The Pros and Cons of Nootropics
Nootropics or smart drugs are chemicals that can improve cognitive functions, such as memory boosters, creativity enhancers, motivation stimulators, etc. Nootropics can be both natural and/or artificial substances, and they can be sold as drugs, herbal remedies, and even supplements.
With these nootropics becoming much more popular and appearing more in mainstream media, there is very limited information on the possible advantages and disadvantages of these products. Keep in mind that many of these advantages are possibly hearsay and not all of them have been scientifically proven, yet they could still have serious disadvantages or side effects.
The Advantages of Nootropics
- Memory: One of the most common or popular reason for nootropics is to temporarily enhance short term memory. This is popular with students who need to study or memorize a lot of information in a short period of time.
- Creativity: The second most obvious advantage of nootropics is increasing creativity, especially among artists.
- Motivation: Stimulating motivation is also a common reason for taking nootropics.
- Attention: Increasing one’s attention span has obvious advantages in all endeavors.
- Wakefulness: Wakefulness inducers or being more aware or mindful of one’s actions and their world around them also has obvious advantages.
- Inhibition: There are smart drugs that both increase and decrease a person’s natural inhibitions, depending on a person’s needs and desires.
- Alertness: Finally, I think almost everyone tried using caffeine to increase their alertness.
- Fair Use: Is it fair for students gain an academic advantages using nootropics? Or artists gaining increased creativity or uniqueness? Or scientists with artificial research inspirations or breakthroughs? Or athletes who can process information and react faster? Or even giving a competitive advantages for business people?
- Side Effects: While some nootropics are all natural and have no or low side effects, other nootropics are known to major side effects. Furthermore, many nootropics are so new that there is very limited data on long-term side effects, such as addiction or organ damage.
- Intolerance/Tolerance: As with most drugs, the body can build up a natural tolerance, thus they could lose their long-term effectiveness or even develop intolerance to the drugs themselves.
- No Medical Need: Many nootropic users do not have a medical need to use these smart drugs.
- Ineffective: Some nootropics have less or the same effectiveness as placebos.
- Research: Scientific research has not investigated or examined each and every nootropics for their effectiveness and side effects.
by Phil for Humanity
on 03/27/2018