Last year, the health department of the Military briefly touched on the use of nootropics within the military. The article covers the benefits of nootropics, such improving memory, focus, energy, critical thinking and for mood control.
The following image was shared in the article, depicting two marine soldiers shopping within a dietary shop for nootropic supplements:
Why are soldiers taking nootropics, and even more importantly, what are nootropics? Nootropics refer to either a natural or man-made substance that improves cognitive function. It actually wasn’t even until the 1970’s that such substances were labeled as “nootropics”.
Now hear me out, nootropics aren’t anything new, they’ve actually been used in traditional medicine all over the world for many centuries, but it wasn’t until the 21st century that their benefits become well known and closely studied.
Every watched the movie “Limitless”, or any other movie that depicts the main character taking some super pill that makes him super-human? Well if you follow the storyline closely, you’ll hear the word nootropics being passed around, so yes, the popularity of nootropics is actually one of the main reasons why such movies exist today.
Before you get all excited, nootropics cannot and will never make you a “super-human”. They are simply effective substances that make you a more productive person, but that is where it ends.
Those soldiers in the image are likely shopping for nootropics that improve energy or concentration. While coffee has been a fan favorite for the whole world for increased energy, nootropics have begun to replace that category due to their longer lasting effects and the increase in magnitude.
Even though the article doesn’t touch on what sort of nootropics the soldiers are purchasing, I would take a guess that it would be L-Carnitine for energy and Noopept for concentration. L-Carnitine is actually naturally produced in the body already, but the average person has a deficiency of this substance, so it makes sense to take a supplement to satisfy that deficiency. Noopept, on the other hand, was actually created by the Russian Government back in the 90’s, and today it is known as one of the most effective nootropics for improving focus and concentration.
A bottle of L-Carnitine sells for $23 on Amazon. This includes 200 capsules and you’re supposed to take 2 capsules daily. For Noopept, there isn’t any particular source I recommend purchasing from, so your best bet is to pick up a bottle at your local pharmacy. Do keep in mind that all nootropics are sold over-the-counter and they are not FDA approved since they are referred to as “dietary supplements”.
Outside of purchasing nootropics individually, the most optimal and preferred way to take nootropics are through a nootropic stack. Sounds fancy, but all a nootropic stack is simply a single capsule that contains several nootropics in one. Since there are nootropics for nearly every sort of cognitive function, you don’t want to end up swallowing a dozen capsules daily, it’s simpler and more cost effective to just take two capsules daily.
A legitimate nootropic stack typically sells for $20-$50 depending on where you purchase it. One of the most popular nootropic stacks on the market today is Cogniflex™ Smart Drug — Unlock Your Brain’s Potential.
If you purchase in bulk, each bottle comes out to around $25 and lasts for 30 days.
The following nootropics are found in Cogniflex:
L-Carnitine
L-Theanine
Bacopa Monieri
Rhodiola Rosea
Vitamin B6
In favor of not making this post too long, you can read up on those nootropics on ReviewingThis, it’s a post completely dedicated to analyzing Cogniflex.
As with any serious supplements, it is best to refer to your doctor to make sure that you can safely take any sort of nootropics. While the benefits of nootropics are attractive, staying safe and healthy is considerably more important.
Additional Sources:
Cogniflex Video Review
Cogniflex Review by PureNootropic
Cogniflex on Quora
