Brain Gain! Nootropics
Nootropics are substances used to enhance cognitive function. They are taken by people with memory/attention/thinking problems and Alzheimer’s disease etc… They are also used for off label reasons such as studying. The reasoning being that if they benefit unhealthy minds then surely they benefit healthy minds too – and they do. The method by which they impart benefit is not known for each substance and varies from increasing brain blood flow (and thereby vital nutrients too) to neurogenesis. They are generally well researched and safe, some more than others. For more information see here and ask Shaykh Google 
The effects are quite user specific. Some respond well to ‘x’ whilst others do not. Some work together for a synergistic effect. Some have an instant effect, others take weeks before you notice any benefit. Some are prescription only, depending on where you live, others are not. Before taking Nootropics it is important to have your basics covered.
Your basics are:
Sleep
Diet
B Vitamins
Fish oil
Hydration
Exercise
Once you have these covered you can look into benefitting from Nootropics (Noops from hereon).
There are many different Noops but I will only be reviewing a select few:
Piracetam
Aniracetam
Oxiracetam
Vinpocetine (Periwinkle)
Choline (Bitartrate)
I will also be looking at some supplements that are not classified as Noops:
ALCAR
L Tyrosine
Taurine
I will be posting my experiences of these Noops and other supplements providing feedback specific to memorising and revising the Qur’an since it is different from normal studying. Currently I only have Piracetam, ALCAR, L Tyrosine, Choline Bitartrate and Taurine to hand.
If you live in the UK then you can order from Cerebral Nutrition or Enhancedminds (both the same) and save yourself the hassle of shipping from the US or elsewhere and getting stung by VAT (17.5% of the value of your order), Customs duty and a Royal Mail handling fee – in addition to your shipping costs and worrying about your order.
It is, for some reason, very difficult to source Noops in the UK, however in the US they are widely available with many not even classified as medicinal. For the record, I’m not affiliated with Cerebral Nutrition/Enhanced Minds, nor do I benefit in any way by anybody purchasing from there. I have ordered from there myself and received the order with no problems. The products are affordable and the service is friendly, I intend to shop there again because it is too much hassle ordering from outside of the UK. I enquired about the capsules and was informed that they are Kosher and Halal certified. If you buy bulk powders (more economical) then you will need a digital scale. I suggest that you purchase one that can measure in mg so just go to ebay and search for digital scale 0.001g. They are quite cheap.
As for the other supplements, there are many places you can buy them. I buy from myprotein. If you buy from myprotein and are a first time customer then you can get 5% off your first purchase by entering MP20720 at checkout (this a referral code which all customers get so you may as well use mine! I benefit by getting 1 point, which equals 1p, for every £1 you spend, excluding delivery, woohoo!)
For vitamins, fish oil capsules/gels etc… I buy from Healthspan . They have a Halal range and also a decent number of Vegetarian products.
It is highly recommended to do your own research before taking anything and always take small doses at first, working your way up to a dose that is effective, in small increments. Just google Nootropics and/or read from the many links here.
walaikum assalam
I’d rather make dua, have black seed and zamzam
Dua is standard though and drinking zamzam and making dua is also standard
and both are well known and utilised worldwide.
I would rather supplement in addition to the dua I am already making
Supplementation for cognitive benefits is not well known. One would merely be taking advantage of the means made available, like eating almonds and so on.
Of course, if someone doesn’t want to eat healthy, sleep well and exercise and would rather make dua and drink zamzam there is no condemnation
At the end of the day, supplements only work if الله wants them to and dua is only accepted if الله wants to, وبالله التوفيق
Horses for courses…
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The ideal suhoor - Page 3 - Islamic Awakening Forums said this on September 9, 2009 at 6:15 pm |
Fish oil? I think I’ll have to take fish oil capsules. And Vitamin B? I take multivitamins. Is that all right or should I take Vitamin B separately?
You can purchase fish oil softgels from healthspan (link above). I’ve got the Omega 3 650mg ones. The recommended dose is low though, you want to aim for about 3g a day of combined EPA and DHA so you’ll need around 10 a day, unless you eat oily fish a few times during the week in which case 5 or so should do.
The benefit of Vitamin B complexes is that you get all of them together in copious amounts so they can ‘do their thing’ as they work best when taken together. A multivit will give you most/all of them but perhaps not in a great enough dose. It does depend on what sort of life you lead too, how active you are and so on. Seeing as they aren’t too expensive you can always try them for a month or two and see how you benefit.
Assalaamu alaykum warahmatullah,
Thanks for the info akhee – it’s really beneficial, May Allah reward you.
That pic looks like Homer Simpson).
و عليكم السلام و رحمة الله و بركاته
That picture is indeed the one they call Homer
Sorry akhi – but don’t you think that this is all too much? Esp since it’s not a practice from the Salaf. Also, I haven’t heard of the ‘Ulaama give such nasiha.
Staying away from sins, constant duaa and eating healthy is sufficient for the student of knowledge/the one who wants to be a hafidh.
No need to be sorry Sister, you are just voicing your opinion and there is nothing wrong in that.
Just because it isn’t a practice from the Salaf doesn’t mean we cannot do it. The Salaf never wore sunglasses 8) inspite of the glare of the sun (and I am aware they weren’t invented and therein lies my point), and I doubt many scholars are even aware of the existence of many of these substances, despite ingesting them in small doses or already being present in their bodies.
Why is healthy eating sufficient but specific supplementation isn’t? What is it in healthy food that is good for you? By what mechanism is that benefit realised? Is it possible to achieve the same or superior benefits by supplementation? I’m not asking for an answer, just something for you to think about.
It’s down to the individual at the end of the day and please note that I haven’t told anybody to take anything. I am sharing my research and experiences.
I spent a lot of time researching this area, looking out for something that would make such supplementation Islamically prohibited (e.g. intoxicating or harmful), and I didn’t find it. Perhaps somebody better equipped with Islamic and medical knowledge would come to a different conclusion, I don’t know. The studies and research are quite straight forward, showing many of these substances to be regarded as generally safe (as long as you use them responsibly as is the case with most things in life, like not drinking too much water, or at the wrong time, or eating too much)
Unless a well informed scholar with a medical background tells me otherwise, I see no reason not to supplement to enhance one’s learning provided one isn’t incapable of research and an irresponsible idiot. Even Aspirin can have terrible side effects and the substances I’ve mentioned above are in all likelihood, probably safer than 2 pieces of chicken and chips and a diet coke
lol@ the 2 pieces of chicken and chips and a diet coke!
Just wanted to make a point regarding supplements, that I learned in my Nutrition course I took that supplements should be used in cases when the nutrients cannot be obtained from food. Therefore, our first preference should always be to try and obtain those nutrients from natural foods.