When nootropics first came onto the scene, many people were excited about them while others were skeptical. But in reality, nootropics, or smart drugs, as some prefer to call them are not something new. People have been using them for centuries even if they didn’t know about them.

If you drink coffee or eat fatty fish, then you’ve been benefiting from nootropics since caffeine and omega-3s are natural smart drugs. In fact, nootropics have benefits that extend beyond boosting energy. Some products can also improve focus and memory. For a more comprehensive and in-depth analysis of these cognitive enhancers, you can read this Alpha Brain review on Vagarights.

Natural nootropics

If you can’t function in the morning until you’ve had your first cup of coffee, you’re not alone. People have been using coffee and other energy boosters for years. A recent study found that nootropics can improve the blood flow to the brain which in turn increases the oxygen levels. As a result, your cognitive faculties improve the more you consume these natural nootropics. This is something that people of different ages have experienced.

Students preparing for exams, or people working under tight deadlines, all feel the need to have something to boost their energy levels, enhance their cognitive abilities, and improve their focus. And while coffee is the go-to drink when you need to start your day, it’s not the only natural nootropics people have and continue to consume. Caffeine is the active ingredient that stimulates the brain and increases the oxygen flow there. You can find caffeine in coffee, tea, supplements, and even energy drinks. It works by blocking the receptors in your brain responsible for feeling tired.

But it’s not just caffeine. Omega-3 fatty acids have also proved to have great health benefits. For one thing, these acids are needed to build the membranes of the brain cells in humans. Recent studies have shown that people who had trouble remembering things or operating complicated machinery benefited from a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids. You can get omega-3 from eating fatty fish like sardines, salmon, mackerel, cod, and canned tuna. The only drawback about omega-3 fatty acids is that they tend to help people who have cognitive problems. Healthy people don’t benefit much from them.

Another nootropic that occurs naturally is ginkgo biloba. An extract from this plant showed good results increasing the blood flow to the brain. Long term effects of reduced blood flow to the brain included declining cognitive abilities as well as long and short memory lapses. So, in theory, at least, ginkgo biloba supplements have health benefits to the brain.

Prescription nootropics

Not all nootropics are readily available at the grocery store or fish market. Prescription nootropics are more potent supplements that can help people with serious cognitive disabilities. If you occasionally misplace your car keys or can’t remember what you had for breakfast, that’s normal and doesn’t call for prescription nootropics. But if you can no longer place faces or have become increasingly forgetful, you could benefit from these strong cognitive enhancers.

At the top of the list of these prescriptions, nootropics are amphetamines. Adderall is the most common drug containing amphetamines. This is a purely controlled drug that is only prescribed to people with ADHD and narcolepsy among other issues. It works as a stimulant that triggers the release of dopamine and norepinephrine into the brain. These in turn improve the cognitive abilities of the patient and reduce the symptoms of the disease they’re treating. Some patients reported better focus and concentration levels after using amphetamines for a short period of time. The downside to using Adderall and other amphetamines is that they create a dependency and the patient might find it hard to have a normal life without these drugs.

Modafinil is another drug that works directly on the brain. It’s also a prescription drug that you cannot get over the counter. The people who need it the most are those suffering from obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy as well as those who suffer from shift work sleep disorder. Much like Adderall, it pumps dopamine in the blood that reaches the brain and promotes wakefulness. When using it, people often become more alert and focused on the task at hand.

But you don’t have to suffer from a health issue to benefit from prescription nootropics. Modafinil, for example, has positive effects on healthy adults improving their memory and ability to perform complex tasks at work. But since it’s a controlled drug, healthy people have no access to this medication. In that case, other nootropics and supplements which are readily available above the counter might do the same job.

Whether you believe in the inherent merits of nootropics or not, chances are you have been using them for most of your life. Natural nootropics stimulate the blood flow to the brain and improve energy levels. You can find these in coffee, tea, energy drinks, fatty fish, and nuts among others. Prescription nootropics are controlled drugs with a more targeted effect on people who struggle with ADHD and narcolepsy. Overall, they improve motivation, concentration, and memory functions among patients.