To give you maximum information in minimum time: the best nootropics for brain training include citicoline, uridine, organic bacopa monnieri leaf extract, L-theanine, organic lion’s mane mushroom extract, L-tyrosine and methylted B6 and B12 vitamin. Of course, all of them are contained within Maximum Mind in their purest and most bioavailable form. Let’s find out why below.
“You Were Born to Win, but to Be a Winner, You Must Plan to Win, Prepare to Win, and Expect to Win.”
―Zig Ziglar
What Are Nootropics?
“The only difference between the master and the novice is that the master has failed more times than the novice has tried.”
―Stephen McCranie
First things first, what are nootropics? Corneliu Giurgea, a Romanian neuroscientist, coined the term nootropic (pronounced new-tropic) in 1972. He believed that smart drugs should be invented and made widely available for the purpose of enhancing the general population’s brain health and increasing human intelligence.
According to Dr Giurgea’s findings, nootropics enhance cognition, memory, alertness, concentration, creativity, and attention. They became known as cognitive enhancers, substances that amplify the way the brain’s many cognitive functions operate and how we process information.
Simply put, cognitive enhancers (or nootropics or smart drugs) are prescription or off-the-counter drugs or supplements that enhance cognition. Some nootropics contribute to brain health while others can be quite dangerous.
Since Marco’s Grounds only works with safe and natural compounds in their purest forms, for most of our discussions we will restrain ourselves to natural nootropics that increase cognition safely.
How Nootropics Support Brain Training
“Tell me, and I forget, teach me, and I may remember, involve me, and I learn.”
–Benjamin Franklin
Have you ever attempted to train your brain through puzzles, new language acquisition, or other mental exercises? If so, you’ve already uncovered one of the most effective natural ways for mental performance enhancement. However, what if you could maximize the benefits of mental training?
Certain nootropics enhance the healthy reactions of the brain to cognitive training.
A brain under training is a changing brain. Brain training has a structural effect on the brain. In response to brain training, new brain cells develop, grow, connect, and reorganize. Synapses reorganize in order to acquire and store new knowledge. Neurotransmitters are activated and deactivated as you subject your brain to various mental workouts.
Nootropics may contribute to the maintenance of healthy training-induced brain alterations in a variety of ways, but primarily by:
Brain Development Training
Nootropics provide the brain with the raw ingredients necessary to construct, connect, mend, and renew brain cells due to brain training. Phospholipids and sources of choline are examples of nootropic building blocks that aid in the development of new brain cells. Brain development is absolutely a more common way known for being able to carry complex tasks and it is no stranger thing to know that Choline, which is a nootropic component, is one of the best nootropics for brain training.
Brain Regeneration Powered
Neurogenesis and plasticity are energy-intensive bioactivities induced by brain training; nootropics aid in optimizing the brain cell energy required for normal brain growth and development. The best nootropics for brain training/exercise contain neurogenic compounds necessary for optimizing brain strength and regeneration.
Sustaining Brain Growth
Nootropics promote the production of nerve growth hormones and neurotransmitters, which instruct the brain to expand and “fertilize” itself for growth.
Enhancing Cognitive Functioning
Enhancing cognition through “mental training” can provide positive feedback, promoting more cognitive tasks that aid in brain development.
These nootropic bioactivities appear to be well-suited for nourishing the brain to promote healthy neurogenesis, regeneration, plasticity, and performance – all of which may assist you in optimizing your brain training gains.
Best Nootropics for Brain Training
“I will not erase all my hard work this week because it’s the weekend.”
―Unknown
Here are the best nootropics we’ve identified to help your brain training efforts.
Citicoline
Citicoline, organic raw material for brain cell membranes, possesses significant neuro regenerative qualities and a broad range of nootropic effects that enhance mental function. Its advantages on focus, working memory, attention, and language ability have been demonstrated in research published notably in Food and Nutrition Sciences [1-3].
Research indicates that the Cognizin® version of citicoline increases brain energy by 13.6 percent and brain cell membrane development by 26% as seen in Neuroscience research [4]. This looks to be a particularly significant combination for brain training, given how much power and neural membranes are required for proper brain regeneration. That’s why citicoline makes our list for the best nootropics for brain training. Have a look further at it.
For this reason citicoline is one of the best nootropics for brain training.
Read more about citicoline on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive and about the benefits of citicoline for brain power here.
Uridine
Dietary uridine is synthesized in the liver and excreted in the blood as uridine monophosphate.
Numerous foods include dietary uridine. However, it is believed that the majority of uridine taken through food is absorbed during the digestive process, implying that supplementation may be required to achieve many of its outstanding effects and benefits—particularly those related to cognition.
Supplemental uridine has been demonstrated to pass the blood-brain barrier easily. Uridine is metabolized in the brain to CDP choline. Phosphatidylcholine and acetylcholine are then formed from CDP choline.
The more uridine in the brain, the more CDP choline is synthesized, and new synapses are effectively protected and reinforced. Uridine also contributes to the formation of new synapses by stimulating the growth of brain cell projections or branches called neurites, which are critical for neural signaling.
Supplementing uridine significantly enhanced the number of neurites per cell and neurite branching speculated in Neuroscience research [4]. Improved cognition is highly connected with increased neurite outgrowth and branching.
Uridine’s combined activities promote and improve neuroplasticity or the brain’s capacity to remodel and change in response to learning and brain training according to a published article in Nutrition reviews [5].
For this reason uridine is one of the best nootropics for brain training.
Read more about uridine on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive or dig deeper into the benefits of uridine here.
Organic Lion’s Mane Mushroom Extract
Lion’s mane is the only mushroom known to possess nootropic properties that appear to be neuroprotective in nature. Lion’s mane has been linked to increases in mental function in persons aged 40 to 80 asserted by research published notably in Phytotherapy [6].
The lion’s mane mushroom promotes and supports neurogenesis, plasticity, and brain repair stated by a published paper on Mycology [7-8]. This makes lion’s mane huge when it comes to ranking for the best nootropics for brain training.
Read more about lion’s mane on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive or find more about the benefits of lion’s mane here.
L-Theanine
This green tea component increases alpha brain waves, promoting a state of wakeful relaxation, which is beneficial for promoting calm, attention, and creativity as researchers could show in a study published in Clinical Nutrition [9]. L-theanine has been proven in a Clinical Neuropharmacology study [10] to aid with stress and mental performance and appears to affect the brain’s attention circuitry.
Alpha brain waves are connected to neuroplasticity activation as demonstrated by researchers in a Neuroscience study [11]. L-theanine is the most effective nootropic for stimulating alpha brain waves, which can help foster that calm and relaxed mood that is so conducive to learning and training.
For this reason L-theanine is one of the best nootropics for brain training.
Read more about L-theanine on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive or find out the best caffeine and L-theanine combination here.
The Lost Art of Brain Training Performance Enhancing
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
―Mahatma Gandhi
All of the nootropics mentioned above promote healthy brain development while enhancing general cognition.
Additionally, Maximum Mind contains nootropics that aid in brain training by serving as pure cognitive performance enhancers.
What happens when your mental acuity is so high that you easily conquer brain games? You feel more assured. You do better when confronted with adversity. Self-confidence propels you to develop even more brainpower. In principle, consistent success might help create and strengthen brain connections, resulting in a literal winner’s mindset.
As a bodybuilder pushes his body to its limits in order to get superior outcomes, you may benefit from bigger brain improvements through brain training. Nootropics are most known for their ability to enhance cognitive function. They aid in cognition and mindset in brain training and performance enhancement.
Nootropics improve several elements of cognition that contribute to the effectiveness of brain training, including concentration, memory, creativity, attention, and strategy.
Nootropics can improve brain chemistry and brain waves to enhance motivation and mood states, which are necessary components of any training program.
The cognitive enhancement effects of nootropics represent an enormous untapped potential for improving brain improvements – both in terms of performance and outcomes. Here are some great nootropics for cognitive and mindset that can benefit brain training.
Organic Monnieri Bacopa Monnieri Leaf Extract
Bacopa monnieri, an Ayurvedic herb that has been shown in animal testing to increase acetylcholine levels while increasing cerebral blood flow by 29%, is a straight-up mental performance booster with focused advantages for brain training activities [12, 13].
The improved learning, memory, response speeds, and reduction of the pace at which we forget new information provided by the bacosides in bacopa are undoubtedly beneficial for your brain training plans say researchers in an article published in Neuropsychopharmacology study [14].
For this reason bacopa is one of the best nootropics for brain training.
Read more on bacopa on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive or find out more about the benefits of bacopa here.
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine (NALT)
N-acetyl-L-tyrosine (NALT) is a nootropic that acts as Master Precursor for the neurotransmitters adrenaline, norepinephrine, and dopamine. It replenishes brain chemicals depleted by stress, which helps multitasking, memory, and mind-body function according to researcher printed in the Brain Research Bulletin [15].
NALT promotes dopamine production; dopamine is a neurotransmitter that promotes neuroplasticity, as researchers showed in an articles in the Society for Neuroscience demonstrated [16] (and the adaptation to go for more, as you can read in this post about the role of dopamine in the body). Its well-documented advantages for memory and multitasking under stressful settings correlate well with brain training as another group of researchers could show in Pharmacology Biochemistry asserted [17]. NALT is absolutely huge when it comes to brain development and is therefore one of the best nootropics for brain training.
Read more about tyrosine on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive or dig deeper into the benefits of tyrosine here.
Methylated B6 and B12 Vitamins
Neurovitamins or vitamins with enhanced neuroprotective effects provide further support for brain health and mental function and moderate supplemental brain-building activity.
Vitamin B6 is required for the conversion of L-DOPA to dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with plasticity, while vitamin B12 assists in the formation of myelin sheaths that surround neurons as described by researchers in study on mice published in Neurosciences [18].
These fundamental building blocks for optimal brain regeneration should be regarded as mandatory additions to any well-designed supplement complex and are therefore some of the best nootropics for brain training.
Read more about methylated vitamin B on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive and why you should never consider non-methylated B vitamins.
Conclusion
“Bodily exercise, when compulsory, does no harm to the body, but knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.”
―Plato
Unlike body performance, there are multiple natural compounds that can greatly improve mental performance for brain training.
Nootropics promote structural neuroplasticity and cell-to-cell communication changes that occur in the brain as a result of brain training. Additionally, nootropics aid in optimizing brain gains by enhancing brain chemistry and brainwave states associated with motivation, attention, and clarity, thus providing various support for brain training results.
Maximum Mind is everything you need in an ideal supplement that helps you focus on complex tasks, react quicker, remember names, learn new concepts better, and boost other cognitive abilities to help you win over anything you have in mind.
It contains all the above nootropics along with some other very beneficial ingredients like organic ashwagandha root extract or huperzine A.
Maximum Mind is known to bridge the gap between where you are and your goals and focus on helping you devote yourself to a mission and ensure no obstacle comes your way. Why not experience the best nootropics for brain training in their purest form along with other clinically studied compounds for increasing brain performance and health with Maximum Mind?
Literature
- McGlade E. et al. Improved Attentional Performance Following Citicoline Administration in Healthy Adult Women Food and Nutrition Sciences. 2012;3:769-773.
- Alvarez XA et al. Citicoline Improves Memory Performance in Elderly Subjects. Methods & Findings in Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology. 19(3):201-10,1997.
- Spiers PA et al. Citicoline Improves Verbal Memory in Aging. Archives of Neurology. 53(5):441-8, 1996 May.
- Pooler, A. M., Guez, D. H., Benedictus, R., & Wurtman, R. J. (2005). Uridine enhances neurite outgrowth in nerve growth factor-differentiated pheochromocytoma cells. Neuroscience, 134(1), 207-214.
- Wurtman, R. J., Cansev, M., Sakamoto, T., & Ulus, I. (2010). Nutritional modifiers of aging brain function: use of uridine and other phosphatide precursors to increase formation of brain synapses. Nutrition reviews, 68(suppl_2), S88-S101.
- Mori K, et al. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium Erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytother Res. 2009 Mar;23(3):367-72.
- Ma BJ, et al. TMYC Hericenones and erinacines: stimulators of nerve growth factor (NGF) biosynthesis in Hericium Erinaceus. Mycology, Vol. 1, No. 2, June 2010, 92–98.
- Conner JM et al. NGF is essential for hippocampal plasticity and learning. J Neurosci. 2009 Sep 2;29(35):10883-9.
- Nobre AC, et al. L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 01/2008; 17 Suppl 1:167-8.
- Gomez-Ramirez M, et al. The deployment of intersensory selective attention: a high-density electrical mapping study of the effects of theanine. Clin Neuropharmacol. 2007 Jan-Feb;30(1):25-38.
- Tomas Ros, Moniek AM Munneke, Diane Ruge, John H Gruzelier, and John C. Rothwell. Endogenous control of waking brain rhythms induces neuroplasticity in humans. European Journal of Neuroscience, 2010; 31 (4): 770
- Kamkaew N. Scholfield N. Ingkaninan K. Taepavarapruk N. Chootip K. Bacopa monnieri increases cerebral blood flow in rats independent of blood pressure. Phytother Res. 2013;27:135–138.
- Kishore K, Singh M. Effect of bacosides, alcoholic extract of Bacopa monniera Linn. (Brahmi), on experimental amnesia in mice. Indian J Exp Biol. 2005 Jul;43(7):640-5.
- Roodenrys S, et al. Chronic effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) on human memory. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2002 Aug;27(2):279-81
- Banderet LE, Lieberman HR. Tyrosine, a neurotransmitter precursor, reduces environmental stress in humans. Brain Res Bull. 1989 Apr;22(4):759-62.
- Ishikawa, Masago et al. “Dopamine Triggers Heterosynaptic Plasticity.” The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience33.16 (2013): 6759–6765. PMC. Web. 21 Aug. 2016.
- Thomas JR et al. Tyrosine improves working memory in a multitasking environment. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1999 Nov;64(3):495-500.
- Nishimoto S, Tanaka H, Okamoto M, Okada K, Murase T and Yoshikawa H (2015) Methylcobalamin promotes the differentiation of Schwann cells and remyelination in lysophosphatidylcholine-induced demyelination of the rat sciatic nerve. Front. Cell. Neurosci. 9:298.