Nootropics

                                                     NOOTROPICS.

Imagine every morning before going to work, you could take a pill that will help you stay alert, stay focused, improve your memory and increase your creativity and productivity.

That is precisely what they are doing more and more people in places like Silicon Valley-the world capital of technology industry located in the north of California where in recent years have gained popularity called nootropics.

These substances whose name derives from the Greek "nóos" (mind) and "trope" (direction) - supposedly have the ability to help us improve our mental performance, without negative side effects.

Despite the skepticism that exists between the scientific community about its effectiveness, these "cognitive enhancers" are increasingly used in the intellect prevails over any other quality competitive work environments.

Under the umbrella of nootropics include, for example, chemical compounds of the family of the racetamos like piracetam or pramiractam- and substances such as vitamins or amino acids found in many foods and plants, and can be purchased in stores nutritional supplements or herbal.

Some are used to treat the elderly who have a change in their cognitive mechanisms and suffering from diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer's drugs.

Proponents say it helps, for example, to improve memory, learning ability and concentration. UNPACKING nootropics are used for treating elderly suffering from diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer's drugs.

Often medications such as Adderall, which is prescribed to treat disorders such as hyperactivity and narcolepsy, but are also used by students as cognitive enhancers, despite producing side effects such as arrhythmia or anxiety are included.

In the case of nootropics, the Romanian Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea established in the 70's to be conideradered as such, and can enhance cognitive abilities, should not be toxic, addictive and have significant side effects.

There is no consensus on how to operate many of the substances considered nootropics, but those who use them believe that enhance brain metabolism.

Although no official figures, in countries like the US its use has been increasing in recent years, proliferating online blogs and forums that discuss which substances have to consume and in what quantities.

With the increase in demand, they have also multiplied companies engaged in market pills containing various substances considered nootropics, such as caffeine or omega 3 fatty acids.

Some of these companies, as Nootroo and Nootrobox are   startups   Silicon Valley securing count among its investors with important names in the technology industry.

One of the things that concerns some health experts is that many users are buying through internet nootropics, unable to verify their origin and quality. 

Ome "smart drugs" like Adderall are used by students.

They also note that the effects of nootropics determined by the amounts to be taken and metabolism of who is consuming, with no studies have determined their long-term effects.

A few years ago Jesse Lawler, a computer programmer living in Los Angeles, became interested in other nootropics and smart drugs.

"When I found smart drugs I realized that could be useful for the kind of mental tasks he had to do in my daily work," says Lawler, who produces and presents the podcast   Smart Drug Smarts.

"To me I have found very useful, for example, maintain long periods of concentration. The use as tools to improve my mental state," Lawler explained. What if you could take a pill to improve your memory and increase creativity and productivity?

Lawler says that "in our society the word drug has negative connotations" and notes that the drugs he takes "have beneficial physiological effects."

"Also, try to follow a balanced diet and exercise. Never take anything that could have a negative effect on my body and especially on my brain," said Lawler, who notes that especialemnte nootropics are popular among workers in Silicon Valley and Wall Street.

"With smart drugs it is the idea that if you take to enhance your intelligence're cheating. I do not think there's anything wrong with wanting your brain work better."

Lawler recognizes that there is "confusion over which substances should take and how to take them" among users of nootropics and there are many people who are taking the opportunity to make money. "

"If you plan to buy something on the internet you have to be very careful," he warns.

Lucien Thomson, professor of neuroscience at the University of Texas at Dallas, doubts the effectiveness of many nootropics "as the studies conducted are inconclusive."

"Many of the systems we know and neurotransmitters that are involved in memory are also involved in other processes, so if you take something to improve memory are affecting other brain functions, with unpredictable effects," said Thomson in conversation with BBC world.

Some experts question the effectiveness of many nootropics.

"Besides, you can not control the amounts of these substances that people are taking. (...) Not having proper supervision and do not take into account the possible side effects can have dangerous consequences," said the expert.

"The best strategy for improving cognitive functions is to maintain good physical health. We know that brain plasticity improves with exercise. People unfortunately leads a sedentary life and hope to fix it with a pill, which is absurd."

"Also, you have to be mentally active -Making crosswords for example and maintain social interactions-and I do not mean the social-networks but talk to other people. All this has benefits for memory."

Thomson does not deny that there are some drugs that can have positive effects on memory, but notes that "most of which are marketed as nootropics have not shown beneficial effects in studies that have been carried out".

bbc/uk

@RdzgCarlos

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