Hi
I'll write about my PS (phosphatidylserine) and Piracetam experiences first, and at the bottom of the post, explain conclusions/assumptions.
Phosphatidylserine
I started with PS for cortisol reduction and felt absolutely nothing. However, since I bought 3 grams of it, I decided to continue using 100 mg a day anyway. After about 1 - 2 weeks I started to notice a cortisol reduction (didn't test, just felt like it). I started to feel an itch in my hair bulbs (top of head) which I hadn't felt for a long long time.
At the same time I began noticing enhanced visual memory (was not expecting it). I noticed that I could remember what I did the day before very well (visually). That effect got better and better (not just visual memory but all kinds of cognitive capacities like mental imagery, creativity, working memory (could think more complex thoughts and understand things (mathematics) in ways I couldn't before), verbal skills (which was just verbal memory really) and memories of things long thought forgotten (songs and experiences from childhood).
As my cognitive capacities where increasing, I noticed I couldn't use 100 mg anymore because it made me tired and very confused directly after taking it (the same day, and, depending on dose, a few days after as well), so I reduced it to 10-15 mg very few days.
By this time my hair bulb-itch and the always accompanying hair loss had become very profound and forced me to stop taking PS. I also experience slight reoccurring pain on both sides (where the kidneys/adrenals are).
Here a protocol of the last time I took PS:
PS 100mg (after the buildup-phase!) :
- Immediately: Significant hair bulb-itch increase (hair loss), confusion, tired/drowsy!
Conclusion: 100 mg way too much (depending of course on the internal levels of whatever).
-2 hours later: Less tired (not much), less confused (not much), scalp same, write a bit fast(but still confused), memory (visual) noticeably better, intellect (complex thoughts) somewhat better.
-5 hours later: Same as 3 hours ago. Intellect? Confused, so hard to say. Hair bulb-itch terrible. Not a chance for 100mg anymore.
-7 days later: Hair loss still significantly "enhanced".
So, to sum up all the noticed effects of PS after the buildup-phase:
-cortisol reduction
-hair bulb-itch and thus hair loss
-enlarged penis (in non erect stage)
-often noticed very hard muscles (never trained though)
-enhanced intelligence (which turns into tiredness and confusion if too much PS is taken).
-tiny short piercing pains in the kidneys/adrenals (not sure, but it was on both sides, so I assume the kidneys and it was not only on the upper side, so not only the adrenals).
Piracetam (400 mg taken once after the buildup-phase from PS).
-Piracetam 400 mg: tired, later on somewhat confused. I think I was a bit confused before starting, but still noticeably tired and/or confused (had ca. 10-15 mg PS a few days ago so I am still in an enhanced state). Almost 4 hours later in a single spot in my brain (right side, top (almost on the surface) and most back than front) I felt a short tiny piercing pain (never had that before). I felt the next morning something similar the next day nearby, but not the exact same spot. Erections are somewhat harder than normal.
-one day later: 400 mg seems to have been too much. I felt a lot better today. Maybe even more intelligent than on the best PS moment. When at an outdoor cafe (about 16:00), I noticed how I could switch my focus between various things (objects, conversations, eye focus) very rapidly and distinguish between the conversations unusually well. I noticed for the first time, that my mobile phone buttons where somewhat dirty, and that I could observe my surroundings in the reflection of my phones display. I also smelled a lot of things that day (perhaps my sense of smell was slightly enhanced). I was also very calm and lean back today (It has a calming effect, probably the same thing that made my tired the day before). I have to watch out, that I don't make a habit of wasting my time daydreaming, since the daydreams are more vivid). My memories of occurrences the day before, even before I took the 400 mgs are extremely vivid, so it’s now very likely, that it enhances all memories, not just those made, while on Piracetam (learning on Piracetam might not be very useful (but at least it helps to understand better), but being on it when a need to access memories is imminent, that is very useful). I notice every now and then a piercing pain in an artery or vein (not just in the brain, but in the penis and the legs as well). Erections are enhanced, but sexual interest not so much, but perhaps somewhat (overall a similar situation to PS). It’s possible that it also induces hair-loss. I'll have to wait and see. I felt a strange feeling in the kidney area again, similar to PS, but not the same (more in the middle of the kidneys instead of either the top or the bottom).
-two days later: Was a bit strange in the morning, dreamt very vividly. I noticed a blown up penis (in a non erect stage) along with medium hair bulb itch. I'm almost entirely certain now, that Piracetam also increases hair-loss (as PS did, which also caused blown up penis, like shortly after stopping Finasterid). Muscles are somewhat harder. I felt a bit more tired today, maybe because of my somewhat shorter sleep period last night. Extreme hair-loss tonight. I went through my hair and probably lost more yesterday than I ever have before on a single day in a very long time!
-three days later: no blown up penis this morning, but an extremely light hair bulb-itch. Cognition still seems to be enhanced, since I can write this somewhat faster than usual. Blown up penis now very noticeable a few hours later. I was very dehydrated when I woke up this morning. I've got harder muscles as well. I'm noticing cognitive enhancement, to an extent, which I haven't seen before. At the same time extreme muscle hardness as well as a strong motivation which reminds me of hyperandrogenism, I feel like I could tear down trees (although I know I'd break my back). My muscles are rock-hard. Used the caffeine hair-water to reduce hair bulb-itch (it works, will have to use it very often in the next few days). Erection enhanced as is sexual interest, but interest is not enhanced significantly. Did a lot of thinking today and noticed that it worked a lot better. I'd say cognition was better today than it ever was on PS. It seems to vary though, throughout the day. I also noticed an improvement in mental rotation.
-four days later: No noticeable hair-itch today. Cognition this morning was perhaps even better that yesterday. In the afternoon I seemed to be bit tired/aloof (although I had no reason to). I became quite tired in the evening and think it might be beginning to lose its effect. In the evening I had decent hair bulb-itch again.
-five days later: quite tired today (maybe because of the bad weather). I had a lot of hair bulb-itching (never again Piracetam, unfortunately). Had headaches on the front left part of my head today (in the afternoon and at night). Cognition isn't the same as yesterday (it seems the headaches/pain mean the effect is wearing of, since I had the same thing after I stopped taking PS). Penis isn't as blown up as yesterday (perhaps not at all anymore), and I noticed a lot of high cortisol (just like I used to before PS, so likely nothing to do with Piracetam).
-six days later: Hair bulb-itch, tired and aloof (because of the weather as well perhaps. Cognition is still somewhat enhanced (perhaps). I daydream a lot more than usual (not something good for me). Breast pain (gyno?). Might be because of the Alpecin (caffeine-hair-water). Light and very short headache like pain in different areas. Very tired und difficult to concentrate. Hair loss still very noticeable.
-seven days later: Normal penis, slight hair bulb-itch. Later in the morning hair loss/itch. My muscles are still very hard at times. Libido is still somewhat enhanced.
CONCLUSION:
Piracetam & PS: vasodilatation (maybe), hair bulb-itch and loss, sporadic slight pain/sensation in the kidneys/adrenals (most likely, since on both sides), blown up penis (in non-erect stage), sometimes harder muscles and enhanced intelligence.
It seems that they both bring a hormonal/neurotransmitter change about, with which enhanced intelligence correlates (not necessarily caused by it)(it can take time for that hormonal situation to be achieved).
Blown up penis is without a doubt linked to hair-loss/itch, stronger erections and somewhat enhanced libido. Actually not bad, but I'd rather keep my hair!
Maybe elevated acetylcholine leads to elevated 5-alpha-reductase (they may share underlying causes instead) and thus excess DHT (hair loss, hard muscles and blown up penis). If that is the case (and it most probably is, I'll have to kiss Acetylcholine nootopics goodbye).
Conclusion:PS and Piracetam raise DHT levels (larger penis (in non-erect state), harder muscles, hair bulb-itch/hair loss).
seems to be very rare though, or not that profound/noticable in most users.
