Phenibut Effects

People all around the world are buying phenibut online for its nootropic benefits, but some people are interested in the science behind the phenibut powder that now sits on kitchen counters.

Phenibut is the common name for a substance known as β-Phenyl-γ-aminobutyric acid, a nootropic drug sold around the world. Less commonly, it is also spelled fenibut or phenybut.

It is a derivative of GABA, γ-Aminobutyric acid, and was first synthesized by a team led by Professor V. V. Perkalin in the Herzen Leningrad Pedagogical institute in the USSR.

It was used at the time as a tranquilizer to be taken by Russian cosmonauts in space, and was chosen over conventional tranquilizers as it does not cause drowsiness, whereas many other relaxation agents do.

Phenibut’s action in the human body is similar to the action taken by GABA, which acts as the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system of most mammals. However, it differs from GABA in its binding site [1].

Where GABA binds to its own GABA receptors (GABA_A and GABA_B), Phenibut instead binds to the GABA_Bmetabotropic receptor [1]. This is the site for other sedative substances to bind as well, such as baclofen [2, 5].

Phenibut Benefits

If you are in the market to buy phenibut, what can it do for you? Phenibut’s noted benefits include:

Anxiolytic effects (reduction of prominence and severity of feelings of anxiety or stress) [1]
Improvement of concentration and cognitive function, as well as other nootropic effects [1]
Improvement of inter-hemispheric communication in the brain [3]
Combating sleep apnea and other sleep related illnesses [1, 4]
Generally promoting healthier and more regulated sleeping patterns [5]
Enhancing dopamine levels in the brain [1]

In addition to these, Phenibut has also been shown to reduce the severity of muscular convulsions in people who take it [5]. This claim is disputed however, with some sources suggesting that it may act as a convulsion inducing agent instead.

As per usual, anyone who is considering whether or not to buy phenibut should consult a medical professional beforehand to ensure that the nootropic substance is suitable for them, and to ensure that they are given the correct dosage.

In Russia, phenibut is currently used as a method of treating various nueroligical ailments, such as insomnia, stuttering or anxiety. Substances that alleviate anxiety related symptoms are referred to as being anxiolytic (“breaking” anxiety) [1].

People who buy phenibut, and in particular those who buy phenibut online, are vocal about its positive effects. These include improved social interactions, enhanced mood, stress reduction and general feelings of relaxation.

How Phenibut Works

Phenibut is a γ-aminobutyric acid with a phenyl group in the β-position. The chemical makeup of phenibut is very similar to that of baclofen, another derivative of GABA . The difference between the two substances is that phenibut lacks chlorine in para-position if its phenyl group [2].

Phenibut is a chiral molecule. This means that it has two potential configurations which can be thought of as being right handed or left handed. In most compounds, chirality is brought about by the presence of an asymmetrical carbon atom in its chain [6].

Chiral molecules are defined as molecues that are not super-imposable on their own mirror image. This results in two variants of the molecule, known as enantiomers. Using a system that utilises Cahn–Ingold–Prelog rules for classing the priority of molecules, it is possible to work out which enantiomer a molecule of the given substance is [7].

This is done by assigning priorities to the molecules attached to the chiral centre, and then rotating the molecule in 3 dimensions so that the attached molecule with the lowest priority is pointed away from the viewer. Then, the other three attachments are traced in order of priority to produce either a clockwise or counter clockwise circle [7].

A substance can be an R or S enantiomer. If the circle produced is clockwise, the substance is considered to be the R enantiomer, and if it is counter-clockwise it is considered to be the S enantiomer [7].

There are other methods in addition to this one for determining which enantiomer a given molecule of a substance is. This is a branch of chemistry known as stereochemistry.

Stereochemistry is very important in drugs and health-related substances, as different enantiomers can have wildly different effects. An example of this is the thalidomide scandal in which a drug prescribed for pregnant women to alleviate nausea resulted in birth defects in their children [8, 9, 10].

This was a result of the opposite enantiomer of the drug, which was present in the mixture. Now, we are capable of producing enantiomerically pure substances complete devoid of one of the enantiomers of a substance.

A mixture containing equal amounts of the R and S enantiomers of a substance is referred to as a racemic mixture [11].

In phenibut, the R enantiomer is the useful one. The S variant is not biologically active, and as such is of little use [2].

Phenibut is less potent per milligram than baclofen, and doses can vary from 250mg to 1500mg per day; however, most individuals opt to take smaller doses in the 250-500mg range. This variance in dosage is typically at the discretion of a medical professional.

Phenibut is sold both as capsules and as phenibut powder, the latter of which is the variant that most people buy online. As per usual, anyone considering taking any sort of supplement should seek medical advice first.

Phenibut Side Effects

Phenibut has little to no negative side effects associated with it. Some reports have suggested that it may result in drowsiness and sleepiness depending on the dosage taken [5]. Some users have also reported experiencing unpleasant dreams when using phenibut.

Phenibut can also result in tolerance and highly unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if taken incorrectly. As with any drug, but in particular with one associated with withdrawal, it is extremely important to stick to the allotted dose and not exceed it [12].

Furthermore, it is important to contact a medical professional before taking the substance to reduce the likelihood of taking it incorrectly. There is little literature on the withdrawal related effects of phenibut, but online reports from users indicate that it can result in negative effects including:

Loss of appetite
Irritability
Anxiety
Insomnia
Fatigue

Anyone taking MAO inhibitors or medication for epilepsy should also consult a physician before buying phenibut, as the drug has been shown to interact with these substances [5].

Buy Phenibut

Ready to give Phenibut a try? Here is a breakdown of some of the top suppliers on the web and their prices.

Supplier	Weight Options (grams)	Price Range	Capsules or Powder?
Liftmode	40	$13.88	Powder
Powder City	25, 125, 250, 500, 1000	$3.99 – $149.93	Both
Smart Powders	100	$13.01 – $40.99	Both
Peak Nootropics	50	$23.99	Powder
Bulk Supplements	50, 100, 250, 500, 1000	$19.96 – $174.96	Powder
Swanson Health Products	100	$13.86 – $33.39	Both