Neural enhancement via chemical stimulation is a concept more closely associated with sci-fi cinema than your most recent prescription. Yet, with the constant expansion of research into new and exciting forms of science and medicine, the lines between fiction and reality no longer hold so much stake. The supplementation market is one which is saturated with new products. As advancements into the research and development of nutraceuticals uncover new chemical combinations, more and more trialled and improved products are pushed into production by pharmaceutical companies.

But what is a nootropic? Strictly speaking, a nootropic is a cognitive enhancer. They are designed to improve mental function including memory, intelligence, motivation, attention, concentration and cognition by mediating the availability of neurochemicals by providing the brain with an abundance of oxygen or by directly stimulating nerve growth.  They are constructed combinations of food substances and purified components of medicinal plants designed to act as neurotransmitter pre-cursors. They have been proven to increase neurotransmitter synthesis, although effects on neurotransmitter firing are yet to be discovered.

The human brain is comprised of ten million communicating neurons, all connected to trillions of synapsis working in conjunction with your neurotransmitters. These are endogenous chemicals that send signals from your neurons to a targeted cell across a synapse and are responsible for the functionality of most of your body’s interior workings; from serotonin production to the mediation and distribution of glutamine throughout your extremities. Supplementation of vital chemical nutrients has been a practise utilised in medicine for decades, primarily by isolating chemical compounds, engineering a substance with a similar or copied molecular structure and introducing it into the body in the form of vitamins. Nootropics are  a notable extension of that tradition.

Perhaps the most widely utilised and available nootropic is Piracetam. It is inexpensive, accessible and entirely non-toxic. Although there is little scientifically verified evidence to support it’s effectiveness as a nootropic, there is a wealth of evidence citing the cognitive potential of the drug. Primarily is it used for the treatment of several disorders including deep vein thrombosis, asphasia and closed craniocerebral trauma, as well as many others. Like any supplementation product, you can acquire the individual chemicals yourself, determining your own dosage and potency. Alternatively you can purchase a pharmaceutical product, which will boast its own superior blend of chemical compounds.

 AlphaBrain is one such product, produced by pharmaceutical conglomerate Onnit, who are responsible for several other nootropic and alternative health supplementation products. AlphaBrain is said to deliver all the promises of nootropics and has a large body of positive testimonials, recognising it’s potency as a nootropic and. It is also regularly recognized for the prominent effect it has on dreams. Active chemicals within the product intensify your dream state, perhaps increasing the productivity of REM sleep. Some testimonials have even cited experiences with lucid dreaming.

Although the recognised findings on nootropics remains speculative, with such positivity found within testimonials and the capacity of modern marketing, it seems it is only a matter of time until these new pharmaceutical products find their place within the medicated mainstream.