# What is your nootropic stack? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 23, 2018, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390 "2018-02-23T04:03:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mandala](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mandala/32/95_2.png) [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/1 "2018-02-23T04:03:39Z")
Do you have a nootropic stack that you take regularly? How long have you been taking it, and how has it helped you? Has it harmed you? I am not sure if herbs like St John’s Wort count as nootropics… but for the purposes of this thread let’s assume they are. I was taken in by all the tall talk about Piracetam, and took it for a while, years ago. I am neither smarter nor wiser, just older. Side-effect, maybe? I also took prescription Modafinil; now this is an effective drug. It made me awake-r and feeling good, but eventually, I noticed it exacerbates tic-like sensations and worsens (somehow) my chronic neck pain. So no more Modafinil for me. A month back, with some extra cash to blow, and serious competition at the workplace, I came back to Piracetam 800mg + Citicoline 500mg per day, plus one capsule SJW for kicks. I am feeling no smarter (or even any different) yet, but maybe it is too soon. I have not tried the more powerful ones like Aniracetam, PhenylGABA etc. Anybody with experience is welcome to weigh in. TIA. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/2 "2018-02-23T04:09:35Z")
In college I liked the combo of bacopa, piracetam and DMAE. However it wore off if I took it everyday. But for short bursts like studying sessions it was useful. Right now I take vitamin D, Magnesium, fish oil and a few other things for various forms of mental and physical health. I used to really like adrafinil. I could take 150mg on a night where I only got 2 hours sleep and I’d function fine. Ever since Olmifon stopped making it, the market is flooded with garbage that doesn’t work. I can get modafinil but never tried it instead. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/3 "2018-02-23T04:13:30Z")
My only nootropic is SDMB. By ingesting it regularly I am able to learn things I did not know, like the word “nootropic.” ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/4 "2018-02-23T04:22:59Z")
Omg, me too!^^^ ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/5 "2018-02-23T04:28:01Z")
If you lop off the “n”, you get “ootropic”, which could mean “moving egg”, which sounds a little creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/6 "2018-02-23T07:05:10Z")
Or ticklish! ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/7 "2018-02-23T08:56:04Z")
A good night’s sleep always worked for me. ---
**Author:** ![mandala](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mandala/32/95_2.png) [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/8 "2018-02-23T19:05:48Z")
> [@edwardcoast](#): > > A good night’s sleep always worked for me. And which pill do you take for sleep? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mandala](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mandala/32/95_2.png) [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/9 "2018-02-23T19:10:22Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > In college I liked the combo of bacopa, piracetam and DMAE. However it wore off if I took it everyday. But for short bursts like studying sessions it was useful. > > Right now I take vitamin D, Magnesium, fish oil and a few other things for various forms of mental and physical health. > > I used to really like adrafinil. I could take 150mg on a night where I only got 2 hours sleep and I’d function fine. Ever since Olmifon stopped making it, the market is flooded with garbage that doesn’t work. I can get modafinil but never tried it instead. Years back I’d gotten myself the garbage Adrafinil and naturally it didn’t work and I threw it away very shortly. Legit Modafinil is awesome, but it exacerbated my OCD/tic-like symptoms and made my mind race, instead of focusing it down. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/10 "2018-02-23T19:17:56Z")
I don’t know why finding legit adrafinil is so hard. I’ve tried several brands. Either the market is full of fakes, or Olmifon was spiking their adrafinil with something else. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/11 "2018-02-23T19:31:12Z")
I like the Nootropic Stack they serve at IHOP (all-you-can-eat curcumin pancakes with blueberry syrup and chitlins). \*my beloved spouse’s one-time nickname was Mrs. Short Stack. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/12 "2018-02-23T19:51:03Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > If you lop off the “n”, you get “ootropic”, which could mean “moving egg”, which sounds a little creepy. But eggs move around all the time. (As long as they’re inside the chicken.) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/13 "2018-02-23T21:07:13Z")
All I can say is that I hope I die before I get to the point where I have to refer to the amount of medications I take as a “stack”. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/14 "2018-02-23T21:12:12Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > All I can say is that I hope I die before I get to the point where I have to refer to the amount of medications I take as a “stack”. :dubious: It’s a transhumanist term intended to make the consumption of unregulated ‘supplements’ of questionable efficacy sound more science-y. Like how PR people like to say that some area of competence is “in our DNA” even though they can barely spell DNA. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/15 "2018-02-23T21:25:15Z")
I drink a couple cups of coffee in the morning … that keeps me going until it rundgts gfua bije ndjshagb … ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/16 "2018-02-23T22:44:59Z")
Chocolate. As the Gods intended! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/17 "2018-02-23T22:50:28Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > It’s a transhumanist term intended to make the consumption of unregulated ‘supplements’ of questionable efficacy sound more science-y. Like how PR people like to say that some area of competence is “in our DNA” even though they can barely spell DNA. > > Stranger While I completely agree with this statement, I am still puzzling over whether or not there are cis-humanists. I suppose there must be. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/18 "2018-02-24T05:22:29Z")
I don’t regularly take any these days, I always try some if I am attempting to counter side effects from a medication or something that needs or may need correction. I was taking Inositol, for anxiolytic properties. Milk Thistle when I was a heavy drinker, Turmeric when I was a heavy smoker, Ginko Biloba during school to help my short term memory, Melatonin (does that count?) I still take some days when I oversleep and need to get to bed early the next night. I found a strange website before that has information on a lot of nootropics, [lycaeum.org](http://lycaeum.org), It’s mostly stuff for burnouts but it does prove to have some useful information when you can find cites. ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/19 "2018-02-24T09:37:28Z")
> [@mandala](#): > > And which pill do you take for sleep? 😃 None. I read 10-15 minutes before I turn the lights off and go to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390/20 "2018-02-24T11:46:32Z")
I had some success with modafinil a few years ago. Tried piracetam, too, but that didn’t do much for me. I microdose sometimes, either with LSD or (very rarely) with mescaline. As for yer regular garden variety supplements and such, I drink coffee and/or tea, and I take magnesium, vitamin D and l-theanine. I’m quite tempted to try out creatine and l-citrulline, too, since I’ve gotten a lot more active in the last year or so. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-nootropic-stack/809390.md?page=2)