Since the dawn of the movie Limitless we too have had a fascination with the potential of boosting the brain and biohacking the mind with supplements. Science is constantly coming up with ways to better our human potential and performance through different compounds, both natural and man made. 

The dream is obviously to take that magic pill and be able to upload as much information as we desire into the brain, learning languages and comprehending deep concepts in the realm of the quantum. ‘Smart drugs’ have been used throughout history dating back to ancient times. This article is aimed at high performers like military, students, first responders, CEO’s and athletes looking to boost mental and physical performance and recovery through nootropic compounds.

Although the first modern coining of the term "nootropic" was made in 1972 by Corneliu Giurgea in 1972 to describe new molecules that acted selectively on the brain's higher-level integrative activity, examples of ancient nootropic use includes those surrounding Ayurvedic medicines like Gotu Kola, Ashwaganda, Bacopa, Tulsi and Ginko Biloba.

Upgrading the mind and body with performance enhancing drugs has been done for centuries with a broad range of benefits sought. Athletes have been using ergogenics, or performance enhancing drugs, both legally and illegally in competition and training for years. Some instances of its use, like the doping scandal surrounding Lance Armstrong, have dominated the sporting arena. Even seven-time Mr Olympia winner (now politician) Arnold Schwarzenegger admits to using steroids and other ergogenics, but says he has no regrets.

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Ahead of the recovery curve with Smart Drugs

Being ahead of the curve is important for those looking to be at the top of their game in performance. Similarly, many high achievers in the business and tech world have increasingly looked to nootropics and smart drugs, both natural and synthetic, to gain increased focus, mental capacity, flow state and mental endurance.

Military use of ergogenics is also not a new practice. A well known use of drugs for sustained alertness and energy were documented in the “Germans' use of stimulants fueling the Nazis’ “Blitzkrieg” in France to Allied soldiers use of amphetamines in battling combat fatigue to pilots use of the same to keeping them alert during long flights.”

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What do all of these nootropics have in common?

It sounds like you're diving into an exploration of natural and synthetic nootropics to enhance both physical stamina and mental performance. Natural nootropics often include substances like adaptogens, herbs, and amino acids that support cognitive function and overall well-being. These can provide benefits such as improved focus, reduced stress response, and enhanced memory retention. On the other hand, synthetic smart drugs may offer more targeted cognitive enhancements, often influencing neurotransmitter levels in the brain to promote alertness, concentration, and cognitive processing speed.

Exploring both natural and synthetic options allows for a broader understanding of how these substances can synergistically support stamina, performance, and recovery across various activities and mental tasks. Each type of nootropic offers unique benefits and considerations, making it important to find the right balance and approach that suits individual needs and preferences.

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5 Nootropics That Support Mental And Physical Performance

The common goal for those self prescribing nootropics in mental alertness, focus and mental endurance. The ironic truth behind the reasons for taking nootropics is that, although traditional examples of adaptogenic herbs and medicines were used primarily for performance they are now marketed more for their brain benefits, and on the other side of the coin the modern day nootropics developed initially for biohacking the brain are now commonly being used heavily for athletic performance.

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We have narrowed down the list to 5 ergogenic supplements that can be used for both athletic performance and recovery while still boosting the brain, making them suitable for athletes, students, military and CEO’s alike.

#1 Caffeine

No surprises, the most commonly used ergogenic in the world. We know you love coffee, and so do we. Chances are, you have felt the very rapid effects of the most common stimulant in the world - alertness, energy, vitality, nasal clearing, arousal (sometimes the jitters) that keeps everyone coming back. No doubt, you probably have multiple sources from which you get your daily (or 5 x daily) fix of coffee or caffeine. It is also highly likely that any pre-workout you have tried and tested also contains copious amounts of caffeine to account for the energising benefits sought for athletic performance. 

We have a coffee hack you need to try that upgrades the nootropic and performance effect 10 fold on a regular coffee and is suitable to use as a pre-working to replace the nasty mixes we have seen in most commercial pre-workouts. 

Athletes and nootropics enthusiasts unite… 

Backed by science, Kimera coffee was “born out of our desire to infuse our delicious coffee blends with quality, healthful brain vitamins.” The science behind those subjective feelings of energy and vitality has also been proven for athletic performance, with athletes performing better across multiple disciplines on caffeine and another study confirming that “ingestion of the drug has been shown to increase endurance, particularly in prolonged exercise lasting 30–120 min”.

Usage warning: we would also like to note that, as touched on in this study, “individuals suffering panic disorder or performance social anxiety disorder are particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine and may benefit from a reduction in their intake.”

What is important to understand about coffee/caffeine is that low-to-moderate intake can improve performance, but, as the Yerkes-Dodson law suggests, too much caffeine can actually reduce performance and encourage anxiety and nervousness which a number of us may have experienced on days of being a bit too gluttonous on the stimulants. We like to sit at about 50mg-200mg dosage for the optimal brain boosting and ergogenic performance enhancing qualities of caffeine

#2 Creatine

Creatine is perhaps the most widely used ergogenic supplement for athletes, in particular body builders, for increasing muscle size and strength through hypertrophy. While supporting hypertrophy, creatine also supports brain function. Through the creation of ATP, our energy powerhouse, creatine use can have a positive effect on cognition and executive function and short term memory. It is worth noting that it improves memory particularly in vegetarians and vegans which is discussed in the video below.

Research highlights that creatine supplementation may offer unique cognitive benefits to vegetarians and vegans, who typically have lower dietary intake of creatine due to their avoidance of animal products. This aspect is explored further in the accompanying video, shedding light on how creatine supplementation can potentially enhance memory and cognitive function in these dietary groups.

We have been using micronized creatine monohydrate from Optimum Nutrition, which is one of the most trusted supplement brands globally.

#3 L-Carnitine

Used since the 80’s, L-carnitine is an amino acid that also boasts solid strength and performance benefits. The particular derivative of L-Carnitine that is of interest for its combination effect on both athletic performance and cognitive benefits is Acetyl-L-Carnitine.

We love science, as you know, and the data on L-carnitine is that it indicates that the athletic population can benefit from l-carnitine intake as it reduces the side effects of high-intensity training by reducing the magnitude of exercise-induced hypoxia and muscle injury.

Not only that, supplementation with l-carnitine alleviated pain, tenderness and release of creatine kinase, in the same study. So, we can see that L-carnitine and Acetyl-L-Carnitine supplementation has compelling evidence from preclinical studies that they “can improve energy status, decrease oxidative stress and prevent subsequent cell death in models of adult, neonatal and pediatric brain injury.”

The market  for L-carnitine and its derivatives, like many of the supplements in this list, are saturated with options. We have done the trials and tests for you and this is the one we use.

#4 Lions Mane

As mentioned earlier in this article, ancient examples of nootropics still seem to dominate the ingredients list of many nootropic stacks and combination supplements. Many athletes and nootropics gurus promote the use of Lions Mane mushrooms as an effective supplement supporting many functions relating to mood, sleep and relaxation. Another study showed benefits on concentration and mental stamina. Scientific findings suggest that Lions Mane mushroom extract enhances the cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy athletic adults.

This mushroom contains high amounts of a compound called β-glucan polysaccharides, which is a type of naturally occurring glucose polymer found in cell walls of certain fungi and bacteria.

The compounds found in Lions Mane extract are responsible for many of the health benefits associated with lion’s mane such as, fatigue reduction, increased cognitive function, inflammation reduction, improved gut health, and immune health.

There are a number of extracts and supplement stacks we have been using for our intake of Lions Mane:

1.Extract: Life Cykel Lions Mane Extract available here

2.Nootropic Stack Single: Staq Performer available here

3.Nootropic Stack Combo: Onnit Alpha Brain

#5 Exogenous Ketones (Ketone Esters)

The ketogenic diet (KD) has gained huge attention in recent years. One of the biggest advocates for the ketogenic diet and keto supplements is Dr. Dominic D’Agostino who interestingly studied how ketones enhance brain energy production and resilience in extreme environments (high pressure and high oxygen). Exogenous ketones are essentially supplemental ketones that are from an external source, noting that our bodies produce ketones naturally (endogenously) when we enter a fasted state.

In short, the aim of the ketogenic diet is to mimic the effects of fasting, switching the body to using ketones as fuel rather than fat or carbohydrates. 

KD provides adequate amounts of energy and protein to athletes, avoiding protein deficiency but, at the same time, the KD, by inducing a “fasting-like” state, leads to alterations in metabolic pathways and processes such as autophagy and stress resistance.

We have tried over 5 different ketone esters over the space of 2 years and this ketone ester and salts has been the best and most palatable out of any tried.

Exogenous ketones as an alternate source of fuel for brain and body have been an evolving and popular focus of biohackers and athletes. Studies have shown that ketone esters lower blood lactic acid, decrease protein breakdown, and many other benefits. Use of exogenous ketones has been advocated by Dr. D’Agostino as they can further elevate ketone levels while on the ketogenic diet and can put someone into ketosis without necessarily following a ketogenic diet. These benefits are discussed at length in a number of Joe Rogan, Tim Ferriss and Ben Greenfield podcasts.

Final Word From RG

What we attempt to note in this article is that almost all of the supplements we mention have some degree of overlap in nootropics and cognition. Although you may be supplementing for a particular benefit, be it athletic or cognitive, chances are if you supplement using any supplements in the aforementioned list you are achieving a 2-for-1 deal which we love.

As always, please remain aware that none of the advice in this article is of a medical nature, and we recommend that you always seek a medical professional's advice for such advice. We simply offer a number of alternatives, of which we have conducted our own due diligence and trialled with some degree of noticeable benefit, hence the reason we recommend them.