Category: Brain Health

  • Part 2: Ways To Increase And Decrease Cb1 And Cb2 Receptor Function

    Part 2: Ways To Increase And Decrease Cb1 And Cb2 Receptor Function

    The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a body-wide neurotransmitter network that is very important for your cognitive function and brain health. Therefore, Nootopia takes into account the ECS when formulating our customized nootropics. 

    In the last article, Part 1, we covered how the ECS worked. In this article, Part 2, we’ll discuss ways that you can optimize your endocannabinoid functions naturally for your best cognitive performance.

    Cb1 and Cb2 Neurons cells excited

    How Natural Substances Can Modify Cannabinoid Functions

    CB1 and CB2 receptors both vary in their downstream effects greatly, depending on the nature of the substance activating or inhibiting them. 

    1. Binding the receptors, mildly activating or inhibiting the receptor, while others strongly activate/inhibit them. 
    2. Changing the shape of the receptors themselves, so that a signal that would have previously been activating is dampened or amplified. Modifying the receptor shape can also change the downstream pathways that it activates. 
    3. Inhibiting or stimulating enzymes that degrade cannabinoids
    4. Inhibiting or stimulating enzymes that produce endocannabinoids

    The ECS is so complex and variable that any one particular input into the system may not always behave in an entirely predictable manner. So, individual responses to substances that interact with the ECS can be very individual. This is one of the reasons it’s important to customize your nootropic stacks to what works best for you. 

    Pharmaceutical Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists/Activators

    Epidiolex is an oral cannabidiol solution that is FDA approved for seizures related to a few specific conditions.

    In 25 countries, including Canada and most of Europe, Sativex (a spray that contains THC and cannabidiol) is approved for use for neuropathic pain related to multiple sclerosis. A phase 3 trial in the US to assess its safety and efficacy is expected to be completed at the end of 2022. 

    Dronabinol, AKA Marinol and Syndros, is a synthetic THC and a CB1 and CB2 receptor agonist. It is approved by the FDA as an antiemetic (anti-vomiting aid) for chemotherapy patients, and an appetite stimulant for persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). 

    Nabilone, AKA Cesamet, is a synthetic form of THC that binds CB1 and CB2 receptors, that has been FDA approved as an antiemetic (anti-vomiting aid) for chemotherapy patients where all other therapy has failed. 

    Cannabis Species

    Approximately 100 cannabinoid molecules have been isolated from Cannabis. Of these, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the best known psychoactive cannabinoid. It is an analog to anandamide, and binds to CB1 and CB2 receptors. However, its CB1 effects are what leads to its psychoactive and other neurologic properties. 

    THC affects pain, inflammation, antioxidant pathways, and has effects on muscle spasticity.

    The other widely studied and available Cannabis-derived compound is cannabidiol (CBD). Unlike THC, CBD acts as an inhibitor in the ECS. It has little to no ability to bind to CB1 or CB2 receptor sites. Instead, CBD changes the shape of the receptors, which results in a decrease in the strength of the signal from AEA, as well as THC. 

    Different Cannabis species background

    CBD can alter pain perception through effects on ion channels, such as TRPV1, and other systems outside the ECS. It also modulates pain signals by weakly inhibiting the breakdown of AEA by FAAH. This makes it synergistic with THC when it comes to modulating pain signals.

    The strong CB1 activity and subsequent psychoactive effects of THC often make it intolerable as a means to modify the ECS on its own. Whereas, CBD counteracts many of its side effects. 

    This is how various cannabinoids and other substances in Cannabis plants work together to modulate the overall effects, also known as “entourage effect.” Therefore, whole plant extracts may be the optimal approach to using Cannabis to modify the ECS. 

    The ratios of CBD and THC – as well as the nearly 100 other cannabinoids – in different Cannabis strains, leads to a wide variety of effects and experiences. If you choose to experiment with Cannabis where it is legal, it is best to proceed slowly and with respectful caution.

    Food, Nutrients, And Supplements That Can Modify The Ecs

    Fish Oil And Arachidonic Acid

    Fish oil supplementation may be beneficial to CB1 and CB2 receptor levels. Arachidonic acid and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation increases levels of eCB in pigs. Mice supplemented with the omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) show higher levels of CB1 and CB2 gene activation than controls.

    Caffeine

    Chronic caffeine consumption may cause CB1 receptors on GABA neurons to be more sensitive. Caffeine can also balance out the decrease in CB1 receptors caused by an acute stress. In a Finnish study, high-dose coffee consumption (8 cups per day) reduced endocannabinoid metabolites in the blood of participants.

    Chocolate

    Chocolate contains N-linoleoyl ethanolamide and N-oleoylethanolamide, both of which can inhibit AEA breakdown by FAAH. Soybeans, hazelnuts, oatmeal, and millet also contain very similar compounds.

    Cruciferous Vegetables

    Brassica/cruciferous vegetables contain indole-3-carbinol, which gets metabolized in the body to 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM). DIM is a weak CB2 activator. It can also be taken in supplement form.

    Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    Extra virgin olive oil increased activation of the gene that encodes for CB1 receptors in colon cells in rats and in a test tube environment.

    high angle view of a bottle with extra virgin olive oil, two spoons with peppercorns and salt, two bowls with paprika and turmeric arranged at the right of a rustic wooden table

    Pregnenolone

    Pregnenolone is a precursor to steroid hormones. However, the brain makes its own pregnenolone that acts in the central nervous system in very different ways than in the rest of the body. In the brain, pregnenolone is a neurosteroid. It modulates neurotransmitter functions and contributes to the regulation of mood and cognitive function.

    The brain increases pregnenolone production in response to THC. Pregnenolone, in turn, modifies the CB1 receptor in such a way that it turns down the intensity of the signal. This is seen as a protective mechanism of the brain against overactivation of CB1. 

    Pregnenolone supplementation can lead to modulation of CB1 receptors. Studies in rodents have demonstrated pregnenolone’s ability to block the negative psychoactive effects of THC. 

    Most forms of pregnenolone will increase blood steroid hormone levels, which could be problematic. Lipolyzed, or micronized, pregnenolone can directly enter the bloodstream and larger amounts can then enter the brain, avoiding excess conversion into steroid hormones elsewhere. 

    Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)

    This is a natural fatty acid present in certain foods like egg yolks, peanut oil, and soybean lecithin. It is also made in your body. PEA’s molecular structure is similar to our endocannabinoids that modulates inflammation and pain through ECS pathways outside of the CB1 and CB2 receptors. 

    PEA:

    • Enhances certain actions of natural endocannabinoids in the body, including 2-AG and AEA
    • Increases CB2 receptor production
    • And indirectly activates CB1 and CB2 through entourage effects

    PEA may also provide neuroprotective benefits, modulate pain perception, and balance inflammation.

    Echinacea

    Various species of Echinacea, the purple coneflower, have compounds called N-alkylamides. These are “cannabimimetics”, and because they mimic other cannabinoids, they can partially activate CB2. At low concentrations, these show similar inflammation modulating effects as AEA.

    Magnolia

    Magnolia officinalis is an herbal medicine commonly used in Asian medicine for anxiety, allergies, and sleep problems. Two compounds, honokiol and magnolol, affect cannabinoid receptors and may be related to the mechanisms underlying their traditional use. Magnolol binds to and activates CB2 receptors, and its metabolite tetrahydromagnolol is 19-fold more potent at these receptors. Honokiol on the other hand, activates CB1 and inhibits CB2.

    Magnolia flower along Bayou Terrebonne near downtown Houma, Louisiana.

    Kava

    Kava (Piper methysticum), is a traditional plant medicine with complex pharmacology and mood altering effects. In particular, it demonstrates a calming effect on the nervous system. One of the active compounds, yangonin, binds to the CB1 receptor and may play a role in its ability to modulate mood. 

    Andrographis

    Andrographis is an herb used in Traditional Chinese medicine. It has not been studied in humans with regard to ECS function. However, a rat study demonstrated the active compound andrographolide may reduce CB1 receptors in the liver.

    Miscellaneous Plant Compounds With Ecs Activity

    • β-caryophyllene, a volatile oil found in many plants including Cannabis, selectively binds to CB2 receptors.
    • Pristimerin and euphol are terpenes present in many plants that inhibit MAGL, which breaks down 2-GA, at high doses.
    • Trans-resveratrol binds human CB1 receptors. In mice, it creates an opposite response to typical CB1 activation.
    • Curcumin binds human CB1 receptors. In mice, it creates an opposite response to typical CB1 activation.
    • Genistein is a phytoestrogen found in legumes, such as soybean, that inhibits FAAH, which breaks down AEA.
    • Kaempferol is a flavonoid found in a variety of fruits and vegetables that inhibits FAAH.
    • Rutamarin, from the medicinal plant Ruta graveolens, binds to CB2 receptors. The physiologic effect is currently unknown.
    • Forskolin comes from the plant Coleus forskohlii. It is used for many purposes in traditional medicine and is a nootropic utilized by Nootopia. Chemical blockage of CB1 receptors inhibits some biochemical effects of forskolin, which means it works partly through the ECS.
    • ECGC, found in green tea, binds to CB1 receptors with unknown physiologic effects.
    • Chelerythrine and sanguinarine, found in the plant Chelidonium majus, among others, binds to CB1 receptors and inhibits its activation in a test tube environment using mouse cells. 
    • Testosterone increases the number of CB1 receptors in rats.

    Cold Exposure

    There is evidence that acute exposure to cold stressors increases eCB as well as the number of CB1 receptors in the amygdala.These effects play a role in the changing of white to brown fat experienced during repeated acute exposures to cold stimuli. Brown fat contains many more mitochondria than white fat and can burn fat for fuel, which makes it a common target for fat loss along with dietary changes.

    Conclusion

    The ECS is one of the most fundamental systems in your body that helps maintain homeostasis. It is an essential regulator of nervous system function that affects behavior, mood, and memory. 

    While it is possible to target certain eCB receptors for specific effect, the current science on exogenous ECS modulation to improve cognitive processes points toward the use of low dose stimulation and modulation approaches, from potentially a number of supportive measures, capitalizing on the entourage effect.

    Remember, the ECS is the primary regulator of neurotransmitter flow and signaling through your central nervous system. Optimizing your ECS while using your personalized Nootopia brain stacks is a way to reach your peak potential to achieve what we like to call, “God Mode”.

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  • Part 1: What Is The Endocannabinoid System And Its Effects On Your Cognitive Function?

    Part 1: What Is The Endocannabinoid System And Its Effects On Your Cognitive Function?

    The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a bodywide neurotransmitter network that is vital for your cognitive function and brain health. However, to date, we’re not aware of any nootropic supplement that targets the ECS. Part of the reason that Nootopia’s customized nootropics are so effective is because we formulate them taking into account the ECS without using any cannabis ingredients. 

    If your goal is to optimize your cognitive function, happiness, and health, it’s critical to pay attention to your endocannabinoid system. In this article, Part 1, we’ll cover the latest research on the endocannabinoid system in the brain and body. In the next article, Part 2, we’ll cover ways that you can increase or decrease your endocannabinoid function according to your health goals. 

    Synapse and Neuron cells sending electrical chemical signals.

    What Is The Endocannabinoid System?

    The endocannabinoid system (ECS) helps maintain balance throughout the entire body, especially the brain. ECS receptors are on nearly every cell in your body and they mainly do the job of fine-tuning. 

    Inside the nervous system, the ECS regulates a wide variety of functions and development. It fine-tunes, orchestrates, and regulates your entire brain’s neural network, keeping all parts of your brain in sync and flow.

    Outside the brain, the ECS influences your:

    • Fat and glucose metabolism
    • Energy balance
    • Inflammation 
    • Cardiovascular health
    • Gut health 
    • And more

    The ECS has 4 primary components that can be influenced, including:

    • Endogenous (made inside the body) cannabinoids; i.e., endocannabinoids 
    • Cannabinoid receptors
    • Enzymes that make endocannabinoids 
    • Enzymes that degrade endocannabinoids 

    The next section will describe these four components, their activity, and their relationship to one another.

    How Does The Endocannabinoid System Work?

    Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are lipid (fat) molecules that serve as signals that activate cannabinoid receptors. The two most well-known eCBs are 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (N-arachidonoyl ethanolamine, also known as AEA). These are by far the most researched and best understood eCBs.

    Many other lipid molecules in the body can influence the ECS, such as N-arachidonoyl dopamine, that scientists are still discovering and studying.

    How The Endocannabinoids Are Produced And Released

    Since eCBs are lipid in nature, they are not stored or easily transported in the blood and other tissues. For this reason, eCBs are not synthesized ahead of time. Instead, they are made on demand, locally, when they are needed. 

    They act in the immediate vicinity for a relatively short time. This is in stark contrast to outside cannabinoids like THC and CBD, which act for a long time throughout your body.

    In the brain, precursors to the eCBs are in the cell membrane of postsynaptic neurons. Once eCBs are needed, lipase enzymes release the precursors from the cell membrane and the cell then synthesizes the eCBs. 

    View interconnected neurons cells with electrical pulses

    The eCBs then travel backward (retrograde transmission) across the synaptic gap where they activate cannabinoid receptors on the presynaptic neuron. This receptor activation then inhibits signals coming from that neuron. 

    eCBs are quickly degraded. After they serve their short-lived purpose, eCBs are degraded by three main enzymes. 2-AG is broken down by monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) or the hydrolase enzyme ABDH6. AEA is broken down by the enzyme fatty acid amino hydrolase (FAAH). These breakdown processes end the signaling effects of the eCBs. Some natural products, such as CBD, increase endocannabinoids by blocking one of these enzymes. 

    Different Ways The Endocannabinoid Systems Work

    1. Retrograde Neurotransmission

    In typical neurotransmission, you have presynaptic (sending) neurons that release neurotransmitters to postsynaptic (receiving) neurons. With endocannabinoids, the transmission is backwards or retrograde.

    eCBs in the brain help regulate how excitable a neuron is at any given time through retrograde neurotransmission on cannabinoid receptors.

    1. Acting On Other Receptors

    Aside from activating cannabinoid receptors, your endocannabinoids can fine-tune brain function in other ways. These include: 

    • Ion channels – These open and close the flow of ions like calcium into and out of cells. These ions function as signaling molecules to activate biochemical pathways.
    • 5HT-3 – A serotonin receptor involved in nausea and vomiting
    • TRPV1 – Also known as the capsaicin receptor, it responds to heat, pH, voltage, and capsaicin in peppers, and produces the associated pain sensation.
    • GABA-A – The primary inhibitory (calming) neurotransmitter receptors. This is where benzodiazepines function, and natural calming substances like magnesium and alcohol.
    • Glycine – A major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain
    1. Other Lipid Pathways

    The endocannabinoids 2-AG and AEA are also part of other lipid pathways in the body beyond the endocannabinoid system. One example is that 2-AG contributes to prostaglandin synthesis, which influences inflammation. 

    For these reasons, as well as those that will be discussed in the section about CB1 and CB2 receptors, eCBs have a wide and complex variety of potential outcomes on physiology. 

    1. Cb1 Receptors Combine (Heterodimerize) With Other Receptors

    As if that weren’t enough, CB1 receptors can also “combine” (heterodimerize) with other brain receptors, affecting their function. Some of these include dopamine, hypocretin, and opioid receptors, and many more are known.

    1. By Regulating Neuronal Mitochondrial Functions

    CB1 receptors are present on mitochondria of neurons as well. Here, they regulate your neuronal metabolism.

    Where Are Cannabinoid Receptors In The Body Located?

    Endocannabinoid System. CB1 and CB2 Receptors. Central regulatory system that affects of biological processes in human body. Silhouette of a man and woman with internal organs and receptor areas.

    While there are a number of cannabinoid targets in humans, CB1 and CB2 receptors are by far the best understood. Each of these are located throughout the entire body. 

    CB1 receptors are most abundant in the nervous system: the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral neurons. They’re also in other tissues and organs, although at lower density: 

    • ​​Adrenal gland
    • Intestines
    • Heart
    • Lung
    • Prostate
    • Uterus
    • Ovary
    • Testis
    • Bone marrow
    • Thymus 
    • Tonsils

    In the adult brain, CB1 receptors are the most abundant in neurons that connect the GABA system. CB1 receptors are also on the neurons that produce these neurotransmitters:

    • Glutamate
    • Acetylcholine
    • Glycine
    • Serotonin
    • Dopamine
    • Norepinephrine
    • Neuropeptides

    The net effect of CB1 activation depends on which neurons it’s acting on. Glutamate neurons are excitatory (stimulating) when activated. GABA neurons, when activated, are inhibitory (calming). CB1 are in high concentration in both of these regions. 

    Therefore, endocannabinoids or even cannabis use could have net inhibitory or excitatory effects, depending on which system is receiving higher levels of inhibition. Clearly, individual variability in the distribution of CB1 receptors in the brain can determine how someone responds to cannabis.

    Imagine the possibilities when CB1 can orchestrate so many different neuronal signals with other neurotransmitters through retrograde signaling.

    Cb2 Receptors: Location And Mode Of Action

    CB2 receptors are present in relatively low numbers in the brain compared to CB1. Most CB2 receptors are on immune cells and microglia cells. In fact, CB2 is present in immune cells at levels 10-100 times that of CB1.

    CB2 is located on these cells and tissues:

    • Central and peripheral nervous system
    • White blood cells and microglia
    • Tonsils
    • Spleen
    • Thymus

    Generally, CB2 activation modulates immune function, inflammatory responses, and cytokine release. This might explain why some cannabinoids may help with inflammatory conditions and prevent autoimmunity.

    CB2 receptor numbers can naturally increase by up to 100-fold in response to tissue injury in the body, and other scenarios that cause inflammation.

    Other Functions Of The Endocannabinoid System In The Body And Associated Health Conditions

    Note: We mention a number of health conditions and health benefits potentially associated with the ECS and CB1/2 in this article for completeness. Most of these conditions are multifactorial and addressing ECS alone won’t cure them. We’re also not suggesting that any of our products can treat diseases. The information here is for educational purposes only. Please see a healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment of any disease.

    The following are known or suspected to be associated with alterations in the ECS.

    Chronic Stress 

    The ECS supports a balanced stress response. So, ECS dysfunction can make you more susceptible to negative effects of stress. Chronic stress also impairs your ECS.

    The ECS controls the release of cortisol and norepinephrine in response to stress. Cortisol increases eCBs, quickly shifting your mental and emotional state. eCBs provide neurologic feedback to the adrenal glands to slow down cortisol production, modulating the stress response.

    Faulty or low CB1 receptor function can prolong hormonal stress responses, which may lead to:

    • Anxiety-like states
    • Anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure)
    • Depressive symptoms
    • Memory problems
    • Suicidality

    Elevated cortisol, like corticosteroid drugs, increases appetite and throws off metabolism partly by increasing eCBs both in the brain and body. The appetite-inducing effects are similar to what you get from smoking weed. Scientists studied some ECS blockers to treat obesity in mice but also can cause mental illnesses, so they’re looking into ECS blockers outside the brain. 

    Pain

    Researchers have long been hunting for drug targets for pain since opiate drugs have presented numerous problems, and ECS is an obvious target. CB1 receptors are present on nociceptive (pain sensing) nerve fibers in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. CB1 activation inhibits the signal from these neurons which affects pain perception.

    CB2, with its known inflammation modulating properties, may help reduce pain caused by inflammation. It may also promote recalibration of the neurons when they have become hypersensitive to pain due to long-term inflammation.

    The endocannabinoid anandamide may work on pain through the TRPV1 receptors. These receptors produce pain in response to heat, pH, and capsaicin found in peppers.

    Gut Health

    Your gut has a specialized nervous system called the enteric nervous system (ENS). It is so extensive and complex that some have described it as the “second brain”.

    Futuristic gut brain connection concept with glowing low polygonal human brain and intestine isolated on dark blue background.

    The ENS has direct communication with the brain through the vagus nerve. This direct “talk” between the brain and the gut is called the gut-brain axis. 

    CB1 receptors are found extensively throughout this system. So, ECS is a primary regulator of the nervous system messages communicated in the gut-brain axis. 

    Activating the ECS in the gut has these effects through CB1 receptors:

    • Decreases peristalsis (movement of food through the intestines)
    • Increases hunger signaling and food intake
    • Decreases digestive enzymes and stomach acid secretion
    • May regulate metabolism in the ENS, by controlling the movement of mitochondria through the system

    Whereas, blocking CB1 activity has the opposite effects.

    Abnormal ECS may play an important role in the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBS is characterized by a hypersensitive ENS and altered peristalsis, which CB1 receptors regulate. Both IBS and IBD have inflammation as a contributing factor. CB1 and CB2 receptors play separate roles in balancing inflammation that may be protective against these gut conditions.

    Inflammation is a primary driver of leaky gut. So, by inhibiting inflammation, ECS activation may protect against leaky gut. While it is clear that the ECS is very important for gut health, all of the effects are still not fully understood. For example, while activating CB1 and CB2 receptors appears to have benefit for gut inflammation, some research has shown that activating CB1 may increase leaky gut. 

    Obesity

    Just like weed, activating the ECS can increase appetite and energy storing tendency.

    Activating the ECS can reduce fat and glucose metabolism, and shift your energy balance towards energy storage. Fasting and starvation increases CB1 activation due to increased levels of AEA and 2-AG. 

    CB1 activation changes your reward pathways, the same ones involved in addiction, increasing appetite and food consumption. CB1 activation in this scenario also makes you more sensitive to smells, which also makes you eat more.

    Possibly, some obese people may have excess CB1 activity because they have more AEA, which leads to increased food intake.

    Neurologic Diseases

    The ECS is very important in nervous system development and function, so ECS dysfunction can play a role in many neurological diseases.

    In Parkinson’s disease for example, overactive ECS can throw off the dopamine system in the brain. The ECS may also be involved in other neurological conditions such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer disease, seizure disorders, and multiple sclerosis.

    Heart And Blood Vessels

    CB1 receptors help regulate blood pressure and dilation of blood vessels. They also affect how strong your heart beat is.

    CB2 receptors on the other hand, maybe cardioprotective through reducing inflammation.

    Reproductive System

    CB1 receptors are found in Leydig cells in the testes of males. The ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus of females harbor some CB1 receptors. While scientists still don’t know all of the functions in these tissues, they hypothesize that the ECS is required for the development of eggs and sperm.

    CB1 is also present in the placenta and is essential for embryonic implantation.

    Bone Mass

    CB2 receptors are present in large numbers on cells that regulate bone metabolism – osteocytes, osteoclasts, and osteoblasts. Activation of CB2 receptors on these cells increases bone production and decreases its breakdown, leading to increased bone mass.

    How The Endocannabinoid System Regulates Cognitive Function, Mood, And Behavior

    the central nervous system mainly made up of myelinated axons

    The ECS is so important in your brain – it plays a role in emotions, cognitive function, motivation, mood, and memory. Here is a summary of how it affects these.

    Memory And Learning

    The general scientific consensus is that activation of CB1 receptors and the ECS impairs memory acquisition and long-term memory formation. Whereas, inhibiting them generally promotes memory. However, there are some mixed and even opposing results, so it’s important to understand the caveats. 

    You have a lot of CB1 receptors in your hippocampus, your brain’s memory center. This may explain why cannabis/marijuana impairs memory. However, outside cannabinoids applied throughout your body may have very different and opposite results from your own natural endocannabinoid activation. 

    In addition, experimental activation of the ECS can change your emotional, mental, and behavioral states that can impact memory acquisition, like fear, anxiety, and appetite. The effects may vary based on the dose.

    In animals, CB1 activation inhibits their ability to retain fearful memories. Normally, this is an essential aspect for survival. However, this particular effect is promising to help post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients extinguish fearful memories.

    Mood

    Emotional regulation by the ECS is related in large part to its neurotransmitter effects in the brain. The majority of research on mood regulation has been done on animals and there are mixed results. 

    The reasons for mixed results in research include:

    • Different substances used to activate the ECS
    • Duration of treatment
    • Dose of treatment 
    • Methods used to measure emotional response. 
    • Great individual and species variability in the distribution of CB1 receptors in the brain.

    What is generally observed is that low dose CB1 activation has a calming and mood enhancing effect, and high dose activation leads to excitable, anxiety-like states. This is understandable given the fact that CB1 receptors are present on glutamate and GABA neurons, which typically have opposite mood effects, especially in regard to anxiety. 

    Perhaps the most relevant finding is that the effects are largely context-dependent, meaning the above results can generally be expected if the context is conducive to the mood effects.

    Brain Reward Systems And Addiction

    Dopamine and the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic pathway are central to the reward system of addiction and its relapsing nature. CB1 receptors are found in high concentrations through the entire nervous system. They regulate the flow of neuron signals through this brain reward system. CB1 is also expressed in brain regions involved in decision-making, withdrawal, and relapse.

    High CB1 activity is typically related to elevations in drug seeking behavior and addictive tendency. This has led to the development of drugs that block CB1 activity in the effort to treat obesity and drug addiction, as well as smoking cessation. Very early on in clinical trials, CB1 agonist drugs caused psychiatric symptoms including anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. So, all trials but one were halted.

    Clearly CB1 is too essential for brain function and mood to block completely. More effective approaches could be substances rather than completely blocking it. 

    Conclusion

    Now that you understand the importance of the endocannabinoid system in your overall health and brain function, in the next article, Part 2, we’ll examine ways to increase and decrease cannabinoid function. 

    To learn more about which of your neurotransmitters need support and to get your personalized nootropic stacks, complete the Nootopia quiz here.

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  • How To Optimize Your Dopamine Levels

    How To Optimize Your Dopamine Levels

    What Is Dopamine?

    Do you know the pleasure you feel when you smell your favorite meal? Or the excitement of finding just the right look for a big event knowing you’re going to look hot? Those scenarios can cause a “feel-good” dopamine release in your body.  

    The body’s production of dopamine is two-step. It begins in the brain with the amino acid L-Tyrosine converted into L-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA). Enzymes then convert L-DOPA into dopamine. Dopamine functions as a chemical messenger to the rest of the body. 

    Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that makes you human. It fuels your drive and maintains your motivation. It affects your movements, your thinking, and even your sex drive. Dopamine rewards us with pleasure in things that help us survive, like enjoying food. It is so important that dopamine imbalances can affect your ability to enjoy daily life. 

    Since dopamine allows you to focus and learn, this article will cover how it works and how to support your dopamine function as a Nootopian.

    illustration showing neurons

    Roles Of Dopamine In Mood, Motivation, And Cognitive Functions

    Motivation 

    Dopamine activates your body’s “reward center.” When something is enjoyable, like eating dessert or playing a video game, dopamine is released and makes you feel good. And feeling good motivates you to repeat the behavior. 

    Mood 

    Dopamine can strongly affect your mood. Low levels of dopamine have been linked to feelings of depression, while excess levels can contribute to mania.

    Attention

    Attention disorders such as ADHD are linked to lower dopamine levels in the body.

    Focus

    How well you focus on a task may also be related to the reward aspect of how dopamine works in your body. If your brain perceives a job to have the potential to be more rewarding (like getting paid), your body is more likely to keep you focused on completing the task.

    African American professor and her students using laptop during lecture in the classroom.

    Cognition

    Just as dopamine can encourage your focus to get a reward, it can also improve your mental processes. When your cognition is improved, you are more likely to complete a task and be rewarded.

    Memory

    More dopamine equals better memory, especially when it comes to emotional or rewarding experiences. What do you have a better memory of? Your first kiss or the day you learned to tie your shoes? I’m guessing it was the kiss. Your first kiss was probably a more rewarding experience. This increase in dopamine tells your brain that an important event just occurred and helps transform that kiss into a long term memory.

    Learning

    How did it feel to get an answer right on a test when you were in school? Great, right? At that very moment, your brain released dopamine, and you probably became more motivated to keep getting rewarded. More studying and staying focused on learning can lead to more rewards.

    Lactation

    Prolactin is the hormone responsible for milk production in lactating mothers, and dopamine is one of the primary regulators of this hormone. In breastfeeding women, more dopamine reduces the amount of prolactin and therefore lowers milk production. In any other scenario, if dopamine is too low (often caused by stress) it can lead to an increase in prolactin which can inhibit fertility. 

    Sleep And Wakefulness 

    The pineal gland is responsible for your circadian rhythm, or how your body knows how to follow light cues to learn when to sleep and when to get up. The pineal gland does this by signaling the body when to release melatonin. When your dopamine levels increase during times of higher stimulation, it inhibits your body’s ability to release melatonin. Therefore, dopamine is one of your wakefulness neurotransmitters.

    The circadian rhythms are controlled by circadian clocks or biological clock.

    Signs Your Dopamine Levels Are Too High

    So how can you tell if you are producing too much dopamine? High levels of dopamine are associated with the following symptoms:

    • Aggressive behavior
    • Increased stress
    • Anxiety 
    • Excessive sex drive (I know that might seem like a great thing, but in this case, it’s not.)
    • High energy levels
    • Difficulty sleeping
    • Addiction (also resulted from blunted dopamine reception)

    Signs Your Dopamine Levels Are Too Low

    The following conditions are linked to low dopamine. However, many of these conditions also have other contributing causes, so increasing dopamine alone may not cure them. 

    • Moodiness 
    • Lack of motivation
    • Low energy
    • Low sex drive
    • Restless leg syndrome
    • Parkinson’s disease
    • Depression
    • Problems with short-term memory

    Natural Ways To Increase Dopamine

    There are lots of ways to increase your dopamine levels naturally. Some are as easy as making some dietary and lifestyle changes. One of the most effective and exciting ways to control your dopamine levels could be easier than you think. Read on to learn more.

    Neurons showing neuroactivity, synapses, neurotransmitters, brain, axons.

    Change Your Diet

    First, let’s talk about ways you can change your diet. You can increase your dopamine levels by eating more of the following foods:

    • Bananas or plantains
    • Avocado
    • Beans, such as fava beans and velvet beans
    • Oranges
    • Tomatoes
    • Eggplant
    • Spinach 
    • Apples
    • Peas

    Because dopamine begins with the amino acid tyrosine, foods high in tyrosine can increase dopamine levels. Add more of the following foods to your diet:

    • Nuts
    • Eggs
    • Cheese
    • Meat (beef, lamb, pork, chicken)
    • Fish
    • Dairy
    • Beans
    • Whole grains
    • Soybeans

    You may have noticed that most foods listed above are high in protein. Increasing dopamine levels is not the only reason to eat more protein.

    Certain foods may limit your body’s ability to produce dopamine. Diets high in saturated fat promote inflammation in the body and disrupt dopamine signaling.

    Change Your Lifestyle

    Exercise

    When you exercise, dopamine releases into your body. Remember that rewards system we talked about? More exercise = more rewards, and more rewards = more motivation to keep exercising.

    Relaxation

    Relaxation techniques such as meditation and mindfulness increase dopamine levels. In a study of 8 male yoga teachers, Yoga Nidra meditation increased dopamine by 65%. A study on Focused Attention Meditation (FAM), where you focus your mind on one sound, thought, object or sensation, found that the more experienced you are with meditation, the more dopamine you get while meditating.  

    Teenage girl jogging in city park. Sunny summer day sunset.

    Sunlight

    Go outside and soak up some sun. You probably already know that not getting enough sunshine over a long period of time can lead to feelings of depression and sadness. The WHO also linked low sun exposure to an increase in disease burden. 

    Sunlight provides the body with crucial vitamin D. Vitamin D not only plays a vital role in boosting your immune system, but individuals with high sun exposure have a greater amount of dopamine available than individuals with low sun exposure.

    Sleep

    Sleep is essential for our bodies to be able to:

    • Recharge
    • Improve our learning, memory, and creativity 
    • Support our ability to fight off disease
    • Support a healthy metabolism

    Atypical sleep patterns are linked to neuropsychiatric disorders. Dopamine release occurs predominantly during light sleep, which is the first stage of sleep and makes up about half of your night’s sleep. When you listen to music you enjoy, and it makes you feel good, you encourage your body to release more dopamine.

    Supplements

    Supplements are not only a way to increase your dopamine levels but also a way to increase your cognitive function overall.

    Vitamin D

    Variety of vitamin pills in wooden spoon on white background, supplemental and healthcare product, flat lay surfac

    Vitamin D not only has the ability to support dopamine production, but it also protects the dopamine system. Even within the context of a high-fat diet in mice, vitamin D mitigates the effects of saturated fat on the dopamine system.

    Probiotics

    Probiotics can do more than improve your gut health. Many even refer to the gut as your “second brain” because it produces some of the same neurotransmitters as your brain, including about half of your dopamine. 

    In a placebo-controlled study of 111 stressed adults, subjects received 1 billion CFUs of the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum per day for 12 weeks. In comparison to the placebo group, subjects who took the probiotic had a more stabilized dopamine pathway, as well as increased cognitive and memory function. 

    Ginkgo Biloba

    Long-term daily supplementation of ginkgo biloba in rats increased their dopamine levels.

    Natural Mood-boosting Herbs And Supplements

    Supplements thought to have mood-boosting effects also increase dopamine. Some examples include:

    Curcumin 

    Given at high doses in mice, curcumin inhibits the breakdown of dopamine thereby causing an increase in overall dopamine levels. The higher level of available dopamine increases the dopamine in the brain and has a mood-boosting effect. 

    Oregano Oil 

    In small doses, carvacrol, the active substance in oregano oil, increases the dopamine levels in the brain.

    Magnesium

    Magnesium is an essential mineral with a mood-boosting effect. It works partly by supporting healthy dopamine levels. 

    Magnesium Breakthrough is the most bioavailable magnesium with 7 different forms and 500 mg of pure magnesium in 2 capsules. 

    Green Tea 

    Green tea contains the amino acid L-theanine. L-theanine increases certain neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine.

    Herbal tea on wood background.

    Omega-3 Fatty Acids

    Omega-3 fatty acids help to develop and maintain the dopamine system thereby allowing the body to produce more dopamine. 

    Tyrosine

    Increased availability of the amino acid tyrosine influences the release of dopamine. When dopamine is depleted, tyrosine effectively increases dopamine. Tyrosine is helpful during short-term stress. 

    DL-Phenylalanine (DLPA)

    DLPA is an amino acid crucial to the production of dopamine. DLPA produces tyrosine which, in turn, produces dopamine.

    Natural Ways To Reduce Dopamine

    What do you do if your dopamine levels are too high? Below are some supplements to check out.

    Supplements That Increase Serotonin

    Increasing your serotonin levels can decrease your dopamine levels and vice versa. The following are supplements can increase serotonin and may suppress dopamine levels:

    • Melatonin
    • Lithium
    • Manganese

    Bacopa Monnieri

    Bacopa is a medicinal Ayurvedic herb that modulates dopamine. In fact, it is considered to be an adaptogenic herb and can either increase or decrease dopamine as needed.

    Licorice Root

    The flavonoid isoliquiritigenin, found in licorice root, can block dopamine production.

    The Takeaway

    Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter that plays a role in your brain and your gut. When your dopamine levels are off-balance, it can affect your mood, cognitive function, motivation, motor function, and experiences of pleasure.

    There are many natural ways to balance or enhance your dopamine levels. One of the most effective ways is by taking Nootropics. But first, find out what kind of neurotransmitter support you need the most with our quiz here.

    References:

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    7. Neuroscience News. The role of dopamine in motivation and learning. Neuroscience News. Published November 24, 2015. Accessed June 30, 2022. https://neurosciencenews.com/dopamine-learning-reward-3157/
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  • All About GABA

    All About GABA

    GABA, or γ-Aminobutyric acid, is an amino acid acting as an inhibitory neurotransmitter known for helping you relax. It is an essential part of the central nervous system of any adult mammal. Having optimal GABA function and balance is critical for many aspects of cognitive function. In this article, we will cover the roles of GABA in the brain and cognitive functioning, as well as how you can optimize your GABA levels. 

    The Roles Of GABA In The brain

    Since GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, it reduces the excitability of neurons and inhibits the transmission of signals between neurons. By preventing neurons from being over-stimulated, GABA is important for your brain and mental health. 

    Neurons which GABA controls are in the brainstem, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and thalamus, but not limited to these areas. GABA’s functions typically oppose excitatory neurotransmitters, such as glutamate, preventing over-excitation which can damage neurons. 

    Human brain with highlighted cerebellum and close-up view of Purkinje neurons, one of the commonest types of cells in cerebellar cortex,

    In order to affect neural transmission, GABA needs to bind to GABA receptors on your neurons. There are two types of GABA receptors: Receptor A and Receptor B. 

    Receptor A is fast-acting. It allows chloride ions into your neurons, inhibiting signal propagation. 

    Receptor B acts slower. The binding of GABA blocks calcium ions, which further blocks the release of other neurotransmitters that could have excited the neuron. This also inhibits the neurons from passing signals onto its neighbors. 

    How GABA (Or The Lack Of Tt) Can Affect Your Health And Cognitive Function

    Disclaimer: GABA is a very important neurotransmitter for the following cognitive functions. Since low GABA or GABA imbalance contribute to many brain, neurological, and mental health disorders, we discuss these conditions for educational purposes only. Keep in mind that since many factors contribute to these conditions, correcting GABA alone typically does not cure these health conditions. We also do not imply that any Nootopia products can treat, cure, or diagnose any disease. None of our products are approved for these purposes. Please consult a doctor to get diagnosed and treated for your health conditions. 

    Focus

    GABA affects concentration and ability to think, focus, and problem-solve.

    30 individuals participated in a clinical study that investigated the effects of GABA on fatigue and problem-solving performance. 9 participants had chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis. Participants received a beverage containing 0, 25, and 50mg of GABA. The group that received the 50mg beverage experienced lower fatigue and performed better at solving a complex mathematical problem. The results showed that GABA is important for focus and problem-solving. 

    Student focused working on laptop in library

    Another study compared GABA amounts in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The participants were 13 children with ADHD, compared to 19 without ADHD. Those with ADHD had lower levels of GABA than the control group. Therefore, GABA  imbalance can contribute to ADHD. 

    People with overactive brains may find it easier to focus by supporting their GABA, whereas those with underactive brains may find it harder to focus with more GABA.

    Executive Function

    Executive function refers to a set of cognitive functions that allow us to set goals, plan, and get things done. GABA is important for executive function because executive function involves self control and the ability to tune out irrelevant things. Executive function may decline with age partly because GABA levels decline with age.

    A study measured GABA levels in 94 older adults without cognitive impairment. Participants with higher GABA levels in the frontal cortex had significantly better cognitive performance and executive function.

    Additionally, another study examined executive function and GABA in 30 healthy, bipolar adults. Low performance on executive function tests correlated with low GABA levels, suggesting that GABA is important for executive function.

    Team leader is lecturing his employees in loft office using white board, copy space

    Verbal Fluency

    Inferior frontal gyrus is a part of the brain responsible for language. Lower GABA levels found in the left area of this region correlate with higher scores on the verbal fluency test. 

    As GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, the blockage of many signals in the inferior frontal gyrus might reduce the verbal fluency and spoken language. 

    Short-Term, Long-Term, And Working Memory

    Your memory can be short-term, long-term, or somewhere in between: working memory. Memory is a basis of virtually any cognitive function.

    Levels of GABA in the frontal lobe fluctuate during the working memory creation and recall. During the first memory task, the 16 healthy participants had higher levels of GABA than before the task. However, the levels sharply dropped with the next memory task, and followed this trend continuously as tasks got harder. 

    Similarly, another memory test-based study showed that higher GABA to glutamate ratio correlates with lower memory accuracy. It occured in a study involving 20 male participants performing more demanding memory tasks. 

    In the prefrontal cortex, increased GABA to glutamate ratio reduced working memory capacity in 23 individuals undergoing the working memory index test. 

    Stress Response

    GABA prevents inappropriate and excessive emotional, as well as behavioral, responses to stress. However, prolonged stress might disturb the GABAergic pathways, thus enhancing strong emotional reactions and potential development of neuropsychological disorders. 

    Amygdala is a brain region located in the temporal lobes. One of the roles of amygdala is appropriate acute and chronic stress response. It can also control other unpleasant stimuli and store fear memories.

    The GABAergic system acts with many sub-parts of amygdala to inhibit inappropriate amygdala function. However, stressful or traumatic experiences can change this GABA modulation and connected pathways. 

    Animal studies show that acute stress changes GABA in certain levels of the brain. However, chronic stress can reduce overall GABA levels. This suggests that people who can’t recover their GABA levels and relax after stress may be more likely to suffer from negative health effects of stress.

    Tired young woman touch stiff neck feeling hurt joint back pain rubbing massaging tensed muscles

    Mood

    Low levels of GABA contributes to mood disorders, such as mania, depression, and anxiety. 

    Furthermore, anxiety disorders and panic episodes correlate with low GABA levels in the brain. 

    However, since many other physiological factors and neurotransmitters are at play, increasing GABA alone may not be enough to cure these issues.

    Sleep

    Being an inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA can help you get more sleep by decreasing neuronal excitability.

    GABA supplements can help you fall asleep faster and easier. 

    A study including 16 individuals with sleep problems and 16 normal sleepers showed that the former had an average of 30% lower GABA in the brain. This GABA imbalance makes your brain less responsive to sleep-wake cycles. 

    caucassian man sleeping in the couch with his dog

    Sociability

    GABA can increase sociability according to a rat study.

    Blocking of GABA Receptor A increases heart rate, mean arterial blood pressure, and respiratory rate. When rats received GABA agonists (receptor stimulators), they had decreased heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure, and increased social interaction. On the other hand, rats that received GABA antagonists (blockers) had increased heart rate and blood pressure, but decreased social interaction. 

    How Your Brain Produces And Releases GABA

    In the brain, the pathway that produces GABA is called the GABA shunt. It produces and stores GABA.  

    The enzyme glutamate decarboxylase converts glutamate into GABA and carbon dioxide. This conversion requires active vitamin B6 (pyridoxine-5-phosphate). 

    Completely formed GABA molecules reside in a membrane-enclosed structure called vesicles inside your neurons, waiting for a signal. When the GABAergic neuron is activated, the vesicles release GABA into the synapse. From there, GABA finds its receptors on the postsynaptic neuron and induces inhibitory action.

    What Happens When GABA Is Too High Or Too Low?

    Maintaining a balance in GABA levels is crucial. Therefore, having too much or too little GABA serves some negative consequences. 

    GABA must degrade to avoid buildups. When the enzyme that breaks GABA down, namely GABA transaminase, does not work properly, excessive GABA can accumulate. 

    When GABA breaks down, it plays a role in the citric acid (or Krebs) cycle for the production of energy in the form of ATP. GABA transaminase deficiency provides no available Krebs cycle intermediate obtained from GABA. This further affects the energy production of the metabolism. 

    Pathologically high levels of GABA are extremely rare. When this happens, it can contribute to seizures, excessive daytime sleepiness, movement disorders, and developmental impairments in children.

    On the other hand, too low GABA levels means a lack of inhibitory signals, which can prevent neurons from communicating with each other properly. This can contribute to mood disorders, insomnia, cognitive dysfunction, and ADHD.

    Low GABA function may also contribute to chronic pain, especially neuropathic pain.

    GABA vs. Glutamate Balance And How To Maintain Them

    GABA and glutamate are in a constant tug of war, and the balance between them is critical for your mental health and cognitive function.

    GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that opposes glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter. Also, your brain can convert glutamate into GABA and vice versa. GABA helps avoid glutamate overstimulation, which can damage or kill neurons. 

    Glutamate comes from glutamine with the help of an enzyme called glutaminase in glutamatergic neurons. Glutamate is the most abundant neurotransmitter in your brain. It’s important for thinking, focusing, and more. To learn more about glutamate, check out our glutamate articles.

    GABA B receptors control glutamate levels and production. They achieve this with the interaction between postsynaptic glutamate receptors, and controlling their activity, sensitivity, and expression. 

    Given that inflammation can increase glutamate in the brain, many more people struggle with excess glutamate and low GABA. Here are different ways you can support GABA levels and balance.

    How To Increase GABA

    GABA supplements don’t increase brain GABA because GABA can’t cross the blood-brain barrier into your brain. 

    The blood-brain barrier separates our blood and cerebrospinal fluid. This membrane allows the passage of water, for example, but blocks many other molecules and microorganisms. There are GABA transporter molecules that enable its flow through the blood-brain barrier, but the underlying mechanism is still unknown in humans.

    Receptors, transport of monoclonal antibodies across the blood-brain barrier

    However, GABA supplementation can promote the relaxation response through the enteric nervous system in the gut. This way, GABA does not need to pass the blood-brain barrier to enter the brain and calm us down.

    The following foods are also high in GABA

    • Raw spinach, which contains the highest amount of GABA
    • Soy and adzuki beans, pea
    • Oat, wheat, barley
    • Shiitake mushrooms
    • Chestnuts 
    • Celery 
    • Cruciferous vegetables.

    Aside from ingesting GABA, the following may increase GABA or support your GABA balance. 

    Vitamin B6

    Vitamin B6 supplements can significantly increase your GABA levels. This is due to its role in GABA productions.

    Supplementation with vitamin B6 can also enhance other neurotransmitter production, such as serotonin and dopamine.

    Vitamin B6 also works with other B vitamins and magnesium. This is why Nootopia includes a B vitamin matrix in our customized nootropic products.  

    Magnesium

    Magnesium can increase GABA. It also reduces the presynaptic release of glutamate, thus increasing inhibitory action of GABA.

    Magnesium deficiency increases excitability of neurons because of enhanced glutamate release.

    BiOptimizers magnesium supplement is the most comprehensive magnesium blend on the market with 7 forms of bioavailable magnesium. Each capsule provides 500 mg of elemental magnesium, which meets or exceeds your daily requirement.

    Composition with food products rich in magnesium.

    Taurine

    Taurine is an amino acid that is beneficial for the brain. It binds to and activates the GABA A receptors. 

    Taurine also stimulates the release of GABA. When it comes to diet, the highest amounts of taurine are found in shellfish, turkey, and chicken.

    Theanine

    L-theanine is a calming amino acid found in green tea. It increases both GABA levels and GABA receptors. It also improves sleep duration and quality. 

    A study involving mice examined the effects of L-theanine, magnesium, and magnesium mixed with L-theanine on sleep. The group that received L-theanine and magnesium/L-theanine showed a boost in delta brain waves which are associated with deep sleep.

    Zinc

    Zinc can be used to increase your GABA levels. It inhibits the release of glutamate, while promoting the release of GABA.

    You can turn to zinc supplements, or increase the intake of the following zinc-rich foods:

    • Oysters and other seafood
    • Red meat
    • Beans
    • Nuts
    • Whole grains.

    Kava Kava

    Kava kava (Piper methysticum) is a plant that makes you calm, relieves discomfort, and generally induces relaxation. 

    When it comes to its relation with GABA, kava enhances the binding affinity of GABA agonists. It increases the number of binding sites of GABA A receptors. Kava interacts with membrane lipids surrounding the GABA receptor A, and promotes relaxation.

    Phenibut

    Phenibut is an anti-anxiety medication. It acts as a GABA receptor B agonist (with limited interaction with GABA receptor A), which promotes inhibition of excitatory signals in the brain.

    Note: Currently, phenibut is not allowed in dietary supplements in the U.S. It is not an ingredient in our products, but we include it in this article for completeness.

    Picamilon

    Picamilon is a combination of niacin and GABA. Thus, it can increase your GABA levels and inhibit overexcitation of your neurons. 

    Note: Currently, picamilon is not allowed in dietary supplements in the U.S. It is not an ingredient in our products, but we include it in this article for completeness.

    Meditation And Yoga

    Practicing meditation and/or yoga can significantly reduce your anxiety and promote calmness. Such practices increase GABA levels, further increasing the sense of peace.

    How To Reduce GABA

    To date, there are very few studies showing ways to reduce GABA aside from GABA antagonist drugs.

    A rat study focused on the effect of a high-fat diet on GABA levels in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. In rats, high-fat diets are the equivalent of human junk food. The rats eating a high-fat diet had lower GABA levels, but they also gained weight and developed high blood sugar.

    GABA controls the food intake. A high-fat diet disturbs the balance between glutamate and GABA, thus reducing GABA levels and increasing body weight. Eating a junk food diet is definitely not a healthy way to reduce GABA levels in the brain.

    Conclusion

    GABA is absolutely essential for proper brain functioning. 

    We believe that everyone is different, especially when it comes to nootropic responses. Some people who lean towards being overly stimulated tend to achieve better cognitive function if they support GABA. Whereas, those who lean towards being under-stimulated may do better with more stimulants and stimulating nootropics. This is why we make customized nootropics. 

    To try our customized nootropics, start with taking our neurotransmitter quiz here.

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    41. The Mechanism and Rationale for the Avoidance of Taking Benzodiazepines Along with Kava (Piper methysticum) and/or Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) Supplements. Ebmconsult.com. Accessed June 29, 2022. https://www.ebmconsult.com/articles/kava-piper-methysticum-valerian-valeriana-officinalis-cns-depression
    42. Mun M, Wong A. Kratom and phenibut: A concise review for psychiatric trainees. Am J Psychiatry Resid J. 2020;16(2):6-8. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp-rj.2020.160203
    43. Krishnakumar D, Hamblin MR, Lakshmanan S. Meditation and Yoga can Modulate Brain Mechanisms that affect Behavior and Anxiety-A Modern Scientific Perspective. Anc Sci. 2015;2(1):13-19. doi:10.14259/as.v2i1.171
    44. Sandoval-Salazar C, Ramírez-Emiliano J, Trejo-Bahena A, Oviedo-Solís CI, Solís-Ortiz MS. A high-fat diet decreases GABA concentration in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of rats. Biol Res. 2016;49(1):15. doi:10.1186/s40659-016-0075-6
  • What Is Cerebral Blood Flow And Why Is It Important For Brain Function?

    What Is Cerebral Blood Flow And Why Is It Important For Brain Function?

     

    Relationship between lifestyle factors and exercise on cerebral blood flow

    If you’re investing in nootropics and biohacks to optimize your cognitive performance, optimizing cerebral (brain) blood flow is essential to reaping the most benefits. 

    While some nootropics and supplements can improve brain blood flow, you cannot out-supplement many lifestyle factors that hinder brain blood flow. Low cerebral blood flow also tends to correlate with poor cardiovascular risk factors.

    Many brain optimizers overlook cerebral blood flow, even though it’s truly essential to unlocking your brain’s full potential. If you haven’t thought about CBF, optimizing it may improve the results on even the most optimized Nootopia stack you’ve got.

    This article will cover everything you need to know about cerebral blood flow, the symptoms of low CBF, and why it can be a problem. In Part 2, we’ll cover natural ways to optimize cerebral blood flow.

    What Is Cerebral Blood Flow? 

    Cerebral blood flow (CBF), also called brain blood flow, is the highly specialized movement of blood through the blood vessels to and throughout your brain. The blood delivers oxygen and all of the nutrients needed for your brain to work and regenerate. 

    The brain has an extremely high metabolic demand. It weighs 2% of your body but uses 20% of oxygen and 20% of glucose that your entire body consumes. . So, your brain is exquisitely sensitive to lack of blood flow. That means your body has to keep CBF extremely constant under normal physiologic conditions.

    Human Brain Analyzed with magnifying blood cells inside isolated on white

    While your autonomic (fight or flight vs. rest and digest) regulates blood pressure elsewhere in the body, it doesn’t regulate CBF. Instead, your body maintains adequate and consistent brain blood flow through a system called autoregulation.

    Scientists are still trying to fully understand how autoregulation works, as it’s a very complex coordination between the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Factors involved in this process include:

    • Nitric oxide (NO)
    • Hydrogen ion
    • Potassium
    • Oxygen
    • Adenosine
    • And neural-astrocytes. 

    Endothelial cells, which line the blood vessel walls, play an important role in autoregulation as well.

    Why Is Cerebral Blood Flow So Important For Cognitive Optimization?

    When your brain doesn’t get enough blood flow, it may not get enough oxygen, fuels, and nutrients. Your brain mitochondria uses oxygen to take up high-energy electrons towards the final steps of mitochondria energy productions. So, lack of oxygen allows these high-energy electrons to build up and become oxidative stress.

    Oxidative stress can interfere with mitochondrial energy production, preventing your neurons from producing optimal levels of energy. It can also activate inflammation and excess glutamate that damage neurons. The oxidative stress then further constricts blood flow to the brain. These are all a cascade of bad things for cognitive function. 

    Creative composition made of a steel copy of a human brain lifting dumbbells. The concept of brain exercises to strengthen the mind.

    So, in short, unhealthy brain blood flow is bad for your brain function and overall brain health. It ages your brain, and contributes to poor mental and cognitive function. 

    On the flip side, boosting brain blood flow can jump start the full potential of your neurons through optimizing metabolism and energy production. It’s even better if you have no official diagnosis but want to go from normal to superhuman brain function. Now, let’s first go over what low brain blood flow looks like.

    Symptoms Of Low Cerebral Blood Flow: How To Know If You Have It

    Low brain blood flow means your brain will struggle to produce energy and get the nourishment it needs. The lower the brain blood flow is, the worse the symptoms and potential damage will be. You may not have any symptoms until the reduction of blood flow exceeds the ability of oxygen extraction to meet metabolic needs.

    Please note that while low CBF contributes or correlates to all kinds of cognitive dysfunction and brain ailments, these conditions are multifactorial. In many cases, improving brain blood flow may help, but typically will not cure the conditions as there are other factors that need to be addressed. 

    We include these conditions for completeness and educational purposes only. We do not imply that any of our products can cure any diseases. Please speak to your doctor for diagnoses and treatments.

    Patient asking to the best medical doctor about brain flow

    Brain Fog And Decreased Cognitive Performance

    Increased CBF is associated with improvements in executive functioning, attention and memory, as well as an increased volume of the amygdala and the hypothalamus. Similarly, decreases in CBF are associated with poor cognitive function. This decline in brain function could be in specific areas or simply experienced as general brain fog. 

    A population-based study carried out from 2005-2012 found impaired CBF to be associated with increased rate of cognitive decline and a higher risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

    Physical Impairments

    Depending on specific areas that may be experiencing lower CBF, various physical symptoms may be present. These are some possible physical symptoms of poor CBF, typically from more severe impairment from a health condition, like stroke or atherosclerosis:

    • Poor balance/dizziness/lightheadedness
    • Muscle weakness
    • Trouble swallowing
    • Impaired vision
    • Numbness or tingling in extremities
    • Nausea or vomiting

    Mental Health Effects

    Imaging studies found that people with anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and PTSD have reduced brain blood flow.

    Compared to healthy subjects, decreases in CBF in some brain regions is associated with major depressive disorder, both early and late age onset.

    Altered CBF is also implicated in autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

    Chronic Fatigue

    Low brain blood flow can make you tired from mitochondrial dysfunction and high oxidative stress in your brain.

    Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a severe condition of debilitating fatigue and is often accompanied by neuropsychiatric symptoms. It’s a diagnosis of exclusion since the precise cause is unknown after ruling out depression, thyroid conditions, and other medical conditions with similar symptoms. Many chronic fatigue patients have low brain blood flow.  

    What Causes Low Cerebral Blood Flow?

    There are three categories of factors that impede CBF:

    1. Physical blockage
    2. Factors that influence autoregulation
    3. Normal aging

    CBF can be caused by many factors involved with lifestyle, behavioral choices, and various health conditions. 

    It is estimated that chronic low CBF is present in two‐thirds of individuals older than 65 years of age, 50% of people ages 50-65, and 25% of those 45-50 years old.

    Poor Cardiovascular Health And Atherosclerosis

    Atherosclerosis is the buildup of cholesterol and plaque in the walls of arteries. As plaque builds up, the diameter decreases, creating a blockage to adequate blood flow.

    While you may initially think of coronary artery disease, where this commonly happens in arteries of the heart, atherosclerosis can happen in any arteries in the body, including the cerebral (brain) arteries. Another common location for plaque formation is the carotid arteries, which are the mainline of oxygenated blood to the brain.

    Imagine it like this: Instead of your heart muscle slowly decreasing in function and deteriorating from inadequate blood flow, it’s your brain. Scary stuff right? The fundamental solution is living a healthy lifestyle and taking appropriate health measures to avoid atherosclerosis anywhere in your body.

    Atherosclerosis Stroke. A blood clot in the vessels of the human brain

    Stroke 

    The most severe example of a physical blockage to CBF is a clot that flows downstream until it lodges in an artery and stops the flow of blood and oxygen to the areas of the brain that artery feeds. 

    In the case of stroke, whatever functions of the region of the brain affected by the lack of blood flow control, become affected. Common signs of stroke are face drooping or other muscle weakness, speech or swallowing difficulties, and cognitive impairments.

    In the case of a stroke due to a clot, the preventive measures are much the same as for atherosclerosis, since plaques that break off are a common cause of blockage.

    Low Or High Blood Pressure 

    Autoregulation of CBF is only effective within a certain pressure range. If the pressure in the system goes outside of 60-160 mmHg, regulation of CBF is lost and this results in significant brain injury. If your blood pressure is too far from optimal range in either direction, then it’s likely your brain blood flow is abnormal as well.

    Hypertension, versus hypotension, is likely the more common example. This can occur in an acute event of a rapid and high spike in blood pressure. However, some people walk around for many years with significantly elevated blood pressure levels. A common symptom of high blood pressure is fatigue because the brain can’t produce enough energy due to lack of oxygen.

    Beyond the potential to break autoregulation, chronic hypertension can damage the arterial walls and lead to atherosclerosis.

    Therefore, you want to see your doctor about treating hypertension if you have it. Also, work to optimize your blood pressure with diet and lifestyle.

    Traumatic Brain Injury

    Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the result of a sudden external physical force on the brain. It is one of the most common causes of disability and death and includes a range of injuries from severe trauma to even mild concussion.

    Following a TBI, CBF is decreased soon after by a chemical released by the body called endothelin. This early alteration in CBF likely affects brain function and contributes to prolonged recovery.

    If you experience even a mild head injury, it is important to take steps to increase CBF to support healing.

    Female Neuroscientist Looking at TV Screen, Analyzing Brain Scan MRI Images, Finding Treatment for Patient.

    Medications

    A number of medications reduce CBF. If you need to take medication, it is worth knowing whether it affects the blood flow to your brain in order to take additional measures to counteract these effects. Don’t get off your medications without consulting your doctor first.

    Many psychiatric medications decrease CBF, including: 

    • Barbiturates
    • Etomidate
    • Propofol
    • Benzodiazepines

    Other medications that decrease CBF are opioids and alpha-2-adrenergic agonists such as clonidine and dexmedetomidine.

    Oxidative Damage And Inflammation

    Oxidative stress causes damage to the endothelium (lining) of blood vessels and over time can stiffens the arteries. This is a precursor to atherosclerosis.

    Since endothelium plays a major role in autoregulation, oxidative stress also acts on the endothelium of the cerebral vessels and affects CBF. Moderate elevations in homocysteine, which is oxidative in nature, can impair autoregulation in humans. 

    A lot of managing oxidative stress and inflammation comes down to lifestyle factors like healthy stress management, diet, sleep, and exercise. Also, ask your doctor about a blood homocysteine test.

    A female stressed patient and a male doctor meet in a medical clinic

    Chronic Stress 

    Stress causes a cascade of changes to the central and autonomic nervous systems, and various hormones through activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-axis (HPA). There are also significant increases in catecholamines like epinephrine and norepinephrine in response to stress. These systems are meant to activate in order to respond and adapt to acute stressors.

    Chronic stress creates maladaptive responses in these same systems, as well as metabolic and immune system dysfunction. 

    Each of these systems negatively affects cerebral vascular endothelium and CBF independently. Together, all of these stress-related changes impair brain blood flow.

    In this article, Part 1, you’ve learned about the importance of cerebral blood flow, whether it’s a problem for you, and the root causes. In Part 2, we’ll cover natural ways to increase cerebral blood flow.

    References:

    1. Joris P, Mensink R, Adam T, Liu T. Cerebral blood flow measurements in adults: A review on the effects of dietary factors and exercise. Nutrients. 2018;10(5):530. doi:10.3390/nu10050530
    2. Jain V, Langham MC, Wehrli FW. MRI estimation of global brain oxygen consumption rate. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2010;30(9):1598-1607. doi:10.1038/jcbfm.2010.49
    3. Erbsloh, F., Bernsmeier, A., & Hillesheim, H. Der Glucoseverbrauch des Gehirns und seine Abhängigkeit von der Leber [The glucose consumption of the brain & its dependence on the liver]. Archiv fur Psychiatrie und Zeitschrift f d ges Neurologie. 1958;196(6):611-626. doi:10.1007/bf00344388
    4. Faraci FM, Heistad DD. Regulation of large cerebral arteries and cerebral microvascular pressure. Circ Res. 1990;66(1):8-17. doi:10.1161/01.res.66.1.8
    5. Sare GM, Gray LJ, Bath PM. Effect of antihypertensive agents on cerebral blood flow and flow velocity in acute ischaemic stroke: systematic review of controlled studies. J Hypertens. 2008;26(6):1058-1064. doi:10.1097/HJH.0b013e3282fbd240
    6. Busija DW, Heistad DD. Factors involved in the physiological regulation of the cerebral circulation. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol. 1984;101:161-211. doi:10.1007/bfb0027696
    7. Carvalho C, Moreira PI. Oxidative stress: A major player in cerebrovascular alterations associated to neurodegenerative events. Front Physiol. 2018;9. doi:10.3389/fphys.2018.00806
    8. Leeuwis AE, Smith LA, Melbourne A, et al. Cerebral blood flow and cognitive functioning in a community-based, multi-ethnic cohort: The SABRE study. Front Aging Neurosci. 2018;10:279. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2018.00279
    9. Ruitenberg A, den Heijer T, Bakker SLM, et al. Cerebral hypoperfusion and clinical onset of dementia: the Rotterdam Study. Ann Neurol. 2005;57(6):789-794. doi:10.1002/ana.20493
    10. Wolters FJ, Zonneveld HI, Hofman A, et al. Cerebral perfusion and the risk of dementia: A population-based study: A population-based study. Circulation. 2017;136(8):719-728. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.027448
    12. Liao W, Wang Z, Zhang X, et al. Cerebral blood flow changes in remitted early- and late-onset depression patients. Oncotarget. 2017;8(44):76214-76222. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.19185
    13. Thomas AJ, Kalaria RN, O’Brien JT. Depression and vascular disease: what is the relationship? J Affect Disord. 2004;79(1-3):81-95. doi:10.1016/S0165-0327(02)00349-X
    14. Yang WH, Jing J, Xiu LJ, et al. Regional cerebral blood flow in children with autism spectrum disorders: a quantitative 99mTc-ECD brain SPECT study with statistical parametric mapping evaluation. Chin Med J (Engl). 2011;124(9):1362-1366. Accessed June 25, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21740749/
    15. Liddle PF, Friston KJ, Frith CD, Hirsch SR, Jones T, Frackowiak RSJ. Patterns of cerebral blood flow in schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry. 1992;160(2):179-186. doi:10.1192/bjp.160.2.179
    16. Toma S, MacIntosh BJ, Swardfager W, Goldstein BI. Cerebral blood flow in bipolar disorder: A systematic review. J Affect Disord. 2018;241:505-513. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2018.08.040
    17. Biswal B, Kunwar P, Natelson BH. Cerebral blood flow is reduced in chronic fatigue syndrome as assessed by arterial spin labeling. J Neurol Sci. 2011;301(1-2):9-11. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2010.11.018
    18. Zhou D, Meng R, Li SJ, et al. Advances in chronic cerebral circulation insufficiency. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2018;24(1):5-17. doi:10.1111/cns.12780
    21. Faraci FM, Lentz SR. Hyperhomocysteinemia, oxidative stress, and cerebral vascular dysfunction. Stroke. 2004;35(2):345-347. doi:10.1161/01.STR.0000115161.10646.67
    22. Burrage E, Marshall KL, Santanam N, Chantler PD. Cerebrovascular dysfunction with stress and depression. Brain Circ. 2018;4(2):43-53. doi:10.4103/bc.bc_6_18

  • Natural ways to increase cerebral blood flow

    Natural ways to increase cerebral blood flow

    If you’re investing in nootropics and biohacks to optimize your cognitive performance, optimizing cerebral (brain) blood flow is essential to reaping the most benefits. 

    While some nootropics and supplements can improve brain blood flow, you cannot out-supplement many lifestyle factors that hinder brain blood flow. Low cerebral blood flow also tends to correlate with poor cardiovascular risk factors.

    In Part 1 of this 2-part article, we covered the importance of cerebral blood flow. In this article, part 2, we’ll cover natural ways to improve your brain blood flow for optimal cognitive function and maximal benefits from nootropics.

    Boost Nitric Oxide

    Neuronal nitric oxide (NO) plays a role in modulating autoregulation of CBF and contributes to dilation of the vessels and increased blood flow. Natural nitric oxide production goes down with age, which may explain why blood pressure tends to go up with age. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to increase NO in your body and receive its benefits.

    Increasing nitrate-rich foods contributes to healthy blood pressure balance and may have benefits for increasing CBF. Many vegetables contain naturally occurring nitrates. Nitrates are converted by oral and gut flora into nitrite, which can then be turned into NO.

    Cooking healthy detox smoothie with fresh fruits and green spinach.

    High nitrate foods include:

    • Beetroot (very well studied)
    • Celery
    • Lettuce
    • Spinach
    • Arugula
    • Watercress
    • Chervil

    NO degrades quickly in the presence of reactive oxygen species. So, you want to eat plenty of antioxidants to support NO to stick around longer in your body.  Besides a plant-rich diet, antioxidant supplements such as vitamin C, E, A, selenium and N-Acetyl Cysteine are supportive to your body’s natural antioxidant systems.

    Supplements are also available to increase endogenous (inside your body) NO production. L-arginine and L-citrulline are common and widely available.

    L-arginine is ideal, because it is directly converted into NO through the L-arginine-NO pathway. In this process, L-citrulline is made as a byproduct and can be recycled to make L-arginine again. Either, or both, can increase NO and may increase CBF. It is also possible to supplement with nitrate itself.

    Lastly, care for your oral and gut bacteria because they convert nitrate to nitrite. Avoid things that significantly alter these floral ecosystems, such as antibiotics and even mouthwash, as these can kill nitrite forming bacteria. Probiotics such as P3OM and Biome Breakthrough can support a healthy gut flora. 

    Address Chronic Health Issues

    Most chronic health conditions have inflammation and oxidative stress as primary underlying factors. Systemic inflammation is associated with decreased CBF. 

    These factors also have significant effects on the cardiovascular system through causing damage to endothelial cells and they also contribute to atherosclerosis. 

    To avoid the negative impacts of long term decreased CBF on your brain and realize the benefits of its increase, any chronic health problems you may be experiencing must be addressed along with these other CBF optimizing recommendations. Consider seeing a functional medicine or naturopathic doctor to address your chronic health issues.

    Medicine doctor and stethoscope touching icon heart and diagnostics analysis medical on modern virtual screen interface network connection

    Breathing Techniques

    It may seem counterintuitive, but breathing too fast can reduce brain blood flow and oxygenation. That’s because carbon dioxide (CO2) increases brain blood flow. However, some pumping fast breathing methods, such as in yoga, increases CBF through increasing heart rate.

    5% CO2 inhalation causes an increase in CBF by 50%. 7% CO2 inhalation causes a 100% increase in CBF. Intermittent hypoxia (low oxygen) increases CBF by ~20% . 

    The easiest way to affect these blood gasses is through various breathing techniques.

    Building CO2 tolerance through breathing techniques is a common method used to improve athletic performance. Due to the buildup of CO2 in these methods, this technique could conceivably be beneficial to increase CBF on a rapid but short term basis.

    The basic idea is to start with ~ 8 second inhale, and a 10 second exhale. As you progress with this technique, the recommendation is to practice a breath hold at the top of the inhalation, and eventually at the bottom of the exhalation, for 4 seconds. 

    Group of young afro american and caucasian sporty people practicing yoga lesson lying in Dead Body pose, Savasana exercise, working out, resting after practice

    Box breathing is another technique where you breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, and then repeat.

    Some methods also recommend holding your breath for 5-15 seconds while exerting yourself at maximal effort, which greatly increases blood CO2 and O2 levels.

    A study on the fast yoga breathing technique known as Kapalabhati pranayama, demonstrated increases in CBF in many regions of the brain. This study used ~120 breaths per minute using the Kapalabhati technique, with a 2 minute rest period.

    Other common breath techniques that temporarily alter O2 and CO2 concentrations in favor of increases in CBF are the Wim Hoff and Buteyko methods.

    Lifestyle 

    Lifestyle approaches are significant ways to improve CBF and are variables that are within your control. Much of the effects of lifestyle factors on CBF are a result of balancing oxidative stress and inflammation, facilitating healthy vascular function, and directly altering CBF through changes in various neurochemical compounds.

    Aerobic Fitness

    Aerobic fitness is associated with improved CBF, cardiovascular health, and improved cognitive performance.

    In children, aerobic fitness is associated with greater hippocampal cerebral blood flow. In adults and children, aerobic fitness is associated with hippocampal viscoelasticity and memory performance.

    In general, CBF increases with easy as well as moderate exercise. Even a quick set of pushups or jumping jacks can make your nootropics and work session more productive by increasing brain blood flow.

    A woman of african descent looks into the camera smiling while she dances during a fitness class

    Hydration

    Blood pressure is in part related to the volume in the system. Adequate hydration is necessary for healthy CBF. So, remember to drink plenty of water.

    Dehydration is associated with accelerated decreases in CBF during exercise.

    Stress Management

    The maladaptive physiologic responses to chronic stress lead to inflammation and dysregulation in CBF. 

    Stress management can take many forms. The goal is to maintain a balanced response, even in the face of chronic stress. Activities that push your physiologic balance toward parasympathetic tone (rest and digest mode) helps to avoid the cascade of negative effects of chronic sympathetic overdrive.

    Biofeedback, exercise, yoga, meditation, and simply spending time in nature are all easily accessible tools for balancing the autonomic nervous system.

    Additionally, nervine and adaptogen herbs such as lavender, lemon Balm, passionflower, ashwagandha, holy basil, and schisandra berry can support a healthy stress response.

    man relaxing in bed and looking away

    Quality Sleep

    Sleep deprivation impairs brain function. Part of the impairment comes from reduced blood flow to parts of the brain necessary for certain cognitive tasks.

    Sleep apnea can deprive your brain of blood and oxygen. It is a recognized cause of systemic inflammation, hypertension, and an independent risk factor for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.

    It is important to optimize sleep quality and quantity both for overall health and brain blood flow. Also, speak to your doctor about ruling out sleep disorders. 

    Dietary Approaches to Supporting CBF

    Potassium-Rich Foods

    Dietary potassium intake can have a significant blood pressure lowering effect.

    In addition, potassium flow through potassium ion channels in cerebral blood vessels is a major contributor to vasodilation, which increases CBF.

    Foods high in potassium include:

    • Dried fruits (raisins, apricots)
    • Beans, lentils
    • Potatoes
    • Sweet potatoes
    • Winter squash (acorn, butternut)
    • Spinach
    • Broccoli
    • Beet greens
    • Avocado
    • Bananas
    • Mushrooms
    • Peas
    • Cucumber
    • Molasses
    • Certain fish (Tuna, Halibut, Trout, Cod, Rockfish)

    Magnesium-Rich Foods

    Magnesium has a vessel relaxing, vasodilating effect in the peripheral as well as cerebral vasculature. 

    Magnesium supplements also increase CBF, partly through normalizing blood pressure.

    High magnesium foods include:

    • Pumpkin seeds
    • Chia seeds
    • Almonds
    • Spinach
    • Cashews
    • Peanuts
    • Edamame
    • Black beans
    • Potatoes
    • Brown rice

    Bioflavonoids

    Flavonoids are plant compounds that give fruits and vegetables their color and are natural antioxidants. Flavonoids can help protect the endothelium. Endothelial cell dysfunction impacts the ability to form NO, which is an important chemical factor in autoregulation of CBF.

    Bioflavonoids may also be neuroprotective, possibly through modulating neuroinflammation.

    While flavonoids can be found in the majority of fruits and vegetables, these are some for particular consideration.

    • Chocolate
    • Dark, leafy greens
    • Berries (blackberries, blueberries, cherries, and raspberries)
    • Red cabbage
    • Onions
    • Parsley
    • Red wine
    • Citrus
    • Soybeans

    Green Tea 

    Green tea is rich in flavonoids called polyphenols. For the same reasons discussed under bioflavonoids, green tea is an excellent choice to increase your flavonoid intake.

    Omega-3 Fatty Acids

    Omega-3 fatty acids confer an anti-inflammatory effect in the body. It also thins the blood, which may improve circulation. 

    Studies have also found omega-3 to improve CBF in adults with mild cognitive decline with age-related reduction in CBF.

    Foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids include:

    • Cold water fish (Mackerel, Salmon, Herring, Sardines, Anchovies)
    • Oysters
    • Flaxseed
    • Chia seed
    • Walnuts
    • Soybeans
    • Grass fed animals
    • Purslane

    Avoid Excess Caffeine

    Caffeine is a vasoconstricting substance in the body and a dose of 250mg has been shown to decrease CBF by 22-30%. The effects are more pronounced in long-term caffeine users. The reduction in CBF is one of the reasons caffeine withdrawal makes you more tired at first.

    Caffeine is recommended only in small amounts while taking many of Nootopia’s nootropic brain stacks, since many of our ingredients potentiate caffeine’s effects. The potential for decreased CBF is another reason to keep your caffeine intake to a minimum.

    If you love coffee, it’s a good idea to regularly cycle off of them to prevent the CBF restriction effects of caffeine.

    Cold Water Therapy

    There are neurologic reflexes that exist between the brain, and the feet, hands and face. Emersion of the face in cold water elicits the diving reflex, which increases heart rate and peripheral vasoconstriction, in turn increasing in CBF.

    Similarly, placing one or both hands or feet in cold water for a short duration (1-2 minutes) stimulates an increase in CBF.

    Try it next time you want to acutely sharpen your mental focus or clarity and see how it works for you.

    Meditation

    A small study of 14 subjects who underwent an 8-week meditation program showed significant increases in CBF over baseline. 

    Meditation is also an excellent approach to managing stress which can benefit CBF in the long term.

    Nootropic Supplements that can increase cerebral blood flow

    Ginkgo Biloba

    Ginkgo has been reported to improve blood flow to the brain and this has been confirmed in one study with intra-subject reproducibility.

    Vinpocetine

    Vinpocetine is a human made alkaloid from the plant constituent vincamine, found in the periwinkle plant, Vinca minor. 

    It has many reported neurologic benefits, one of which is its ability to increase CBF significantly.

    Resveratrol

    Resveratrol is a polyphenol flavonoid found in high concentrations in the skin of red grapes. In addition to protective effects on endothelium, multiple studies have shown supplemental trans-resveratrol, in doses ranging from 150-500mg a day, have the ability to increase CBF, possibly in a dose-dependent manner.

    Acetyl-L-Carnitine

    A part of normal metabolic processes in the human body, Acetyl-L-Carnitine leads to significant increase in CBF. Used intravenously, it increases the blood flow in the brain.

    Acetyl-L-Carnitine may also improve mood and enhance cognition.

    Piperine

    When co-administered with resveratrol, piperine may enhance the CBF increase seen with resveratrol alone.

    Grape Seed Extract

    Grape seed extract has potent antioxidant properties that are protective to endothelial function and positively modulate blood pressure.

    These are two critical components to supporting healthy autoregulation of CBF.

    Cup glass of coffee with smoke and coffee beans

    Forskolin

    Forskolin is a chemical constituent in the plant Coleus forskohlii. Forskolin activates adenylate cyclase. In a rabbit model, it dilated cerebra blood vessels and increased CBF independently of any increased metabolic need.

    This provides additional benefit to its ability to also help increase brain metabolism. 

    L-theanine

    L-theanine is a well-known amino acid from green tea that exerts a calming effect and is commonly used to support restful sleep. Its effects are currently being researched to understand its impact on CBF.

    However, a 2015 study looked at the actions of caffeine, and caffeine in combination with L-theanine on CBF. Caffeine had a vasoconstrictive effect and L-theanine attenuated this effect on CBF.

    DL-Citrulline Malate 2:1

    Citrulline, as mentioned in the Boost NO section, can be turned into arginine and then to NO, which improves CBF. Some researchers believe DL-Citrulline Malate improves NO production even better than arginine supplementation.

    How to measure cerebral blood flow

    Brain blood flow correlates with cardiovascular health and energy. So, if you’ve made some diet and lifestyle changes and see the improvement in your cardiovascular markers, brain clarity, and energy levels, it’s likely you’ve improved your cerebral blood flow. 

    Brain MRI Scan of Healthy Male ( Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

    However, there are also more direct ways to measure brain blood flow, which may include radiologic techniques, such as :

    • Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), which may be available direct-to-consumer through Dr. Daniel Amen clinics or ordered by other doctors
    • Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
    • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast agents
    • Arterial spin labeling MRI
    • Phase-contrast MRI
    • Transcranial or carotid doppler ultrasound
    • Near-infrared spectroscopy

    If your goal is to optimize performance, you may need to work with an integrative brain health physician to interpret these measurements and devise action plans to optimize your brain blood flow.

    Conclusion:

    Increasing your cerebral blood flow in the short term will promote healthy cognitive performance, memory, and overall mental clarity. Increasing CBF may help improve delivery and distribution of your Nootopia brain stacks to your central nervous system as well.

    If you’re looking for ways to optimize your cognitive performance and creative potential, take measures to increase your CBF and get going with Nootopia’s 30-day nootropic protocol that moves you toward your apex mental power, AKA “God Mode”. 

    After the first month, you will have your specific formulas, doses, and timings locked in to experience your ultimate mental state, every day.

    Take our neurochemical quiz to find out where you’re dominant and deficient, and get personalized recommendations. 

    References

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    2. González-Soltero R, Bailén M, de Lucas B, Ramírez-Goercke MI, Pareja-Galeano H, Larrosa M. Role of oral and gut Microbiota in dietary nitrate metabolism and its impact on sports performance. Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3611. doi:10.3390/nu12123611
    3. Hord NG, Tang Y, Bryan NS. Food sources of nitrates and nitrites: the physiologic context for potential health benefits. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90(1):1-10. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.27131
    4. Lubos E, Handy DE, Loscalzo J. Role of oxidative stress and nitric oxide in atherothrombosis. Front Biosci. 2008;13:5323-5344. doi:10.2741/3084
    5. Govoni M, Jansson EA, Weitzberg E, Lundberg JO. The increase in plasma nitrite after a dietary nitrate load is markedly attenuated by an antibacterial mouthwash. Nitric Oxide. 2008;19(4):333-337. doi:10.1016/j.niox.2008.08.003
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    10. Chaddock-Heyman L, Erickson KI, Chappell MA, et al. Aerobic fitness is associated with greater hippocampal cerebral blood flow in children. Dev Cogn Neurosci. 2016;20:52-58. doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2016.07.001
    11. Schwarb H, Johnson CL, Daugherty AM, et al. Aerobic fitness, hippocampal viscoelasticity, and relational memory performance. Neuroimage. 2017;153:179-188. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.03.061
    12. Sato K, Ogoh S, Hirasawa A, Oue A, Sadamoto T. The distribution of blood flow in the carotid and vertebral arteries during dynamic exercise in humans: Cerebral perfusion in dynamic exercise. J Physiol. 2011;589(Pt 11):2847-2856. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2010.204461
    13. Trangmar SJ, Chiesa ST, Llodio I, et al. Dehydration accelerates reductions in cerebral blood flow during prolonged exercise in the heat without compromising brain metabolism. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2015;309(9):H1598-607. doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00525.2015
    14. Trangmar SJ, Chiesa ST, Stock CG, Kalsi KK, Secher NH, González-Alonso J. Dehydration affects cerebral blood flow but not its metabolic rate for oxygen during maximal exercise in trained humans: Hydration and cerebral blood flow during exercise. J Physiol. 2014;592(14):3143-3160. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2014.272104
    16. Dodds S, Williams LJ, Roguski A, et al. Mortality and morbidity in obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome: results from a 30-year prospective cohort study. ERJ Open Res. 2020;6(3):00057-02020. doi:10.1183/23120541.00057-2020
    17. Houston MC. The importance of potassium in managing hypertension. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2011;13(4):309-317. doi:10.1007/s11906-011-0197-8
    18. Kitazono T, Faraci FM, Taguchi H, Heistad DD. Role of potassium channels in cerebral blood vessels. Stroke. 1995;26(9):1713-1723. doi:10.1161/01.str.26.9.1713
    19. Imamoglu EY, Gursoy T, Karatekin G, Ovali F. Effects of antenatal magnesium sulfate treatment on cerebral blood flow velocities in preterm neonates. J Perinatol. 2014;34(3):192-196. doi:10.1038/jp.2013.182
    20. Belfort MA, Moise KJ Jr. Effect of magnesium sulfate on maternal brain blood flow in preeclampsia: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1992;167(3):661-666. doi:10.1016/s0002-9378(11)91567-1
    22. Rodriguez-Mateos A, Vauzour D, Krueger CG, et al. Bioavailability, bioactivity and impact on health of dietary flavonoids and related compounds: an update. Arch Toxicol. 2014;88(10):1803-1853. doi:10.1007/s00204-014-1330-7
    23. Sokolov AN, Pavlova MA, Klosterhalfen S, Enck P. Chocolate and the brain: neurobiological impact of cocoa flavanols on cognition and behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2013;37(10 Pt 2):2445-2453. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.06.013
    24. Schwarz C, Wirth M, Gerischer L, et al. Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on resting cerebral perfusion in patients with mild cognitive impairment: A randomized controlled trial. J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2018;5(1):26-30. doi:10.14283/jpad.2017.23
    25. Kaufman CS, Vidoni ED, Burns JM, Alwatban MR, Billinger SA. Self-reported omega-3 supplement use moderates the association between age and exercising cerebral blood flow velocity in older adults. Nutrients. 2020;12(3):697. doi:10.3390/nu12030697
    26. Addicott MA, Yang LL, Peiffer AM, et al. The effect of daily caffeine use on cerebral blood flow: How much caffeine can we tolerate? Hum Brain Mapp. 2009;30(10):3102-3114. doi:10.1002/hbm.20732
    27. Cameron OG, Modell JG, Hariharan M. Caffeine and human cerebral blood flow: a positron emission tomography study. Life Sci. 1990;47(13):1141-1146. doi:10.1016/0024-3205(90)90174-p
    28. Field AS, Laurienti PJ, Yen YF, Burdette JH, Moody DM. Dietary caffeine consumption and withdrawal: confounding variables in quantitative cerebral perfusion studies? Radiology. 2003;227(1):129-135. doi:10.1148/radiol.2271012173
    29. Lunt MJ, Ragab S, Birch AA, Schley D, Jenkinson DF. Comparison of caffeine-induced changes in cerebral blood flow and middle cerebral artery blood velocity shows that caffeine reduces middle cerebral artery diameter. Physiol Meas. 2004;25(2):467-474. doi:10.1088/0967-3334/25/2/006
    31. Lapi D, Scuri R, Colantuoni A. Trigeminal cardiac reflex and cerebral blood flow regulation. Front Neurosci. 2016;10:470. doi:10.3389/fnins.2016.00470
    32. Kjeld T, Pott FC, Secher NH. Facial immersion in cold water enhances cerebral blood velocity during breath-hold exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol. 2009;106(4):1243-1248. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.90370.2008
    33. Hilz MJ, Wang R, Marthol H, et al. Partial pharmacologic blockade shows sympathetic connection between blood pressure and cerebral blood flow velocity fluctuations. J Neurol Sci. 2016;365:181-187. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2016.04.022
    34. Fabjan A, Musizza B, Bajrović FF, Zaletel M, Strucl M. The effect of the cold pressor test on a visually evoked cerebral blood flow velocity response. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2012;38(1):13-20. doi:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2011.10.007
    35. Newberg AB, Wintering N, Khalsa DS, Roggenkamp H, Waldman MR. Meditation effects on cognitive function and cerebral blood flow in subjects with memory loss: a preliminary study. J Alzheimers Dis. 2010;20(2):517-526. doi:10.3233/JAD-2010-1391
    36. Mashayekh A, Pham DL, Yousem DM, Dizon M, Barker PB, Lin DDM. Effects of Ginkgo biloba on cerebral blood flow assessed by quantitative MR perfusion imaging: a pilot study. Neuroradiology. 2011;53(3):185-191. doi:10.1007/s00234-010-0790-6
    37. Brondino N, De Silvestri A, Re S, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of ginkgo biloba in neuropsychiatric disorders: From ancient tradition to modern-day medicine. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:915691. doi:10.1155/2013/915691
    38. Bönöczk P, Panczel G, Nagy Z. Vinpocetine increases cerebral blood flow and oxygenation in stroke patients: a near infrared spectroscopy and transcranial Doppler study. Eur J Ultrasound. 2002;15(1-2):85-91. doi:10.1016/s0929-8266(02)00006-x
    39. Szapáry L, Késmárky G, Tóth K, et al. Vinpocetin in neurological diseases. Ideggyogy Sz. 2012;65(11-12):387-393. Accessed June 22, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23289173/
    40. Joris P, Mensink R, Adam T, Liu T. Cerebral blood flow measurements in adults: A review on the effects of dietary factors and exercise. Nutrients. 2018;10(5):530. doi:10.3390/nu10050530
    41. Postiglione A, Cicerano U, Soricelli A, et al. Cerebral blood flow in patients with chronic cerebrovascular disease: effect of acetyl L-carnitine. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. 1990;10(1-2):129-132. Accessed June 22, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2387659/
    42. Postiglione A, Soricelli A, Cicerano U, et al. Effect of acute administration of -acetyl carnitine on cerebral blood flow in patients with chronic cerebral infarct. Pharmacol Res. 1991;23(3):241-246. doi:10.1016/s1043-6618(05)80083-0
    43. Salvioli G, Neri M. L-acetylcarnitine treatment of mental decline in the elderly. Drugs Exp Clin Res. 1994;20(4):169-176.
    45. Schön C, Allegrini P, Engelhart-Jentzsch K, Riva A, Petrangolini G. Grape seed extract positively modulates blood pressure and perceived stress: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in healthy volunteers. Nutrients. 2021;13(2):654. doi:10.3390/nu13020654
    46. Wysham DG, Brotherton AF, Heistad DD. Effects of forskolin on cerebral blood flow: implications for a role of adenylate cyclase. Stroke. 1986;17(6):1299-1303. doi:10.1161/01.str.17.6.1299
    47. Dodd FL, Kennedy DO, Riby LM, Haskell-Ramsay CF. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the effects of caffeine and L-theanine both alone and in combination on cerebral blood flow, cognition and mood. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2015;232(14):2563-2576. doi:10.1007/s00213-015-3895-0
  • How To Prevent Burnout While Maximizing Your Performance

    How To Prevent Burnout While Maximizing Your Performance

    We’re all about working smarter, not harder. The journey to achieving your goals doesn’t always have to include burnout. When done the right way, you can achieve maximum brain performance while simultaneously preventing burnout.

    There are three keys to avoiding burnout when managing a high-performance lifestyle:

    • Knowing how to handle pushing your body and brain to their limit.
    • Managing stress and keeping your nervous system optimized.
    • Knowing how to calm your brain when it’s overstimulated.
    intellectual man screaming to his laptop

    The High Performer’s Dilemma: Pushing The Lines 

    Part of being a high performer is finding the balance between high performance and avoiding burnout. For those of us with purposes and missions that we’re committed to, we want to have our cake and eat it too. We feel the need to be superhuman because we have to manifest our visions. The risk is that our health and life quality can go downhill if we don’t learn to manage stress and our nervous system. 

    Wade experienced a very deep level of burnout a couple of years ago. Here’s the story in his own words: 

    “I was in Bali, which has almost a 12-hour difference in time from most of my team. I decided to start a new company. I had BiOptimizers, a company rapidly growing. 

    I was doing mornings with one business partner, very early in the day, and staying up until 3:00 am or 4:00 am. So I’d sleep for three hours, wake up, work on one business, go for a massage in the afternoon, come back, go to work again, sleep for an hour and a half, wake up, and then work in the evenings. 

    After a couple of months of that, I really started paying the price. Energy and mental performance were dropping. To compensate, I increased my caffeine intake. I used my nootropics to help my brain focus. 

    It “felt” like my brain was a laser because I felt the adrenaline from the caffeine and nootropics. However, this energy was coming from pushing my adrenal glands to the max, and it wasn’t sustainable. It’s like paying your mortgage off with your credit card. I was robbing Peter to pay Paul. 

    Then the unexpected happened. There were a bunch of crises that came up. I had a problem in my growing business, which grew into a serious challenge with my partner, and that’s the event that took me out. 

    That’s when I ran out of gas and was totally physiologically burned out. It didn’t matter how much caffeine I was taking, it wasn’t helping. My adrenal glands weren’t functioning. I was in an unresourceful psychological state and in a dark, negative, emotional place. I told Matt, ‘I’m in a living hell.’ ” 

    Fortunately, Wade was able to recover using the principles and techniques in this article. So read it carefully, and more importantly, implement these strategies and tactics to avoid burning out. What we’re really talking about is managing your nervous system for maximum success, health, and happiness. 

    Cycle Between Intensity And Recovery For Long-Lasting High Performance

    The key takeaway is to adjust your brain cycle between intensity and recovery. Those who master this can become high performers and maintain that for most, if not all, of their lives. Those that don’t, will have a spurt of high performance, followed by a steep decline, ending with a brutal burnout. It can take years to recover from some burnouts. 

    Some people become traumatized psychologically by the pain of burnout and recoil from intensity for the rest of their lives. 

    man in the office stress out

    Your Nervous System Operates On A 2 Gear System: Fight-Flight-Freeze Or Heal 

    Your nervous system is made of two systems:

    1. Parasympathetic: also known as the “healing system.” 

    2. Sympathetic: also known as “fight, flight or freeze,” a.k.a. “The survival system.” 

    The Survival System 

    The sympathetic nervous system evolved to save us from dangerous or stressful situations. A flood of survival hormones cranks the body’s alertness and heart rate, sending extra blood to the muscles. Breathing speeds up to deliver more oxygen to the brain, and an infusion of glucose shoots into the bloodstream for a quick energy boost. 

    This system is designed to mobilize us or help us defend ourselves against threats: deadly animals, other humans, etc.

    Let’s just go back to the caveman days, a saber tooth tiger is chasing you, and you need to activate your sympathetic system. Hopefully, fight or flight kicks in because if you freeze, you’ll die. You need to run really fast or successfully fight this threat to survive. There would be no humans if it weren’t for the sympathetic system. This system has helped humans survive and thrive over millions of years. 

    It’s intrinsic to being an animal. You can see that in nature. Watch African nature shows – you’ll see this when lions attack hyenas and cape buffalos. You’ll even see it in bacteria – the bacterium will recoil against a toxic substance. It’s fleeing away from it. 

    One of the critical things to understand is that anything you believe or feel is a threat will activate this system. This means, if you lose your job and you have economic insecurity, you will feel fear and activate the survival system. It may be that you just launched a marketing campaign that failed, and you feel concerned. Or perhaps your romantic partner just insulted you, and you’re scared of being alone. 

    the stress out life balance

    The average person is caught in a sympathetic loop. 

    When they wake up, they activate their beta brain waves. They check their phones, have a cup of coffee, and have food on the run. Then they have a stressful commute to work. They have a long hard day’s work, and then they do another stressful commute back home. They spend more time on their phones when they get home and then fall asleep. 

    The only time they’re in parasympathetic mode is when they fall asleep, and for most of them, it’s low-quality sleep. They repeat this pattern and get stuck in a vicious cycle of ‘fight, flight, or freeze.’ 

    The Healing System

    The parasympathetic system puts your body in a healing state for it to recover, rest, and rejuvenate [R].

    Before advancing in the industrial ages and technologies, we spent far more time in parasympathetic mode. When the sun went down, we went to bed. Apps, porn, games, movies, and shows didn’t hijack our brain’s dopamine system. There was far less stimulation than there is today. Our brains weren’t fooled by blue light coming from all of these devices.

    The body requires a balance of both parasympathetic and sympathetic systems. The danger is when your body becomes dominated by one of these systems. The most common problem we’ve noticed is people becoming trapped in a fight-flight-or-freeze lifestyle. Unfortunately, entrepreneurs and motivated career-driven people easily fall into this trap. 

    They travel the world, manage multiple products, start new businesses, lead dozens or even hundreds of thousands of people. They constantly learn new skills and systems. They cut down on sleep to make more time for work. They compromise their diet with restaurant meals and other low-quality food options. They deal with complex problems that arise constantly, and high-stress situations and problems come daily. This all eventually leads to mental burnout.

    The Arousal Stress Spectrum 

    The key is to flow between the relaxation and stress scale throughout the day, week and year. If you incorporate enough parasympathetic activities, you’ll feel balanced, energized, and rejuvenated. This will allow you to get the most out of your day and your Nootopia blends. 

    If you’re “stuck” in sympathetic (stress) mode most of the time, burnout and a crash in performance are inevitable. 

    stress arousal curve

    The Solution 

    The answer to preventing burnout while maximizing your performance is to consciously shift your mind and body into parasympathetic mode systemically. The more intense your life becomes, the more you need parasympathetic activities. This means incorporating certain habits and rituals that move you into healing mode. 

    Use the “cheat sheet” below to help you manage and balance your nervous system. It’s a critical component of being biologically optimized and preventing burnout. 

    The Nervous System Optimization Cheat Sheet

    PARASYMPATHETIC: HEALING “Brain Brakes”SYMPATHETIC: FIGHT OR FLIGHT OR FREEZE “Brain Accelerators”
    Nootopia● Upbeat
    ● Zamner Juice
    ● Brain Flow
    ● Mental Reboot AM/PM    		● Power Solution
    ● Nectar X 
    ● Apex
    ● Focused Savagery
    Other Supplements Drinks● Reishi
    ● L-Theanine
    ● CBD/CBN/CBG
    ● Lavender Oil
    ● Ashwagandha
    ● Magnesium Breakthrough    		● Coffee
    ● Stimulants 
    ● THC
    ● Nicotine
    Exercise● Tai Chi 
    ● Yoga    		● Weight Lifting 
    ● Sports
    ● Running
    Biohacking● Floating
    ● Meditation 
    ● Eft
    ● Sleep    		● Cryo
    Music● Classical
    ● Soundtracks    		● Heavy Metal
    ● Gangster Rap
    Neurotransmitters● Serotonin
    ● Endorphins 
    ● Oxytocin
    ● Anandamide    		● Adrenaline
    ● Noradrenaline 
    ● Dopamine
    Emotions● Gratitude 
    ● Happiness 
    ● Joy
    ● Peace
    ● Serenity    		● Fear
    ● Anger
    ● Drive/Willingness
    ● Any Emotional Reactivity
    Lifestyle● Hanging With Pets
    ● Playing With Kids
    ● Making Love
    ● Walking in Nature
    ● Relaxing at the Beach    		● Work
    ● Intense Sex
    Brain Waves● Alpha 
    ● Theta 
    ● Delta    		● Beta
    ● Gamma
  • 12 Ways Matt Maximizes The Brain-Enhancing Benefits Of Nootropics

    12 Ways Matt Maximizes The Brain-Enhancing Benefits Of Nootropics

    This practical guide will help you unlock power moves to boost your brain performance by getting the most out of your Nootopia stacks. 

    Everyone’s brain chemistry is unique. However, a few universal principles apply to everyone that will significantly boost their brains’ effectiveness. These nootropics are not your basic vitamins or supplements. They are very powerful physiological and neurological enhancers.

    1. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: More is NOT Better… OPTIMAL IS MORE

    One of the core principles of Biological Optimization is to find the ideal dose of each nutrient for peak performance. This means that optimum brain performance isn’t achieved by taking as many brain enhancers as possible. The goal is to get you to your ideal brain state, stay there, and avoid going beyond. 

    We are approaching brain optimization like a symphony. We want to have the full orchestra playing at the right volumes. You don’t want the cello or drums to “overpower” the rest of the orchestra. You don’t want to just hear “bass” in the mix. 

    It’s important to find your optimal “brain stimulation sweet spot.” 

    One of the most important aspects of your neuro journey is to find your sweet spot when it comes to nervous system stimulation. 

    That’s where the “Apex Performance” is… AKA: The Zamner Zone.

    When you take too many cognitive enhancers, you feel jitteriness, brain fog, a numbing of your senses, maybe a slight headache, and a dumbing down of your performance. When you take too little, you don’t activate the peak performance state you want. 

    Especially in the case of Nectar X and Power Solution, it means sipping instead of chugging. See how your brain reacts to ¼ of the tube. Wait for the effect, then manage the dose as you learn how your mind responds to each Breakthrough Brain Stack. 

    This means following the 30-day Guided Nootopia Journey, designed to ramp you up into the stacks slowly. This way, you can easily see what works for you and what doesn’t. You can learn the right amount of nootropics that works for you – “What’s too much?” “What’s not enough?” and “What activates YOUR ZAMNER ZONE?” 

    Everyone is unique. Neurotransmitter dominance and deficiencies, hormones, and liver enzymes vary wildly per individual. Your response to Nootopia stacks changes based on your unique genetics, lifestyle, age, food intake, and other factors. Just follow the 30-day Guided Nootopia Journey and take notes. This will lead to major improvements in managing your performance and mental state.

    Nootropics Greatly Increase The Effects Of Caffeine 

    This means that 1 cup of coffee will perform like 3-5 cups. We don’t use a lot of caffeine in our blends (unless you want us to because there are more effective ways to optimize your brain and energy). One of the issues you may encounter is feeling anxious drinking the same amount of caffeine you used to. This is especially true with Power Solution, Focused Savagery, and Nectar X. 

    Because of your individual genetics, this varies greatly. For example, some people are slow caffeine metabolizers, and ½ a cup of coffee keeps them awake at night. Others can pound a double espresso and take a nap. 

    This is why we suggest using decaf or half-caf/half-decaf to create your coffee when you start the nootropics. If you’re super caffeine sensitive, start with decaf. 

    Using the modified version of buttered coffee below can take your experience to new heights. THE MAIN POINT IS: YOU MUST FIND YOUR OWN “SWEET SPOT” WHEN IT COMES TO CAFFEINE CONSUMPTION, and this “sweet spot” is going to be very different than it used to be when using these Breakthrough Brain Stacks. 

    Note: Just as our nootropic stacks improve cognitive performance, some of these stacks also support and improve adrenal response. Critical to managing how you handle stimulants (like coffee and energy drinks). It’s entirely possible to reverse adrenal damage you may have experienced from excess stress, poor diet, and even genetic issues.

    All of that changes today – you are taking control of your mind and body with the most effective brain and body stacks ever assembled. 

    2. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: Use Glucose As A Performance Enhancer 

    Nootropics eat glucose for breakfast, lunch, and dinner: The brain is primarily made of DHA (DocosaHexaenoic Acid, an omega-3 fatty acid), but glucose fuels the brain. It CAN run on ketones; however, key areas of thinking are still dependent upon glucose to function. 

    If you find yourself “nooted up,” but you’re struggling to find the right words and phrases, it’s likely because your high-performance, nootropics-enhanced brain is starving for glucose. 

    You don’t need a lot of carbs to optimize this. You just need 10-20 grams: A handful of grapes, a glucose shot, honey-laced tea, or a long-burn carbohydrate like steel-cut oats dusted with cinnamon. 

    You can bump up your glucose a bit more when you’re in a high-performance event (all-day meeting, big pitch, playing a championship Chess match, hardcore brain training). The key with glucose is to STREAM IT IN by sipping a beverage or eating slower digesting, complex carbs (rice, oatmeal, etc.). 

    3. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: Minimize Or Avoid Weed, Alcohol, and Medication

    Nootropic stacks are “blunted” by bong hits (THC specifically), excess levels of alcohol, and many meds. Suppose you’re committed to getting high and drunk. In that case, we suggest waiting until night and using Mental Reboot PM to help you recover and be ready for the next day. 

    Mental Reboot PM is specifically formulated to help remove the detritus (or residue) accumulated in the brain from those drugs and meds. 

    Take the night-time oral capsule and daytime sublingual, and you’ll eliminate most, if not all of those toxic residues. 

    4. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: Avoid Protein 

    Avoid protein? WOAH! Blasphemy! Yes, protein is the seed of life, but it blunts nootropic absorption. It can compete with the more fragile nature of nootropics. Therefore, taking your Nootopia stacks “away from” protein is how you’ll best experience the nootropic benefits.

    Don’t worry, you don’t need to avoid protein throughout the day. We suggest taking your Nootropics 60 minutes before or 45+ minutes after a high-protein meal to help you maximize your nootropic absorption.

    5. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: Stack Your Fats 

    Many nootropics are fat-soluble. They look for a source of fat to bond to, which helps the nootropic cross through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). 

    Stacking all your fats with fat-soluble supplements creates a major breakthrough in nutrient absorption. For example, research has shown you can boost CBD absorption in the bloodstream by 800% when taken with a high-fat meal. You can get similar absorption gains with many other key fat-soluble nutrients. 

    Matt has recently increased his vitamin D levels up to 148 ng/ml (top of the range is 100) using this approach while taking half of the vitamin D he was previously consuming. 

    We suggest taking all your fats + fat-soluble Nootropics + fat-soluble supplements in one shot. 

    This includes: 

    1. Nootopia caps: Brain Flow, Upbeat, Focused Savagery, and Apex 

    2. Fish oil/Krill oil 

    3. Algae oil 

    4. Buttered coffee: MCT/butter 

    5. Vitamin: A, D, K, and E 

    6. CBD/CBG/CBN 

    7. Other high-quality fats: olive oil, macadamia nut 

    There will be a powerful synergistic effect taking the entire “fat stack” together. It will improve the uptake of your nootropics and moderate the uptake into the brain, which improves long-term performance. So instead of a quick spike in performance, you get a long-term, controlled performance improvement. 

    We suggest doing blood tests every three months when making big shifts so you can track the changes in biomarkers. 

    6. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: Optimize Your Vitamins And Minerals

    Many folks are vitamin and mineral deficient. As a result, they’re running on fumes and taking nootropics as a way to recover their performance deficit. 

    It doesn’t work like that. We DO ensure each nootropic stack is a complete B-vitamin matrix, but you may be depleted. By ensuring you keep optimal nutrient levels, you will experience better brain performance.

    Instead of starting from a minus five (-5) performance level, you’re starting from a plus two (+2) or a plus five (+5). That makes a huge difference in your brain performance improvement scale. Add the right stack on top of an already optimized body, and you’ll be activating a plus ten (+10) or better. That is the difference between the average and superhuman performance. 

    Adding Primergen-V and Primergen-M to your daily stack can make a big difference, and adding Magnesium Breakthrough makes a massive difference in balancing your nervous system.

    7. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: Sleep is the World’s Greatest Performance Enhancer 

    Most people are running on a sleep deficit. This causes their neurochemistry to malfunction since most natural neurochemicals are produced during sleep. The consequences of inadequate sleep and its negative effects on brain performance are well documented.

    This also means your brain isn’t as “clean” as it needs to be for optimum performance. Your nootropics have to fight beta-amyloid proteins and similar detritus to perform their magic. So getting good sleep is critical to performance. 

    Sleep is your best friend. Your nootropic performance enhancers will be much more magical with enough high-quality sleep. 

    8. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: Drink Water Like You’re Heading Into Deep High Desert 

    When you take Nootopia blends, your need for water increases. Some people need double to triple the amount of water they normally would to keep the body hydrated. Water and brain performance are highly interlinked. Even a 1% drop in dehydration will lead to a drop in brain performance. 

    When pushing your brain hard and deep, your body needs more water. Matt has had intense workdays where he drank 8 liters of water. 

    Powermove: Mineralize Your Water

     Adding ¼ to ½ tsp of high-quality salts (we recommend Himalayan or sea salt) is an inexpensive way to get more minerals into your body. The sodium will help you absorb the water more.

    For people on ketogenic diets, we recommend adding ½ tsp of cream of tartar with the salt in 2 liters of water once a day to get the necessary potassium. We also recommend using three droppers a day of Primergen-M to get the required amounts of trace minerals. 

    Make sure to be POUNDING water throughout the day. 

    9. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: Add A Music Stack 

    Music is an activator of neurochemistry. Most people have never thought of music this way, but it’s true for everyone. Everyone has certain songs or genres of music that make them feel certain emotions and states. 

    Want to get hyper-aggressive? Put on some Metallica and Tool, and you’re on your way. Want to feel like you’re on an epic adventure? Put on some soundtrack music. Feel melancholic and want to process those emotions? Put on some sad ballads. Want to feel euphoria? Put on EDM and start dancing (see tip #10). 

    The Nootopia blends will synergize with music and amplify those states. This is a powerful tool in the “State Creation Toolbox.”

    10. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: Movement Is LIFE 

    Many people take supplements and immediately become sedentary. They sit in one place and expect the supplement to do their heavy lifting. That’s not how it works. 

    With Nootropics, first, you’re in a race to get the active ingredients (the “stack”) into the bloodstream and then through the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB). It takes blood flow to make that happen. Passivity is the enemy of blood flow – sitting sucks for optimizing brain performance. 

    The ideal would be a 5-15 minute moderate cardio workout: biking, walking, yoga, swimming, etc. 

    Pressed for time? Don’t worry because you don’t need to do a full workout to activate the nootropics. Sixty seconds of movement every hour will make a massive difference in your energy and brain performance. 

    The key is to make it a habit. Put an alarm or notification on your phone “to move.” Micro bouts of movements are all that’s needed. Here are a few simple Power moves you can do: 

    1. A walk around the block 

    2. 1 set of 10 air squats (bodyweight squats) 

    3. 1 set of push-ups 

    4. DANCE! 

    5. A few yoga poses 

    Whatever you can do to accelerate blood flow will dramatically aid the performance of your nootropic stacks.

    In fact, why don’t you stand up right now and do five air squats?

    Did you do them yet? C’mon… It’s all about action. LIFE IS MOVEMENT. GO! 

    11. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: Push Your Brain: HARD, FAST, AND DEEP 

    To truly experience the power of Nootopia, you must activate your mind and push it. Nootropics don’t “do the work for you”; they’re like steroids (minus the side effects). Even someone on steroids needs to go to the gym to get the benefits. 

    Great opportunities to activate your mind and take it to new heights with Nootopia: 

    • Long workdays 
    • Strategic planning meetings 
    • Creative work (songwriting, writing, copywriting, art, etc.) 
    • Hyper-competitive video gaming 
    • Presentations (sales, interviews, teaching, etc.) 
    • Intense brain training 

    12. Brain Performance Enhancing Powermove: Create The Perfect Day Before It Starts 

    When your day starts, we suggest starting with prayer and meditation. Take this quiet time to craft the perfect day in your mind. Here are some questions you can ask to help create it: 

    • What’s in your schedule? 
    • Which state is ideal for your activities? 
    • What do you want your day to feel like? 

    First of all, those questions will help you shift into the state you envision. Second, the answer to those questions will help you choose the ideal Nootopia stack based on what state you want to activate.

  • 4 Ways To Get In The Zone Using Nervous System Calmers And The Endocannabinoid System

    4 Ways To Get In The Zone Using Nervous System Calmers And The Endocannabinoid System

    The ability to get in the zone quickly and effectively could change your whole life. Once you can command the hyper-focused brain flow at will, your productivity levels will skyrocket. This article is about getting you into the optimal brain state (the Apex performance zone) by adding cognitive enhancers that calm your nervous system and boost your endocannabinoid system.

    1. Combine Sympathetic Activators With Parasympathetic Calmers to find the right balance.

    If your body/brain gets over-optimized or overworked, your performance will decline. It can lead to brain fog, anxiety, and procrastination. The goal is not to have your brain perform at maximum capacity at all times. You can have short bouts of maximum brain power for workouts and other hyperintense activities. However, staying in that state isn’t sustainable and will lead to burnout.

    Here’s the breakthrough strategy: combine cognitive enhancement supplements that calm your nervous system when you take potent Nootopia blends. This usually leads to absolutely amazing states where your brain is at its Apex, but you feel calm, connected, and resourced.

    When you take sympathetic activators with parasympathetic calmers in the right ratios for your physiology, you will experience peak brain state or “Apex Performance.”

    That’s why we’ve designed most of the Nootopia stacks with this concept in mind. 

    2. Take ‘Brain Breaks’ To Calm Your Nervous System And Create Your “Magical Sweet Spots”

    Many of the Nootopia blends and stacks are “brain accelerators”: Power Solution, Focused Savagery, Apex, and Nectar X. Just like a car, it’s important to have “brakes” to slow things down when you’re going “too fast.” Upbeat, Brain Flow, and Magnesium Breakthrough are powerful “brakes.”

    Here are our suggestions for nervous system calmers and brain breaks: 

    1. Magnesium Breakthrough: 1-3 capsules

    One capsule taken with your Nootopia stacks really “smoothes out the edges,” especially if you’re sensitive to stimulants.

    Feeling a bit “burnt out”? Then take 1-3 capsules every four hours until you feel calm. Magnesium Breakthrough will also help shift your nervous system into parasympathetic mode, which is crucial because you will be energizing your nervous system to a certain degree with the nootropics.

    2. L-Theanine: 100-400-mg.

    L-Theanine is a great nervous system calmer. It boosts your alpha brain waves and elongates the effects of caffeine.

    3. Cannabidiol (CBD): 30-100 mg.

    CBD can also boost alpha brain waves while increasing your serotonin and anandamide levels. It’s incredible in Matty G’s Zamner Zone coffee recipe below. It also stacks powerfully with the oil nootropic blends to create new states.

    4. Lavender Oil: 1-2 capsules

    Lavender oil is another alpha brain wave booster. You can buy capsules of lavender oil or have an oil diffuser in your office, which is a great tool when you need to put on “the brakes.”

    3. Improve Your Brain Flow By Activating The Cannabinoid System

    After years of testing, we believe that stacking Cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabigerol (CBG), and Cannabidiol (CBD) with nootropics can lead to NEW Breakthrough Brain States. Why?

    The cannabinoid oils merge with other oils and help transport all oils + fat-soluble ingredients into the body and pass the blood-brain barrier.

    At the same time, CBD/CBG/CBN can boost serotonin and anandamide. These are powerful bliss substances to add to any state. They improve EQ (emotional intelligence), connection with others, conscious contact with a higher power, and can lead to new ways of seeing the world.

    4. Try Matty G’s Zamner Zone Coffee Recipe

    I LOVE taking this recipe with the Breakthrough Brain Stacks – especially combining it with the Social Command Stack. I use this when I want to maximize my verbal fluency and social drive.

    First of all, kudos to Dave Asprey for creating this epic coffee upgrade. These are my tweaks on the classic Bulletproof coffee recipe, designed to take along with nootropics.

    IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO DIAL IN THE CAFFEINE TO THE OPTIMAL DOSE.

    My main warning is to adjust the caffeine levels of the coffee based on your tolerance. Many stacks will AMPLIFY the caffeine significantly (especially Power Solution and Focused Savagery). Keep in mind the Brain Stacks already contain some caffeine, and you’ll feel some stimulation from that.

    I like using half-decaf/half-caffeine personally. If you’re a fast caffeine metabolizer, you can go full caffeine. If you’re hypersensitive to caffeine, use decaf.

    RECIPE:

    ● 2 cups of organic coffee (if you don’t like caffeine, use decaf or half-caf/half-decaf)

    ● 1 tbsp of grass-fed butter

    ● 1 tbsp of MCT oil

    ● 1 dropper of Primergen-V

    ● 1 dropper of Primergen-M

    ● 30-60 mg of CBD/CBG (I like Charlotte’s Web — use a full spectrum to get the optimal

    effect )

    ● Healthy Sweetener of your choice (I like Omica’s Butterscotch drops)

    ● 1 tbsp of organic RAW cacao powder (much stronger nootropic effect from the raw

    cacao) 

    Instructions:

    Make your coffee of choice, then combine it with all the other ingredients in a blender for 2 minutes (for maximum emulsification and molecular bonding). Sip over a 2-4 hour period.

    References

    1. Mason R. 200 mg of zen: L-theanine boosts alpha waves, promotes alert relaxation. Altern Complement Ther. 2001;7(2):91-95. doi:10.1089/10762800151125092

  • Your Journey To Optimal Cognitive Function (God Mode)

    Your Journey To Optimal Cognitive Function (God Mode)

    Congratulations on starting your journey to unlocking your brilliance within. You’re about to experience the pinnacle of brain-enhancing supplements. 

    You’re in for a deep, fun adventure. These four stacks and 8 PERSONALIZED formulas will help you become THE MAESTRO OF YOUR MIND. You’ll be able to wake up each day, choose how you want to be every day, and have the tools to shift your brain to whatever state you want. 

    Within the next 60 days, Nootopia is going to help you unlock your personal “God Mode” by enhancing your cognitive functions.

    Here are 5 phases that will unlock your brain’s superpowers over the next two months: 

    1. Identify Your Brain Goals

    Find and create brain stacks that: 

    1. Bring your brain performance to 100% of its true potential every single day. 
    2. Activate and shift your brain into specific STATES that make it easier for you to succeed at your goals. 
    3. Unlock NEW states that you’ve never experienced before. 

    2. Experiment With Different Nootropics, Dosage, Timing, And Stacks

    Please follow our 30-day guided Nootopia journey. By systematically testing the stacks, you will figure out which blends and combos are magical for your brain. There are dozens of ways to combine your personalized nootropic blends. We’ve also included the 1-page “cheat code sheet” to make it easier to understand each product. So keep experimenting and HAVE FUN. 

    EXPERIMENTATION is essential for finding the ideal combinations, timing, and dosages for YOU, your circadian rhythms, neurochemistry, and goals. 

    “Attack Dose” and Timing Matters: You’re going to figure out the right “attack dose” (which is your starter dose) and speed-of-dosing for each stack. For instance, drinking Nectar X and Power Solution at the right attack dose and pace makes a big difference.

    For example, if you drink ½ right away, it may be a good starting point or too much for you. If so, start with ¼ and then sip the rest over a few hours to stream in the ingredients at the right velocity to get your brain to its peak state and keep it there. 

    3. Neurogenesis

    Neurogenesis is when your brain and neurons grow and form in new ways, which is one of the key benefits of using the Nootopia stacks over time. This means the positive effects will build up and “level up” your brain’s baseline. This also means that they get more and more effective over time. We’ve seen this with virtually every client; after a few doses of the Breakthrough Brain Stacks, they are much more effective than initially. 

    4. Optimization

    Optimization #1: We will tweak each formula based on your monthly feedback and get them PERFECT for you. We usually get it “just right for you” within 2 or 3 cycles. Is Power Solution too strong? We can dial back the “stimulation.” Want it stronger? We’ve got you. 

    Optimization #2: You can shift your stacks each month. If there’s a stack you don’t enjoy, you can swap it for another stack. Plus, we will constantly be releasing NEW stacks for you to experience. The journey to God Mode is less of an event and more of a process. You’re in control. You get to take it as far as you like. 

    Also, if you want, you can change the frequency of your orders. For example, some people can stretch the “World Domination” subscriptions to 2 months. 

    However, be aware that the combinations are almost endless. We are also coming out with more foundational formulas to create more stacking possibilities in the next few months. 

    5. Apex Performance 

    Apex Performance happens once you dial in your nervous system, neurochemistry, and hormones to the sweet spot. You’ll be able to perform and feel at your absolute best. This is when you’ve achieved your goal of feeling and performing at your best. This is when you’ve got your states dialed in, and you can shift to whatever you want.

    Your First 30 Days

    The first month’s goal is to systematically guide you through the wide array of stacks and states possible with Nootopia. This is the experimentation phase. The 30-day Guided Journey is designed to give your brain a wide array of experiences to see what works best for you. Your feedback and experience from the first 30 days will help us guide your next month’s custom blends. Also, remember that you can swap various components each month also. 

    We suggest starting with single blends before combining stacks. Every capsule and every mixture is already a complete hyper-effective stack by itself. Once you understand how your mind and body react to each individual blend, then you can start “stacking the stacks” to unlock even more powerful states. 

    Our suggestion is to take weekends off to give your brain, receptors, and nervous system a little break and take Mental Reboot on one of those days to clean your brain.

    Here are our suggestions for the first 30 days of your Nootopia Journey for people on the Focused Ferocity and World Domination subscriptions: 

    Week One Of The Nootopia Journey

    Day 1: You’ll start off by taking just Nectar X. This powerful formula will turn your brain on and prepare you for an epic day. Expect to feel greater energy, more endurance, mental clarity, and improved neurogenesis. To take it, mix the Nectar powder with 24 oz of water or any drink of your choice, drink half of it right away, and sip the rest over the next 2 hours. 

    Pay attention to how it makes your body feel while drinking. It’s also essential to minimize your caffeine/coffee intake with this brain enhancer as it potentiates (which means it increases the caffeine’s effect). 

    Day 2: Take the Apex capsule in the morning on an empty stomach (to allow the oils to metabolize and enter the bloodstream easily and ensure it is not competing with proteins that could blunt effectiveness). 

    Apex helps you dominate the day by improving your synaptic choline levels and oxygen to the brain, resulting in synapses firing faster and more effectively. This is the Nootropic for optimal focus, creativity, and a long-lasting boost in energy.

    Day 3:  Need a nootropic for stress? We’ve got you. Upbeat is a custom-blended capsule of natural nootropics, herbal mood enhancers, and mental accelerators. Take 1-2 capsules first thing in the morning for improved energy, clarity, and focus. 

    It will help you boost your confidence in decision-making, have a greater ambition to pursue your goals, and feel a happier sense of well-being. Use this before speaking to other people to maximize your emotional intelligence (EQ) for a greater ability to connect and socialize with others.

    Day 4: For the latter half of the week, start with half of our Power Solution. Expect to feel all-day energy without crashing and a boost in learning, memory, and speed of thought. However, this Nootropic is very strong. That’s why we suggest drinking HALF right away and sipping the rest slowly over the next three hours to see how it impacts your brain. For some people, a quarter tube of the Power Solution is more than enough.

    Day 5: Take one capsule of Focused Savagery while minimizing your caffeine/coffee intake. This cognitive enhancer preloads your dopaminergic system and then triggers your brain to gently release the dopamine when necessary. You’ll get 6-10 hours of focus and insane levels of hyper-productivity via dopamine and GABA center stimulation and release.

    Day 6: Take 4-6 sprays of Zamner Juice three times: first thing upon awakening, before lunch, and mid-afternoon. The spray increases the production of dopamine, serotonin, and GABA production–which are essential neurotransmitters that lead to next-level vigor, zen-like calmness, better moods, and mind expansion.

    Day 7: The last day of the week is for Mental Reboot. Wake up and open the Mental Reboot AM capsule (pinkish) and pour the powder into your mouth and let it rest. It helps remove unwanted accumulations throughout the brain and re-sensitizes you to your nootropics and stimulants. A detoxified brain not only works better, but it experiences more potent effects. Take the Mental Reboot PM one hour before bed without opening the capsule.

    Week Two of Nootopia Journey

    Day 8: The last day of individual blends before moving onto real God mode stacking. Take one Brain Flow capsule on an empty stomach 45 to 60 minutes before or after eating. It will take roughly 30 minutes to kick in and last 4-6 hours.

    Day 9: It’s time to get serious with the Breakthrough Brain Stacks. Over the following weeks, you’ll be taking four different stacks covering all aspects of brain performance to unleash your God Mode. First, you’ll start with the Genius Activator variation 1: Nectar X + Brain Flow. Expect to see near-immediate improvement in cognitive performance. You’ll notice a rapid increase in focus, mental endurance, mental clarity, recall, and brain agility.

    The key to getting this right is adjusting your Nectar X dosage based on your first experience. For example, if you feel too much stimulation, try cutting your dose in half. Also, remember to adjust your coffee or caffeine intake accordingly.

    Day 10:  The second Breakthrough Brain Stack is the Neuro Primer. Variation 1 includes 1 Apex and 1 Brain Flow. This stack deep dives into boosting your brain’s performance and neurogenesis by renewing your brain and neurotransmitters as you work. Take 1 Apex when you wake up, then take 1 Brain Flow two hours later.

    Day 11: Introducing the third Breakthrough Brain Stack: Social Command. This stack helps you take charge of social situations by boosting your EQ and verbal fluency. The first variation is 1 Upbeat and 1 Power Solution. Start with 1 Upbeat capsule as soon as you’re awake, and an hour later, mix the Power solution in 24 oz of water. 

    Again, be sure to adjust the dosage according to your previous experience and minimize your coffee intake. For people that are more sensitive to stimulants, 20% of a Power Solution tube is enough.

    Day 12:  The Deep Work stack is for lasting deep focus, intense drive, and greater mood and motivation to pursue your goals. The first variation is 1 Upbeat and 1 Focused Savagery. Take Upbeat after you wake up and Focused Savagery 2 hours later for a whole day of hyper-productivity. While taking this stack, adjust your caffeine/coffee dosage based on your first few experiences.

    Day 13: After all that brain work, the brain needs a nootropic off day to be resensitized. This will improve its response to nootropics, medications, and stimulants. Cue the Mental Reboot AM/PM capsules. It detoxifies the brain and builds major gains in mental clarity and sharpness while reducing nervousness/anxiety.

    Day 14: Rest day – your brain has been on the grind. It’s time to give it and its receptor a break.

    Day 15 – 30: This is a repeat of the four stacks with different variations to unlock your brain’s maximum focus, concentration, and creativity.
    By the end of the 30 days, your brain state will perform at its true potential, making it easy to succeed at your goals and unlocking your cognitive “God Mode” status.