Best Nootropics for Memory

Alpha-GPC

Alpha-GPC is one of the most popular nootropics that you can buy. It’s fairly basic in function – it works by enhancing Acetylcholine levels in the brain. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter that works with the cholinergic system, or the system that’s responsible for memory and cognition in general. People with a deficiency of acetylcholine typically feel slow, sluggish, and have to work through brain fog on a daily basis.

Furthermore, Alpha-GPC improves blood flow to the brain. This means that your brain will have more access to oxygen and vital nutrients that it requires to operate at its most optimal level.

Dosing

The standard dose of Alpha-GPC is around 1200mg, but it’s not recommended to take all of this at once or you might start experiencing some of the not-so-serious side effects of Alpha-GPC, such as jitters, anxiety, or nausea. However, if you split this dose into three separate doses of 400mg, you shouldn’t experience any side effects at all.The best way to ensure that you don’t have a negative reaction is to start out using a smaller dose than is recommended. Taking a dose of 200mg thrice daily will acquaint you with the substance and ensure you don’t experience any side effects.

Alpha-GPC works fantastic as part of a Sulbutiamine stack. The two will provide cognitive benefits as well as help you manage your mood.

​Bacopa Monnieri

Bacopa monnieri is one of the most popular and revered Ayurvedic herbs. It’s been used for thousands of years by Vedic practitioners around the world, and its impact on memory and cognition is pretty hard to beat – it’s one of the few natural herbs that’s on par with synthetic nootropics for enhancing memory.The activate compounds in Bacopa monnieri are known as bacosides. These compounds help to activate the transference of information from cell receptors in the brain, which greatly enhance communication between neurons. They even enhance the growth of new neurons. Bacopa is particularly noted for its ability to improve long-term memory.

Dosing

The amount of Bacopa that you should take is largely dependent on the way that you’re taking it. It’s available in capsule form, powdered extract, or in the raw loose leaf form for making tea.

• If you’re taking it in a capsule, the standard dose is around 300 mg for a capsule containing about 50% bacoside extract.
• If you’re taking the powdered form, you’ll want to use closer to a gram on a daily basis.
• If you’re taking the loose leaf form, a few tablespoons steeped in hot – not boiling – water should be enough for some general improvement to cognition.

Centrophenoxine

Centrophenoxine is another way to enhance the amount of acetylcholine available to your brain. This particular choline source is very easily absorbed by your brain because it passes easily through the blood-brain barrier – a protective membrane that only permits certain chemicals to pass through into your brain.

Dosing

The recommended dose for this particular nootropic is between 250-750 mg a day. This is also best when split into smaller doses, so you have a constant influx of Acetylcholine available for your brain. Splitting it into three separate doses is best.It’s important to note that this nootropic can provide dose-dependent side effects. If you take too much you may experience drowsiness or recessive relaxation – interesting, because typical cholinergic side effects involve anxiety and overstimulation. Regardless, it’s best to start with smaller doses to make sure you retain your functional ability.

Centrophenoxine works will with the underrated nootropic Galantamine. While I won’t list Galantamine here on its own, it’s a good nootropic because it prevents choline from degrading. Taking this with a choline supplement will turn you into a cognitive powerhouse.

Citicoline

As you can probably guess from the name, Citicoline is another source of choline. It’s also known as CDP-choline, depending on where you get it. CDP choline is arguably the best source of choline that you can get, which is demonstrated by the fact that you can use it on its own with noticeable benefits. Most other choline sources are best when you stack them with other nootropics.

Citicoline, like other choline supplements, is known to enhance memory, learning, concentration, and other aspects of cognition by improving your brain’s ability to make phosphatidylcholine, which makes up a good portion of the grey matter in your brain. Furthermore it enhances blood flow and communication between neurons.

Dosing

The standard daily dose is around 250-500mg twice a day. This should be enough to show improvement to cognition. However, studies have shown that doses of up to 2 grams per day are safe – though these doses are typically only recommended for people who have suffered injuries that led to impaired brain functioning, such as strokes or concussions.

Noopept

Noopept is considered one of the original kingpins in regards to enhancing memory and overall brain function. It’s a very powerful compound that works a lot like the -racetam family of nootropics, which were the first widely promoted cognitive enhancers. Noopept is considered an ampakine – a substance that helps to modulate neurotransmitters in your brain. Ampakines are particular efficient at modulating glutamate, which can have negative effects on cognition if it’s not being produced in healthy levels.

Dosing

Noopept is a very potent compound and requires very small doses to be effective. The average daily dose is between 10 and 30 mg because Noopept is active in doses as small as 2-3mg. That means that, for starters, you can begin using about 3 mg three times a day. For me, this is enough to notice a tangible increase in awareness, focus and cognition.

Combining noopept with another racetam in a stack – particularly the noopept aniracetam stack – along with a choline source will provide you with incredible benefits.

Oxiracetam

Oxiracetam is another ampakine, but this one is part of the actual -racetam family. The main property of this ampakine is its ability to enhance production of acetylcholine in vivo, which means that it doesn’t actually supply the brain with choline, it just enhances the production of the neurotransmitter. Oxiracetam is the best racetam for studying because it can also help reduce related anxiety. This nootropic, along with Aniracetam, are among the best nootropics for students.For this reason, it’s generally recommended that you take Oxiracetam, or indeed any of the racetams, with a choline source. We’ve already listed some of the best choline sources earlier in the article, so if you stack one of these with your -racetam or with Noopept, you’ll notice a significant increase in effects.

Dosing

Most people suggest a total daily dose of between 800 and 2400 mg of Oxiracetam on a daily basis. Like most cognitive enhancers, this dose should be split up throughout the day to ensure a maximum nootropic benefit. Three doses of 800mg split into morning, afternoon, and evening will provide the best benefit for people interested in using Oxiracetam. The most common marketed form of Oxiracetam is pre-packaged into 750mg capsules, so taking one of these with each meal is a great way to feel the benefits of the compound.

Pramiracetam

Pramiracetam is my personal favourite nootropic, but be warned – it’s also the most disgusting thing I’ve tasted in my life, and this is coming from someone who takes all my nootropics, botanicals, and vitamins sublingually. I’m used to intense flavours that make other people retch, but Pramiracetam is something else entirely. Pramiracetam is the best racetam for memory recall, learning ability, logical processing and reason, and the ability to comprehend complex topics. It’s also great for improving focus and can even be a good motivator. It’s a fantastic nootropic for daily use, though its effects can be a bit intense – if you’re prone to anxiety from things like coffee, you might feel some subtle anxiety from Pramiracetam and want to take it with a mild anxiolytic like L-Theanine.

Dosage

I usually take about 500 mg of Pramiracetam. I only take it in the morning because I feel that repeated dosing diminishes the effects, but plenty of people take it 2-3 times a day and note continual improvement. It’s apparently fat-soluble nootropic, so it works well when taken with a small fatty snack like a couple of eggs. Eggs are ideal because they’re also the best source of choline that you can get from your food. That said, I always took my Pramiracetam on an empty stomach and always felt fantastic afterwards.

Uridine Monophosphate

Uridine is probably one of my favourite compounds overall. I don’t classify it as a nootropic in the same sense as the other compounds on this list because I don’t notice an immediate improvement upon taking a dose. However, what Uridine is useful for is long-term potentiation and an increase in your cognitive potential.This is because it promotes neurogenesis, which is the process by which your brain builds new neurons. I was drawn to Uridine because I struggled with addiction for many years and had suffered cognitive decline as a result. Uridine managed to repair the damage done by drug abuse and has helped me feel more intelligent and capable than I did before my addiction.If you’re already in good health and have no cognitive problems then you might not notice a huge benefit from Uridine. However it’s a good supplement to take regardless because it helps to maintain your cognitive strength and will vastly slow down the natural degeneration of your brain as you age.

Dosage

Many people recommend taking 100-200mg of Uridine orally. This is effective, yet thoroughly ridiculous. Uridine is absorbed much better sublingually, and you can make the product last a lot longer this way. Since sublingual dosage is typically 5-10x more potent than oral administration, you can receive the same effects from taking 5-10mg under the tongue. I’ve personally not felt anything from taking it orally, but a tiny dose taken sublingually every day has changed my life.

L-Tyrosine

People who struggle with natural production of dopamine may want to use L-tyrosine, or N-Acetyl Tyrosine (known as NALT.) Tyrosine is the precursor to dopamine and your body converts it into usable dopamine in the body. L-tyrosine stack or a NALT stack (there’s no point in using them together) work best with a nootropic that helps to enhance dopamine production like Sulbutiamine.