If you’re new to nootropics, then you could find, as many do, that it’s quite tough to know which smart drugs to take. Which ones are most effective, safest, and accessible?

This is our basic nootropics QuickStart guide. An easy beginners guide that will help you to decide on which nootropic substances could really help you to increase your potential, output, and overall performance levels.

Whether you are looking to use smart drugs to improve your cognitive performance, perhaps in the workplace or for studying, or you’re looking to increase your physical performance, then this is the place to start.

We will cover the different types of nootropics out there. Natural, manufactured, and will also talk a little bit about herbal nootropics.

This guide will also review the different ranges of effects, and explain just how good they can be. How much is real, and how much around nootropics is high?

Plus, we will also recommend some great beginner nootropics (even some completely risk-free ones if you are totally risk averse), and some tips on where to buy nootropics as well.

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What Exactly Are Nootropics?

Let’s start this guide with a nootropic FAQ. This is the most asked question by beginners about smart drugs generally.

So what exactly are nootropics?

Nootropics are any substance which helps to enhance cognitive function. Basically, brain boosters that help with some or all of the following:

• Increase in mental clarity
• Better memory recall
• Better memory retention
• Improved linguistic skills
• Better social interaction and reaction
• Lowering anxiety
• Elevated determination
• Improved satisfaction
• Promote long-term brain health
• Improves wakefulness and alertness

As you can see, that’s a significant range of benefits, which is why there are such a wide range of substances out there which are classed as nootropics.

You drink coffee or tea probably? If so, you are using a nootropic. The caffeine contained in tea and coffee is a stimulant. It helps to increase our mental and physical function. It also improves alertness and wakefulness.

Taking that up to a completely different level, you have the well tried combination of caffeine and L-Theanine, which is an extract from green tea. I’ll cover that more later, but it allows you to supercharge the use of caffeine as a nootropic without negative side effects.

At the other end of that spectrum promoting wakefulness and alertness, you have nootropics like modafinil. It dramatically improves your cognitive function, improves wakefulness, and alertness. A supercharged caffeine-like hit that elevates you to a completely different level of thinking and performance output.

So in summary, a nootropic is any substance, manufactured all natural, that can help you to achieve any of the things I mentioned in the bullet point list above. But mostly, it will help you to think faster and clearer, feel happier, and have more mental and physical energy.

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FAQ #2: Are Nootropics Safe?

The next biggest asked question around nootropics is are they safe? Unfortunately, that’s like asking if cars are safe.

You can’t compare a brand-new BMW to a 30 year old car that you pick up from a scrapyard. They are both cars, but in terms of safety and performance, they are on different planets.

As we have already mentioned, caffeine is a basic nootropic. But you can’t compare that to something like Noopept, Phenibut, or members of the racetam nootropics family. Those are artificially constructed chemicals that have dramatically different effects.

Mostly, natural nootropics are safe. But only if you take them within acceptable dosage ranges.

For example, kratom can be a nootropic. It calms you down, and it can sharpen your focus. But at high doses it overwhelmingly sedating, and can have very bad side effects. But at lower doses, it’s definitely very safe.

So yes, nootropics are safe. But only if you choose wisely, take moderate doses, spread your doses out, watch out for warning signs of tolerance or addiction, and backup your use of smart drugs with education around them.

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The Main Types Of Smart Drugs You Can Use

Even vitamins are nootropics. B vitamins especially are essential to balance in brain chemical production and management.

Many vitamins are also neuroprotective, and help with other things in the body and mind.

Overall, you can split the types of nootropic smart drugs into three:

1. Safe and legal every day nootropic substances, such as caffeine, vitamins and minerals, L-Theanine and other extracts.

2. Herbal nootropic substances. Some of these are every day, while others aren’t. Some are legal, while others may not be in your area. Things like kratom fall into this category. Excellent beginner herbal nootropics include Lion’s Mane Mushrooms and Bacopa Monieri.

3. Chemical nootropics that have been synthesized for a purpose. This is everything from Racetams, through to Noopept, and many other cognitive and physical stimulants/enhancers.

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Do Nootropics Really Work Or Is It Hype?

When you drink a cup of coffee do you feel alert and focus? The answer is of course yes, which means nootropics do work.

But how they work, and the degree to which they work will obviously depend on several factors:

• The type of nootropic selected
• The potency and effects
• Your personal response
• Your physical health and fitness
• Dose & cycle length
• Whether you are taking them singularly or stacking them

There are a couple of things to bear in mind when it comes to understanding how nootropics workload.

Firstly, a lot of people overestimate the effects they will get, especially at moderate doses. They are expecting another world in terms of how they feel and respond, and they just don’t work like that mostly.

In fact, nootropics often work imperceptibly. When you’re on them you’ll barely notice any different. You might feel more productive and focus, but it’s not until afterwards that you really appreciate what just happened. That’s why some people claim something hasn’t worked for them. It has, but they just haven’t challenged themselves to see the productivity.

Secondly, people often mistake the effects they will get from using nootropics. Because they aren’t focused on the right things, they are productive physically or mentally. They end up drifting, and not bothering again because they don’t feel they actually improve their work rate. The thing is, they simply haven’t focused on the work they really need to achieve.

Yes, smart drugs really work. Things like racetams, modafinil, Noopept, Kratom, Peptides, Adderall, they all really do work.

You also have to understand exactly what the effects are before you can judge it. Some work cognitively to enhanced perception and focus, while others are pure stimulants.

It’s the same with the physical effects. Some are just stimulants that will send you racing with power and energy, whereas others are far more subtle in how they produce the effects.

Overall, understand of smart drugs work for you, you have to understand exactly what is you’re taking fully before you do. Then take it in a constructive manner so that you can judge during and after the experience exactly what benefits you got from the dose you took, and over how long.

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Are Nootropics Legal?

One question I’m always asked is around the legality of nootropics.

Unfortunately, it’s tough to answer that question universally. Some nootropics are legal in one country, but not in another.

However, many of the natural, widely used nootropics are completely legal. For example L-Theanine is completely legal.

Unfortunately you’ll just have to do some research for your own country. I would look at the type of nootropic you want, narrow it down to the exact one the effect you want, and then research by searching for its legality in your country on Google.

Overall though, most nootropics are legal, or not illegal. Not illegal means that they are a grey area substance. They are not specifically banned, but they are not used any legal purpose.

Also, some nootropics are legal to buy but they aren’t legal to possess, take, or sell. Always research the exact legal status before you buy some.

The big problem if you are importing could be that the nootropics are legal in your country, or they are grey area drugs. If they are, and they are stopped at customs, they will be destroyed.

Don’t worry, you won’t be arrested or anything, they will just destroy them and send you a letter.

But to get rid of the pain of that happening, always understand the legality of the smart drugs you are wanting to buy within your own country.

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Which Nootropic Should A Beginner Try?

Beginners should overall look for quality in the nootropics that they choose to try.

That means quality and experiences people report. But it also means quality in what you get your hands on to try. Don’t go cheap here, by the highest quality you can afford.

Always do your research as well. Understand exactly what you are going to take, and the effects it will bring. Make sure you’ve researched the best places to buy it, so you get the highest quality product to ensure the best experience.

For your first experiences avoid stimulants. That means direct stimulant nootropics, and it means indirect stimulants like caffeine alongside it. Don’t stack for your first experiences a beginner either. Stimulants can hide the effects of the nootropics and remove the subtlety.

It’s difficult to tell you what nootropic you should try as a beginner.

Look at the effect you want to achieve. If it’s a strong cognitive benefits for study or work, then something like modafinil, or coluracetam could be very good for you.

Citicoline is another great cognitive nootropic for beginners. It raises dopamine and ACh levels, giving you sharp determination spikes and enhanced focus. These are strongly connected with the executive brain learning functions. If you’re going to use it though, make sure you stack it with a choline source as it can deplete it.

Click here to read more about Citicoline

Rhodiola Rosea is another great nootropic that beginners can experiment with safely and cleanly. This has physical and mental benefits. Mentally it can improve your calmness and focus. Physically, it’s known to increase stamina and endurance levels.

Click here to read more about Rhodiola Rosea