Racetams
Table of Contents
Too much has already been written about this. I took Piracetam religiously when I started grad school in 1994. It definitely increases some aspect of intentionality energy. But what?
Well—aggression, it turns out. Studies show that is only increases aggression and the frequency with which down syndrome children masturbate in public. It may be possible to harness or sublimate these effects. As a placebo, I give Piracetam a B+.
As for the other racetams, I haven’t tried them yet.
Aniracetam
Anecdotal effects: Creativity, Learning, Memory, Mood.
Aniracetam supposedly aids in “collective and holistic thinking,” or organizing information into an illuminating unity. Physiologically, it increases blood flow and activity in the association cortex. Aniracetam also increases the release of dopamine and serotonin via cholinergic mechanisms in the prefrontal cortex. Aniracetam is currently being studied in its capacity as an AMPA modulator to treat depression and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dose (E): 500–750 mg twice daily with meals, totaling 1000 – 1500 mg per day.
Evidence scores: None.
Coluracetam
Anecdotal effects: Anxiety, Creativity, Learning, Memory, Mood.
Wiki/Mechanism of action: Coluracetam enhances high-affinity choline uptake (HACU), which is the rate-limiting step of acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis. Studies have shown coluracetam to improve learning impairment on a single oral dose given to rats which have been exposed to cholinergic neurotoxins. Subsequent studies have shown that it may induce long-lasting procognitive effects in cholinergic neurotoxin-treated rats by changing the choline transporter regulation system.
Coluracetam does not have a large body of evidence investigating it, but the mechanisms of action (as well as structute) appear to be very distinct from other racetam compounds like Piracetam or Aniracetam.
Dose (E): 3.2–32.7 mg, once per day.
Evidence scores: None.
Fasoracetam
Anecdotal effects: Anxiety, Focus, Learning, Memory, Mood, Motivation.
Animal tests suggest that fasoracetam prevents reduces amnesia and forgetfulness, though there is no available data for human subjects.
Dose (B): 10 – 50 mg.
Evidence scores: None.
Oxiracetam
Anecdotal effects: Energy, Focus, Learning, Memory.
Wiki/Clinical findings: The proven effects of the drug are limited to beneficial effects that lead to higher scores in tests for logical performance, attention, concentration, memory and spatial orientation. These tests were performed on patients with mild to moderate dementia and ADHD, and the doses were 800–2400 mg orally twice a day for one to six months. Improvement has also been seen in patients with exogenic post-concussion syndrome, organic brain syndromes and other dementias. According to V. Gallai et al, oxiracetam is more effective than piracetam for this purpose.
Dose (E/B): Three doses of 400 mg or 800 mg, totaling 1200 – 2400 mg per day. Or 750 to 1500 mg split into two or three doses
Evidence scores: Cognitive decline (minor, 3), Memory in damaged (minor, 2), Dementia quality of life (minor, 2), Dementia verbal fluency (minor, 2), Dementia physical functionality (0), Alzheimer’s symptoms (0).
Phenylpiracetam
Anecdotal effects: Energy, Memory, Physical performance.
Wiki/Animal model research: Rats given 1 mg/kg amphetamine performed an average of 150% as much work and consumed 50% as much non-preferred rat chow than control rats; rats given 10 mg/kg methylphenidate [Concerta] performed 170% as much work and consumed similarly; and rats given 100 mg/kg phenylpiracetam performed an average of 375% as much work, and consumed little non-preferred rat chow.
Present data show that (R)-phenylpiracetam increases motivation, i.e., the work load, which animals are willing to perform to obtain more rewarding food. At the same time consumption of freely available normal food does not increase. Generally this indicates that (R)-phenylpiracetam increase motivation […] The effect of (R)-phenylpiracetam is much stronger than that of methylphenidate and amphetamine.
Dose (E+B): 100–200 mg taken 2–3 times per day (totaling a daily range of 200–600 mg). Tolerance is supposed to develop quickly.
Evidence scores: Cognition in damaged (minor, 2), Physical functioning in elderly (minor, 2), Stroke recovery (minor, 1), Rate of cognitive decline (minor, 1), Stroke depression (minor, 1), Fatigue in damaged (0).
Piracetam
Anecdotal effects: Learning, Memory.
Wiki/Effects: Symptoms of general excitability, including anxiety, insomnia, irritability, headache, agitation, nervousness, tremor, and hyperkinesia, are occasionally reported. Other reported side effects include somnolence, weight gain, clinical depression, weakness, increased libido, and hypersexuality.
Dose (E+B): Between 1200–4800mg a day. The largest effective dose is 1600mg, taken three times a day for a total of 4800mg. One study found improved cognition after 14 days of supplementing 1200 mg (split into three doses) per day.
Evidence scores: Cognitive decline (notable, 4), Backwards recall (minor, 2), Stroke recovery (0), Cognition in healthy (0).
Lobaugh, N. J. & Karaskov, V. (1999). Piracetam Does Not Enhance Cognitive Abilities in Moderate to High-Functioning 7 to 13 Year-old Children with Down Syndrome. Pediatric Research, 45 (16A).
Piracetam will make you aggressive, agitated, horny, irritable, and likely to masturbate in public. But as a placebo, it works. My friend Henri and I used to drive to Loredo when I started grad school and buy it by the duffel load. It made me angry and irritable, but it was famously “effective” so I expected more from myself and, so, worked harder.
Pramiracetam
Anecdotal effects: Focus, Memory.
Dose (E=B): Human studies use either 400 mg thrice daily or 600 mg twice daily; both of these dosing regiments totals 1200mg of pramiracetam daily.
Evidence scores: Forgetting after scopolamine (minor, 2), Cognition after brain trauma (minor, 1), Memory in old and damaged (minor, 1), Cognition in healthy (0).