Yes, nootropic helps cognition and boost the development of the human brain. Guess what has crept into the mainstream consciousness today? The “smart drugs” and nootropic supplements. Innumerable drug retailers and medicine companies often play the role of ‘neurohackers’. Sometimes they tout various substances as the key to improved academic performance and attaining a greater IQ. A plethora of nootropic substances is available on the market. These can prove to be advantageous for the cognitive development of the human brain. With age, thinking abilities decline drastically. The age-related declines include slowness in multitasking, finding words, sustaining attention, etc. It becomes easier to learn and attain mental clarity when relying on nootropic drugs.

Definition of “nootropics”

Nootropics are chemical compounds and a wide range of drug supplements that can be consumed to improve the health and performance of the brain. This term takes into account every substance from vitamins, minerals, nutrients, synthetic chemical compounds, and neurotransmitter precursors. Various nootropics ensure enhancement of protein production that allows neuroprotection and fosters better human brain functions.

Importance of nootropics for cognitive development:

 Nootropic drug: Citicoline 

Citicoline, alternatively called CDP-choline is considered as a focused enhancer. It plays a significant role in cognitive learning, boosting memory, and improving neuronal functions. A 2008 report which studied the impacts of citicoline on a few healthy human participants elucidated the fact that citicoline supplementation has enhanced the brain’s frontal lobe bioenergetics. Furthermore, they displayed that energy reserves, metabolism, and energy utilization were enhanced in certain important parts of the cortex that are involved with cognitive abilities, learning, executive functions, and memory.

Nootropic drug, L-Tyrosine 

 L-tyrosine acts as a cognitive flexibility boost and is composed of an amino acid that is an important precursor to catecholamine neurotransmitters (for example epinephrine, dopamine, etc.). L-tyrosine often causes strong nootropic impacts on mood inducing its enhancement to levels where molecule L-DOPA is produced. It is also considered as the precursor to dopamine.

Certain types of B Vitamins improve brain health and boost cognition

Various B vitamins are considered good for heart health and crucial for cellular processes and indirectly ensure the healthy performance of the human brain and body. To ensure improved and optimal cognitive performance, the following can be consumed:

1. Vitamin B1 or Thiamine: It plays a valuable role in mitochondrial functions and metabolism. We all know that the mitochondria are known as the cell’s powerhouse, and Thiamine behaves as a co-factor that helps produce certain enzymes vital for producing various neurotransmitters. Several research-based observations have concluded that thiamine deficiency can be detrimental to brain function. Prolonged deficiency in thiamine can lead to the weakening of cognitive capacity and increased neural death counts. It is observed that many individuals reported a significant improvement in energy levels, cognitive capacity, and mental health after consuming vitamin B1.
2. Cobalamin or Vitamin B12: This vitamin performs the synthesis of RNA and DNA and performs heavy duties in our brains. Vitamin B12 helps in maintaining the health of the “myelin sheath” which is a protective sheath around the axons. They help in propagating quick signals between neurons. It is important to have a strong myelin sheath for quicker transmission of messages.

 L-Theanine:

 This nootropic ensures the maintenance of a calm mind. Green tea can be an excellent source of L-Theanine. It can cure cognitive deficits and improve the cognitive capacities of individuals. This nootropic can help reduce anxiety and improve your mood. However, it cannot quite meet the demand for anxiety reduction always. Its fundamental functions are creating a calming effect on the mind and bringing in clarity of mind. L-Theanine also helps improve sleep cycles and humans apart from sharpening memory and polishing mental abilities.

The arena of nootropics and neurochemistry can be complex enough to navigate and investigate. However, from the above discussion it’s clear that nootropics help cognition and boosts brain development.