11 Best Nootropics For Strength Training

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The usage of nootropics in among all kind of athletes has been gaining lots of popularity over the past couple of years. And for a good reason, too. 

Many competitive athletes are always searching for ways to improve their performance and/or body composition.

But the positive benefits associated with nootropics are not only limited to competitive athletes. More and more “average joes” take advantage of these compounds to help them reach their goals both in and outside the gym.

NO matter your goal, nootropics can give you that little extra help to reach them. 

But what are nootropics, how will they help you, and what are the most effective ones? That’s what you’re about to learn.

What Are Nootropics?

In broad terms, nootropics refer to a wide range of artificial and natural substances that enhance cognitive functioning.

They are commonly used by entrepreneurs, University students, and athletes to increase memory, concentration, motivation, mood, or other factors related to cognition and thought.

Nootropics are also frequently described for various medical conditions, for example ADHD (Ritalin/Concerta, active ingredient methylphenidate).

Other names to describe nootropics are “smart drugs” and “cognitive enhancers” and they usuallywork by supporting or altering your brain chemicals. 

Even though the mechanisms through which nootropics work depends on the substance, most commonly they work by modulating neuronal metabolism, cerebral oxygenation, neurotransmitter availability, increasing neurotrophic factors, and by affecting other cellular processes.

While the usage of cognitive enhancing substances is gaining much popularity, it is not something new.

In fact, Chinese and Ayurvedic tribes have been using nootropic substances like Panax Ginseng and Rhodiola Rosea for years.

The real breakthrough, however, was done by Dr. Corneliu Giurgea back in 1972, who came up nootropic, a term from the greek in which it means “toward the mind”

Dr. Giurega had 5 criteria that must be met in order to classify a substance as a nootropic;

• The substance should enhance memory and the ability to learn
• The substance should help the brain function under disruptive conditions, such as hypoxia (low oxygen) and electroconvulsive shock
• The substance should protect the brain from chemical and physical assaults, such as anti-cholinergic drugs and barbiturates
• The substance should increase the efficacy of neuronal firing control mechanism in cortical and sub-cortical regions of the brain
• The substance should lack a generalized sedative or stimulatory effect. It should possess few to no side effects and be virtually non-toxic.

To simplify, in the rest of the article we’ll take a look at substances that fit the following criteria’s;

• The substance must enhance cognitive function and/or protect or repair the brain.
• The substance should be applicable to strength training (whether short and/or long-term)
• The substance must have low-no side effects

Why You Should Stay Away From All-In-One Nootropics

Nowadays, there are much all-in-one “pre-stacked” nootropic products on the market. An example is the popular product AlphaBrain.

And while these all-in-one products get more and more popular, I advise you to stay away from them due to 4 reasons.

1. In most of the products it looks like the ingredients are randomly chosen (i.e., the “dartboard approach”) and don’t compliment each other.
2. You’ll pay the premium price for all-in-one products
3. Many all-in-one products aren’t fully transparent about what’s in the bottle
4. Many times the dosage of ingredients in the all-in-one products are too low for noticeable benefits. It is very common that companies add ingredients in very small negligible amounts just so they can say the product contains a certain ingredient. 

You are better off buying single ingredients. This also allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of a single ingredient more accurately.

I’ve categorized the recommended nootropics we’ll take a look at into 4 areas

• General brain health
• Stimulants / focus / willpower
• Adaptogens (cortisol blockers)
• Vasodilators (blood flow)

But please note that the benefits of most nootropics are not limited to those categories only. Most of them have overlapping benefits.

General Brain Health

An unhealthy mind, even in a healthy body, will ultimately destroy health
– Manly Hall

A healthy mind is absolutely crucial, for both cognitive as well as physical functioniong.

With a healhty mind you’ll perform better in every earea of life including strength training.

An healthy brain can focus better on workouts, is more motivated, and signals the muscles more effectively to perform it’s duty.

Let’s take a look at 4 beneficial nootropics for general brain health

#1. Choline (Alpha-GPC)

Choline, commonly referred to as vitamin B4, plays a crucial role in memory, focus, strength, power, and recovery.

When choline is consumed it gets converted into the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) by the usage of an enzyme called choline acetyltransferase (ChAT).

Adequate levels of choline increase brain glucose metabolism, ATP, and phosphocreatine and thereby increase a wide range of cognitive capacities.

Alpha-GPC, a special form of choline has quite a few nice benefits for athletes;

• Researchers found that 600-mg of Alpha-GPC for 6 days significantly increases lower-body strength.
• Another study found 44-times higher growth hormone release post exercise with Alpha-GPC supplementation compared to a placebo
• One study found increased reaction time and alertness in response A-GPC supplementation. 

While your body is able to create small amounts of choline, your must consume additional amounts through food or supplementation to ensure adequate levels. 

Choline can be found in foods like eggs and beef liver, although usually in small amounts.

Due to the fact that most people don’t eat these foods on a regular basis is the great majority of the population deficient in this vitamin (±80%). Thereby supplementation would be beneficial for many.

Dosage: 250 – 2000mg (250 – 500mg for young, healthy adults, 1000 – 2000 for elderly)

Recommended product: Alpha-GPC 300mg by Double Wood Supplements (view on Amazon)

#2. Curcumin

Curcumin is the active ingredient of the yellow spice Turmeric, which is commonly used in the Indian cuisine.

Many researchers believe the low incidence of neurodegenerative diseases in India is linked to the many fenefits of this compound;

• 80-mg curcumin increases nitric oxide (NO) by 40%, a very potent vasodilator which increases blood flow to the brain (and muscles)
• Curcumin significantly decreases inflammation. Inflammation in the brain can cause a wide variety of symptoms including memory loss, brain fog, depression, anxiety, and lack of mental clarity.
• Curcumin decreases systolic blood pressure. Hypertension is known to cause damage to the blood vessels in the brain and thereby decreases cognitive functioning.
• Curcumin prevents cognitive decline and is neuroprotective 
• One study showed that in rats 500-mg curcumin increases BDNF levels on average 140%. BDNF is a protein vital for promoting the growth of your neurons, activating brain stem cells to convert into new neurons, and overall brain health.

Besides all its benefits has curcumin one flaw; It has very low bioavailability.

The good news is that we drastically can increase this by consuming it with piperine, the active ingredient from black pepper. 

Piperine improves bioavailability by inhibiting the liver enzyme (hepatic enzyme CYP3A4) that metabolize curcumin.

Dosage: 80 – 500mg (in combination with piperine / black pepper)

Recommended product: Organic Curcumin with Bioperine by Dr. Danielle (view on Amazon)

#3. Fish Oil

Fish oil is an essential fatty  acid derived from various fish species and is very rich in the omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

These components are involved in every cell membrane. Especially the brain contains high amounts of these fatty acids (primarily DHA)

That’s why why being low in omega 3 results in structurally smaller brains and decreases cognitive functions including memory, problem-solving, multitask ability, and thinking capabilities.

Although the benefits of fish oil are almost endless, 3 interesting nootropic ones are:

• Fish oil is very anti-inflammatory. Inflammation in the brain is known to destroy tissue and alter brain function 
• Fish oil prevents the formation of harmful blood clots and keeps your arteries smooth and free from damage. This way nutrient and oxygen-rich blood gets easier delivered to your brain and muscle tissue. 
• Fish oil significantly increases blood flow and nitric oxide levels (I’ll talk more about the benefits of blood flow and nitric oxide later in this article)

The best food sources to obtain your daily omega 3’s are cold water, oily fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel halibut, sardines, and bluefin tuna.

The problem is that, unless you eat fatty fish (almost) every day, that obtaining adequate amounts of DHA per day through diet alone is almost impossible.

That’s why for most individuals taking a fish oil supplement is required.

Dosage: 700 – 1000-mg EPA and 200-500-mg DHA daily.

Recommended product: Bleu Ice Royal butter oil / fermented cod liver oil blend (view on Amazon)

#4. Creatine

Creatine acts as an energy buffer in your brain. It works by increasing the amount of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules inside your cells. 

This improves message sending and energy production throughout your whole body (including your brain). Thereby  it has a wide range of benefits on all systems of the human body. A few of them are

• Improved energy levels in the brain
• Increased cognition
• Decreasing symptoms of sleep deprivation
• Stimulating cellular hydration
• Increased lean body mass
• Increased strength output
• Increased testosterone

Creatine monohydrate is the cheapest form but just as effective as more expensive ones.

Dosage: 3-5 grams daily

Recommended product: Pure micronized creatine monohydrate powder by Bulksupplements (view on Amazon)

Stimulants / Focus / WillPower

If you’re involved in fitness in any form you’ve probably experienced a point in your workout sessions where you have to overcome a mental roadblock to keep going.

While your body might still be able to push through, something inside you is telling a little rest would be great. While this obstacle is no problem with the right focus and mental tenacity it can be a problem when you’re mentally fatigued.

But with the help of the right nootropics, these obstacles be overcome with ease.

They stimulate the brain, keep you focused, and help you stay motivated enabling you to crush your workouts.

Let’s take a look at some effective nootropics / stacks.

#5. L-theanine – Caffeine stack

Caffeine is a natural occurring chemical found in the leaves and seeds of various plant species including coffee beans, Guarana, cacao, and yerba mate.

This compound is consumed by around 92-98% of the North American population on a consistent basis and thereby is the world most popular stimulant. 

Caffeine works in three ways

1. It binds to adenosine receptors in the brain leaving fewer receptors available for adenosine to bind to. Whenever adenosine binds to a receptor, nerve cell activity decreases which causes drowsiness.
2. Blocking these adenosine receptors also seems to increase dopamine activity which further increases the stimulated feeling.
3. Caffeine increases the catecholamine’s adrenaline and nor-adrenaline in a dose-dependent manner resulting in increased energy, focus, and performance.

The best time to take caffeine is pre-workout since it increases strength, anaerobic performance, and muscle endurance.

L-Theanine, on the other hand, is an amino acid found in various teas. It is a very safe compoundand has been shown to soothe the negative effects of caffeine like impaired sleep quality, increased blood pressure, and anxiety.

In fact, it might even increase the positive aspects of caffeine and improve attention more than caffeine taken solely.

L-theanine works as a relaxing agent without sedation, it does so by increasing alpha brain wave activity and GABA levels, providing a relaxed but sharp attention.

This makes the combination caffeine and L-Theanine very effective pre-workout.

Dosage Caffeine: 50-300 mg 

Dosage L-Theanine: 100 – 200 mg 

Recommended product: Caffeine + L-Theanine by EU Naturals (view on Amazon)

#6. Huperzine-A

Huperzine A is a safe alkaloid that’s been used for centuries in the traditional Chinese medicine for its cognitive enhancing and neuroprotective properties.

It works as a reversible, potent, and selective anticholinesterase inhibitor, which in simpler terms means more of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is available for usage inside your brain.

Acetylcholine is crucial for a wide range of cognitive functions and is important for the nervous system in order to activate muscle fibers effectively.

Thereby it’s been shown that huperzine has quite a few benefits;

• Huperzine-A increases memory and learning performance after 4 weeks of 50-mcg supplementation.
• Huperzine-A removes free radicals in the brain.
• Huperzine-A significantly increases the amplitude of muscle contraction by stimulating nerve cells. This results in more strength and higher power output.

This compound is commonly used by bodybuilders and strength athletes to boost focus during workouts. 

One nice advantage of huperzine-A is that it reaches your blood in 5-10 minutes and thereby provide benefits fast. Peak concentration levels are reached around one hour after consumption.

Dosage: 50-200mcg

Recommended product: Huperzine-A by Absorb Health (view on Amazon)

#7. Mucuna Pruriens

The herb Kapikachu, better-known as Mucuna Pruriens, is a legume that’s been used for centuries by the Indian Ayurvedic medicine.

It grows on trees that can reach up to 15 meters in length and is one of the richest sources of L-dopa on earth, a direct precursor of the powerful and famous neurotransmitter dopamine.

Dopamine is a chemical produced in the brain that plays a role in many different functions including movement, cognition, and feelings of pleasure and reward.

Mucuna Pruriens also contain adrenaline and nor-adrenaline, giving you an energy burst and increased focus.

Besides this has Mucuna Pruriens also nice antioxidant properties and is neuroprotective meaning it has positive effects on your brain health.

Dosage: 5 grams

Recommended product: Organic mucuna Pruriens powder by Sun potion (view on Amazon)

Vasodilators (Nitric Oxide Boosters)

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous signaling molecule produced in the body which helps our 50 trillion cells communicate with each other by transmitting signals. Besides that it’s also a very potent vasodilator.

That’s why it is very commonly used among athletes that can benefit from an increased circulation in their sport. One of them are bodybuilders for who it helps to create a very powerful “pump.”

There are, however, more benefit associated with NO;

1. NO is very potent at preventing cardiovascular diseases. It does so by relaxing arterial walls, dilating your vessels, and improving blood flow.
2. NO improves cognitive functioning and prevents cognitive decline by increasing blood flow to the brain and functioning as a secondary neurotransmitter between nerve cells.
3. NO is crucial for healthy erections. Without NO it would be impossible to get a boner (if you’re a male). By increasing the amount of NO the quality of your erections increase and thereby does sex life good. In fact, studies show that NO is more potent than Viagra.
4. Increasing NO improves the quality of your workouts by increasing blood flow. This way your muscle cells receive more oxygen and nutrients.
5. NO is crucial for healthy sleep and is shown to be a regulator of your sleep/wake cycles. It likely does this by altering the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
6. NO may improve glucose metabolism

In short, nitric oxide helps the complete cardiovascular system enabling nutrients, oxygen, and red blood cells to reach their destination easier and faster.

Let’s take a look at 2 of the most potent nitric oxide boosters.

#8. Vitamin C + Garlic

Garlic and vitamin C are taken by many people due to their health enhancing effects. But did you know that when taken together they are one of the best things for blood flow and cardiovascular health?

In fact, according to a study by the Flinders University of South Australia is garlic more effective than most drugs on the market for dropping high blood pressure levels.

That’s why the Pharmaceutical Research Institute at Albany College decided to study the effects of garlic in combination with vitamin C on blood pressure and NO levels. 

They supplemented 25 healthy subjects suffering from high blood pressure with 2-grams of vitamin C and 4 garlic tablets (6-mg allicin and 13.2-mg alliin).

The results?

• NO levels increased by 200%!
• Systolic blood pressure decreased on average from 142 mm to 115 mm. This is a greater drop than most medical drugs provide.
• Diastolic blood pressure dropped on average from 92-mm to 77-mm

Dosage: 200 – 2,000mg vitamin C, 600 – 1,200 mg garlic

Recommended product:

• Vitamin C: Pure ascorbic acid powder by Bulksupplements (view on Amazon)
• Garlic: Kyolic garlic formula (view on Amazon)

#9. L-Citrulline

L-Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid found in high concentrations in watermelons. This compound gets converted in your kidney to L-Arginine, a direct precursor for the synthesis of NO.

Citrulline also gets converted into nitric acid, a compound that further enhances through your arteries and brain. This decreases blood pressure, dilates your blood vessels, and assists in removing any blockages.

Thus L-Citrulline;

• Boosts NO production
• Increases blood flow and muscle pumps by dilating your vessels
• Improves exercise efficiency and tolerance 

Why not buy L-Arginine instead you ask?

It seems, for a reason researchers haven’t been able to explain that L-Citrulline is more effective than L-Arginine.

Dosage: 6,000 – 8,000-mg pre-workout

Recommended product: Pure L-Citrulline powder by Bulksupplements (view on Amazon)

Adaptogens (Cortisol Blockers)

Cortisol is a corticosteroid hormone that is released by your adrenal gland in response to stress. It functions to increase blood sugar to a process called glucogenesis, which basically means your body breaks down non-carbohydrate tissue (for example muscle) in order to release energy.

That’s why chronically high cortisol levels is associated with muscle loss.

But besides muscle loss, it also wreaks havoc on the hippocampus, an essential part located in the center of your brain. The hippocampus is responsible for converting short-term memories into long-term memories.

Excess cortisol has been shown to damage and kill cells in the hippocampus and thereby cause premature brain aging and memory loss. 

That’s why keeping your cortisol levels in check is crucial for building muscle mass and healthy cognitive functioning. 

Let’s take a look at the best supplements that lower cortisol levels natrally..

#10. Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha, which literally means “smell of horse” is a ginseng root used by the traditional Ayurvedic medicine for centuries in order to all kinds of problems including memory problems, fatigue, male sexual dysfunction, and infertility problems.

It contains high amounts of nutrients and phytochemicals, along with saponins and various other compounds that do the body and mind good.

Let’s take a look at what science tells us about Ashwagandha

• One study found that 60 days of supplementation with a 300 mg of high-concentration Ashwagandha root extract reduces cortisol levels by 27.9% while also greatly reducing anxiety and mental stress in the participants.
• Another study showed that Ashwagandha heals the adrenal gland and thereby decreases the symptoms of adrenal fatigue in the test subjects. That’s nice because screwed up cortisol levels are often directly related to adrenal gland problems.
• This study noted a 14% reduction in cortisol levels after 60 days of KSM-66 (Ashwagandha) extract supplementation.
• This study found a 32 reduction in cortisol levels by using 5/g-day of pure Ashwagandha root powder. 

But the benefits of ashwagandha are not limited to cortisol reduction. It ”significantly” increases power/strength output, decreases body fat, reduces anxiety, reduces muscle soreness, increases testosterone and sperm count, and increase cognitive functioning.

Dosage: 800 – 1,200mg

Recommended product: Organic Ashwagandha root powder by Organic Veda (view on Amazon)

#11. Rhodiola Rosea

Another great way to keep your cortisol levels in check is by supplementing with Rhodiola.

Rhodiola, also known as the ”golden root” or ”Arctic root”  is an adaptogen that’s been used by Russian astronauts, soldiers, politicians, and athletes for decades. 

The referred to it as their ”secret” to decrease fatigue, increase performance, and handle stress, both physically and mentally.

1. Rhodiola contains more that 140 nutrients of which quite a few are known for their cortisol lowering effects (alkaloids, terpenoid, and various saponins)
2. Rhodiola significantly reduces stress and fatigue
3. Rhodiola significantly reduces cortisol levels in both men and woman
4. Rhodiola has been shown to increases endurance performance

Dosage: 288 – 680mg

Recommended product: Siberian Rhodiola Rosea 500-mg by Supernova Naturals (view on Amazon)

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There you have it.

11 amazing nootropics that can take your body composition, health, and performance to the next level