57 replies to this topic

[William Sterog]

Nobody is concerned with tolerance, withdrawal, or poop out in association with long term chronic usage of this stuff?

 

I'm concerned about every single nootropic I take, but I believe that this stuff is on the safe side, it has been used for a very long time.

[Werper]

Got some from nootropics depot,  first day I really didn't notice much from it.   Today it's too early to tell but nothing miraculous happening thus far (dosed about 3 hours ago).

Edited by Werper, 14 September 2016 - 04:57 PM.

[William Sterog]

Got some from nootropics depot, first day I really didn't notice much from it. Today it's too early to tell but nothing miraculous happening thus far (dosed about 3 hours ago).

Oral or sublingual? I've only tried the last one and I feel it. It is imposible to rule out placebo anyway.

[Werper]

sublingual.

[William Sterog]

Well, this are my conclusions after 17 days:

 

 

Subject: Male, 23 years old, healthy.

Exercise: Three times a week.

Diet: Only non-processed stuff, lots of vegetables and fish. Mediterranean.

Meditation: Yes.

Sleep: Very good. ~8 hours daily.

Mental disorders: Officially, none.

Supplements: ALCAR 500mg. L-Carnosine 500mg. Ceylon Cinnamon 500mg. Spirulina 2g. Melatonin 1mg.

Polygala Administration: Dose: ~50 to 100mg one time a day. Timing: The evening. Route: Sublingual for a minimum of 10 minutes, then swallowed.

Polygala subjective effects:

The first times: Very noticeable sensation of being more alert or awake after 10-15 minutes. An increase in good mood within 30 minutes, moderate euphoria, non hypomanic feelings. This experience did not differ the times I was busy and distracted by any task. I repeatedly surprised myself singing out loud. Very short duration of these feelings, made me wonder about the potential of abuse of this substance. Despite the increase in alertness, I did not feel shaky or excited; which I'm prone to experience with caffeine and amphetamines. An undesirable feeling of sadness building up after 2-3 hours.

Usefulness of the substance at this point: none.

Side effects: although I was not feeling stimulated: no racing thoughts, no involuntary movements; a couple of times I felt like it was a little too much, I did not feel entirely confortable with the way my mind was working. No other side effects, no gastrointestinal issues, no headaches, no sleepiness, no noticeable memory troubles.

After a week: From day ~5 until today. Acute effects are still present somehow, but in a much more subtle way. Euphoria has disappeared, the increase in alertness is now enjoyable. I find that administration erases completely my tiredness. Repeated sensation of being myself again, memories that used to hurt me now feels nice. Huge increase in productivity, studying, writing or drawing under the influence of Polygala feels like cheating. My ability to concentrate and work improved some months ago with the addiction of ALCAR, but it never have been above average, today I feel like it is virtually infinite. I started new projects that I have always been to lazy to undertake, like adopting Dvorak's keyboard disposition or hacking my phone. My verbal fluency has improved too, I find myself using unusual words constantly, even English seems easier. Waste of time annoys me, I cannot stand TV or prolonged small-talk anymore, all that I want is to read or to learn something.

Usefulness at this point: notable.

Side effects: I'm completely emotionless. I forget to eat ofttimes due to be too focus on what I'm doing. After this 17 days, I feel a little burned, and I have the need to take a break because I feel physically tired. No other side effects that aren't clearly unrelated to being tired. No emotional crashes. I'm sleeping great, but the intensity and complexity of my dreams seems to be reduced. My ability to visualize and my creativity could be reduced too. I feel like a machine sometimes. Short-term memory unaffected or slightly reduced.

Polygala intersubjetive effects:

I erased all my social networks because they annoy me. I spend less time in Reddit or in any other social media. Sometimes I'm writing a comment in some topic, but I erase everything before posting because it feels pointless. Surprisingly, I'm going out more frequently; until recently I had to force myself to go out at least on Fridays, now I'm meeting people almost everyday. People around me pointed out, without being asked, that I seem more easily irritated and aggressive than usually. The girl that I'm dating said to me yesterday that I became a jerk and that I find way too funny making people hate me.

Because lately I don't give a crap, I speak my mind more often, I found that people laugh more frequently when I talk and that girls became more interested in me. On the other hand, when I fuck up it is worse than before. For example, I got this friend whose wife is dying, and I'm talking about that with other guys that also knows them, so I confess that the wife always make me uncomfortable because I'm never capable to remember hers name, and that it will be a relief if she finally die. They really don't appreciate that.

Finally, other thing that I noticed is that I have too much confidence lately and I treat people like they shall adore me; and the point is that it works, I'm receiving more compliments than ever.

Polygala's grades:

Concentration 9/10 (Great, but perfection does not exist)

Will power: 9/10 (Great, but perfection does not exist)

Emotional stability: 8/10 (Good)

Verbal fluency: 7/10 (Useful)

Energy: 7/10 (Useful)

Learning: 6/10 (Useful - Placebo level)

Depression relief: 6/10 (Useful - Placebo level)

Reading: 5/10 (Placebo level)

Intelligence: 5/10 (Placebo level)

Memory: 4-5/10 (Detrimental - Placebo level)

Anxiety: 4-5/10 (Anxiogenic - Placebo level)

Creativity: 4/10 (Detrimental)

Sociability: 3/10 (But being an asshole could be a good thing)

Patience: 1/10 (Awful)

Advices:

• Find your sweet spot and take Polygala only when you need it to study, to work or to concentrate for extended periods.

• It does not mix well with Turmeric + Black Pepper.

Two questions that you are likely to formulate:

- So, is this like Noopept?

No, not at all. Noopept made me sleepy, lazy, unable to concentrate or articulate good phrases and gave me headaches. On the other hand, it really helps me learning, it is anxiolytic and, sometimes, gives me an incredible mental power, enough to beat at chess at the female champion of my autonomous community (population: 8,402,000).

- If this does not exactly work for depression, what should I try instead?

The two most helpful supplements I have tried for mood and depression are Uncaria Rhynchophylla and Creatine. I will write about Uncaria R. soon.

 

 

https://www.reddit.c...la_impressions/

 

[Diego55]

I am interested in trying this, can you please tell me from where i can obtain it (I am located in Europe) ? I have tried lots of different ADs without any luck and i would like to try this one form my anxiety conditions, before i end up on other AD again. Thanks.

[Dakman1]

http://nootropicsdep...owder-yuan-zhi/

[Diego55]

http://nootropicsdep...owder-yuan-zhi/

THanks!

[Dakman1]

You're welcome, if you search the Reddit Nootropics forum there are some recent threads on this compound. Some getting good results some not so much. Personally I found no effects at any dosage but I don't seem to respond to anything except for the strongest of substances.

[William Sterog]

You're welcome, if you search the Reddit Nootropics forum there are some recent threads on this compound. Some getting good results some not so much. Personally I found no effects at any dosage but I don't seem to respond to anything except for the strongest of substances.

 

Did you try to dose it just before doing a task that requires to concentrate? 

[Dakman1]

Perhaps not...

[Diego55]

Can i find somewhere more reviews on Polygala from ppl who tried it for various mental disorders, as e.g. anxiety or depression ?  

[BieraK]

O_O
What do you think that this could produce with other things like MB (enhances neuron survival, promotes neurogenesis in the cortex after a stroke), Noopept, or some powerful antioxidants like c60?
 

A Review of Three Commonly Used Herbs Which Enhance Memory and New Evidences Which Show Their Combination Could Improve Memory in Young Animals.

Abstract

This review looks into the herbs gingko biloba, polygala tenuifolia, and lycii fructus for their widely studied neuroprotective properties. Effects of the interaction between the herbs are studied by behavior tests to evaluate memory, and examination of signal transduction enzyme, major neurotransmitters, cell death and antioxidation. For 6-month treated mice, behavior showed shorter escape latency in the water maze and faster arrival time in a consolidated memory task. Immunochemistry showed evident increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the prefrontal cortex, which implies protection against harmful free radicals during aging. Discrete increase of catecholaminergic neurons was found in the prefrontal area, hippocampus, corpus striatum, and midbrain. This hints better memory and better control on mood and behavior. Necrotic cells in the brain decreased as indicated by immunocytochemistry of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH). TUNEL showed no apoptotic cells in most brain areas in high dose treated animals. Biochemistry revealed increase of dopaminergic cells in all treatment groups for the prefrontal area, and in the hippocampus and cerebellum of the high dose group. Most 6-month groups had an increase of serotonin in all three areas. For the high dose group, GABA increased in the hippocampus but not prefrontal, which would help induce sleep at night. Protein kinase C was increased in most groups in the prefrontal, hippocampus and cerebellum, signifying increase of possible signal transduction pathways for memory or other nervous activations. Our results intimate that the interaction of the three herbs exerts beneficial effects in memory, associated cognitive function, and necrosis.

 

[William Sterog]

 

O_O
What do you think that this could produce with other things like MB (enhances neuron survival, promotes neurogenesis in the cortex after a stroke), Noopept, or some powerful antioxidants like c60?
 

A Review of Three Commonly Used Herbs Which Enhance Memory and New Evidences Which Show Their Combination Could Improve Memory in Young Animals.

Abstract

This review looks into the herbs gingko biloba, polygala tenuifolia, and lycii fructus for their widely studied neuroprotective properties. Effects of the interaction between the herbs are studied by behavior tests to evaluate memory, and examination of signal transduction enzyme, major neurotransmitters, cell death and antioxidation. For 6-month treated mice, behavior showed shorter escape latency in the water maze and faster arrival time in a consolidated memory task. Immunochemistry showed evident increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the prefrontal cortex, which implies protection against harmful free radicals during aging. Discrete increase of catecholaminergic neurons was found in the prefrontal area, hippocampus, corpus striatum, and midbrain. This hints better memory and better control on mood and behavior. Necrotic cells in the brain decreased as indicated by immunocytochemistry of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH). TUNEL showed no apoptotic cells in most brain areas in high dose treated animals. Biochemistry revealed increase of dopaminergic cells in all treatment groups for the prefrontal area, and in the hippocampus and cerebellum of the high dose group. Most 6-month groups had an increase of serotonin in all three areas. For the high dose group, GABA increased in the hippocampus but not prefrontal, which would help induce sleep at night. Protein kinase C was increased in most groups in the prefrontal, hippocampus and cerebellum, signifying increase of possible signal transduction pathways for memory or other nervous activations. Our results intimate that the interaction of the three herbs exerts beneficial effects in memory, associated cognitive function, and necrosis.

 

 

I'm a big believer of MB, I haven't it tried yet, but the science seems to be solid. If I recall right, MB inhibits MAO and could lead to serotoninergic syndrome if taken with a SSRI. I think that the combination is possibly right, but there are some degree of risk when taken alongside Polygala.

 

I've found this: https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC2078225/

 

Noopept seems good on the paper, I think that is it safe and won't have harmful interactions with Polygala. In fact, Polygala will possibly help with the TrkB downregulation induced by Noopept.  I used to take it, and it worked at first, but now it only gives me headaches and tremors, no matter what I do, I've tried pairing it with a choline source and all the typical recommendations without being successful. 

 

And with C60, I'm not sure, seems promising, but the risk is too high in my opinion, you sure have read the topics here about the massive increase of tumors in some mice. Until we know for sure what extracts are good and the safety profile of the substance, I will choose other options for mitochondrial support. In fact, Ginkgo itself, which you've mentioned, seems to have a positive effect on mitochondria:

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/22784423

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/13130384

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/19938886

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/20459350

Edited by William Sterog, 03 November 2016 - 07:19 AM.

[BieraK]

https://koreauniv.pu...-stem-cells-in-

So perhaps its not so difficult to enhance neocortex with adding new neurons.

The are studies showing that HDAC inhibition rescue apoptosis of new neurons generated in the cortex after stroke. Injuries to the cortex produce neurogenesis in hippocampus and conversion of glial cells into neurons in the cortex, however that neurons fails to mature, BNDF and HDAC inhibition prevents that and enhances maturation. 

Polygala, Gingko, Scutellaria, Curcumin, Noopept looks like a good stack.

 

Abstract

Promotion of Cortical Neurogenesis from the Neural Stem Cells in the Adult Mouse Subcallosal Zone

Abstract: Neurogenesis occurs spontaneously in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle in adult rodent brain, but it has long been debated whether there is sufficient adult neurogenesis in human SVZ. Subcallosal zone (SCZ), a posterior continuum of SVZ closely associated with posterior regions of cortical white matter, has also been reported to contain adult neural stem cells (aNSCs) in both rodents and humans. However, little is known whether SCZ-derived aNSC (SCZ-aNSCs) can produce cortical neurons following brain injury. We found that SCZ-aNSCs exhibited limited neuronal differentiation potential in culture and after transplantation in mice. Neuroblasts derived from SCZ initially migrated toward injured cortex regions following brain injury, but later exhibited apoptosis. Overexpression of anti-apoptotic bcl-xL in the SCZ by retroviral infection rescued neuroblasts from cell death in the injured cortex, but neuronal maturation was still limited, resulting in atrophy. In combination with Bcl-xL, infusion of brain-derived neurotropic factor rescued atrophy, and importantly, a subset of such SCZ-aNSCs differentiated and attained morphological and physiological characteristics of mature, excitatory neurons. These results suggest that the combination of anti-apoptotic and neurotrophic factors might enable the use of aNSCs derived from the SCZ in cortical neurogenesis for neural replacement therapy.

 

Edited by BieraK, 10 November 2016 - 06:00 AM.

[jack black]

I need to get this before Zika virus hits me and wipes out aNSCs.

[normalizing]

i got it and used it and it made me super depressed. maybe my mistake was to wait im down a bit to try and maybe it works two ways, if you are ok it will depress you and if you are depress it will lift you!? dunno i wasnt feeling all that right to begin with, but this stuff made me extra depressed i ended up looking for alternative things to boost mood with no success

[William Sterog]

i got it and used it and it made me super depressed. maybe my mistake was to wait im down a bit to try and maybe it works two ways, if you are ok it will depress you and if you are depress it will lift you!? dunno i wasnt feeling all that right to begin with, but this stuff made me extra depressed i ended up looking for alternative things to boost mood with no success

 
I have talked about this issue in my review:
 

The first times: Very noticeable sensation of being more alert or awake after 10-15 minutes. An increase in good mood within 30 minutes, moderate euphoria, non hypomanic feelings. This experience did not differ the times I was busy and distracted by any task. I repeatedly surprised myself singing out loud. Very short duration of these feelings, made me wonder about the potential of abuse of this substance. Despite the increase in alertness, I did not feel shaky or excited; which I'm prone to experience with caffeine and amphetamines. An undesirable feeling of sadness building up after 2-3 hours.

 

This side effect subsided with repeated administration. 

[normalizing]

william so the first time it will cause depression but repeating use and over time it helps with depression? is that how i understand this??

[William Sterog]

william so the first time it will cause depression but repeating use and over time it helps with depression? is that how i understand this??

 

Yes, that was my experience during the first week. When the stimulation wore off, I felt pretty damn sad during the rest of the day. It is not unusual for antidepressants to work that way. My review is in the comments, you are going to find answers to all your questions there. 

[jack black]

Have anyone else noticed it stopped working after several doses? Is this tachyphylaxis?

[normalizing]

for me it never worked to begin with, it actually causes depression and anxiety

[William Sterog]

Have anyone else noticed it stopped working after several doses? Is this tachyphylaxis?

 
In my experience, everyday supplementation reduces the stimulation effect and leads to feel more stable, the antidepressive effect is still present, and also is the attention promoting one, but the acute boost in mood and motivation right after dosing become less obvious. Therefore, as I recommend with many other supplements, I find it more effective cycling it properly.
 

for me it never worked to begin with, it actually causes depression and anxiety

 

How was your regimen? Did you bought it from Nootropics Depot? How did you dosed it? Do you feel any other effects other than this? Do you persist several days as I recommended you?

 

Your experience could be valious to the people interested in Polygala, but you will need to elaborate a little more. 

 

The reviews in reddit and Nootropics Depot's main page are just astonishing, my experience has also been remarkable, so I would like to have a deeper understanding of yours. 

Edited by William Sterog, 14 March 2017 - 09:39 AM.

[normalizing]

yeh nootropics depot i dunno other sources. it was powder i took just little bits at first, then i got frustrated and took much more but still nothing positive. i didnt take it anymore, im afraid of its anxiety effects

[BieraK]

Well I've done 3 "cycles" of Polygala, basically I was trying to find the sweet spot of this herb.

First time I used it gives me some weird side effects, I needed to stop the test. Side effects where:
-Poor quality sleep, I was dreaming a lot, I tend to dream a lot and for me dreaming its like being awake, but with this herb the dreaming increased much more and was sleeping very bad, I needed to increase my sleep hours.
-I was very sensitive to sounds when trying to sleep, when I was sleeping some sounds wake me up, It was like a part of my brain was too alert.
-Vasoconstriction, I was feeling more cold and less vasodilation in my hands for example.
-Light sensivity, like a vampire I don't wanted to see the sun, in the day I was with a strange brain fog also.
-Visual snow in some situations

I don't know what was the exact cause of this, perhaps NMDA antagonism?, increased acetylcholine?, some interaction of 5-HT receptors?. I was unable to complete two weeks trial with polygala, I needed to stop it.
I tryed stacking it with Rodhiola and Ginseng, Lithium however the relief was only temporary.


Second time, Polygala doesn't produced any of these side effects, ¿Why? I don't f***ing know, I re-started it in combination with Ginseng, NOOPEPT and low dose clonidine, it was a very low dose clonidine like 0.003 mg however I was able to feel this low dose when testing it alone, it gives me increased concentration and prefrontal cortex function, less anxiety, better sleep, my body was so relaxed when I waked up.

I stacked it with andrographis paniculata, grape seed extract, aloe vera extract (my common everyday supplements) and low dose methylene blue.

This trial was very good, no side effects or not too much, however compared to the firt cycle of polygala, I was feeling it a bit differently, less laser focus concentration, perhaps due to Noopept and clonidine, I was feeling increased pre-frontal cortex function but the first time it was "hardcore", it was much more intense in the first trial.

Then I stopped due to a cold, now I'm re-starting my polygala cycle but with adding gingko biloba to the stack and I can say that Gingko is acting in synergic way with ginseng and polygala, I took this herb before in combination with ginseng but now in combination with Polygala and Ginseng I'm feeling best effects. 

So, effects from Gingko Biloba with Polygala and Ginseng: Better mood, increased creativity, more happines, more energy, I'm feeling warmer, less vasoconstriction, better memory, clear head. It feels like a clear synergism between these herbs.

Here is quote of my experience with Gingko Biloba, these are the first days of this new trial, however I'm a bit impressed of the effects, and also I'm in a better mood .
I also take Rodhiola with Salidroside sometimes, but the nucleus of my cognitive stack is Polygala, Ginseng and Gingko for now.
My "health" and longevity stack is: Andrographolide 98%, grape seed extract, vitamin d3, aloe vera extract, and experimeting with sulforaphane recently. Low dose methylene blue some days. 

Spoiler

I'm using Polygala Tenuifolia, Ginseng and Gingko Biloba.

I'm feeling a positive effect after adding gingko to my stack, more mental clarity compared to the Polygala+Ginseng alone stack, I'm feeling warmer also, It feels good because here is winter.

I'm feeling more happiness and an increase in creativity, its like a parte of my brain that was active before, and then was shut down, now is re-starting.

I'm feeling more energy, less fatigue and better memory.

I think that Gingko is potentiating Polygala and Ginseng. I've never took gingko alone for much time, my experiments with this herb always was in a combination with ginseng. however my actual ginseng is an 80% powder extract, I take 200 mg and I can feel it.

For me there is a clear sinergysm between these herbs, ginseng+ginko is a plus, is better compared to the herbs alone, the same for polygala+ginseng, and since adding Gingko my stack of polygala+ginseng is improved  . The interesting thing is that this is starting, with more days the herb produces better effects.

The only concern for me is the increase in bleeding or stroke with Gingko Biloba. 

I ordered centella asiatica, I will give it a try, in the past I felt it like a healing herb for my body, I ordered a good extract. 

I also take these supplements for longevity and health:
-Andrograpolide 98%.
-Grape Seed Extract.
-Aloe Vera extract.
-Sulforaphane (This is new).
-Vitamin D3.
-Low dose methylene blue, however I'm taking less of this recently, Leuco MB works better for me, however I don't have enough Vitamin C now.
-Rhodiola with Salidroside, I take it frequently however not everyday.
-1,25 mg selegiline one or two times a week.
 

I also take Quercetin when I drink, I also have ECGC I take it only when needed. Vitamin B3 when I do a fasting

Edited by BieraK, 11 May 2017 - 03:46 PM.

[Daniel Cooper]

 

I'm a big believer of MB, I haven't it tried yet, but the science seems to be solid. If I recall right, MB inhibits MAO and could lead to serotoninergic syndrome if taken with a SSRI. I think that the combination is possibly right, but there are some degree of risk when taken alongside Polygala.

 

I've found this: https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC2078225/

 

Noopept seems good on the paper, I think that is it safe and won't have harmful interactions with Polygala. In fact, Polygala will possibly help with the TrkB downregulation induced by Noopept.  I used to take it, and it worked at first, but now it only gives me headaches and tremors, no matter what I do, I've tried pairing it with a choline source and all the typical recommendations without being successful. 

 

And with C60, I'm not sure, seems promising, but the risk is too high in my opinion, you sure have read the topics here about the massive increase of tumors in some mice. Until we know for sure what extracts are good and the safety profile of the substance, I will choose other options for mitochondrial support. In fact, Ginkgo itself, which you've mentioned, seems to have a positive effect on mitochondria:

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/22784423

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/13130384

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/19938886

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/20459350

 

 

When you say "MB" above, what are you talking about?  Methylene Blue? 

How many of you guys are still talking Polygala Tenuifolia?  If so, how are your results going?

 

 

 

[nooguyz]

I bought a bottle and gave it a try. Definitely seems to be doing something. Been having stronger-than-usual problems for the past couple of weeks with motivation and anxiety. Seems to help a lot with the motivation problems and a little bit with the anxiety issues. And amazingly enough, it doesn’t taste horrible. It actually has a very mild chocolaty/coffee flavor. It’s pretty inexpensive, so I’d say give it a shot if you’re suffering from depression and/or anxiety.

 

 

I agree, this herb is awesome, this is my fourth day in it. It is maybe the most noticiable nootropic I've ever tried. I find myself singing happily or reading, writing, drawing or playing the guitar a lot more, I just don't want anymore to stay in bed watching Family Guy or any other crap.

I dose it sublingually and I feel it kicking in in a short time, I believe that this can have even have abuse potential. Also, the flavor is incredible, like a potent dark chocolate.

 

 

Well, this are my conclusions after 17 days:

 

 

Subject: Male, 23 years old, healthy.

Exercise: Three times a week.

Diet: Only non-processed stuff, lots of vegetables and fish. Mediterranean.

Meditation: Yes.

Sleep: Very good. ~8 hours daily.

Mental disorders: Officially, none.

Supplements: ALCAR 500mg. L-Carnosine 500mg. Ceylon Cinnamon 500mg. Spirulina 2g. Melatonin 1mg.

Polygala Administration: Dose: ~50 to 100mg one time a day. Timing: The evening. Route: Sublingual for a minimum of 10 minutes, then swallowed.

Polygala subjective effects:

The first times: Very noticeable sensation of being more alert or awake after 10-15 minutes. An increase in good mood within 30 minutes, moderate euphoria, non hypomanic feelings. This experience did not differ the times I was busy and distracted by any task. I repeatedly surprised myself singing out loud. Very short duration of these feelings, made me wonder about the potential of abuse of this substance. Despite the increase in alertness, I did not feel shaky or excited; which I'm prone to experience with caffeine and amphetamines. An undesirable feeling of sadness building up after 2-3 hours.

Usefulness of the substance at this point: none.

Side effects: although I was not feeling stimulated: no racing thoughts, no involuntary movements; a couple of times I felt like it was a little too much, I did not feel entirely confortable with the way my mind was working. No other side effects, no gastrointestinal issues, no headaches, no sleepiness, no noticeable memory troubles.

After a week: From day ~5 until today. Acute effects are still present somehow, but in a much more subtle way. Euphoria has disappeared, the increase in alertness is now enjoyable. I find that administration erases completely my tiredness. Repeated sensation of being myself again, memories that used to hurt me now feels nice. Huge increase in productivity, studying, writing or drawing under the influence of Polygala feels like cheating. My ability to concentrate and work improved some months ago with the addiction of ALCAR, but it never have been above average, today I feel like it is virtually infinite. I started new projects that I have always been to lazy to undertake, like adopting Dvorak's keyboard disposition or hacking my phone. My verbal fluency has improved too, I find myself using unusual words constantly, even English seems easier. Waste of time annoys me, I cannot stand TV or prolonged small-talk anymore, all that I want is to read or to learn something.

Usefulness at this point: notable.

Side effects: I'm completely emotionless. I forget to eat ofttimes due to be too focus on what I'm doing. After this 17 days, I feel a little burned, and I have the need to take a break because I feel physically tired. No other side effects that aren't clearly unrelated to being tired. No emotional crashes. I'm sleeping great, but the intensity and complexity of my dreams seems to be reduced. My ability to visualize and my creativity could be reduced too. I feel like a machine sometimes. Short-term memory unaffected or slightly reduced.

Polygala intersubjetive effects:

I erased all my social networks because they annoy me. I spend less time in Reddit or in any other social media. Sometimes I'm writing a comment in some topic, but I erase everything before posting because it feels pointless. Surprisingly, I'm going out more frequently; until recently I had to force myself to go out at least on Fridays, now I'm meeting people almost everyday. People around me pointed out, without being asked, that I seem more easily irritated and aggressive than usually. The girl that I'm dating said to me yesterday that I became a jerk and that I find way too funny making people hate me.

Because lately I don't give a crap, I speak my mind more often, I found that people laugh more frequently when I talk and that girls became more interested in me. On the other hand, when I fuck up it is worse than before. For example, I got this friend whose wife is dying, and I'm talking about that with other guys that also knows them, so I confess that the wife always make me uncomfortable because I'm never capable to remember hers name, and that it will be a relief if she finally die. They really don't appreciate that.

Finally, other thing that I noticed is that I have too much confidence lately and I treat people like they shall adore me; and the point is that it works, I'm receiving more compliments than ever.

Polygala's grades:

Concentration 9/10 (Great, but perfection does not exist)

Will power: 9/10 (Great, but perfection does not exist)

Emotional stability: 8/10 (Good)

Verbal fluency: 7/10 (Useful)

Energy: 7/10 (Useful)

Learning: 6/10 (Useful - Placebo level)

Depression relief: 6/10 (Useful - Placebo level)

Reading: 5/10 (Placebo level)

Intelligence: 5/10 (Placebo level)

Memory: 4-5/10 (Detrimental - Placebo level)

Anxiety: 4-5/10 (Anxiogenic - Placebo level)

Creativity: 4/10 (Detrimental)

Sociability: 3/10 (But being an asshole could be a good thing)

Patience: 1/10 (Awful)

Advices:

• Find your sweet spot and take Polygala only when you need it to study, to work or to concentrate for extended periods.

• It does not mix well with Turmeric + Black Pepper.

Two questions that you are likely to formulate:

- So, is this like Noopept?

No, not at all. Noopept made me sleepy, lazy, unable to concentrate or articulate good phrases and gave me headaches. On the other hand, it really helps me learning, it is anxiolytic and, sometimes, gives me an incredible mental power, enough to beat at chess at the female champion of my autonomous community (population: 8,402,000).

- If this does not exactly work for depression, what should I try instead?

The two most helpful supplements I have tried for mood and depression are Uncaria Rhynchophylla and Creatine. I will write about Uncaria R. soon.

 

 

https://www.reddit.c...la_impressions/

What's the dosage that you guys tried, and how long does the effect last? A few hours or the whole day? Does it need to be taken with food?

[normalizing]

it just helps to lower your drinking habits. i have been taking it so many times, i have figured this out. first i took it by itself with no results and only when i was binge drinking i decided to try it to replace alcohol in hard times, it ended up actually lowering my interest to drink while at the same time sedating me. the dose i took was 2-3 tea spoons of powder.