Intermittent Fasting (IF) is known to most as a trendy diet routine followed by many fitness enthusiasts to burn fat and build muscle with little effort. Apart from this, Intermittent Fasting is known to enhance cognition. Fasting has been practiced for centuries, and recent research has revealed many benefits of fasting in terms of energy metabolism, cellular protection, anti-aging, neuro-regeneration, etc. Therefore, it seems like a great time to be looking at the best nootropics for Intermittent Fasting.
Intermittent Fasting is now popular among nootropic (also called cognitive enhancers or smart drugs) enthusiasts and biohackers, given the neuroprotective and clarifying mental benefits of fasting. The best nootropics for Intermittent Fasting are organic bacopa monnieri leaf extract, L-theanine, citicoline, and L-tyrosine. Let’s find out why below. Also, they are all included in their purest and most bioavailable form in Maximum Mind.
Natural nootropics can complement fasting to further optimize the cognitive benefits of Intermittent Fasting.
“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”
― H. Jackson Brown Jr.
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 to enhance the general population’s brain health and increase 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 Does Intermittent Fasting Improve Cognition?
“In anything, there has to be that moment of fasting, really, to enjoy the feast.”
― Stephen Hough
The brain and body are used to a rest and digestion routine. Because we continuously consume food, even if it is a small quantity, we don’t give the body enough break time nowadays. This makes the body and brain sluggish, causing it to not function at full capacity (see Ketones as Nootropics for another angle in this discussion).
To succeed in Intermittent Fasting, scheduling between the following two states is essential:
2. Fasted State: The body’s reaction to fasting is marked by the reversion of the parasympathetic feeding mode characterized by ketogenesis and clear cognition. Ketogenesis is the burning of fat for energy [3]. Lengthening the fasted state fortifies brain function, and the metabolic benefits may be neuroprotective or even neuroenhancing in the long term. These benefits can also be increased by supplementing with the best nootropics for Intermittent Fasting.
Choosing an Intermittent Fasting Schedule
“A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.”
― George S. Patton
Daily Fasting
Popular Routines
Feeding period: 12 pm to 8 pm, fasting period – 8 pm to 12 pm
Feeding period: 2 pm to 10 pm, fasting period – 10 pm to 2 pm
Alternate Day Fasting
Weekly (or Monthly) Fasting
Popular routine: Bodybuilders and athletes prefer this method as it allows near-daily caloric abundance and provides the benefits of Intermittent Fasting congested into a weekly 24-hour span.
Foods and Beverages That Don’t Break a Fast
“Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune, but great minds rise above them.”
― Washington Irving
By definition, fasting means refraining from eating food. However, you may be able to consume some foods, supplements, and beverages while still preserving the benefits of fasting.
Below are some foods and beverages you can consume while fasting or practicing IF.
Water
Plain or carbonated water contains no calories and will keep you hydrated during a fast.
Coffee and Tea
These should be consumed without added sugar, milk, or cream.
Some people choose to consume the following foods or beverages while fasting. These foods will break a fast but not ketosis.
Diluted Apple Cider Vinegar
Some people find that drinking 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 ml) of apple cider vinegar mixed into water can help them stay hydrated and prevent cravings during a fast. It might break the fast but not ketosis.
Healthy Fats
Some people drink coffee containing MCT oil, ghee, coconut oil, or butter during their fast. Oil breaks a fast, but it won’t break ketosis.
Bone Broth
This rich source of nutrients can help replenish electrolytes lost during long periods of only drinking water.
Remember that foods and drinks containing any calories — like bone broth and the healthy fats listed above — will technically break your fast. However, small amounts of these low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein foods won’t throw your body out of ketosis.
Supplements That Break a Fast
“No matter how hard you work for success, if your thought is saturated with the fear of failure, it will kill your efforts, neutralize your endeavors, and make success impossible.”
― Baudjuin
While becoming nutritionally deficient while fasting is improbable, it is possible depending on how restrictive your fast is and how long it lasts.
Certain individuals choose to supplement their diets while fasting to ensure adequate vitamin and mineral intake. Frequent fasting may result in nutrient deficiencies if your diet is already deficient in vitamins and minerals.
If you supplement while fasting, it’s critical to understand which supplements may cause your fast to break. This will assist you in determining whether or not to take them with a meal or during your fasting period.
Supplements that are more likely to break a fast
Multivitamins in the form of gummies frequently contain trace amounts of sugar, protein, and occasionally fat, which may interfere with your fast.
Amino acids with branched chains (BCAAs) appear to elicit an insulin response that is antagonistic toward autophagy.
Protein powder contains calories and stimulates the release of insulin, informing your body that you are not fasting.
Supplements containing specific ingredients. Supplements containing maltodextrin, pectin, cane sugar, or fruit juice concentrate contain sugar and calories and may cause your fast to be broken.
Supplements that are made for convenience. Instant supplements, gummies, sprays with oils, etc., will be more likely to break a fast. The further away they are from a capsule form, the more likely they are to break a fast.
Supplements that are less likely to break a fastMultivitamins without added sugar or fillers should have few or no calories (generally in capsule form or tablet).
Oil extracted from fish or algae that contains few calories and no digestible carbohydrates when taken in recommended doses (the calories will still break a fast but it won’t take you out of ketosis).
Micronutrients on an individual basis. This includes potassium, vitamin D, and B vitamins (although fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K are most effectively absorbed when consumed with food).
Creatine has no calories and does not affect insulin response.
Creatine, along with many other supplements, is better absorbed with food (better yet with a supplement containing taurine, like Maximum Mind)
Collagen in its purest form will do the same as oils: break the fast but not ketosis. This may impair autophagy slightly.
Probiotics and prebiotics are beneficial bacteria. These typically contain no calories or carbohydrates that are digestible.
Maximum Mind doesn’t technically break a fast yet we suggest consuming it with food for better absorption.
How Do Nootropics Help a Fasting Brain?
“Everyone has a plan ’till they get punched in the mouth.”
― Mike Tyson
- Anti-oxidation: Antioxidants in nootropics reduce free radical damage in neurons to support brain health, function, and longevity.
- Managing stress associated with Intermittent Fasting: The stress associated with Intermittent Fasting leads to increased stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Nootropic adaptogens are capable of limiting the adverse effects of these stress responses.
- Energy production: Nootropics facilitate energy to strengthen cell membrane structures, and neurotransmitter stability optimized for brain cell growth, and cellular communications.
The supplemented benefits of nootropics during Intermittent Fasting not only enhance brain performance and function but also improve your motivation to continue Intermittent Fasting.
Maximum Mind for Intermittent Fasting
“The greatness of art is not to find what is common but what is unique.”
― Isaac Bashevis Singer
Maximum Mind contains various natural compounds that help you reap the most benefits out of Intermittent Fasting. But mostly, four ingredients have special effects: L-tyrosine in its acetylated form, bacopa monnieri, citicoline, and L-theanine.
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine (NALT)
These hormones are essential to maintain a proper mood, memory, and concentration. NALT, the precursor, is necessary to replenish these hormones as they burn out during stress [5, 6, 7].
Read more about tyrosine on Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive or dig deeper into the benefits of tyrosine here.
Organic Bacopa Monnieri Leaf Extract
Read more on bacopa on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive or find out more about the benefits of bacopa here.
Citicoline
Read more about citicoline on Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive and the benefits of citicoline for brain power here.
L-Theanine
Conclusion
“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”
― Jim Rohn
Intermittent Fasting is a great way to enjoy many benefits like increased cognition, better health, enhanced clarity, and saving time by batching meals.
Intermittent Fasting has a significant positive effect on your cognitive function. However, it is not without its downsides. Cognitive enhancement supplements can avoid these adverse effects. The best nootropics for Intermittent Fasting can enhance the benefits of fasting while reducing the side effects of Intermittent Fasting.
Because it contains all the best nootropics for Intermittent Fasting in high-quality forms and many others, Maximum Mind is highly recommended for Intermittent Fasting. Maximum Mind helps enhance cognitive function by maintaining mental energy clarity and focus during the fasting period. All the best nootropics for Intermittent Fasting in Maximum Mind may help you improve the benefits of intermittent fasting, replenishing the nutrients needed, and most importantly, motivating you to continue fasting to achieve your goals.
Literature
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