Cognitive enhancers, often called “smart drugs,” are not new in the field of medicine. People have been using them for some time. They were first used as a form of treatment for motion sickness, but they have recently been found to be helpful in enhancing memory.

Some say that smart drugs can help improve your brain function and your health through the increase of blood flow to your brain. This affects the release of chemicals within your prefrontal cortex. And because of this, many people have been using these drugs to improve their performance.

Who can blame them for doing so? With the fast-paced nature of our world, people need to go fast or they’ll be left behind. Sometimes people tend to forget that there’s always another side, though.

Drugs, like almost everything, have positive and negative effects, and “smart drugs” are included. They help you perform better, they help you get motivated and cram for your daily tasks, and they even improve your concentration, fight off fatigue, and help you focus better.

In short, they can give you an edge. Unlike coffee or illegal drugs that buy off the streets, smart drugs are generally marketed to people with ADHD. They don’t come without side effects. They may give you health problems.

Pros of Smart Drugs

We already know that smart drugs work. Now let’s take an in-depth look at the benefits of using them.

1.) Better memory retention, learning, and attention

Smart drugs are useful in helping you concentrate better, which is essential to the learning process. Aside from your focus, these drugs help you magnify your brain’s storage capacity, upgrading your memory. And with upgraded concentration, comes improved attention.

2.) A healthier brain

These drugs effectively safeguard your brain neurons by slowing down the rate of age-related decay of your tissues, preventing them from being damaged. A lot of smart medications invert the process of decomposition of your brain to an extent. If your brain’s tissues and neurons decay is slowed, your brain remains healthy, which results in better cognition.

3.) Protection of your neurons

Smart drugs can also serve the health of your brain tissues. Your brain tissues get worn out by complex psychological issues, age, and strenuous work at a fast rate. The damage may affect your cognition and may result in diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

4.) Reduce brain fatigue

These drugs help reduce the fatigue in your brain, which allows you to work for longer hours. They also help you block certain types of receptors in your brain.

5.) Decrease stress and anxiety

Smart drugs reduce your stress and anxiety. They also raise your mood level, which can result in you feeling better when you work.

Cons of Smart Drugs

Some people believe that smart drugs are not harmful. But everything has two sides. Let’s take a look at the disadvantages of smart drugs.

1.) Associated with headaches

Smart drugs demand that your brain use acetylcholine, which causes overexcited synapses, resulting in headaches. Counteract this side effect by increasing your daily consumption of choline.

2.) Hard on your intestinal system 

Too much can be hard on your intestinal system. This may result in you feeling nauseated and experiencing pain in your abdomen. You may also experience diarrhea and vomiting. You can control this by cutting back your dosage.

3.) Insomnia and fatigue

If you take a smart drug around bedtime, you may experience fatigue and insomnia. This happens because smart medications are known to increase your energy. To avoid sleeplessness and related fatigue, you can try to take your medicine several hours before you sleep.

4.) Addiction

Just like other drugs, smart drugs can be addictive if unwisely used. They’re not meant to be used by people who are healthy; they’re for people who have disorders and diseases.
5.) Unethical for some

Some people consider smart drugs unethical, and they liken them to performance-enhancing drugs some athletes use to cheat in sports. If you achieve better grades because you’ve used these drugs, some people may see you as someone who’s undeserving.

Smart drugs are just like everything else; they have positive things about them, and negative things, too. These supplements for mental health are excellent in helping you perform better at school or work, but they can also endanger your health.

The essential thing to remember is if you’re considering using them, take time to go to a doctor and get a consultation. Your doctor will assist you in determining whether you should or should not start taking smart drugs. And if you start taking them, be sure to adhere to the directions on how and when to consume them.

Simon Manning

Simon Manning is the creator of and primary contributor to Best Nootropics Now, a website which offers accessible and unbiased information on all things nootropics. A programmer in a former life, Simon has been researching and experimenting with brain enhancing supplements for close to a decade. His initial foray into nootropics was with the hope of finding an extra edge in a mentally demanding and competitive profession. One he experienced and understood what was possible, there was no turning back. These days, Simon spends much of his time exploring various supplements for mental health, fine-tuning nootropics stacks and sharing his findings with like-minded individuals interested in cognitive enhancement.