Brain boost: Nootropics in a new corporate world
Share
Ever wondered what work life was like in the 1970s and 80s? No emails, no computers, and little exposure to the world beyond the office. There was likely more time for deep thinking and less stress, with healthier diets providing essential brain nutrients.
Fast forward to today, and we're bombarded by notifications and constant demands on our focus. Moments of calm and concentration are rare luxuries. In this fast-paced work environment, the pressure for peak cognitive performance has never been higher. Social media nudging us to work harder doesn't help.
This has led professionals to seek ways to enhance focus, creativity, and productivity, driving the rise of nootropics. Also known as cognitive enhancers, nootropics improve functions like memory, creativity, motivation, and executive skills. Each ingredient in the realm of nootropics offers its own unique benefits.
Here are some of the key uses:
Cognitive enhancement
Did you know that there's a 36% chance you're already consuming nootropics three to five times a day? If you're a regular consumer of coffee, you're already enjoying the benefits of nootropics.
The primary appeal of nootropics lies in their capacity to support cognitive tasks like focus, processing speed and memory. For those looking to optimize brain function, there are a variety of options:
Natural caffeine (green coffee bean; guarana): This popular stimulant boosts alertness and lowers perceived effort, resulting in quicker reactions. It's advised to steer clear of synthetic caffeine (such as caffeine anhydrous) as it lacks the natural chlorogenic acids present in coffee plants. These compounds have an antioxidant impact, neutralizing harmful free radicals and reducing oxidative stress in the body.
L-theanine: Often paired with caffeine, L-theanine imparts a calming effect that complements the energizing properties of caffeine, leading to smoother and swifter reactions. A dose of 100mg can aid in enhancing focus and cognitive function, particularly when combined with natural caffeine.
Bacopa monnieri: This adaptogenic herb is renowned for its memory-enhancing benefits. Bacopa may enhance communication between brain neurons, crucial for faster processing speeds and speedier reactions to stimuli. It's also reported to have anxiety-reducing properties. By lessening anxiety, it can indirectly boost the ability to focus and react promptly, as anxiety can detrimentally affect cognitive performance and reaction speed.
Rhodiola rosea: This adaptogen fights fatigue and bolsters mental clarity, aiding in quicker decision-making.
Maritime pine bark: Pine bark extract augments nitric oxide production in the body, facilitating the dilation of blood vessels and improving blood circulation. Enhanced circulation, including to the brain, can amplify cognitive function and enhance reaction speed by ensuring a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients to brain tissue.
Stress and anxiety
In the treatment of stress and anxiety, a particular group of herbs stands out: adaptogens. These natural substances are valued for their fascinating ability to help the body adjust to stress.
Adaptogens function to balance the hormones and chemicals released by the body under stress. They act like a thermostat, gauging the current stress levels in the body and bringing things back to equilibrium. This aids in reducing anxiety, improving focus and enhancing the ability to cope with physical and emotional stress.
Highly recommended adaptogens for stress include ashwagandha and Rhodiola rosea. For anxiety, lemon balm and ginseng are solid choices. Cordyceps mushrooms are also being investigated for their adaptogenic advantages to humans in recent years.
Sleep
The impact of sleep on cognitive abilities has been extensively studied and documented. Lack of sleep impairs attention, working memory, long-term memory and decision-making. Even partial sleep deprivation can affect attention.
A restful night's sleep goes a long way in maintaining a sharp, clear mind, especially during stressful periods.
Ingredients like lemon balm and magnesium bisglycinate aid in calming the mind before sleep. Magnesium additionally boosts memory, learning, recall, mood, and cognition.
As the demands of the corporate world continue to evolve and intensify, the quest for optimal cognitive performance keeps growing. Natural nootropics offer a promising option for those wanting to improve their focus, creativity, and productivity in the face of today's fast-paced environment.
Information provided by Neurologica.
References
Borota D, Murray E, Keceli G, Chang A, Watabe JM, Ly M, Toscano JP, Yassa MA. Post-study caffeine administration enhances memory consolidation in humans. Nat Neurosci. 2014 Feb;17(2):201-3. doi: 10.1038/nn.3623. Epub 2014 Jan 12. PMID: 24413697; PMCID: PMC5909971.
Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research; Marriott BM, editor. Food Components to Enhance Performance: An Evaluation of Potential Performance-Enhancing Food Components for Operational Rations. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1994. 20, Effects of Caffeine on Cognitive Performance, Mood, and Alertness in Sleep-Deprived Humans. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209050/
MacKenzie T, Comi R, Sluss P, Keisari R, Manwar S, Kim J, Larson R, Baron JA. Metabolic and hormonal effects of caffeine: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Metabolism. 2007 Dec;56(12):1694-8. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2007.07.013. PMID: 17998023.
Calabrese C, Gregory WL, Leo M, Kraemer D, Bone K, Oken B. Effects of a standardized Bacopa monnieri extract on cognitive performance, anxiety, and depression in the elderly: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Jul;14(6):707-13. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0018. PMID: 18611150; PMCID: PMC3153866.
Bhattacharya SK, Ghosal S. Anxiolytic activity of a standardized extract of Bacopa monniera: an experimental study. Phytomedicine. 1998 Apr;5(2):77-82. doi: 10.1016/S0944-7113(98)80001-9. PMID: 23195757.
Stough C, Lloyd J, Clarke J, Downey LA, Hutchison CW, Rodgers T, Nathan PJ. The chronic effects of an extract of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy human subjects. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2001 Aug;156(4):481-4. doi: 10.1007/s002130100815. Erratum in: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2015 Jul;232(13):2427. Dosage error in article text. PMID: 11498727.
Chovanová Z, Muchová J, Sivonová M, Dvoráková M, Zitnanová I, Waczulíková I, Trebatická J, Skodácek I, Duracková Z. Effect of polyphenolic extract, Pycnogenol, on the level of 8-oxoguanine in children suffering from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Free Radic Res. 2006 Sep;40(9):1003-10. doi: 10.1080/10715760600824902. PMID: 17015282.
Nishioka K, Hidaka T, Nakamura S, Umemura T, Jitsuiki D, Soga J, Goto C, Chayama K, Yoshizumi M, Higashi Y. Pycnogenol, French maritime pine bark extract, augments endothelium-dependent vasodilation in humans. Hypertens Res. 2007 Sep;30(9):775-80. doi: 10.1291/hypres.30.775. PMID: 18037769.
Belcaro G, Luzzi R, Dugall M, Ippolito E, Saggino A. Pycnogenol® improves cognitive function, attention, mental performance and specific professional skills in healthy professionals aged 35-55. J Neurosurg Sci. 2014 Dec;58(4):239-48. Epub 2014 Mar 28. PMID: 24675223.
Darbinyan V, Aslanyan G, Amroyan E, Gabrielyan E, Malmström C, Panossian A. Clinical trial of Rhodiola rosea L. extract SHR-5 in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. Nord J Psychiatry. 2007;61(5):343-8. doi: 10.1080/08039480701643290. Erratum in: Nord J Psychiatry. 2007;61(6):503. PMID: 17990195.
Mao JJ, Xie SX, Zee J, Soeller I, Li QS, Rockwell K, Amsterdam JD. Rhodiola rosea versus sertraline for major depressive disorder: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine. 2015 Mar 15;22(3):394-9. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2015.01.010. Epub 2015 Feb 23. PMID: 25837277; PMCID: PMC4385215.
Panossian A, Wikman G. Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System and the Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Their Stress-Protective Activity. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2010 Jan 19;3(1):188-224. doi: 10.3390/ph3010188. PMID: 27713248; PMCID: PMC3991026.
Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012 Jul;34(3):255-62.
Kasper S, Dienel A. Multicenter, open-label, exploratory clinical trial with Rhodiola rosea extract in patients suffering from burnout symptoms. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2017 Mar 22;13:889-898.
Lekomtseva Y, Zhukova I, Wacker A. Rhodiola rosea in Subjects with Prolonged or Chronic Fatigue Symptoms: Results of an Open-Label Clinical Trial. Complement Med Res. 2017;24(1):46-52. doi: 10.1159/000457918. Epub 2017 Feb 17. PMID: 28219059.
Baik IH, Kim KH, Lee KA. Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Antithrombotic Effects of Ginsenoside Compound K Enriched Extract Derived from Ginseng Sprouts. Molecules. 2021 Jul 5;26(13):4102. doi: 10.3390/molecules26134102. PMID: 34279442; PMCID: PMC8272189.
Hyun SH, Bhilare KD, In G, Park CK, Kim JH. Effects of Panaxginseng and ginsenosides on oxidative stress and cardiovascular diseases: pharmacological and therapeutic roles. J Ginseng Res. 2022 Jan;46(1):33-38. doi: 10.1016/j.jgr.2021.07.007. Epub 2021 Jul 26. PMID: 35058725; PMCID: PMC8753520.
Salo, Paula & Polo-Kantola, Päivi. (2007). Sleep deprivation: Impact on cognitive performance. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment. 3. 553-67.
2024 Coffee Statistics: Consumption, Preferences, & Spending