This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BU chapter.

Self-improvement is a common goal for all mankind. It’s an egotistical one of course, but nonetheless, it begets the greatest of inventions and ideas. It is with the drive to become a better species that we can improve our well-being. Perhaps that is what drew me to nootropics, a natural supplement — the idea of having a more powerful mind, a so-called precursor to mindfulness, happiness, and success.

Everything begins in the brain. Without a brain, you are a practically a piece of meat. The world, more specifically the environment you reside in, is simply what your brain perceives from incoming signals. Hence why everyone has their own illusion, or perception, of the world.

It would be quite a sensation to indulge in a higher perception of the world; to feel things you hadn’t felt before. To look at things with a clearer mind and perhaps see them differently. To kiss someone and have it not merely be an action, but a full-blown experience. With a greater mind, comes greater mindfulness. Corneliu E. Giurgea, the father of the “nootropic” concept, put it best in 1972 when he said: “Man will not wait passively for millions of years for evolution to offer him a better brain.”

We are creatures of extraordinary intelligence. We have put men on the moon and we have sailed across the world. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that we have also figured out techniques for optimizing the human brain.

Nootropics are supplements that naturally boost the processes in the mind by supporting neurotransmitters, increasing oxygen supply, stimulating nerve growth, and improving communications between neurons. In turn, this enhances alertness, cognition, memory, and recall. They also relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. Also, quite notably, some nootropics (such as piracetam and Lion’s Mane Mushroom) assist in neurogenesis. Neurogenesis ensures that neurons multiply allowing for brain cell health and longevity.

Many people ask the same question when it comes to nootropics: Are they safe? Natural nootropics are safe—it is the Smart Drugs that one must be wary of. People tend to confuse Smart Drugs with nootropics, but they are completely different. Smart Drugs are amphetamine-based substances that, instead of optimizing the brain, stimulate the brain to the point of oblivion. Smart Drugs elevate energy levels and can cause jitters, headaches and raised blood pressure. Examples of smart drugs include Adderall, Ritalin, Dexedrine, and Modafinil. Smart Drugs are not nootropics and are not recommended for use without a prescription.

Nootropics can be found at your local drugstore or even on Amazon! By reading the reviews on Amazon, you can get a sense of how empowering the pills are. Ranging in price from around $15-$200, you have the ability to choose the nootropic that is right for you. Soon enough, nootropics will go from being merely a hype to a lifestyle.

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The Hype Behind Nootropics

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