Forgot to add my personal account here, though I've probably mentioned it a zillion times in other threads.
Alone, the effect of ALCAR is barely noticeable subjectively; I tend to feel a little 'brighter' mentally, and perhaps in mood as well—but I probably couldn't pin down a time when it kicked in, or even identify it in a blinded test. Alone, piracetam is also very subtle, and probably just on the edge of something I could identify subjectively. I notice it most by its effect on linguistic/verbal tasks.
When combined, the experience is quite pronounced, and I notice an improvement in many cognitive domains. Still the most pronounced is verbal eloquence; when writing or speaking, I find it much easier to parse concepts into words, and to choose words more accurately based on shades of meaning. I also notice a general improvement in executive function, finding analysis to flow more smoothly, and more connections to occur (though more in the logical than 'artistic' sense). But perhaps the most useful indication is attention; multitasking becomes effective (rather than random and flightly), and I'm able to concentrate on a single task for much longer that baseline (when reading a book, my mind will frequently wander; this effect is greatly attenuated). I can't say how much of this efficacy stems from my attentional problems, and how much might be experienced by people without attentional deficits. For that reasons, I'd still be interested in hearing others' experiences here, particularly comparisons to the criteria I mentioned.
My dosage is 1.5g, twice a day, with 800mg piracetam. I take both together first thing in the morning, and then about 5-6 hours later. If I fail to redose, I perceive a fairly sudden drop-off in my ability to attend to a single task, and to maintain my interest in challenging activities I enjoy, about 6-7 hours after this dose.
I choose not to cosupplement with ALA; while an effective antioxidant with an elegant mechanism (rebound increase of endogenous antioxidant systems), I'm disturbed by its ability to exert changes in mice for a long time (very large portions of their lifespan) after discontinuation, suggesting a modification of genetic factors. The supposed necessity of ALA with ALCAR is based on an incomplete picture of Dr. Ames's research; in rats, the human equivalent of 4g/day was not pro-oxidant (see
this thread).
For people just beginning to take ALCAR, I would suggest starting at 500mg, to ease into it. As with any cholinergic, some have reported depression, and will experience varying effects at varying dosages. The doses can be divided in two or three, depending on your needs, and whether taking it at night impacts your ability to sleep (it doesn't, for me). Just increase the dose by increments of 250-500mg, as tolerated, and keep it below 4g/day total if you want to be on the safe side as far as oxidation is concerned.
Edited by chrono, 25 September 2010 - 05:50 PM.
