Hello! 19F with ADHD / autism combo, strongly mirroring the symptoms of excessive glutamate much like many posters here.

I hear a lot about people finding success with taking GABA, but on here the most common recommendation I see is to take Glutamate antagonists / GABA agonists instead of just taking GABA directly. Why is this? I'm struggling to search for an explanation, with the only I've been able to find being that GABA doesn't cross the BBB but that's become more and more disputed over time.

I hate managing a huge stack of supplements and if I could (being idealistic here) just take GABA as a single supplement that would be nice, as I also react weirdly to a lot of the suggested alternatives (l-theanine + every form of magnesium I've tried makes me feel SO groggy, NAC might interfere with my ADHD stims unless I take it at a rly specific time).

Please excuse my lack of knowledge and if it shines through in my descriptions. Posting this here to learn, as all of the information is really intimidating at the start.

i'm from eastern europe, specifically moldova, and i have mostly motor tics (which are medically recognized/diagnosed) and some vocal tics.

i have been on phenibut for tics for exactly 2 months and a half, anyone who was on it: did it help? did it lessen your tics? did they go away completely?

I do not mean something like Adderall or Ritalin that just stimulates you, but something that actually rewires your brain in a meaningful way, even if it is potentially high risk (like Dihexa causing issues with focus in some people or strengthening autism).

Anyone here learn a hard language such as Arabic, Chinese etc and notice any nootropics that significantly help speed up the learning process?

What's the actual difference? Both subs are about the same thing: nootropics. Nootopics has stricter moderation though.

Hi everyone, help / advice really desperately needed

Does anyone have experience w/ Phenylpiracetam and PPAP to recover the dopaminergic system after consuming Ritalin for 10 years? Today if I don’t — it at all, I can’t wake up or get out of bed. In order to function I — **160 mg of Ritalin LA per day** (I try to make it less, at least 80 I need to feel “human”), but I can easily take more than 400mg in a period of 20 hours (“a long day”). And repeat it the next day, all without recreational effects so just to “be”.

My idea **is PPAP and Phenylpiracetam to replace, decrease or stop Ritalin,** whichever is possible.

Does anyon can share much appreciated knowledge???

(*Besides this I am prescribed every day Methadone 120 mg, Fluvoxamine 200mg, Clonazepam 2 mg, and… the last addition is Testosterone Enanthate 250mg IM every 2 weeks for Opioid induced hypogonadism but I’ve only done one shot and my testosterone levels came back normal! (Yes I took a dose without knowing my T levels but my libido and pp were disappearing)*.

My DHEAS is low and cortisol low but I don’t know what that even means so… the T may be not needed / although I had every symptom and the testosterone I barely felt it but it made me feel “something” but this maybe goes in another post.

Hey guys I’m 33 healthy guy. I suffered from long covid in 2021 and am now recovered enough. I work full time hit the gym weekends eat healthy but I am struggling with cleaning and organization when I’m home. I have a computer desk half build since January and it’s now end of May I just stare at it. I am lacking the motivation to clean my house has been a mess all month and I just glance and don’t care. I assume it’s burnout from work but even weekends when I’m off I don’t feel like cleaning I force myself to. I used to be sort of OCD and loved organization and aesthetic placements and I miss doing that and feeling organized . Was wondering if you guys can reccomend any noots that can trigger this. Been on concerta the last couple days because I’ve always felt I have ADHD undiagnosed and gave it a shot maybe I need more dopamine and I feel nothing from it just neutral, I am not stressed or depressed , I’ve tried most nootropics alpha gpc maca ,l tyrosine, Dihexa, peptides , coffee , tea, pre workout , etc I simply need the urge to get things done and complete it with satisfaction. I just want to relax and exist which is great but it’s not helping with productivity . Help 🙏🏽

Hi so I have rather healthy life I used na semax amidate and selank with dha 1000mg and alpha gpc and felt better but I loved the first day especially first dose of na semax amidate was so awesome like I took limitless pill I will cherish this day forever but now I think I need to be better when it comes to my mind I try to be best version of myself semax definitely helped but I need something working all the time forever I know it can cause cancer but I’m ready to get a risk also I will get like pill daily there’s no reason to over do

What your take on it any tips ? Is it worth it and does it trutly work? Since I’m in Europe I can get 99.9% pure version so it would be kinda healthier

Also how to store it in shelf or fridge

How you feel on it and what are the downsides other than cancer lol

Hi folks,

the French authorities hate CBD (because of its association with illegal cannabis) and they sucessfully got the European Chemicals Agency to classify it as toxic for human reproduction on the grounds that at very high doses (much higher than those consumed by humans), it can be toxic for animals.

As a consequence, it's only a matter of time before ALL CBD products will be banned in ALL EU countries without exception, nobody will be able to buy CBD in the EU in the future, not even as a research chemical not for human consumption.

This greatly frustrates me as these CBD products were a game-changer for my pain and anxiety.

Now, I'm actively seeking alternatives but I don't want them to act on the benzodiazepine GABA A receptors as this can lead to tolerance and addiction.

Magnolia, bacalain, Ashwagandha, Coriander, Saffron, Apigenin, Isoliquiritigenin, and Gotu Kola are good but they act on benzodiazepine receptors, as shown by the fact that they are blocked by flumazenil.

Matrine is great but it's likely to be banned as it is an opioid with some abuse potential at high doses.

L-theanine doesn't have any effect on my anxiety, lemon balm only has weak effects.

Kava is wonderful but it causes severe itching in my case.

Do you know any alternatives that do not act on benzodiazepine receptors?

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this whole nootropics thing so I need someone to help me out and choose one that is best for me. I'm currently in med school in my 3rd year (med students would know lol) and it's been pretty hard to keep up with the constant exams and assignments and the millions of lectures that are held every week.

I'd like to know for productivity, better recall, better memory, and just overall better cognitive performance, which would work best? Adderall or Modafinil? I'd really appreciate it if someone could help me out on which one has the most benefits and least amount of side effects.

Also, please don't recommend me any other nootropics that may seem "safer" or better for "first timers".

I'm neurodivergent, likely level 1 autistic with ADHD, and doctors have completely refused to engage with this fact. After years of rawdogging life and struggling to function, I got tired of waiting for help. I decided to try and fix my life on my own by engineering a protocol to finally give my brain the dopamine and drive it was lacking.

The logic behind my stack felt pretty genius at the time. I was treating my body like a machine. Here is exactly what I took and what it was supposed to do:

The Protocol & The "Genius" Logic

Phase 1: (7:30 AM) The Dopamine Engine

L-Tyrosine & Vitamin C: The raw fuel and enzyme catalyst used to force my brain to manufacture a massive wave of dopamine.

Sabroxy & Polygala: Sabroxy (a DRI) and Polygala (a triple reuptake inhibitor/mild MAOI) were meant to block the exits and trap that dopamine in my synapses so the intense focus would never fade.

Caffeine & Agmatine Sulfate: Caffeine as the launch trigger to kickstart the process, and Agmatine as a potent vasodilator to widen blood vessels and keep circulatory flow open.

Vitamin B6 & B12: Metabolic cofactors required to convert amino acids into active neurotransmitters.

Phase 2: (2:30 PM) - The Maintenance Hack

Alpha-GPC, Uridine Monophosphate, & Omega-3s: Taken later in the day to upregulate my brain's receptor sensitivity and keep the engine running efficiently.

Phase 3: Night Stack

Magnesium & L-Theanine: To clear residual stimulant tension and reset my nervous system for the next day.

Where It All Went Wrong (The Double Crash)

It was supposed to be the ultimate brain hack, but I completely overloaded my body's wiring and caused two massive physical crashes in a single day.

1. The Morning Vascular Storm (The Headache)

By stacking L-Tyrosine, Sabroxy, Caffeine, and Polygala all in the morning, I completely stripped away my body's natural neurochemical safety valves. Adrenaline and dopamine spiked to an uncontrolled level. When my morning caffeine finally wore off, my blood vessels tried to rapidly snap open to relax, but the Agmatine I took was already chemically forcing them wide open. Because of that violent shift in blood pressure, my heart pumped massive force into over-stretched pipes, triggering an agonizing, throbbing headache on the left side of my head.

2. The Afternoon Cholinergic Clamp (The Numbness)

When I took the Alpha-GPC and Uridine in the afternoon, I didn't realize I was accidentally overloading my brain with acetylcholine, the literal chemical that commands your muscles to contract. With that massive surplus, my jaw, neck, and upper back got a constant signal to flex and locked up like a violent vise. They clamped down so hard they physically crushed the peripheral nerves going to my face and arm, making my face go 20% numb with this weird crawling, static feeling.

The ER Nightmare

Because the numbness kept shifting between my arm and my face, I panicked. I tried to flush everything out of my system by chugging 5 liters of plain water, but that just accidentally washed out all my body's natural electrolytes and made me feel even worse, so I went to the ER.

Here is the most frustrating part: The doctors ran an ECG, checked my blood pressure, and did extensive blood work. Thankfully, everything came back 100% perfectly healthy and undamaged. But they had absolutely no idea what any of the compounds I had taken were. They didn't treat my tension or offer any real help. I basically ended up just sitting in the waiting room for 8 hours until a doctor saw me, and then they dismissed me.

Current Status (Day 5)

Structurally, my organs are completely fine. But because my neck and jaw clamped down so insanely hard for hours, I am stuck in bed with severely strained muscles and irritated nerves. I am currently very dizzy, and while the back of my neck isn't as bad as it was, it still feels weird. I've had 1000mg of acetaminophen so far just to manage it.

Day 1 - 4 was complete despair, absolute depression and physical pain.

Lesson learned: I get the desperation of wanting to fix your own brain when doctors won't listen. But you can't just forcefully redline every pathway without your body violently snapping back. Respect the neurochemistry.

Man $15 for a bottle of 30 is honestly going to kill me. Compared to everything nutricost sells I honestly think it's the most expensive price per serving they sell. Is there any place that drops the teacrine branding so I can get it cheaper?

The only high choline food that I eat is chicken breast (occasionally). Is being deficient in choline/having brain fog because of that a real possibility?

Not here to trash the herb. Works for a lot of people. Just sharing because I couldn't find honest talk until I dug... Ashwagandha could harm you.

45, healthy, train mma, no alcohol. 600mg daily for 8 months on the usual recommendations. First weeks felt calmer. Then things drifted.

Flat mood. Music didn't hit. Training mechanical. Libido low. Restless sleep even though I was "calmer." Blamed work, age, travel.

A friend told me her doctor made her stop it two weeks before surgery. That snapped me out of it. Why does a gentle herb need a washout before anesthesia?? So I read.

What I found:

NIH LiverTox lists it as a probable cause of liver injury. 23 hospital cases.

Denmark banned it in April 2023. Sweden, Finland, France, Germany, UK all reviewing.

It hits GABA and serotonin pathways. Same families as benzos and SSRIs, weaker but real. People report anhedonia and libido crash lasting months after stopping.

It pushes thyroid up and stimulates the wrong arm of the immune system for autoimmune patients (if you have issues with Thyroid it can be more dangerous)

Stopped. Mood coming back. Libido returning. Slower than the 20 year olds posting about this, but moving.

Not telling anyone not to take it (or am I?).Telling you it is not a gentle herb. It is a neuroendocrine modulator with receptor effects and a real regulatory paper trail. At 45 you do not have the recovery runway you had at 20. If something feels off on it, trust that signal.

I have used about 500 mg of Picamilon a day for the past three days. If one used it for a week straight will there be a rebound? Anyone with experience?

Best nootropics for “stuck in my head” state ?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for suggestions for non-prescription substances/supplements that could help regulate my nervous system and reduce a persistent “stuck in my head” state.

The best way I can describe it is that my mind often feels trapped or absorbed inwardly, like I’m constantly pulled into thoughts, rumination, or a dissociation-like mental loop. It’s not just normal overthinking — it feels like my brain/nervous system has trouble settling back into the body and the present moment.

I also have a lot of sympathetic activation: internal tension, anxiety-like body stress, difficulty relaxing, and sometimes digestive/inflammatory discomfort that seems to worsen the mental state.

For context, I’ve tried several conventional psychiatric medications in the past, including antidepressants, anxiolytics, and neuroleptics. They had little to no positive effect on this state, apart from side effects. So i dont think the problem is psychiatric but more a body problem that affect my mind. that’s one reason why I’m more interested in nervous-system regulation, vagal tone, anti-stress, anti-inflammatory, or grounding-type approaches rather than standard psychiatric medication.

I’ve already tried a lot of things some basic things like magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, and PEA, tyrosine, theanine, nac, inositol, creatine, glycine, cafeine, without major results. I’m not really looking for stimulants or dopamine boosters, because the problem feels more like nervous-system dysregulation . only nicotine gums helped me to improve focus and attention but i still have the problem.

Has anyone experienced something similar? What substances or protocols helped you feel more grounded, calmer in the body, and less mentally “trapped”?

10-15 years ago, there were a fair few users of longecity who were on selegiline for its purported life-extension and general lifestyle-enhancing effects. Perhaps some of these users lurk here now, since longecity is on life support nowadays. Please use this post to share your experiences. My main curiosities are:

• How long have you been on selegiline and at what dose?
• If you’ve experienced cognitive benefits, what were they and how have they changed (if at all) over time?
• What side effects have you experienced over the years?

Is there an actual difference between semax sourced from Russia vs semax sourced from China ? Would there be a difference in effectiveness ?