The first smart drug I consumed was coffee. Cheap, bitter, effective. Then came curiosity. They are pills, powders, mixtures of mushrooms, with indie band-like sounding names. The promise? Sharper focus. Better memory. A brain, which at 3 p. m. does not grind to a halt. What Are Nootropics.

The term Nootropics is an ugly umbrella term. It contains caffeine, L-theanine, creatine, bacopa, modafinil and the list of herbs which your grandmother may have heard of. There are others who are well-grounded. Others are surfing on hype like a surfer who is chasing a wave which has already broken.

The former is the most evident: caffeine. It works. It blocks adenosine, you are alert and the world is not a nap invitation. Add it along with L-theanine and the jitters are relaxed. Consider it as coffee with etiquette. No magic, but trustworthy.

Creatine surprises people. It is also known to contain muscles, of course, but also helps the energy of the brain in strenuous efforts. In some of the studies there is an indication of increased short-term memory especially when it comes to stress or sleep deprivation. It’s cheap and boring. Boring can be good.

Bacopa monnieri is less fast. Weeks, not hours. It has some evidence that it is helpful in the formation of memory. The catch? It may lead to stomach discomfort and one has to wait. You can be disappointed at anticipating fireworks. It is rather a tree-planting.

Then there’s modafinil. Prescription territory. Powerful impacts on alertness and concentration. And a memory of there being trade-offs in biology. Sleeplessness, headaches, and the possibility of leaning on it excessively. It makes it a crutch when you use it as a crutch.

Stacks -the combination of two or more compounds-they sound like a good idea. Sometimes they are. Occasionally they are a kitchen sink. The extra ingredients do not translate to greater performance. Your brain isn’t a smoothie.

Reality check: Sleep is better than pills. Hydration beats powders. A 20 minutes walk has the ability of clearing the fog faster than a capsule would. It’s not glamorous, but it’s real. Nootropics could help in pushing limits, instead of denying your operating system.

Placebo is a consideration. And it is no insult. Expectation changes perception. When you sit down and work, because that’s what a routine makes you do, then that is doing something, even though the chemistry involved may be mild.

Safety matters. Start low. Track how you feel. Individually. To have five new compounds in a morning is equivalent to putting all the knobs together and wondering why the music is not playing.

Cost creeps in. Fancy is a mixture of love fancy prices. Read labels. Numerous recipes conceal minute dosages by listing lengthy ingredients lists on the packaging. A designation, which is in the nature of a novel, might be restitutionary.

Anecdote time. A promise by a pile of mushrooms was given by one of my friends. Concentrate on the laser said he. I tried it. Felt…fine. Then I knew that this was actually the change: he had begun to block distractions and set a timer. The capsules were credited with the credit. The work was done by the habit.

The identity trap is another. I am a kind of a person, who needs X to do. Careful with that story. It can box you in. The instruments should be able to assist you, rather than to create you.

Be interested, should you be, start small. Caffeine plus L-theanine. Maybe creatine. Say goodbye to each of them. Keep notes. Sleep enough. Eat like an adult. Move your body. Then take the decisions as to whether the extra layer is warranted.

Nootropics are neither evil nor good. They are instruments whose edges are not straight. Some fit your hand. Some don’t. What is needed is being able to see the difference–and not attempting to steal a capsule to perform the task of a life.