since been used to help reduce the effects of conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, some with great success.

Heightened Creativity

When you have an energy boost and high concentration levels, your creativity will also be much higher than before. With nootropic drugs like Piracetam can make a big difference in

Increased Verbal Fluency

A 21-day study has shown that Piracetam resulted in an 8.6 percent increase in verbal fluency in healthy participants. Dyslexia participants showed an increase of 15 percent. There was also an increase in the reaction time and the ability to recognize a language among children with dyslexia; this was determined over a period of 36 weeks. There are also other areas where Piracetam can be very effective; for e.g. it can help with hearing loss, reduce breath-holding spells in children, and act as an anti-inflammatory. Since Piracetam also has anti-blood-clotting effects, it can reduce thrombosis.

The Dangers and Neuroprotective and Anticonvulsant Properties of Piracetam

Some people are concerned about the safety of Piracetam. While Piracetam is generally considered safe, it is important to note that there are some side effects to consider.

Brain Fog

Brain fog is considered to be a side effect that some people experience from taking Piracetam. It may also go hand-in-hand with fatigue, memory problems and loss of motivation. It’s a complicated process to understand, but it related to Piracetam interfering with acetylcholine levels. This results in an influence on other neurotransmitters such a serotonin and dopamine.

It is believed that the brain fog is caused by the reduction of these neurotransmitters as it causes an increase in acetylcholine. If there is a mild increase in acetylcholine, dopamine levels will increase, but if there is a very large acetylcholine increase it will have the opposite effect and dopamine levels will deplete. The first solution would be to lower the choline supplement a patient takes, alternatively lower the Piracetam dosage until the brain fog disappears.

Loud Mind

Some people experience what they call a ‘loud mind’, especially during the day. People can experience loud inner conversations with themselves. It may also become evident while dreaming, where it may feel like you are shouting to yourself, or someone is screaming at you. Not everyone will experience this, but for some, it may become a problem; in these cases, it’s recommended to lower the dose of Piracetam to monitor these side-effects.

Insomnia

Insomnia is a side-effect of Piracetam, although rare. This can also be accompanied by agitation and anxiety. If you are on blood thinning drugs, it is highly recommended that you stay away from Piracetam. In some cases, insomnia will gradually become better, but for some, it will be a side-effect that remains. It might then be recommended to stop taking Piracetam, or simply try an alternative to eliminating these side effects.

A common side effect of Piracetam is headaches. Although there aren’t a lot of studies on Piracetam and headaches, it is believed that headaches can be caused by the decrease in choline labels. That’s why choline supplementation can help to reduce headaches.

Reviews: What Customers Are Saying About Piracetam

There are both positive and negative reviews about Piracetam, although the general feedback is very positive among people young and old using it.

On Amazon, Piracetam gets a rating of 3.2 out of five stars, from a total of 12 reviews

RxList.com rates Piracetam as four out of five stars, with a total of seven reviews. It rates the effectiveness, ease of use, and satisfaction all at four stars.

Piracetam powder is rated five out of five stars by Nootropics Depot, based on 135 reviews, which is very impressive.

Walmart has a rating of five out of five stars for Piracetam but only based on two reviews.

Will Piracetam stop working?

There is a real possibility that Piracetam might not have the same effect after continued use. Some people report that the effects of Piracetam are not as intense as they were in the beginning, and although everyone is different, it may help to adjust your dosage, combine it with other supplements like choline, calcium and

Is Piracetam a steroid?

In short – no, Piracetam is not a steroid.

Piracetam is not a steroid but it requires steroid hormones to be present in order to be effective. People with low steroid levels can’t derive as many benefits from it. Also, very high steroid levels will inhibit the effectiveness of Piracetam.

The Proper Piracetam Dosage

The standard Piracetam dosage range between 1,200 mg and 4,800 mg per day for adults. Higher dosages can be taken, but it is advisable to first start with a lower daily dose for a week or two. Higher dosages can be as much as 4,800 mg at a time, three times per day. For children, the standard dose is between 40 mg and 100 mg per kilogram of body weight.

Piracetam is not as potent as other nootropics in the Racetam range, which means you may have to take more doses per 24 hours. Beginners can start with around 1,000 mg twice per day for a few days, increasing the doses by 500 mg to achieve the desired results. Your ideal daily dose will depend on your age, metabolic rate, immune system, among others.

How to Buy Piracetam

If you are in the market for effective nootropics, always choose the safest products to buy, by doing enough research on a product. Piracetam is considered one of the most popular nootropics or ‘smart drugs’ and can be purchased from traditional brick and mortar stores, or from various online stores as well.

However, always make sure what you are buying.

Buy from a reputable supplier, with a proven track record. Plus, you should not always go for the least expensive product as you might fall victim to a bad batch. If you want to be safe, rather purchase from a known, physical store where you can see what you will be getting and know that you’ll likely get the best quality product. In the United States, Piracetam is currently un-scheduled and doesn’t require a prescription.

Piracetam is available in tablet and powder form. There are many subsidiary companies of GNC that deals with Piracetam powder, which is ideal if you want to buy in bulk.

Should you take Piracetam for Acute Ischemic Stroke?

Piracetam is usually prescribed for people who experience cognitive impairment, especially the kind that is often associated with aging. It is also used in the treatment of sickle cell anemia, sickle cell disease, and has shown potential benefits for patients with sickle cell conditions. Healthy people will have limited benefits taking Piracetam, although many take it to improve brain function, alertness, and creativity. Since it’s also a useful supplement for blood clot prevention, it is especially popular among elderly patients and can also assist with the fluidity of cellular membranes. That’s one reason why it is much more effective for older people as opposed to younger individuals.