In the first articles, I will summarize the different products and tips for increasing focus, memory and creativity. In the last article, I will give the best strategies on how to apply these tips. This article will also include some combinations of tips for different types of users, to maximally optimize mental performance.
Tip 1 CILTEP
Martin Jacobsen, the winner of the World Poker Series of 2014, is one of the most famous users of CILTEP. Even the well-known biohacker Tim Ferris uses CILTEP to increase his mental performance. What exact effects does CILTEP have?
CILTEP is an abbreviation that stands for “Chemically Induced Long Potentiation”. It causes a chemical reaction that will potentiate the memory in the long term. Its exact chemical reaction amounts to stimulating communication processes between brain cells that are called neurons [1]. In the long term, it will optimize and improve the preconditions for having a well-functioning memory. A better functioning memory, in turn, improves mental performance.
CILTEP contains many natural ingredients. Forskolin can be counted amongst these, combined with artichoke, vitamin B6, phenylalanine, and Acetyl-L-Carnitine. This might all sound very complex, and for that we wrote the article “CILTEP for optimal mental performance and well-being”.
You can feel the effects of CILTEP, 30 minutes after taking the supplement. But the effects of CILTEP will shine when you use the product for supplementation. The reason for this is because the communication between brain cells improves with time. The longer you use CILTEP, the better it will work. One standard dosage of CILTEP works up to 12 hours and gives improved focus and concentration for that period.
Most important reason for supplementation: Memory, focus, creativity.
Recommended dosage: 2-3 capsules CILTEP on an empty stomach in the morning.
Tip 2 B vitamins
B vitamins are essential for a well-functioning brain, having a good memory, and for good concentration [2]. Without enough B vitamins from food, the brain will never perform at its best. The best food sources B vitamins are amongst others vegetables and fruits, beef, fowl, eggs, fish, and shellfish. B vitamins are essential for functioning communications within the brain, but they also help create different neurotransmitters like GABA, acetylcholine, dopamine serotonin. These neurotransmitters need to be present in the right amounts, for optimal mental performance to be possible.
Long-term supplementation will improve the level of stress in your life [3]. In other words, B vitamins lower the amount of stress. Contrary to popular opinion, stress will not increase your performance, and it especially will not in the long term! Stress causes mental performance to be degraded, especially in the long term. B vitamins are not only essential for mental performance, but they also help to decrease stress during a busy lifestyle.
Natural Stack’s Dopamine Brain food contains great amounts of specific B vitamins needed for mental performance. Furthermore, contrary to other B vitamin supplements, Dopamine Brain food contains premium quality and forms of B vitamins. These high-quality forms of B vitamins do not cause an allergic reaction and have high absorption at the same time. Finally, Dopamine Brain Food also contains co-factors that increase absorption even further.
Personally, I don’t supplement with B vitamins because my diet consists of the great amount of shellfish that contain a lot of B vitamins. Almost every day, I eat a lot of mussels and vegetables, thereby easily reaching the recommended daily allowance (and going far beyond that allowance as well!). For people that do not want to go that far with their diets, Natural Stack’s Dopamine Brain Food might be a great option.
If my budget would allow, supplementing with B vitamins (from Dopamine Brain Food for example) might increase my mental performance even further than the B vitamins I get just from my food. The reason for this is that Dopamine Brain Food contains some premium forms of B vitamins, which you might find in food to such great extents.
Most important reason for supplementation: Stress reduction, a nutrient that is a precondition for a well-functioning brain.
Recommended Dosage: Use three capsules of Dopamine Brain Food on an empty stomach during the morning.
Tip 3 Choline
Choline is a very important nutrient for the brain. You can find Choline in foods like meat, shellfish, eggs, and to a small extent in fruits and vegetables. Choline is an essential nutrient to have well-functioning acetylcholine neurotransmitters within the brain [4]. The name “choline” is derived from acetylcholine.
Even before birth, choline is an essential nutrient for the development of the brain [5]. Choline influences stem cells, influences the expression of certain genes and also influences the development of the brain. Even after birth, choline stays an essential nutrient for both adults and children. Sadly enough, most people do not have the right amounts of choline in their diets, especially following the “Standard Western Diet” or “Standard American Diet”.
Not all forms of choline absorb well within the brain [6]. The better and more expensive forms of choline like Citicoline can pass the blood-brain barrier and, therefore, be absorbed by the brain. Cheaper and lower quality forms of choline, like choline bitartrate, cannot do this [7]. High-quality forms of choline are for example Bulletproof’s Choline Force and Life Extension CDP Choline.
Even though the Bulletproof Choline Force has choline bitartrate in it, it also supplies a lot of co-factors that increase absorption and subsequently increase your concentration. With these additions, this simple choline bitartrate supplement is transformed a spectacular high-quality nootropic.
Life Extensions CDP-choline has a more expensive form of choline called citicoline. The brain maximally absorbs Citicoline. This supplement not only increases concentration, as Bulletproof’s Choline Force does, but it also increases the brain’s metabolism, increasing your memory and acting as an anti-aging supplement [8][9]. Hence, to create the best performance possible, I would prefer the CPD choline.
Personally, I don’t supplement with choline as I eat large amounts of shellfish and eggs. Because I’m a student, I try to get as many nutrients from my food as possible. I would recommend using CDP-choline if you have a bigger budget. These might improve mental performance to a greater extent than just using choline from food. The reason for the greater improvements in mental performance is these forms of choline absorb better within the brain.
Most important reason for supplementing with Choline Bitartrate: Concentration, a nutrient that is a precondition for a well-functioning brain.
Most important reason for supplementing CDP-Choline/Citicoline: Concentration, memory, anti-aging effect, nutrient that is a precondition for a well-functioning brain.
Recommended dosage: Use the product as prescribed, in the morning on an empty stomach. It is possible to take a second dose during the afternoon. It would not be recommended to take choline during the evening or night, as it can have stimulating effects. The stimulating effect might affect sleep quality.
Tip 4 PQQ
PQQ stands for pyrroloquinoline quinone. PQQ stimulates the creation of new mitochondria within the brain itself. Mitochondria are the “energy factories” of a cell. The brain contains a lot of mitochondria. By creating new mitochondria within the brain, energy production is increased, which creates more clarity of thought and more mental energy [10]. PQQ also has a protective function within the brain [11]. It is sometimes even seen as an essential brain nutrient, within some specific scientific literature [12]. Furthermore, PQQ also lowers inflammatory processes [13]. Inflammation can be seen as an important contributing factor that creates autoimmune diseases, heart disease and also negatively influences the aging process. Hence, PQQ doesn’t only increase your mental performance but has great benefits in the areas of anti-aging and general health.
Helfi sells Bulletproof’s premium version of PQQ that is called Unfair Advantage. Unfair Advantage uses a new technique that improves the absorption of PQQ within the stomach. For that reason, the effects of Bulletproof PQQ will be greater than other forms of PQQ supplementation.
Even as a student, I use PQQ together with some form of CoQ10 year round. CoQ10 is a substance that increases the absorption of PQQ (Unfair Advantage has a premium form of CoQ10). Even though I have a limited budget, I still think it is valuable to take PQQ, because PQQ increases productivity, give you more energy, makes sleep more efficient and gives more mental clarity. The costs for PQQ can be “recovered” by the increase in productivity.
The price for Unfair Advantage might seem expensive, but it pays off. The bottom line is that PQQ, and especially Unfair Advantage, will help you make the best of every day. This calculation only took into account the effects that PQQ has on sleep efficiency and quality and assumed PQQ didn’t have any other effects. As mentioned before, PQQ has many other different effects that improve our lives. In conclusion, the net contributions that PQQ can have to our lives are hard to overestimate.
Most important reason for supplementation: Focus, memory, general well-being anti-aging.
Recommended dosage: Take PQQ on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning, as prescribed on the package. For example, use one mini-shot of Unfair Advantage, or use another PQQ supplement. If you choose to use another supplement than Unfair Advantage, make sure you choose a BioPQQ form of PQQ. BioPQQ absorbs better than other PQQ forms (but absorb to a lesser extent than Unfair Advantage). For the best results and absorption, combine BioPQQ with a CoQ10 supplement.
Sources
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[4] Blusztajn JK, Wurtman RJ. Choline and cholinergic neurons. Science. 1983 Aug 12;221(4611):614-20.
[5] Zeisel SH. The fetal origins of memory: the role of dietary choline in optimal brain development. J Pediatr. 2006 Nov;149(5 Suppl).
[6] Pardridge WM. The blood-brain barrier: in brain drug development. NeuroRx. 2005 Jan;2(1):3-14.
[7] Zafonte RD, Bagiella E, Ansel BM, Novack TA, Friedewald WT, Hesdorffer DC, Timmons SD, Jallo J, Eisenberg H, Hart T, Ricker JH, Diaz-Arrastia R, Merchant RE, Temkin NR, Melton S, Dikmen SS. Effect of citicoline on functional and cognitive status among patients with traumatic brain injury: Citicoline Brain Injury Treatment Trial (COBRIT). AMA. 2012 Nov 21;308(19):1993-2000. doi: 10.1001/jama.2012.13256.
[8] Secades JJ, Lorenzo JL. Citicoline: pharmacological and clinical review, 2006 update. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Sep;28 Suppl B:1-56.
[9] McGlade E, Locatelli A, Hardy J, Kamiya T, Morita M, Morishita K, Sugimura Y, Yurgelun-Todd D. Improved Attentional Performance Following Citicoline Administration in Healthy Adult Women
[10] Chowanadisai W1, Bauerly KA, Tchaparian E, Wong A, Cortopassi GA, Rucker RB. Pyrroloquinoline quinone stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis through cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation and increased PGC-1alpha expression. J Biol Chem. 2010 Jan 1;285(1):142-52. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M109.030130. Epub 2009 Oct 27.
[11] Nunome K1, Miyazaki S, Nakano M, Iguchi-Ariga S, Ariga H. Pyrroloquinoline quinone prevents oxidative stress-induced neuronal death probably through changes in oxidative status of DJ-1. Biol Pharm Bull. 2008 Jul;31(7):1321-6.
[12] Zhang Y1, Rosenberg PA. The essential nutrient pyrroloquinoline quinone may act as a neuroprotectant by suppressing peroxynitrite formation. Eur J Neurosci. 2002 Sep;16(6):1015-24.
[13] Harris CB1, Chowanadisai W, Mishchuk DO, Satre MA, Slupsky CM, Rucker RB. Dietary pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) alters indicators of inflammation and mitochondrial-related metabolism in human subjects. J Nutr Biochem. 2013 Dec;24(12):2076-84. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2013.07.008.
