A Review of Nootropics Use in Sports
Nootropics can help your athletic performance.
Most individuals take nootropic supplements to boost cognition, to improve their focus, to help them study for a test, and so on. However, many athletes may be surprised to find that nootropics can help them to perform better physically.
It would make logical sense that a supplement that can improve focus and clarity would have a positive effect on the body’s response to physical activity. The better you can focus on the task at hand, the better you will perform. Certain nootropics even directly improve muscle contraction and growth.
Some nootropics like phenylpiracetam are so effective at improving athletic performance that they are banned from competitive sports; others are equally as effective and entirely fine to use for any sport. So how do nootropics work with your body to improve your athleticism?
How Nootropics Help Athletic Performance
Nootropics can help boost cognition, which can help you think on your feet.
Taking nootropics affects the brain’s levels of neurotransmitters, which helps the brain to connect with muscle tissue and send out signals. Raising neurotransmitter levels can help the brain to communicate more efficiently with the rest of the body, and can improve reaction times by promoting a higher level of cognition.
Specifically, most nootropics increase acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter commonly known to improve memory and learning. However, acetylcholine also improves muscle control as well as balance. Mental and physical fitness are linked, and so a quicker and healthier brain produces faster reflexes and greater endurance. The effects of individual nootropics on physical activity vary, however, so you will need to choose wisely.
Benefits of Different Nootropics in Sports
Nootropics can also help build muscle (so that you win a fight or two in hockey).
Alpha GPC has been linked to increased levels of growth hormone as well as quicker fat oxidation, meaning that it promotes muscle gains and helps to burn fat leading to improved physical performance and body composition [1]. Aniracetam, in addition to being more potent than other racetam supplements like piracetam, can help to reduce anxiety as well as increase focus [2].
Oxiracetam increases spatial learning, which helps your brain to improve physical coordination. Huperzine A prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine to improve memory and muscle control; it also increase alertness.
All of these nootropics will improve neuronal communication between the brain and body, but also have specialized individual effects. With all of these options to choose from, it is a simple matter of picking a nootropic and seeing which is best for your sports performance.
Which Nootropics Are Right For You?
You may be curious about trying nootropics to improve physical performance, and there are many excellent choices out there. Be careful of taking supplements that may be banned from a particular sport, but otherwise experiment and find what works best for you.
Weightlifters find Alpha GPC and Huperzine A 1% helpful in doses of 300mg and 10mg respectively, usually stacked together. Other athletes may find aniracetam and oxiracetam useful in doses around 750mg two times per day. Find the stack or single supplement that works best for you, and enjoy greater athletic success!