# Do nootropics/"smart drugs" really work?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nootropics-smart-drugs-really-work/401906>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 27, 2007, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nootropics-smart-drugs-really-work/401906 "2007-04-27T22:46:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nootropics-smart-drugs-really-work/401906/1 "2007-04-27T22:46:19Z")

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Do [“smart drugs,”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_drugs) aka nootropics, really enhance one’s intelligence, cognitive ability, memory, or anything else? If so, is there any downside? Have any of you tried them? What was your experience?

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nootropics-smart-drugs-really-work/401906/2 "2007-04-28T19:17:11Z")

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Nobody has an opinion?

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**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2007, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nootropics-smart-drugs-really-work/401906/3 "2007-04-28T19:21:54Z")

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Not only do they work, but I am aware of what the emotional effect on you of making you wait 20.5 hours for a reply will be.

Which is why I have called the police. They will be with you in approximately three minutes.

Also, I have just worked out the unified field theory. But my wife want me to cook fajitas, so I can’t tell you. I just hope I write it down before the nootropics wear off.

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**Author:** ![Yag\_Rannavach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/858c86/32.png) [@Yag\_Rannavach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yag_Rannavach)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2007, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nootropics-smart-drugs-really-work/401906/4 "2007-04-28T19:49:27Z")

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[QUOTE=jjimm]  
Also, I have just worked out the unified field theory. But my wife want me to cook fajitas, so I can’t tell you. I just hope I write it down before the nootropics wear off.  
[/QUOTE]

You know the government won’t let you live that long.