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Piracetam non-responders


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#91 acantelopepope

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Posted 03 December 2009 - 03:23 AM

Has anybody continued to take piracetam after not responding or have had better clarity of thought after cutting everything?

It used to work really well for me before, but now it is really causing much brain-fog and lack of motivation. I've kept using it while changing the dosage every day trying to find the right one. I'm now down to 2 grams piracetam, 400mg pramiracetam, and 500mg alpha-gpc and still have fog. I really need to get my mind straight quickly since finals are coming up soon. I'm trying to figure out if I'd be better off cutting everything completely or keep lowering the dosage.


I purchased oxiracetam + Alpha GPC and apart from an initial effect on the second day nothing, I actually felt tired. I decided to try your test and my pupils consistently fluctuated. I also took your advice for adrenal exhaustion and have been taking 50mg of DHEA for the past three days. I tried the test at midday and my pupils remain small with no fluctuation.

I will try the oxi again tomorrow while still maintaining the DHEA and measure the effects. I would have given the Dhea trial longer but my pupils indicate some kind of adrenal recovery so if there are any noticable effects from the racetam then it is looking favourable.

I have also purchased "Pregnenolone", what would suggets is better?



First of all, oxiracetam is unique in that it makes you tired after about 2 hours even when you're completely healthy. It's supposed to do that.

Second, if you are dehydrated one day and hydrated the next, it will affect the pupil test-- your muscles can't maintain contraction if they're not hydrated.

Third, three days of DHEA will not have changed anything significantly.

This is what I fear: people jumping to hasty conclusions and taking things they don't need. Only they can be sensible for themselves: that's the price of knowledge, I guess.

To the above poster: just slow things down.

#92 tritium

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Posted 03 December 2009 - 06:04 AM

I think I may have a possible cause of adrenal insufficiency. Although it sounds relevant, I don't know the correlation of effects in rats and effects in humans, since this is outside of my major.

J. Neurosci.
Volume 17, Number 22, Issue of November 15, 1997 pp. 8856-8866
An Initial, Three-Day-Long Treatment with Alcohol Induces a Long-Lasting Phenomenon of Selective Tolerance in the Activity of the Rat Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis

Received June 2, 1997; revised Aug. 26, 1997; accepted Aug. 27, 1997.
Soon Lee and Catherine Rivier

The Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, California 92037

We determined whether an initial alcohol challenge induced long-lasting changes in the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Adult male rats received intragastric injections of the vehicle or a moderately intoxicating dose of alcohol (3.0 gm/kg) daily for 3 d. When animals were acutely challenged with alcohol 3-12 d later, their ACTH and corticosterone responses were significantly blunted, compared with that of vehicle-pretreated rats. In contrast, exposure to mild electric foot shocks induced a pattern of ACTH secretion that was comparable in animals administered alcohol or the vehicle previously, indicating a lack of cross-tolerance. No significant differences were observed in pituitary responsiveness to corticotropin-releasing factor or vasopressin in rats pretreated with the vehicle or alcohol. The influence of the initial drug treatment was not mimicked by exposure to foot shocks, nor was it prevented by administering a potent corticotropin-releasing factor antagonist to block the elevations in plasma ACTH and corticosterone induced by this initial treatment. Finally, we found that rats injected initially with the vehicle and challenged subsequently with alcohol exhibited the expected increased neuronal activation (measured by the upregulation of steady-state mRNA and protein levels of immediate early genes) in the paraventricular nucleus of their hypothalamus. In contrast, this response was markedly decreased in animals exposed previously to the drug.

To our knowledge, this is the first report that exposure to a stress (i.e., alcohol), although not immediately altering the response of the HPA axis to this particular signal, induces a selective tolerance that is both slow to develop and long-lasting. The primary mechanism mediating the ability of an initial drug treatment to decrease subsequent responses of the HPA axis to a second drug challenge seems to be the inability of hypothalamic neurons to respond adequately to this second challenge.


I think I can remember a specific day in which Piracetam stopped working. I was on a vacation in Las Vegas this past June, in which I drank very large amounts of alcohol. Ever since then, Piracetam hasn't worked as well. It could be something else that I don't know of, but this is what came to mind.

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#93 MAH

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Posted 03 December 2009 - 09:26 AM

Fludrocortisone (Florinef) looks like a great corticosterone replacement, in theory. Looking at the above studies, it would seem that an individual should experience immediate relief of aldosterone deficiency upon use, thus facilitating the use of piracetam as well. Some pet product websites sell samples. Guinea pig, anyone?


Ancantelopepoe, I appreciate your knowledge on the subject but I quote "people jumping to hasty conclusions and taking things they don't need. Only they can be sensible for themselves: that's the price of knowledge"?

Just because something does not fit neatly into your hypothesis you should be less patronising and more constructive and possibly a little less hypocritical. I admit I lack the knowledge you obviously have and this is partly why I am pursuing self improvement and earnestly believe there is a way to modify and upgrade the mind, I just need to find it!

Could you please tell me where I am going wrong and advise me on a corrective course. I have not tried piracetam because i was led to believe that Oxiracetam is more powerful and in my naivety believed therefore better for me.

Regards

#94 acantelopepope

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Posted 04 December 2009 - 07:45 AM

Fludrocortisone (Florinef) looks like a great corticosterone replacement, in theory. Looking at the above studies, it would seem that an individual should experience immediate relief of aldosterone deficiency upon use, thus facilitating the use of piracetam as well. Some pet product websites sell samples. Guinea pig, anyone?


Ancantelopepoe, I appreciate your knowledge on the subject but I quote "people jumping to hasty conclusions and taking things they don't need. Only they can be sensible for themselves: that's the price of knowledge"?

Just because something does not fit neatly into your hypothesis you should be less patronising and more constructive and possibly a little less hypocritical. I admit I lack the knowledge you obviously have and this is partly why I am pursuing self improvement and earnestly believe there is a way to modify and upgrade the mind, I just need to find it!

Could you please tell me where I am going wrong and advise me on a corrective course. I have not tried piracetam because i was led to believe that Oxiracetam is more powerful and in my naivety believed therefore better for me.

Regards


MAH,

I apologize as I see now that what I said sounded a bit patronizing. That wasn't my intent.

What I would recommend is drinking enough water to be fully hydrated for a few days, then retry the pupil test. If you still have fluctuations, see if the other symptoms match your experience.

Order some piracetam and a good choline source (personally choline citrate worked for me--until it went horribly wrong--see above). Take 2.4g piracetam 3x/day + 2g choline for about 20 days straight. Then see how you feel.

Report back then.

#95 kassem23

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Posted 09 December 2009 - 07:14 PM

So.. I did the test and to a surprise my eyes fluctuated.. According to your hypothesis I should not be having good-effects with Piracetam, but I am having great effects from Piracetam. I've felt mentally focused the entire day, were able to actually read and write notes to my chemistry readings and actually sort-of get a conceptual understanding of the concepts right away.. This might due to a placebo effect or just an enhancement of the activity in the corpus callosum.. I will get back to you after about a week or two of hyper dosing and tell you the results.. The only side effects I have been having is a mild tension headache, but nothing else really. And I'm not taking a choline supplement, but eating and drinking water properly.

Edited by kassem23, 09 December 2009 - 07:16 PM.


#96 HMan

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Posted 11 December 2009 - 04:19 AM

Guys, pupil oscillations are completely normal. It is not a result of any deficiency.

Here's a book on it.

http://books.google....d=0CDcQ6AEwCTgK

This is a dumb test and a dumb thread with no relevance whatsoever to piracetam's effectiveness.

Oh and it's spelt "Serotonin"


Okay guys, I also have the fluctuations. I am not taking Piracetam. 6 days ago I started taking Focus Formula which contains Vinpocetine 5mg, Huperzine A 100mcg, Choline, Eleuthero 100mg.

#97 HMan

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Posted 11 December 2009 - 04:28 AM

With a chronic sodium-potassium imbalance, the person will show the sign of a paradoxical pupillary reflex. Normally, shining a light into a person's eye will cause the pupil to constrict. This papillary constriction to light should be able to maintain itself for at least 30 seconds. In the hypoadrenic person (especially in the exhaustion stage of the GAS) you will find one of three things:

1. The pupil will fluctuate opened and closed in response to light.

2. The pupil will fluctuate opened and closed in response to light. (This is a deliberate opening and closing, not the minor flutter or twitch of the normally encountered hippus activity.)

3. The pupil will initially constrict to light, but it will dilate paradoxically with continued light stimulation of less than 30 seconds. This patient will frequently complain of eyes that are sensitive to light (such as when going from indoors to outside on a sunny day) or will be seen wearing sunglasses whenever outdoors or even indoors under bright light.


I think we can shorten this to two symptoms, since #1 and 2 are the same, ha. Also, note that in #2 minor flutter is said to be normal. I interpret this to mean that repeated slight dialation and constriction is normal as long as the pupil stays small. What is not normal is when the pupil fails to stay constricted in response to the light. This is how I interpret the above quote.

My pupils stay very constricted overall, but fluctuate slightly. I think this is normal. I started piracetam three days ago at 1 gram three times per day, no attack dosing. I've noticed some nice effects so far. Tomorrow, I'll add choline to the mix.



You're misinterpreting "response to light". The authors here mean that the pupil will "close" when light is shone directly upon it, and it will "open" when that light becomes absent. Therefore, it will open and close "in response to light"-- but it should not close then open and stay open under a beam of light.


Yes, and if we're in a bright room, or shone a light directly into our eye, we'll see that it'll contract and stay contracted. Because we're angling the beam, the pupil will constrict, blocking out most of the beam, then dilate in response to the lower light level, oscillating. It's the angled beam which has made this test completely flawed.



I believe that the pupil fluctuates simply because we are trying to observe our pupil in a dark mirror while the light is being shown on the eye. To make it clearer, the light directed at the eye/face from the side is causing the pupil to shrink while the act of focusing on the pupil in the mirror in the dark is causing the pupil to expand, thus the fluctuation.

Edited by HMan, 11 December 2009 - 04:29 AM.


#98 acantelopepope

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Posted 11 December 2009 - 04:30 AM

So.. I did the test and to a surprise my eyes fluctuated.. According to your hypothesis I should not be having good-effects with Piracetam, but I am having great effects from Piracetam. I've felt mentally focused the entire day, were able to actually read and write notes to my chemistry readings and actually sort-of get a conceptual understanding of the concepts right away.. This might due to a placebo effect or just an enhancement of the activity in the corpus callosum.. I will get back to you after about a week or two of hyper dosing and tell you the results.. The only side effects I have been having is a mild tension headache, but nothing else really. And I'm not taking a choline supplement, but eating and drinking water properly.


That would be contrary to the theory, although a few cases doesn't invalidate the whole hypothesis (especially when there is in vivo evidence backing it up) but there are a couple of explanations that I want to rule out. The most obvious is that if you are dehydrated your pupils will fluctuate because the muscles are not hydrated adequately, and this has almost nothing to do with aldosterone levels.

Also,

1) Did you have a strong enough light source? The light should stay on your eye the entire time.
2) Did you eliminate other light sources while doing the test?

#99 HMan

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Posted 11 December 2009 - 04:50 AM

So.. I did the test and to a surprise my eyes fluctuated.. According to your hypothesis I should not be having good-effects with Piracetam, but I am having great effects from Piracetam. I've felt mentally focused the entire day, were able to actually read and write notes to my chemistry readings and actually sort-of get a conceptual understanding of the concepts right away.. This might due to a placebo effect or just an enhancement of the activity in the corpus callosum.. I will get back to you after about a week or two of hyper dosing and tell you the results.. The only side effects I have been having is a mild tension headache, but nothing else really. And I'm not taking a choline supplement, but eating and drinking water properly.


That would be contrary to the theory, although a few cases doesn't invalidate the whole hypothesis (especially when there is in vivo evidence backing it up) but there are a couple of explanations that I want to rule out. The most obvious is that if you are dehydrated your pupils will fluctuate because the muscles are not hydrated adequately, and this has almost nothing to do with aldosterone levels.

Also,

1) Did you have a strong enough light source? The light should stay on your eye the entire time.
2) Did you eliminate other light sources while doing the test?


To answer your questions/comments, I was hydrated, I had a strong light source, it stayed on my eye(s) the entire time, The only other light source would be a small crack of light under my washroom door when it was closed, which was about 3 metres away from me and the mirror.

#100 medicineman

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Posted 11 December 2009 - 05:37 AM

Are you going to actually base piracetam response on that eye test, which tests for adrenal insufficiency?

lol, why do they tell us to do it the hard way in medical school. i think im gunna suggest that method to our endocrinologist from now on.

lol........................................ im sorry im not discrediting your *find*, but mmmmm im speechless for more than one reason :|?

Edited by medicineman, 11 December 2009 - 05:39 AM.


#101 acantelopepope

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Posted 11 December 2009 - 05:50 AM

Are you going to actually base piracetam response on that eye test, which tests for adrenal insufficiency?

lol, why do they tell us to do it the hard way in medical school. i think im gunna suggest that method to our endocrinologist from now on.

lol........................................ im sorry im not discrediting your *find*, but mmmmm im speechless for more than one reason :|?


Sigh. I really hope by "us" in medical school you do not mean yourself.

I never said this was a "find".

What I did show was that there is a peer reviewed study proving a connection between piracetam's mechanism of action and aldosterone levels (read the first page), and quite possibly the hormones produced by the adrenal glands themselves.

Since inadequate aldosterone levels will lead to sodium depletion, and sodium depletion to fluctuating pupils, it's an easy connection, however imperfect the mode of result reporting is.

This is a forum to explore the research that is available to us about nootropics intelligently. If you're not going to say anything worthwhile or thought out, then don't say anything at all.
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#102 medicineman

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Posted 11 December 2009 - 06:19 AM

agreed. i withdraw my statement. my apologies

Edited by medicineman, 11 December 2009 - 06:20 AM.


#103 Dorho

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Posted 12 December 2009 - 09:11 AM

Well, I'm a non-responder. I tried piracetam for two weeks with large doses and really noticed no effects.

When I posted in this topic the last time, I said my pupils didn't fluctuate in the flashlight test, but it is actually surprisingly hard to tell when looking in my own pupils. I have consequently tried the test and there is this slight fluctuation that was there before when I was unable to discern it. I don't think I'm aldosterone deficient though.

#104 Thorsten3

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Posted 12 December 2009 - 09:42 PM

I don't know a lot but just have a couple of queries. Don't worry I'm not one of these annoying 'I've been taking Piracetam at 20g a day attack doses for 2 days and I feel nothing - shit I'm a non responder what do I do man please help me!!'

How would you explain the results of people who have taken Piracetam in 'hyperdosing' methods such as this Isochroma guy? I don't want to offend the him as he sounds like a nice guy, but he also sounds quite manic on his 20-30g it has to be said. His claims of slowly 'turning into God' do much to reinforce this point. To his credit he sounds like he's having a great time and he's had nothing but positive responses from it with over a year of consistent usage. You could argue he is an exeption to the rule or a 'one off' case but it still begs the question 'why'?. Surely if he (or other people who consistently hyperdose) are having such great effects from Pira consistently, what does this suggest about their chemical makeup in terms of aldosterone/choline/serotonin?? Why are they uneffected by aldosterone depletion or any other reasons as to why they are always 'responders'??

I'm not digressing here but I just want to ask about Aniracetam seeing as though it has been mentioned a couple of times in this thread.
I am keen to try aniracetam because of its effect on cognition,memory, mood and anxiety. I have read this noot works through its effect on dopamine, serotonin and the nicotonic receptors? On paper it sounds superior to Piracetam because it improves cognition and memory even further than Pira but also has a great effect on mood?? If Piracetam makes you depressed why wouldn't somebody just switch to aniracetam (obviously assuming they found the right balance with a choline source)?
I suppose this could ultimately come down to what people prefer. I'm assuming Pira is a brain drug for creativity whereas Ani makes one a bit more robotic?

#105 acantelopepope

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Posted 17 December 2009 - 03:54 AM

How would you explain the results of people who have taken Piracetam in 'hyperdosing' methods such as this Isochroma guy? I don't want to offend the him as he sounds like a nice guy, but he also sounds quite manic on his 20-30g it has to be said. His claims of slowly 'turning into God' do much to reinforce this point. To his credit he sounds like he's having a great time and he's had nothing but positive responses from it with over a year of consistent usage. You could argue he is an exeption to the rule or a 'one off' case but it still begs the question 'why'?.


Yes, Isochroma has said enough on here for us to label him manic. Honestly, I am pretty sure it's the piracetam that's making him come off that way-- I heard one other person mention it had the same effect on them, and I can personally attest to its mania-inducing effects.

"Hyperdosing" is a complete waste, not to mention in animal studies the dose-response curve clearly shows that too much piracetam will produce negative effects, and Isochroma's "super saturation point negative feedback" is just his wikipedia/piracetam-mania talking.

As far as his continued success with piracetam: I am jealous. I don't believe any of the shit about him having some "special gene/DNA" that let's him continue to use piracetam effectively-- that's more 90's pop science garbage. What I do believe is that the variables contributing to a person's success or failure with piracetam are very very complex.

My current belief is that the mechanism of action requires healthy adrenals, a balanced HPA-axis, enough good cholesterol and a positive sleep balance-- to put it as generally as possible.

So to be more concise: there is nothing "special" about Isochroma or other positive responders in my opinion (other than his fondness of making poetry about vitamin derivatives). "Tolerance" is a completely inaccurate term to describe the diminishment of piracetam's effects on a person. I believe there is a completely concrete physiological reason for the variability in the substance's effects.


Surely if he (or other people who consistently hyperdose) are having such great effects from Pira consistently, what does this suggest about their chemical makeup in terms of aldosterone/choline/serotonin?? Why are they uneffected by aldosterone depletion or any other reasons as to why they are always 'responders'??


It suggests that there is a difference in the levels of hormones, neurotransmitters, and other "X variables" circulating in their bodies. Again, the chemistry of a person's body is so individual and we still don't even know what it is exactly that's causing the differences in response, that everything at this point is speculation. Our best bet is to kidnap the responders and poke them with needles.


I'm not digressing here but I just want to ask about Aniracetam seeing as though it has been mentioned a couple of times in this thread.
I am keen to try aniracetam because of its effect on cognition,memory, mood and anxiety. I have read this noot works through its effect on dopamine, serotonin and the nicotonic receptors? On paper it sounds superior to Piracetam because it improves cognition and memory even further than Pira but also has a great effect on mood?? If Piracetam makes you depressed why wouldn't somebody just switch to aniracetam (obviously assuming they found the right balance with a choline source)?
I suppose this could ultimately come down to what people prefer. I'm assuming Pira is a brain drug for creativity whereas Ani makes one a bit more robotic?


Because the racetams have very similar chemical makeups, it is almost certain that the substances involved in their mechanism of action will be almost identical as well. What this means in practical terms is that if you have a negative response to piracetam, in general it's likely aniracetam won't work well for you either.

#106 John W.

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Posted 17 December 2009 - 06:11 PM

I wanted to voice another option for resolving some of the claims we've come up with. Firstly, as acantelopepope has suggested we need to be careful with hormones, and probably find the source of a hormone deficiency rather than attempt anything near a long term treatment of pumping hormones in. This is all the more true because though hormone levels definitely do seem implicated in piracetam non-response, however, we have not yet determined if the low hormone levels are secondary to something else (other than simply the piracetam obviously), and it is even possible piracetam non response mimics the effects of low aldosterone high corticosterone etc. - and could be something like either low aldosterone or low serotonin or both, or even something else. So again, there's good reason to be cautious about the hormones you're putting in, and if you are at all thinking long term self hormone treatment with pregnenolone or whatever, please get a hormone test done. That being said I've been looking for options that might broadly help with some of what we've suggested is behind non-response. I saw this study on Centrella asiatica (Gotu Kola) which after administration concludes: Significant reduction of the corticosterone level in serum and increase of the contents of 5-HT, NE, DA and their metabolites 5-HIAA, MHPG in rat brain were observed. The antidepressant effect of total triterpenes of Centella asiatica may be involved in ameliorating the function of HPA axis and increasing the contents of monoamine neurotransmitters.

I'm skeptical of the journal it was found in and I didn't see much else online about this hefty claim, but in any case if true it might have tremendous potential as its a very cheap pretty well tolerated herb that's supposed to be a nootropic itself. If anyone can validate or discredit this study please do. I'll try taking some and see if it helps at all.

#107 meursault

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Posted 17 December 2009 - 09:01 PM

Maybe the reason why response is so variable is because the drug is not regulated and people could be selling bullshit. After all, if you aren't doing your own lab testing, "white powder that tastes nasty" is not a very reliable criteria for the identity of a substance someone sells you in a plastic tub.

#108 kassem23

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Posted 17 December 2009 - 11:29 PM

Maybe the reason why response is so variable is because the drug is not regulated and people could be selling bullshit. After all, if you aren't doing your own lab testing, "white powder that tastes nasty" is not a very reliable criteria for the identity of a substance someone sells you in a plastic tub.


I really hope that what I am ingesting is Piracetam.. :D

#109 acantelopepope

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Posted 18 December 2009 - 12:31 AM

I wanted to voice another option for resolving some of the claims we've come up with. Firstly, as acantelopepope has suggested we need to be careful with hormones, and probably find the source of a hormone deficiency rather than attempt anything near a long term treatment of pumping hormones in. This is all the more true because though hormone levels definitely do seem implicated in piracetam non-response, however, we have not yet determined if the low hormone levels are secondary to something else (other than simply the piracetam obviously), and it is even possible piracetam non response mimics the effects of low aldosterone high corticosterone etc. - and could be something like either low aldosterone or low serotonin or both, or even something else. So again, there's good reason to be cautious about the hormones you're putting in, and if you are at all thinking long term self hormone treatment with pregnenolone or whatever, please get a hormone test done. That being said I've been looking for options that might broadly help with some of what we've suggested is behind non-response. I saw this study on Centrella asiatica (Gotu Kola) which after administration concludes: Significant reduction of the corticosterone level in serum and increase of the contents of 5-HT, NE, DA and their metabolites 5-HIAA, MHPG in rat brain were observed. The antidepressant effect of total triterpenes of Centella asiatica may be involved in ameliorating the function of HPA axis and increasing the contents of monoamine neurotransmitters.

I'm skeptical of the journal it was found in and I didn't see much else online about this hefty claim, but in any case if true it might have tremendous potential as its a very cheap pretty well tolerated herb that's supposed to be a nootropic itself. If anyone can validate or discredit this study please do. I'll try taking some and see if it helps at all.


Well said, John. I would also recommend taking 500-750mg L-Tyrosine, a good Rhodiola Rosea supplement, zinc, magnesium, and some Niacin each day. Beyond that, my current hunch is that a diet high in good cholesterol (meats, egg) and B vitamins should potentiate piracetam's good effects.

I have also wondered about the quality of piracetam from tub to tub. I am sure that there are impurities, and I don't trust companies like Smart Powders or Primaforce to say the least, but unfortunately I think that our problem goes beyond inferior material.

Since I began experiencing the profoundly negative effects I get from piracetam, I have tried Relentless Improvement, American Nutrition, and Primaforce. I have tried Smart Powders Oxiracetam and Aniracetam. All of these have had negative effects on me. Strangely, though, the American Nutrition and the RI piracetam seems to produce less severe negative effects than the Primaforce stuff.

Another idea would be to have one of the people who are still responding positively to piracetam send a few grams of their stuff to one of the negative responders. It should only take a day to see if negative effects are still produced.

#110 dubcomesaveme

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Posted 19 December 2009 - 02:30 AM

I responded negatively to the 'cetams and cut them out completely a while ago; I ended up just throwing away the rest of my big tub of piracetam so I wouldn't take it again hoping it would do something it hadn't. They may have speed up thought some but in retrospect 100% decreased focus and increased anxiousness.

The only thing besides a multivitamin every day is cocoa powder (chocolate), and creatine 5g l-tryptophan 1g l-tyrosine 500mg vitamin b-5 500mg about 3 times a week. This has worked okay for concentration, and I am much better off than when I was using 'cetams\choline supplements.

I don't eat processed foods\drink soda and can't remember the last time I added table salt to food and I'm accustomed to eating a decent amount of bananas. So I could definitely see an imbalance in potassium and sodium levels, I'm sure I consume far less sodium than the average American.

I have a bit of oxiracetam left I didn't toss, I'm going to dose that over 5 days and take 1tsp table salt each time I dose, and see if I start to get same (negative) or different effects. I don't know if my results will be helpful to others as I'm sure my serotonin levels are much higher nowadays than they used to be due to l-tryptophan supplementation.

#111 Solarclimax

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Posted 20 December 2009 - 12:55 PM

I have been taking piracetam for around 3-4 weeks now, and i think it may of had an effect, although in a subtle way.
I think it has given me a little clarity, and a little more focus but not 100% sure. So i want to make sure i'm using it correctly, ie correct dosages ect.

It was recommended to get these supplements.

5-HTP - L5 Hydroxy Tryptophan 50mg caps
High strength amino acid chelated Zinc 15mg with copper
Chromium Picolinate 200 ug
Absorbable Selenium 200 ug
Niacin - vitamin B3 100 mg
Magnesium 250 mg
Rhodiola Rosea 250mg

I have been taking one of each of these supplements so far for 3 days now, along with 1200 mg of piracetam and 250 mg Choline CDP twice a day, and 800 mg primaracetam with 600 mg Alpha GPC twice a day (had the primaracetam for around a week and a half), though i'm thinking of cutting down the primaracetam to 400mg twice a day as it's a bit expensive.


How much of each the above supplements should i take each day ? should i cut out the primaracetam for now if not how much should i take ? and how much piracetam should i take each day ?

Thanks in advance

Edited by Solarclimax, 20 December 2009 - 01:00 PM.


#112 Solarclimax

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 08:20 PM

I have been taking piracetam for around 3-4 weeks now, and i think it may of had an effect, although in a subtle way.
I think it has given me a little clarity, and a little more focus but not 100% sure. So i want to make sure i'm using it correctly, ie correct dosages ect.

It was recommended to get these supplements.

5-HTP - L5 Hydroxy Tryptophan 50mg caps
High strength amino acid chelated Zinc 15mg with copper
Chromium Picolinate 200 ug
Absorbable Selenium 200 ug
Niacin - vitamin B3 100 mg
Magnesium 250 mg
Rhodiola Rosea 250mg

I have been taking one of each of these supplements so far for 3 days now, along with 1200 mg of piracetam and 250 mg Choline CDP twice a day, and 800 mg primaracetam with 600 mg Alpha GPC twice a day (had the primaracetam for around a week and a half), though i'm thinking of cutting down the primaracetam to 400mg twice a day as it's a bit expensive.


How much of each the above supplements should i take each day ? should i cut out the primaracetam for now if not how much should i take ? and how much piracetam should i take each day ?

Thanks in advance

Anyone ?
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#113 acantelopepope

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Posted 23 December 2009 - 05:22 AM

I have been taking piracetam for around 3-4 weeks now, and i think it may of had an effect, although in a subtle way.
I think it has given me a little clarity, and a little more focus but not 100% sure. So i want to make sure i'm using it correctly, ie correct dosages ect.

It was recommended to get these supplements.

5-HTP - L5 Hydroxy Tryptophan 50mg caps
High strength amino acid chelated Zinc 15mg with copper
Chromium Picolinate 200 ug
Absorbable Selenium 200 ug
Niacin - vitamin B3 100 mg
Magnesium 250 mg
Rhodiola Rosea 250mg

I have been taking one of each of these supplements so far for 3 days now, along with 1200 mg of piracetam and 250 mg Choline CDP twice a day, and 800 mg primaracetam with 600 mg Alpha GPC twice a day (had the primaracetam for around a week and a half), though i'm thinking of cutting down the primaracetam to 400mg twice a day as it's a bit expensive.


How much of each the above supplements should i take each day ? should i cut out the primaracetam for now if not how much should i take ? and how much piracetam should i take each day ?

Thanks in advance

Anyone ?


Generally, just take a double dose of the dosages you have listed there. I would eliminate the pramiracetam until you establish efficacy of piracetam. There is a wealth of information on LEF.org to find further recommendations. Keep everyone updated.

#114 unsleepable

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Posted 23 December 2009 - 09:22 AM

I've completed the test and my pupil reflex is fairly stable. It's not as dramatic as the one in the youtube video, but it does fluctuate slightly. Can someone post a video of how stable the pupils are "supposed" to be with healthy adrenals? I'm pretty much a non-responder to the 'cetams.

I am currently taking 4-8g a day of Smartpowders piracetam for the past 2 months with alpha-gpc and am experiencing neither positive/negative side effects. Earlier this year i've tried 3.2g/day of Cognitive Nutritions piracetam from January - March with CDP-choline, again with no noticable improvements. I've also experimented with Aniracetam / Oxiracetam / Pramiracetam with nothing positive. Aniracetam is the only one that gives me the brain fog/fatigue feeling, the rest are just neutral/zero impact.

ps: I am consistently taking Now's ADAM multivitamin along with Bacopa, L-tyrosine, and L-phenylalanine daily.

Edited by unsleepable, 23 December 2009 - 09:23 AM.


#115 blaman

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Posted 24 December 2009 - 04:31 PM

I used piracetam along with Alpha GPC for 6 weeks or so. I couldnt tell whether it worked or not, but I would say it did - I did experience increased lucidity and 'brightness' and everything felt 'a bit more alive'. I learnt my years college course in around 3 weeks and walked out with a decent result much to my own and everyones surprise. Saying that, I hadnt pushed myself or my memory at all in 6-9 months, smoked a lot of cannaboids and had an absolutely crap day-night schedule. Maybe the result was more due to me sorting my life out (stopping smoking, studying and eating regularly, along with sorting my sleep out). My memory has always been good - I got into one of the world's best colleges for my subject without any consistent work, just a lot of last minute cramming.

Under the light reflex, my pupils dont remain constant - after the initial constriction, they dialte quite significantly and constrict cyclically for however long the light is shown. That would suggest according to this that I am a non responder.

I am falling back into my old habits, but I am planning on order some CDP Choline and piracetam (have tyosine, alcar, b-complex to add on top) to help get back on track.

Edited by blaman, 24 December 2009 - 04:32 PM.


#116 acantelopepope

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Posted 24 December 2009 - 06:36 PM

Someone mentioned adding a video of "healthy" pupil response, and I think that's a good idea. I plan on adding a video of both a healthy response and an abnormal response to youtube soon, so that people who are doing this test for the first time will have a better idea of what we're looking for here. There really is a big difference between the two and I want to make sure that we're getting the best anecdotal evidence possible.

In regards to the recent news about the FDA and Piracetam, my guess is that it will take some time for a shortage to accrue, so don't go and buy a bunch of Smart Powders Piracetam just yet. It would be interesting to see if any of you who haven't had a good experience with piracetam had different results with Cerebral Health's bulk piracetam, because one member of this board who has has been an enthusiastic proponent of piracetam orders from them and has never had a negative response (user name Isochroma). This would be the closest we could come to determining that the source is not the reason for a negative response, and I would do it myself if I had more spending money.

#117 acantelopepope

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Posted 24 December 2009 - 07:06 PM

Just ran across some evidence that vitamin B6 helps deal with the negative effects experienced in subjects using Levetiracetam. Twelve out of sixteen who were experiencing negative effects (irritability, aggression, depression) improved their response with dosages of 100-400mg/day.



And here's the link: http://books.google....t...ion&f=false (page 1589)


Basically it seems like taking the full spectrum of B vitamins is a good idea to improve 'Racetam efficacy, and since most people should be doing this anyways, give it a shot and see what happens.

Attached Files


Edited by acantelopepope, 24 December 2009 - 07:08 PM.


#118 spacetime

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Posted 25 December 2009 - 06:01 AM

I used Primaforce's Piracetam for several months at 2-3g/day. The only effect I noticed was my mind wouldn't wander as much so I would have walter mitty type daydreams. Effectively it seemed to kill my imagination. I stopped after 3 months and after two weeks my mind was back to its previous state. Tons of thoughts bombarding my brain and excessive day dreaming.

I recently started on pira again at 2g/day and again its killed my imagination. I don't use choline sources as they seemed to induce muscle tension and resulted in headaches.

Conducted the light test and my pupils fluctuate wildly. Even tried it without a light and just staring at a friend and a wall and same result. It has affected my vision as I noticed reading or focusing to be difficult. Saw an optometrist and commented on the same thing and recommended I see my GP. GP wants me to see endocrinologist. I do think my adrenal system is shot however. I notice that even a mild consumption of caffeine 75mg causes increased pulse rate and about 1.5 hours later CNS seems overloaded as there is trembling and movements feel like a ratchet. Having blood drawn next week so is there anything I should request they measure?

#119 Algear Linebra

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Posted 27 December 2009 - 05:56 AM

I am 100 % sure piracetam helps me visualise in maths and programming. But it's not a quick fix. You have to use it for some time i think. I had some initial positive effects, mostly on my mood, but they subsided and it just made me tired after a while. I could actually use it like a sleeping pill.. But, i lowered the dosage dramatically, and had short random breaks and then gradually increased the dosage and finally found the semi-randomized scheme that works for me. I go up and down in dosage after need, but make sure i take at least a gram per day. Anyway, i visualise the strangest things and concepts naturally, but with piracetam its much more intense. I can clearly feel it working one day or two after stepping up the dosage. I love it. ;)

Edited by Algear Linebra, 27 December 2009 - 05:57 AM.


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#120 Thorsten3

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Posted 27 December 2009 - 09:03 AM

I am 100 % sure piracetam helps me visualise in maths and programming. But it's not a quick fix. You have to use it for some time i think. I had some initial positive effects, mostly on my mood, but they subsided and it just made me tired after a while. I could actually use it like a sleeping pill.. But, i lowered the dosage dramatically, and had short random breaks and then gradually increased the dosage and finally found the semi-randomized scheme that works for me. I go up and down in dosage after need, but make sure i take at least a gram per day. Anyway, i visualise the strangest things and concepts naturally, but with piracetam its much more intense. I can clearly feel it working one day or two after stepping up the dosage. I love it. ;)


This is me to a tee. If you don't mind me asking what's your semi-randomized scheme? (I have given up on it totally at the moment due to the brain fog and tiredness). I take with choline, eat healthily and exercise. I use other things at the moment which have a far greater effect on my mood but one thing I loved about piracetam was the creativity it produced in me (when it was working - usually it's great for the first 2 weeks).

Edited by HyperHydrosis, 27 December 2009 - 09:07 AM.





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