12 replies to this topic

[Samuraidream]

Hello, I'm kinda new here, though I've been anonymously browsing the forums for a while now.
Anyways, I was hoping you guys could tell me what's the best way to combine the following supplements/nootropics:

Aniracetam
Noopept
Fish Oil
Multivitamins
B-vit complex
Choline
Zinc
Tribulus Terrestris

First thing you should know, is that I suffer from mild to (the lower side of) moderate social anxiety, which is manageable yet pain in the ass at the same time. As far as I understand, Aniracetam might be handy here, right? I've tried it for the first time today and I think it really helps with the anxiety/stress, but I can't confirm this as of yet. As good as I (thought) it was in leveling out my anxiety, it made me slightly sedated, like not in a tranquilizer kinda way, but still noticeable (again, since this is the first trial, it might just as well be a placebo or something). Therefore, I figured that Noopept would eliminate this sedation if taken together with Aniracetam, or am I totally not getting this right? Should I then take Tribulus Terrestris to counteract Noopept's effect on my libido, which I hear might be an issue? I also like taking Tribulus Terrestris in general, as it adds to my physical energy and motivation.
So the question is, how should I combine the supplements/nootropics listed above (dosages etc.)? Furthermore, if you think that I should add anything else to the regimen - let me know!

*UPDATE: On some specific occasions I MIGHT be taking propranolol (20-40mg) and/or etizolam (0.3-0.8mg) together with the stuff mentioned above. Do you think it's safe? Or should such combos be avoided?

I appreciate your input

SS

Edited by SamuraiSlut, 28 June 2012 - 10:26 AM.

[Raza]

Start one thing at a time, and give yourself a week to experience its effects and adjust your dosage before adding anything else. It'll be nigh impossible to judge the effectiveness of any single supplement otherwise.

Aniracetam has been reported as mildly beneficial for SA. People (me included) seem to like taking doses in the 400-1200 mg range; I'd start on the low end, then try different doses until you find what works best for you.

Taking noopept may or may not help any sedation from aniracetam left when you find your ideal personal dose, but it's been reported to help people be social in its own right. 30 mg is the recommended dose, so start there and adjust up- or downward as feels right?

Deciding to take TT to counteract a hypothetical drop in libido from noopept seems premature; I'd wait until you actually experience this side effect before settling on a countermeasure. No experience with dose for this.

Fish Oil, Multivitamins, B-vit complex, Zinc - track your diet with the cron-o-meter for a week or so, and see how much of these you actually need and/or can healthily permit yourself before jumping in. Insofar as you expect nootropic benefits, aim for the upper range of the minimum-maximum intake range. Zinc should balance around 10:1 with copper intake.

Choline: CDP choline is nice, and many people seem to love Alpha GPC as well. I'd start low at 200 mgs and increase until you find what works best for memory and/or prevents choline headaches.

I see no problem with mixing in etizolam, but don't know enough about beta blockers to comment on the propranolol.

Edited by Raza, 28 June 2012 - 07:14 PM.

[Samuraidream]

UPDATE:

I quit Tribulus Terrestris due to its weird effect on my mood. It gave me these unpredictable mood swings, which I of course didn't like at all. However, I loved its effect on my physical well-being, so it was a tough call. I still have a bunch of caps left, so I might try it again in a month or two.

So now I take (daily) 1-1.5g aniracetam, 20-40mg noopept, 3 caps of good quality omega-3, and either a multivitamin pill or a b-vit complex.
After trying this for a week, I think it works quite well in terms of slightly enhancing my cognitive skills and helping with social anxiety a little.
However, I would like to get rid of this rather low mood that I've been having for the past couple of weeks. It's nothing major, but I keep on getting into negative thought patterns every other day etc. So, anything you could recommend for getting rid of mild depression/general anxiety/negative thoughts?

[Samuraidream]

Do you think adding Sam-e and/or Rhodiola Rosea to my regimen would work?

[Raza]

I've no experience with Sam-e, but that does fit its profile. Rhodiola suffers from resistance build-up; it's great for occasional as-needed use but I wouldn't recommend it for long term daily use. RR can worsen anxiety in particularly anxiety-prone individuals instead of help with it, too.

Personally, I would recommend Ashwagandha and perhaps Saint John's Wort for those. SJW only really starts counting over the weeks, while Ashwagandha's great both immediately and long term.

Edited by Raza, 07 July 2012 - 04:30 PM.

[Samuraidream]

Thanks Raza! Any recommendations for brands, dosage, etc.? Do you think Herb Techn's Ashwaghanda is ok? It's on sale at De Tuinen at the moment.

Edited by SamuraiSlut, 08 July 2012 - 12:04 AM.

[Samuraidream]

So for the past three weeks my regimen consisted of the following:
Aniracetam 500-2000mg daily
Fish oil 1000-3000mg daily
b-vit complex daily
ashwagandha 300-600mg every other day
+
Noopept 20-50mg (1st week) changed to Pramiracetam 200-800mg (2nd week). I didn't take either of those in week 3.
Now everything seems to be working ok-ish, since my anxiety is reduced and I feel rather stable in general. However, I would like to have a more pronounced feeling of motivation, focus, and mental energy. While aniracetam works just fine in terms of how it makes me feel calm etc., it makes me kinda sleepy/foggy at the same time. I managed to counteract this feeling with noopept and pramiracetam to some extent, but not nearly as much as I would like to. Noopept was better due to its longer half-life, while pramiracetam's barely noticeable effect only lasted for 1-2hrs after ingestion or so I thought. Anyways, today I took my first dose of oxiracetam and instantly fell in love with it. Combined with aniracetam, it made me feel relaxed, calm, yet quite focused. I still feel a little foggy, but it's certainly better!
My question is, what should I add to this regimen in order to have more mental clarity/less fog. Keep in mind that I still want to keep my anxiety levels low. Should I remove aniracetam from my regimen? What should I combine it with? Other suggestions?

[Raza]

Herb Tech's is kind of weak. Finish the bottle if you've already bought it, but consider grabbing Jarrow's off the internet if it isn't doing everything you want it to for you.

For energy without anxiety, you could try ALCAR? Affordable and healthy stuff too, but not everyone feels the effects.

And keep playing with your dose of Aniracetam, if it's making you slow. For some people, there's a sweet spot where they get the benefits without the fog.

[Samuraidream]

Don't want to create another thread so I'll just keep on posting here.
So I've been off racetams for around 1.5 months. During that time I took (daily):
Multivitamin x 1 pill (morning)
Jarrow's Ashwaghandha x 1 pill (night)
Omega 3 in varying quantities

Recently, however, my regimen consisted of:
L-Tyrosine 1000mg (morning)
Omega 3 (morning)
Sleepzz Power Sleep (5htp, tryptophan, melatonin, valerian) 1 pill (night)

My alcohol consumption has also increased in the past month or so. Please see my other thread about aclohol and anxiety/mood.

So, I was wondering which racetam(s) and other supplements I should add to my regimen in order to a) lower my anxiety b) get rid of those mood swings c) increase self-confidence and cognitive functions.
Don't know if it's the same for others, who encounter similar psychological "disturbances", but in my case, I would sort of get into these negative-ish thought-loops... like really overthinking and overanalyzing particular situations/relationships/etc, which in turn would make me feel anxious and moody. Usually these episodes are sort of short-lived, but quite frequent, appearing several times throughout the day.

Thanks for your help, guys!

Edited by SamuraiSlut, 06 October 2012 - 07:54 AM.

[Raza]

So why'd you get off noopept and aniracetam?

Anyway, overthinking negative thought loops sound like a low serotonin thing. Did you ever get around to trying saint john's wort?

[Samuraidream]

Stopped taking noopept and aniracetam simply because I ran out and, at the time, didn't feel the need to get some more for whatever reason...
I've tried St. John's Wort some two years ago, but didn't really experience any positive effects even after a month. But I'm currently taking Sleepzz Power Sleep Pill, which is a combination of melatonin, 5-htp, valerian, B vits and tryptophan. So I guess it also works on my serotonin levels, right? Or do you really think that St. John's Wort would be a better option? If so, why?

[Samuraidream]

Hey guys. Got some more questions for you.
First, does noopept make you antisocial? I feel that every time I take it, I become more talkative, yet more antisocial, if that makes any sense. I mean, I'm able to talk faster etc., but the urge to communicate with others is somewhat diminished. I'm not the most outgoing person in general, but with noopept it becomes even worse. Therefore, which racetam do you recommend for increasing one's desire to socialize more (and perhaps reduce one's shyness)?
Thanks!

[Raza]

Sleepzz tabs are alright, but Saint John's Worth works better long term. You'll build partial tolerance to serotonin precursors over time, whereas SJW's effects actually build up with chronic use.

Noopept can make you feel... less impressed with other people. This is a known side effect. Among the racetams, for social motivation, I like plain old piracetam best. Make sure to read this thread on dosage if you want to try it: http://www.longecity...120#entry545806