In today’s fast paced world, many of us are looking for ways to optimize our productivity and increase our mental performance. If you’re one of those people seeking to unlock the full potential of your brain, look no further – Nootropics have entered the chat.
Before we dive deep into the ins and outs of nootropics, we need to start with where it all begins – the brain.
The brain is the control center of the body. Every physical and mental activity is executed by the brain: from memory to thought, emotion, touch, speech, movement, breathing, digestion, and more. It’s what makes you uniquely YOU and determines how you experience the world.
How exactly does this work? The brain receives information from the body and our senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound), processes that information, and interprets it in a way that has meaning to you! By that we mean, it either sends “messages” back to the body, OR it stores the information in your memory.
Your brain only weighs about 3 pounds, but it’s easily the most energy demanding organ in the body! When the brain is energized, the capacity for mental and cognitive function is higher, that’s why they call it “brain power.” Whereas, when energy levels are low, your mental performance, processing skills, recall, and clarity all suffer.
So what’s the secret to feeling sharp? It’s optimizing your energy and maintaining a healthy brain, and this is where nootropics come in!
What are Nootropics?
A nootropic, also known as cognitive enhancer or “brain-booster” if you will, is a substance (medication, supplement, or ingredient) that works with your natural brain chemistry to improve cognitive function and brain wellness. This includes mental focus, clarity, attention, alertness, stress resistance, memory, and more!
In layman’s terms, a nootropic is any substance that is taken to boost cognitive performance. They include a WIDE range of substances, such as: a common source we all know and love like caffeine, a prescribed pharmaceutical drug like Adderall, or even an herb derived from plants such as Ginseng.
How do Nootropics work?
Here’s where things get a little dicey, because there’s such a large variety of substances considered to be nootropics, the way in which a nootropic works can vary. It primarily depends on the substance/compound, but the individual consuming said nootropic has an effect as well. For the sake of this blog, we’re going to focus on general mechanisms by which they are believed to work!
Nootropics may work to:
- Improve the activity of chemical messengers in the brain. Remember how we mentioned our brain sends “messages” throughout the body? They do so through what are called neurotransmitters. Some nootropics are believed to increase the activity of certain neurotransmitters, which can enhance cognitive function!
- Increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain. One thing we talked about earlier is that the brain is the most energy demanding organ in the body. This means it requires A LOT of energy to keep you functioning. When you increase the blood flow and oxygen to the brain, it provides your brain with more energy so it can function optimally!
- Enhance the brain’s ability to change and adapt to new information and experiences. There’s actually a term for this – brain plasticity. Think of it as brain “reorganizing.” Some nootropics can increase your brain plasticity, which can improve your memory, concentration, and cognitive skills (learning)!
- Protect the brain from damage. A nootropic may do this by reducing oxidative stress in the brain, which is a damage caused by an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body. Reducing oxidative stress can protect the brain and greatly improve its ability to function.
While nootropics may work differently, they all have one thing in common – their ability to enhance cognitive function and support brain health!
Benefits:
With each nootropic having its own unique benefits for the brain and cognitive function, below we’ve given you some of the potential benefits nootropics can offer:
- Improved mental focus and clarity
- Enhanced concentration
- Increased productivity
- Refined memory and learning
- Enhanced problem-solving and decision-making skills
- Decreased brain fog
- Boosted mood and brainpower
- Delayed cognitive decline
You’ve convinced me! Where can I find them?
Here’s where we come in. Bowmar Nutrition offers SHARP (powdered) and SHARP Energy (energy drink), both of which contain brain-boosting nootropic ingredients to fuel your mind and energize your body! They are your one-way ticket to feeling sharp.
To learn about each product, please check out the following blogs: